LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِApril 05/2011

Biblical Event Of The Day
The Good News According to Mark 5/1-20: "They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 5:2 When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs. 5:3 He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains, 5:4 because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him. 5:5 Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. 5:6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him, 5:7 and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.” 5:8 For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 5:9 He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 5:10 He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 5:11 Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding. 5:12 All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.” 5:13 At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea. 5:14 Those who fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the country.
The people came to see what it was that had happened. 5:15 They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid. 5:16 Those who saw it declared to them how it happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs. 5:17 They began to beg him to depart from their region. 5:18 As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 5:19 He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.”
5:20 He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled
 

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Embrace Syrian revolution/By: Farid Ghadry/April 04/11
Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad Sends an Email to President Obama/By: Barry Rubin/April 04/11
Gadhafi liquidates, but may also be in liquidation/By: David Ignatius/April 04/11
Will Assad-Erdogan love affair last?/By: Aviel Magnezi/April 04/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 04/11
Report: Gates Approves Halt to Arms Delivery to Lebanon/Naharnet
U.S. Freezes Arms Delivery to Lebanon/Wall Street Journal
U.S. offers free flights out for employees in Syria/Reuters
Al-Rahi Meets Berri and Hariri, Hopes Government Will be Formed Soon to Tackle People's Concerns/Naharnet
Thousands march in mourning in Syria/Daily Star
Crowds gather for funerals of slain protesters in Syria/Washington Post
Dr. Samir Geagea: Hezbollah's arms expose Lebanon, not protect it/Daily Star
Worried Lebanese relatives demand help for those stuck in Ivory Coast/Daily Star
Mikati will not step down, says source/Daily Star
Lebanon's Minister of Interior Baroud warns of time bomb after riot in Roumieh prison/Daily Times
Four Iranian guards killed in Kurdistan/AFP
Berri: Sovereign Portfolios 'Overrated', Cabinet Lineup Delay Unjustified/Naharnet
CMA CGM Denies Shipping Weapons to and from Iran/Naharnet
Lebanon Resorts to U.N. for Help as Lebanese Flee to Dakar from Ivory Coast Violence/Naharnet
ISF Probes Roumieh Mutiny, Vows to Take 'Disciplinary Measures' Against Complicit Wardens/Naharnet
Al-Qaida, Hizbullah in Brazil Reportedly Planning Attacks Abroad/Naharnet
Miqati Informs Higher Islamic Council that he is Facing Obstacles in Government Formation/Naharnet

Embrace Syrian revolution
By: Farid Ghadry
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4051017,00.html
Ynetnews/ April 04/2011
Op-ed: Israelis should shun ‘better the devil you know’ mentality, endorse anti-Assad uprising
On March 15, 2011 the Syrian Revolution started. Emboldened by other Arabs seeking freedom and better economic conditions, Syrians decided they too had enough of Assad. It started in Deraa, not far from the Jordanian border and spread quickly to other regions of the country. Since then, Assad has spilled the blood of Syrians in many towns, but more so in Deraa and Latakya, supposedly two Assad strongholds.
The Syrian Revolution is being recorded aptly on cell phone cameras by subscribers to Assad's SyriaTel. His tools of corruption have become our tools of freedom. There is no escaping the bloody videos streaming on YouTube shot by Syrians determined to let the world know who Assad is. If you wish to see mothers cry, fathers fall, and young men shot through the head, then head to Assad's world on YouTube.
Not just our mothers are mourning but Israeli mothers have mourned too, and Lebanese mothers, and Iraqi mothers, and American mothers whose tears have drained the beating sound of their hearts; they all wish to see the end of Assad's criminality and his history buried forever. Yet there are those, in the US and Israel, who continue to pretend that lost lives can be sacrificed for a small sliver of hope called peace. But no one seems to bother to ask how peace will materialize from a man whose hands drip with the blood of so many in such a short period of time. What chance do Israelis have to trust their future to a killer who massacres his own people?
The people of Israel are beyond trusting Assad certainly; however, it is almost impossible not to read, once in a while, few articles written in the Israeli press asking the question: "What's the alternative?" and "The devil we know" suppositions.
But consider the facts: Assad arms Hezbollah to kidnap your soldiers; he empowers Hamas to strike fear in the hearts of your children; he protects every known terrorist organization, many of whom have scorched your earth and set the hearts of your crying mothers, daughters, and wives ablaze. Yet the world still reads "The devil you know...” statements in Israeli press. It almost borders on masochism after all the terror Assad rained on Israel to suggest he is a "devil" you are willing to accept.
Syrians seek freedom, not religion
The Syrian Revolution is about the haves and the have-nots. It is about economic empowerment, halting uncontrollable corruption, and the arrogance of a half-witted man. The average age in Syria is 21.7; a Syrian first accessed the Internet around the age of 13 - so is it a wonder freedom is his aim and not religion? In watching your TV sets, has anyone witnessed a Syrian plastering pictures of an unknown Islamist leader as they did for Khomeini in the 1979 Iranian Revolution? Or shouting the name of one? We know of many Hip-Hop songs written against Assad but not one poem written for any Syrian Islamist leader.
The alternative to Assad is freedom. The alternative to the single party rule is democracy.
In a democracy, politicians are held accountable by the people; Syrians died, in this Revolution, for a better life and I dare any Muslim Brotherhood member to take the podium and speak about Israel or some other cause. That will be the end of them.
Syrian politicians, in a new Syria, will turn inward to provide for their people’s security and comfort. Ever since Iraq gained its freedom, has any Scud missile been fired on Israel? The country is too busy building and so will Syria when we are free. Syrians are far from being perfect. Many, in fact, have been educated in the art of hate. Jews? Throw them to the sea. Jerusalem? Ours to the last drop of blood. Holocaust? A hoax. Do not blame them because their words are meant to protect Assad, their master of fear. Instead, look at the revolution going on now. Hear the words Syrians shout. It is not about you or your country. It is about Assad and his shortcomings. After Assad, comes the difficult task of rebuilding a torn and poor nation.
So do not be afraid to embrace our revolution. There are too many good Syrians aspiring to look inward to build a nation the Assads destroyed. Not only will we build Syria, we will stand in the face of those who seek to ever exercise again the art of hate, enmity and exclusion. We are not asking you to bet your future on our words, but we are asking you to understand this revolution and to question those who keep repeating “What’s the alternative?” like a parrot repeats the words of his master long after he is gone.
 

Patriarch Al-Rahi Meets Berri and Hariri, Hopes Government Will be Formed Soon to Tackle People's Concerns
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi hoped on Monday that a new government would be formed soon "in order to tackle the mounting problems in Lebanon."He said after holding talks at Ain al-Tineh with Speaker Nabih Berri that the official visit would "mark the beginning of a long road of cooperation that would benefit all citizens.""We are in agreement with Berri on all matters," he added. For his part, the speaker stated that the meeting tackled various issues in Lebanon, including the government formation process. "It was agreed that communication should be maintained for the sake of Lebanon and the Lebanese," he stressed. Al-Rahi later held talks with Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the Center House on maintaining cooperation on various issues in Lebanon. "We wanted to inform Hariri that we are in constant contact in order to achieve what is best for Lebanon and the Lebanese," the patriarch said. "We want this visit to mark the beginning of ongoing cooperation and consultation," he added. Hariri reiterated al-Rahi's statements, adding: "God willing we will maintain our openness and we will remain in constant contact with you." The patriarch later met with Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani at Dar al-Fatwa. He announced after the talks that an Islamic-Christian spiritual summit will be held in Bkirki on the occasion of his election and in order to assert national, humanitarian, and social principles. "We are seeking to continue the long historic course that the Patriarchate and Dar al-Fatwa have maintained," he said. Addressing the government formation process, al-Rahi stated: "We hope it will be formed soon because we are in great need for it." Qabbani meanwhile highlighted the importance of holding the Islamic-Christian summit in light of the patriarch's election, saying that the cooperation between the two sides would enable them to play a comprehensive national spiritual role in Lebanon. Beirut, 04 Apr 11, 12:28

Gulf States Condemn Iran's Meddling
Naharnet/Gulf Arab monarchies including Saudi Arabia denounced Iran's "flagrant interference" in regional affairs and said Tehran was destabilizing their countries, at a ministerial meeting overnight Saturday. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers said in a statement they were "deeply worried about continuing Iranian meddling" in their region
In addition to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, the GCC groups Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. At their meeting they accused Tehran of plotting against GCC countries' national security and fanning sedition and confessional disputes among their citizens. Tehran was also "violating the sovereignty" of members of the regional grouping. The GCC meeting came after the Iranian parliament's foreign affairs and national security committee said Thursday that "Saudi Arabia should know its better not to play with fire in the sensitive region of the Persian Gulf". But the conservative Sunni monarchy on Sunday slammed what it described as an "irresponsible" statement containing "void allegations and blatant offense against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". The Iranian statement "fuels sectarianism", the Saudi Consultative Council had said according to state news agency SPA. Saudi Arabia led a joint Gulf force that entered Bahrain last month, enabling authorities to quell a month-long, Shiite-led protest demanding democratic reforms in the kingdom.
Ministers denounced "Iran's interference in Bahrain's internal affairs, in violation of international conventions and rules of good neighborliness".
They said that the deployment of the Peninsula Shield force in Bahrain at the request of its authorities was legitimate and in line with a joint defense agreement between GCC countries.
The ministers also criticized as "irresponsible" the statement by the Iranian parliament's foreign affairs and national security committee which had called for the withdrawal of Saudi forces from Bahrain. Iran must "stop these hostile policies and respect the rules of good neighborliness ... so as to preserve the security and stability in this region which is key for the entire world", they said. Abdullatif al-Zayani, the Gulf Cooperation Council's new secretary general, had condemned "Iran's meddling in the internal affairs of GCC countries" on the eve of the meeting, saying it "threatened security and stability in the region". Iran's foreign ministry said Sunday the tension between Tehran and Arab neighbors was the result of a "Western and Zionist conspiracy" aimed at "sowing discord between Islamic countries". "We advise regional governments to heed the demands of their people in order to stop such conspiracies," said ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, while insisting "unity" among Muslims was the key issue for Iran. Demonstrators in Bahrain appeared to have been inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt where protests succeeded in ousting the strongmen leaders. Protests also spread to the normally placid sultanate of Oman where demonstrators demanded better living conditions, without challenging the rule of Sultan Qaboos who has been in power since 1970. A call for a nationwide protest in the Saudi kingdom last month, however, did not materialize. Kuwait said Thursday it was to expel an unspecified number of Iranian diplomats for alleged links to a spy ring working for Tehran, reportedly ever since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. A Kuwaiti court passed a death sentence on three members of the alleged ring, to which Tehran denied any links. Tension between GCC countries and Shiite Iran had heightened after Manama accused Tehran of meddling in its internal affairs when it slammed Bahrain's decision to bring in Gulf troops. The two countries recalled their ambassadors and expelled diplomats. At least 24 people, including four policemen, were killed in a month of unrest in Bahrain.(AFP) Beirut, 04 Apr 11, 08:02

Lebanon Resorts to U.N. for Help as Lebanese Flee to Dakar from Ivory Coast Violence
Naharnet/Lebanon's ambassador to the U.N. Nawaf Salam will ask Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to deploy more U.N. troops in cities in the Ivory Coast where most Lebanese are concentrated and help them overcome the difficult conditions in the violence-torn country. Salam told Speaker Nabih Berri during a telephone conversation that he would meet with Ban on Monday. The expected meeting comes as Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri held a phone conversation with the U.N. chief and discussed with him measures that peacekeepers could take to protect the Lebanese in Abidjan and evacuate those wishing to leave. An Nahar daily said that President Michel Suleiman also made more contacts with several countries, mainly France. Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami briefed him on Monday on the efforts to protect the Lebanese community in the African country. A first group of foreigners fleeing chaos in Ivory Coast was evacuated Sunday as the French army took over the airport in Abidjan. The French military said 167 foreigners, including French and Lebanese nationals, left Abidjan for the Senegalese capital Dakar on a special flight. Internationally recognized president Alassane Ouattara's camp announced the time was ripe for a rapid offensive in the economic capital, where it has effectively cornered strongman Laurent Gbagbo, leading to four days of fierce fighting. LBC TV network said Monday that four Lebanese were injured in Abidjan by stray bullets, one of them seriously after bleeding for six hours, raising the number of wounded to seven. The relatives of Lebanese expatriates stranded in Ivory Coast staged a sit-in Sunday outside the foreign ministry in Beirut, demanding a solution to the humanitarian crisis. Al-Shami promised the protesters to find a quick solution. Beirut, 04 Apr 11, 11:18

Report: Gates Approves Halt to Arms Delivery to Lebanon
Naharnet/U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates approved a freeze on weapon shipments to the Lebanese army following the collapse of Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri's government in January, said The Wall Street Journal on Monday. The decision underlines growing concerns about Hizbullah's role after the party and its allies named Najib Miqati as premier-designate.
Despite the new move, defense officials told the American newspaper that the U.S. is continuing to provide training and non-lethal assistance to the Lebanese army, describing the ties that are active as "robust." A senior defense official said the Pentagon is now reviewing all U.S. security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces "during this period of government formation."
A second U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal that the Obama administration would base future decisions about security assistance, including whether to renew deliveries of lethal arms, after assessing the composition and conduct of the next government. U.S. lawmakers had moved to block aid to the Lebanese army in August after a deadly clash between the Israeli and Lebanese armies in the border town of Adeisseh, but the congressional freeze was only temporary. Congressional aides said new legislation is likely to be introduced in the coming weeks to cut off assistance if the next Lebanese government is dominated by Hizbullah. However, The Wall Street Journal said that U.S. defense officials want to keep some level of support for the Lebanese armed forces. Though weakened, officials say, the LAF are likely the only state institution with a chance of maintaining stability. Beirut, 04 Apr 11, 08:08

Berri: Sovereign Portfolios 'Overrated', Cabinet Lineup Delay Unjustified
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri said that Premier-designate Najib Miqati is continuing his efforts to form the new government, in remarks to An-Nahar and As-Safir newspapers. "There's no excuse to delay the government formation," Berri said, rejecting to talk about so-called sovereign portfolios and non-sovereign portfolios. In his remarks to the newspapers, Berri stressed that the issue of sovereign ministries was overrated, saying "there are some portfolios more important than those called sovereign portfolios." He denied the reports saying that Miqati was given a grace period of ten days to form a new government, saying "we've offered all the possible facilities to help the premier-designate carry out his tasks." An-Nahar daily remarked that Berri will reopen his office to lawmakers in the parliament starting Wednesday after the end of renovation work

Al-Qaida, Hizbullah in Brazil Reportedly Planning Attacks Abroad
Naharnet/Al-Qaida operatives and Hizbullah members are in Brazil planning attacks, raising money and recruiting followers, a leading Brazilian news magazine reported over the weekend.
Veja magazine said that at least 20 people affiliated with the al-Qaida terrorist network as well as Hizbullah and Hamas have been hiding out in the south American country. The report said that 41-year old Lebanese Khaled Hussein Ali, currently living in Sao Paulo, has coordinated al-Qaida operations in over 17 countries. He was briefly arrested in Brazil in March 2009 after a police investigation that found videos and texts directed at al-Qaida followers. One email found on Ali's computer and sent as spam to email addresses in the U.S. incites hatred against Jews and blacks, Veja said in its online edition. Beirut, 04 Apr 11, 08:34

Hizbullah Mediates amid Pessimism Over Cabinet Formation after Denial of 3 Tens Deal
Naharnet/Hizbullah has advised Premier-designate Najib Miqati to "exercise more patience" and promised him to exert all efforts to help achieve common grounds over Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun's demands of shares in the new cabinet, high-ranking political sources told An Nahar daily on Monday. The sources also denied reports that Miqati had agreed to give 10 portfolios to Aoun's Change and Reform bloc, another 10 to Hizbullah, Amal and some other March 8 parties and finally the last 10 ministers for President Michel Suleiman, the premier-designate and National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblat. "This distribution (of shares) is out of the question," they said. The denial came as a source close to Miqati sounded pessimistic about an early birth of the cabinet. "Although Prime Minister (designate) Miqati is continuing his contacts in a positive atmosphere, we are not close to the government's formation," the source told the English-language newspaper The Daily Star. Asked to comment on Aoun's hint at replacing Miqati, the source said: "Miqati will not step down, come what may." The FPM leader has hinted that the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance would support another person for prime minister if Miqati failed to form the government. Sources close to Miqati told As Safir daily, however, that the premier-designate will not engage in a dispute with any side, saying all sides should show more flexibility in their demands. Beirut, 04 Apr 11, 09:28

Miqati Informs Higher Islamic Council that he is Facing Obstacles in Government Formation
Naharnet/Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati informed on Saturday the Higher Islamic Council that he is facing obstacles in the government formation process, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday. He added that he had told it that "I have taken it upon myself to serve my country and its stability." In addition, he presented President Michel Suleiman with a number of possible structures for a potential government in order that the most appropriate one be chosen. Miqati said Saturday that progress was made on consultations aimed at forming the new government but stressed that he hasn't yet reached the cabinet formation stage. "The atmosphere is positive … I will continue to work on overcoming difficulties," Miqati said during a meeting of the Higher Islamic Council under Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani at Dar al-Fatwa. "We have made progress in our contacts and efforts but this does not mean that we are close to forming" the cabinet, he said. While expressing optimism that his latest meetings would speed up the efforts to form the government, Miqati said all parties are aware of their responsibilities that force them to cooperate in forming a productive cabinet that satisfies the Lebanese. Beirut, 03 Apr 11, 12:31

ISF Probes Roumieh Mutiny, Vows to Take 'Disciplinary Measures' Against Complicit Wardens
Naharnet/The Internal Security Forces leadership is investigating the involvement of wardens in the smuggling of drugs and mobile phones to inmates at Roumieh prison and would take "disciplinary measures" against them, ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi said. An Nahar newspaper said Monday a "scandal" erupted after several prisoners made phone calls to television stations from inside their cells during the two-day mutiny over the weekend. Rifi told al-Joumhouria daily in remarks published Monday that a work plan aimed at avoiding future mutinies includes the establishment of prisons in the south and north and speeding up trials. Caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud's plan to build two prisons in the north and south for 1000 inmates each would be executed in a four years time at the cost of 19 Billion liras, Rifi said. Other prisons would also be built later on in the Bekaa and Beirut. The interior ministry said on Saturday it had been working to improve conditions at Roumieh for two years, and urged other ministries and the cabinet to follow suit by speeding up the trials process and providing finance. Poor conditions in prisons and a slow judicial process have sparked several riots in Lebanese jails. Some prisoners can be incarcerated for years before their cases come to court. Rifi unveiled that "legal measures" would be taken against the inmates responsible for the mutiny but he stressed that they are not "vengeful" measures. He also said that the ISF would take "disciplinary measures against those proved of involvement in smuggling drugs to the prison." "There is an attempt to bring modern equipment that jams cell phones in the prison at the cost of 900 million liras," Rifi added. Beirut, 04 Apr 11, 10:26

U.S. offers free flights out for employees in Syria
Reuters) - The United States is offering free flights out of Syria to family members of U.S. government employees, the State Department said on Sunday.
It also advised U.S. citizens in Syria, where dozens of people are reported to have died in anti-government protests, to closely examine their security situation and consider leaving because of the unrest. The U.S. travel warning on Syria is the third issued in less than two weeks. Last week, the United States advised its citizens to put off nonessential travel to Syria and urged those already in the country to consider leaving because of the protests, which followed popular revolts elsewhere in the Arab world. The unrest in Syria has presented the gravest challenge to the 11-year rule of President Bashar al-Assad, who took power after the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, in 2000. The United States has long had a contentious relationship with Syria, which maintains an anti-Israel alliance with Iran and supports the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas.

Washington Quietly Halts Arms Delivery to Lebanon .
By ADAM ENTOUS/Washington Post
WASHINGTON—The U.S. has quietly frozen weapon shipments to Lebanon's armed forces following the collapse of the country's pro-Western government in January, underlining growing concerns about Hezbollah's role there.
The suspension, part of a broader review of U.S. security assistance to Lebanon, offers a cautionary tale about the uncertain course of secular revolts sweeping the Middle East, and Washington's limited ability to influence them. Lebanon's Cedar Revolution of 2005 started with a wave of popular protests that stirred pro-democracy hopes in the West, much like the revolts now sweeping the region. But, to the chagrin of the U.S. and its allies, Hezbollah has emerged stronger rather than chastened. Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah spoke at Beirut rally in March. .The arms freeze was recently approved by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, but the decision hasn't been publicly announced because of concerns the disclosure could interfere with delicate internal negotiations in Lebanon over a new government's makeup and policies.
Defense officials said the U.S. is continuing to provide training and nonlethal assistance to the Lebanese military, describing the ties that are active as "robust." Since 2006, the U.S. has provided more than $720 million in support to the Lebanese military, including equipment and advanced training. Between March and October 2010 alone, this support included at least $18 million worth of military equipment and ammunition, including antitank missiles and launchers. Other shipments were in the pipeline for late last year and earlier this year but it is unclear what was delivered. A senior defense official said the Pentagon is now reviewing all U.S. security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces "during this period of government formation." A second U.S. official said the administration would base future decisions about security assistance, including whether to renew deliveries of lethal arms, after assessing the composition and conduct of the next government.
U.S. lawmakers had moved to block aid to the Lebanese army in August after a deadly border clash between Israeli and Lebanese units, but the congressional freeze was only temporary. Congressional aides said new legislation is likely to be introduced in the coming weeks to cut off assistance if the next Lebanese government is dominated by Hezbollah.
Hezbollah, a Shiite political and military group shunned by the U.S. as a terrorist organization, has been Israel's main foe in south Lebanon. It is backed by Syria and Iran.
Lebanon went through a popular revolt in 2005 following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, whose son, Saad Hariri, later became premier. The car bombing was a pivotal event in Lebanon and led to the end of Syria's 30-year military occupation of the country.
But early U.S. optimism about the prospect for change "fizzled out," one senior U.S. official said, and Hezbollah has steadily expanded its reach in the country and beyond, sounding alarm bells in the U.S. and Israel. The selection in January of a Hezbollah-backed billionaire businessman, Najib Mikati, as the new prime minister, confirmed the movement's position as the most powerful military and political force in Lebanon. Mr. Mikati takes over for Saad Hariri, who enjoyed Western backing as premier.
Washington's limited ability to influence events in Lebanon spotlights potential pitfalls of the changes sweeping the region. As countries such as Tunisia and Egypt grapple with the realities of building new political institutions after years of autocracy, officials worry whether any popularly elected governments that emerge will be able to align themselves as closely with Washington's interests.Defense officials, however, say they want to keep some level of support for the Lebanese armed forces. Though weakened, officials say, the Lebanese armed forces are likely the only state institution with a chance of maintaining stability. Officials with Lebanon's embassy in Washington had no immediate comment.
In talks with their U.S. counterparts, Israeli officials pushed to suspend arms transfers to Lebanon "out of fear that [arms] would end up in the wrong hands and eventually be used against us," an Israeli official said. According to new Israeli intelligence estimates, Hezbollah has built as many as 550 bunkers in southern Lebanon, including 100 storage units holding rockets and missiles. Hezbollah has an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 rockets, far more than during the 2006 Lebanon war, Israeli officials say.
In recent weeks, Hezbollah has sought to inject itself into the popular revolutions now sweeping the Arab world. The group has thrown its support behind protests by fellow Shi'ite demonstrators in Bahrain and has criticized Arab states for backing Bahrain's rulers while supporting the rebels in Libya.

Mikati will not step down, says source
Aoun hints he would back another person if prime minister-designate fails to form Cabinet
By Hussein Dakroub /Daily Star staff
Monday, April 04, 2011
BEIRUT: Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati will not step down despite major difficulties facing his attempts to form a new government, a source close to Mikati said Sunday.
Mikati’s position came in response to a veiled threat by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun to support another candidate to the premiership if Mikati failed to form the Cabinet. More than two months after Mikati was appointed to form a new government to replace caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s toppled Cabinet, the source sounded pessimistic about an early birth of the government. “Although Prime Minister [designate] Mikati is continuing his contacts in a positive atmosphere, we are not close to the government’s formation,” the source told The Daily Star. The source acknowledged that Mikati’s efforts to form the government were marking time as his latest 30-member Cabinet lineup was rejected by Aoun.
The source declined to elaborate on the hurdles holding up the Cabinet’s formation. Asked to comment on Aoun’s hint at replacing Mikati, the source said: “Mikati will not step down, come what may.” Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah promised Mikati during their meeting Tuesday to intercede with Aoun, whose tough demands for participation, including the key Interior Ministry portfolio have been largely blamed for blocking the government’s formation.
Aoun has insisted that the Interior Ministry portfolio be allotted to a FPM loyalist, casting doubts about the success of Mikati’s 30-member Cabinet proposal, which calls for retaining caretaker Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud, who is backed by President Michel Sleiman and who has also received support from Maronite Patriarch Bishara Rai.
Aoun has hinted that the new parliament majority, or the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance that backed Mikati, would support another person for prime minister if the prime minister-designate failed to form the government. He blamed “external” factors for the delay in the government’s formation. Addressing a dinner of the FPM’s doctors’ committee Saturday, Aoun said: “Reforms will be carried out. The government will be formed if not today, tomorrow, and if not with this person [Mikati], with someone else. We will not go backward.”
Asked to comment on Aoun’s statement, the source close to Mikati said: “Aoun is free to say whatever he wants. We will not comment on his remarks.”
Aoun rejected accusations that his tough demands for participation were to blame for the Cabinet deadlock.
“We are living today in an atmosphere of total deception. Every day we hear a hundred reasons for the failure to form the government. But the real reason is hidden. The real reason is external,” he said, adding: “Sometimes they speak about the Interior Ministry and at other times they claim that I want 10 or 20 [ministers].”
Aoun lamented the lack of progress in the government formation efforts.
“What are they waiting for? I don’t know. Are they waiting for the situation to be settled in Syria and how do they want it to be settled? Are they waiting for a settlement in Bahrain or in Libya? We have waited for Feb. 14 and March 14 [anniversaries] to pass. Then we waited for the indictment [into former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination], but they said that there will be no indictment in months … Now, what are we waiting for?” Aoun asked.
Meanwhile, Mikati received renewed support from the Higher Islamic Religious Council, Lebanon’s highest Sunni body, during a meeting Saturday chaired by Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani. Mikati, who attended the meeting, briefed the council on the obstacles facing his efforts to form the government. A statement issued after the meeting called on “those vying for ministerial posts” to facilitate the mission of Mikati, “who enjoys our confidence and appreciation.” It renewed commitment to the “Islamic constants” adopted at the council’s meeting in February, at the forefront of which is the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons. In a statement issued after its meeting on Feb. 10 chaired by Qabbani, the council called on Mikati to uphold ties with the STL and implicitly accused Hezbollah of using its weapons to achieve political ends. It warned against cutting ties with the STL, which is probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad Sends an Email to President Obama
By Barry Rubin/The following email was recently received by the White House:
Dear President Obama:
My name is Bashar al-Assad. Not long ago my father died and left me an entire country in his will. It is a very valuable property but I am trying to market it internationally. If you would be willing to help I can promise that you will be richly rewarded. I really want to develop good commercial relations with the West and get rid of my troublesome ally, Iran. In addition, I want to make peace with Israel and stop supporting terrorism. I would even like to make reforms in my country so that it can be a peaceful and happy democracy. But I need your help. Please send me a U.S. ambassador without preconditions; ignore my backing for killing your troops in Iraq; overlook my backing for Hamas and Hizballah in killing Israelis; forget about my terrorism in Lebanon, including the murder of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri; shove into the memory hole my massive daily production of anti-American propaganda; have your officials including the secretary of state say nice things about me at the precise moment that I’m shooting down demonstrators and torturing dissidents; and send me people like Senator John Kerry who will believe everything I tell them. If you do this and one other thing, we can be great friends and I’m willing to give you a lot of policy support; break with Tehran; and be a force for peace, love, and harmony in the Middle East. That one other thing is so minor it’s hardly worth mentioning. OK. Here it is: Send $5 billion in small-denomination currency to PO Box 1970, Secret Police Station, Damascus, Syria. When the money is received, I will deliver all the promised gifts to you and throw in a free eye exam for you and Michelle. Don’t hesitate as this is a limited-time offer.
Sincerely yours,
Bashar al-Assad, ophthalmologist, Internet fan, political reformer, former Londoner (Go Chelsea!), and president of Syria.

Baroud warns of time bomb after riot in Roumieh prison
By Patrick Galey /Daily Star staff
Monday, April 04, 2011 /BEIRUT: Security forces quelled rioting at the country’s largest prison Sunday but Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud warned of a “time bomb” in Lebanon’s penal system. No major casualties were reported in an operation involving Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces to restore order at Roumieh prison, north of Beirut, after inmates set fire to mattresses in protest at the blocking of cellphone signals inside the complex.
Baroud, who visited Roumieh Sunday, said he had warned the government over a year ago about the appalling living conditions in the prison, as well as the risk of regular revolts.
“I said: ‘Be careful. There is a bomb in Roumieh.’ It can explode at any time and it exploded [over the weekend],” Baroud told The Daily Star.
He said that necessary reforms to living conditions in Lebanon’s prisons were being held up by the lack of a functioning government.
“The problem is that the things [inmates] are asking for are not my [responsibility]. This is an issue for the Justice Ministry. As far as I am concerned, I had to put an end to the riot without casualties. If you listen to what they were calling for, they were calling for an amnesty and to have their court hearings more often, which is not my job, it is the responsibility of Parliament,” Baroud said. Major General Ashraf Rifi, head of Internal Security Forces, visited Roumieh Sunday afternoon after prison staff failed to contain riots in cell blocks B and D overnight. He told reporters that the situation had been contained peacefully and that prisoner demands, including calls for the reduction of sentences and for the right to trial of all inmates to be respected, would be transferred to relevant authorities. “Things have reached an end. The Lebanese are reassured and the prisoners are reassured that the issue has finally reached a peaceful conclusion in the prison,” Rifi said. “We and the prison’s administration have transferred the prisoners’ demands to the judicial authority.”
Rifi also announced a LL19 billion project to build two additional prisons in Lebanon to help to deal with chronic overcrowding.
A security source told The Daily Star the mounting of special devices enabling prison guards to detect the use of cellphones inside Roumieh sparked the mutiny. One prison guard was taken hostage by rioters late Saturday. He was released Sunday afternoon without harm, according to the source.
By 5.30pm the situation in Roumieh had returned to normal and food was served in an orderly manner to inmates, according to the National News Agency.
The latest Interior Ministry statistics, given to The Daily Star, show that out of Roumieh’s 3,700 inmates, only 721 are serving sentences – the rest are incarcerated awaiting trial.
“What can the ISF do if we have this sort of problem?” Baroud said. “The solution is elsewhere, not within the prison. [The inmates] could be wrong and could be criminals. I don’t know. But at least give them their right to a fair trial.” Protests broke out in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley town of Brital, as relatives of Roumieh inmates fired machine guns in the air and burned tires along Beirut’s airport road in support of prisoner demands. Security forces managed to contain both incidents, which Baroud attributed to misinformation.
“They thought [security forces] were already inside the prison and that was not true. I don’t consider them as people who are not able to protest or to present their demands. We are ready to listen to them, but we still have some security concerns inside Roumieh,” he said. Wadih Asmar, secretary-general of the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, said that appalling prison conditions made incidents such as Sunday’s mutiny inevitable. “The major problem in Roumieh is that people haven’t have been judged yet. Most of them are awaiting trial,” he said. “They are all aware that the situation in prison is really damaging. As human rights activists, we should not wait for another problem of this kind to happen in order to have a plan for prisons in Lebanon.” Asmar said that Lebanese prisons were up to three times over capacity. He called for the government to make efforts to free the 13 percent of foreign prisoners in Lebanon who have completed their sentences but remain incarcerated. “Who wants to solve this problem? The Justice Ministry should accelerate efforts to avoid huge delays in judgment and free people who should not be in prison. This should be a right. We don’t think that they are moving as fast as the situation needs,” he said. Baroud said that the government needed to address Lebanon’s prison problem before further riots occurred. “The ISF and army were on the ground and I was with them [Sunday],” he said. “The president was supporting our operations but there is no government; there is no one here to listen. This requires action with multiple ministries, money and a plan of action.”

Four Iranian guards killed in Kurdistan
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Monday, April 04, 2011 /TEHRAN: Four Iranian border guards have been killed in an attack when their station was targeted by armed assailants in the western province of Kurdistan, a local official said over the weekend. Ezzatollah Rashidian, Kurdistan’s border commander, told Mehr news agency Saturday that three soldiers and a border guard officer died when the station in the town of Marivan was the target of a grenade attack Friday night. Five other border guards were injured in the attack for which no one has taken responsibility, according to the agency. But Iran’s English language Press TV, quoting unnamed local sources on its website, accused the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan, an Iranian Kurdish separatist group.
Western Iran, which has a sizeable Kurdish minority, has seen deadly clashes in recent years between security forces and rebel groups operating from bases in Iraq and Turkey.
In early March, gunmen killed four forest rangers in the province. And separate attacks on March 25 saw two security forces killed in the city of Sanandaj, the provincial capital.
Iran rejects allegations by Western rights groups that it discriminates against ethnic and religious minorities. – AFP, Reuters

Thousands march in mourning in Syria
Monday, April 04, 2011 /Daily Star
DAMASCUS: Thousands of Syrians marched through a Damascus suburb Sunday in mourning for those killed in recent protests, as the president appointed a former agriculture minister to form a new government as part of limited efforts to appease those calling for sweeping political change.
Human rights groups and activists say at least 10 people were killed during protests Friday in Douma, just outside the Syrian capital, and in nearby areas.
A witness told the Associated Press Sunday that thousands of people gathered for prayers before the funeral of eight of the victims at Douma’s Grand Mosque, which was at the center of Friday’s protests. The crowds shouted “We want Freedom” and “Douma and Daraa, one hand,” in a reference to the drought-stricken and impoverished city in the south, where Syria’s protests began on March 18.
“The town is in mourning, all the shops are shut,” Muntaha al-Atrash, spokeswoman of the Syrian rights group Sawasiya (“Equal”), told AFP, adding that “at least 20,000” came to the Douma funerals, which passed off peacefully. “Protests will continue. The people will not stay silent any longer because the barrier of fear has been broken.”
The witness told AP the two other people killed in areas near Douma were also buried Sunday. All the coffins were draped with Syrian flags, he added. He said there was no sign of security forces in Douma Sunday. President Bashar Assad named Adel Safar, agriculture minister in the government which resigned last week, to form a new Cabinet. Safar is seen as a respectable figure in a government that many had accused of corruption. Under his watch at the Agriculture Ministry a water crisis that experts largely attribute to corruption and mismanagement intensified and led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Syria became a net grain importer. The 58-year-old Safar holds a doctorate in agricultural sciences from a French polytechnic center and was the dean of Damascus University’s agricultural faculty from 1997-2000. He also heads the Arab Center for Dry and Arid Areas. Safar’s government will replace the outgoing Cabinet of Naji al-Otari, whose resignation Assad accepted Tuesday. Two days later the president made a series of limited reform pledges, including setting up committees to replace emergency law with anti-terrorism legislation, and vowing to address Kurdish grievances. Activists said protesters had come under attack by security forces as they left the Grand Mosque, chanting slogans for freedom. The troops hit people with clubs and threw stones before firing tear gas and live ammunition.
Authorities blamed Friday’s bloodshed on “armed gangs.” Human rights groups and witnesses said a campaign of arrests was continuing Sunday as the regime tries to quash dissent. Ammar Qurabi, who heads Syria’s National Organization for Human Rights, said at least 500 people have been arrested since protests began. A Syrian official confirmed a wave of arrests Sunday, saying authorities had arrested the majority of “troublemakers” in Daraa and restored calm to the city after two weeks of unrest. Also Sunday, lawyer and human rights activist Khalil Maatouk said authorities released Suheir Atassi, a longtime Syrian pro-democracy activist. – Agencies

Worried relatives demand help for those stuck in Ivory Coast
Hundreds gather outside Foreign Ministry seeking evacuations as nationals struggle to leave country
By Wassim Mroueh /Daily Star staff
Monday, April 04, 2011
BEIRUT: Hundreds of Lebanese protested near the Foreign Ministry in Beirut Sunday demanding the evacuation of their relatives who remain stranded in war-torn Ivory Coast.
The angry protesters asked to speak to caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Shami who later joined them and announced that 27 Lebanese had been evacuated from Ivory Coast by a French plane. “The good news is that 27 Lebanese were evacuated by a French plane, 18 to Lome and nine to Senegal,” Shami said.
But the announcement did not assuage the anger of the relatives, who threatened to hold a sit-in at the Rafik Hariri International Airport Monday if their demands were not met.
Many demanded the intervention of Speaker Nabih Berri and lashed out at other Lebanese officials. Around 90,000 Lebanese live in Ivory Coast, the bulk of whom reside in Abidjan, the country’s largest city and scene of recent clashes between the forces of incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo and President-elect Alassane Ouattara, whose forces pressed through the city Thursday. Sporadic gunfire rang out Sunday and electricity was cut in Abidjan as residents remained at home.
A Lebanese national living in Abidjan, who requested to remain anonymous, told The Daily Star that battles around the area where he lives subsided as Gbagbo’s forces began to regain control over parts of the city.
“We have started to feel this since yesterday [Saturday morning],” he said.
The man said that the area in which he lives was briefly held by Ouattara’s supporters and had been heavily looted.
“Both sides have engaged in looting, we felt that we are being targeted as Lebanese,” he said. “Large- and middle-size Lebanese companies were robbed, whereas French companies were not attacked.
“My showroom was looted, if the situation continues as such, we will lose everything … everybody here is armed,” he added.
Many Lebanese nationals are owners of large industrial businesses. Asked whether the Lebanese Embassy in Ivory Coast had provided him with assistance, the man said that Lebanon’s ambassador Ali Ajami was “active and had contacts.” “But what can he do for such a large Lebanese community? He has no capabilities amid chaos in the country.” The Lebanese businessman said he had no intention of leaving Ivory Coast. “When you stay, you can save what remained, but I have a feeling that it is a long story and a day will come when we will be forced to leave.” In regards to the situation of Lebanese living nearby, he said that many had fled to nearby headquarters of the U.N. and the French Army. “But many left the U.N. headquarters and went back home because these headquarters were not equipped to receive refugees,” he said.
Ouattara is internationally recognised as the winner of runoff elections in December last year against Gbagbo, who has been in office since 2000. Gbagbo has refused to acknowledge defeat and clung to power. Also Sunday, the French Army announced that it had taken over the airport of Abidjan but media reports later said clashes broke out there between the forces and Gbagbo’s troops. The security situation inside and around the airport has hindered Lebanese plans to send flights to evacuate nationals. Haitham Joumaa, the director general of Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry, told The Daily Star that flights to Abidjan would be organized once the security situation in and around the airport improved. He said no deaths have been recorded among the Lebanese community in Ivory Coast. Similar security concerns were expressed by Middle East Airlines chairman, Mohammad Hout, who told The Daily Star that the company was waiting for news of calm before sending flights to Ivory Coast. “We will start sending flights when the security situation allows us to do so, I have yet to receive information that the security situation has become favorable,” Hout said. Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri held discussions over the weekend to secure the safety and evacuation of Lebanese nationals in Ivory Coast. Hariri telephoned Ouattara, who promised to take all possible measures to provide protection and assistance to the Lebanese community.
Hariri also contacted French Prime Minister François Fillon and Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and thanked them for efforts made by France to protect the Lebanese via its troops in Ivory Coast. He discussed with the French officials French assistance to facilitate the evacuation of Lebanese citizens. Hariri also telephoned Hout and asked him to take necessary procedures to evacuate the Lebanese. Jordan’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ziad Majali, said that his country had ordered Jordanian units serving with U.N. peacekeepers in Ivory Coast “to extend all possible [help] for Lebanese brothers in Ivory Coast in light of security conditions there.” The step came after the foreign minister telephoned Majali at the weekend.
According to several sources, the Lebanese community became a target within the conflict between Gbagbo and Ouattara when Ambassador Ajami attended Gbagbo’s swearing-in ceremony in December. Future Movement official and Minyeh MP Ahmad Fatfat blamed Shami and Berri for the troubles the Lebanese community is facing. But in remarks Sunday, Speaker Berri said Lebanon’s support for Gbagbo was the “right” position, because “tens of thousands of [Lebanese] expatriates live in the capital and areas under the control of Gbagbo.” The speaker defended Ajami and lashed out at his critics, rejecting “lessons” given from all sides on how to deal with Lebanese expatriates.
He urged those concerned about Lebanese expatriates not to politicize the issue.

Hezbollah's arms expose Lebanon, not protect it: Geagea
By The Daily Star /Monday, April 04, 2011
BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has said Lebanese state institutions should hold exclusive authority over the possession of weapons, warning that illegitimate arms exposed rather than protected the country against Israeli aggression. “Can we speak of a true resistance unsupported by half of the Lebanese people? Can we speak of a resistance [that fails to win the backing] of the majority of the Arab and international community?” Geagea asked supporters gathered in Maarab over the weekend to mark the 17th anniversary of the disbanding of the LF. “No, absolutely not, this is crap,” he said, in reference to Hezbollah. He added that the Lebanese state should unilaterally defend the country’s sovereignty against foreign threats.
“The only possible resistance is one to be handled by the Lebanese state, backed by the Lebanese people and the sweeping majority of the Arab and international community,” Geagea said.
“Thus we say: No for weapons outside the state authority and yes to a true resistance led by the state.” With the March 14 alliance recently stepping up its campaign against Hezbollah’s weapons, Geagea said the issue of banning the possession of weapons by non-state actors would top the coalition’s agenda for the future.
“We will not rest until it is accomplished,” Geagea said. The LF leader said illegitimate weapons exposed Lebanon to Israeli aggression and pushed the Arab world to relinquish its support to the Lebanese state, particularly given recent developments in the Gulf region, a reference to accusations Hezbollah is seeking to destabilize certain Arab regimes.
The Bahraini government accused Hezbollah of training opposition members to destabilize its regime in a bid to serve Iranian interests. The party has denied the accusations. Geagea said popular uprisings that have swept throughout the Middle East represented a victory of the March 14 “mentality” in support of freedom and democracy and a defeat to “the other mentality that led to the disbanding of the LF party [in 1994].” He added that the Arab people were demanding freedom without resorting to misleading slogans aimed at imperialism and Zionism. “The Arab people are aware that confronting imperialism and Zionism … can only be achieved after they gain their freedom,” Geagea said, and questioned the motives of parties using slogans against imperialism and Zionism. Geagea said the LF was disbanded back in the 90s because of the party’s opposition to Syrian hegemony. “Occupation powers disbanded the LF because the LF was right while foreign or internal hegemony was always wrong,” Geagea said. The LF was disbanded in 1994 and Geagea imprisoned as security forces cracked down and repressed the party’s activists. The LF regained its status as a legitimate party after the withdrawal of Syrian troops in 2005 following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Geagea was released from prison after a majority in Parliament voted an amnesty bill. Geagea said the LF would soon approve the party’s by-laws, which was the focus of five-year workshops to transform the party to a truly democratic and modern one. – The Daily Star

Gadhafi liquidates, but may also be in liquidation
By David Ignatius /Daily Star/Monday, April 04, 2011
Moammar Gadhafi has always depended on one strategic resource to hold his loopy government together, and that’s cash. But as the U.N.-backed coalition tightens its squeeze, Gadhafi is slowly running out of money – and his inner circle is showing early signs of collapse. White House officials described a pressure campaign that is seizing Gadhafi’s assets, pounding his military and establishing covert links with both the rebels and members of his government. As this chokehold tightens, U.S. officials believe Gadhafi’s regime is likely to implode around him, or he’ll be forced to flee. This Libya strategy is based on hopes and expectations, rather than a detailed endgame. And in that sense, it still lacks the kind of strategic clarity President Barack Obama’s critics would like to see. But compared with the other unpredictable tempests swirling through the Middle East – in Syria and Yemen, especially – this one at least seems to be heading in the right direction.
The clearest sign that the squeeze is working was the defection Wednesday of Moussa Koussa, Libya’s foreign minister and longtime intelligence chief for Gadhafi. He fled to the U.K., after what an intelligence source said was a ruse in which Koussa claimed to be heading to Tunisia to make a secret sale of refined oil products. The cover story illustrates Gadhafi’s desperate need for funds. U.S. officials say many others in the Gadhafi entourage have been in recent contact with the United States or its allies. These include the current intelligence chief, Abdullah al-Senussi, who helped safeguard the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli in February, and other Cabinet ministers. The U.S. has also had indirect contact with members of Gadhafi’s family, who are said to be unhappy with events and looking for a way out.
With Koussa’s flight, the trickle of defections may turn into a flood. Ali Abdul Salam al-Triki, a former foreign minister, fled to Egypt on Thursday. One other key Cabinet official was said to be negotiating the details of his departure. “I belong to you now, tell me what to do,” this Cabinet member is said to have told an intermediary.
The CIA is sending covert teams into Libya to help undermine Gadhafi further. At present there are only several dozen operatives, including full-time case officers from the Special Activities Division, which manages covert actions, supplemented by former officers, known internally as “cadres,” who are on direct contract to the agency. Their tasks include providing clandestine communications links to the opposition, contacting and assessing the rebels, and providing money and other assistance to Libyans to break with Gadhafi.
The intelligence teams may also assist NATO forces in targeting remaining nodes of Gadhafi’s military, such as ammunition dumps, command-and-control centers, and tanks and armor. A coordinated air assault is said to have obliterated a Libyan tank column on the highway near Gadhafi’s hometown of Sirte Wednesday. The agency has some experience in Libya thanks to previous covert actions there, including one code-named “Sprint” some years ago.
An unpleasant but necessary task ahead is providing alternative sources of money to the tribal leaders Gadhafi has bribed over the 40 years of his rule, including those of his own tribe, the Gadhafah. If this can be done, the leader’s last strong pillars of support will fall.
A measure of Libya’s inherent weakness came from Koussa himself, who is said to have told CIA officers several years ago, after the ouster of Saddam Hussein, how much more vulnerable Libya was to attack. “We are a [expletive] beach!” he supposedly remarked.
As in Iraq, the real challenge in Libya will be assembling a stable successor government. U.S. officials expect that this time, the operation will be overseen by the U.N. and its special representative for Libya, Abdulillah Khatib, a Jordanian diplomat. His immediate task is to coordinate contacts between the rebels and the regime. Arab cover is also coming from Qatar, which will host the next meeting of the “contact group” that is overseeing the anti-Gadhafi operation.
A lot of things could still go wrong. When backed into corners in the past, Gadhafi has used terrorism to fight back. He is said to have chemical weapons and perhaps other unconventional tools. But his machine needs cash, and an intelligence source said his bankroll will last him another two to three months, at most. From this financial perspective, Gadhafi could be described as a dictator in liquidation.
**Syndicated columnist David Ignatius is published twice weekly by THE DAILY STAR.

Will Assad-Erdogan love affair last?
Aviel Magnezi/Ynetnews
 Published: 04.03.11, 22:39 / Israel News
"Ankara has been having a love affair with Damascus in the past few years; the Syria-Turkey relations is an extraordinary journey from hostile states to best friends," Turkish newspaper Todays Zaman wrote last week.
The op-ed piece called on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to pressure Syrian President Bashar Assad into launching democratic reforms.
Alley or Foe?
Turkey calls for constitutional democracy in Egypt / Reuters
PM Erdogan urges Egyptian army to 'hand over its duty to new government following fair election process.' FM Davutoglu: Mubarak resignation historic development
Erdogan walked on egg shells this week – expressing support for his Syrian counterpart, while at the same time advising him to take a democratic approach toward the protesters.
But can Erdogan continue this strategy while bodies continue to pile on the streets of Syria, and on the backdrop of an upcoming election and concerns over Kurds gaining strength?
"Assad and Erdogan gambled on one another, and became close friends that support each other," Dr. Alon Liel, former Israeli ambassador to Turkey and Foreign Ministry director-general told Ynet.
According to Liel, Erdogan's call for reforms in Syria is in fact the best evidence for his support of Assad, compared with Mubarak, whom he urged to resign amid the popular uprising in Egypt. "In Assad's case, Erdogan declared: Enact reforms, and we'll back you," said Liel.
The former ambassador claimed that the seemingly strange friendship between a leader of a country that aspires to join the European Union and a country that is regarded as an outcast in the western world stems from Turkey's desire to become a regional power.
"Turkey has invested in Syria and strengthened its standing in the region, even in comparison with Iran and Egypt," Liel noted, adding that economic and military interests are also at play, in addition to "the personal chemistry" between the two leaders. The relations between Turkey and Syria deteriorated to the brink of war during the 90s, after Syria granted asylum to Kurdish rebels and due to the territorial dispute surrounding Hatay province, which was finally resolved in 2004, a year after Erdogan came to power.
The same year Assad made history when he was the first Syrian president to visit Ankara in 68 years.
For Syria, who considered the United States under President George W. Bush as part of the axis of evil, the relations with Turkey is also important: "The friendship with Turkey scored Assad some major points," said Liel, "It's what pulled Syria out of isolation in the Iranian corner. Nowadays, Syria has a much more comfortable stance in the region than it had six years ago." Prof. Ofra Benjo, a senior research fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center and lecturer of Middle East history at Tel Aviv University attributes the special relationship "not only to the affinity between two Muslim countries, but also to the private and public economic relations, which include a Turkish investment of some $1 billion in Syria, and many other investments in the political and social spheres, which might go down the drain," she explained.
'Arabic speaking pistachio vendors'
The economic change from the perspective of local resident was described in a New York Times article published last year. "Here in Gaziantep — whose past is so intertwined with Syria’s that it was part of Aleppo Province during the Ottoman Empire — the signs of the new honeymoon between Turkey and Syria are everywhere," wrote Dan Bilefsky.
"Every Friday, several thousand Syrians descend on the center of town. Lured by bargains and Western brands…In the city’s bazaars, pistachio vendors summon passers-by in Arabic, while Arabic courses for Turkish businessmen are flourishing. Marriages between Turks and Syrians have become more common," it was written.
Cengiz Akinal, the manager of a large shoe manufacturer, told the New York Times reporter that his company, which exports a majority of its shoes to Europe, increased its exports to Syria by 40% last year. Akinal also noted that the company recently relocated part of the company’s manufacturing to Aleppo and Damascus, where salaries are about half those of Turkey.
“Turkey may be 15 years behind Europe, but Syria is still 30 years behind Turkey,” he concluded.
'Blend of Islam and democracy'
In an article written from the Syrian city of Aleppo in 2009, New York Times reporter Robert F. Worth described the masses of Turkish tourists that visit the picturesque city, and the vendors in the antiques market that solicit business in Turkish.
“Before, we were afraid to come here,” said Omer Sonmez, a Turkish businessman who first visited Syria three months ago, and now crosses over regularly to trade roasted pumpkin seeds and other foods.
“We thought it would all be so closed, with no women on the street. But when you talk to Europeans, they say the same thing about Turkey!” he exclaimed.
In their analysis, which seems highly relevant to current times, both writers point to the political possibilities that are embodied within the mutul relationship: "Where the alliance with secular Turkey represents a move away from its courtship with Iran, Turkey’s blend of conservative Islam and cosmopolitan democracy is increasingly viewed as a model in the younger generation," wrote Bilefsky.
"Many (Syrians) hope that Turkey’s gradual shift over the past decade from military autocracy to a more democratic and tolerant political system will be replicated here. For the moment, they must be content with having new friends," noted Worth.
'Smart policies'
Alongside financial considerations, there is another important factor at play –Turkish concern over the Kurdish population in both countries, reaching some 1.4 million in Syria and a whopping 15-20 million in Turkey.
"The Turks are afraid of an uprising in Turkey, if Syrian Kurds decide to join in," explained Benjo.
"For the past few months Kurdish uprisings have been taking place in eastern Turkey, but do not get broad media coverage. They are as severe as those taking place across the Arab world – you have youngsters and even children handling Molotov cocktails, stones and fireworks.
"So far, the Turkish military has managed to divert the attention with swift suppression and a false claim according to which the riots are carried out only by PKK members," she noted.
"While the conflict between Turkey and the PKK cost the lives of tens of thousands of people, Erdogan's treatment of the Kurds is more moderate than that of his predecessors," said Benjo. Erdogan's effort to thaw relations with the Kurds was evident this week when he held a historic visit to the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. "We started to establish the kinship between the Turkish peoples, which is the basis for economic development. We've put an end to the old policy that deprived them of their humanity," said Erdogan during the initiation ceremony for a new airport in the capital city of Arbil, which was built by a Turkish company.
Iraqi Kurdistan's President Masoud Barzani lauded Erdogan and told him: "Turkey now has an important role in the region, thanks to your smart policies."
But will Erdogan's "smart policies" help him withstand the crisis in Syria?
"We advised Assad to respond positively to the long-lasting demands of the people and take a reformist approach that will help Syria overcome its problems more easily," Erdogan said last weekend, adding, "Assad didn't say no."
"Erdogan will continue his balancing act; he will speak against violence and use of force and in favor of human rights, in an effort to portray himself as a supporter of such rights.
He will present a moderate picture to the western world – to which he wants to belong – and continue to support Assad while seeing where the wind blows," predicted Benjo, adding that his support hinges on future developments; if Assad increases the use of violence against civilians, "Erdogan will find it difficult to continue backing him and his oppressive regime amid efforts to join the European Union," she noted.
On the other hand, Alon Liel estimated that Turkey will continue to support Syria unconditionally: "Despite all the casualties, I don’t see Erdogan abandoning Assad, or calling him to resign," Liel claimed, noting that the upcoming elections in Turkey on June 12 are part of the reason for the continued support, considering that Ankara has a lot to lose from a political crisis with Damascus.
**Gili Gurel contributed to this report