LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِFebeuary
16/2011
Bible Of The
Day
The Good News According to Matthew
18/1-6: "In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest
in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 18:2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set
him in their midst, 18:3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn,
and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven. 18:4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is
the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 18:5 Whoever receives one such little
child in my name receives me, 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone
should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the
sea.
Latest
analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases
from
miscellaneous
sources
What about axis of evil?/By: Ophir
Falk/February
15/11
Canada Marks Sixth Anniversary of the Assassination of Rafik Hariri/February
15/11
WCCR Statement on the Anniversary
of PM Rafik Hariri's Assassination/February
15/11
Egypt's Chance/By: Daniel Pipes/February
15/11
The remedy for revolutions/By Tariq
Alhomayed/ February
15/11
Which Egypt…Mandela's or
Khomeini's/By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid/February
15/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for February
15/11
U.N.
Chief Reiterates Support for STL on Hariri Murder Anniversary/Naharnet
Spain
Adopts Wait-and-See Approach On Cabinet Decisions/Naharnet
Ashton in Beirut on
Wednesday to Inquire About Lebanon's Commitment to Tribunal/Naharnet
Israel
Puts Embassies on High Alert on Mughniyeh Murder Anniversary/Naharnet
A new opposition is born
in Lebanon/Daily Star
Vatican envoy: Lebanon a model of
freedom in region/Daily Star
Reports say Mubarak's health
gravely deteriorated since stepping down/Haaretz
Iran cracks down on demos, stops
Turkish president greeting protesters/DEBKAfile
Lebanon's Hariri Snubs Bid for Unity/Wall Street Journal
In Lebanon, the Hariri tribunal finds itself on trial/Christian Science
Monitor
American Jewish leader made secret visit to
Syria/Washington Post
Hariri challenges Hezbollah in watershed speech/CNN
Lebanon's Hariri joins opposition ranks/France24
Seven Men, Including 2 Lebanese,
Charged in NY with Conspiring to Aid Taliban/Naharnet
Jumblat
Preparing a 'Clear, Sarcastic, and Decisive' Statement in Response to February
14 Speeches/Naharnet
Hariri on Feb 14
Anniversary: We Won't Accept a State Ruled by Arms under Resistance Alibi/Naharnet
Seven Men, Including 2
Lebanese, Charged in NY with Conspiring to Aid Taliban/Naharnet
Geagea Says New Hegemony
Would Lead to 'Countless Cedar Revolutions'/Naharnet
Gemayel: Majority Emerges
from People's Freewill, Not Gun Muzzles/Naharnet
Baidoun: Political Shiism
Must Correct Its Mistakes, Lebanon Can't Have Two Armies/Naharnet
Iran cracks down on demos, stops Turkish president
greeting protesters
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 14, 2011/Monday night, Feb. 14, Iranian
Basij heavies were still beating up thousands of anti-regime protesters who
turned out in the streets of 30 cities during the day. In Tehran, one
demonstrator was shot dead and two injured.
It was the first substantial demonstration the opposition had managed to stage
since their big rallies against the rigged presidential election of 2009. They
did not make a stand in one place but scattered across several city squares and
outside the universities. The organizers who used Facebook and Twitter to
mobilize them adopted this tactic to make it harder to disperse them.
Smaller rallies, which also drew thousands, were staged in the big towns outside
Tehran including Tabriz, Tazd, Ahwaz, Mashad, Shiraz and Isfahan.
They won support from an unexpected quarter: debkafile reports exclusively that
Turkish President Abdallah Gul on the second day of his official visit to Tehran
accepted a demonstrators' invitation to join them. He agreed, but when his
guards asked Iranian security to lay on an escort for the convoy to bring Gul to
the greet the crowds, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stepped in. He told
the security service to prevent the Turkish president getting anywhere near the
demonstrators – even if this led to a diplomatic upset with Ankara. Gul gave up
the plan, but the tension between him and Ahmadinejad was palpable when they
addressed a joint news conference later in the day and their appearance was cut
short.
Notably, President Gul was one of the first world leaders to offer public
support for the demonstrations in Egypt from the moment they began.
More predictably, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday expressed support
for the tens of thousands of protesters in Iran's capital, saying they "deserve
to have the same rights that they saw being played out in Egypt and are part of
their own birthright." She spoke of the "hypocrisy" of the Iranian government
that hailed the protests in Egypt but has tried to suppress opposition at home.
The slogans brandished by the demonstrators in Iran called for Freedom! Death to
the Dictator! and "Mobarak, Ben-Ali, novbat-e-Seyyed-Ali!" They were telling
Seyyed-Ali aka supreme ruler Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that it was his turn to go
after the Egyptian and Tunisian rulers. Another sign read: "Not Gaza, not
Lebanon, but Tunis, Egypt and Iran," an expression of contempt for Iran's
meddling in Hizballah and Hamas affairs and its cost to the Iranian people.
According to our sources, demonstrators continued to gather in the streets of
Tehran Monday night and shout anti-regime slogans. When chased away by security
police, they regrouped in other places. A large crowd of warmly-dressed
demonstrators were seen marching in the dark toward Azadi (Liberty) Square,
hoping to barricade themselves there and carry on demonstrating Tuesday. But the
police will never let them stay there.
During the day, opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mouosavi and Mehdi Karroubi were
placed under house arrest, heavy security forces patrolled the streets of Tehran
and shut down subway stations to prevent demonstrators from traveling to the
city center. The regime also jammed satellite news stations and tried to block
the Internet.
What about axis of evil?
B y: Ophir Falk
Israel Opinion
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4028473,00.html
Op-ed: After turning his back on ally Mubarak, will President Obama confront
Iran?
There are those that compare the fall of Hosni Mubarak to the fall of the Berlin
Wall. The Wall’s fall cascaded to communism’s crumble in Eastern Europe, but
will the end of Mubarak’s rule in Egypt lead to the end of autocracy and perhaps
theocracy in the Middle East? Wishful thinking, but no one really knows.
Most Middle East “experts” have been completely wrong throughout the unraveling
of this revolution. That might actually be a good sign. Most of the
sophisticated Soviet “experts” expected the Cold War to last forever, even a
week before its conclusion.
One thing is certain: For freedom to be found in the Middle East, the tyrants in
Tehran, Syria and other such states need to go. So should their proxies in
Hezbollah and Hamas.
George W. Bush dubbed those terrorist entities as the “axis of evil.” He
continued to depict them as such even when it became increasingly unpopular to
do so. Bush did not believe democracy was beyond Muslims, as most “experts”
claimed, and many still do.
President Obama’s Middle East policy has been a peculiar one. On June 4th, 2009,
six short months after his inauguration, Obama delivered his famous Cairo
speech. He graciously thanked his hosts’ hospitality and said they represent the
“harmony between tradition and progress.” Last week, Obama said President
Mubarak was a true Egyptian “patriot” who “cares about his country.” But when
the man who secured stability for his people and the region by confronting
Islamic extremists for nearly three decades was at a weak point, President Obama
helped shove him out, comparing his opposition to Martin Luther King.
The American way
Obama’s policy has been steered by seasoned advisors and public opinion polls.
He even has a Pulitzer prized prima donna named Friedman trying to convince him
that the world is in fact flat. The American president has tried to please as
many as possible as often as possible. However, if he wants to succeed, he
should disregard short-sighted tactical maneuvers and be faithful to the
longtime American way.
Throughout America’s 235-year history, US presidents have often stood by freedom
and stared down dictators. Woodrow Wilson was the first to fight a faraway war
as he hoped to achieve lasting peace and self-determination for all. Roosevelt
came to the Allies’ rescue in WWII, and Truman sacrificed thousands of Americans
in a Korean war, because he knew that “freedom was not for free.” Reagan heavily
invested in star wars to bring down Communism and the first Bush stormed the
desert to kick Saddam out of Kuwait. A decade later, the second Bush kicked
Osama bin Laden out of Afghanistan and Saddam out of Iraq – forever.
In a little more than two years of presidency, Obama has managed to miss what
might be a once in a generation opportunity to facilitate freedom in Iran, as he
stood still when outraged students protested a rigged election. He has also
proven on more than one occasion that he knows how to turn his back on old
allies. Now, for the first time, will President Obama show he is capable of
confronting the axis of evil?
Vatican envoy: Lebanon a model of freedom in region
By The Daily Star /Tuesday, February 15, 2011
BEIRUT: Vatican Ambassador to Lebanon Bishop Gabriel Caccia said Monday Lebanon
remains a model of freedom in the region and a major contributor to
inter-religious dialogue. Caccia was speaking during the 44th Conference of the
Council of Catholics Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon headed by Maronite
Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir. “Lebanon could be a source of inspiration for
other countries, particularly under the current circumstances when the wind of
change is blowing into the region,” Caccia added. – The Daily Star
A new opposition is born
Hariri maps out way forward for March 14, rules out participation in Mikati’s
Cabinet
By Hussein Dakroub
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
BEIRUT: Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri unleashed Monday the March 14
coalition’s opposition against the government to be formed by Prime
Minister-designate Najib Mikati, while strongly upholding a U.N.-backed court
investigating his father’s assassination.
Addressing a rally marking the sixth anniversary of the assassination of his
father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Saad Hariri lashed out at Hezbollah
for using its weapons to influence internal political disputes and rejected the
group’s accusation that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon was an American or
Israeli tool.
“Dear friends, today we are in the opposition, which is based on the three
following principles – First: We are committed to the Constitution. Second: We
are committed to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Third: We are committed to
protect the public and private life in Lebanon from the predominance of
weapons,” Hariri told the rally held at the Beirut International Exhibition and
Leisure complex in Beirut.
The rally drew about 8,000 supporters, including ministers in Hariri’s caretaker
Cabinet, lawmakers from Hariri’s Future bloc and the March 14 coalition, as well
as Kataeb (Phalange) Party leader Amin Gemayel and Lebanese Forces chief Samir
Geagea.
Hariri’s declaration was widely expected because he has said he will not join a
government headed by a March 8-backed candidate. Also, March 14 groups’ talks
with Mikati, who is backed by the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance, on their
participation in the new government had collapsed.
In his speech, Hariri thanked the lawmakers who collaborated to oust him from
office last month, saying this allowed him to return to his supporters.
“I announce today what I implicitly say everyday: Thank God, thank God … We are
returning to the path of basic sound peaceful national constants drawn by the
Lebanese people from all sects, regions and groups on March 14, 2005, that they
never retracted from, even when they felt that our good intentions are pushing
us to stances and settlements that are for Lebanon’s sake but outside this
path,” he said.
“We are not attached to power and we only adhere to our democratic system and
Constitution. So we congratulate them on a majority that was hijacked by the
intimidation of weapons and we congratulate them on a power that was stolen from
the will of the voters,” Hariri said.
Hariri said the hundreds of thousands of Christians and Muslims who protested
his father’s killing on March 14, 2005, wanted to know the truth. “All we wanted
since Feb. 14, 2005, and March 14, 2005, is the truth, not power. Justice, not
power. Freedom, not power. All we want is the law, the Constitution and
coexistence, not power. We want sovereignty, not power. And independence, not
power,” he said.
Hariri reiterated support for the STL, rejecting charges that the tribunal was
set up to serve U.S. and Israeli interests. “This tribunal is not American nor
French nor Israeli, and doesn’t target any group or sect. This tribunal
represents, in our point of view, the highest degree of human justice. This
tribunal will surely punish, with the help of God, only, and I reiterate only
the terrorist murderers who targeted many of our personalities, starting with
[former] Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,” Hariri said.
He added that in accordance with its statute, the tribunal will accuse members,
not a party or a sect. “It has to be based on evidence and proof,” he said.
“And then, if any one wants to put himself on the accused list, it will be his
choice, and this way he chooses by himself. As for us, we will support the
tribunal, its decision and its verdict. We will not say one day that the
accusation was directed against a particular sect, party or group,” he added.
Hariri said his remarks were not aimed at seeking a confrontation with the
Shiite sect. “The Shiite community is a fundamental part of the Lebanese
structure, and all the Lebanese are its partners in building the state, and
confronting the Israeli enemy.”
The STL has been at the root of tension between March 8 and March 14 groups for
months, threatening to plunge the country into sectarian violence, especially if
the tribunal’s indictment implicates some Hezbollah members in Hariri’s
assassination as it is widely expected.
Hariri said following his victory in the 2005 and 2009 elections, he extended
his hand to Hezbollah and its allies because this country cannot be governed by
a single party or a single sect. “But we were met every time with deceit, and
our genuine intention was taken as a point of weakness and a sign of fear,” he
said.
Hariri said Hezbollah’s weapons have become a divisive issue among the Lebanese
after these weapons were used against fellow Lebanese in May 2008. Pro- and
anti-government groups fought each other in May 2008 after Hezbollah gunmen
briefly took over West Beirut to protest a government decision to dismantle the
group’s private telecommunications network.
“Yes, we don’t accept the weapons and to be subjugated to them when they are
directed against the Lebanese and when they become a means of blackmail of their
stability and security, so that they choose the wrong over the right, or when
they become a means of pressure on members of Parliament to do the opposite of
what the voters entrusted them to do and to breach the vows they made when they
ran for elections,” he said. “Weapons directed against the Lebanese people are
weapons of strife, and strife in Lebanon serves only Israel, which is our only
enemy.” Hariri disclosed for the first time details of the Saudi-Syrian
settlement to resolve the Lebanese crisis over the STL and what led the deal to
unravel. He implicitly blamed Hezbollah and its March 8 allies for the failure
of the Saudi-Syrian bid.
He said the Saudi-Syrian initiative was based on one essential idea: that all
Lebanese parties participate in a Lebanese national reconciliation conference to
be held in Riyadh under the auspices of Saudi King Abdullah and in the presence
of the Lebanese and Syrian presidents, a number of Arab leaders and the Arab
League.
“A reconciliation of everyone without exception, and forgiving all the past, in
a way that the repercussions of the indictment would be a national and Arab
responsibility,” he said,
“Yes, this is the agreement that we negotiated for. … We negotiated in all
honesty for the sake of Lebanon’s interest, but we were met once again with a
request to surrender, and not to reconcile, by those who don’t want a dialogue
because they consider themselves bigger than Lebanon,” he added.
Hariri said there will be no return to the Saudi-Syrian efforts. He denied
reports that he had signed an agreement to end Lebanon’s cooperation with the
STL.
Taking a direct swipe at Mikati who is known for his middle-of-the road
attitudes, Hariri said, “There is no centrism between crime and justice, between
sovereignty and tutelage, and between Lebanon’s Arabism and putting it in a
regional axis that has nothing to do with Arabism or Lebanon. But most
importantly there is no centrism between truth and deception, between pledges
and treason.” Addressing the rally, Gemayel said the March 14 movement will
achieve its objectives “because it is the movement of right and historic
constants.” He accused the Hezbollah-led alliance of seeking to bring Lebanon
down. “In theory, we are in front of a government’s collapse. But in reality, we
are seeing an attempt to bring Lebanon down. Will you allow Lebanon’s downfall?”
Gemayel asked. Geagea blamed Syria for the Lebanese crisis. “The March 14
coalition has made mistakes several times, especially when it believed that
Syria had made a comprehensive review of its attitudes toward Lebanon,” he said.
He promised “endless Cedars’ revolutions” to confront Syria’s and Hezbollah’s
tutelage over Lebanon. Former Minister Mohammad Abdel Hamid Beydoun, a former
Amal official who has fallen out with Speaker Nabih Berri, spoke at the rally
criticizing Hezbollah for keeping its weapons in defiance of the state. “The
resistance [Hezbollah] cannot continue as an independent army beyond
accountability. Lebanon cannot remain with two armies and two kinds of weapons,”
he said.
Now with the March 14 participation ruled out following Hariri’s declaration,
Mikati is expected to intensify his efforts to form the government which is to
be dominated by Hezbollah and its allies. A senior March 8 source said that
Mikati met Monday with and caretaker Energy Minister Jubran Bassil in the latest
attempt to resolve the problem of the interior portfolio which both Sleiman and
MP Michel Aoun are demanding. A source close to Mikati said if the March 14 bloc
decided to stay out, the premier-designate would form a government of
politicians and technocrats. Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama urged the
new Lebanese government to cooperate with the STL. “Ending the era of impunity
for political assassinations is essential to realizing the justice and stability
that the Lebanese people deserve, and any attempt to interfere with the
Tribunal’s work or fuel tensions within Lebanon must not be tolerated,” Obama
said in a statement Sunday. “The cause for which Prime Minister Hariri and so
many Lebanese patriots gave their lives must remain our guide.”
Canada Marks Sixth Anniversary of the Assassination of Rafik Hariri
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2011/065.aspx
(No. 65 - February 14, 2011 - 4:55 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement marking the
sixth anniversary of the February 14, 2005, assassination of Rafik Hariri, the
former prime minister of Lebanon:
“Today marks the sixth anniversary of the assassination of Rafik Hariri, the
former prime minister of Lebanon. Rafik Hariri was a courageous and highly
respected statesman committed to a pluralistic and modern Lebanon. Our thoughts
are with Mr. Hariri’s son and the rest of his family, and the families of the 22
other victims also killed during the assassination.
“Canada has supported, and continues to support, the work of the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon as it endeavours to bring to justice those individuals
responsible for this crime.
“We urge the future government of Lebanon to maintain full support for and
cooperation with the Tribunal and to continue to live up to its obligations
under the UN Security Council resolutions on Lebanon.
“Canada calls on all Lebanese parties to work together for peace and stability
in Lebanon.”
Egypt's Chance
by Daniel Pipes/The Washington Times
February 15, 2011
http://www.meforum.org/pipes/9474/egypt-chance
If developments in Egypt have gone as well as one could hope for, future
prospects remain unclear. The exciting part is over, now come the worries.
Let's start with three pieces of good news: Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's strongman who
appeared on the brink of fomenting disaster, fortunately resigned. The
Islamists, who would push Egypt in the direction of Iran, had little role in
recent events and remain distant from power. And the military, which has ruled
Egypt from behind-the-scenes since 1952, is the institution best equipped to
adapt the government to the protestors' demands.
Egypt's Mubarak and Tunisia's Ben Ali, sharing good times.
Now, for the problems. The military itself represents the lesser problem. In
charge for six decades, it has made a mess of things. Tarek Osman, an Egyptian
writer, eloquently demonstrates in a new book, Egypt on the Brink: From Nasser
to Mubarak (Yale University Press) how precipitously Egypt's standing has
declined. Whatever index one chooses, from standard of living to soft-power
influence, Egypt today lags behind its monarchical predecessor. Osman contrasts
the worldly Cairo of the 1950s to the "crowded, classic third-world city" of
today. He also despairs how the country "that was a beacon of tranquility … has
turned into the Middle East's most productive breeding ground of aggression."
The Muslim Brotherhood represents the larger problem. Founded in 1928, the
world's leading Islamist organization has long avoided confrontation with the
government and shies from revealing its ambition to carry out an Islamic
revolution in Egypt. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad articulated this hope
for it when he claimed that due to developments in Egypt, "a new Middle East is
emerging without the Zionist regime and U.S. interference." In a bitter
appraisal, Mubarak himself focused on this same danger: "We see the democracy
the United States spearheaded in Iran and with Hamas, in Gaza, and that's the
fate of the Middle East … extremism and radical Islam."
For its part, the U.S. administration naively expressed no such concerns. Barack
Obama downplayed the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood, calling it but "one
faction in Egypt," while his director of national intelligence, James Clapper,
actually praised the brotherhood as "a very heterogeneous group, largely
secular, which has eschewed violence" and pursues "a betterment of the political
order in Egypt."
Cover of "Egypt on the Brink: From Nasser to Mubarak" by Tarek Osman.
This nonsense points to a U.S. policy in deep disarray. In June 2009, during a
would-be revolution against a hostile regime in Iran, the Obama administration
stayed mum, hoping thereby to win Tehran's good will. But with Mr. Mubarak, a
friendly dictator under assault, it effectively adopted George W. Bush's
impatient "freedom agenda" and supported the opposition. Mr. Obama seemingly
encourages street demonstrators only against our side.
American pressure, steady and gradual, recognizing that the democratization
process implies a vast transformation of society and requires not months but
decades, is needed to open the system.
What next for Egypt, and will the Muslim Brotherhood take over?
Something remarkable, unpredictable and unprecedented took place in recent weeks
on Egyptian streets. A leaderless mass movement galvanized large numbers of
ordinary citizens, as in Tunisia days earlier. It did not rage against
foreigners, scapegoat minority Egyptians, nor endorse a radical ideology;
instead, it demanded accountability, liberty, and prosperity. Reports reaching
me from Cairo suggest a historic turn toward patriotism, inclusion, secularism,
and personal responsibility.
For confirmation, consider two polls: A 2008 study by Lisa Blaydes and Drew
Linzer found 60 percent of Egyptians hold Islamist views. But a Pechter Middle
East Poll last week found only 15 percent of Cairenes and Alexandrians "approve"
of the Muslim Brotherhood and about 1 percent support a brotherhood president of
Egypt. Another indicator of this seismic change: the brotherhood, in retreat,
has played down its political ambitions, with Yusuf al-Qaradawi going to far as
to declare that preserving Egyptians' freedom has more importance than
implementing Islamic law.
No one can say at this early date where this revolution in attitudes came from
or where it leads, but it is today's happy reality. The military leadership now
bears the weighty responsibility of shepherding it to fruition. Three men in
particular bear close watching, Vice President Omar Suleiman, Defense Minister
Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, and Chief of Staff Sami Hafez Enan. We shall soon see
whether the military leadership has learned and matured, and if it realizes that
continuing to pursue its selfish interests will lead to further decay.
**Mr. Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum and Taube distinguished
visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University. He has lived
for three years in Egypt.
The World Council of the Cedars Revolution
Wednesday January 26, 2011 - Washington D.C. – Press Release
http://www.cedarsrevolution.net/jtphp/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3306&Itemid=2
WCCR Statement on the Anniversary of PM Rafik Hariri's Assassination
The World Council of the Cedars Revolution today pays our respect to Lebanon’s
5-Time Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others that perished on the 14th of
February 2005. Also, for those that have fallen before and after Rafik Hariri
for the sake of the Country of Lebanon – for its Sovereignty, Freedom and
Independence. This fight is not over, Egypt has proven that people will
inevitably pursue their inalienable right to live free; free of Assassinations,
Intimidations, Threats, Coercion, corruption and heavy handed politics. Lebanon
must be free of these so that each Lebanese may determine their destiny.
Because of each individuals desires to their inalienable rights to freedom, The
Cedars Revolution will never go away; the majority of Lebanese in Lebanon and
the Diaspora continue to demand the truth for those that were martyred and for
Justice to be served to the Assassins.
The STL is here, and it cannot be circumvented, it will provide the truth and it
will stop the impunity for political assassinations. Justice must be upheld for
Lebanon to exist.
We state clearly that Lebanon is part of the nations of the United Nations and
its commitment to the Security Council resolutions is an obligation as well as a
solution to Lebanon’s own problems. Thus we demand a full implementation of all
UNSCR’s – especially 1559, 1680, 1701 and 1757.
The March 14 movement made statements today in Lebanon and we concur with the
following:
The WCCR was pleased to hear the leaders of March 14t stated the following:
1)That they committed mistakes in the past 6 years
2)That they’ve held a lot of talks, but no return to any negotiation with the
side who is armed, a side proposing terrorism and corruption
3)The STL is the only answer
4) UNSCR’s 1559,1680,1701, 1757 are the solutions to Lebanon
5)We were also quite pleased to see March 14th, after a long 5 years, to invite
Moderate Shiites who are anti-Hezbollah into the March 14 group. Today M14
introduced Shi’ite Mohamad Youssef Beidoun and his speech was well accepted.
Lebanon must have one Government, one free democratic process, and one army.
The WCCR Leadership
Representing the Will of the Millions of Lebanese in Lebanon and the Diaspora
Washington, D.C.
February 14th, 2011
Which Egypt…Mandela's or Khomeini's
13/02/2011
By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid/Asharq Al- Awsat
Egypt is already different from other countries in the region. In the middle of
the capital people are celebrating, taking pictures and eating sweets. This
scene is not unusual after the military announces the regime will change. It
calls for optimism and contemplation in the near future. Here in my head I have
many questions regarding the largest Arab state.
We could argue for example: Did President Hosni Mubarak step down two weeks too
late? Or was it seven months too early? His exit, in any case, was inevitable
since his first speech [during the crisis]. Yet more important than Mubarak is
the future of Egypt, who will govern it and how? Because we do not know the
answers, we will scrutinize the questions, bearing in mind that there is too
much involved to completely cover in this column.
Will it be a comprehensive military rule for several months until the next
presidential elections, and is it likely that these will be accompanied by
parliamentary elections? This would mean comprehensive changes at all levels of
government.
Or, will we see military rule for a few weeks, during which powers will be
transferred to an interim civil governance council?
Will the military play the role of the state guarantor, on the grounds that the
military institution has been active for half a century, up until the night of
Mubarak's exit? Or will we now see the end of the military era, in addition to
the collapse of Mubarak's regime?
Will Tahrir Square's protestors continue to be a factor dictating the formula
for the coming transitional phase? Will they be resolute? Or are these young
Egyptians now tired? How will others deal with the revolution, namely party
forces with experience and clear projects?
Will the victors agree and continue along the same course? Or has their common
cause ended with the overthrow of Mubarak, and they will now compete in the
post-Mubarak era?
Will we see a leader among the youth movement becoming a key player? It was this
youth movement that was behind Egypt's revolution, yet the problem is that it is
an army of ants, without a clear leader.
In terms of administration, do not forget that the Egyptian state is a huge
system of bureaucracy, which usually functions in a semi-autonomous manner. Will
it be able to continue without clear leadership? And for how long?
Will the immediate leadership face security problems, now that most figures of
the former regime have been overthrown, and how would it deal with such problems
if they occurred, especially in remote cities?
Will there be a campaign of revenge? Would the army be able to quell this? Or
will they choose to sit in their tanks until matters on the ground are resolved?
Tunisia, to some extent, came out of a difficult situation by transferring power
whilst maintaining the structure of the regime. Will the Egyptian leadership
choose military rule, civilian, or a mixture of both, to maintain the regime? Or
will they leave it to collapse?
Finally, and most importantly, what will be the nature of the forthcoming
governing figures, will they be military or civil? Will we see a leader in Cairo
who can heal wounds, such as Nelson Mandela, who led South Africa to liberation?
Or will we see a divisive figure such as Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of the
Iranian Revolution?
Once we know the next leader or leaders, the features of Egypt's crucial phase
will begin to emerge. I know that Egypt is not Iran, and that the Mubarak regime
was not the Apartheid system, but no one can ignore the enthusiasm of the
revolutionary masses, and the impact of individual and collective leadership in
such circumstances. All this depends on the personality of the leader, and the
extent to which he wants to eradicate the legacy of the past thirty years.
In terms of foreign affairs, will Egypt's compass change direction towards
another camp, that of the revolutionaries? Or will it remain with the moderates?
We must not forget that Sadat left the Soviet alliance to join the Westerners,
in a personal decision, and in doing so changed history.
The remedy for revolutions
14/02/2011
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al- Awsat
As long as our media, or at least parts of it, insist on asking the question
who's next after Tunisia and Egypt? Let us offer advice to our republics who are
concerned with the crisis more than others. Whatever some of our media outlets
say, which I will discuss in a forthcoming article under the title "the bullying
media", there is a magic remedy to the crisis, rather than demonstrations and
destruction. This remedy is especially significant considering what we see
happening in Algeria and Yemen.
My advice is not along the lines of what Colonel Muammar Gaddafi intends to do,
by joining the anti-government demonstrations in person, in other words
demonstrating against himself, but rather it is far simpler, and more credible.
In the event of an outbreak of severe protests in our republics, the best
solution is to call for immediate presidential elections under international
observation. Whoever wins that election stays in power, and whoever loses leaves
with dignity, rather than being defamed. This would circumvent the maneuvers of
some of our Arab media, which in turn would appease the professionals in the
business, who have endured a difficult past two months. This is not a ridiculous
proposal; rather it is a rational and prudent call, with a sense of
responsibility.
Instead of the violence which we witnessed in Egypt and Tunisia, in particular
the Battle of the Camel, instead of Iran's manipulation, whereby President
Ahmadinejad, who is accused of electoral fraud by nearly half his populace, said
that what happened in Egypt and Tunisia was the "blessing of the Mahdi", instead
of the economic losses, instead of repeatedly confusing America within the space
of one day, let the entire process be "peaceful", as advocated by Egypt's youth.
Subsequently, the region and our republics would be spared many losses and
casualties.
Thus, what is needed is a call for elections immediately after the outbreak of
protests, immediately after the people come out onto the streets. A call for
presidential elections shows that the regime has confidence in itself, provided
that the elections are observed by neutral international bodies, and genuine
electoral competition is permitted. As long as our republics accept the fact
that they are republics, rather than monarchies or "republarchies", and their
constitutions state that the people are the principal source of authority, the
best solution is to conduct elections when the people have challenged the
authority of the President. This is far better than trading insults, or coming
out with posters and banners, in a manner similar to what we saw in Tahrir
Square.
Why deceive ourselves? The crisis facing our region today, as I have repeatedly
stated since the outbreak of the Egyptian uprising, until the end of the
revolution there, is a crisis of Arab republics that want to be monarchies or
emirates. Thus the best way to confront these uprisings, or revolutions, is to
call for direct presidential elections. The Yemeni President, for example, has
declared that he will not seek to renew or extend his term in office, and will
not reset the clock or get rid of it altogether, yet it would be better, instead
of the acts of rioting and violence, to call for presidential elections within
three months, and under impartial international observation. Whoever wins can
govern the country, and whoever loses can go home with all respect intact. The
same applies to Libya, instead of Colonel Gaddafi coming out onto the street to
protest against himself!
Is that not a more favorable solution? I think any rational mind would approve
of that idea. As I said above, there is no need for another Battle of the Camel,
there is no need to [organize protests] via "Facebook", or even to begin
unblocking websites as Syria has done…Elections are the shortest route to
safety!
Israel Puts Embassies on High Alert on Mughniyeh Murder
Anniversary
Naharnet/Israel has put its embassies on high alert, fearing they could come
under attack, after identifying suspicious activities around some of them,
Israel's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. "Unusual occurrences have been
identified recently around a few Israeli missions abroad. Our assessment, at
this point, is that these sites are under threat, and this is being taken care
of," it said in a statement. "The relevant Israeli authorities are in touch with
relevant authorities in the countries concerned," it added, without revealing
which locations had been flagged. The warnings come after Israel's
anti-terrorism bureau on Friday warned against travel to Egypt and eight other
countries for fear of reprisal attacks on the anniversary of the assassination
of two top Hizbullah leaders. It said there was an increased threat of attacks
against Israelis and Jewish targets in Egypt, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Armenia, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania and Venezuela. Top Hizbullah military
commander Imad Mughniyeh was killed in a car bombing in Damascus on February 12,
2008, while Abbas Moussawi, the group's secretary general, was killed by an
Israeli airstrike on February 16, 1992. Both attacks prompted vows of revenge
from Hizbullah.(AFP) Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 16:24
Clinton Accuses Hizbullah of 'Hijacking' Democracy
Naharnet/U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Hizbullah of hijacking
Lebanon's democracy and stressed that only the Lebanese state should have
monopoly on military power. "There are many ways that a democracy can be
hijacked," Clinton told al-Arabiya Arab TV network in an interview aired Monday.
"Having armed militias within a democratic state should not be permitted. And
this has been a consistent American position that the state should be the
guarantor of the integrity and authority of the state, and should have a
monopoly on military power," she said. "The situation unfortunately in Lebanon
has developed so that there is this counterforce for the state in Hizbullah,"
Clinton told her interviewer.
The Lebanese "deserve to have their democracy respected and their voices heard,
and not have one element of their society using the threat of force and the
potential of violence to try to achieve political ends," she said. Clinton
reiterated support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, saying ex-Premier Rafik
Hariri's assassins should be brought to justice. "We do not believe that it is
in Lebanon's interest to avoid accountability for those who murdered not only
Prime Minister Hariri but 22 other innocent people," she said in another
interview with al-Hurra TV station. She added that the U.S. hoped
Premier-designate Najib Miqati's government will recognize the need for the
tribunal's work to continue. Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 08:09
Jumblat Preparing a 'Clear, Sarcastic, and Decisive' Statement in Response to
February 14 Speeches
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat is expected to
issue a "clear, sarcastic, and decisive" statement in response to everything
that was said about him since the start of the parliamentary consultations and
to the speeches that were delivered during Monday's ceremony commemorating the
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, reported Al-Akhbar on
Tuesday.He also addressed in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa
magazine the recent revolt in Egypt, saying: "The Egyptian people are heading
towards freedom after long years of tyranny under the previous regime."The
Egyptians will not forgive the oppressive regime, he added. Jumblat also noted
the confusion that broke out among western circles whose leaders "ignored the
desire of the Egyptian people for democracy and instead favored the regime that
was performing its job of protecting Israel."The MP warned sides banking on the
so-called international community and its alleged keenness on justice and
liberties. "The international community is only concerned with its political
interests and rarely cares about the fate of people and their internal unity,"
he stated. Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 16:10
Spain Adopts Wait-and-See Approach On Cabinet Decisions
Naharnet/The Spanish ambassador, Juan Carlos Gavo, reiterated on Tuesday that
the Lebanese government should include all political parties and respect
Security Council resolutions.
Following talks with Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel, Gavo said: "I
reiterated to Gemayel our stance from the formation of the cabinet, which should
represent all political parties."
The cabinet that will be formed by Premier-designate Najib Miqati should respect
"Lebanon's international commitments," the ambassador said. "We are awaiting the
decisions that it (the government) will take," Gavo added. The ambassador also
told reporters that he discussed with Gemayel the rally held on the occasion of
ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's sixth assassination anniversary and the speeches made
by the March 14 leaders on Monday. Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 14:18
No Cabinet this Week as Miqati Sees Positive Signs in March 14 Speeches
Naharnet/Premier-designate Najib Miqati's circles said speeches made on
ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's sixth assassination anniversary had some positive
signs that are "consistent with Miqati's approach."The circles told An Nahar
daily in remarks published Tuesday that the speeches of Caretaker Premier Saad
Hariri, Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea
and former minister Mohammed Abdul Hamid Baidoun at the BIEL rally were
consistent with Miqati's "conviction on the need for dialogue and moderation."
The circles "hoped that the positive statements would lead to compliance with
the invitation that the premier-designate made for the (March 14's)
participation in the cabinet." They also hoped that March 14 would "deal
positively" with Miqati's offer of extending his hand to the alliance to form
the government. The circles rejected to snap back at accusations, saying Miqati
stresses that the Lebanese need an active cabinet which should stay away from
bickering. Meanwhile, An Nahar said that the premier-designate visited President
Michel Suleiman on Monday to discuss with him the cabinet formation process.
Miqati also met with Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil who informed the
premier-designate about the portfolios and names that Free Patriotic Movement
leader Michel Aoun is asking for. The premier-designate also held talks with
Hussein Khalil and Ali Hassan Khalil, who are respectively the assistants of the
Hizbullah leader and the speaker. Officials who took part in the meetings ruled
out to An Nahar the formation of the cabinet this week, saying consultations
need more time. Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 08:50
Bassil Says March 14 was Transformed into a 'Subversive Opposition'
Naharnet/Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil slammed what he called the
"subversive opposition" of the March 14 forces, accusing them of committing
"national treason."
Bassil said speeches made by March 14 officials during ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's
sixth assassination anniversary in BIEL on Monday were a sign that the coalition
was putting conditions that contradict with March 8 stances. "There is no room
for them to join the government," the caretaker minister told An Nahar in
remarks published Tuesday. "We are keen on forming a cabinet and not blowing it
up." Asked about the demands of Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to
get the interior ministry portfolio, Bassil said: "We didn't ask for it in order
to obstruct. We suggested getting it because we want to restore the prestige of
the state." He denied that the FPM was holding onto the portfolio to stop
Lebanon's cooperation with the tribunal. "The government as a whole is
responsible for anything linked to the court and not the interior minister
alone." Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 10:30
Ashton in Beirut on Wednesday to Inquire About Lebanon's Commitment to Tribunal
Naharnet/The European Union's top diplomat Catherine Ashton will visit Lebanon
on Wednesday as part of a broader Middle East trip, a source at Lebanon's
foreign ministry told German Press Agency dpa. She is due to meet with President
Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri,
Premier-designate Najib Miqati and Caretaker Minister Ali al-Shami during her
four-hour visit. Discussions will focus on the situation in Lebanon and on
developments in the region, dpa said.
However, An Nahar daily said Tuesday that Ashton would reiterate to Miqati the
EU's insistence on the implementation of all Security Council resolutions on
Lebanon and the respect of the international tribunal. The newspaper quoted a
European diplomatic source as saying that Ashton would also ask Miqati about his
draft policy statement. Ashton will travel to Israel and the Palestinian
territories on Tuesday, where she will meet key actors in the Middle East peace
process. Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 09:47
More Arab democracy, Palestinian this time
Hussein Ibish, February 15, 2011 /Lebanon Now/
In what is probably a long-overdue move, the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah
has called for new local, presidential and parliamentary elections before
September.
The leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian
Authority are finally beginning to proactively tackle the crisis of legitimacy
that resulted from the split within the Palestinian national movement between
the PLO and Hamas after 1997. Many Palestinians have been elected to many
offices in recent years, but everyone’s term has expired, and rivalry between
the different factions has prevented new elections from resolving this crisis of
legitimacy.
The recent unrest in Egypt, like the new sense throughout the Arab world that
political leadership must be legitimate and based on the consent of the governed
through elections, may well have added to the sense of urgency among Palestinian
leaders.
Domestically and internationally, the lack of elections has been used
consistently as a cudgel with which to attack everything the mainstream
Palestinian leadership has been doing, most notably negotiations with Israel and
state-building in the West Bank. The critics have argued that the absence of
recent elections means that what the PLO and the Palestinian Authority do is
subject to serious doubt, although the same standard is rarely applied to Hamas.
In fact the onus for the lack of elections lies with Hamas, which most
predictably has rejected the new election plans as “a conspiracy against the
Palestinian people.” Hamas rejected plans for elections in January 2010 under
Palestinian law and an Egyptian proposal that would have allowed for elections
last July. Its position was that national reconciliation had to precede
elections. This was a ploy designed to cover up for the fact that the
organization, quite reasonably, feared the results of Palestinian voting under
the present circumstances.
The logic was tortured, since there are no other means to clarify the will of
the Palestinian people or to set the stage for national reconciliation and
define on whose terms reconciliation will largely be based. It was a dodge,
designed to avoid elections whose results would almost certainly have been
unfavorable to Hamas, following more than two years of freefalling political
credibility, at least among Palestinians.
But Fatah also bears its share of the responsibility. Last summer the
Palestinian Authority was planning local elections in the West Bank. These were
called off at the last minute, apparently because, even though Fatah was
largely, or at least formally, unopposed in many races, it seemingly was unable
to organize itself sufficiently. The local elections would have been a very good
step forward, and their sudden cancellation was a considerable embarrassment.
However, the current plans offer one of the few obvious ways for the
Palestinians to reunite amicably, and for the Palestinian people to make their
preferences about national leadership and policy clear. It is, of course, vital
that elections actually be held. It will also be important to give opposition
groups, including Hamas, a serious opportunity to put forward candidates and
campaign. Palestinians have proven with the presidential elections in 2005 and
the parliamentary elections in 2006 that they are more than capable of holding
free and fair elections.
If elections are called for and then abandoned or indefinitely postponed, or
held under dubious circumstances with real questions about their legitimacy, it
would be better not to hold them in the first place. Since Hamas is likely to
oppose the election plans and fare poorly, it can and should have to bear the
political price for this.
The biggest question mark is over the future of President Mahmoud Abbas. He has
repeatedly said he would not stand in future elections, but there is no clear
successor to him in Fatah or the PLO. But politicians change their minds, and
standing in a free and fair election would not be illegitimate for Abbas. On the
other hand, the president seems genuinely to have had enough of national
leadership. No doubt there will be efforts to convince Abbas that since there
are no clear, plausible alternatives at this stage, he should reconsider his
earlier pronouncements. That is especially true since it is not clear what kind
of leadership and policies might emerge otherwise.
Egypt’s case demonstrates that change can be both necessary and risky, and the
Palestinian leadership is wise to seek to manage change by calling for new
elections. If it holds them and abides by the results, with or without Hamas
cooperation, it will be a significant step bolstering both the leadership’s
legitimacy and the Palestinian national project.
*Hussein Ibish is a senior research fellow at the American Task Force on
Palestine and blogs at www.Ibishblog.com
Seven Men, Including 2 Lebanese, Charged in NY with Conspiring to Aid Taliban
Naharnet/Seven men, including two Lebanese citizens, were charged with selling
drugs and weapons in an effort to help the Taliban fight U.S. troops overseas.
Posing as representatives of the Taliban, cooperating witnesses for the Drug
Enforcement Administration approached the men in Ghana last June, asking to set
up a drug relationship, prosecutors said. First, the cooperators asked if they
could buy large amounts of cocaine, according to court documents. Then, they
asked if the men could set up safe places in West Africa to store heroin on its
way from Afghanistan to the United States, Canada and Europe. Terrorism charges
were filed against Maroun Saade and Walid Nasir, who are Lebanese. Charges were
also filed against Francis Sourou Ahissou, Corneille Dato, Martin Raouf Bouraima,
Oded Orbach and Alwar Pouryan. Prosecutors said Orbach and Pouryan, who are U.S.
citizens, were arrested in Romania last week and are being held there while they
await extradition to the United States. The others were arrested last week in
Liberia, where they are in U.S. custody. All are expected to be prosecuted in
New York. The supposed Taliban representatives told the men that the drugs would
be sold to help finance Taliban operations against the United States, court
documents said. "Saade responded that it would please him to support the
Taliban's cause," prosecutors wrote in the indictment. As the drug relationship
blossomed, the DEA also began negotiating to buy anti-aircraft missiles and
automatic weapons, prosecutors said. Those inquiries led the DEA to Orbach and
Pouryan, who discussed selling anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers and other
weapons to the Taliban. An e-mail seized by prosecutors revealed a price list
ranging from $120 or so for an M16 rifle to $87,000 and up for a Javelin
anti-take missile. Prosecutors said they believe the men were working with a
co-conspirator in Lebanon. The co-conspirator was not named. "Today, we
eliminated an entrenched global criminal network, preventing it from moving ton
quantities of cocaine, laundering millions in drug money, and trading arms to
the Taliban to undermine the rule of law and kill Americans," DEA Administrator
Michele Leonhart said.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 15 Feb 11, 09:04