LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِMarch 07/2011

Bible Of The Day
The Good News According to John /Cana Wedding
2:1 The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2:2 Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the marriage. 2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” 2:4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.” 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” 2:6 Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. 2:7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” They filled them up to the brim. 2:8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. 2:9 When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom, 2:10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” 2:11 This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Joel
2:13 Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity. 2:14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.
2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. 2:16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his room, and the bride out of her room. 2:17 Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” 2:18 Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, And had pity on his people.

Paul's Letter to the Romans
14:13 Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling. 14:14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 14:15 Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 14:16 Then don’t let your good be slandered, 14:17 for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 14:18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men
 

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Some Egyptians wonder if military can be trusted/By: Sarah Lynch/March 06/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 06/11
Gates on urgent mission to Cairo as military rulers lose grip/DEBKAfile
Iran and Syria to escape reprimand of IAEA board/DPA, Haaretz
Hamas head: 'Egypt, Tunisia revolts gave us our lives back'/J.Post
Indictment May Be Released before March 14 Rally /Naharnet
Sfeir Honored: I Pray that Bishops Make the Right Choice on New Patriarch /Naharnet
Sfeir: Regardless of their Sect, Lebanese People Cannot Say they are Deeply Divided /Naharnet
Hariri Holds Talks with Saudi Interior Ministry on Issues of Joint Interest/Naharnet
Hizbullah Accuses March 14 of Implementing Israeli Demands: Its Current Goals Seeks to Thwart Miqati's Mission/Naharnet
Consultations Have Reached Negative Stalling Phase, Government Birth May Extend until End of March/Naharnet
All's quiet on the Israel-Lebanon front/Los Angeles Time
Libya probes missing Lebanon cleric/The National
ran and Syria to escape reprimand of IAEA board/Monsters and Critics.com
Lebanon: Israeli gas fields to cause conflict/Ynetnews
Fneish: All credit of Arab revolutions goes back to Hezbollah/ iloubnan.info
Pharaon and Gemayel call for independence rally/iloubnan.info
Fneish: Any Procedure Linked to STL Should be Halted in Order for New Government to Look into it /Naharnet
March 14: Defense of Justice and Battle against Hizbullah's Arms Will Be Long /Naharnet
Aoun's Ministers, MPs Withdrew from Ceremony Honoring Sfeir because Geagea was Seated in Front Row /Naharnet
Hariri's Contacts Reflect Ongoing Saudi Support, Berri Preparing Decisive Response to his Speech /Naharnet
Miqati Won't Delay in Issuing Response and Clarifying Matters When Necessary /Naharnet
Saniora after Meeting Hoss: STL Not Aimed at Revenge, Raad's Statements are Political but under Legal Guise /Naharnet
Higher Islamic Council Urges Officials Not to Impede Tribunal's Work /Naharnet
Geagea Urges Wide Participation in March 13 Rally: We Introduced Concept of Resistance /Naharnet
Qaouq: Bellemare's Requests Consolidate Divisions Among Lebanese /Naharnet

Indictment May Be Released before March 14 Rally
Naharnet/Informed circles predicted that the indictment in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri may be released before the March 14 rally set for March 13.They told the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper that it is most likely set to be released between March 8 and 10. Should this happen, then it would serve as an excellent tool to rally supporters for next Sunday's demonstration, which is driven by the March 14 camp's mission to confront Hizbullah's arms, they said. The circles added that should Iran take any escalatory steps in the Arab gulf, then it will be confronted by pressure on Hizbullah through the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. This means that Lebanon would have entered the difficult phase of international interference that is raging in the Middle East, they continued. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 11:46

Sfeir: Regardless of their Sect, Lebanese People Cannot Say they are Deeply Divided
Naharnet/Outgoing Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir stated on Sunday that the Lebanese people, regardless of which sect they belong to, cannot say that they are deeply divided as "they are all indebted to Lebanon." He stressed to MTV that Lebanon is currently better off than some Arab countries, adding that it will "always remain the safest and most peaceful nation in the region." The patriarchate will remain in the country's service, especially the Maronites, he stated. Sfeir thanked God for having been able to serve the Lebanese people, calling on them to have faith and gratitude in God. "We have sought to treat all Lebanese fairly and equally," he concluded. After the interview, the patriarch headed a mass marking the 1600th jubilee of Saint Maroun's death. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 13:37

Gates on urgent mission to Cairo as military rulers lose grip
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 5, 2011,
President Barack Obama Saturday, March 5, asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to set out for Cairo without delay on an emergency mission as the unrest in Egypt veered out of control, debkafile's exclusive sources report from Washington. Friday night, thousands of protesters seized control of the headquarters Egyptian security police (Mahabis Namn El Dawla) in Alexandria, Cairo and the nearby 6 of October town, shutting down its operations across the country.
In the last hours, information reaching Washington indicated that control was slipping out of the hands of the Egyptian military junta ruling the country since Hosni Mubarak's overthrow; anti-American elements energized by Iran appeared to have strengthened their hold on the protest movement, causing deep concern in the White House.
The capture of the three Mahabis centers opened to disaffected elements the secret files on every political and military leader in the country, confidential information once accessible only to ex-intelligence minister Gen. Omar Suleiman before the uprising.
While the Obama administration has a better inside picture of Egypt's opposition groups than it has about Libya, intelligence is still inadequate about the shape of the local leadership of those groups and to whom they defer. Last Wednesday, March 2, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Iran of stirring the pot when she addressed the House Appropriations Committee: "They (the Iranians) are using Hizballah… to communicate with counterparts… in (the Palestinian movement) Hamas who then in turn communicate with counterparts in Egypt," she said. debkafile's sources report that large sums of Iranian petrodollars have reached the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and radicalized its message to the Egyptian people. Military young leaders are believed to have executed a coup and displaced the veterans. The Palestinian Hamas has turned its well-oiled smuggling machine into a channel for transmitting Iranian cash to keep Egyptian Islamic extremists on the march. The Israeli government is the only one in the region to show no concern about violent mayhem spurting up across its border, and has apparently shrugged off the key role played by the Palestinian rulers of Gaza in stirring up trouble in Egypt at Tehran's behest ,and the rising strength of the Muslim Brotherhood - both of which have a dangerous impact on Israeli security.

Iran and Syria to escape reprimand of IAEA board
By DPA /Iran and Syria's alleged nuclear activities are high on the agenda for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board, when it starts meeting on Monday in Vienna, but no action against them is expected for now, diplomats said. As Western board member states are undecided over how much pressure to apply, and as diplomats' attention is focused on unrest in Arab countries, the IAEA body is unlikely to take action before its next meeting in June, the diplomats said. The IAEA recently received new information concerning possible military nuclear activities in Iran, it said in a report late last month, without giving details. The report also highlighted previous allegations about seven Iranian research or development projects for a nuclear warhead that officials in Tehran have refused to explain. Iran says the intelligence is fabricated. A Western diplomat said the new report was more precise than previous ones, but added that "it does not contain a new element, especially concerning possible military dimensions, that would justify a resolution." In its Syria report, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said the country has not allowed additional inspections either of a suspected nuclear reactor that Israel bombed in 2007, or of three possibly related sites that his inspectors have not yet visited. The IAEA is aware of intelligence information that one of the sites could have been set up to make reactor fuel, diplomats said. However, Syria decided one week before the board meeting that it would allow a visit to a fourth location, a civilian chemical plant that produces uranium as a by-product. While diplomats acknowledged that Syria's blocking undermines the IAEA's authority, they questioned what a resolution or a so-called special inspection would achieve at this point.Syria might refuse such an inspection, the Western diplomat said. "What does the agency do then?" Another diplomat said it was difficult to take action on Syria also because of its complex connection with Middle Eastern politics, referring to the tendency of developing countries on the board to support Israel's perceived enemies. Besides these questions of tactics, diplomats said their capitals are not focused on these two nuclear issues right now, but rather on the political upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa. A European diplomat said raising diplomatic pressure at the IAEA would be counterproductive now.
"It would not be good to pour oil into the fire, because the region is already bubbling," he said.

Hamas head: 'Egypt, Tunisia revolts gave us our lives back'
By JPOST.COM STAFF /03/06/2011
Speaking in Khartoum, Khaled Mashaal praises fall of Mubarak, says Cairo returned "to its natural state," calls on Fatah and Hamas to reunite based on jihad against Israel, AFP reports.
Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal on Sunday praised last month's political revolution in Egypt, saying that it had given the Palestinian people their lives back, AFP reported.
Speaking in Khartoum in a live broadcast on Sudanese state television, Mashaal was quoted by AFP as saying, "Today we are witnessing Cairo returning to its natural state, after it disappeared from that state for a long time. The people in Egypt and Tunisia have given us back our lives."Ousted Egyptian former president Hosni Mubarak resigned on February 11 after a series of massive protests rattled the country for three weeks. The Hamas leader spoke at the opening of the Iranian-funded Al-Quds (Jerusalem) International Foundation conference taking place in Khartoum this year. Commenting on the Hamas-Fatah rift, Mashaal urged the two factions to reunite based on "jihad" against Israel. "The first step (to liberating Jerusalem from Israeli occupation) is refusal to negotiate with Israel... and to establish a new, reconciled Palestinian position based on jihad," he was quoted by AFP as saying. On Friday, a Hamas delegation was expected to leave Gaza for Sudan and then on to Damascus for a round of meetings about negotiations for a prisoner exchange that would include captive Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit. Hamas said that progress was being made and that the mediator has presented new ideas to both Hamas and Israel, the Gaza-based news agency reported

Hizbullah Accuses March 14 of Implementing Israeli Demands: Its Current Goals Seeks to Thwart Miqati's Mission
Naharnet/Hizbullah sources accused the March 14 forces, headed by Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri, of "openly implementing Israeli demands." They told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published on Sunday: "We have known from the start that Hariri and his political team did not support the concept of resistance, but they had to accommodate for us in the past due to the reality on the ground." "The forces are seeking to implement the American-Israeli project of establishing a new Middle East that would be under Israeli control and where resistance movements would not exist," they added. Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Walid Sukarrieh described Hariri's latest speech on Hizbullah's arms as a "distortion of facts aimed at creating a divide within Lebanon and convincing a great portion of Lebanese that the Resistance's arms are enemy weapons directed against them."
He told the daily: "The new Hariri policy that is completely in line with the American-Zionist project is either aimed at igniting Sunni-Shiite strife or garnering support for the March 14 rally."
"The March 14 camp's current goal is aimed at obstructing Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati's mission and preventing him from forming a new government through launching violent attacks against the Resistance's weapons and committing to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon," he continued. "Hizbullah is not seeking strife because it would target it and it is undertaking great efforts to prevent it," the MP said. The party would determine the best way to defend itself and its weapons once the indictment in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is released and "therefore, we are completely aware that Hariri and his political team are too weak to harm the Resistance or topple the new government."
The new opposition had recently announced that it will dedicate itself during the next phase in Lebanon to confronting "all arms, including Hizbullah's that is being directed by Tehran."
Hariri had announced that he is "no longer prepared to protect the Resistance after it had turned its weapons against the Lebanese." Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 09:12

Hariri Holds Talks with Saudi Interior Ministry on Issues of Joint Interest
Naharnet/Saudi Arabian Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz held talks on Saturday with Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri who is visiting the Kingdom at the head of a delegation, reported the Saudi Arabian news agency. The talks focused on bilateral ties and issues of joint interest. Beirut media reports stated that ties between Hariri and the Saudi minister's family, especially his son Mohammad bin Nayef, had been tense recently after a statement Hariri made to the international investigation looking into the assassination of his father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, was made public. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 12:43

Fneish: Any Procedure Linked to STL Should be Halted in Order for New Government to Look into it
Naharnet/Caretaker Minister of State for Administrative Reform Mohammed Fneish stated on Sunday that Lebanon has entered a new phase and a new political equation has been introduced to it, stressing that constitutional violations and attacks against Lebanon's sovereignty are no longer acceptable. He added: "Intimidation, terrorization, and threats are futile because this matter is connected to the new government and any procedure linked to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon should be halted in order for the new Cabinet to look into it." Furthermore, he said that STL prosecutor Daniel Bellemare's requests for the fingerprints of four million Lebanese are part of the project aimed at confronting the Resistance, which is seeking to tarnish its image in any possible means. "Lebanon has become exposed before the entire world … These reasons demonstrate that the STL is no longer acceptable," he continued. Fneish also commended ministers who exercised their national role and maintained their commitments to the laws and constitution. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 13:26

March 14: Defense of Justice and Battle against Hizbullah's Arms Will Be Long
Naharnet/Sources present at the March 14 General Secretariat's extraordinary meeting on Saturday revealed to the daily An Nahar in remarks on Sunday that the talks addressed several ways to develop work mechanisms and widen the political and popular participation on the basis that "the defense of justice and the battle against Hizbullah's arms will be long."
The gatherers also agreed to continue their talks during the general secretariat's weekly meeting on Wednesday. It had announced on Saturday that the mass rally on the occasion of the Cedar Revolution and in order to confront illegitimate arms will be held on March 13. It urged March 14 supporters to participate en masse in the rally at Martyrs Square at 10:00 am to confirm the public's "commitment to Lebanon's freedom, sovereignty and democratic system." The statement said the wide participation is aimed at confronting "illegitimate arms that are threatening Lebanon" and "defending the achievements of the Cedar Revolution which was the beginning of revolutions in the Arab world."An Nahar daily said Saturday that a meeting that was scheduled to be held by the March 14 forces at the Bristol hotel in Beirut on Sunday was postponed to March 10. Following the conference, the coalition is expected to release a political document that would summarize the March 14 work plan in the coming years, An Nahar added. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 09:33

Aoun's Ministers, MPs Withdrew from Ceremony Honoring Sfeir because Geagea was Seated in Front Row
Naharnet/Saturday's ceremony honoring outgoing Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir garnered the majority of the political sides in Lebanon with the noted absence of Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun. The ceremony was marked by the withdrawal of FPM ministers Jebran Bassil and Fadi Abboud, as well as MP Alain Aoun, because Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea was seated in the front row along with ministers from his bloc. They withdrew because Geagea is "neither minister nor MP", reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.
Minister Youssef Saadeh, from Marada Movement MP Suleiman Franjieh's bloc, also withdrew from the ceremony in objection to the breach in protocol, but he did attend the mass that was held as part of the ceremony. Parliamentary sources commented that Bassil, Abboud, and Saadeh are not MPs and their seats at the event were similar to their positions at the government table. The ceremony was also marked for House Speaker Nabih Berri's participation in his first visit to Bkirki since September 24, 2007, when he was conducting consultations over the presidential election. Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati's circles described as "very good" his meetings with the papal envoy, ambassador, Sfeir, and bishops.
They said that the Pope's representative had relayed to Miqati Pope Benedict XVI's interest in Lebanon's stability, inquiring about the results of his consultations over the formation of a new government. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 11:14

Saniora after Meeting Hoss: STL Not Aimed at Revenge, Raad's Statements are Political but under Legal Guise
Naharnet/Former Prime Minister Fouad Saniora stressed on Saturday that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is not seeking revenge or political gains, but it is aimed at achieving the Lebanese' interest. He said after holding talks with former premier Salim al-Hoss: "Claims that it is politicized are baseless." Responding to statements issued by the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammad Raad that the tribunal is trying to achieve international goals, he stated: "We have grown accustomed to political statements issued under a legal and constitutional guise."Addressing the government formation process, Saniora noted: "Contrary to what has been said, it has now become clear that the obstacles did not lie in the March 14 camp's failure to take a clear stand over the new government." Furthermore, Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati should take "clear and honest" stands from the STL and Lebanon's commitments to its international obligations, he added. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 08:34

Hariri's Contacts Reflect Ongoing Saudi Support, Berri Preparing Decisive Response to his Speech
Naharnet/House Speaker Nabih Berri's sources revealed to the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper that he is preparing a decisive response to Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri's recent speech, noting that the speaker "no longer cares" that the ties between him and the premier have reached one of their worst points. The paper also reported sources close to the March 8 camp as saying that Hizbullah "will not take a risk in any confrontation between it and Hariri that would harm the party's new allies." "It will not be dragged into one even if Hariri talks about Hizbullah's arms day and night," they added. Hariri had recently announced during a speech that he is "no longer prepared to protect the Resistance after it has turned its weapons against the Lebanese." The caretaker PM is currently on a trip to Saudi Arabia where he met Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud and Emir of the Riyadh region Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz on Saturday.The talks focused on bilateral ties and issues of mutual interest. An Nahar daily reported on Sunday that Hariri's contacts reflected the Kingdom's ongoing and complete support for Lebanon. Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 10:48

Miqati Won't Delay in Issuing Response and Clarifying Matters When Necessary
Naharnet/Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati's circles stated that there are "devious attempts" to drag him into debates and commitments prior to the formation of the new government and the establishment of its ministerial statement. They told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Sunday that the prime minister-designate is focusing his attention on forming a government that would appease all sides, and he is aware of efforts to divert attention away from the government to other affairs. They added that Miqati is keen on avoiding getting involved in debates or taking sides in the political divide in Lebanon, "but he will not delay in issuing a response or clarifying a position when needed, and he has already done that on more than one occasion." Beirut, 06 Mar 11, 09:51

Lebanon: Israeli gas fields to cause conflict /Naharnet
Ynetnews/The Lebanese energy minister in the transit government, Jibran Bassil, discussed the discovery of gas in the Middle East on Friday, saying that, Lebanon faced three major challenges when it comes to energy, with Israel being the main issue.
No Gas /Malfunction in Yam Tatis reservoir which left Israel without natural gas supply on Saturay fixed after four hours Bassil declared that every time Israel wanted to harm Lebanon it attacked – once against the tourism sector and now against anything that has to do with gas. "As Lebanese we mustn't keep quite and say: 'This is how it is,'" said Bassil during a geopolitical conference on the gas and oil situation in Lebanon and the Near East. The Lebanese minister mentioned Lebanon must not wait for Israeli "aggression" when it comes to its gas and oil resources. "We have to directly react and we cannot allow Israel to think, not even for a moment, that it can be aggressive towards our oil resources," he added. Bassil hinted the gas situation could escalate and turn into a conflict, which will bring more instability to the area. "Once we hesitate Israel will become aggressive. Today Lebanon has enough power to react. We've warned all companies investing in Israel that if they get close to our oil resources the area will turn unstable, something which will affect the interests of those companies and Israel as well," said Bassil. Bassil emphasized that "the oil might cause a conflict but it can also bring peace and stability. Israel must choose which option it prefers."

The STL: making sense…
By: melhem George Melhem
As “truth day” turns nearer, we are all wondering and, worst, made to wonder and even question the STL. Of course, only the would-be criminals are well-served by any such attitude, imposed or induced, and I will show, in full, how this is done. But first, why the STL?
We all know of Lebanon’s adherence to and legal obligations to the international community, the United Nations, and all treaties that were not only ratified by Lebanon, but in some cases, partially created by our nation’s best. We also realize in full the nefarious implications of any adventures on the wrong side of law, at both the individual and collective levels.
When a crime is committed, and in the best interest of fair resolution and avoiding privatized justice systems, the law steps in. The finality of it is to put an end to the entire crime process and its consequences, thus pointing the way towards reconciliation, and the reenactment of peaceful, “normal” life processes.
This reconciliation can only be built if the four pillars of justice are served in full. These are: [1] the right for the truth, whereby the entire crime chain has to be exposed, (decision making, planning, execution, support, post-crime complicity…) and the crime recreated in full, based on an accurate timeline of events; [2] the right for justice, through which all those mentioned above are treated as the law prescribes; [3] the right for reparations, for all those who were directly or indirectly, physically, morally, or financially, hurt by the crime and its aftermath; [4] the right for non-repetition, or guarantee of safety, whereby the legally armed hands of the law see to it that the criminal(s) and his(their) associates (even those who may not be indicted) are prevented from repeating their crime, or threatening to do so. (Hasn’t anyone ever wondered, how could an “innocent” party openly threaten to “kill” anyone who accuses it?)
These four pillars, as anyone may guess, simply mean the heads, (or freedom, depending on the legal system) guns, reputation, and money of the assassins. No assassins would settle for that… what would he do?
Denial works until a certain point. Crime scene forensic science has reached the point where technicians can tell which small-time operator assembled a handheld device, after it exploded. So tracing back a 1ton+ device is near certainly child’s play to them. (Sequencing the disclosure of the findings, and controlling the entire indictment process, is the prosecutor’s and UN’s legal prerogative – articles 53 and 16 of the international crime court.) Diversions towards other would-be assassins only work up to a certain point. For the reasons mentioned above, no fabricated evidence stands even the hint of a chance in court, and would bring further charges on the assassins, on top of destroying any left credibility and serving as a self-indictment of sort. The last resort? Ad hominem (vilifying attacks) against the justice system, the court, and the people behind it, in order to destroy their credibility, and prepare public opinion, their only resort outside the justice system, to reject the ultimate findings and verdicts, if only at the “terminal” point (people) who would be mobilized to act, violently if needed.
As such, we have seen multiple lines of effort against the STL, none of which stands any scrutiny, partly because of their schizophrenic nature, partly because they simply were desperate and ill-prepared. The false witness issue was amongst the first to be thrown for consumption, and it did nearly work, as people did not realize at first that there is no such a thing as false witnesses. Or even plain witnesses for that matter. All the STL had were testimonies from various people involved, and none of which was actually tested (yet) against reality, for that reality, and the indictments and what proof they are built upon, is still non-disclosed information. The credibility of that court was first lauded, and the Lebanese justice system bashed, when the four generals accused of various complicity charges were released after four years of detention, (just before the 2009 elections, a direct blow to the March 14 movement) a prison term in full accordance with a law that one of them had enacted. The four generals were held for that long, quite simply, because March 8 forces were impeding the implementation of that very legal structure (the MoU with the Lebanese judicial) which allowed their release! Soon after, they reversed all logic, bashing the STL and demanding the transfer of the so-called false witnesses issue to the (now “clean”) Lebanese higher courts. A third attempt came in the form of the assumed leaks from the STL. Although the Lebanese are a well-read people, it eluded many that these leaks (accusing Hezbollah) were sourced from Damascus proper, as Eric Follath, the famous Der Spiegel reporter, wrote his piece (later taken by many) just after interviewing the Syrian president in Damascus… and the first to echo that article on the Lebanese arena was no one other than Wiam Wahab, a prominent pro-Syrian political figurehead. As to other leaks, they were either fabricated, as the Canadian TV program was by FPM supporters (a revelation – and naming, courtesy of Tayyar Canada web site, whose people never lost true north) or quite simply, extracted from an investigator’s laptop that was snatched during that infamous Dahieyh clinic visit… More attacks are certainly due against the STL, as D-Day comes near, the last being against the demands to the Lebanese ministers and the finger prints issue. The STL asked for access to the national fingerprint database, (and not to 4,000,000 individual records) for one simple reason: it was recently discovered (following the Sami Chehab – Hezbollah’s operative in Egypt incident) that Hezbollah had Lebanon’s official document institution working for him, issuing “legal” ID’s and passport at will. At any rate, the legal system (the international one here) must have automatic and full access to all national databases, cars, communications, etc. just like the Lebanese judicial. They are tools.
Hezbollah and Syria have not acted rationally to the political environment around the STL issue. They even snubbed (for six years on) the offered exit strategy of “uncontrolled” elements, insisting instead (rightfully so, as the theocratic militia never acts without a takleef share’ee – religious mission order from Iran’s Khamenei) and resorted to adding fuel to the fire, threatening of death and wanton violence “if accused”, (anecdotally, an inherent admission of guilt) refusing the extended hands of the victims-in-wait, accusing them of seeking fitna whereas said violent rift can only come from those who can achieve it, those who are armed, and accusing them of being “Zionist” agents, yet putting the blame on Israel when they were savagely killed.
Now all options are on the table, and it is up to Hezbollah to decide on its course of action. (Syria seems to lay low, hoping to cut the links with its higher command chain at some stage, while pushing Hezbollah and its Lebanese underdogs to spearhead the counter-STL campaigning.) Will Hezbollah let justice take its natural course, committing suicide in the process, or will it forgo its ongoing taqqia and sever itself (as its ideology prescribes) from international order, and with that, cut all ties with the Lebanese people and Lebanon as a nation? Rejecting internal reconciliation, rejecting international reconciliation. Looks like a loose-loose to me.
That’s how it should be for cowardly criminals.

Some Egyptians wonder if military can be trusted
Sarah Lynch, March 6, 2011 /Now Lebanon
The morning after the Nile River glowed orange with the reflection of flames engulfing Egypt’s National Democratic Party building, the Egyptian army rolled their tanks to the outskirts of Tahrir Square through a crowd that pleaded for the military’s help. Anti-government protesters clashed with police on January 28, and so the army took control of the streets. Some people climbed onto the tops of tanks and kissed the hands of soldiers, whom many Egyptians saw as allies in the protests against the 30-year regime of Hosni Mubarak.
But there was a sense of uncertainty in the air that day as protestors walked through a landscape dotted with charred cars and tear gas canisters. Now that the much-hated Egyptian police were gone, would the army protect protesters or use force against them, as the police had done? Even now that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is in control of the country, the question still looms large for some Egyptians: Should the military be trusted?
Since power was handed to the armed forces three weeks ago, following Mubarak’s ouster, the army has tried to navigate the nation amid demands for democratic reforms. Protesters have continuously taken to the streets asking the army to remove Mubarak-appointed ministers, release political prisoners and dismantle the State Security Investigations Service, blamed for using force against demonstrators in the uprising, which left more than 350 dead.
From the beginning of the military’s involvement, some have viewed them as heroes. “The people and the army are one hand,” many say. At celebrations that continue to take place in Tahrir Square, fathers hoist their children on top of tanks and take pictures on their mobile phones.
But like others who are continuing to participate in protests asking that the demands of the people be met, 26-year-old Salma Said questions the intentions of the military in this period of political uncertainty.
“The military is here to save the revolution,” Said said as she stood in Tahrir Square last week demanding the removal of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq from office. “And if they are not, then they are the enemies of the revolution.”
Her voice was scratchy and her eyes looked tired from the night before. She tried to sleep in Tahrir Square but was forced out when members of the military started kicking her tent after the 12 a.m. curfew. “Some were dressed like Special Forces, carrying machine guns,” she said. “They used electric wands and beat people.”
The army has since apologized for clashing with protesters early last Saturday. But many say this wasn’t the first time the military used force against demonstrators.
In the town of Shibin El Kom 70 kilometers north of Cairo, lawyer Mohammed Allam is filing a court case for the death of his cousin, 43-year-old Osama Allam. He claims the father of two was beaten and killed in a military prison after being taken from Tahrir Square on February 3 and that there are witnesses to prove it.
“I definitely believe that the military did this,” Mohammad said as he clicked through pictures on his laptop showing Osama’s severely bruised body in a morgue. “There is not one single part of his body that is not injured.”
Like Mohammed, others accuse the military for abusing and possibly killing their family members. Ahmed Talaat blames the army for the disappearance of his sister-in-law, who went missing on February 9 after being seen near a protest in Giza. While he is unsure if her possible detainment is justified, it is the lack of transparency that worries him.
“If she has been detained, then it’s alright with us,” Talaat said. “If she is even being tortured where she is being detained, then it’s alright with us. If she is dead and we know she is dead, then it’s alright with us. But the fact that we don’t know anything about her is what’s strangling us.”
Researcher for Human Rights Watch Dan Williams said the problem with those still detained following Mubarak’s ouster is the secrecy regarding their whereabouts. “The problem is that people are held without anyone knowing about it,” Williams said. “It’s easier to find the dead than it is to find the detained. The dead end up in a morgue.”
In another sign of abuse of power, the military has convicted dozens of civilians in military courts, which typically do not meet fair trial standards. “Egyptian military authorities are continuing one of the worst practices of the Hosni Mubarak government by prosecuting civilians in military tribunals,” said Sarah Leah Watson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, in a report released by the organization on Thursday. “Authorities have no business arresting people merely for participating in a peaceful demonstration in the first place.”
Arwa Marei, 26, says she doesn’t trust the army for economic reasons.“The generals are part of the regime, and they own part of the country’s economy so they have to protect the regime,” she said. The armed forces run a variety of companies that account for a substantial stake in the Egyptian economy.
Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Doha Center says one of the main concerns with military rule is the lack of transparency. “There has been a lot of backdoor negotiating going on, and sometimes it seems the military is playing different groups off each other and trying to take advantage of divisions within the opposition,” he said. “But I think there have been a number of concerns. And that’s why the military went from being the savior of the people to something more unclear.”
He says the military is struggling to adapt to their role, which has been vague and constantly shifting. “It’s unprecedented for the army to be positioned in such a manner,” he said. “They are trying to learn on the go and figure out how to govern in this interim period.”
But protesters like Sumaya Hisham, 25, are willing to be patient. “The army earned our trust, and they improve daily. This is not something they are used to. They are getting better at it day by day.”
Others have grown increasingly hopeful after Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq resigned on Thursday in what protesters saw as a step in the right direction. “We are here to salute the army,” said 30-year-old Mohammad Mustapha, who celebrated in the square following Friday prayer. “It’s true that they respond slowly to our requests, but we trust them.” Thousands of people gathered that day to welcome newly-appointed Prime Minister Essam Sharaf.
Still, some are hesitant to ease up in pressuring the military until all their demands are met. “There are still struggles, and it’s like the old regime is giving us the choice of dictatorship with security, or freedom with chaos,” said Samir Galal, 57. “I only have one demand – it is life with dignity.”

Hashem: March 14 wants authority to make fortunes
March 6, 2011 /Wait until you are no longer a care-taking prime minister and then call for confiscating the Resistance’s arms, Change and Reform bloc MP Abbas Hashem said on Sunday addressing outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
“The [March 14] alliance only wants to [be in authority] to make fortunes,” Hashem told Al-Manar television.
Hariri’s actions and statements will lead to the end of the “Hariri policy”, the MP also said.
Hariri vowed on Monday to fight the use of non-state weapons in Lebanon in a “peaceful and democratic way.”
PM-designate Najib Mikati was appointed on January 25 with the March 8 coalition’s backing, following the collapse of Hariri’s unity government due to a long-running dispute over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. He is currently holding talks to form his cabinet.
-NOW Lebanon