LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِMarch 22/2011

Biblical Event Of The Day
John 8/23 -24: " He said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. 8:24 I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Libya is a comfortable target for the west/By Zvi Bar'el/March 21/11
Defeat Al-Qaeda with Arab democracies/By James Badcock/Daily Star/March 21/11
Using attacks on Syrians shows Assad's vulnerability/By: Jonathan Spyer/March 21/11
If you have no shame/By Tariq Alhomayed/March 21/11
What does Iran want from Bahrain?/By Mshari Al-Zaydi/March 21/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 21/11
Arab League chief: We respect UN resolution on Libya military action/Reuters
Assad blockades disaffected Syrian areas to contain spreading protests/DEBKAfile
7 policemen killed in clash with protestors in Syria/Xinhua
Officers Fire on Crowd as Syrian Protests Grow/New York Times
Syria: Government Crackdown Leads to Protester Deaths/HRW
Syrian protesters torch Baath party headquarters/Reuters
Rai to officially assume post during Friday Mass/Daily Star
Bahrain condemns Nasrallah's remarks/Daily Star
Hamas digging ‘terror tunnels’ along border with Israel/J.Post
Kerry, key US interlocutor with Syria, to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu/J.Post
Coalition shows first cracks as Qaddafi digs in for guerrilla war/DEBKAfile
Hezbollah officials lash out at March 14 figures over cables/Daily Star
Moussawi: Other Camp Seeking to Prevent Miqati from Forming Government /Naharnet
WikiLeaks: Gemayel Said Hizbullah Victory in War Will be a Disaster for Lebanon /Naharnet
WikiLeaks: Saniora Predicted that Hizbullah Would Vanish from South /Naharnet
WikiLeaks: Jumblat and Hamadeh Lamented Israel's Weakness in 2006 War /Naharnet
Hamadeh Denies 2006 Remarks on Hizbullah, Shiites /Naharnet
Berri Promises to Fight Confessionalism /Naharnet
Bahrain: Nasrallah's Remarks Harm Ties with Lebanon and its Interests in Gulf /Naharnet
Aridi: 'Political Decision' Preventing Army's Consolidation /Naharnet
Raad Calls March 14 Officials 'Filthy,' Hints Cabinet Formation Waiting for Regional Developments /Naharnet
Miqati Says Cabinet Formation Making 'Slow Progress,' Syria Not Meddling /Naharnet
Jumblat Denies Remarks on Banking Sector, Salameh Confirms Banks Not Targeted /Naharnet
Decisive Week on Cabinet as Hizbullah Seeks Only to Find Common Ground on Aoun's Demands /Naharnet
Hamadeh Denies 2006 Remarks on Hizbullah, Shiites /Naharnet

Assad blockades disaffected Syrian areas to contain spreading protests
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 21, 2011, In an effort to contain spreading popular disorders against his regime, Syrian President Bashar Assad Monday, March 21, sent the 4th Armored Division commanded by his younger brother Maher Assad to suppress the three-day uprising in Darra (Deraa), capital of the southern Hauran region, and blockade the adjoining Jabal ad-Duruz where a demonstration is planned for March 26 at As-Suwada.
Earlier, he posted two expanded Syrian army brigades at Darra, where some 20 demonstrators were killed and 300 wounded by tear gas and live bullets.
Damascus confirmed army had been deployed in Darra where five more demonstrators were killed Monday in fresh anti-government unrest after smashing the statue of Hafez Assad, the president's father and predecessor. The demonstrators called on Syrians around the country to join them at a rally to mourn those who died in clashes with police over the past three days.
Assad has thus joined the list of dynastic Arab rulers fighting to retain power in the face of popular revolts.
Sunday, the United States "strongly condemned the violence that took place in Syria and called on the Syrian government to allow demonstrations to take place peacefully. Those responsible for today's violence must be held accountable," said a White House statement.
However, Washington has invested considerable effort into improving relations with Damascus and so, unlike in the case of Libya, the Obama administration has not gone beyond verbal condemnation of Assad's brutal crackdown on dissent. Assad's Baath party and family have ruled Syria for almost half a century under emergency laws dating from 1963, which brook little dissent and no political freedoms.
Poverty-stricken Darra is strategically important because it is situated on the Damascus highway to southern Syria, Jabal ad-Duruz, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon.
The regime failed in its effort to open a dialogue with the leaders of the Darra uprising. They refused to meet a large group of prominent Syrians from Hauran clans headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad which arrived Sunday to try and defuse the tension. As soon as they left, Darra townspeople set fire to the Baath Party building, the court and other symbols of Assad domination, igniting other parts of the country.
Monday, March 21, demonstrations spread to the town of Quneitra on the Syrian part of the Golan abutting the part held by Israel.
The 4th Division was then assigned the task of cutting southern Syria off from the rest of the country, separating it as one of three military sectors: Large forces cordoned off Damascus, the capital, which lies 100 kilometers north of Darra; they also blocked routes out of Jabal ad-Duruz, home to nearly a million Syria Druze tribesmen.
The Assads have lived in fear of abiding separatist Druze dissent against Damascus since the Great Druze Revolt of 1925-1927, which spread across Syria.
The Syrian army has also laid to siege border regions on the Syrian Golan, the areas adjoining the Lebanese and Israeli borders and the Yarmuk River crossing into Jordan, lest anti-Asad disturbances spill over between those sectors and spread further.
The regime's contest with the South is therefore in standoff for the moment.
But unrest simmers in Damascus and Aleppo, where the opposition continues its attempts to mount protest demonstrations - so far without success. Sunday's riots in the northern Kurdish towns of Al Qamishli and Al Haskah and also at Deir ez-Zor and Homs have died down for the time being although mass arrests are reported.

7 policemen killed in clash with protestors in Syria
DAMASCUS, March. 20 (Xinhua) -- Seven people from the security forces were killed during a demonstration erupted in Darra, local Damascus Press news website reported.
They got killed trying to drive away protestors during demonstration in the town in which people demanded for reforms in Syria, the report said. The website quoted a source as saying that dozens of protestors attacked the communication center and the national hospital, denying the use of live bullets against the demonstrators and that there are no casualties through the resolution of the demonstration. Al-Jazeera news TV station reported Sunday, that the protestors also burned the headquarters of The Baath Party, and the court house in Darra.
Clashes erupted on Sunday between the Syrian police and protestors after two young men reportedly killed by the security forces in the town. A local eyewitness told Xinhua that the Syrian police have surrounded the town, to prevent people from entering it. A committee was formed at the Interior Ministry to investigate recent incidents and take the necessary measures to punish anyone who is proven responsible for having committed abuse during the incidents in Darra.

Syria: Government Crackdown Leads to Protester Deaths
Authorities Should Halt Use of Excessive Force on Protesters
March 20, 2011
Cairo) - Syria should cease use of live fire and other excessive force against protesters, as it did on March 18 and 20, 2011, in the southern town of Daraa, leaving at least five people dead, Human Rights Watch said today.
Sunday, March 20 marked the third day of protests in Daraa, where government forces yet again fired on protesters and used teargas to break up a public gathering, killing one person and injuring dozens of others, according to media reports. Today's fatality brings the total number of protesters killed in
Daraa to at least five.
"The Syrian government has shown no qualms about shooting dead its own citizens for speaking out," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Syrians have shown incredible courage in daring to protest publicly against one of the most repressive governments in the region, and they shouldn't have to pay with their lives."
Security forces used teargas and fired on protesters who gathered in the town. An eyewitness speaking on a BBC Arabic television broadcast claimed they used teargas in far greater quantities on Sunday than during Friday's protests. Today's protests also reportedly turned violent with the BBC reporting that some protesters in Daraa set fire to several buildings including the headquarters of the ruling Baath Party.
On March 18, following Friday prayer, several thousand protesters had marched from the al-Omari Mosque in the southern city of Daraa, calling for greater political freedom and accusing members of the government of corruption, according to a resident of the suburbs of Daraa who spoke to Human Rights Watch. Media reports provided similar accounts. Footage of the events on YouTube show security forces using water cannons to disperse protesters, but later, the security forces started firing at the protesters.
According to Reuters, security forces fired on and killed Wissam Ayyash, Mahmoud al-Jawabra, and Ayham al-Hariri. A fourth protester, Adnan Akrad, died on Saturday from wounds also sustained by live ammunition used by Syrian security forces. Another YouTube video shows a body being carried from the crowd, covered in blood, with the sound of repeated gunfire in the background. Human Rights Watch was unable to confirm independently the names of the dead. A resident in Daraa told Human Rights Watch on March 19 that he understood four people had been killed and that two bodies were returned to their families on Friday. The residents also heard that some of the wounded had been taken by helicopters to unknown destinations. They believed that there were approximately 35 other civilians wounded and 15 security men who were transported away by helicopter.
On March 19, security forces also used teargas to disperse thousands of mourners who gathered for the funeral of Ayyash and al-Jawabra who had been killed. A resident from Daraa told Human Rights Watch:
"After the burial of the two men, ... people left the cemetery chanting that after today there will not be any fear. Security members met them at the bridge with teargas canisters and later used bullets to disperse them."
"The Syrian government's attack on the funeral procession only adds insult to injury," said Whitson. "Syrian authorities promised to investigate, but such promises ring hollow while the government continues to attack Syrians to for exercising their rights to public assembly."
Authorities also restricted communications and movement from Daraa on Friday and Saturday. Two Syrian activists told Human Rights Watch on March 19 that the government had disconnected all landlines and interrupted cell phone service in the town of Daraa, though by March 20 telephone communication was restored. Meanwhile, authorities have reportedly sealed the city of Daraa, allowing people to leave but prohibiting anyone from entering.
The Syrian state news agency SANA announced on March 19 that the Ministry of Interior would form a committee to investigate Friday's "regrettable" events, and would respond with all measures deemed necessary after the committee's investigation. On March 20, the government sent a delegation to Daraa, and announced through SANA that 15 children from the town who had been arrested weeks earlier for anti-government graffiti would be released immediately. Friday's protest in Daraa was precipitated by the arrests of the group of schoolchildren.
This is not the first time that Syrian forces have used lethal force to break up a demonstration. On March 21, 2010, security forces fired at a group of Kurds celebrating Nowruz (Kurdish New Year) in Northern Syria, killing one person and wounding others. Two years previously, in March 2008, Syrian internal security forces had also opened fire on Kurds celebrating Nowruz in the town of Qamishli in northeastern Syria, killing three and wounding five others. To Human Rights Watch's knowledge, the authorities did not investigate these shooting incidents and no security official has ever been held accountable.
Human Rights Watch said that in policing demonstrations, security forces should abide by the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. These international standards call on law enforcement officials to apply nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force, and then they may only use force in proportion to the seriousness of the threat against them. Security forces should use lethal force only when strictly necessary to protect lives. Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Syria is a party, guarantees the right of peaceful assembly and obliges states to ensure that the right can be effectively exercised. Article 6 of the ICCPR also prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of life.

Syrian protesters torch Baath party headquarters
By REUTERS
03/20/2011 17:56
1 protester killed by security forces in Deraa; thousands of Syrians protest for 3rd straight day, call on Assad to end emergency law.
DAMASCUS, March 20 (Reuters) - Crowds set fire to the headquarters of the ruling Baath Party in the Syrian city of Deraa on Sunday, residents said, as the wave of unrest in the Arab world shook even one of its most authoritarian states.
The demonstrators also set ablaze the main courts complex and two phone company branches. One of the firms, Syriatel, is owned by President Bashar al-Assad's cousin Rami Makhlouf.
"They burned the symbols of oppression and corruption," an activist said. "The banks nearby were not touched."
Earlier, Syrian security forces killed a protester in Deraa, residents said, as the authorities tried to contain three days of protests demanding freedoms and the release of political prisoners.
Raed al-Kerad was shot dead in the new part of Deraa, where gunfire is still being heard, residents said. He is the fifth civilian killed by security forces since protests against Syria's ruling elite erupted in Deraa on Friday.
Thousands of Syrians demanded an end to 48 years of emergency law on Sunday. "No. No to emergency law. We are a people infatuated with freedom," marchers chanted as a government delegation arrived in the southern town of Deraa to pay condolences for victims killed by security forces in demonstrations there this week.
Syria has been ruled under emergency law since the Baath Party, which is headed by President Assad, took power in a 1963 coup and banned all opposition.
The government sought to appease popular discontent in Deraa by promising to release 15 schoolchildren whose arrests for scrawling protest graffiti had helped fuel the demonstrations.
An official statement said the children, who had written slogans inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt on walls, would be released immediately. The statement was a rare instance of Syria's ruling hierarchy responding to popular pressure.
Security forces opened fire on Friday on civilians taking part in a peaceful protest in Deraa demanding the release of the children, political freedoms and an end to corruption. Four people were killed.
On Saturday thousands of mourners called for "revolution" at the funeral of two of the protesters. Officials later met Deraa notables who presented then with a list of demands, most importantly the release of political prisoners.
The list demands the dismantling of the secret police headquarters in Deraa, dismissal of the governor, a public trial for those responsible for the killings and scrapping of regulations requiring permission from the secret police to sell and buy property. Non-violent protests have challenged the Baath Party's authority this month, following the uprisings that toppled the autocratic leaders of Egypt and Tunisia, with the largest protests in Deraa drawing thousands of people.
The city is a centre of the Hauran region, once a bread basket that also been affected by diminishing water levels in Syria, with yields falling by a quarter in Deraa last year.
Deraa is also home to thousands of displaced people from eastern Syria, where up to a million people have left their homes because of a water crisis over the past six years. Experts say state mismanagement of resources has worsened the crisis.

Using attacks on Syrians shows Assad's vulnerability
By JONATHAN SPYER /J.Post
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=213079
03/21/2011 01:22
Analysis: Damascus wants to be seen as Israel’s chief enemy, but some dissenters now brand the regime as its "protector." Demonstrations flared all weekend in the southern Syrian city of Deraa. On Friday, four people had died as Syrian security forces sought to quell the protests. On Sunday, participants in mass funerals for the dead called for “freedom and an end to corruption,” and demanded that the US, France and international human rights organizations condemn the Syrian regime’s use of violence against civilians. The security forces sought to disperse the protests using tear gas. Syrian air force planes encircled the city as demonstrators burned tires. Opposition sources reported that machine gun fire was directed at protesters.Opposition websites have named the dead in Deraa as Mahmoud al-Jawabra, Wissam Ayyash, Hussam Abd-al Wali and Ayham al-Hariri. An amateur video purporting to show the death of al-Jawabra is in circulation.The city of Deraa has been declared a closed zone. Reports suggest a very large presence of security forces there. A prominent opposition website is reporting tens of additional wounded, and at least one additional fatality.
Simultaneously, the Syrian authorities are seeking, with some clumsiness, to placate the demonstrators. The regime has appointed a “committee of inquiry.”
Officials are repeating a somewhat ludicrous version of events according to which those who were killed on Friday did not die at the hands of the security forces, but were rather killed by provocateurs who had disguised themselves as Syrian security personnel.
Deraa, a poor city in the Hauran region close to the border with Jordan, has seen the most sizable protests so far. But demonstrations have also taken place in Homs, Damascus and its environs, Der el Zor, the Kurdish city of Qamishli, Banias and Aleppo. The authorities have clearly been caught by surprise.
President Bashar Assad, leader of one of the most repressive regimes on earth, had complacently explained in recent weeks that Syria would not be affected by the unrest sweeping the Arab world because the regime’s policies were in tune with popular sentiment.
This contention has now been disproved. However, this does not mean that the demise of the Syrian regime is imminent. Nor does it mean that the sentiments of significant sections of the demonstrators differ from those of the regime in certain important areas – particularly regarding Israel and the West. As events in Deraa already illustrate, the Syrian regime is predictably willing to employ extreme force against its own people – up to and including live ammunition against protesters. This is not a sign of the regime’s strength, but rather, paradoxically, of its vulnerability. In Egypt and Tunisia, elements of the regime were able to enter into a certain dialogue with the protesters. Unpopular regime figureheads were replaced, while the military went on to steward the process of reform. In Syria, the regime has less room to maneuver. The Assad family dictatorship may count with some confidence on the support only of its fellow Alawis – around 12 percent of the population. The regime maintains its grip not through the seeking of legitimacy, but through the imposition of fear.
Syria is an ally of Iran – not of the US – and therefore has less reason to be concerned at the possibility of its patron being displeased by an excessive use of force. Thus, the prospect of this regime employing extreme measures – should the protests continue and spread – is very real.The Assad regime has long sought to justify itself in the eyes of its people by depicting itself as Israel’s most staunch opponent. An alternative narrative, however, pertains among the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and other Sunni opponents of the regime.
This version has been in evidence among the protesters. A protest reported to have taken place near the town of Kuneitra on the Golan Heights saw protesters referring to Assad as a “traitor” who is “guarding the border of Israel.” An unnamed speaker claimed that the Syrian security services were supported by Israel. Sentiments of this kind are in line with the Muslim Brotherhood’s characterization of the regime as Israel’s “main protector.” According to this view, Assad’s maintaining of quiet on the Golan Heights is a mark of submission to Israel.
Some Sunni oppositionists even extend this perspective to southern Lebanon, where they claim that the Shi’ite Hezbollah movement also protects Israel by preventing Sunni jihadis from attacking it. This logic, if it can be referred to as such, shows that Israel is unlikely to be able to stay out of the “conversation” if protest spreads in Syria. It also indicates that a post-Assad Syria – in the event that the regime were to depart the stage – would be unlikely to be more amenable to Israel. There are already notable indications of attempts by Sunni Islamists to take a leading role in the protests in Syria. Protests in Banias were led by a Sunni cleric, as witnessed in videos circulated afterwards.Exiled Islamist leaders such as Sheikh Issam al-Attar have issued statements calling for an escalation of the demonstrations. So the protests look set to continue. The opposition currently believes that Assad is scared. Caught in the headlights.The Syrian dictator – who proved over the last half decade to be no less capable of cruelty and cunning than was his father – will be looking to dispel this sense in the days ahead.

Miqati Says Cabinet Formation Making 'Slow Progress,' Syria Not Meddling
Naharnet/Premier-designate Najib Miqati has stressed that Syria wasn't interfering in the cabinet formation process and said his efforts were making a "slow progress."
"Syria has never interfered," Miqati told An Nahar daily in remarks published Monday. Asked about reports that March 8 officials were bickering with him over cabinet seats and shares, the prime minister-designate said: "There are (different) points of view and I am seeking to come up with a cabinet line-up that comforts everyone."
"I might not be able to satisfy everyone but I will seek for a balanced government that satisfies the Lebanese people and brings the appropriate person for the appropriate post," he said.
"I am making every effort" to form the government, Miqati told An Nahar, saying in response to a question about the possibility of giving up his mission that he hasn't despaired.
While reiterating that he "wasn't pessimistic," he urged the Lebanese people to "bear (with him) a little." Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 07:46

Jumblat Denies Remarks on Banking Sector, Salameh Confirms Banks Not Targeted
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has denied that he had said Premier-designate Najib Miqati was being pressured by the U.S. through the Lebanese banking sector. "I haven't talked about any pressure over the banking issue" or other sectors, Jumblat told An Nahar daily in remarks published Monday after Hizbullah's al-Manar TV quoted him as saying that Washington was pressuring Miqati by threatening to target banks in which he has shares. Jumblat's denial came after Central Bank Governor Riyad Salameh reiterated in a statement that "our banking sector wasn't targeted." The Druze leader also said that he discussed with Speaker Nabih Berri during talks on Sunday the latest developments in the region, particularly Libya. He told An Nahar that the truth in the disappearance of Imam Moussa al-Sadr would eventually appear. "We also discussed formulas to support Premier-designate Najib Miqati in the formation of the cabinet. "No matter how much some (people) seek to get help from foreign (countries), the cabinet would safeguard the economy and guarantee stability," Jumblat said. Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 08:24

Decisive Week on Cabinet as Hizbullah Seeks Only to Find Common Ground on Aoun's Demands
Naharnet/The delay in the formation of the government does not amount to a political crisis, well-informed sources told As Safir daily as sources close to Premier-designate Najib Miqati and Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed that this week will be decisive. The sources of Miqati and Berri told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks published Monday that optimism on a possible cabinet formation this week was linked to the level of mediation by Miqati's allies to solve the deadlock created by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun's demands.
However, sources following the cabinet formation said that Hizbullah is not pressuring Aoun to review his conditions. "It is seeking to find common ground."
They said that despite the mediation of Hizbullah's Minister Mohammed Fneish for agreement between Aoun and Caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud during a meeting in Rabiyeh last week, the FPM leader continued to hold onto the interior ministry portfolio.  Despite the impasse, Miqati will intensify efforts this week to reach agreement on the cabinet makeup, a political adviser to the premier-designate, Khodor Taleb, said. "Miqati is very satisfied with the consultations he has held on the formation of the government. Intensive meetings will be held this week with the main parties who will join the government with the aim of speeding up its formation," Taleb told the English-language newspaper The Daily Star. A senior March 8 source also confirmed that the formation of the government was no longer far off. "Solving the problem over the interior ministry portfolio will clear the way for the government's formation," the source said. As Safir's well-informed sources said that a top official could meet with Aoun in Rabiyeh in an attempt to break the deadlock over the portfolio. Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 09:42

WikiLeaks: Gemayel Said Hizbullah Victory in War Will be a Disaster for Lebanon
Naharnet/Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel believed that Hizbullah's victory in the July 2006 war would be a "disaster" for Lebanon, revealed a leaked U.S. Embassy cable published exclusively in Al-Akhbar on Monday. The WikiLeaks cable spoke of a meeting between Gemayel and then U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffery Feltman during which the former explained that a Hizbullah victory would allow the party to completely control Lebanon and empower its Iranian and Syrian allies in the region. He added that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah "fooled everyone during the national dialogue and as a result, the Lebanese people have started to turn against him." "The Christians, Sunnis, Druze, and even the Shiites have had enough," he declared. Addressing Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, the former president described him as "reckless, sick, and crazy."Gemayel accused the MP of being opportunistic, explaining that he is committing to his alliance with Hizbullah and Syria because he is banking on them having the upper hand in the Lebanese crisis. Furthermore, the Phalange leader said that Aoun had cooperated with the Israeli Mossad during the Lebanese civil war and he is now allied with Hizbullah and Syria because he believes that they may fulfill his wish of becoming president. If he does not distance himself from Hizbullah and Syria, then he will soon be marking the end of his political career, he added. Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 11:40

WikiLeaks: Saniora Predicted that Hizbullah Would Vanish from South
Naharnet/Former Premier Fouad Saniora expected Hizbullah to disappear from the south, saying it couldn't lie "in the same bed with the Lebanese army and UNIIFL," said a WikiLeaks cable published by al-Akhbar daily on Monday. According to the cable, Saniora told ambassadors of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council on August 14, 2006 that he had given Hizbullah a chance "to disarm immediately or after the Israeli withdrawal or hand over its arms to the Lebanese army." The ex-prime minister also said that making promises to the Shiite party to solve the issue of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms would help disarm Hizbullah. According to WikiLeaks, Saniora promised former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman to take extra measures at the Beirut airport and at seaports to prevent smuggling. However, he said: "I won't be chasing ghosts because 99.9 percent of smuggling is taking place through the Lebanese-Syrian land border." "The smugglers are not stupid for them to use the airport or seaports," Saniora added. Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 10:59

Hamadeh Denies 2006 Remarks on Hizbullah, Shiites
Naharnet/MP Marwan Hamadeh denied on Monday that he had made remarks against Hizbullah during the 2006 war, stressing that he was keen at that period to consolidate Lebanese sovereignty on all territories.His remarks were carried by al-Akhbar newspaper in alleged WikiLeaks cables."I won't allow either an ambassador or any local hegemon to teach me national commitments," Hamadeh said in a statement. He said the campaign which WikiLeaks is only a small and weak part of is seeking to give the impression that he and his allies are the absolute foes of Hizbullah. "What we reject is the party's monopoly of arms, their use locally or their unilateral use" against Israel, he said. Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 11:56

Moussawi: Other Camp Seeking to Prevent Miqati from Forming Government
Naharnet/Hizbullah MP Nawwaf Moussawi accused the March 14 camp of seeking to thwart Prime Minister-designate from forming a new government, stressing that the Resistance is keen on establishing a strong and just state. He said: "The March 14 forces' current campaign is aimed at removing Miqati from his position, which is why they are inciting strife while world powers, headed by the U.S., are exerting direct pressure to prevent the formation of the government.""We should therefore exercise restraint to halt their plan and we will succeed because the change that was introduced in Lebanon cannot be reversed," he noted. "The other camp was banking on using power in order to weaken the Resistance and eliminate it and after it lost its power, it has no choice but to resort to instigating strife in order to topple Miqati," the MP continued. Furthermore, Moussawi said that the March 14 camp's reliance on foreign assistance is costing Lebanon its sovereignty "where it will eventually become subject to a western ambassador or the so-called Special Tribunal for Lebanon."He noted that the WikiLeaks revelations on March 14 officials' positions during the July 2006 war "revealed that they were willing to cooperate with the U.S. in exchange for protecting Israel in order for them to remain in power and achieve their interests." "They don't believe that Israel is Lebanon's enemy," he added. Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 13:55

Berri Promises to Fight Confessionalism
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri has reiterated that he would refer a draft law proposed by the civil society on the transition to a secular state to involved parliamentary committees.
In remarks to An Nahar daily published Monday, Berri said: "My stance from the abolishment of political confessionalism has been clear for years." He made his remark as thousands of Lebanese held a protest in Beirut on Sunday, the third in less than a month, to demand an end to the country's confessional system. The speaker will meet on Monday with a delegation from civil society organizations which will deliver him a copy of a proposed draft law on personal status "to make a transition from a sectarian state to a secular state."He confirmed to An Nahar that he would "immediately" refer the proposal to the parliamentary committees. Beirut, 21 Mar 11, 08:56 Raad Calls March 14 Officials 'Filthy,' Hints Cabinet Formation Waiting for Regional Developments Naharnet/Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad said Sunday that cables released by WikiLeaks on the alleged conspiracy of March 14 officials against the resistance would further unveil their "filthiness." During the opening of a conferences hall and a public library in the town of Nabatiyeh in the south, Raad said: "The upcoming leaks would probably show more filthiness from them." Al-Akhbar daily has been lately unveiling what it says are WikiLeaks cables exposing secret talks between anti-Hizbullah officials and U.S. diplomats.
The lawmaker also described the officials mentioned in the leaks as "midgets.""If the resistance becomes strong, it wouldn't be at all like Rambo because it has a cultural project and political, social and civilized awareness," he said. Raad was referring to Caretaker Minister Butros Harb who has allegedly said that the 2006 war could turn Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah into a "Rambo figure in the region." The lawmaker said the new Lebanese government should include people who have an "independence and resistance vision" for the country.
Raad hinted that the cabinet formation process was awaiting developments in the region. The government "should meet the expectations of the Lebanese who are keen on being in harmony with developments in the region," he stressed. "It is not right for us to be on a certain track and people in the region to take the opposite direction," Raad added. Beirut, 20 Mar 11, 12:02

Bahrain condemns Nasrallah's remarks
By The Daily Star /Monday, March 21, 2011
BEIRUT: The Bahraini Foreign Ministry condemned Sunday Hezbollah’s criticism of its government, describing it as an intervention in the Gulf country’s internal affairs which threatened Lebanese-Bahraini bilateral ties. A statement released by the ministry said Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s verbal “assault against Bahrain and its people” was aimed at serving foreign interests, a reference to Iran, the party’s major ally. The ministry described Nasrallah as the “representative of a terrorist organization with a known history in destabilizing security in the region,” and added that Bahrain would remain stable while Nasrallah’s “terrorist remarks” would fail to provoke the Bahraini people. “Nasrallah’s hostile remarks do not serve security and stability in the region and will influence Lebanon’s interests in Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council at a time when we most need to stand united against those seeking to harm our security and stability,” the statement said. During a rally in Beirut in support of popular uprisings in the Arab world Saturday, Nasrallah – via videolink – criticized Bahrain’s monarchy for bringing in troops from neighboring Gulf countries to help put down Shiite-led protests there, when it should have used dialogue. Nasrallah said the blood of the people will eventually force their regimes to grant them greater rights. “There is particular injustice in Bahrain,” Nasrallah said. “Bahrain is a small island with a peaceful population of one million that came out to demand its legitimate rights but the response was murder,” he added. Tensions have been building between Tehran on the one hand and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia on the other since the Saudi-led Gulf force marched into Manama last Monday to help protect the ruling Sunni monarchy. Mainstream opposition led by Al-Wefaq, the largest Shiite faction, has demanded major reforms leading to changing the political system into a “real” constitutional monarchy under which the prime minister would be elected. Hard-liners went farther, demanding the creation of a republic. – The Daily Star

Lebanon complains to U.n. over Libya embassy assault
Daily Star/BEIRUT: Lebanon filed a complaint to the United Nations Security Council against Libya Sunday in protest against an assault on the Lebanese Embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli during which a Lebanese flag was burned. Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami filed the complaint via Lebanon’s permanent representative to the U.N. in New York, and accused Libya of violating the Vienna Convention on state diplomatic relations by allowing damage to another country’s ambassadorial property. President Michel Sleiman labeled the incident “an assault against Lebanese sovereignty which is against the charters and agreements reached by the members of the Arab League and the U.N.” Shami said that the attack was retribution for Lebanon’s prominent role in bringing a Security Council resolution against Libya, authorizing the use of international force against positions held by beleaguered Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. – The Daily Star

Rai to officially assume post during Friday Mass
By The Daily Star
Monday, March 21, 2011
BEIRUT: Bkirki, the seat of the Maronite patriarchate, closed its doors over the weekend as newly elected Patriarch Beshara Rai began prayers in isolation from the outside world before he officially assumes his post during an inaugural Mass Friday.
Deputy Patriarch Roland Abu Jawdeh visited top Lebanese officials to hand them invitations to the ceremony, which a large crowd of politicians and religious figures from Lebanon and abroad is expected to attend. Abu Jawdeh met Saturday with caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Vice President of the Higher Shiite Islamic Abdel-Amir Qabalan and Druze Spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hassan. Abu Jawdeh invited both Qabalan and Hassan to attend Friday’s inaugural mass. The Maronite Patriarchate is also expected to seize the opportunity during the spiritual break to address the church’s organizational issues ahead of the expected election of six new bishops in June to replace those who reached the retirement age of 75. The new bishops would replace retired bishops Abu Jawdeh, Samir Mazloum, Joseph Beshara, Francis al-Baissari and Boulos Saade. A seventh bishop would also be elected to head the Jbeil diocese, which Rai presided over for the past 21 years. “Those interested can participate in the inaugural mass of Patriarch Beshara Rai Friday, March 25 at 5 p.m.,” said a statement released by Bkirki. – The Daily Star

Hezbollah officials lash out at March 14 figures over cables
By The Daily Star /Monday, March 21, 2011
BEIRUT: Hezbollah officials lashed out at March 14 figures Sunday after the party’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah vowed over the weekend to take legal action against Lebanese officials who collaborated with foreign diplomats to incite Israel to prolong its summer 2006 war. Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc leader MP Mohammad Raad accused “most” officials in the March 14 camp of seeking to blackmail the resistance in domestic politics after they secretly collaborated with Israel to corner the party during the 34-day war. Raad added that the resistance had emerged victorious from the conflict and refrained from vengeful acts, as it sought to unite the Lebanese in a bid to safeguard the country.
“Those were collaborating and lying to their people to pave the way to end the resistance … we will not say more now awaiting [the emergence of] new documents that might reveal more dirtiness,” Raad said.
Raad’s colleague, Hezbollah’s Minister of State for Administrative Reform Mohammad Fneish said WikiLeaks documents, published in Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar over the past few days, proved the “duplicity” of March 14 positions. “They are speaking a double language, saying one thing before the public and another before diplomats,” Fneish added.
Fneish questioned the March 14 alliance’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence, saying many of the coalition’s officials collaborated with U.S. diplomats to prolong the July 2006 war against the resistance. Commenting on remarks by Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea without naming him, Fneish said some March 14 figures were insolent to the point of stressing their positions were unchanged against the resistance. “Geagea did not change his stances … whether he was speaking in private or in public,” an LF statement said in response to the leaked minutes of Geagea’s meeting with ex-U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman. The cables said Geagea expressed full support for the proposed approach to resolve the war, which was based on the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1680.
In the cable, Geagea was quoted as saying any cease-fire document should “explicitly” include an Israeli commitment to resolve the issue of the occupied Shebaa Farms and Lebanese detainees in Israel, or else it would appear biased in favor of Israel. Geagea added that such a commitment would deny Hezbollah a powerful political argument.
Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora also condemned what he described as “misleading interpretations and biased headlines” accusing him of conspiring with the U.S. during Israel’s 2006 war on Lebanon. Siniora’s press office said in a statement that the former prime minister had demanded an unconditional cease-fire and full Israeli withdrawal of Lebanese territories since the outbreak of the war. The statement added Siniora had also rejected the deployment of multinational forces in southern Lebanon under Chapter 7, which would have granted the U.N. forces the prerogative of implementing U.N. Security Council resolutions by resorting to force. Al-Akhbar accused Siniora of adopting a “relatively weak” rhetoric when criticizing Israel while acknowledging that he had called for a cease-fire. – The Daily Star

Defeat Al-Qaeda with Arab democracies
By James Badcock
Daily Star/Monday, March 21, 2011
How do you defeat Al-Qaeda? Arabs today are showing us how. People have gone out into the streets in force, and made their ruling elites hear their demands: freedom, democracy, and an end to official corruption. This is working in Egypt and Tunisia and could work equally well in other Muslim countries.
Terrorists fear becoming irrelevant. They must be asking themselves the following question: Without the “Zionist” or “Crusader-backed” dictators lording it over each Arab nation, how many disaffected youths might project their national frustrations outward in favor of international jihad?
It was wonderfully pathetic to read Ayman al-Zawahiri’s latest message to the Arab peoples who have risen up against their loathed oppressors, urging them to continue the good work, be wary of Western double-dealing and install Islamic law. His long, rambling missive was a patent attempt by the Egyptian jihadist to co-opt the Arab revolts – on the one hand flattering the youthful foes of tyranny; on the other tugging at their sleeves with an old man’s reminder that traditional Islamic values must be at the heart of their new states.
Zawahiri had always insisted that change could only be brought about by the violent sacrifice of the suicide bomber, where radical religious action trumped any belief in progress through politics. Instead, an individual’s self-immolation in protest against a suffocating political system prompted millions to articulate their desire to enjoy universal human rights through words on the web and bodily acts of resistance.
But there is still one strong suit in Al-Qaeda’s rhetoric: the West did prop up those dictatorships as part of a scheme in which the defense of Israel and a fear of Islamism (and of immigration, in the case of Western Europe) guided Arab policy. It is now time for the world’s democracies to show humility, although not necessarily passivity, if they are to regain their lost credibility. It is also time to trust those very democratic values that the United States and Europe claim to represent, values which cannot be imposed by force, but which, instead, tend to be smothered by injustice and insensitivity.
So should Washington up sticks and leave Pakistan and Afghanistan, having learned that the only democratizing process which can work starts from the bottom and works up? Yes, but slowly, in that way further demining the hazardous path already taken in the countries. In both places, Washington has undermined its own avowed message of democratization by pumping outrageous sums of money into corrupt leaderships and institutions on behalf of an unwinnable war.
Is it right that military action be taken in support of the Libyan rebels? Yes, and democracy movements and despots in other countries will be watching to see how application of the United Nations resolution passed last Thursday will pan out. Of course, the Libyans have to liberate their own land, but a little leveling of the playing field will be perceived as a benevolent act of contrition on the part of Western leaders who had curried favor with the Gadhafi regime. If the Libyan leader is allowed to annihilate his enemies, President Barack Obama’s rhetoric in his Cairo speech of June 2009 about freedom in the Arab world will be seen by many as empty talk.
One part of the lesson in humility the West needs to embark upon is to treat each country, political movement, and situation on its own merits. There is no one-size-fits-all policy for Arabs or Muslims, any more than there is one for Asia, Europe or the Americas.
Granted, religion is a binding force. But Islam has not played a major role in the uprisings in North Africa, as Zawahiri must know deep down. His claim that the imposition of Islamic law is today a priority must seem almost quaintly out of touch for the overwhelming majority of Egyptians. As out of touch as demands from some in the United States and Israel that the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak must have no impact on Cairo’s policies toward the Palestinian question, in particular toward Hamas-controlled Gaza.
However, this American and Israeli concern with maintaining the status quo is less quaint. In it are the seeds of future disillusionment of Arab youths with Western powers again seen as putting their strategic wellbeing over and above the welfare of the Muslim world. Is the West ready to grow up and accept a new generation that will have the power to decide the Arabs’ future? Or does it want to fight the same old battles? Can the West not hear the echoes of its own history in the streets of Egypt and Tunisia? It’s time to start listening.
***James Badcock is editor of the English edition of the Spanish daily El Pais. He wrote this commentary for THE DAILY STAR.

Hamas digging ‘terror tunnels’ along border with Israel
By YAAKOV KATZ /J.Post
03/21/2011 00:34
Gaza groups now have more dangerous missiles that can reach Tel Aviv, and are working on improved communications systems modeled on independent Hezbollah network established in Lebanon. Facing a possible new conflict against Hamas, concern is growing within the IDF regarding increased efforts by Palestinian terrorist groups to dig tunnels under the border that could be used to infiltrate into Israel and perpetrate attacks.According to IDF sources, the number of tunnels has grown in recent years. Hamas is under orders to dig “terror tunnels” along the border.Hamas has split into five different regional brigades – north, Gaza City, central Gaza, Khan Younis and Rafah.
The exact number of tunnels is unknown to the IDF. Tunnels have been used in the past by Hamas and other terrorist groups to infiltrate into Israel. The terrorists who abducted Gilad Schalit from his military post near Kerem Shalom, in June 2006, crossed into Israel through an underground tunnel. Palestinian terror groups in Gaza have made some major improvements to their military capabilities since Operation Cast Lead over two years ago, it is understood. One of these improvements has been in missile capability, with the addition of new long-range rockets, like the Iranian-made Fajr-5 that has reportedly been smuggled into Gaza and can reach Tel Aviv.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad are also believed to have obtained new guided anti-tank missiles like the Kornet, Fagot and Sagger, one of which was fired at an IDF patrol on Friday.
The IDF believes that Hamas is also working to improve its communication capabilities. “One of Hamas’s main problems during Cast Lead was that it was not able to control its forces and distribute orders,” a senior IDF officer said. “IDF troops found loads of weaponry throughout Gaza but the fighters had disappeared in many cases.”
In comparison, during the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah succeeded in firing over 100 Katyusha rockets into Israel until the very last day of the 2006 war despite constant IDF bombings and ongoing ground operations throughout southern Lebanon. According to US diplomatic cables revealed by WikiLeaks, Iran has financed a new fiber optics communication network in Lebanon that operates independently of the national Lebanese communications network. In December 2009, a year after Operation Cast Lead, the Fatah-run PalVoice news service revealed that Hamas was attempting to create its own communications network in an effort to avoid eavesdropping and attain greater autonomy. According to that report, Hamas was using Iran-sourced equipment smuggled into Gaza through tunnels to build the new network, which was being modeled on the independent telephone network Hezbollah set up in South Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut after the 2006 war.

Kerry, key US interlocutor with Syria, to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
By HERB KEINON/J.post
03/21/2011 01:44
Netanyahu and US Senator expected to discuss regional unrest that has now spread to Syria and Israeli-Syrian mediation efforts.  US Senator John Kerry, who over the last few months has been trying to resuscitate Israeli-Syria talks, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu this week, government sources confirmed Sunday.Netanyahu is expected to meet Kerry, the chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee – and considered a close confidant of US President Barack Obama – sometime before going to Russia for some 24-hours on Wednesday evening. Netanyahu will meet with senior leaders during his first visit to Russia since last February, including President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Kerry is a frequent visitor to the region, and often couples visits here with trips to Damascus. In fact, Kerry has met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus five times over the last two years. Among the issues Netanyahu and Kerry are expected to discuss is the regional unrest that has now also spread to Syria.
Kerry was last in Israel in January, and reportedly briefed Netanyahu on talks with Assad about what Haaretz described as a plan to restart Israeli-Syrian negotiations. According to this report, Kerry and Assad began drafting an unofficial position paper that would lay out the principles of future negotiations. Netanyahu later confirmed that Kerry was involved in mediation efforts between Israel and Syria, but said those efforts were not new. “If Syria truly wants peace, it will find in us a genuine partner to achieving that peace,” Netanyahu said in late February. “In this sense our goal has not changed following the events occurring in our region.”Netanyahu said he hoped that Syria’s intention was “peace,” but that only time would tell. Saying it was no secret that Kerry – as well as others – were trying to mediate between Israel and Syria, Netanyahu said “the problem remains how to conduct negotiations when Syria says, ‘Give me the fruits of negotiations as I want them before we start.’ This is a difficult problem, as you can imagine.”
Kerry, at a speech last Tuesday at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said that the flood of change in the Middle East would have implications for Israel’s security, and – in clear reference to Egypt – said that countries which have historically enjoyed strong ties with Israel “may change their postures.”The Democratic candidate in the 2004 US presidential elections said that a lasting peace was the only way to secure Israel’s security and regional stability. For this reason, he said, it was critical to revive the diplomatic process with the Palestinians. “To the extent Israelis found the security situation acceptable prior to the outbreak of unrest [in the region], the status quo with its neighbors is now unsustainable,” he said. During that speech, Kerry characterized the changes taking place in the region as “one of the most momentous developments of our time,” and said the US had a crucial role to play in facilitating democratic transitions. He said the US had a strong national interest in supporting emerging democracies in the region, adding that while the current Congressional climate may be opposed to foreign aid, “We can either pay now or pay later with increased threats to our national security.”He said the way the US responds to the events now will shape Arab public opinion toward the US for decades.Kerry also stressed that a failure to intervene on behalf of the Libyan people against Muammar Gaddafi would lead others in the region to question the US commitment to human rights and democracy.

Libya is a comfortable target for the west
The Western, 'enlightened' nations are fighting in Libya for the rights of the oppressed, using their superior military power to promote democratic goals.
By Zvi Bar'el
Drawing comparisons between the Western nations' attack on Libya and the two wars in Iraq, as well as the current war in Afghanistan, is easy. True, the objective in each case was to destroy the regime; but in the past military actions, the leader or regime was described as posing a real threat to the Western world.
In the case of the first Gulf War, Saddam Hussein had encroached on Kuwait. The world was gripped by panic that Iraq might continue on, conquering other Gulf states and taking possession of key world oil sources. The pretext for the second Gulf War was the belief that Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction. Afghanistan and Somalia served (and continue to serve ) as Al-Qaida bases, and so military action there was justified as part of the war on terror.
People celebrating atop a destroyed tank belonging to forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi after an air strike Sunday.
In Libya's case today, the conditions have changed. Muammar Gadhafi is a leader who poses a danger to his own people, who used violence against dissenters in his own country, and who is trying to block the wave of revolution that has engulfed the Middle East.
This military move seems to constitute a new, intriguing development: The "enlightened" nations are fighting for the rights of the oppressed. Using their superior military power to promote democratic goals, they are expressing the values of international responsibility that globalization was always supposed to nurture. The mobilization of Arab states like Egypt and Qatar for military action against Gadhafi, and the agreement of other Arab states to block Libya's air space, reinforces the credibility of the allied forces' attack on Libya.
For the first time since the first Gulf War, Arab states have agreed to support violent Western intervention in the "Arab world." Such support, however, is founded on a complicated array of calculations. Egypt has supported the action in Libya to signal to its own citizens that it backs human rights struggles. Saudi Arabia is endorsing the attack in Libya out of a desire to enhance the legitimacy of its military intervention in Bahrain.
Meanwhile, the Arab League has agreed to the action taken in Libya, and went so far as to demand that Libyan air space be closed, as a kind of symbolic statement; the League knows it lacks the power to solve any crisis in the Middle East.
Based on past experience, such air attacks are not powerful enough to topple political regimes. And beyond this practical issue, the military intervention in Libya raises a number of complex questions. For example, how will the military action impact the civil rebellion against Gadhafi? And how will any new leader who is elected or appointed win recognition for the revolution as an independent, sovereign force?
Movements of rebellion in the Arab world have emerged as spontaneous civil protests that rely largely on modes of communication, not firearms. The contrast has been consistent and clear: the regimes have used guns, while civilians have protested peacefully. The military action in Libya undermines this division of labor. True, rebels in Libya have been firing rifles, but they have not been trying to perpetrate a military coup.
Why is it that in Yemen, where dozens of civilians have been killed, and the army continues to clash with civilians, there has been no Western intervention? Will Tomahawk missiles be fired on Syria if the regime continues to order armed forces to disperse protesters through violent means?
No doubt, the choice of Libya as a battleground does not derive solely from a new policy principle - featuring a willingness to take action in any place, to apply the role of "international responsibility to protect." Instead, a cool risk-benefit analysis is in play in Libya.
An attack in Yemen would mean America's loss of its last shaky reed of support for its war against Al-Qaida terrorist bases; and an attack in Syria would possibly jeopardize security in Israel, while strengthening Iran and Hezbollah. Libya, in contrast, is a comfortable target; the West is currently able to view itself as a "partner" in a civil uprising for democracy.

Coalition shows first cracks as Qaddafi digs in for guerrilla war
DEBKAfile Special Report March 20, 2011, Sunday, March 20, the day after coalition powers pounded Libyan targets by air and sea at the outset of their operation to enforce a no-fly zone, Muammer Qaddafi announced he was arming a million Libyans to defend the country. He spoke after Libyan air defense batteries and command centers were blasted by French bombers and by 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from US and British vessels and three US B-2 stealth bombers droppepd 40 bombs on two Libyan airfields.
At the same time, debkafile's military sources term the British reports that Libya's integrated air defense systems were knocked out then as overstated. In the third week of February, Qaddafi had removed his more sophisticated weaponry from those installations and tucked them away at secret facilities on the Sahara Desert fringes of southern Libya, out of range of the British and French warplanes.
Qaddafi therefore retains intact, according our sources, his store of Russian-made SA-5 missiles which can hit medium or high-flying aircraft and his shoulder-launched K38 Igla9 (SA-18) missiles, which are launched from Italian Ivaco trucks.
The K38 Igla is a precision weapon which is undetectable by radar and has much improved resistance to flares and jamming. Although not new, when installed in batches of 6-8 on a truck, it is highly mobile and dangerous. This advanced work was carried out secretly in Croatia and Montenegro, from which for the past two years Qaddafi has commissioned this sort of weapon adaptation in case of an attack by a Western or any other power.
Qaddafi has also purchased another type of air defense weapon in Belarus, but intelligence about it remains scrappy until it shows up on the battlefield.
After completing the first phase of the US-European-Arab offensive charted in Paris by 22 national leaders Saturday, its members have still to agree on an endgame.
Sunday, Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint US Chiefs of Staff, commented that the military side of the operation was not designed to remove Qaddafi from power. He said the no-fly zone was effectively in place – in other words, Washington does not regard the no-fly zone as a stage on the road to Qaddafi's removal. The British and French governments think otherwise: they are bent on regime change in Tripoli, although the US and Arab participants in the coalition have strong reservations on this point.
Then, too, the head of the US Africa command Gen. Carter Ham contradicted Mullen when he said: We can't enforce a no-fly zone over all Libya, only over Benghazi. In all, the American position in military intervention in Libya remains ambivalent.
There are other gaps in the coalition consensus:
1. The Arabs are far from united in the wish to knock Qaddafi over. The Anglo-French presentation of their operation as backed from wall to wall by the Arab world and therefore a huge diplomatic feat is misleading. Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt object to outside military intervention in Libya, although they are keeping quiet for now. Most other Arab rulers are furious with Arab League Secretary Amr Moussa for claiming he spoke for them all when he voiced support for the Arab Revolt.
Feeling the heat, Moussa Sunday criticized the coalition air strikes against Libya as unacceptable. they should be stopped because instead of protecting civilians as mandated by the UN they were killing civilians. This comment pulled the rug embarrassingly from under the UK-French boast of a broad European-Arab consensus for the military operation.
2. The anti-Qaddafi alliance is short of an African partner which makes it hard to portray the offensive as a broad regional effort. Indeed the governments of Africa are against the Libyan ruler's forcible ouster.
But the inherent weakness of all air and missile campaigns is that they are unsustainable for very long unless followed by a large-scale ground operation. If not, they tend to unite the enemy they are attacking and strengthen its resolve to stand fast, especially when conducted by foreign forces. Because none of the participants is able or willing to send to troops to Libya, and they are aware that Qaddafi is ready to trap them in a prolonged guerrilla war, the air-missile offensive launched Saturday may start running out of steam after a few bombing waves.
The American, British and French strategists who planned the offensive appear to have counted on Libya's tribal population breaking ranks with Qaddafi under sustained pounding and proliferating casualties. This tactic was tried in Afghanistan where the allies tried to detach whole tribes away from their support of Taliban and al Qaeda by impressing them with Western firepower and high technology.
It did not work there and is unlikely to work much better in Libya. Qaddafi had his answer ready Sunday when he said he would arm a million Libyans to take up arms for him. This sort of resistance will be hard to break by air or missile bombardment.

Western planes hit Gaddafi compound, Tripoli says
21/03/2011
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Western forces launched a second wave of air strikes on Libya overnight and officials in Tripoli said a missile intended to kill Muammar Gaddafi had destroyed a building in his fortified compound. "It was a barbaric bombing," said government spokesman Musa Ibrahim, showing pieces of shrapnel that he said came from the missile. "This contradicts American and Western (statements) ... that it is not their target to attack this place." There was no comment on the strike from attacking forces. The first air strikes on Saturday halted the advance of Gaddafi's forces on the rebel-held eastern city of Benghazi and had targeted Libya's air defenses in order to let Western warplanes patrol the skies of this oil-producing north African desert state. The second wave of Western air strikes also hit Gaddafi's troops around Ajdabiyah, a strategic town in the barren, scrub of east Libya that rebels aim to retake and where their fighters said they need more help to take the fight to the enemy. "If we don't get more help from the West, Gaddafi's forces will eat us alive," rebel fighter Nouh Musmari told Reuters. The U.N.-mandated intervention to protect civilians caught up in a one-month-old revolt against Gaddafi drew criticism from Arab League chief Amr Musa, who questioned the need for a heavy bombardment, which he said had killed many civilians. Musa said on Monday however that the League respected the U.N. resolution while stressing a need to protect civilians. The United States, carrying out the air strikes in a coalition with Britain, France, Italy and Canada among others, said the campaign was working and dismissed a ceasefire announcement by the Libyan military on Sunday evening.
STRIKES "FOR A LITTLE WHILE"
Henri Guaino, one of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's closest aides, said the strikes were not aimed at ousting the autocrat who has ruled Libya for 41 years but told RMC radio that they were likely to last "a little while." Britain's Defense Ministry said one of its submarines had again fired Tomahawk cruise missiles as part of a second wave of attacks to enforce the U.N. resolution but that one air force mission was called off because of civilians in the target area. "As the RAF GR4 Tornados approached the target, further information came to light ... As a result the decision was taken not to launch weapons," a ministry spokesman said, adding this underlined the British commitment to protecting civilians.
The Libyan government urged people in towns, cities and tribes to join a march from Tripoli to Benghazi "so we could exchange condolences, ... announce forgiveness ... and then we could sit down as one family ..."The intervention in Libya is the biggest against an Arab country since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Withdrawal of Arab support would make it much harder to pursue what some defense analysts say could in any case be a difficult, open-ended campaign with an uncertain outcome.
Asked about Musa's concerns about the conduct of the campaign, Michele Flournoy, Under Secretary at the U.S. Department for Defense, told the BBC:
"I think that may be the case that people don't understand the military dimensions of what was required to establish the no-fly zone but I can tell you that we continue to have ... statements of support from a number of Arab countries." Italy said it had warplanes in the air, after U.S. and British warships and submarines launched 110 Tomahawk missiles on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, director of the U.S. military's Joint Staff, told reporters there had been no new Libyan air activity or radar emissions, but a significant decrease in Libyan air surveillance, since strikes began Saturday.
BENGHAZI NOT FREE FROM THREAT
Benghazi was not yet free from threat, said Gortney, but Gaddafi forces in the area were in distress and "suffering from isolation and confusion" after the air assaults.
Late on Sunday night, Libyan officials took Western reporters to Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli, a sprawling complex that houses his private quarters as well as military barracks, anti-aircraft batteries and other installations, to see what they said was the site of a missile attack two hours earlier.
A short walk from a brightly lit tent where Gaddafi receives his guests, the three-storey building stood in ruins, and a circular hole was visible on its gutted facade. The United States says it does not have Gaddafi on its target list. A Libyan military spokesman announced a new ceasefire on Sunday, saying that "the Libyan armed forces ... have issued a command to all military units to safeguard an immediate ceasefire from 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) this evening." Both before and after he spoke, heavy anti-aircraft gunfire boomed above central Tripoli.
Outside Benghazi, smoldering, shattered tanks and troop carriers from what had been Gaddafi's advancing forces littered the main road. The charred bodies of at least 14 government soldiers lay scattered in the desert. But with Gaddafi having vowed to fight to the death, there were fears his troops might try to force their way into cities, seeking shelter from air attacks among the civilian population. In central Benghazi, sporadic explosions and heavy exchanges of gunfire could be heard in the streets late on Sunday evening. A Reuters witness said the firing lasted about 40 minutes. In Misrata, the last rebel-held city in western Libya, a rebel spokesman said pro-Gaddafi forces were bringing in civilians from nearby towns to use as human shields and that those forces killed seven people there on Sunday. Residents said water supplies were cut off and Libyan troops had encircled the town.
A Libyan government health official said 64 people were killed by Western bombardment on Saturday and Sunday, but it was impossible to verify the report independently.
ARAB SUPPORT CRUCIAL
Arab support for a no-fly zone provided crucial underpinning for the passage of a U.N. Security Council resolution last week that paved the way for Western action to stop Gaddafi killing civilians as he fights an uprising against his 41-year rule.
The U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said the no-fly zone was now in place. But Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the United States would not have a "pre-eminent role" in maintaining it, and expected to turn over "primary responsibility" within days, perhaps to Britain or France. U.S. officials, eager to avoid similarities to the invasion of Iraq and the toppling of Saddam Hussein, have been playing down Washington's role and emphasizing that overthrowing or killing Gaddafi is not the goal of the attacks on Libya.
Mullen told CBS television the endgame of the campaign was "very uncertain" and acknowledged it could end in a stalemate.
Gates told reporters: "I think this is basically going to have to be resolved by the Libyans themselves." In Brussels, NATO envoys failed to agree on any alliance involvement in enforcing the no-fly zone. NATO members Turkey and Germany have spoken out against the zone, and diplomats said France had argued against involvement by an alliance whose reputation in the Arab world had been tainted by its involvement in the war in Afghanistan. French planes fired the first shots of the intervention on Saturday, destroying tanks and armored vehicles near Benghazi.
France sent an aircraft carrier toward Libya and its planes were over the country again on Sunday, defense officials said. Britain said its planes had targeted Libya's air defenses, mainly around the capital Tripoli. Other countries, including Qatar, also dispatched aircraft to participate in the operation, U.S. officials said.

If you have no shame....
21/03/2011
By Tariq Alhomayed/ Asharq Al-Awsat
Just imagine, the individual who marginalized nearly half of Iraq's population, and who during his ongoing period of rule saw the Christians driven out of their own country and harassed, is now describing the Arab Gulf states as tyrannical and is attacking them! Just imagine the person who came [to power] on the back of an American tank, and whose term in office as Prime Minister was renewed for him despite losing the elections, and whose people came out and demonstrated on the day they regretted merely voting for him, is now talking about democracy and freedoms!
Just imagine this; during his time in power more Iraqis were killed than during the Saddam Hussein era and all his wars and he is now talking about rights and justice?
Just imagine that the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki, whose term was renewed based on Iranian-US approval and whose government killed approximately 14 anti-government protesters a few days ago, is now attacking the Arab Gulf states on the pretext of defending the Shia of Bahrain and is giving lectures on freedom and democracy and talking about the winds of change. Can anything be more ironic than this? How can Nuri al Maliki be the Prime Minister to the whole of Iraq, with all its Sunnis, Shia, Christians and other components, whilst using the same language as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Hassan Nasrallah? We have written so much on the sectarianism of the Iraqi government and its subordination to Iran and we were told that we were exaggerating. And now we have the Arabs, the people of the Gulf in particular, and of course the Iraqis before them, dumbstruck at what al Maliki and others like him, such as Muqtada al Sadr who lives in Iran and Ahmed al Chalabi, one of the most prominent figures of the US occupation of Iraq, do and say. How can people of this sectarian mindset be guardians of the various components of the Iraqi nation?
When al Maliki attacks the Gulf States and their leaders he is confirming one fact to us; that the current sectarian Iraqi regime is not democratic. He is also confirming that this regime will not last at all in this extreme form as Iraq does not belong to the Shia or to any one sect and nor should it. Rather, al Maliki's attack will isolate the Iraqi regime and it has no future with this kind of logic unless it wants to be like Hezbollah, which also has no future. But there is one very important point to which we must pay attention; we are fortunate that all the cards have been revealed and the game has become clear today.
The lie that is the democracy of Iraq can no longer continue and it cannot be said that Baghdad has returned as an active member on the Arab scene; rather, Iraq has become an active member in the process of the exportation of the Iranian project in the region.
This is not a Sunni-Shia issue, but rather an issue of who believes in the homeland and who believes in the Wali al Faqih [Guardian Jurist] and there is a big difference between the two. Therefore, we are fortunate today that the process of separating [the two] has taken place with very clear results and has happened faster than we thought as this helps us to know who Iran's agents are and to know who are truly eager for their own homelands. With regards to al Maliki and others in Baghdad who are attacking the Gulf States, one can only say to them: if you have no shame then do as you please!

What does Iran want from Bahrain?
20/03/2011
By Mshari Al-Zaydi/Asharq Al-Awsat
The current talk in Bahrain is not focused on the legitimacy of protesting, or the grievances which have been inflicted upon the Shiites, or any other group. It is not about the nature of the protestors' demands, the provision of more authority to the opposition, the transformation of Bahrain into a constitutional monarchy, or even an opposition-nominated Prime Minister. Rather, talk has now turned towards transforming the island of Bahrain into a republic. The man leading this demand is Hasan Mushaima, an opposition figure with overt links to the political Shiite revolutionists of Iran. A few days ago, Mushaima announced the formation of the "Coalition for a Republic" in Bahrain.
At the beginning of the Pearl Square protests, the opposition contained a mixture of Shiites and Sunnis, with a significant Shia majority. Nevertheless a group of Sunnis shared in their demands, regardless of their political and economic nature. However, now the protests in Bahrain are being led by Shiite extremists, with demands far exceeding the terms initially set out by "al-Wefaq" opposition group, and its leader Sheikh Ali Salman. Those terms were tough to meet in the first place. The young Crown Prince of Bahrain has struggled to find common ground with "al-Wefaq" and its allies. Yet with the return of Mushaima and his group from abroad, "Al-Wefaq" have been made to look like a flock of peaceful doves! With a large crowd cheering him on, Mushaima delivered an address calling for the king to be dethroned, and for a republic to be established in Bahrain.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened the Gulf States, who activated the common defense pact to dispatch the Joint Peninsula Shield Force to Bahrain, at the request of the government there. Ahmadinejad brazenly likened such action to the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's troops in 1990. However, he did not draw parallels with the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, in order to overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime. Perhaps he abstained from this analogy because Iran considers the invasion of Iraq, in order to oust the "lesser devil" Saddam Hussein, to be a relatively legitimate act, even though it was committed by the "greater devil", America.
Ahmadinejad was not alone in his criticism of the Gulf States. The supposedly moderate Chairman of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani followed suit, and warned the Gulf States about the consequences of their act. Muqtada al-Sadr, Hezbollah, and several Shiite MPs in Kuwait were among others who joined the ranks.
Unfortunately, we are now facing an explicitly sectarian scene. As deplorable as this is may seem, when the demons who politicize religion walk through the door, the birds of religious tolerance fly out of the window. The truth is that Iran is now in a state of war with the Gulf States, full stop. In view of that fact, the Gulf States have every right to protect themselves from attack. It is an established fact that Iran harbors age-old ambitions in the Gulf, especially with regards to Bahrain. Last year, Khamenei's media advisor issued a statement indicating Bahrain's subordination to Iran. It would be futile to argue against Iranian ambitions in Bahrain and the Gulf, for they are glaringly obvious.
Now we must stand firm and confront the threat without hesitation. Afterwards, we must ask ourselves, have we ever had a proper mechanism for fostering the concept of citizenship, creating an all-encompassing allegiance to national interests, and purifying religious discourse from fanaticism? The answer is clearly "No".
Let us hope that these recent developments serve as an eye-opener, to make us realize the need to foster national unity. What is important now is to thwart Iran's plans, by raising the awareness of Shiites and Sunnis throughout the Gulf, and by earnestly and vigorously fostering a sense of belonging in the region, immune from foreign interference. The fortress of justice and tolerance is the best remedy for ailing hearts and twisted minds.

Arab League chief: We respect UN resolution on Libya military action
Amr Moussa reiterates support for international enforcement of no-fly zone over Libya despite earlier comments suggesting concern by actions taken by Western powers.
By Reuters
Arab League chief Amr Moussa said on Monday that he respected a UN resolution that authorized military action on Libya, after earlier comments suggested he was concerned by actions taken by Western powers. "The Arab League position on Libya was decisive and from the first moment we froze membership of Libya ... Then we asked the United Nations to implement a no-fly zone," he told a news conference with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "We respect the UN resolution and there is no conflict with it, especially as it indicated there would be no invasion but that it would protect civilians from what they are subject to in Benghazi," he said. The UN-mandated intervention to protect civilians caught up in a one-month-old revolt against Muammar Gaddafi had drawn comments from Moussa on Sunday suggesting he questioned the need for a heavy bombardment that he said had killed many civilians. "It is for protecting civilians and that is what we care about," Moussa said, speaking at Arab League headquarters in Cairo. Western powers launched a second wave of air strikes on Libya early on Monday after halting the advance of Gaddafi's forces on Benghazi and targeting air defenses to let their planes patrol the skies over the North African state."We will continue to work on the protection of civilians. We urge everybody to take this into consideration in any military action," Moussa said. The United States, carrying out the air strikes in a coalition with Britain, France, Italy and Canada among others, said the campaign was working and dismissed a ceasefire announcement by the Libyan military on Sunday evening. Iraq's government spokesman said on Monday it backed "international efforts to protect the Libyan people" but powerful Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr condemned intervention and said Western states should avoid civilian casualties.
Sadr, who long led violent opposition among Shi'ites to the U.S. presence in Iraq, has since become a key part of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's ruling coalition.
Abdulrahman al-Attiyah, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were taking part in the Western-led Libya intervention for "safety and security according to the UN resolution".