LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 08/2011
Bible Quotation for today/Jesus Warns against the Teachers of the Law and the
Pharisees
Matthew 23/01-12: " Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples.
The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of
Moses' Law. So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not,
however, imitate their actions, because they don't practice what they preach.
They tie onto people's backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they
aren't willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads. They do
everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture
verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large
they are! Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks! They love the
best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the synagogues; they love to be
greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them Teacher.
You must not be called Teacher, because you are all equal and have only one
Teacher. And you must not call anyone here on earth Father, because you have
only the one Father in heaven. Nor should you be called Leader, because your one
and only leader is the Messiah. The greatest one among you must be your servant.
Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be
made great.
Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from
miscellaneous sources
Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah Speech of December 06/11
Rape Of
the Syrian People/By: Hazem Saghiyeh/December 7/11
In Syria crisis, Turkey is caught between Iran and a hard place/By Zvi
Bar'el/November 07/11
Ashoura/The girls who “hit Haidar/By: Ana Maria
Luca and Nadine Elali/November 07/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
November 07/11
US diplomatic bid to defuse Syrian
trigger for regional war
Assad: UN report on Syria crimes against humanity not credible
Feltman arrives in
Lebanon, holds talks with PM
Feltman Meets Miqati at Grand Serail
Maronite Bishops Warn of Spread of Syrian Unrest to Lebanon
Ghalioun warns Iran,
says Hezbollah let down Syrian opposition
March 14 slams Hezbollah, Amal over Zahrani
‘piracy’
Liban Lait Owner Kidnapped at Gunpoint in Bekaa
Aoun Says his Bloc’s Ministers to Attend Cabinet Session but Leaves Door Open to
All Options
Lebanese businessman kidnapped in Bekaa
Rifi gets Arab 'Man of the Year 2011' award
Report: Iran May Transfer Intelligence from U.S. Drone to Hizbullah
Egypt's Islamists claim
most seats in run-off vote
Police: Lebanese
ex-Miss USA was above legal alcohol limit
Britain Says Syria's Isolation Will Intensify
Iran's Guards on war footing –
London. Spy drone capture is US, Israel setback
UAE leader: Israel would destroy Iran if attacked
Former top IDF officer: Israel will have to take military action against Gaza
terror
Barak Says Israel Tracking Possible Transfer of Hizbullah Arms from Syria
Israel says Syrian
rocket tests show regime's fear
Nasrallah Makes Rare Appearance, Says Party’s Arsenal Growing in Numbers
Aoun: We Haven’t Decided if We Will Participate in Wednesday’s Cabinet Session
March 14 challenges
Hezbollah to face-off on 'false witnesses'
Report: STL Delegation in Lebanon ‘Soon’ to Inquire about Suspects
Australia expands Iran sanctions amid nuclear concerns
Ghalioun:
Regime’s only enemy is people of Syria
Al-Assad pursuing
“scorched earth” policy against Syrian protesters – SNC leader
US tells
Syria to protect diplomats as envoy returns
Canada Condemns Attacks in Afghanistan on Day of Ashura
Inside Syria: Soldiers defecting to join rebels
Syria wants sanctions lifted in return for
observers
Economic sanctions on Syria double-edged sword
Why Iran might be worried by Hillary Clinton's meeting with Syria exiles
As US Ambassador Ford returns, Syria deteriorates
Clinton tells opposition Syria must be free
Palestinian militant killed, 2 wounded in Israeli airstrike on mortar crews
Saudi may join
nuclear arms race: ex-spy chief
US diplomatic bid to defuse Syrian trigger for regional war
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report/December 7, 2011/Tuesday, Dec. 6, the US, France and
Britain went into concerted diplomatic action to contain the Syrian crisis
before it detonated a regional conflict and deteriorated into civil strife more
horrendous and dangerous than the Iraq war. At the same time, Syria and its
neighbors have sharply intensified their war preparations, fully expecting
diplomacy to fail. debkafile’s military and Washington sources report their
pessimism emanates from the conviction in the region that even if Bashar Assad
and his family pretend to cooperate, they will fight to the last Syrian before
they actually relax their grip on government.
The US and allies launched their bid for a negotiated end to the Syrian impasse
launched last week. A number of Western agents infiltrated Syria from Lebanon
and Jordan and entered the embattled cities of Homs, Hama and Idlib in the
north, Deir al-Zour and Abu Kemal in the east and Daraa in the south. Their
mission was to unite the deeply divided opposition factions and local rebels
into a coherent front. The Assad regime chose to turn a blind eye.
Building on that groundwork, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called
together Tuesday, Dec. 6, in Geneva the leaders of Syrian opposition groups
operating in different European capitals, as well as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan,
and urged them to overcome their differences and back the US-Western peace
initiative.
She explained, our sources disclosed, that the administration had resolved to up
the diplomatic, economic and military pressure on Bashar Assad. President Barack
Obama, Clinton announced, had personally instructed all parts of the American
administration to starting referring to his regime as the “Assad gang.”
On Wednesday, Dec. 7, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
Jeffrey Feltman was due in Beirut to set up a base of operations there after
coordinating the American step with Israel's government and military leaders in
Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
As part of the drive for negotiations, Washington and Paris returned their
ambassadors to Damascus after an absence of six weeks. Their task is to open
direct channels to President Assad and sound him out on their proposal for him
to accept an orderly transition of power in order to avert a regional war and
save his country from plunging further in to civil strife.
The US and French Presidents Obama and Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David
Cameron are of one mind about pursuing diplomacy for ending Assad's rule even
though not the slightest sign of willingness to cooperate has come from the
presidential palace in Damascus. Even the Arab League's proposal to send
monitors into Syria met with conditions that were deemed tantamount to a
rejection. ,
This initiative has had no effect on the hectic military preparations going
forward in the region in anticipation of an imminent outbreak of armed
hostilities.
The Syrian armed forces staged a large-scale war game Saturday and Sunday, Dec.
3-4, in the eastern part of the country.
Israel Defense Forces reciprocated by organizing an extensive exercise of the
51st Battalion of the Golan Brigade on the Golan border with Syria Tuesday, Dec.
6.
Both practiced tactics for repelling invading foreign forces and moving the
battle into enemy territory.
The Syrian security and military leadership turned out in full to observe the
Syrian armed forces' performance, while on the Israeli side, Defense Minister
Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz
were in conspicuous attendance – as were TV cameras on both sides of the border.
The Israeli army spokesman uncharacteristically made a point of highlighting a
visit Minister for Home Front Defense Matan Vilnai paid Tuesday to the Haifa oil
refineries to inspect Israel's emergency fuel reserve. He announced that a
battery of the home-made anti-missile Iron Dome may be posted at the refineries.
Tuesday also saw unusual activity in the Lebanese capital: Hizballah's
Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah emerged from his bunker after three
and-a-half years to declare before a Shiite audience assembled for the Ashura
ceremonies that Hizballah’s support for Bashar Assad is absolute.
In his capacity has leader of Iran's Lebanese Shiite surrogate, he pledged that
Hizballah would provide the regime in Damascus with all the help it required.
Maronite Bishops Warn of Spread of Syrian Unrest to Lebanon
Naharnet /The Maronite Bishops Council voiced its fears on Wednesday over the
various security incidents that have taken place in Lebanon, stressing that the
country’s sovereignty should not be undermined. It expressed in a statement
after its monthly meeting its concern of the possibility of the unrest in Syria
spreading to Lebanon. “Showing solidarity with Arab causes does not take place
through dragging regional tensions and divisions to Lebanon,” it said after its
meeting, which was headed by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi. The country can show
solidarity with them through committing to the principles of the National Pact,
it continued. The Maronite bishops also welcomed Lebanon’s decision to fund the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon, saying that it helped avert a confrontation with
the international community.They hoped that the government would now focus its
attention to the people’s daily concerns now that the dispute over the funding
has been resolved.
The dispute over the funding created further division between the rival March 8
and 14 camps with the former opposing the funding and the latter warning that
Lebanon’s failure to abide by its international commitment may lead it to a
confrontation with the international community.
Iran's Guards on war footing – London. Spy drone capture is US, Israel setback
DEBKAfile Special Report /December 6, 2011/ Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei has placed the Revolutionary Guards on a war footing amid fears that
the West and Israel are about to attack their nuclear program, the London
Telegraph, which has good ties with British intelligence, reported early
Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Monday, debkafile reported increasing indications that the Middle East is set
for war, including an attack on Iran, between mid-December 2011 and mid-January
2012.
In obedience to Khamenei's directive to take all necessary measures to protect
the regime, the Guards chief Gen. Mohammed Ali Jaafari has raised the
operational readiness status of the country's forces in preparation for external
strikes and covert attacks. He ordered Iran's arsenal of long-range Shahab
missiles redistributed to secret sites around the country where they would be
safe from enemy attack and could be used to launch retaliatory strikes; Guards
units scattered to preset defense lines and air force "rapid reaction units"
deployed after carrying out extensive exercises for responding to an enemy air
attack on nuclear and strategic military targets.
Saturday, Dec. 3, Israel's defense minister Ehud Barak, when asked about a
covert war against Iran, denied it was taking place. Twenty-hours later, this
clandestine war peaked in a major coup for Iran, its capture of the
sophisticated US RQ-170 Sentinel stealth reconnaissance drone. Tehran reported
that, apart from slight damage, the aircraft was shot down complete with all its
top-secret electronic systems in working condition.
An American military source confirmed that Iran had the RQ-170, but added there
was "absolutely no indication the drone was shot down."
This leads to the conclusion that the Iranians were able to control the drone
from a distance (over Afghanistan) and guide it across the border to land to
Iran, say debkafile's military sources. The slight damage would then apply to
the wings and may have been caused when it was brought in to land by an Iranian
crew unused to handling an electronic warfare craft.
Our sources add that possession of the drone is more than just a major
intelligence coup for Tehran; it has acquired an important military edge before
any overt military operation has been launched. Western and Israeli war planners
now have cause to fear that Iran has penetrated the heart of their most secret
intelligence and electronic technological hardware for striking its nuclear
infrastructure. If Tehran is capable of reaching out and guiding an American
stealth drone into landing from a distance, it may also be able to control the
systems of other aircraft, manned or unmanned.
This feat recalls Hizballah's surprise attack on an Israeli missile boat in the
2006 Lebanon war when its Chinese-made shore-to-ship C-802 missile was enabled
by Iranian-manned coastal radar interference to override the ship's advanced
electronic defense systems and so put the Israeli Navy out of action within
range of the Lebanese coast. According to an expert quoted by the Telegraph's
senior military commentator Con Coughlin, the campaign of assassinations, cyber
war and sabotage of recent weeks "looks like the 21st century form of war.
Rape Of the Syrian People
Hazem Saghiyeh, December 6, 2011
Now Lebanon
http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=339871
Let us take for granted all the pretexts invoked by the Syrian regime, i.e. that
it is targeted by an Arab, Turkish and Western conspiracy, that some assassins,
troublemakers and collaborators are igniting strife and that the real target is
Syria's rejectionist stance and its support for the Resistance.
Still, one thing remains, which can hardly be glossed over: Why rape men, women
and youths in Syrian prisons according to the official report of the
International Commission of Inquiry on Syria?
We shall read this paragraph of the report and keep to ourselves the anger and
disgust we may – or may not – feel: “Many former detainees reported cases of
hitting [detainees] on their genitalia, forcible oral sex, electrocution and
cigarette burns on the anus in detention facilities, including those of the Air
Force Intelligence in Damascus, the military Intelligence in Jisr al-Shughur,
the Military Intelligence and Political Security in Edleb and Latakia and
Intelligence services in Tartous.”
Do these actions not provide, as such, enough cause to topple the regime?
This “rape policy” is based, among other things, on sowing aggression and
predominance between the rapist and the rape victim and on breaking the victim
now and in the future. When this act is perpetrated by a “regime,” rape grants
this regime a bodily and biological edge over the people it rules, not to
mention the psychological cracks inflicted upon them. Indeed, the regime is not
only acting as an owner [of the people] entitled to exert the maximum amount of
control, platitude and destruction on those it rules, but also showing off its
sadistic wishes and fantasies in a victorious manner.
Much has been written about rape and its significance. However, one merely needs
to say that a side, which suffered such a “defeat,” and one, which has scored
such a “victory” cannot possibly coexist, even using such means and tools.
In this sense, the regime is sending the following message to the people: I want
to live with you only in your capacity as raped people whose bodily violation
represents the culmination of countless violations affecting your freedom, job,
education, etc. This message actually recommends rape in prisons where power and
strength are on one side and total weakness on the other. Yet the uprising also
conveys another counter-message from the people to the regime, namely: We cannot
live with you because you can only exist as a rapist.
Note: Al-Dunia TV and possibly even sympathizing Lebanese channels will probably
question this “colonizing” report. Who knows? Fatwas may even be issued, holding
those who were raped responsible!
This article is a translation of the original, which was posted on the NOW
Arabic site on Monday December 5, 2011
Ghalioun: Regime’s only enemy is people of Syria
December 6, 2011
Head of the Syrian National Council (SNC) Burhan Ghalioun said in an interview
published on Tuesday that “the Syrian regime’s only enemy is the Syrian people.”
“The Syrian regime is engaged in a fierce battle with its people, and it is
continuing to commit crimes and massacres that are leading it to the abyss,”
Ghalioun told As-Sharq al-Awasat newspaper.
Ghalioun called on all politicians, military leaders, diplomatic missions and
ambassadors to overthrow “the decaying regime because the moment of truth is
near.”
He also pledged that “each of the above will have a role to play in the
post-regime phase.”
The SNC chief noted that “the [number of] desertions from the army and security
forces is augmenting,” and called on all members of the military and security
services to defect.
Ghalioun also said that he expects the Syrian regime’s confrontation with the
people to only last for a few more months, “especially that financial and
military resources of the regime are diminishing.”
“Those who will seize power after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime will
preserve the state with all its institutions and separate between the regime and
the state. The Syrian state belongs to the Syrian people who will work together
to protect and modernize it,” the SNC leader also said.
More than 4,000 have died in the Syrian regime's continuing crackdown on dissent
and protests which erupted in mid-March, according to the United Nations.
-NOW Lebanon
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Speech of December 06/11
Now Lebanon
On December 6, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered a
speech on the occasion of the Shia commemoration of Ashura.
“We would like to point out that this nation’s main threat is the US/Israeli
project. The biggest thieves of our resources are the US and Israel. Our people
must be aware of this reality and not be deceived by the Americans. Those
hypocrites, [the US], we know their history and their support for dictatorships.
The US would renounce [its alliances] with [statesmen] if people turn against
them. This is a characteristic of the devil. Did we not hear US President Barack
Obama say a few days ago that his administration has provided plenty [of
services] to the Israelis? US intelligence rings have become agents that serve
Israel and its security. The US administration is the one occupying the
Palestinian territories. It is responsible for the detention and displacement of
hundreds of Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel is the tool of the US against
the Arabs and the Muslims, it is America’s spearhead against the Arabs and
Muslims.
Secondly, in this context, the US administration – after the failure of its New
Middle East project [thanks] to the Resistance – is [taking advantage] of the
uprisings [in the Arab World] by inciting sectarianism. We must all respect each
other’s shrines. Thirdly, concerning Jerusalem, the [Israelis] take decisions
every day to build thousands of settlements. Our fear is that Israel would take
advantage of the Arabs being distracted by their own affairs to achieve its
aims. The people should be more aware. Palestine should be the main cause,
regardless of the conflicts occurring in any country.
In addition, concerning the choices of the Arab people, today the people in
Tunisia and in Libya triumphed against their tyrants. In Yemen, the challenge is
still ongoing and there are some who are trying to incite sectarianism. In
Bahrain, the people are still trying to peacefully make demands regardless of
the oppression. In Egypt, there were plenty developments that shook Israel. Any
transformation in Egypt will limit the options of Israel in the region, and this
is the challenge ahead of the Egyptian elections. Our hope is that the Arab
people will not be deceived by the Americans. These Americans failed and are
still failing. In Iraq, we will witness in the coming days a complete withdrawal
of US [troops]. They [Americans] did not enter Iraq to leave it, but the heroic
resistance in Iraq and its struggle forced the US to choose to withdraw. What
happened in Iraq is a real defeat [for the US]. The jihadist and resistance
forces must celebrate this triumph. The Iraqi people and resistance have
achieved a historical triumph.
When the US is defeated in Iraq, it means [the US] can be beaten and can lose
anywhere else in the world. But the Americans are trying to [distract] the
public. Notice that there is no media coverage of the US’ withdrawal from Iraq.
It is the responsibility of all resistance forces to show this defeat of the US.
The Iraqi people were able to defeat the strongest army in the world. This army
was beaten in a few years. [We should be] aware of the post-Iraqi US pullout
phase.
We will talk about Syria now. We are with making reforms there, and we say yes
to fighting corruption in Syria and to the demands of the people. But there are
those who do not want peace and stability in Syria. There are some who want to
compensate for their loss in Iraq by changing the status quo in Syria. The
so-called Syrian National Council is headed by a university professor named
Burhan Ghaliyoun. A few days ago, he says that if he comes to power, he will cut
ties with Iran and the resistance forces, [including] Hezbollah. So who really
benefits from this?
Some of the [opposition] leaders who think they belong to Islamic movements in
Syria hinted that they want to cross the border and come to Lebanon to fight the
Resistance and put an end to it. What they want for Syria is to make a regime
that would surrender to the US and Israel. And if there are people who are
protesting for reforms, we tell them to be careful [because] they are being used
to serve this project. In all cases, this has made us more convinced of our
beliefs. We call for peace in Syria, and we condemn all forms of sectarianism.
We tell [our rivals] that fleets arrived on the shore of Lebanon, and they were
destroyed.
Concerning Lebanon, we cannot deal with the developments separately of what is
going on in the region. We insist on peace and on avoiding sectarian [tension]
in Lebanon. They accuse Hezbollah of being responsible for everything that
happens in this country. This means that [our rivals] are obsessing about
Hezbollah. We should be patient my brothers and sisters. There are some who want
to incite strife in Lebanon, but we must deal with it by being patient. We also
reiterate the call to achieve justice and tackle in the cabinet the file of
witnesses who gave unreliable testimonies [to the international commission
investigating ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s 2005 murder].
The most important thing remains the Israeli threat. Whether by spy rings or by
uncovering spy devices [planted in Lebanon]. This is why we reiterate our
commitment to the formula of “Army, People and Resistance” to defend Lebanon. We
tell all those who are gambling on change and conspiring [against us], the
Resistance, God willing, will remain and keep going. The [conspiracies] will not
be able to get to the Resistance. Day by day, we increase in numbers, train more
and acquire more weapons.
Concerning [our] arms, there are contradictions. Some say that the Resistance’s
arms are a source of instability in the country. But what are the arms that
cause strife and instability? All the Lebanese know that [everyone] has
Kalashnikovs, firearms and grenades. Has anyone seen rockets fired against
anyone in Lebanon? All parties are armed in Lebanon. Those who even think of
disarming [us], i.e. taking away [our] missiles or naval capacities are seeking
to serve Israel. Some [members] of [the March 14 coalition], through the calls
for dialogue, want to achieve what Israel was not able to accomplish. But this
will not happen. We have resisted [the Israelis] with our modest capacity and
without the [help] of the international community, and we have retrieved the
land and the detainees.
We are tens of thousands in Lebanon who are trained to fight and to [die]. We
are a power that is still [underestimated] by the enemy. We are still and will
always be [unknown to the enemy]. We are a power a power that will surprise the
enemy. This is why we say, the time to assault our beliefs has ended. We tell
Imam [Hussein]: ‘Just like you preferred to be killed to defend your [beliefs],
so do we.’ Peace and mercy be upon Imam [Hussein] and you.”
US tells Syria to protect diplomats as envoy returns
December 6, 2011
Now Lebanon
The White House on Tuesday warned Syria to uphold its obligation to protect
diplomats after announcing it was sending US Ambassador Robert Ford back to
Damascus to show solidarity with demonstrators.
"We expect the Syrian government to uphold its obligations to protect diplomatic
personnel and facilities under the Vienna Convention and allow our Foreign
Service officers to conduct their work free of intimidation or obstacles," White
House spokesperson Jay Carney said.
Ford left Syria abruptly in late October, after visiting protest hubs and
drawing the ire of the Syrian government, because of what Washington described
as security threats.
But the Obama administration announced he would return to Damascus on Tuesday
evening, saying he had completed his consultations in Washington, as Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton held talks in Europe with prominent Syrian dissidents.
"His return demonstrates our continued solidarity with the Syrian people and the
value we place on Ford's efforts to engage Syrians on their efforts to achieve a
peaceful and democratic transition," Carney said in a statement.
"We believe his presence in the country is among the most effective ways to send
a message to the Syrian people that the United States stands in solidarity with
them.”
France also said on Tuesday that it had returned its ambassador to Syria, which
has been rocked by months of violence against the government of President Bashar
al-Assad in the latest manifestation of Arab Spring uprisings.
In late September Assad supporters tried to attack Ford and embassy staff as
they visited a Syrian opposition leader in Damascus.
Pro-regime demonstrators damaged US vehicles and pelted the group with tomatoes
but did not hurt Ford or his staff, Washington said.
The United States, which has called for Assad to step down, welcomes what it
sees as the growing isolation of his regime, particularly after the 22-member
Arab League and non-Arab Turkey imposed sanctions.More than 4,000 people have
been killed in the crackdown which erupted in March, according to United Nations
estimates.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon
The girls who “hit Haidar”
By: Ana Maria Luca and Nadine Elali/Now Lebanon
December 6, 2011
Once a year, on Ashura, the streets of the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh
fill with the sour, rusty smell of blood mixed with grilled meat and oranges, as
thousands of people dressed in black make their way to the central square to
mourn.
Ashura, the tenth day the mourning period for slain Imam Hussein, grandson of
the Prophet Mohammad, is a the festival of blood in Nabatieh, one of the few
places in the world where the Shia men and children shave their heads, cut their
foreheads and let their blood flow for the imam.
In the sea of men dressed in white who have been cutting themselves every year
since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, when the Shia gained the right to practice
their rituals, a few young women with bleeding foreheads stand out.
“Let’s go hit Haidar,” say the young men in white capes. They stand in contrast
to the other attendees who wear black to mourn but who do not perform the bloody
ritual. “Hitting Haidar” is the popular name of the bloodletting ritual in which
the young men cut the skin on their foreheads and hit it with swords to make it
bleed more while chanting “Haidar! Haidar!”—which means lion in old Arabic, one
of the nicknames of Imam Ali, the prophet’s son and Imam Hussein’s father.
Groups of 10 to 20 men and young boys covered in blood do their short Ashura
round, circling the town’s market, while professional actors hired by the
municipality get ready to reenact the imam’s slaying in the Battle of Karbala in
the 7th century. Most women, dressed in black, stand on the side of the streets
and turn their heads with horror at the sight of so much blood. But for the
young men and children who take part in the bloodletting, the ritual is an
honor.
“I am doing it for Imam Hussein for his sacrifice. It is my sacrifice for him,
I’m doing this since I was six,” 12-year-old Ali, who just finished his round,
tells NOW Lebanon as he rushes giggling toward the Red Cross tent to wait in
line to get stitched.
Zeinab, a 20-year-old divorced woman who came all the way from Tyre for the
ritual, stops and smiles, her face covered with blood and beaming with pride.
“Yes, I did the Haidar cut,” she explains calmly. “It’s the third year I do
this, and I do it for Hussein. It is for my nadr, my promise. I promised God I
would do this,” she says, adding that when her 2-year-old son is a little older,
she will also do the “Haidar cut” for him in honor of the imam’s sacrifice.
Her 17-year-old sister, Khouloud, catches up with her, a trickle of dried blood
coming out from under her hijab. “Not many women do this; you need some courage.
But it’s our right, there shouldn’t be discrimination. Right now I feel stronger
than a man,” the teenager says.
Once, the Ashura bloodletting ritual, which even inspires controversy among the
Shia clerics in the same town, was only performed by part of the men. But as
time went by, a few young women also started participate. “It’s somehow similar
to Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrificing his son for God. We just cut ourselves to show
our grief,” 25-year-old newly married Zeinab tells NOW Lebanon. The woman has no
veil and wears full make-up. She explains that her faith is not about
appearances. “I don’t put on a veil, but I just hit Haidar as my nadr,” she
says, while her husband, who has no trace of blood on his face nods in approval
of his wife’s words.
Ghinwa, a 20-year-old hairdresser, walks along with a group of men who are
chanting, and holds hands with her best friend, Zeina, a kindergarten teacher.
Zeina only accompanied her friend to the procession, but did not perform the
bloodletting ritual like Ghinwa because her parents don’t agree with it. “I am
not afraid. If my parents allowed it, I would have done it too,” she says,
explaining that she prayed and went to recite the story of Imam Hussein every
day since the beginning of the mourning period. “I would teach any child to be a
good believer and do the Haidar cut. It’s the least we can do to honor his
sacrifice,” she says.
By noon, the re-enactment of the Karbala battle ends and the crowd dissipates,
leaving behind the bloody pavement and the sour stench of blood. “Now the
municipality will have to clean for three days,” a Nabatieh resident says.
In three days’ time Nabatieh will host another march. Hezbollah members, who
refuse to participate in the bloodletting ritual, organize another parade to
commemorate the day Imam Hussein’s sister received the martyr’s head from his
slayers.
Clinton tells
opposition Syria must be free
By REBECCA ANNA STOIL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDEN
12/07/2011 04:01
US ambassador is returning to Damascus; secretary of state meets with Syrian
opposition in Geneva
WASHINGTON – After weeks of relative silence, the US State Department sent
strong signals of support Tuesday to the Syrian opposition, returning Ambassador
Robert Ford to Damascus with a message of support to the anti-Assad forces.
State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner announced Tuesday morning that Ford
has completed his consultations in Washington and is returning to Syria.“He will
continue the work he was doing previously, namely, delivering the United States’
message to the people of Syria, providing reliable reporting on the situation on
the ground and engaging with the full spectrum of Syrian society on how to end
the bloodshed and achieve a peaceful political transition,” Toner said. “We
believe his presence in the country is among the most effective ways to send the
message that the United States stands with the people of Syria.”
Minutes after Toner’s announcement, the department distributed remarks made
Tuesday by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a Geneva, Switzerland meeting
of the Syrian National Council – a coalition of opposition parties including the
Muslim Brotherhood, Kurdish activists and the Assyrian Democratic Organization.
The SNC is one of two anti- Assad coalitions, and is seen frequently as
exile-oriented and more right-wing than the National Coordination Committee for
Democratic Change.
Speaking before the group at the Intercontinental Hotel, Clinton complimented
the work that the organization has done in preparing a paper on democratic
transition.
“A democratic transition includes more than removing the Assad regime,” Clinton
told the group. “It means setting Syria on the path of the rule of law and
protecting the universal rights of all citizens regardless of sect or ethnicity
or gender.”
Clinton said that during her meeting with the group, they planned to discuss
“the work that the Council is doing to ensure that their plan is to reach out to
all minorities, to counter the regime’s divide-and-conquer approach, which pits
ethnic and religious groups against one another.”
Clinton called for Syrians to unite against Assad, saying that if they did so
“they together can succeed in moving their country to that better future.”
“We are well aware that there is a lot of hard work to be done,” said Clinton.
“There are many Syrians in exile who are committed to helping their country make
this transition.
And there are many Syrians in their homes and neighborhoods and communities who
are struggling against the violence and the repression to realize that better
future as well. I think Syrians both in exile and inside Syria are behaving with
great courage and commitment and are inspired and motivated by the aspirations
of freedom and democracy that are sweeping the Arab world.”
The SNC has urged the three-month-old Free Syrian Army of defectors to limit
itself to protecting civilians and not take the offensive against state
security.
But the rebel force is attacking army convoys and bases.
On Tuesday, clashes erupted between army defectors and security forces in the
town of Dael in southern Deraa province, the activist Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights said.
“There were raids and arrests... and random gunfire and stun grenades exploding
to terrify the people,” it said. All telephone lines and mobile phone
connections were cut off.
The Syrian news agency earlier reported the funerals of seven army and police
members killed in fighting with armed rebels. Syria says the latter are
“terrorists” organized and financed from abroad.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis have stalled and Syria is now the
target of international economic sanctions and a travel ban on VIPs close to the
government.
Syria has said it may sign up to a peace plan by the 22-member Arab League,
which calls for forces to be withdrawn to barracks and Arab observers allowed
into the country.
But it says, as a precondition, the Arab League would have to revoke economic
sanctions it imposed earlier this month and unblock Syria’s frozen membership of
the League.
On Tuesday, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported Syrian border guards
blocked an infiltration attempt from Turkey by about 35 “armed terrorists.”
It said some of those who came over the border were wounded and escaped back to
Turkey where they received aid from the Turkish army. The wounded were
transported in Turkish military vehicles, SANA said.
“The border guards forces suffered no injuries or losses. They warned they would
stop anyone who even thinks of touching Syria’s security or its citizens,” SANA
said.
Relations between Syria and Turkey have disintegrated since Syria began using
force to suppress the revolt. Turkey has said a buffer zone may be required on
its 900 km. border with Syria if the violence causes a mass exodus of Syrians.
Assad still has significant support in Syria despite nearly nine months of
unrest in which more than 4,000 people have been killed according to the UN.
Many Syrians have not taken sides, fearing chaos or sectarian war.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Economic sanctions on Syria double-edged sword
DAMASCUS, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The economic sanctions imposed by the Arab League
(AL) on Syria are viewed by many observers as attempts to step up pressure on
the Syrian government, but fears increase that the impacts would harm interests
of other countries as much as that would affect Syria.
Some Syrian officials and economists said the sanctions would have minor impact
on Syria's self-sufficient economy, but would provide a chance for the Syrian
industrialists' self-reliance and self-improvement.
Syrian Vice Transport Minister Mahmoud Zanboua told Xinhua that the sanctions on
Syria's import will encourage the local production as local products will enjoy
an exclusive market without competition.
Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Kayed said recently that his
country would be badly affected by the sanctions against Syria and had asked the
AL to exclude the sectors of trade and aviation from the sanctions.
According to Jordanian Minister of Industry and Trade Sami Qammo, Jordan's trade
volume with Syria since 2000 has amounted to about seven billion U.S. dollars,
including two billion dollars of exports to Syrian and five billion dollars of
imports from Syria. Turkey, Syria's northern neighbor and one of the staunchest
supporters of sanctions against Syria, would be the only loser after Syria
abrogate the free trade zone agreement between the two countries, said Hamdi al-Abdallah,
an economic analyst. The Syrian government announced on Sunday that it had
decided to suspend the free trade zone agreement in retaliation for the recent
Turkish economic sanctions. Mohammad Habash, a Syrian parliamentarian and
moderate Islamic scholar, told Xinhua that many Syrian industrialists were glad
of the decision, saying that the agreement was designed by the former Syrian
government "for the bourgeois class that was achieving its goals on the
shoulders of the poor and the underclass."
Syria's official news agency SANA reported Tuesday that the trade volume between
Syria and Turkey leapt from 400 million dollars in 2004 to 2.2 billion dollars
in 2010, and Turkey's share was about 70 percent. Lebanon and Iraq, another two
major trade partners of Syria, have been more vigilant about the affects of the
sanctions on their economies. The two countries did not vote in favor of the
sanctions during the AL meeting last week. The trade volume between Syria and
Iraq was two billion dollars in 2010 and is expected to reach up to three
billion dollars by the end of this year, and about one-third of the Syrian
exports went to Iraq, SANA said. Lebanon said it could not take part in the
sanctions against Syria because the latter is its only land passage to the Gulf
states.
Syrian Economic Minister Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar said one day after the AL
approved the sanctions that the sanctions were a " dangerous precedent that
would eventually have profound impacts on the Syrian citizen."However, "We will
depend on our economic resources and strengthen them," he said.
Khaldoun al-Mouaqe, head of the Syrian side of the Syrian- Egyptian Business
Council, underscored the necessity of exceptional decisions to facilitate the
flow of Syrian goods via all land and maritime border crossings "to comply with
the exceptional stage Syria is passing through." He also pressed for the need to
form an economic crisis team that has full executive prerogatives to handle the
current situation and be the real decision maker. He said the team should have
the power to implement decisions at the appropriate time and in accordance with
urgent and new developments.
In Syria crisis, Turkey is caught between Iran and a hard
place
Ankara has become the main foreign patron for Syrian opposition groups seeking
to overthrow Assad. Iran, which has influence over both countries, is not happy.
By Zvi Bar'el/Haaretz
We have agreed that the free Syrian army will not carry out any independent
attacks against the Syrian regime," Ahmed Ramadan, one of the heads of the
Syrian National Council, the chief opposition group, stated with satisfaction
after meeting with the commander of the Free Syrian Army. "The commander of the
free army, Col. Riyad al-Asad, agreed with us that the Syrian protest movement
will continue to be a civilian movement and that the free army would open fire
only to defend civilians or in cases of danger to life."
It is not clear whether this agreement - arrived at last Wednesday during a
secret meeting in Turkey - will last. It was the first such meeting between the
National Council and the free Syrian army, which until now have not worked
together, and it seems that the leaders are trying to set up a joint opposition
council so that they can close ranks and offer a unified plan of action.
The fear of the National Council - which includes 200 opposition members led by
Burhan Ghalioun, a Syrian intellectual living in Paris - is that wildcat attacks
like the strike on the Air Force Intelligence base at Harasta near Damascus on
November 17 and the attacks on Syrian army convoys, could play into the hands of
the regime, which has been trying since the beginning of the uprising to prove
that it is fighting a legitimate war against armed gangs. Another concern is
that the establishment of "a military arm" of the protest movement could
eventually lead to an internal power struggle between different sections of the
opposition and divert the struggle against the regime to the struggle between
the various opposition groups.
Asad, an engineer and a member of the Syrian air force who defected to set up
the free army at the end of July, now has 15,000 soldiers under his command. He
is hoping for a leadership position in the new Syria. The army he has put
together has 11 battalions that are operating in large towns across Syria. Each
one consists of companies that rely on local logistic assistance, plus weapons
and equipment seized from Syrian army bases or imported from abroad. According
to Turkish and Syrian reports, large quantities of weapons were smuggled into
Syria from Libya, via Turkey. Libyan rebels have reportedly also made the
journey to Syria to partake in the uprising. Turkey is the most important rear
base both of the free Syrian army and of the National Council, which was formed
in Istanbul in September. The Turkish decision to impose economic sanctions on
Syria turned Ankara not only into the Syrian opposition's closest ally but also
placed Turkey itself in the role of a practical alternative to Western military
intervention.
Between an ayatollah and a hard place
But Turkey is concerned that a tough stance against Syria could exact a high
price if Iran decides to flex its muscles. Last week, the commander of the
aerospace division of the Revolutionary Guards, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, warned that
"if Iran is threatened, we shall hit the NATO radar system that is going to be
placed in Turkey and then we shall attack other targets."
The Iranian foreign minister then calmed the fears of his Turkish counterpart,
assuring him that was not Tehran's policy. Tehran has other ways to put pressure
on Turkey, which imports half of its oil consumption from Iran, some 200,000
barrels daily, and is planning to increase the amount of gas it buys from there.
Speaking in October, Iranian Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, the military assistant to
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Turkey that if it did not make clear its foreign
policy, "the Turks will find themselves in trouble. If they claim they intend to
increase the scope of Turkish commerce by $20 billion, they will eventually have
to match their policies with those of Iran."
The warning was aimed at Ankara's approval for NATO to place its anti-missile
radar on Turkish soil, but it could be interpreted also as a threat against
Turkey's stance toward Bashar Assad's regime in Syria, which Iran supports.
Solving the crisis in Syria is a strategic interest for Turkey, thus its support
for the free army's Asad and his new partners. But even in Turkey, officials are
aware that the free army cannot bring down the Syrian regime on its own.
"Someone will soon have to employ heavy weapons," a source in the Foreign
Ministry in Ankara said. "Guns and revolvers are not sufficient against tanks
and helicopters." The question is, who will be the first to agree to use tanks
and planes against Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Paying your way out
A new Turkish law passed last week states that, from now on, anyone who has not
done his national duty by serving in the army can pay their way to a full
exemption.
The cost of this exemption for a Turkish citizen is the equivalent of some
$16,200, which will go to the ministry in charge of family affairs and social
policy. The money will be earmarked to help families hurt in terrorist
activities, needy families whose sons are serving in the armed forces and
disabled veterans who were wounded during service in the army or police force.
Turks who remain abroad for more than three years will be able to get an
exemption in return for 5,000 to 7,500 euros.
Under pressure from the European Union, Turkey is also examining the possibility
of exempting conscientious objectors from military service. Army service is
compulsory in Turkey and lasts for 18 months.
Inside Syria: Soldiers defecting to join rebels
ByClarissa Ward .
(CBS News) CBS News correspondent Clarissa Ward went undercover in Syria to get
a rare look at the revolution. She reports on the growing legions of former
soldiers who are joining the rebel movement.
DAMASCUS, Syria - President Obama Tuesday sent Ambassador Robert Ford back to
Syria. He was called home six weeks ago because of concerns for his safety. He's
going back, in part, to serve as a witness to Bashar Al-Assad's bloody crackdown
on protesters.
There were funerals today in Homs, where as many as 60 people were killed in 24
hours. The Syrian uprising began in March - a revolt against the 40 year
dictatorship of Bashar Assad and his father before him. Assad has tried to
conceal his crackdown by banning independent reporting. But CBS News
correspondent Clarissa Ward was recently able to slip into Syria to report
what's really going on.
Clarissa Ward blogs about witnessing a Syrian protest Ward was taken on a drive
by her guides. It wasn't a long drive, but the guides were taking no chances.
Past a government checkpoint, the car twisted along dark back roads outside the
capital city of Damascus. After a certain point in the ride, Ward was
blindfolded to protect the location of the safe house, where she would meet
members of the Free Syrian Army. Members of the Free Syrian Army speak with CBS
News correspondent Clarissa Ward in Damascus. They say the're former Syrian
soldiers who have decided to take up arms against the Assad regime.
(Credit: CBS News) They are former Syrian soldiers. They say they refused orders
to fire on their own countrymen, and so decided to take up arms against the
Assad regime. The commander spoke off-camera, for his own security. He said, "We
are fighting those who have made our children orphans and our wives, widows."
The men claim to have carried out attacks on military targets around the capital
- the heard of Assad's power base. No one know just how large the Free Syrian
Army is, but the number of defectors appears to be growing. On video posted by
the opposition, former Syrian soldiers are seen pledging to defend the Syrian
people against the Assad regime.
"Are you not concerned that if you turned into an armed conflict, civilians
might be hurt," Ward asked the Free Syrian Army men.
We did not choose to go to war, the commander said, it was imposed upon us to
protect our people and our honor.
Watch Clarissa Ward's first Inside Syria report The opposition fears the
supporters of President Assad - the Shabiha - most, not the Syrian Army. Shabiha
means thugs, but it is a play on the word for ghosts. It's a fitting description
because the Shabiha do not wear uniforms. They infiltrate protests and they are
known for their cruelty.
At the funeral of a 16-year-old boy, who the opposition says was killed by
Assad's forces, a man showed Ward a sign. It read, "The Free Syrian Army
represents and protects me."
In a smoky apartment, Ward met young activists debating late into the night
about the role of the Free Syrian Army.
"I guess it's some kind of necessary right now, to protect those innocent
people," one man said. "They're protecting people mainly."
Back at the safe house, Ward asked the soldiers what they were fighting for. One
soldier pulled out a photograph of his son. He said he's willing to sacrifice
himself so that the next generation of Syrians can be free. For his part,
President Assad describes the opposition as armed gangs seeking to divide Syria
America Can't Teach; Neither Does It Learn
Leslie J. Sacks
Los Angeles, CA
LESLIE'S BLOG: STRENGTH AND TOLERANCE
China has repeatedly and belligerently advertised their “concern” about every
plan the US has made to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons. To imagine Taiwan
as the aggressor, as a risk to mainland China, is pure sophistry. The reverse
however is everywhere evident. Yet General Liang of the People’s Liberation Army
has often in the past emphatically denounced U.S. arms sales to Taiwan as
seriously damaging China’s core interests. Clearly China feels it’s their
absolute right to liberate Taiwan from its successfully functioning democracy of
14 years (it originally obtained effective independence in 1945); and to do so
by force. Otherwise why focus like a laser on primarily weapons deals? The White
House approach is now unlimited negotiating ladled with a liberal amount of
pandering. China’s unambiguous snubs show how little this approach means to
them. Yet we seem to repeat the same mistakes, again and again with Iran,
Russia, China and others. They understand our weaknesses only too well and we
seem to now effectively hide our strengths in order to gain international
acceptance and favor. A most simple resolution to the White House’s quandary is
to call China’s bluff. Let’s drag North Korea into the discussion and link
increased arms sales to Taiwan and South Korea to conducive Chinese leverage in
denuclearizing North Korea – finally and transparently. Since North Korea is
totally dependent on China for energy, raw materials and its economic “life
blood”, China could turn off the tap and achieve critical North Korean
accommodations instantaneously. Yet it refuses. Why? Because China, not the
U.S., makes demands, communicates threats and acts the Asian bully. If they
refuse the U.S. demands then we still get to shore up militarily our good
friends and allies Taiwan and South Korea and further help balance our budget
with much needed exports. All to the good; and if they alternatively participate
in pushing recalcitrant North Korea towards denuclearization – fantastic. There
is no downside. Why is the White House so oblivious to that simplicity?
Canada Condemns Attacks in Afghanistan on Day of Ashura
(No. 362 - December 6, 2011 - 2:15 p.m. ET) Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird
today issued the following statement: “Canada strongly condemns the attacks
today in Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif that killed or wounded numerous Shia
worshipers on the Day of Ashura. There can be no justification for these
cowardly acts of religious extremism, which targeted innocent men, women and
children simply practising their faith in peace. “Canada joins with the
Government of Afghanistan in condemning these attacks in the strongest of terms,
and we hope that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. “On behalf of all
Canadians, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the families and
friends of those killed in these attacks, and I wish a speedy recovery to the
injured. We stand with the people of Afghanistan at this difficult time.”
Address by Canada to Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe Ministerial Council
No. 2011/42 - Vilnius, Lithuania - December 6, 2011
Check Against Delivery
Since the time of this organization’s founding, we have made great strides in
delivering on the goal of building a transcontinental community of nations that
is free, democratic and at peace, from Vancouver to Vladivostok. We are not
there yet, but more states than ever and more multilateral organizations than
ever are committed partners in this endeavour.
Canada will continue to work with and within these partnerships to promote the
respect of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
As peace-loving countries committed to security, we can all agree: we include
many ethnicities, but we share one humanity.
I am therefore pleased to report that Canada will be creating an Office of
Religious Freedom. The Office will promote freedom of religion and belief—and
the ability to practice one’s religion—as key objectives of Canada’s foreign
policy.
Canadians enjoy the rights and privileges that come with living in a free and
democratic society. We are also keenly aware of the struggles that religious
minorities and human rights defenders face today across the OSCE [Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe] region. This, despite the best
intentions of participating states and counter to our shared beliefs. Canada
feels it is our duty to uphold the rights of the afflicted and to give voice to
the voiceless.
Just 170 km from here, the authorities in Minsk continue to restrict the rights
and freedoms of Belarusian citizens. Canada unequivocally condemns the current
Belarusian government for its clear disregard of its international commitments
and standards for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
We deeply regret the forced closure earlier this year by Belarus of the OSCE
Office in Minsk well before its work was completed.
Canada will continue to work with other international partners and organizations
to ensure that the people of Belarus can exercise their fundamental rights.
We are pleased that Belarusian NGOs, many of which are now in exile, were able
to take part in the pre-ministerial NGO forums in Vilnius so that their voices
were heard.
Canada strongly supports Mongolia’s candidacy for the OSCE. We look forward to a
positive decision on this, here in Vilnius.
We also need to take steps to ensure that discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation is not allowed under law. It is unacceptable that people in the OSCE
region can still be attacked and imprisoned simply for their sexual orientation.
You can count on Canada’s continued support for your hard work and efforts to
adopt some meaningful outcomes.
It is Canada’s sincere hope we can work together on those in the months and
years to come.
Thank you.