LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِSeptember
14/2011
Bible Quotation for today
1 Corinthians 15/12-32: "12 Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised
from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the
dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been
raised. 14 If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and
your faith also is in vain. 15 Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because
we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up, if it
is so that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead aren’t raised, neither
has Christ been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins. 18 Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ
have perished. 19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all
men most pitiable. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became
the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since death came by man, the
resurrection of the dead also came by man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in
Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first
fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming. 24 Then the end comes, when
he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have
abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he
has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished
is death. 27 For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.”* Psalm 8:6
But when he says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that he is
excepted who subjected all things to him. 28 When all things have been subjected
to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all
things to him, that God may be all in all. 29 Or else what will they do who are
baptized for the dead? If the dead aren’t raised at all, why then are they
baptized for the dead? 30 Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I
affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die
daily. 32 If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it
profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow
we die.Ӡ Isaiah 22:13
Latest
analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases
from
miscellaneous
sources
Jihadists reformed, or reborn/By:
Hussein Ibish/September 13/11
The Syrian killing machine/By:
Tariq Alhomayed/September 13/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 13/11
Erdogan says concerned about Syria civil war
Rai says his remarks were misinterpreted
Rai’s words draw Jumblatt’s ire
Draw clear borders with Syria over Shebaa to protect Lebanon: Jumblatt
Chamoun commends Jumblatt’s policy
Raad calls for “not rushing to” judge Jumblatt
Kataeb MP Elie Marouni warns other parties may take up arms
Conflicting reports emerge over Beirut clash
Hezbollah yielding to international legitimacy: 14th of March Faries Soueid
Mikati should fund STL from his own pocket: Wiam Wahhab
Kataeb bloc MP Elie Marouni: Some parties may boycott Bkirki meeting
Aswad criticizes Jumblatt’s stances on patriarch
Mikati “protecting” lawbreakers,
says Aoun
Lebanon's Arabic press digest -
Sept. 12, 2011
Hamas calls for overthrow of Israeli-Palestinian Oslo peace accords
Erdogan: Recognizing Palestinian state ‘an obligation’
Erdogan: Israel's mentality is a barrier to Mideast peace
No US drones for Turkey until armed threat on Israel lifted
Palestinians firm on applying for statehood at UN in coming days
Israel's new tactic: Use Cairo embassy attack to argue against Palestinian statehood
Natasha Mozgovaya / Obama is not pro-Israel enough for U.S. advocacy group
After Turkey, PKK now also demanding apology from Israel
Two U.S. citizens charged with espionage in Iran granted bail
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Sept. 12, 2011
The Daily Star
Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese
newspapers Monday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these
reports.
Al-Akhbar
Mikati: We will fund the Tribunal, Hezbollah is innocent
Prime Minister Najib Mikati [in an interview with Al-Jadeed television station]
Sunday asked Hezbollah to appoint lawyers to defend the accused in the
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, stressing that the party is
innocent of the charges.
Mikati also stressed the need to reveal the fabrications resulting from the
indictment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and confirmed that the
government would continue funding the STL “out of Lebanon’s adherence to the
United Nations.”
He called for keeping the issue of the tribunal and its funding outside
bickering present in the media and stressed his belief in the principle of quiet
diplomacy.
Mikati also called on Hezbollah to “hire lawyers to take over the task of
defending the four members who have been charged in the assassination [of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri] … and that’s because I’m sure of Hezbollah’s
innocence, and if there were fabrications, let us reveal them. The tribunal
opens the door for that.”
Al-Liwaa
Gulf support for STL and calls for Lebanese to commit to national unity
Mikati: STL funding ongoing, Aoun’s remarks against Sunni [public] staff
unacceptable
Officials surprised by Rai’s statements on political Islam ... ongoing row with
March 14
Mikati's position Sunday evening somewhat calmed tensions over Lebanon’s
commitment to international resolutions, including funding of the STL, and over
attacks made by MP Michel Aoun against Sunni civil servants.
Mikati also wished “from the bottom of my heart” to see an end to the issue of
the U.S. cables relating to Lebanon which were released by WikiLeaks and have
caused a row among rival politicians.
Upon his return to Beirut, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai defended his remarks
on Syria and Hezbollah, saying those who read his statement had only focused on
the headline.
In a development that would provide an additional opportunity for Lebanon’s
stability despite internal tensions, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) renewed
its full support for Lebanon’s security, stability and national unity.
The GCC called on all Lebanese political parties to address issues with wisdom
and prudence.
A ministerial source said the GCC position was good for Lebanon ahead of a Sept.
21-22 visit by both President Michel Sleiman and Mikati to New York to attend a
U.N. Security Council meeting.
Regarding STL funding, Mikati stressed in an interview with Al-Jadeed television
station Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions without distinction
between resolution 1701 on UNIFIL’s deployment in the south and Resolution 1757,
which established the international tribunal.
Mikati pointed out that Lebanon’s non-commitment to international resolutions,
not only serves the interests of Israel, but would put the country in a
dangerous position.
The prime minister admitted that he disagreed with MP Michel Aoun over the
electricity issue as well as other issues but stressed that he is keen not to
turn disputes into a crisis.
Mikati pointed out that just like other political parties, Aoun has his own
style in dealing with things “and I respect all parties.”
However, an adamant Mikati said he would not accept anyone targeting the six
Sunni civil servants whom Aoun demanded be sacked. They are: Cabinet’s Director
General Suheil Bouji, Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, head
of the ISF Information Branch Col. Wissam Hasan, State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza,
Director General of Ojero Telecoms Abdel-Monem Youssef and chairman of the board
of Middle East Airlines Mohammad Hout.
Mikati strongly defended the six men and wondered why question marks were raised
over them. “Are others saints?” he asked.
Meanwhile, a leading Christian figure warned that Rai’s statements have become a
threat to plans to unite Christians – a goal long sought by Bkirki – adding that
uniting Christians cannot be achieved by proposing principles that contradict
those of the Maronite Church.
Al-Mustaqbal
Hezbollah warns March 14 leaders of prosecution ... Foreign Minister reiterates
government’s adherence to Syria
Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai returned from a visit to France after statements
that he made in Paris raised many questions in Christian circles, which appear
to be heading to Bkirki for answers.
Rai said his statements were not appropriately interpreted, adding that he and
fellow bishops have “realized the responsibility and realized the need to
approach the matter seriously and responsibly.”
Christian leaders, particularly Maronites, have stepped up contacts following
Rai’s return from France and agreed on the need to communicate directly with the
patriarch, seeking clarification regarding his positions and the reasons that
led him to such a position.
As-Safir
Rai does not cave in to pressure ... sticks to fundamentals
A new week begins with a controversy over Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai’s
remarks made in France and the positions of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who
confirmed Sunday his commitment to international resolutions.
Meanwhile, the electricity bill was lost on the road between Cabinet and
Parliament as sources told As-Safir that the delay in the referral of the energy
plan is due to disagreements between Mikati and Energy Minister Jibran Bassil
over the wording of the draft law.
With Rai’s return to Beirut, it appeared that the patriarch was committed to his
stance and refused to retract it under political and media pressure.
Rai only provided some clarifications and explanations that showed that the
statements he made were not impromptu or hasty, but were premeditated.
An-Nahar
Rai responds to [statement] “distortion”: We are not with or against any regime
Does the return of Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai to Beirut and clarifications
he made regarding his controversial positions during his visit to France, and
even his criticism of what he described as the “distortion” of his statements,
put an end to the wide-ranging reactions to his remarks?
During a meeting that An-Nahar attended, Rai wanted to detail some of what he
did not say in his statement upon arrival at the airport.
Rai said remarks he made in France were “abridged and out of its context and
that is why it was misunderstood.”
Rai says his remarks were misinterpreted
September 13, 2011/The Daily Star
Rai: “The internal situation is good.”
ARBANIYEH, Lebanon: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai blamed Tuesday
misinterpretation by political leaders and the media for the uproar over recent
comments he made in Paris.
“Forget about the incomplete comments that were perhaps deliberate – comments I
made in France and attributed to me were incomplete and have nothing to do with
my personal fundamental stances,” Rai said in Arbaniyeh, in the district of
Baabda.
“Don’t be influenced by what comes out in the media and the shortened headlines,
but go to the core,” Rai told Baabda lawmakers, mayors and heads of
municipalities as well as crowds who came from nearby villages to welcome the
patriarch.
“We cannot neglect anyone and we do not want to eliminate or marginalize
anyone,” he said. “Lebanon is in need of its entire people, its [political]
parties, movements and sects, but we need to build a national partnership,” Rai
added.
Rai, whose remarks on Syria and Hezbollah’s weapons triggered a nationwide
uproar, assured Lebanese that he would “not go into sectarian disputes … We are
with peace and joy to all.”
During a visit to Paris last week, Rai said regime change in Syria and the
possible emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood would pose a threat to Christians
there. Out of such concerns, Rai said Syrian President Bashar Assad should be
given a chance to carry out political reforms.
On Monday, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, MP Walid Jumblatt,
assailed Rai’s controversial statements, which also linked the fate of
Hezbollah’s arms to a Middle East peace settlement, saying Lebanon could not
remain hostage to regional conflicts.
Jumblatt also disputed Rai’s warning that regime change in Syria and the
possible emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood would pose a threat to the
Christians there.
Members of Lebanon’s March 14 opposition have also criticized Rai’s statements
while members in the March 8 coalition have voiced their approval of the
patriarch’s statements.
Rai’s words draw Jumblatt’s ire
September 13, 2011
By Hussein Dakroub/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: MP Walid Jumblatt assailed Monday Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai’s
controversial statements that linked the fate of Hezbollah’s arms to a Middle
East peace settlement, saying Lebanon cannot remain hostage to regional
conflicts.
Jumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, also disputed Rai’s warning
that a regime change in Syria and the possible emergence of the Muslim
Brotherhood would pose a threat to the Christians there.
Jumblatt’s comments were the toughest response so far to Rai’s remarks on Syria
and Hezbollah’s arms which have evoked a nationwide controversy in Lebanon,
drawing harsh criticisms from the opposition March 14 parties, while gaining
praise from Hezbollah and its March 8 allies.
Lebanon’s leading March 14 Maronite groups, the Kataeb (Phalange) Party and the
Lebanese Forces, have so far refrained from commenting on Rai’s statements,
saying they wanted to meet the patriarch to seek clarifications before
commenting.
“Linking the fate of Lebanon to the liberation of the Shebaa Farms and linking
its future to all the region’s conflicts are rejected,” Jumblatt said in his
weekly article to be published by the PSP’s weekly newspaper Al-Anbaa Tuesday.
“Therefore, the [Lebanese-Syrian] borders must be demarcated. This demand had
been unanimously approved at the National Dialogue [conference] in 2006,” he
said.
Jumblatt recalled the agreement reached by rival leaders from the March 8 and
March 14 camps during the 2006 National Dialogue conference on the U.N.-backed
Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the defining and demarcation of the
Lebanese-Syrian borders, namely in the Shebaa Farms, and the removal of
Palestinian arms outside the camps. He said Hezbollah’s arms were the remaining
issue to be tackled.
“While affirming the defensive significance represented by the resistance’s
arms, it is essential to draw up a defensive plan through which [Hezbollah’s]
arms are gradually accommodated in the framework of the Lebanese state as
provided for by the [2008] Doha Accord in order to bolster the Lebanese state’s
capability to confront any possible Israeli aggression,” Jumblatt said.
Speaking to reporters in Paris and in an interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya
satellite channel during his one-week visit to France last week, Rai linked the
fate of Hezbollah’s arms to the termination of Israeli occupation of Lebanese
territory and the return of an estimated 350,000 Palestinian refugees to their
homes in Palestine. He urged the international community to exert pressure on
Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
Rai also said that Syrian President Bashar Assad should be given a chance to
carry out political reforms in the face of protesters demanding his ouster. He
also warned that the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria posed a threat to
the Christians there.
Rai’s remarks drew harsh criticisms from some March 14 politicians who said that
the patriarch’s comments on the divisive issue of Hezbollah ran contrary to the
concept of state building and contradicted with the Maronite Church’s
long-standing position in support of state authority.
Responding to Rai’s statements, Jumblatt said: “Linking [Hezbollah’s] arms to
the issue of resettlement [of Palestinians] will keep Lebanon held up
indefinitely in the framework of regional conflicts. All Arab and regional
parties have recognized the Palestinian state. The Palestinians alone are
capable of achieving this goal without any tutelage from anyone.”
The PSP leader indirectly scoffed at Rai’s fears that the rise of fundamentalist
Muslim groups in Syria would threaten the presence of Christians there. “The
scarring remarks said about the rise of Salafist or fundamentalist movements are
inaccurate and are used as scarecrows because the popular demands are
indivisible. They are axiomatic and basic rights for all the peoples on earth
without discrimination,” Jumblatt said.
Addressing his words to Rai, Jumblatt said: “If some circles are concerned about
the Christian presence in Lebanon, the best way that enables Patriarch Rai, who
is entrusted with this presence in Lebanon and in the Levant and has a wide
experience in the Church’s work, to follow in this respect is to form a
committee of Christian financiers to prevent the sale of [Christian] lands, and
probably exploit the Church’s properties to help poor Christians who emigrate to
earn their living.”
On his return to Beirut Sunday, Rai hit back at his critics and defended his
remarks on Syria and Hezbollah’s arms which sparked a political storm in the
Christian heartland. He said his statements were misinterpreted by some March 14
Maronite politicians.
The opposition March 14 parties, including former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s
Future Movement, have launched blistering campaigns against Hezbollah, calling
on the party to surrender its arms to Lebanese authorities. They have also
accused Hezbollah of running its own mini-state at the expense of state
authority.
Rai met Monday night with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, who has
praised the patriarch’s remarks on Syria and Hezbollah’s arms.
Following the meeting at the patriarch’s seat in Bkirki, north of Beirut, Aoun
told reporters: “It is normal to visit his Beatitude to congratulate him on his
safe return. Of course, it is not new for us to support his attitudes because he
is entrusted with the Synod for Lebanon and the Synod for the Levant.”
Rai also met separately Monday with some March 14 figures, including former
minister Nayla Mouawad, MPs Marwan Hamadeh, Henry Helou and Antoine Saad. He
also met with former minister Khalil Hrawi, Joyce Gemayel, wife of Kataeb Party
leader Amin Gemayel, and journalist May Chidiac.
Meanwhile, French Ambassador to Lebanon Dennis Pietton described Rai’s visit to
France as “successful,” but expressed regret that the patriarch’s statements on
Syria and Hezbollah’s arms had caused divisions among the Lebanese.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand
Serail, Pietton said Rai’s visit to France was “important” during which the
patriarch met a number of French officials, including President Nicholas Sarkozy,
to discuss Lebanese-French ties, the popular uprisings in the Arab world,
including the situation Syria, the STL and the work of the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon.
“But we regret that the patriarch’s visit had aroused this quantity of debate
over his statements … We regret that this visit, which was successful and gave
the patriarch a chance to express his opinion, had touched off this debate and
divisions among the Lebanese in the Lebanese political arena,” Pietton said.
Mikati “protecting” lawbreakers, says Aoun
September 13, 2011
Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday accused Prime Minister
Najib Mikati of “protecting” government officials who are “violating”
regulations. “Every time the PM issues a statement, he uses sectarian rhetoric…
He says that the Sunnis are targeted…[but] they are not,” Aoun told the press in
a reference to Mikati’s Sunday interview with New TV. “No Mister Premier, the
Sunnis are not targeted, you are protecting people [in the government] and you
insist on violating [the law]. You will assume responsibility,” Aoun added
following his bloc’s weekly meeting. He said that the Sunni premier “is the one
who has the solution,” adding that Mikati is “violating the law” when choosing
not to dissolve “the illegal” Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces
(ISF). Asked about funding the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), the
Change and Reform bloc leader said that he “does not approve” of it. “Even if
Hezbollah approves [of the court,] I do not. Why [should we allow] the UN to
violate our constitution?” The MP added that the Lebanese government’s request
to the UN to establish the STL was “smuggled,” a reference to the cabinet’s UN
demand to set the court following the resignation of the Shia ministers in
December 2006. He also asked, “How can [anyone] speak about human rights while
the Palestinians have been homeless for 63 years and Israel is a racist state,
living in disharmony with the international community?” On Sunday, Mikati called
on Hezbollah to submit its alleged evidence to the STL, which is probing former
PM Rafik Hariri’s 2005 murder, and to assign lawyers to defend itself. The
tribunal indicted last month four Hezbollah members for Rafik Hariri’s murder.
However, the Shia group ruled out the arrest of the four suspects. Aoun has
repeatedly campaigned against the ISF Information Branch, which arrested
Brigadier General Fayez Karam—a member of Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement—in
August 2010 after suspecting his collaboration with Israel. Lebanon's
military court earlier this month sentenced Karam to two years in prison for
leaking information to Israel.
-NOW Lebanon
Chamoun commends Jumblatt’s policy
September 13, 2011 /National Liberal Party leader MP Dori Chamoun commended on
Tuesday the policy adopted lately by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid
Jumblatt.
“Unfortunately, he could have adopted that policy in the first place,” Chamoun
told Al-Akhbar al-Yawm news agency.
Chamoun also said that “Jumblatt felt that he can no longer continue on the
[wrong] political track, and had to return to the origins.”
Chamoun noted that “the Free Patriotic Movement [Change and Reform bloc leader
MP Michel Aoun’s party] does not ask Hezbollah if it is still planning on
establishing an Islamic republic… therefore, we do not know where we are
heading.”Jumblatt, in his weekly article in Al-Anbaa newspaper, refused “linking
Lebanon’s fate with the liberation of Shebaa farms or with regional
conflicts.”Regarding the Syrian uprising, Chamoun said that he expects the
Syrian regime to fall soon, “which will make Hezbollah lose Syrian support.”
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s troops have cracked down on protests against
almost five decades of Baath Party rule which broke out mid-March, killing over
2,600 people, according to UN Human Rights committee, and triggering a torrent
of international condemnation. Lebanon's political scene is split between
supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad regime, led by Hezbollah, and a
pro-Western camp headed by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.-NOW Lebanon
The Syrian killing machine
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
A statement issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministerial meeting has
demanded “an immediate halt to the killing machine” in Syria. The question here
is: Is the term “killing machine” a new one, or have we already heard it with
regards to what is happening in Syria?
Certainly, the expression is not new; we heard it in the historic address of the
King of Saudi Arabia towards Syria. At the time, the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz demanded the need to stop the “killing
machine” in Syria. Of course, by questioning this expression, the key point is
not that Gulf States have jointly adopted a unified position towards Syria, or
that they borrowed the expression from the Saudi King, but the key point is that
the GCC have demanded “an immediate halt to the killing machine” in Syria, over
33 days after the Saudi King’s speech, which means that nothing has changed in
Syria, despite the promises made by al-Assad to everyone who visited Damascus.
Indeed, the situation is getting worse there.
The pressing and frequent calls for Arab ambassadors to withdraw from Damascus,
and freeze Syria’s membership in the Arab League, are not hasty or emotional
demands. Rather, they are realistic demands in response to the behavior of the
al-Assad regime, which does not fulfill its promises and does not respect its
pledges. So why continue to give opportunities to the al-Assad regime, and why
are Arab officials wasting time coming and going to Damascus? This only means
more dead Syrians, which in turn means the tension heightens, and the situation
may explode, God forbid.
The Syrian demonstrators are distinguished by their discipline, their commitment
to peace, and by distancing themselves from sectarianism, throughout the six
months of the Syrian revolution. But the question here is: Who can guarantee
that this will continue to be the case? Of course, no one can say for sure, but
the delayed issuance of firm Arab and international stances towards the
situation in Syria makes matters more complex, particularly as it is now clear
that there is no opportunity for the al-Assad regime to quell the revolution,
and the regime cannot accommodate it in any way. The regime is beyond repair,
and its hands are stained with the blood of unarmed Syrians. Therefore, our
intransigence when it comes to dealing with the Syrian state of affairs, either
through genuine stances from the Arab League or international mobilization to
pressure the Security Council to adopt critical resolutions, will prolong the
Syrian crisis, just as we have prolonged the Syrians’ suffering.
Today the Arabs must take a firm stance towards Syria just as they took a firm
stance against Gaddafi in Libya, especially as the Syrians are demanding
international protection. The delay is harmful; the reality of the Syrian crisis
is being exacerbated and accelerating, and more is needed today than was
required yesterday. The time has come, for example, to impose an air embargo
over Syria, and provide a demilitarized zone inside Syrian territory, close to
the Turkish border, under the cover of NATO and the Arab League.
In summary, I would say that the Syrian “killing machine” has not, and will not
stop, despite all opportunities granted to the al-Assad regime. Thus it is time
for a new machine, designed to protect the Syrians. This must move quickly with
a concerted Arab effort, after what happened in Libya.
Jihadists reformed, or reborn?
Hussein Ibish, /Now Lebanon
September 13, 2011
One of the most extraordinary stories coming out of the unfolding Arab uprisings
is that of Abdelhakim Belhaj, a key figure in the military forces supporting the
Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) and leader of the so-called Tripoli
Military Council (TMC). Belhaj is reported to have led some 600 men—many of whom
supposedly, like him, gained military experience during the Afghan war—in the
crucial assault on Moammar al-Qaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli.
Belhaj reportedly accompanied NTC President Mustafa Abdel Jalil to key meetings
in France and Qatar to help organize foreign support during the uprising. He
also oversaw Abdel Jalil’s chaotic and rapturous entry into the Libyan capital
as the leader of the de facto new Libyan government. Belhaj is therefore, in
every way, a key figure in the NTC military alliance, if not its political
leadership.
What is remarkable is that Belhaj’s history suggests that he has been not only
an Islamist, but a Salafist-Jihadist with ties to the Afghan mujahideen, the
Taliban, al Qaeda, and the notorious Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He was the leader of
the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), an extreme Muslim organization
fighting to overthrow Qaddafi.
In 2004, when the West was cooperating with Qaddafi following the invasion of
Iraq, Belhaj was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, at the behest of Western
intelligence services and subjected to “special rendition” to Libya followed by
a lengthy incarceration and torture. He was released last year as part of a
“de-radicalization” program overseen by Qaddafi’s son, Seif al-Islam. Belhaj is
not the only member of the LIFG to have emerged as part of the NTC coalition.
Others include Ismail al-Salabi, Abdelhakim al-Hasidi and Ali Salabi.
Qaddafi always claimed that the core of the uprising against him was “al Qaeda,”
and although the LIFG was never a member of any formal al Qaeda coalition, it
clearly was on the extreme Salafist-Jihadist, “takfiri” end of the Islamist
spectrum. In the West, opponents of the limited military intervention, from both
the left and the right, are claiming that al Qaeda now rules in Tripoli and that
the West has been “conned” into supporting the worst kind of Muslim radicals.
Belhaj for his part claims to be a transformed man, a Libyan patriot and a loyal
member of a large and diverse coalition. Thus far, most of what he and his
fellow former LIFG colleagues have said and done seems to lend credence to those
claims.
This raises a fascinating and novel narrative in the Arab uprisings: Former
extremists and Salafist-Jihadists are maybe being transformed into religiously
conservative but patriotic members of broad coalitions that are nationalistic
and willing to engage in compromises and power-sharing arrangements. Indeed, so
far they appear to be not only loyal members of the NTC, but have also generally
subordinated themselves to its political leadership. Belhaj seems either to be
accepting the authority of a broader political leadership or making his own
decisions that seem to reflect a genuinely transformed worldview.
All is not sweetness and light, however. There are worrying reports that
attempts to discipline Belhaj’s Tripoli Military Council by NTC chair Mahmoud
Jibril were rejected by the TMC spokesman, Anees al-Sharif, who said, “We will
not accept Jibril’s authority over us.” But one should not overestimate the
impact of inevitable moments of friction within a diverse coalition in which
lines of authority are still being drawn.
Whether or not Belhaj and his colleagues have really been transformed as they
claim and seem to have been, or whether they are simply strategically
positioning themselves and are still guided by their old ideology, remains to be
determined. But if their metamorphosis is real, this may presage a new and
important Arab political narrative whereby extreme Islamists can become part of
diverse nationalist coalitions. As Omar Ashour of the University of Exeter has
pointed out, this renunciation of violence would echo that of Egypt’s Al-Gamaa
al-Islamiyya, reflecting a willingness of hitherto extremist groups to join
political systems that are more pluralistic than such groups’ previous
ideologies would have allowed. There is reason to hope that this development is
part of a pattern whereby once violent jihadists are participating in national
transformations by embracing political competition rather than a violent
imposition of their worldview. A decade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the
Arab uprising—with their demands for democracy, elections and pluralistic
systems—along with other factors, may at long last be dealing a death blow to al
Qaeda-style violent Islamism. This offers former Jihadists a transformed
ideology and perspective, and a new model for political engagement. If the
emerging narrative of the transformation of Abdelhakim Belhaj proves accurate,
it will be among the more encouraging outcomes of this period of Arab uprisings,
reflecting how these have contributed to tempering some of the most extreme
forms of Muslim radicalism.
Hussein Ibish is a senior research fellow at the American Task Force on
Palestine and blogs at www.Ibishblog.com.
Erdogan: Recognizing Palestinian state ‘an obligation’
September 13, 2011 /Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Arab
foreign ministers Tuesday that recognition of a Palestinian state was an
obligation, as the Palestinians prepare to submit a bid for UN membership.
"Recognizing the Palestinian state is not an option, it is an obligation,"
Erdogan said at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo.
"Before the end of this year, we will see Palestine at the United Nations in a
very different situation," he said. "We must work hand in hand with our
Palestinian brothers. The Palestinian cause is the cause of human dignity,"
added Erdogan, who has become an increasingly strident critic of Turkey's
longtime ally Israel. The Palestinians are preparing to submit a formal request
to become the 194th member of the United Nations when the General Assembly
begins its meetings on September 20, despite US and Israeli opposition. Late on
Monday, Arab foreign ministers agreed to marshal support for the Palestinian
bid.-AFP/NOW Lebanon
Displaced Minister of the Displaced Alaeddine Terro : PSP supports Hezbollah’s
weapons but not for domestic use
September 13, 2011 /Displaced Minister of the Displaced Alaeddine Terro said on
Tuesday that his party, the Progressive Socialist Party, supports Hezbollah’s
weapons but rejects their use domestically. “We [support] the Resistance’s arms
and we will not change our position, but we oppose the domestic use [of arms],”
he told New TV station. Terro also reiterated his party’s position on the power
plan, saying that “what is important is to provide electricity to the people.”
Following a long dispute between ministers, the cabinet approved the electricity
plan to transfer funds to the Energy Ministry and increase energy output to 700
megawatts.-NOW Lebanon
Kataeb bloc MP Elie Marouni: Some parties may boycott Bkirki meeting
September 13, 2011 /Kataeb bloc MP Elie Marouni said on Tuesday that some might
boycott the upcoming meeting between Christian parties and Maronite Patriarch
Bechara Boutros al-Rai in Bkirki. Christian party leaders and Rai are scheduled
to hold a sit-down on September 23 to discuss the electoral law of the upcoming
2013 Parliamentary elections.
“The Kataeb Party is accustomed to attend every dialogue session to voice its
position, but let’s see if this meeting will actually take place; because it
seems that some parties will boycott the Bkirki meeting,” he told Voice of
Lebanon (100.5) radio. Marouni also said that his party leader, Amin Gemayel,
will meet with the patriarch to discuss the latter’s recent statements on
Hezbollah and Syria. However, no further information was disclosed. The
patriarch has faced criticism by some figures of the Western-backed March 14
coalition after his recent statements supporting Hezbollah’s weapons and the
Syrian regime. Al-Jumhuriya newspaper reported on Monday that Lebanese Forces
leader Samir Geagea will not continue participating in Christian meetings held
by the patriarch if the latter sticks to his positions.The patriarch said last
week that the international community must help “liberate the land [occupied by
Israel],” adding that “only [after the land is liberated] we will ask Hezbollah
to hand over its weapons.” He also said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is
“open-minded” and should be given more chances to implement reforms. Assad’s
troops have cracked down on protests against almost five decades of Baath Party
rule which broke out mid-March, killing over 2,600 people, according to UN Human
Rights committee, and triggering a torrent of international condemnation.-NOW
Lebanon
Raad calls for “not rushing to” judge Jumblatt
September 13, 2011
Hezbollah MP Mohammad Raad on Tuesday called for “not rushing into” drawing
conclusions about Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s recent
position regarding Hezbollah’s arms use. “Let us discuss [instead] the upcoming
elections,” Raad added after Jumblatt said on Monday that Lebanon’s defense
strategy “must be set to engage [Hezbollah’s] weapons in the framework of the
state.” Asked whether Jumblatt’s views are “strategic or tactic,” Raad said,
“Let us wait until [his stances] are clarified.”In a reference to the PSP
leader’s rejection to link Lebanon’s fate with the fate of the disputed Shebaa
farms territory, Raad said that Jumblatt should not back political equations
“that do not [make any difference.]”Jumblatt, in his weekly article in Al-Anbaa
newspaper, refused “linking Lebanon’s fate with the liberation of Shebaa farms
or with regional conflicts.”
Regarding the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s refusal of to give
former head of Lebanon’s General Security Jamil as-Sayyed the files he is
requesting, the Hezbollah MP said that “the STL is politicized and all those who
work in it are employees of international intelligence services.”Jamil as-Sayyed,
one of the four generals arrested for allegedly being involved in the 2005
assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri, was later released in 2009 due to lack
of evidence. He has requested from the president of the STL, Antonio Cassese,
access to his investigation files.The STL indicted last month four Hezbollah
members for Rafik Hariri’s murder. However, the Shia group ruled out the arrest
of the four suspects.
-NOW Lebanon
Aswad criticizes Jumblatt’s stances on patriarch
September 13, 2011 /Change and Reform bloc MP Ziad Aswad on Tuesday criticized
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt, saying that the latter
should not “preach” to Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai. “We do not
accept that anyone preaches to [the patriarch],” Aswad added after Jumblatt said
that Rai should form a committee of Christian businessmen to prevent the sale of
lands “if he is concerned about the Christian presence in Lebanon.”“Those who
want [the patriarch] to have a role should in turn grant one to their sect
instead of limiting it to one person,” Aswad added in a reference to Jumblatt.
He also told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency that Jumblatt should “begin by
[following his] own lessons instead of giving them to others.” The PSP leader
said in remarks published by Al-Anbaa newspaper that “if Rai is concerned about
the presence of Christians in Lebanon, he should form a committee of Christian
[businessmen] that prevents the sale of lands, and liquidate the church’s lands
in favor of the poor [Christians] who immigrate to earn a living.”-NOW Lebanon
Draw clear borders with Syria over Shebaa to protect Lebanon: Jumblatt
September 12, 2011/The Daily Star/BEIRUT: Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt Monday urged Lebanese
lawmakers to remove Lebanon from the dispute over the Shebaa Farms by drawing
clear borders with Syria.
In his weekly statement to Al Anbaa newspaper, Jumblatt urged lawmakers to
resolve disputes in an attempt to protect the country from falling prey to
regional and domestic conflict.Lebanon, backed by Syria, maintains that the Shebaa Farms, a small plot of land
where Israel, Syria and Lebanon intersect, and occupied by Israel since 1967, is
Lebanese territory and therefore a point of dispute with Israel. Israel claims
the land was formerly in Syrian territory. Syria has agreed with the Lebanese
view, but has rejected official demarcation.Lebanon's claim to the land has been used to justify Hezbollah's arms.
“Linking Lebanon’s fate with the liberation of the Shebaa Farms and linking
[Lebanon’s] future with regional conflicts is unacceptable. Therefore, we should
draw the borders,” Jumblatt said.
According to Jumblatt, the resolution to the issue of Hezbollah’s arms, which
the March 14 coalition describe as illegal and outside the jurisdiction of the
state, lies in drawing a national defense strategy capable of “absorbing
Hezbollah’s arsenal within the framework of the Lebanese state” in a bid to
reinforce the states’ ability to fend off Israeli aggression.
The PSP leader also touched upon Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai’s recent
comments that changing the current Syrian government could threaten Christians
in the country and the region.
“If some elements are concerned for the Christian presence in Lebanon, then the
best method that the patriarch should adopt … is to form a committee of
Christian investors to prevent land selling and maybe use the Church’s property
for the sake of the Christian poor who have to emigrate to live in better
conditions,” Jumblatt said.
Jumblatt also reiterated his stance regarding the situation in Syria, rejecting
foreign intervention while urging speedy implementation of political reforms.
Kataeb MP Elie Marouni warns other parties may take up arms
September 13, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIUT: Kataeb MP Elie Marouni warned Tuesday that lack of a solution to the
issue of Hezbollah’s weapons could drive other Lebanese parties to take up arms
to free the disputed Shebaa Farms and repatriate Palestinians to their homeland.
The politician also warned that street protests could erupt demanding that
Hezbollah disarm.
“It is high time for the state to take decisive steps to remedy this issue
[Hezbolla’s weapons] otherwise we will reach a situation where others [parties]
will take up arms to also free the Shebaa Farms and [help] return the
Palestinians,” Marouni told a local radio station Tuesday.
Marouni also warned against allowing “the situation to continue, otherwise the
people will take to the street and will call on them to leave.”Marouni’s comments come a day after Kataeb party head former President Amine
Gemayel launched a scathing attack on Hezbollah, describing the group’s weapons
as “sectarian and partisan arms” that threaten the country.
In his interview Tuesday, Marouni also said his party would not boycott a
meeting of Maronite leaders due to take place this month after the controversial
statements made by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai on the crisis in the Syria and
the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons.
“Just like we regard the presidency as a guarantee for the Kataeb party, Bkirki
is also a guarantee … the Kataeb party will not boycott the meeting of Maronite
leaders,” Marouni said, referring to an expected reconciliation meeting among
the main Maronite parties in Lebanon.
During a visit to Paris last week, Rai said regime change in Syria and the
possible emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood would pose a threat to Christians
there. Out of such concerns, Rai said Syrian President Bashar Assad should be
given a chance to carry out political reforms.
The Maronite patriarch also linked the fate of Hezbollah’s weapons to the end of
Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory and the return of an estimated 350,000
Palestinian refugees to their homes in Palestine. He urged the international
community to exert pressure on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
Rai’s remarks drew harsh criticism from some March 14 politicians who said the
comments about Hezbollah ran contrary to the concept of state building and
contradicted with the Maronite Church’s long-standing position in support of
state authority.
In his interview Tuesday, Marouni said the jury was still out on how to
interpret Rai’s statement’s, “given that Patriarch Rai clarified at the airport
that his comments had been incomplete.”Marouni also said Gemayel and other officials would meet Rai and urge him to
“correct what was said so that [Bkirki] can return to being a haven for all
believers in freedom, sovereignty and reform.”
Conflicting reports emerge over Beirut clash
September 13, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Conflicting accounts emerged Tuesday regarding the armed clashes on the
outskirts of a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with some
reports saying 10 Hezbollah members were wounded.
A security source told The Daily Star Tuesday that the fight, which involved
machine guns and hand grenades, erupted around 6:30 p.m. Monday when a group of
Hezbollah members attempted to enter a predominantly-Kurdish neighborhood on the
edge of Bourj al-Barajneh refugee camp in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Hezbollah members traded fire with a group of men from the Kurdish Omairat
family, the source said.
At least 14 people were reportedly wounded, including 10 Hezbollah members and
two Palestinians.
The wounded Hezbollah men were taken to Rasoul al-Aazam hospital near Bourj
al-Barajneh, according to the source.
The source said Hezbollah elements have denied Lebanese security forces access
to the hospital as the party tries to stop information about the fighting
becoming public.
When contacted by The Daily Star Monday, Ibrahim Moussawi, Hezbollah’s media
official, denied any involvement by the group.
Meanwhile, a Hamas official in Bourj al-Barajneh, Mashour Abdel Halim, denied
the fighting was anything other than a personal dispute.
Halim denied reports that the violence was between Hezbollah and a group of
Salafis, saying it had been triggered by two men – a Lebanese and a Palestinian
– over a parking spot.
“There is no security or political motive behind the brawl,” Halim told The
Daily Star by telephone. “The fight is purely personal.”
He said the clash, which started off as a fist fight between the two young men,
quickly developed into exchange of fire after supporters of both men got
involved.
Halim said two Palestinians were slightly wounded in the clashes which were soon
contained after the intervention of local officials and the Lebanese Army.
The security source told The Daily Star that the confrontation lasted about an
hour after which Lebanese troops stepped in and restored order in the
neighborhood.
Kataeb Party MP Elie Marouni said Tuesday that the clash is a “message to
Patriarch Rai and to all Lebanese that weapons in the hands of militias harm the
country and its security.”
Hezbollah yielding to international legitimacy: Soueid
September 13, 2011 /The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s agreeing to fund the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon indicates that Hezbollah has yielded to international legitimacy and
hails a new page in Lebanon’s history, the secretariat general coordinator of
the March 14 coalition told a Kuwaiti newspaper.
“The statements by the prime minister of the Lebanese government, which includes
Hezbollah, signifies the yielding of Hezbollah to international legitimacy,”
Fares Soueid told Al-Seyassah newspaper in quotes published Tuesday.
Arguing that Mikati’s statements that Lebanon would fund the controversial STL
could not have been arrived at without Hezbollah’s assent, Soueid said
Hezbollah’s yielding to international legitimacy “could pave the way for it to
yield to the legitimacy of the Lebanese state.”“[Mikati’s stance] means that Hezbollah has chosen to work within [the
framework] of international legitimacy and in return wants to work within the
[framework] of the legitimacy of the Lebanese state,” Soueid told Al-Seyassah,
adding the resistance group had chosen this path because Syria was too
distracted with its own internal problems and because of “the confusion facing
the Iranian regime.”
Mikati has on several occasions signaled his willingness to fund the U.N.-
backed court that has indicted four members of Hezbollah in the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, killed in 2005 by a massive car bomb
explosion in Beirut.
Ministerial sources told The Daily Star Monday Mikati’s decision to fund the STL
had been unilateral and that Lebanon would pay its share of funds without
referring to the Cabinet.
Erdogan says concerned about Syria civil war
September 13, 2011 /Daily Star
CAIRO: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was concerned Syria
could slip into civil war and that he wanted to deepen Ankara’s ties with Egypt,
in an interview published by an Egyptian newspaper on Tuesday during a visit to
Cairo.
“I fear that matters will end in civil war between the Alawites and the Sunnis,”
Erdogan told the Al-Shorouk newspaper in an interview that marked the start of
his visit to Egypt.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has sent tanks and troops to quell months
of protests against his rule, is from the minority Alawite Muslim sect. Most
Syrians are Sunni Muslims.Erdogan, who is on a tour of Arab states to boost his country’s influence in the
region, said he wanted to build a strategic partnership with Egypt, the most
populous Arab country, and that wanted to enhance economic and other ties.
“If the Arab world has several doors, then no doubt Egypt is its most important
one,” Erdogan said.
Egypt has long viewed itself as a leading voice in the Arab world but Turkey’s
influence has risen steadily with its growing economic might and its assertive
policy in the region, notably towards Israel, which has drawn praise from many
Arabs.In part of the interview published by Al-Shorouk a day earlier, Erdogan said
Israel had “not fully grasped the reality of changes that happened in the Arab
world.”Ankara expelled the Israeli ambassador in a feud over an Israeli raid last year
that killed nine Turks on a flotilla bound for the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
Israel has said it would not apologise, which Turkey has demanded.
“Israel refused even to listen to voices of reason in the West that realised the
reality of the changes in the region and called for it to apologise to Turkey to
what it did to (Turkey’s) sons that it killed,” he said.
Turkey has also engaged with its neighbour Iran, which is embroiled in a
standoff with the West over its nuclear ambitions. Iran is also a close ally of
Syria’s.
“I think that Turkey has a role in correcting the Iranian discourse (regarding
Syria).”
He added that Turkey had been in contact with Tehran and told Iran about the
“serious consequences” of the continuation of the use of force by Iran’s ally
Syria.
Erdogan has talks in Tunisia on Wednesday and is then expected to hold meetings
on Thursday in Libya, where NATO air strikes that were launched to protect
civilians helped rebels unseat long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Erdogan said Libyans should decide the country’s fate.
“Firstly, we are against international intervention in Libya. Secondly, we
believe Western countries do not have a right to Libyan oil, but it belongs to
its people,” he told the newspaper.
Mikati should fund STL from his own pocket: Wiam Wahhab
September 13, 2011/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Tawhid Movement head and former MP Wiam Wahhab said Tuesday that Lebanon
would not fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon adding that whoever wished to
fund it, could do so at their own expense.
“If Prime Minister Najib Mikati insists on funding the STL then he should do it
from his own pocket,” Wahhab said after meeting with MP Michel Aoun, head of the
Reform and Change bloc, in the Beirut suburbs of Rabieh.
Ministerial sources told The Daily Star Monday that Mikati has come to the
decision that Lebanon will pay its share of funds to the STL without referring
to the Cabinet.
The sources said that the Prime Minister’s Office could either transfer the
funds to the Foreign Ministry or the Justice Ministry, which in turn would pay
the $32 million owed this month.
According to the sources, Mikati made up his mind after his return from Paris
and in light of what he heard from European and U.S. officials regarding the
repercussions of a failure to implement U.N. resolutions related to the STL.
The sources explained that Mikati could not bear the “disasters” that would
befall Lebanon as a result of a decision to not pay Lebanon’s financial
contribution.
Mikati did not coordinate his decision with Hezbollah or any other party
represented in the Cabinet, the sources said, adding that the prime minister
would convey what he was told in Paris that led to his decision to the factions
in the Cabinet, chief among them Hezbollah.
The same sources said it was likely that Hezbollah would oppose such a step but
would not make it a subject of division inside the Cabinet or make threats to
withdraw its ministers from the Cabinet if the move was taken.
Gemayel cousins compete for influence in Kataeb Party
September 13, 2011 /By Van Meguerditchian The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Cousins Sami and Nadim Gemayel have much in common: They are both
lawmakers – Sami represents Metn and Nadim is an MP for Beirut – and sons of
former Lebanese presidents.
And now, the two are expected by many to compete with each other for influence
within the Kataeb (Phalange) Party.
While several sources from the Kataeb Party deny any rivalry between Sami and
Nadim, they allow that there is some “constructive competition.”Nadim was not fully involved in Kataeb politics until being elected as MP in the
2009 parliamentary elections.
Shortly before taking office in 1982, and four months after Nadim was born,
President-elect Bachir Gemayel, Nadim’s father, was assassinated in Ashrafieh.
In a news conference Monday, Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel told The Daily
Star that democratic elections took place in a transparent manner last month and
the party remains a stage for all opinions.
Last month, more than 350 Kataeb members elected 16 new members for the party’s
political bureau.
“When there is a decision by the party agreed upon by the politburo … the party
leader announces it and that becomes the official party stance,” said Gemayel.
As the more outspoken of the cousins, and son of former President Amin Gemayel,
Sami became more deeply involved in Kataeb politics after the assassination of
his brother, Pierre Gemayel, in 2006.
In the wake of the March 14 revolution in 2005, Sami, wary of the traditional
Lebanese parties, set out to establish the organization Loubnanouna, or “Our
Lebanon,” with several other Lebanese activists.
But “political necessities and developments in the country following the
assassination of his older brother drove Sami back to the Kataeb Party,” a
high-ranking source in the party told The Daily Star.
According to the source, Sami has also built a bigger constituency than Nadim in
the party. “This was clear in last month’s party elections,” the source told the
Daily Star Monday.
The source said that four candidates for Kataeb’s top office were supported by
Nadim, but only one of them won.
But, “There are no serious problems between Nadim and Sami … each of them has an
important role within the party and Nadim would remain uncontested by other
party members in Ashrafieh,” the source explained, in reference to Nadim’s
position as lawmaker for Beirut.
But tight competition is likely to continue behind the doors of the party
between the two young lawyers.
Sami, 31, graduated with a degree in law from Saint Joseph University, while
29-year-old Nadim received his law degree from Pantheon-Assas Paris II
University.
Speaking to The Daily Star over the telephone, Nadim refused to comment on any
rivalry with Sami. “Our relations are within the institutions of the Kataeb
Party,” said Nadim.
Former Minister of Social Affairs and Kataeb Party member, Salim Sayegh, also
denied that there is any polarization within the party.
“Competition has always existed in the Kataeb Party and the competition today is
not limited to between two individuals,” said Sayegh.
According to Sayegh, there is competition between strong personalities in
Kataeb, but the party only has one leader.
No US drones for Turkey until armed
threat on Israel lifted
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 13, 2011
The Obama administration has turned down a Turkish request
for drones or for the deployment of US Predators at Turkish bases until Ankara
stops threatening Israel with armed attack, debkafile's military and Washington
sources report. Turkey has no functioning unmanned aerial vehicles at present.
The "technical problems" grounding the Herons Israel sold Ankara have crippled
the Turkish army's campaign against the Kurdish PKK rebels – both in northern
Iraq and in southeast Turkey.
In recent days, therefore, the rebels have stepped up their raids on Turkish
territory, killing nine people including army and police personnel.
Israeli officialdom and military chiefs are doing their utmost to keep the lid
on the spiraling Turkish-Israel confrontation, claiming that a military clash is
not imminent because the US, NATO and Europe won't let it happen. Turkey is
after all a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However,
debkafile's military sources report, the confrontation has already broken
surface. Despite Western efforts to contain the rising tension, the armed
conflict has quietly begun.
Our sources confirm that the Ankara press report of three Turkish frigates bound
for the eastern Mediteranean to challenge and disarm Israel warships outside its
12-mile territorial waters was deliberately leaked by Prime Minister Tayyip
Erdogan's office to coincide with his trip to Cairo.
Israeli officials are making every effort to conceal the arrival of the frigates
opposite Israeli waters, while Washington, the NATO command in Brussels try to
dissuade Turkey from carrying out its threat to disable the weapons of Israel
naval vessels.They fear that a firefight would drive the Israel-Turkish crisis
into uncharted waters.
Since Saturday, Sept. 10, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has been
in direct touch with Erdogan and warned him that a military clash by a NATO
member with the Israeli Navy would have grave consequences for Turkey's future
military ties with the US and the alliance.
Our sources explain that the denial of advanced US intelligence technology on
the heels of its cutoff from Israel would present the Turkish army with serious
operational, intelligence and high-tech difficulties. These difficulties are
already hobbling Ankara's counterinsurgency campaign against the PKK at a
critical juncture.
Since Aug. 17, a full-blown war has been underway against PKK strongholds in
northern Iraq – generally unnoticed in the West and in Israel. The US, Turkey,
Iran and the Kurdish Regional Government of northern Iraqi have formed an
improbable coalition to cooperate in extinguishing the Kurdish rebellions staged
by the PKK against Turkey and the PJAK against Iran.The US has confined its role
to relaying intelligence collected by its drones to the Turkish military and
from its observation posts on the northern Iraqi-Iranian border to Iranian
Revolutionary Guards units.
The data is processed through the KRG government in Irbil. The KRG has made its
army's military and intelligence commands available for coordinating the
allies's operations through its territory. Turkish special operations units are
backed by Turkish air strikes and coordinate their operations with the Americans
and the Iranians.
The main battlefields are the Qandil Mountains region, Sinath-Haftanin, Hakurk
and Gara.
The Turkish effort is impeded by three problems:
1. They are short of the knowhow for operating the intelligence and technical
systems of the 10 Heron drones purchased from Israel since they expelled the
Israeli technicians operating and keeping them in order last year. Ankara says
two of the drones are "non-operational" and three others suffer from intractable
engine problems.
Five more were shipped back to Israel because of a Turkish complaint that they
never reached the altitudes guaranteed by Israel's aerospace industries.
debkafile's sources report that test flights carried out in Israel showed
nothing wrong with the drones' altitude capability.
2. The home-made Turkish drones (ANKA) brought into service were unable to climb
high enough to perform over the rebel hideouts perched in the lofty Qandil
mountain peaks. They also lacked the electronics for relaying surveillance data
to their command center.
3. Both Tehran and Ankara have no doubt that the intelligence data released to
them by the US military in the course of the counterinsurgency campaign is
partial and limited. The complete picture remains exclusively in American hands.
, Turkey sought the deployment of US Predators on its soil to fill the gap. That
request was spurned until Prime Minister Erdogan backs away from his aggressive
stance against Israel. For those reasons, Turkish Interior Minister Idris Naim
Sahin announced Tuesday that his country would launch a cross-border ground
offensive against the PKK in northern Iraq at any time. Our military sources
report that Ankara is pondering the same sort of campaign as Israel launched in
Gaza against Hamas terrorism in Dec. 2008. It aims to demonstrate Turkey's
ability to defeat the Kurdish rebels without US or Israeli drones. Israel was
wrongly accused of threatening to play the Kurdish card against the Erdogan
government in reprisal for those threats. The fact is that Turkey is playing the
Kurdish card against itself.