LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
February 02/2012

Bible Quotation for today/Turn from Your Sins or Die
Luke 13/01-05: "1 At that time some people were there who told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices to God. Jesus answered them, Because those Galileans were killed in that way, do you think it proves that they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did. What about those eighteen people in Siloam who were killed when the tower fell on them? Do you suppose this proves that they were worse than all the other people living in Jerusalem? No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Al-Assad’s fall is inevitable/By Tariq Alhomayed/February 01/12
The “enlightened” Egyptian president/By Ali Ibrahim/ February 01/12
Zvi Bar'el/Can Jordan's king stop the Arab Spring from sweeping his nation/February 01/12
Russia’s business with Syria/By: Ana Maria Luca/February 01/12

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for February 01/12
Half of Syria no longer under Assad's control, opposition says
Assad may start regional war if UN tells him to step down – Gulf sources
Free Syrian Army Ready for the battle for Damascus
Iran says 11 Iranian pilgrims kidnapped in Syria
Russia says U.N. must rule out Syria intervention
UN nuclear inspectors upbeat on Iran visit, but say further talks needed
Mossad chief holds secret U.S. meetings on Iran nuclear threat, Senate panel reveals
Analysts: Syrian Revolt Turning into Full-blown Insurgency
Iraq to Host Arab Summit on March 29
Arab League Urges Security Council to Stop Syria 'Killing Machine'
U.S. bipartisan group urges upping military threat against Iran
UN chief: No alternative to dialogue with Iran
Russia predicts long Syria debate in UN Security Council
Canada Imposes Tougher Sanctions on Iran
Canada Reduces Staff at Embassy in Syria
UN chief calls on Israel to make 'goodwill' gestures toward Palestinians
Chemi Shalev / Romney’s winning formula: superb organization, poisonous propaganda, lots of money
Israel ranked second most educated country in the world, study shows
Assad says stability in Lebanon key for Syria
Sleiman encourages greater role for women in politics
Maronite Bishops Call for Unity among Lebanese, Warn against Land Sales to Foreigners
March 14 to Syrian People: Democracy in Syria Will Guarantee Lebanon’s Independence
Estonians’ kidnapper charged with plotting terrorist acts
Israel rarely monitors Al-Manar in real time: report
EU: Steer Lebanon away from regional unrest
Raad meets Maronites to discuss electoral law

Iran says 11 Iranian pilgrims kidnapped in Syria
February 01, 2012/By Mitra Amiri /Daily Star
TEHRAN: Eleven Iranian citizens were kidnapped while on a religious pilgrimage in Syria, state television reported on Wednesday, just days after the abduction of another group of pilgrims by an armed group in the violence-torn country. "Their bus was on its way ... to Damascus when it was attacked by an armed group and 11 out of 35 passengers were abducted," the television quoted Iranian pilgrimage official Massoud Akhavan as saying. "The kidnapped men were transferred to an unknown location," Akhavan said without giving more details. Another bus carrying Iranian pilgrims was attacked by gunmen in central Syria on Thursday and 11 passengers were abducted. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast condemned the attack as "unjustifiable" and asked Syrian authorities to secure the release of the abducted citizens. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a close ally of Iran, is under mounting international pressure to end a military crackdown on a 11-month-old popular uprising, which has escalated into an armed insurgency in some regions. Kidnappings and killings based on religious identity are increasingly common in protest flashpoints such as Homs, sparking international and regional concerns that strife could lead to sustained sectarian bloodshed in Syria. Syrians opposed to Assad come mainly from the country's Sunni Muslim majority, while Assad and his ruling coterie belong to the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. Iran is the Middle East's Shi'ite power. Five Iranian technicians were also kidnapped in the Syrian city of Homs in December and Tehran demanded their immediate release.
Iran has condemned what it has called foreign interference in Syrian affairs and has praised reforms Assad has pledged to undertake, but tempered its rhetoric on Syria as the uprising has dragged on and bloodshed has worsened. At first Tehran wholeheartedly supported Assad's stance against public opposition, but now it is encouraging reforms to take account of popular grievances.
The United Nations says more than 5,000 people have been killed in Assad's crackdown on protests. Syria says more than 2,000 security force members have been killed by militants.

Assad may start regional war if UN tells him to step down – Gulf sources
http://www.debka.com/article/21696/
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report/January 31, 2012/In confidential conversations with his advisers, Syrian President Bashar Assad is reported by Persian Gulf sources Tuesday, Jan. 31 to have threatened to start up armed hostilities in the region if the UN Security Council Tuesday night endorses the Arab League proposal for him to step down and hand power to his deputy.Those sources told debkafile that the heads of the Syrian armed forces and intelligence have been given their orders and some units are on the ready. Other Middle East sources reported that the Lebanese Hizballah has also shown signs of military preparations in the last few hours. And the Russian flotilla berthed at the Syrian port of Tartus, led by the Admiral Kutznetsov aircraft carrier, also appears to be on the alert for ructions in the wake of the Security Council Syria session.
During the day, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov warned that pushing the Arab League's UN resolution was "the path to civil war." Our Moscow sources report that top-level discussions are still going back and forth in the Kremlin over a final decision on a veto.
debkafile reports that the military flurry in advance of the critical Security Council session included US naval movements. Sunday, Jan. 29, the nuclear submarine USS Annapolis, escorted by the guided missile destroyer USS Momsen sailed through the Suez Canal to the Red Sea. This looked like a Washington warning for Tehran to keep its military fingers out of Syria if the confrontation there escalates. It was not the first time Assad has threatened Syria's neighbors. On Aug. 9, 2011, four months into his savage crackdown against protesters, he warned Turkey that, six hours after the first shot was fired against Syria, he would "destroy Tel Aviv and set the entire Middle East on fire."
That was his answer to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu when he came to Damascus with a demand from his and other NATO governments that the Syrian ruler stop the slaughter. Davutoglu urged Assad to take a look at Libya and try to understand that if he carried on, he might be in for the same fate as Muammar Qaddafi – a strong hint at military intervention by NATO, including Turkey.
Earlier still on May 10, one of Assad's close kinsmen, the international tycoon Rami Makhlouf, warned: "If there is no stability in Syria, there will be none in Israel. No one can be sure what will happens after that. God help us if anything befalls this regime."

Sleiman encourages greater role for women in politics
February 01, 2012/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman encouraged women Wednesday to play a greater role in their country’s politics and expressed hope that Arab women would be able to gain their full rights as citizens.
“Sleiman encouraged women to dive into the political life [of the country] and run in municipal and parliamentary polls to demonstrate their abilities and affirm their national and responsible role at these levels,” Sleiman’s press office quoted him as saying on the occasion of Arab Woman Day. “[I] hope that the day will be not be far when Arab women will be able to their full rights in the political and national sectors,” Sleiman added. Participation by women in Lebanese politics is low historically. Although there are women lawmakers present in Lebanon’s Parliament they are rarely appointed top posts as ministers in Lebanese governments. In the statement, Sleiman also voiced disappointment over the lack of progress in improving womens’ status in Lebanon, saying the country had fallen behind even though it was the first country in the region to grant women rights, primarily the right to vote. “It is very important for the development of countries that women participate effectively in all fields alongside men so that their roles be analogous,” Sleiman said.

Russia says U.N. must rule out Syria intervention
MOSCOW, (Reuters) - Russia signaled on Wednesday it would veto a draft U.N. resolution calling on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down unless it explicitly ruled out military intervention in the bloodshed touched off by protests against his rule. Escalating violence in Syria has killed thousands of people and activists say Assad's forces have stepped up operations against opposition strongholds across the country this week, from the Damascus suburbs to the cities of Hama and Homs and the border provinces of Deraa and Idlib. Arab and Western states urged the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to act swiftly on a resolution calling for Assad to delegate powers to his deputy and defuse the 11-month-old uprising against his family's dynastic rule. But Moscow's envoy to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, said there was no chance the Western-Arab draft text could be accepted unless it precisely rejected armed intervention.The draft "is missing the most important thing: a clear clause ruling out the possibility that the resolution could be used to justify military intervention in Syrian affairs from outside. For this reason I see no chance this draft could be adopted," said Chizhov, Russia's envoy to the European Union. Russia and China, both veto-wielding Security Council members, have resisted a Western push for a resolution condemning the Syrian government's crackdown on unrest.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the resolution could not be used to authorize military intervention and his French counterpart Alain Juppe said such an idea was a myth. But Chizhov's remarks suggested Moscow, a close strategic ally and important arms supplier to Syria during its 42 years in the grip of the Assad family, would not accept such assurances. Russia says the West exploited fuzzy wording in a March 2011 U.N. Security Council resolution on Libya to turn a mandate to protect civilians in the North African country's popular uprising into a push for regime change - backed by NATO air strikes - that led to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
"CONCRETE ECONOMIC PRESSURE"
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, who has led the Arab League's efforts to tackle the Syrian crisis, attempted to allay Moscow and Beijing's objections, saying it was trying to avoid a Libyan-style foreign role. "We are not calling for foreign intervention," he said. "We are advocating the exertion of concrete economic pressure so that the Syrian regime might realize that it is imperative to meet the demands of its people." But he also warned the 15-member Security Council that Syria's "killing machine is still at work." Syrian insurgents said Assad's forces extended a military sweep overnight around Damascus to counter a rebel threat that had reached the gates of the sprawling capital.
A statement by a local rebel group in Damascus province said more troops and armor were moving into eastern suburbs and in the mountainous Qalamoun area north of Damascus, which Assad's forces took over this week. There were army snipers in the suburb of Misraba, which has had no electricity or water for a week. Activists reported shops closed, a lack of basic supplies, and tanks in the streets. North of Damascus, armored troops controlled the town of Rankous and began extending their control into farmland surrounding it, bombarding the village of Telfita overnight, according to opposition activists.
In the Wadi Barada area on the edge of the capital, four people were killed in a tank bombardment on Wednesday morning to flush out rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) units operating near the capital, activists said. It was not possible to verify the reports as Syria restricts access for independent media.
"The Free Syrian Army has withdrawn but will be back," said Fawaz Tello, a Syrian opposition figure who left for Cairo a few days ago. "The crackdown will only swell its ranks of professional soldiers (and) conscripts."
CALL FOR ACTION
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby called on the U.N. Security Council to take "rapid and decisive action" by approving the resolution.
"Do not let the Syrian people down in its plight," he said.
The United States strongly endorsed the appeal from the Arab League and Qatar for "rapid and decisive action," but China reiterated its reservations.
"China is firmly opposed to the use of force to solve the Syrian problem and resolutely opposes pushing for forced regime change in Syria, as it violates the United Nations Charter and the basic norms guiding the practice of international relations," Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Li Baodong as telling the Security Council.
Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari rejected the suggestion his government was responsible for the crisis, and accused Western powers of dreaming of "the return of colonialism and hegemony" in the Middle East. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the policy of isolation and seeking regime change risked igniting a "much bigger drama" in the Middle East.
"The people who are obsessed with removing regimes in the region, they should be really thinking about the broader picture. And I'm afraid that if this vigor to change regimes persists, we are going to witness a very bad situation much, much, much broader than just Syria, Libya, Egypt or any other single country."

Maronite Bishops Call for Unity among Lebanese, Warn against Land Sales to Foreigners
by Naharnet /The Council of Maronite Bishops urged politicians on Wednesday to safeguard Lebanon amid the swift developments in the region that can have negative repercussions on the country, expressing fears over the continuing land sales to foreigners for financial gains. Following their monthly meeting headed by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki, the bishops called for unity among the Lebanese people.“The swift developments in the region… could have negative repercussions on Lebanon,” they said in a statement. They urged the Lebanese people to unite and abide by the “positive neutrality policy.” In January, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour criticized the Arab League's call for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down. Since mid-March, Assad's regime has faced an unprecedented protest movement. The United Nations estimated at the start of January that more than 5,400 people had been killed in the ensuing crackdown on dissent. Lebanon “should be committed to all the international resolutions concerning peace,” the statement stressed. The bishops hailed the cabinet’s efforts in dealing with thorny issues, warning against any standstill. They expressed concern over the ongoing land sales to foreigners for financial gains although they noted that the land sales witnessed drops over the past year. Al-Rahi cautioned in December the Lebanese against selling their lands, considering it “treason.” He established with Maronite MPs a follow-up committee in Bkirki to examine land ownership by Christians and the consequences of land sales countrywide. The bishops’ statement also welcomed the visit of U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and said the conference held by ESCWA was a confirmation that Lebanon is an example of coexistence based on democratic rule. In January, Ban was in Lebanon on a two-day visit. He met with senior Lebanese officials and gave a keynote address at a U.N. conference on the transition to democracy in the Arab World.

March 14 to Syrian People: Democracy in Syria Will Guarantee Lebanon’s Independence
by Naharnet /The March 14 General Secretariat praised on Wednesday the Syrian National Council’s open letter to the Lebanese people, saying that a free and independent Syria’s recognition of a sovereign Lebanon is the only way to rebuild solid Lebanese-Syrian ties based on trust and cooperation. It said in a letter to the Syrian people: “Democratic change in Syria will mark an historic opportunity for its development and guarantee Lebanon’s independence.” The general secretariat made its statement after its weekly meeting. It continued: “History has demonstrated the importance of democracy in Syria in maintaining Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty.” “The diversity of the Lebanese and Syrian people is a source of strength for them and we look forward to them playing a vital role in the Arab world,” it said. Furthermore, it noted that the rise of democratic states in Lebanon and Syria will help the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. “The independence of these countries will help curb terrorism in the region, starting with Israel’s, and pave the way for the birth of a new Arab system based on diversity and democracy,” it stressed.
“The March 14 forces are proud that the Beirut’s 2005 Cedar Revolution was the first spark of the Arab Spring in that it ousted the oppressive Syrian region from Lebanon, paving the way for the current Syrian revolution,” it added.Last week, the Syrian National Council issued an open letter to the Lebanese people, calling, among other things, for the revision of agreements between the two countries and the dissolution of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council.

Russia’s business with Syria
Ana Maria Luca, February 1, 2012 /Now Lebanon
There is pride, there are strategic military interests, and then there is business. When talking about Syria, Russia means all of them. Analysts say Russia’s steadfast support of Syria at the UN Security Council is a combination of its diplomatic tradition of standing up to the United States, fears of leadership changes in the Kremlin and sheer stubbornness.
Syria has remained the most important ally that Russia has in the Middle East, although some analysts based in Damascus say President Bashar al-Assad’s regime is not a great business partner for Moscow.
“Some of the spectacular deals announced recently sound more like posturing than anything decisive,” International Crisis Group analysts Peter Harling told NOW Lebanon. “Russia may, however, provide the ammunition and spare parts needed to sustain the [Syrian government’s] repression [of the uprising],” he added.
But Harling also said that for years, arms deals between Russia and Syria have been largely symbolic. “Recently, Moscow has paid more attention to and enjoyed closer ties with Jerusalem than with Damascus, and has been keen not to alienate Israel. Syrian officials typically expressed frustration at weapons being held back or delivered incomplete. For its part, the [Assad] regime never was a wealthy client, and things aren’t poised to get better,” he said.
But Israel, a client with more money, is also not willing to offer Russia what Syria can in terms of military strategy. Russia’s only access to the Mediterranean Sea is the Syrian harbor of Tartous. All other allies Moscow had in the Mediterranean are long gone: Egypt evicted them in the 1970s, former Yugoslavia dissolved in the 1990s, and Libya’s Moammar Qaddafi was ousted last year.
In mid-January, Russia’s only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetzov, made a high-profile visit to Tartous, which was interpreted as a sign of support for the Assad regime.
Military business contracts between Russia and Syria are not quite negligible, compared to other countries in the Middle East. Nowhere near the level of India, by far the biggest Russian arms consumer, Syria still buys seven percent of Russia’s arms exports, according to Moscow-based think tank Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. (Iran, however, a major consumer of Russian arms, is not mentioned on the think tank’s list.)
The latest contract between Damascus and Moscow that made the news and prompted indignation in the West was signed in December 2011, when Russia agreed to sell Syria 36 Yak-130 jets for $500 million. Although many analysts panicked, the planes are not fighter jets, but two-seaters meant to train pilots, and they have a limited use as light bombers in small war zones. Moreover, none of the planes is likely to be delivered anytime soon, as the Russian manufacturer wants to see the Syrian money before it starts assembling the jets.
However, Russia has made several weapons deliveries to Syria. In December 2011, the Russian Interfax news agency reported Moscow had delivered 72 supersonic Yakhont SS-N-26 anti-ship cruise missiles to Damascus with two coastal-defense Bastion anti-ship systems. The contract, signed in 2007, was estimated to be worth $300 million. In recent years, Moscow has reportedly provided Syria with 36 truck-mounted Pantsir SIE short-range air-defense missile systems and eight MiG-29SMT interceptor fighters. Syria also badly wants Russian Iskandar-E tactical surface-to-surface missiles, highly accurate and reported to be one of the most advanced systems of its type in the world.
But everything is up for negotiation, and several Syrian opposition figures are already reaching out to Russian diplomats to assure them that even in the case of a regime change, Syria will still do business with Moscow. Opposition Syrian National Council President Burhan Ghalioun met with Russia’s UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, to promise Moscow that its interests in Syria will be preserved regardless of Assad’s fate. “We reassured them that we are keen to continue the historic relationship with Russia,” he told reporters in New York. “I appeal to Russia, which has long historical ties with the Syrian people, to prevent the Assad regime from exploiting Russian support in order to continue its oppression.”
Marah Bukai, a Syrian-American writer and activist, confirmed to NOW Lebanon that the opposition is open to starting ties with Russia, and although Russian diplomats seem very determined to stick by Assad, she believes that there is still hope for a UN resolution. “I am sure that Russia won’t take this stance for long now. We have seen some developments in their position,” she said. “The Russians cannot isolate themselves from the whole world. They know that their strategic interest is with the Syrian people. I think they are working on making a last-minute decision as they did in the case of Libya,” she said.
For Harling, “Part of the problem is that the West tricked Russia into authorizing regime-change in Libya under the guise of humanitarian intervention. But there is a more general suspicion of the West’s motives in the region as a whole, which they believe has endured enough unrest already,” he said.
“Russia stands for stability, fears the empowerment of Islamists, and enjoys playing a visible role. It believes it can do all of the above by supporting the status quo. Although it has few significant interests in Syria itself, it has even less elsewhere in the region, and therefore has little to lose by taking unpopular decisions.”

Free Syrian Army Ready for the battle for Damascus
Asharq Al-Awsat/Antakya, Asharq Al-Awsat – The Free Syrian Army [FSA] morale has never been higher, for despite the difficult circumstances that its members are facing at home and abroad, the group’s military achievements over the last week have lifted its spirits to the point that many are predicting that victory is just around the corner.
The FSA camp is located on the Turkish side of the border, and is currently in a state of high alert as everybody monitors the reports of the battle staking place in Syria between the regime’s forces and the FSA. The FSA officers are unconcerned with the harsh winter conditions that surround them, where the temperate falls below zero at night, as all their focus is on overthrowing the al-Assad regime.
“We do not care about the lack of resources and food, or the bad weather…the only thing we want is arms” adding “arms it the only way out of this crisis and the only means of victory against this criminal regime that is killing its own people every day.” An FSA soldier stressed to Asharq Al-Awsat.
“There is no solution [to the Syrian crisis] other than combat…we have seen the Arab and western initiatives collapse one by one; the solution is in our own hands, and we will achieve this soon.” The FSA soldier added.
FSA Commander Riad al-Asaad is cautious by nature, and he is devoted to the daily meetings and operations of the FSA. He revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that, “the divisions [within the Syrian military apparatus] are great and growing every day…if we only had air support we would be in a very different position.”
The FSA camp in Turkey currently houses around approximately 300 Syrian army defectors, the majority being officers, as there has been a widespread exodus of FSA soldiers returning to Syria to continue the fight against the al-Assad regime. The majority of FSA soldiers and officers in Turkey have already returned to the Syrian interior, whilst others are preparing to join them.
FSA spokesman, Colonel Ammar al-Wawi, told Asharq Al-Awsat that “divisions are rife within the regime, and the FSA reached the outskirts of the presidential palace [in Damascus], but we refrained from attacking it for fear of risking civilian lives.”
He added “we will intensify our operations over the forthcoming days; with the Damascus campaign ending with the seizure of the [presidential] palace…we will overthrow the regime without foreign intervention.”
As for the FSA’s overall operations within Syria, Colonel al-Wawi said “we are in control of areas in every Syrian region, and at the end we will ultimately impose a buffer zone ourselves” adding “as the [al-Assad] regime becomes weaker we become stronger.”
The FSA spokesman also asserted that the forthcoming days will see Syrian rebel activity focusing on Damascus. Colonel al-Wawi stressed that the FSA is “prepared for the final battle”, adding that the majority of FSA officers and soldiers are already in the field.
Colonel al-Wawi also told Asharq Al-Awsat that “we will soon see Bashar al-Assad fleeing the country for Qom or Moscow, for there is no place for him now in Syria.”
Asked whether he wanted to send a message to Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, one of the al-Assad regime’s staunchest supporters, the FSA spokesman called on Nasrallah to “stop the killing of the Syrian people who previously embraced the Lebanese people during the 2006 war…opening their homes to them.” He also said that Nasrallah would be held accountable for his actions “in the revolutionary courts following the victory of the [Syrian] revolution”.
However it appears that there are also divisions amongst the Syrian opposition, as FSA spokesman Colonel Ammar al-Wawi expressed his “disappointment” in the Syrian National Council [SNC], adding that the SNC includes “capitalists and landlords” who want to ride the wave of the revolution at the expense of the Syrian people. He said “whenever the SNC feels its popularity waning it comes to the FSA to take souvenir photographs to show the public that it is support the FSA” adding “the SNC claims to have set-up a liaison office to support the FSA…but this is not true, and we have not received any financial aid from the SNC until now.”
Colonel al-Wawi called on the SNC to “reconsider its policy on membership”, accusing members of the SNC Executive committee of “being unable to keep a secret, revealing all their information to global intelligence agencies, including the Syrian intelligence services.”Colonel a-Wawi also stressed that the FSA had not received any financial or military support from Turkey, although he went on to thank Ankara for receiving the Syrian refugees, FSA, and opposition. He expressed his regret that Ankara had failed to expel the Syrian ambassador to Turkey, and formally recognized the SNC as the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people. He also called on Turkey to provide military support and assistance to the FSA, confirming that Turkey “has not aided us by firing a single bullet.”

Al-Assad’s fall is inevitable
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat,
Away from the potential outcome of the UN Security Council meeting on the Syrian revolution, there are many reports and much evidence regarding the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s rule, with many people considering this to be inevitable. The Americans are the latest to say so - on more than one level - and the White House now believes that the fall of al-Assad is certain, and that his forces are losing control of large parts of the country.
Observers may be surprised at the volume of information that has become available recently about scenes of clashes between the Free Syrian Army [FSA] and al-Assad’s forces around the capital Damascus, with some clashes even taking place close to the presidential palace. What a surprise it must have been for some when the “al-Arabiya” satellite channel yesterday showed a live broadcast of the blowing up of an oil pipeline in Homs, as well as extensive footage of fire-fights taking place in Baba Amro recorded with professional television cameras, which suggests that the al-Assad regime has lost control of large parts of Syria. We must note here that with Aleppo now entering the sphere of the revolution, it seems that almost half of Syria is now outside the control of al-Assad.
The statements issued by FSA commander Colonel Riad al-Asaad also support this information; al-Asaad told Agence France-Presse [AFP] yesterday that the morale of government troops is extremely low and “that’s why they are bombing indiscriminately, killing men, women and children”. The FSA commander also stressed that “fifty percent of Syrian territory is no longer under the control of the regime”.
We can add the statements issued by US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to this. Speaking before a US Senate Intelligence Committee session, Clapper said “I do not see how he [al-Assad] can sustain his rule of Syria” adding “I personally believe it’s a question of time.”
Therefore, the information and statements above, in addition to the recent Kurdish move demanding international intervention in Syria to put an end to the massacres and violence being perpetrated by the al-Assad regime, as well as Iran’s most recent warning – issued by [Foreign Minister Ali Akbar] Salehi – of a “vacuum happen[ing] suddenly in Syria”, in addition to the clear escalation of violence on the part of the al-Assad regime, following in the footsteps of Gaddafi when he attacked Benghazi before the UN Security Council meeting at the time, tells us that the al-Assad regime is dying, and its collapse is to be expected. However, the question that we have long put forward and repeated is: what is the cost of the fall of al-Assad?
The answer, unfortunately, is that the cost of the fall of al-Assad will be great, and this will be a cost that is paid by the unarmed Syrian people, as long as there is no regional or international movement towards the imposition of buffer and no-fly zones, and explicit recognition of the Syrian National Council [SNC]. Only then will conditions be created to quickly bring the curtain down on the al-Assad regime. The most important thing today is to reduce the size of the losses in the Syrian ranks.
Some may ask: Is military intervention required? The answer is: Why shouldn't there be military intervention in Syria? The international community didn’t just intervene in Libya, it also intervened in Yugoslavia, in the heart of Europe!

Reform Party of Syria /Who Will Protect the Minorities of Syria?
Farid Ghadry Blog
Syria is one of the most diverse countries in the Arab world (Lebanon has similar demographics on a smaller scale), which makes regime change in Syria a complicated matter. Better to be safe than sorry as the saying goes.
The tensions built over the last 11 months of runaway violence has to be added to any equation of change because the resentment and anger amongst the least franchised of our people is boiling over in the form of sectarianism and incendiary fanaticism.
The SNC was formed during peaceful times and its leadership polished its strategy on the basis of a diplomatic and political solution. This makes the SNC today less than effective to answer the question before us; and given that all the minorities who joined the SNC early on did so out of their sense of duty to serve Syria, today they have to focus on a looming danger dealing with their own survival.
To avoid this sectarian minefield we are witnessing, we first must recognize the many shortcomings of the Syrian opposition formed by the Arab League and whose priorities are established more to protect the Arab countries than the Syrian people (The delays in asking the UN and NATO for help against the Syrian killing resulted in the amplification of today's sectarianism). I really do not buy into the notion that Saudi Arabia and Qatar will prioritize the safety of Syria's minorities over their own self-interests or that of Sunni Muslims.
There is always the possibility that a Hariri-like liberal may rule Syria one day but given the aggressiveness I experienced first-hand from the Muslim Brotherhood with a clear agenda one can read about in any book written by Qutb or al-Banna, I have my doubts.
This leaves us with a big question: Given the state of affairs in Syria today, who will protect the Alawites and the Christians who are as innocent from Assad's crimes as any other Syrian? If we are able to develop an infallible plan to answer that question, then many of Syria's minorities will turn on Assad having the assurances that their safety, livelihood, and future does not rest in the hands of the Islamist majority-controlled SNC or the Wahabbi Saudis or the Qataris secret support of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Whether the new approach is to force the inner circle of the SNC to invite many oppositionists to the Muslim Brotherhood (Myself not included) to strike a balance or whether it is time to split to form a Council of their own (While keeping their lines of communications open with all the other Syrian opposition groups) is a question better left to the Syrian minorities to answer.
A test for you: Name three Syrian Christian or Alawite oppositionists whether involved or not in the SNC. Even if you can, I can almost guarantee you theirs are not household names and that's where the problem starts. Everyone knows who the Islamists are, but very few know who the Christian oppositionists are.
Here is a fact: If the minorities of Syria do not take matters in their hands to firmly establish themselves as a political force to be reckon with (By either imposing their will on the SNC to balance its act or by splitting to form their own Council), they will be trampled upon the way the Islamic extremists trampled upon the Iraqi Christian community. We cannot allow this tragic episode to be repeated in Syria. Our future depends on strong and vibrant religious and culturally diverse communities.
A word of comfort is overdue here. Our Syrian minorities need to know that they have plenty of support amongst many of our people who will not hesitate to fight for their safety and their prosperous future the way they will fight for every Syrian no matter what.
This, we can promise you with full confidence.

Canada Reduces Staff at Embassy in Syria
January 31, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), today issued the following statement regarding Canada’s embassy in Syria:
“Due to the growing instability in Syria, Canada has reduced its diplomatic staff in Syria to core personnel only. Canada’s embassy remains open and continues to offer limited services in Damascus and in Aleppo through our honorary consulate.
“However, due to travel restrictions imposed by the Syrian authorities and the ongoing deterioration of the security situation, our ability to help Canadians in other locations in the country has been significantly reduced.
“The Visa and Immigration Section at the Canadian embassy in Damascus is closed, and services have been transferred to visa offices in neighbouring countries. More information on visa services in the area will be posted online at Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
“During the past month, our officials have placed more than 3,400 calls to Canadians that were known to be in Syria. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada staff received more than 1,580 calls, and the embassy in Damascus received more than 470 requests for expedited services.
“As Canadian citizens are under no obligation to inform the embassy of their movements, the exact number of those who have left Syria cannot be known. That said, since December 15, approximately 300 Canadians have informed us that they have left Syria. We hope that more will follow their example.
“Canada condemns the escalation in violence by Syrian security forces over the weekend, which resulted in the suspension of the Arab League monitoring mission on Saturday. The Arab League has led international efforts to bring a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
“As the slaughter of innocent Syrians continues, Canada calls on the members of the United Nations Security Council to come together in support of these efforts and adopt a resolution that addresses the deteriorating situation in Syria.
“We continue to urge Canadians still in Syria to leave now.”

Canada Imposes Tougher Sanctions on Iran
January 31, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:
“Canada continues to be increasingly concerned by the actions of the Iranian authorities.
“Effective immediately, Canada is expanding existing sanctions against Iran. Five entities and three individuals are being added to the list of designated persons. They will join a long list of supporters and associates of the Iranian regime whose assets have been frozen.
“Canada has taken aggressive action and has among the toughest sanctions against Iran in the world. These sanctions cover the known leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and block virtually all financial transactions with Iran, including those with the Central Bank.
“Iran’s current leaders regularly turn a blind eye to their international human rights obligations and obfuscate their nuclear activities by blocking international attempts to verify the country’s claims.
“With its actions, Iran continues to undermine regional and global security and stability.
“Canada will continue to work with the growing list of like-minded countries to limit Iran’s ability to further undercut global peace, prosperity and stability.”
A backgrounder follows.
Backgrounder - Additional Sanctions on Iran
Effective immediately, the additional individuals and entities announced today, and named below, will be subject to an assets freeze and a prohibition on economic dealings. With these new measures, the total number of designated persons rises to 49 individuals and 339 entities.
Additional Entities
Behnam Sahriyari Trading Company
Darya Delalan Sefid Khazar Shipping Company (Iran) (a.k.a. Khazar Sea Shipping Lines or Darya-ye Khazar Shipping Company or Khazar Shipping Co. or KSSL or Daryaye Khazar [Caspian Sea] Co. or Darya-e-khazar Shipping Co.)
Rosmachin
SAD Export Import Company (a.k.a. SAD Import & Export Company)
Turbine Engineering and Manufacturing (TEM) (a.k.a. TEM Co.)
Additional Individuals
Ali Ashraf Nouri
Hojatoleslam Ali Saidi (a.k.a. Hojjat-al-Eslam Ali Saidi or Saeedi)
Amir Ali Haji Zadeh (a.k.a. Amir Ali Hajizadeh)
Context
On November 22, 2011, in response to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s assessment of Iran’s nuclear program, Canada imposed new sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA).
These regulations did the following:
prohibit financial transactions with Iran, subject to certain exceptions;
expand the list of prohibited goods to include all goods used in the petrochemical, oil and gas industry in Iran;
amend the list of prohibited goods to include additional items that could be used in Iran’s nuclear program;
add new individuals and entities to the list of designated persons found in Schedule 1 of the Iran Regulations, prohibiting dealings with these persons and entities; and
remove certain entities that have been recommended for removal by the Minister of Foreign Affairs that no longer present a proliferation concern for Canada.
The prohibitions on financial transactions and goods used in the petrochemical, oil and gas industry in Iran do not apply to contracts entered into prior to November 22, 2011.
Canadians with relatives living in Iran will still be able to send funds to family members, provided those relatives are not listed individuals and provided transactions do not exceed $40,000.
On October 18, 2011, Canada imposed sanctions on a further five Iranian individuals, four of whom are members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (the Iranian special forces).
In July 2010, Canada implemented sanctions against Iran under SEMA. These sanctions prohibit all of the following:
dealing with designated individuals and entities, such as dealing in any property, or making any goods or financial or related services available to a designated individual or entity;
exporting or otherwise providing to Iran arms and related materials not already banned, items that could contribute to Iran’s proliferation activities, and items used in refining oil and gas;
providing technical data related to these goods;
making any new investment in the Iranian oil and gas sector, or providing or acquiring financial services for this purpose;
providing or acquiring financial services to allow an Iranian financial institution (or a branch, subsidiary or office) to be established in Canada, or vice versa;
establishing correspondent banking relationships with Iranian financial institutions, or purchasing any debt from the Government of Iran; and
providing services for the operation or maintenance of a vessel owned or controlled by, or operating on behalf of, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.
The Special Economic Measures (Iran) Permit Authorization Order (SOR/2010-166), made pursuant to subsection 4(4) of the Special Economic Measures Act, authorizes the Minister of Foreign Affairs to issue a permit to any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada to carry out a specified activity or transaction, or any class of activity or transaction, that is restricted or prohibited pursuant to the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations.
Existing UN sanctions
Since 2006, the United Nations Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Iran in response to its nuclear program. Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council adopted resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1929 (2010) imposing sanctions against Iran in response to the proliferation risks presented by Iran’s nuclear program and in light of Iran’s continuing failure to meet the requirements of the IAEA and to comply with the provisions of earlier Security Council resolutions. These resolutions require Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA and to suspend all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.
The Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Iran implement the decisions of the Security Council in Canadian domestic law. Implementation of the travel bans imposed by resolutions 1803 (2008) and 1929 (2010) is ensured in Canada under existing provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Other measures
For the past eight years, Canada has been the lead co-sponsor of the annual resolution at the UN General Assembly on the situation of human rights in Iran. The 2011 resolution highlighted long-standing violations of human rights by the Iranian authorities, such as the persistent discrimination against and violation of the fundamental human rights of women and girls, stoning and amputation, widespread discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, and media censorship and harassment of human rights defenders, including women’s rights activists. Canada has pledged to continue to stand with the people of Iran against the oppression from the Iranian authorities.
The 2010 resolution was co-sponsored by 42 other UN member states and was supported by 89, with only 32 member states voting against. This represented the largest margin ever in favour of the annual resolution, signalling the international community’s deepening concern with the human rights situation in Iran.
For more information, please see Canada-Iran Relations.

The “enlightened” Egyptian president
By Ali Ibrahim
Asharq Alawsat
The General Guide of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Badie, fired his first real shot in a campaign that is supposed to officially start in April; the campaign to elect the President of Egypt, following the parliamentary and Shura Council elections. In recent comments, Badie talked about a consensus candidate, and his hopes that someone affiliated to the Islamist trend does not run for office, in the wider interests of Egypt. This is because the country today is under the microscope, and might be targeted [if it elects an Islamist government], as occurred with regards to Hamas in Gaza [following the 2006 elections].
The General Guide’s words - although they resemble wishful thinking and it is not known whether this will be the final stance of the Brotherhood and its political party - send a message domestically and abroad, namely that the Muslim Brotherhood is not seeking a political monopoly having become the largest bloc in parliament. The message is: there is no need to worry, at least during the current stage.
However these words, as is apparent from the statements of other Islamist political forces, have failed to receive the approval of certain parties, particularly the Salafists. This group has surprised everyone, including the Brotherhood themselves, with the large percentage of seats they won in the parliamentary elections, which put their main party (Al-Nour Party) in second place after the Muslim Brotherhood in terms of numbers of seats. In a video clip currently trending on YouTube, a Salafist leader stressed that the current power structure [in Egypt] represents a historic opportunity for the Islamists that must be seized immediately or it will be lost, and the conditions that allowed for this opportunity will not be repeated again. The Salafist leader said that he does not agree with the policy of “gradualism” that the Muslim Brotherhood advocates and depends upon, in order to slowly win over society. Even the Brotherhood youths themselves indicated – in some statements – that they did not like the words of their General Guide.
Evidence and circumstances confirm that the words of the General Guide reflect the political direction of the Muslim Brotherhood. In fact, these are words that have been said on more than one occasion already by many leaders, stating that they do not intend to run for the presidency, or that they don’t have a favorite candidate or a final opinion on the candidates named so far. It is believed that what happened after the parliamentary elections has prompted the Brotherhood to be more realistic in their political ambitions, after the facts have shown that the (revolutionary) critical mass that fuelled the 25 January revolution is still rebellious, angry and capable of mobilizing. This is despite the fact that this revolutionary bloc failed to achieve credible representation in parliament to compete with the other blocs. However they remain in the streets, but are lacking a clear political structure to collectively express themselves.
The low voter turnout for the Shura Council could either reflect a state of boredom among the electorate at the drawn-out electoral process, or it could suggest that they are catching their breath and reviewing the parliamentary results.
The problem in reading the current political reality in Egypt is that there is a state of high fluidity, and no one can predict anything definitely. Attitudes change depending on events and their intensity, and there is a feeling that all the main traditional political forces, including the Muslim Brotherhood, fear taking responsibility for everything in one package, because one cannot carry such a heavy burden alone, or as they say in Egypt “one cannot carry the night by himself”. However, there are many possibilities and surprises to come. The “enlightened” president might come from the Salafist al-Nour party, or perhaps the words of presidential candidate Amr Musa will turn out to be true, and the mood of the voter will be different towards the presidency than it was for the parliament.
In any case, the noisy political debate going on in [Egyptian] society and the current state of conflicting ideas is healthy, even if it seems disturbing at times. The result will be the emergence of a generation of genuine politicians who will take to the stage in 5 or 10 years, and this is something that has been lacking in recent decades.

Taking stock of 2011’s revolutions and developments
By Abdullah Al-Otaibi/Asharq Alawsat
The year 2011 ravaged the Arab world like a monster straight out of a Hollywood movie; regimes were ousted, political axes were shaken, and political analysts and observes were utterly divided. Distractions and chaos prevailed, while only a few were conscious of what was really going on.
There was much talk; opinions were written and sayings were circulated at the beginning of the year, all expressing deep concern and mindful cautiousness about what was happening at a turbulent moment in history. However, such talk and opinions were met with strong criticism, suspicion and accusations of treason under the slogans of glory, dignity, freedom and honor, or at the very least, they were met with mockery and indifference.
Any political opinion that was opposed to the revolutions and skeptical of their slogans, or opinions that consisted of calm and rational attempts to perceive the revolutions away from their clamor, were all regarded as morally dubious. Hence, anyone who dared to criticize the revolutions was deemed a traitor, and anyone who warned that political Islam would reap the harvest was accused of using the same "scarecrow" as the former regimes. Similarly, anyone who expressed genuine fears of economic decline in the uprising countries was seen as a pessimist, and anyone who put forth democracy as a comprehensive concept, highlighting that elections were merely a small part of this process, was cast as a doubter.
Today’s events, analysis and facts clearly indicate that many of the fears that haunted people during such a strange and hazy scene were justified, and have come to fruition over the general course of events.
A quick glance over a full year reveals that the initial revolutionary slogans continue to be adopted until today, but they are now a source of dispute, and there are now sharp differences and divisions between those who first adopted them. Many of those who were once skeptical regarding the revolutions' critics have moved to a position where they now criticize the revolutions and the rebels themselves, for now they can see what they could not at the beginning. Those who accused others of using political Islam as a "scarecrow" now see it as the reality of political life. They see it on the ground and in the squares; they witnessed it during Shariaa Friday, and prior to it, the Qaradawi Friday demonstrations [in Cairo]. In the new parliament in Egypt, it was remarkable that the “revolutionary youth” achieved barely any representation, although during some irrational and emotional moments of the revolution, some believed that this group would be the saviors who could solve all the complexities of the backward Arabs.
Today talk focusses on the economies of the revolutionary states, which are now experiencing critical stages and are suffering greatly to restore what they have lost, seeking alternative economic resources. Yet, unfortunately, all solutions seem unattainable and the results cannot be guaranteed.
One of the major questions to be raised about what happened in 2011 is: Can these protests be regarded as revolutions in the modern sense of the word? The fairest answer is that they cannot be at this moment, and that there is still a long way to go. Another question is whether the revolutionary masses actually represented the general public, or were they a mere active minority? Do they have the right to represent the people now or not?
It is clear today that our elements and indicators of underdevelopment are far numerous than our elements of enlightenment and civilization, and that tribalism and religious ideologies are much stronger than the principles of freedom, civility, tolerance, justice and equality. It is clear that such modern concepts can be hijacked extremely easily in our Arab cultures and societies; Islamic parties carry the names of "Freedom and Justice" and "Development" as well as other attributes that denote enlightenment, yet such names have been hijacked and modified in a manner that reflects completely contradictory ideological discourses.
In Tunisia, there is an ailing economy, widespread unemployment and contradictory demands. Likewise Egypt is suffering from the same hardships – plus the fact that the people and the army there are no longer unified, unlike the slogans adopted last year would suggest. In Libya, signs of internal fighting have begun to appear. In all situations, the Islamists are no longer a scarecrow; they have become a reality in accordance with their electoral results and their strength on the ground.
Much has been said in this context, but what has remained unsaid is that the major protests or revolutions, intentionally or otherwise, have often failed to present a true reading of the nature and history of the regimes that they rose against. As a result, the desire for revenge and vengeance now overlaps with the zeal of victory and dignity. In turn, this blinds the new elite and the masses, failing to see the previous scene as it appeared in reality, rather than as they want to remember it. By demonizing the former regime in political and media discourse, and publicly in general, the new political elite have a convenient reason for their failure to rebuild the country.
In modern Arabic history, military coups have been portrayed as revolutions, and historically the military has tended to distort the image of the regimes that it rose against. Decades later however, numerous historians and elites, who distanced themselves from the clamor of the coups and the revolutions, succeeded in portraying the scene accurately, with all its pros and cons, after the military had rose against the ruling regimes and deliberately distorted them.
Furthermore, throughout history, many genuine developments and major reforms have in fact been the product of successful attempts to promote and strengthen the ruling regime. For example, the US fought against colonialism and never staged a revolution against its ruling regime. Britain, the old and wise man of Europe, never participated in the sweep of Europe's modern revolutions because it had already carried out reforms and developments, in what was known as the Victorian development.
Similarly we can consider the examples of India and South Africa. If we contemplate India's historical experience with Gandhi, this was not a revolution in the modern sense of the word. The people there were determined to continue with resistance and reform until the departure of the British occupation, but they then went on to promote the political system. Perhaps, South Africa's experience under its great symbol Nelson Mandela is a clearer illustration. Mandela led prolonged reform and gradual improvements that took place over several decades. However, as soon as he assumed power, he succeeded in laying the foundations of the state so as to shield it from possible collapse, and embarked upon a comprehensive reform plan across the country.
In Britain and the US, along the lines of India and South Africa, reforms and development – without the need for a revolution – have led to the establishment of the state's political foundations, together with continual and comprehensive development. This in turn has shielded these countries from all the hardships of a revolution. These countries achieved all the hopes and dreams of a revolution but in a better and less costly manner, and with a more effective and sustainable impact. In other words, these experiences can be compared to the communist revolutions that were widespread in the second half of the 20th century, most of which have led to calamities, atrocities and abject failure across the world, not in the Arab region alone. In the present-day Arab world, we saw what happened to the Arab states that witnessed uprisings, and we also saw the countries that undertook real development, as is the case with Morocco, Jordan, Bahrain and the rest of Gulf states, although to varying degrees.
Numerous intellectuals adopted skeptical stances towards the revolutions - whether before, during or after they were staged - and so did senior politicians as well. They offered distinguished views about the revolutions' shortcomings, highlighting their dislike for revolutionary prejudices; the influence of extremists of every shape and color, and their utter disdain for the mass demagogy. In fact, I do not know why so many other Arab intellectuals believe that what happened and is happening in the Arab world will be in some way different and exceptional to what has happened in the rest of the world.

Can Jordan's king stop the Arab Spring from sweeping his nation?
No one is calling for Abdullah's ouster yet, but Jordanians are fed up with rampant corruption and the king's lip service to democracy.
By Zvi Bar'el /Haaretz
Next Monday, King Abdullah of Jordan will celebrate his 50th birthday, and a few weeks later he will mark 13 years on the throne. Time flies when you're having fun.
Abdullah no longer needs the little beard that adorned his cheeks in the first years of his reign, when he still looked too young to rule. His hair has started to go gray, the Arabic he speaks, which used to sound like he was grinding gravel, has become much more sophisticated, much like his recognition that the Hashemite dynasty might not last forever.
Jordanian protesters marching in Amman on January 27.
The storm of revolutions in the Arab world has not hit the kingdom hard. A few demonstrations and some relatively limp public criticism, but no one as yet is calling in the streets to oust the king or to change the monarchy. Beneath the surface, however, are increasing signs that the king can no longer make due with only hanging on, as he has done until now. He will have to start managing the country's affairs, and with determination.
Last week Abdullah visited Washington and had a frustrating meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. Speaking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Abdullah told The Washington Post, "We can't expect for the Americans to wade in, full-weight, unless we have enough of a package where the outcome is somewhat predictable."
Diplomatic officials say the king understood from Obama that the White House does not plan to intervene in the diplomatic process in the near future and that the initiative to host the Israeli-Palestinian meeting is not, as Obama sees it, more than blowing on embers.
Abdullah's attempt to persuade the president to initiate action against Syria did not succeed either. Obama made it explicitly clear that the United States will not intervene in the tumult without international backing, and this backing will not be obtained without a request from the Arab League.
Abdullah, who was the first Arab leader to call upon Syrian President Bashar Assad to resign (though he quickly backtracked ), is also the only Arab leader to have requested an exemption from the Arab sanctions on Syria because of the grave economic damage they would cause his country.
Trade between Syria and Jordan amounts to about $550 million annually - a significant sum for Jordan. Last week it obtained a loan of $250 million from the World Bank in order to overcome the difficulties that have piled up on its doorstep in the wake of instability with its neighbors. These difficulties are added to a huge capital drain, estimated at about $1 billion, into the pockets of cronies and top politicians who are now being accused of corruption.
A war on corruption, free and fair elections and an economic reform are now the issues filling opposition websites and blogs in Jordan. Anyone who remembers how Egyptian protesters began operating six or seven years ago cannot help but make comparisons. A cartoon published on an opposition site shows a young Jordanian holding a can of kerosene, about to set himself on fire.
"Brother Citizen, don't think about it," reads the caption. "Instead you can enjoy the warmth and the fragrance of corruption."
But the Internet is not the only forum for criticism. Former MP Khalil Atiyah (who in 2008 burned an Israeli flag in the Jordanian Parliament building ), has published an open letter to the king saying something has to give. "We are on the way to the breaking point and the dead end for finding solutions or inventing cures," he wrote.
On Friday, a demonstration of about 1,500 people led by the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood set out from the Al Husseini Mosque in Amman, with the demand to "open the corruption files and investigate them."
"We have a million questions. Where has all that money gone?" shouted the demonstrators. They are not satisfied with the investigation being handed over to the state's anti-corruption department - in their view this is just another way to bury the problem. They are demanding a criminal probe.
The king, too, wants to fight corruption and he too wants economic reforms. Indeed, throughout his reign he has been talking about reform of one sort or another: economic, political, educational - but he has succeeded in getting very little done. The cumbersome bureaucracy, the need to satisfy the tribal chiefs and other associates and above all a chronic shortage of money have left behind a lot of working papers and attention-getting statements but very little change.
Now the king is proposing another old nostrum: parliamentary elections at the end of the year, which this time will be free and clean, with a new elections law that will promote them and grant suitable representation to all parts of society.
But the Jordanians are already familiar with this invention and they no longer trust it.
Some people are comparing an opposition movement coming from the youth of the city of Karak to the April 6 movement in Egypt. On Thursday, the movement published a statement demanding the king conduct a dialogue with all the movements and political parties in order to reach agreement on the nature of the elections law and the needed reforms.
This is a movement that supports the king and opposes any change in his status, but at the same time it wants a "representative Jordan with clean hands," in the words of the movement's spokeswoman.
Jordanians of all stripes are fed up with the absence of an economic horizon and the pretense of democracy, and they are also fed up with the fact that they are having to host about 700,000 Iraqi refugees who are raising the prices of housing. The king now has a real problem and he cannot solve it with another parliament and another subsidy.
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