LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
February 05/2012
Bible Quotation for today/Humility and Hospitality
Luke 14/07-11: "Jesus noticed how some of the guests were choosing the best
places, so he told this parable to all of them: When someone invites you to a
wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place. It could happen that someone
more important than you has been invited, and your host, who invited both of
you, would have to come and say to you, Let him have this place. Then you would
be embarrassed and have to sit in the lowest place. Instead, when you are
invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that your host will come to you and
say, Come on up, my friend, to a better place. This will bring you honor in the
presence of all the other guests. For those who make themselves great will be
humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.
Latest analysis,
editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Today Syria…Tomorrow Iran/By Tariq Alhomayed/February
04/12.
Is the Cedar Revolution history/By: Angie Nassar/February
04/12
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
February 04/12.
Americans talk about an Israeli
strike on Iran, but prepare own offensive
Khamenei: Zionist regime is a cancer
UN nuclear inspectors barred from Iran site
Officials discuss Israel-Iran showdown
U.S. anxiety grows over possible Israeli plans on Iran
Amos Harel / Will the next IAF commander send his pilots to bomb Iran?
Shin Bet chief: Iran trying to hit Israeli targets in response
to attacks on nuclear scientists
Iran Supreme Leader: U.S., Israel will suffer for threats on nuclear program
Kuwait’s Islamist opposition makes sweeping gains at polls
Death toll in latest Egypt clashes climbs to 11
Activists Storm Syria Embassies in Kuwait, Cairo
Shock and horror in Syria's battered Homs
Talks explore prospects for al-Assad exile – Source
Russia set to veto U.N. Syria resolution as deaths mount
Death toll hits 217 in shelling of Syria's Homs
Russia refuses to support UN draft resolution against Syria
Ex-MP Nassib Lahoud,Decorated with Order of the Cedar
during Funeral Procession
LBC: Lebanese army deploys to Wadi Khaled, Akroum
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Feb. 4, 2012/The Daily Star
Former President Amin Gemayel rebukes Charbel for belittling assassination fears
Sami Gemayel: Threats cannot prevent the truth from being
revealed
Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai: We suffer when we lose trust in people and
politic
France will maintain support for Lebanon ‘whoever wins at polls’
Mount Lebanon mufti slams Russia, says Assad wants sectarian war
Lebanese winter recipes look to the past
Tripoli residents stuck in unsafe houses
Prolonged crisis feared as PM, Aoun stand firm
Where to bounce in Beirut?
Palestinians in Ain al-Hilweh urge leaders to control weapons
Abu Faour seeks comprehensive mechanisms to tackle poverty
Three possible reasons behind Fassouh building collapse: Charbel
Berri’s Role in Mediation between Miqati, Aoun Not Clear
Yet
New U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Arrives in Beirut
2 ISF Members Injured in Crackdown on Illegal Building in
Southern Suburbs
Americans
talk about an Israeli strike on Iran, but prepare own offensive/DEBKAfile/04.02.12
http://www.debka.com/article/21708/
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 4, 2012/US Secretary of State Leon Panetta
has been outspoken about a possible Israeli offensive against Iran taking place
as of April and one American TV channel theorized simplistically Friday, Feb. 3,
about Israel's tactics. At the same time, no US source is leveling on the far
more extensive American, Saudi, British, French and Gulf states' preparations
going forward for an offensive against the Islamic Republic.
Tehran too is gearing up for conflict: The Iranian Guards Ground Forces chief
Brig. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour Saturday, Feb. 4 announced the start of a three-week
exercise in southern Iran and the Strait of Hormuz under conditions of war.
debkafile: The "exercise" is in fact an Iranian military buildup ahead of a
possible American or Israel attack.
debkafile's military sources report a steady flow of many thousands of US troops
for some weeks to two strategic islands within reach of Iran, Oman's Masirah
just south of the Strait of Hormuz and Socotra, between Yemen and the Horn of
Africa. (DEBKA-Net-Weekly 526 of Jan. 27 was the first world publication to
reveal the massive concentration of American might on the two islands.)
This concentration was held by the White House as sufficiently urgent to relent
on its refusal to admit the ousted Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Salah to America
for medical treatment. He won permission in exchange for his consent to the
Socotra military buildup.
There are now two potential triggers for a Middle East confrontation with Iran.
They are closely interrelated: The urgent need for action this year to preempt
Iran's nuclear bomb program before it is too late and the Syrian army's
appalling and escalating butchery of civilians.
Even as world powers haggled over a bogged-down UN Security Council motion for
ending the loss of life, a continuous Syrian bombardment beginning early
Saturday, Feb. 4, is estimated to have left a record 350 dead and up to 1,300
wounded in the Homs district of Khaldiyeh. The casualty figures continued to
climb Saturday as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov threatened a "scandal"
if the Western-Arab text were put to the vote.
Bashar Assad was clearly determined to wipe out every family and home in the
defiant Homs suburb in case the world body agreed on a ceasefire resolution.
Our military sources report that the Saudis this week wound up their own
intensive preparations for war. Large forces are now deployed around Saudi oil
fields, pipelines and export facilities in the eastern provinces opposite the
Persian Gulf, backed by anti-missile Patriot PAC-3 batteries. American, British
and French fighter-bombers have been landing at Saudi air bases to safeguard the
capital, Riyadh.
Israel has accelerated, expanded and focused its military drill regimen for the
coming conflict. Tuesday, Jan. 31, a division-scale exercise practiced the
drafting of reservists under projected heavy missile bombardment of military
bases, induction centers, national highways and towns from at least three
directions: Syria, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, as well as Iran.
Thursday, Feb. 2, Military Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Avivi Kochavi disclosed
that 200,000 missiles and rockets, including thousands of long-range
projectiles, were currently pointed at Israel, the only country in the world
facing a threat on this scale.
Two weeks earlier, the IDF Paratrooper Brigade staged its biggest exercise in
over 15 years: More than 1,000 paratroopers jumped from the sky over southern
Israel together with their departmental and squadron commanders. Israel sought
to demonstrate that it commands enough fighting manpower to operate deep inside
enemy territory, as well as the planes for delivering the combatants.
In his sermon to followers Friday, Feb.3, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
made it clear that Iran's allies would be involved in any confrontation and
Israel was a prime target: Iran, he said, is ready to help anyone who confronts
"cancerous" Israel. He also warned Washington, "The war itself will be ten times
as detrimental to the US."
Khamenei credited Iran's help for achieving Hizballah's "victorious" attack on
Israel in 2006 and for Hamas' "success" in beating back Israel's anti-missile
operation in Gaza that year.
The Supreme Leader was clearly egging on Iran's allies, Syria, Hizballah and the
Palestinian Hamas and Jihad Islami, to go for Israel again.
debkafile's Middle East analysts challenge the hypothesis heard in Israel and
other places that the massive war preparations going forward at this time are
backing for sanctions, contrived to propel Iran to the negotiating table and
accept a deal for halting its nuclear weapon program.
Our sources stress that these military preparations are for real and are taken
very seriously by all the governments concerned because Tehran is far from being
intimidated by threats.
Khamenei confirmed authoritatively Friday what other Iranian officials have
consistently maintained, that Tehran will not give up its nuclear plans no
matter how much pressure is brought to bear. Iran had its chance to cool some of
the pressure by opening up to a team of International Atomic Energy Agency
inspectors who visited Tehran last week - but chose not to do so.
In their three-day stay, the inspectors were denied access to any Iranian
nuclear facility, notably the Parchin plant 30 kilometers southwest of Tehran,
which is developing nuclear bombs and warheads - or even interview the
scientists employed there.
While Israel's military preparations for hostilities with Iran are now widely
reported, two gaps remain to be filled, says debkafile:
1. As the ayatollahs witness the vast US, Saudi, Israel, British, French and
Arab Gulf war preparations around their borders, will they opt to watch and wait
for the sword to fall, or will they try and get in first with a hammer blow
against Israel, a course Khamenei hinted at broadly in his latest speech.
2. Are Washington and Jerusalem in alignment – or at least in tacit accord – on
who goes first against Iran's nuclear installations? The reports and statements
coming from US sources make it sound as though only an Israeli attack is in the
offing. Informed circles in Tehran, Damascus, Riyadh and Jerusalem are not so
sure.
Ex-MP Nassib Lahoud,Decorated with Order of the Cedar during Funeral Procession
by Naharnet/The funeral procession for the head of the Democratic Renewal
Movement, ex-MP Nassib Lahoud, was held at the St. George Cathedral in downtown
Beirut in the presence of top officials, diplomats, dignitaries and family
members.Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, who on Saturday kicked off a
five-day tour of Beirut parishes, presided over the memorial service.
Al-Rahi praised Lahoud for “working on spreading democracy in his surroundings,”
and “for believing in the independence of the administration and putting it in
the service of the citizens.”
Among the top officials who attended the funeral procession were Premier Najib
Miqati, Phalange party chief Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea,
al-Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora and Progressive Socialist Party chief
Walid Jumblat. Miqati also represented President Michel Suleiman in the funeral.
While Speaker Nabih Berri dispatched MP Abdullatif Zein to represent him.
The PM in the name of Suleiman decorated Lahoud posthumously with the Order of
the Cedar officer grade, the highest decoration in Lebanon. Lahoud was laid to
rest at his hometown of Baabdat in the Metn district. He passed away at dawn
Thursday after a long battle with illness. He was 68. The presidential contender
has held various political posts, including ambassador to Washington and
minister of state.The Democratic Renewal Movement met for the first time under
Lahoud in August last year after he returned to Lebanon from medical treatment
in France. He stressed that his group was independent and was no longer part of
any political coalition.Lahoud is survived by his wife Abla Festoq and their two
children Salim and Joumana. The family will accept condolences on Sunday and
Monday at his residence in Baabdat. There will also be condolences on February 7
and 8 at his home in Ashrafiyeh
Sami
Gemayel: Threats cannot prevent the truth from being revealed
February 4, 2012 /Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayel has expressed his regret over the
“security warnings given to leaders of the Cedar Revolution about the [possible]
resurgence of [political assassinations.”
During an interview with Al-Balad newspaper, Gemayel said that “assassination
attempts and threats cannot prevent [people] from speaking the truth.” Gemayel
added that Lebanon’s government “needs to fulfill its responsibilities and
[security] agencies need to cooperate with each other to protect Lebanese
[citizens].” Some media reports on Thursday said that an assassination plot
aimed at Gemayel was thwarted. -NOW Lebanon
LBC: Lebanese army deploys to Wadi Khaled, Akroum
February 4, 2012 /LBC television reported on Saturday that the Lebanese army
finished deploying its contingent to the northern towns of Wadi Khaled and
Akroum.
The report also said that the measures taken by the army troops there may extend
to several days. It added that the residents of the towns denied any presence of
Free Syrian Army members and demanded the army to protect them against the
threats of the Syrian army. “The Syrian army is still laying land mines at the
border with Lebanon,” it added.An-Nahar newspaper reported earlier that the
Lebanese army has set up checkpoints and deployed reinforcements in two northern
areas in order to counter acts of smuggling, which are allegedly taking place in
North Lebanon. An unnamed source told An-Nahar that “the army was searching for
[people] accused of smuggling arms [along the Lebanese-Syrian border].” The UN
says more than 6,000 people have been killed in the crackdown on Syrian
protesters who have been demonstrating against the Baath regime since March
2011. Thousands have fled into Lebanon in recent months.-NOW Lebanon
2 ISF Members Injured in Crackdown on
Illegal Building in Southern Suburbs
by Naharnet/An Internal Security Forces sergeant and officer were injured at
dawn Saturday when seeking to clamp down on a building violation in Beirut’s
southern suburbs. The two were injured when a group of women, youth and children
pelted the patrol with stones in the area of Hay al-Sellom as they sought to end
the violation of the building owned by a member from the Fakhreddine family. A
family member also opened fire at the patrol and then escaped. The security
forces and the army are now looking for the suspect.
Despite the assault on the ISF members, they were able to remove part of the
violation.
New U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Arrives in Beirut
by Naharnet /The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Derek Plumbly,
arrived in Beirut on Saturday to officially take up his new responsibilities,
his office said in a press release. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon appointed Plumbly, a
British diplomat, as his Special Coordinator last month, succeeding Michael
Williams of the United Kingdom. “In fulfilling his functions, the Special
Coordinator for Lebanon is the Secretary-General’s representative to the
Lebanese government, all political parties and the diplomatic community based in
the country,” the statement said. He is also the senior most U.N. officer in
charge of the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 adopted in
2006. Plumbly is also tasked with coordinating the activities of the U.N.
agencies with the Lebanese government, donors and international financial
institutions, in line with the overall objectives of the U.N. in Lebanon. The
press release said that Plumbly has had a distinguished career in international
affairs spanning over 35 years. He has held important posts dealing with the
Middle East.Most recently he was Chairman of the Assessment and Evaluation
Commission charged with monitoring implementation of the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement in Sudan (2008 to 2011). He has also served as UK’s Ambassador to
Egypt (2003-2007) and Saudi Arabia (2000-2003). He held the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office posts of Director, Middle East and North Africa (1997 to
2000) and International Drugs Coordinator, Director of Drugs and Crime
(1996-1997). From 1992 to 1996, Plumbly served as Head of Chancery at the UK
Mission to the U.N. in New York. Plumbly read Politics, Philosophy and Economics
at Oxford University. He is an Arabic speaker
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Feb. 4, 2012/The Daily Star
Al-Akhbar: Bellemare met with Siniora secretly? An indictment before March?
During a farewell visit to Beirut, chief prosecutor for the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon Daniel Bellemare met with various officials, including a secret meeting
with former prime minister Fuad Siniora. High-level political sources from March
14 confirmed this meeting to Al-Akhbar. The sources said that Bellemare
confirmed to Siniora that a draft indictment will be completed before he departs
from his post in March. Bellemare reportedly stressed that the indictment will
include the name of a fifth indicted suspect, in addition to the four men
already named in the initial indictment. When asked if any of the new suspects
were Syrian, Bellemare replied in the negative.
Sources said that the STL prosecutor expressed confidence in the judicial
process, including the evidence in the tribunal's possession, allowing him to
issue the first indictment and to prepare a draft for the second indictment,
which will be completed by the end of February. Bellemare emphasized the
importance of circumstantial evidence, adding that evidence in the new
indictment will increase the importance of evidence relied upon in the first
indictment.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Mikati wants to avoid a battle with Hezbollah on
the extension of the court's mandate, with some accusing him of prolonging the
government crisis until the end of the filing of the extension of the court,
which the prime minister denies.
An-Nahar: Long delays and no initiatives by a government ‘in crisis’
Attention is now focused on politics and the steps taken by Prime Minister Najib
Mikati to suspend the sessions of his cabinet, and the issue of suspended issues
being brought to the table. However, there didn’t appear to be any initiatives
to resolve the problem.
Mikati told An-Nahar that lack of communication and mediation had led to the
current impasse, most notably the long power outages throughout the country. He
criticized the officials for having unproductive sessions and blaming one
another for power outages. He added that he didn’t want to disregard the
institution of the cabinet.
Meanwhile, opponents of Mikati criticized the prime minister for suspending
cabinet meetings.
In other news, the army has been setting up road blocks in the area of Wadi
Khaled to prevent smuggling. According to the army, the military is looking for
men who are wanted for smuggling weapons across the border.
Commenting on these developments, MP Khaled Daher told An-Nahar that these
operations were being carried out to give a negative image of the region and to
justify to the Syrians the deployment of their army on the border.
Al-Liwaa
Berri’s initiative awaits [outcome of] of Paris visit
Aoun’s team calls for Mikati to back down
The snow storm has cleared, but a cold atmosphere lingers as the crisis in the
cabinet continues. The parties involved are waiting for two developments.
First, they are waiting for the return of Prime Minister Najib Mikati from a
visit to Paris on the ninth of the month.
The prime minister had defended the suspension of cabinet meetings, saying they
were a necessary measure.
However, sources close to Aoun said that this is a mistake by Mikati, and the
issue does not require mediation, only following the constitution and
recognizing the cabinet in its entirety.
Second, people are waiting for a new resolution to be issued by the United
Nations Security Council on Syria, which could have overall repercussions in the
region, as well as between the United States, Russia and China.
Former President Amin Gemayel rebukes Charbel for
belittling assassination fears
February 04, 2012/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Former President Amin Gemayel has
criticized Interior Minister Marwan Charbel for dismissing his concerns over an
assassination plot targeting his son, the National News Agency reported. This
was in response to a plot against Metn MP Sami Gemayel that was revealed
Thursday. Speaking to Voice of Lebanon, Amin Gemayel, who is the leader of the
Kataeb Party, said, “I was taken aback when I heard the words of the minister of
the interior… This information concerns threats on the life of a citizen ... the
situation threatens to destabilize Lebanon’s security and stability.”He added:
"It seems that the minister of the interior has forgotten that I lost my dear
oldest son Pierre. The circumstances are well known. And now comes a threat to
my youngest son Sami … Is this not important to the lives of citizens and to
[national] stability?”Sami's older brother Pierre was assassinated in broad
daylight in the Metn neighborhood of Jdeideh in 2006.
On Thursday, several news sources reported that a plot to assassinate Sami
Gemayel had been uncovered. Yesterday, when asked about the issue, Charbel
appeared to play it down, saying "It was not an assassination attempt, but a
warning of the possibility of something. It is our duty to alert politicians and
take precautions through analysis of security information we receive. What
happened was a misunderstanding, and we hope it will not get confused or
exaggerated.”On Thursday, security sources told The Daily Star that “Maj. Gen.
Ashraf Rifi telephoned [Sami] Gemayel, asking him to take the necessary
precautions because he was threatened by an alleged assassination plot that
would target him in the Metn town of Ain Safsaf.”The report came less than a
week after other intelligence reports said there are alleged assassination plots
targeting senior security officials and politicians, mainly March 14 leaders.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai: We suffer when we lose trust in people and
politics
February 04, 2012/ The Daily Star /BEIRUT: In a speech at St. Joseph Church in
Ashrafieh, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai expressed his sadness over people's
loss of trust in each other and in the political system, reported El Nashra.“We
suffer when we discover a loss of trust in politics and people,” Rai said in the
presence of head of the Beirut diocese Bishop Boulos Matar.But he showed his
pleasure in the diversity of Lebanon's capital, noting that the Beirut diocese
is "exemplary" in this regard, "because we find in it all of the elements of
society, and our message in [Beirut] is one of participation and love."
Officials discuss Israel-Iran showdown
Ynetnews/US, Israeli officials tell NBC News that attack on Iran would include
intermediate Jericho II missiles equipped with high explosives, possible ground
commandoes . A report suggesting that US Secretary of Defense Leone Panetta
believes Israel is planning to launch an attack on Iranian nuclear sites before
the coming June echoed predictions formerly made by both US and Israeli
officials privy to military intelligence in their respective countries. In an
extensive interview published by NBC News, the officials claimed that while US
authorities are satisfied relying on economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure
to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions, Israel is more of a "wild card," and would
most likely launch an attack if intelligence confirms that Tehran is inching
toward developing nuclear weapons. Asked what are the chances that Israel would
go ahead with an attack, most officials maintained that there is at least a
50-50 chance, while more than one official estimated the chances at as high as
70%. As for the method of attack, many officials believed Israel would employ a
"multi-pronged attack, using its fighter bombers as well as its Jericho missile
force. The officials explained that Israel has an intermediate Jericho missile
– the Jericho II - which is capable of hitting targets up to 1,500 miles away,
and would most likely be equipped with high explosives, which officials
described as highly accurate. As for ground operations, some officials claimed
Israeli commandos either from the IDF or Mossad would possibly be dropped at the
sites to collect forensics or assist with illumination of the targets. Instead
of trying to completely destroy Iran's nuclear program, officials told NBC they
believe the strikes will focus on the facilities that are deemed most critical,
in an effort to set back the program. Asked about the Iranian response to such
an attack, officials estimated that it would be constrained due to both its
limited capabilities and from fear that a harsh retaliation would lead to
further attacks by Israel. And what about other regional
countries? Most officials agreed that both Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
would support the move, as they are also threatened by a nuclear Iran. As for
Turkey, officials are expecting more of a muted response, though they claim
Ankara has been keeping a close watch on the developments in Iran.
Khamenei: Zionist regime is a cancer
Dudi Cohen/Ynetnews/Tehran's supreme leader promises Iranian
people the world will soon be rid of 'cancerous Zionist regime'; says Iran will
help anyone fighting Israel "The Zionist regime is a cancerous tumor and it will
be removed," Teheran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday. Khamenei addressed
thousands of worshipers attending a Tehran University prayer service marking the
Fajr celebration The Iranian Revolution brought freedom and dignity to Iranian
people and "destroyed the anti-Islamic regime, and brought Islamic regime
instead… Dictatorship was changed to democracy," he said. Khamenei further
downplayed the possibility of a United States' strike on the Islamic Republic's
nuclear facilities: "A war would be 10-times deadlier for the Americans… These
threats indicate America's weakness and the Americans need to know that the more
threats they make, the more they damage themselves." He also dismissed the
West's sanctions on Iran, saying that they will not make Iran forfeit its
nuclear ambitions: "They said they would impose crippling sanctions to punish
us, but the sanctions are good for us – they make us rely on our own talented
people." He also reiterated Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, saying
that "when the time comes we will execute our warning." Khamenei also addressed
the Arab Spring, saying he believed the Palestinians will soon follow the
example of the Arab world. He promised that "Iran would assist any country or
organization that would fight the Zionist regime, which is now weaker than
ever," he said. Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said that Iran
has helped Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas in their fights against Israel.
The crowd met the statement by chanting "Death to Israel."
UN nuclear inspectors barred from Iran site
Reuters Published: 02.03.12,/Ynetnews
Western diplomats says IAEA experts refused access to nuclear complex during
visit to Iran/Iran's apparent reluctance to let UN inspectors visit a military
site near Tehran underlines the uphill task they face in convincing the Islamic
state to address suspicions it may be seeking to develop nuclear weapons,
Western diplomats say. hey say the UN nuclear watchdog sought access to the
Parchin complex during three days of talks in the Iranian capital, so far
without any sign that Iran would agree to it. More talks are scheduled for later
this month. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) identified Parchin in
a detailed report in November that lent independent weight to Western fears that
Iran's disputed nuclear activities have military links, an allegation Iranian
officials reject. The UN agency has not said whether the issue was among those
it raised during the January 29-31 discussions in the Iranian capital aimed at
shedding light on possible nuclear-linked weapons work, but diplomats accredited
to the IAEA said it was.
Sidestepped request
The senior IAEA team requested "access to Parchin, which Iran did not provide,"
one Western diplomat said. He and others suggested that Iran had sidestepped the
question rather than rejected it outright during the meetings with the IAEA
delegation headed by the agency's global inspections chief, Deputy Director
General Herman Nackaerts. "They asked to see a particular site and they never
got an answer," another envoy said. Iranian officials were not immediately
available for comment. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi this week described the
Tehran talks as "very good," without giving details. The IAEA said before its
Tehran trip late last month that the overall objective was to "resolve all
outstanding substantive issues," referring to its growing concerns of possible
military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program. But diplomats said the talks
appeared to have made little concrete progress on the issues raised in the
IAEA's report, which said Iran appeared to have worked on nuclear weapon design
and secret research to that end may continue. The outcome of the IAEA talks with
Iran - a second round is planned for February 21-22 - is closely watched in
Western capitals and Israel for signs of whether Iran's leadership may finally
be prepared to give ground after a decade of pursuing its nuclear development
goals or whether it remains as defiant as ever. "There was nothing achieved on
this visit and in fact the agency could not get Iran to engage on possible
military dimensions questions at all," the Western envoy said. "I was never
optimistic. This just reinforces my pessimism."
Shock and
horror in Syria's battered Homs
February 4, 2012
Now Lebanon/Dazed and shocked residents of the battered Syrian protest hub of
Homs emerged from their homes on Saturday after a night of terror to search the
rubble for loved ones.
Thousands of people flooded the streets of the flashpoint central city to bury
more than 200 civilians who were killed in a barrage of mortar rounds and tank
shells fired by regime forces, witnesses said.
"Nearly 200 martyrs will be buried in Freedom Park," activist Hadi Abdullah of
the General Commission of the Syrian Revolution told AFP in a telephone call
from Homs.
He said thousands of people joined funeral processions in Khaldiyeh, the
hardest-hit neighborhood in Homs and a hub of more than 10 months of anti-regime
protests.
"The bombardment stopped this morning, and residents emerged to look for the
dead and wounded in the debris," said Abdullah.
"The regular forces can't enter those districts outside their control, but
surround them with a large number of tanks," he added.
Abdullah spoke of "very violent" shelling that "totally destroyed some
buildings" and said hospitals have been overwhelmed by the number of wounded and
were running out of medical supplies.
He accused the Syrian authorities of unleashing a torrent of firepower on Homs
"in order to gain time and terrify the Syrian people and force them to suspend
the peaceful [anti-regime] protests."
It was not clear what triggered the violence in Homs, where activists said
regime forces committed a "horrific massacre" despite staunch denials from the
Syrian government that its forces had attacked the city.Damascus blamed the
opposition for inciting unrest ahead of a vote expected later on Saturday at the
UN Security Council on the lethal regime crackdown on democracy protesters.
Opposition groups put the death toll at between 217 and at least 260. If
confirmed, the violence would be the deadliest since the uprising against the
regime of President Bashar al-Assad erupted in mid-March. The "Assad regime
committed one of the most horrific massacres since the beginning of the uprising
in Syria," and killed "at least 260 civilians" in the Homs bombardment, the
opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) said. "It's a real massacre," Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP, calling for
the "immediate intervention" of the Arab League.
The Observatory said its count was at least 217 dead and several hundred wounded
in Homs.
Al-Jazeera television said witnesses spoke of nail bombs raining down and
incessant shelling, while one resident, Danny Abdul Ayem, reported "non-stop
bombardment... by tank shells and mortar bombs."
The Muslim Brotherhood, which is part of the SNC, called Saturday for an
international probe into the "heinous massacre perpetrated in Homs" and for
those responsible to be brought before the International Criminal Court. "Assad
has transformed Homs into a real battlefield, waging a war of extermination
against his own people," Brotherhood spokesperson Zuhair Salem said in a
statement.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon
Talks explore prospects for al-Assad exile –
Source
By Caroline Akoum and Sawsan Abo-Husain
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat – Following news reports that the US, European and Arab
states have begun discussing the possibility of exile for Bashar al-Assad,
Syrian National Council [SNC] Executive Committee member, Ahmed Ramadan,
informed Asharq Al-Awsat that such talks are nothing new, but that the timing of
these talks now – with large parts of the country outside of al-Assad regime
control – will ensure they have a greater impact upon the Syrian regime and
Bashar al-Assad personally.
Ramadan told Asharq Al-Awsat that “during the first months of the revolution,
there were at least two countries – one Arab country and one European country–
in talks with al-Assad, and they put forward the idea of him handing over power
and leaving the country. This proposal was previously discussed by the military
leadership affiliated to the regime, most importantly Maher al-Assad and Assef
Shawkat, who opposed this proposal.” Ramadan added that it is therefore not
surprising that similar proposals should be put forward to the Syrian regime
today, particularly as al-Assad is seeing his forces retreat day after day.
The SNC Executive Committee member also revealed that the SNC has received
information that a major crisis is taking place within the Syrian military
leadership today. This was after problems occurred between Maher al-Assad and
Hafez Makhlouf, who are two of the five senior military officers in charge of
military operations on the ground in Syria. As for the specifics of the crisis,
Ramadan told Asharq Al-Awsat that this is over the Syrian army’s recent failures
in the field. This resulted in the reemergence of an alliance between Maher al-Assad
and Assef Shawkat, against Hafez Makhlouf, attempting to lay the blame for these
failures on him, particularly the FSA’s gains and control of Damascus suburbs,
and their capture of 5 Iranians Republican Guard soldiers on Syrian soil.
Ramadan stressed that this division within the military leadership is a clear
indication that the final battle for Damascus and Aleppo is fast approaching.
Whilst Ramadan did not rule out the issue of al-Assad stepping down and being
granted asylum abroad being discussed seriously between regional and
international parties and the Syrian regime, he stressed that the SNC is also in
contact with senior figures within the Alawite sect about the future of the
Syrian regime. He added that so far, these talks have been extremely positive,
and the SNC will announce details of this in the near future.
As for whether al-Assad fleeing the country would mean the end of the Syrian
crisis, Ramadan told Asharq Al-Awsat that “we believe that al-Assad leaving and
handing over power to his deputy – or any other figure – represents a beginning
to finding a solution to the crisis. If al-Assad is thinking of leaving the
country…or accepting a political solution according to the Arab League proposal,
then he will have chosen the path that does not lead to more violence and
bloodshed, and so will therefore avoid the fate of former Libyan leader Muammar
Gaddafi.”He added “the situation today has changed, and the regime has no
options”. As for Russia’s threatened veto, Ramadan said “we are convinced that
the Russian position is temporary…Russia is negotiating to preserve its own
interests, not to ensure the survival of the al-Assad regime, which it will
abandon at any moment should its interests be served by this.” In this context,
Turkish President Abdullah Gul announced yesterday that Ankara would consider
offering asylum to the al-Assad family. Gul reportedly told the Turkish Radikal
newspaper that “there is nothing like that at the moment… [but] if such a
request is being made to us, of course, we will study it.”The Reuters news
agency quoted a senior Obama administration official, speaking on the condition
of anonymity, as saying “we understand that some countries have offered to host
him [al-Assad] should he choose to leave Syria.” However the senior US official
said there were several stumbling blocks to al-Assad being granted asylum,
saying “there are significant questions of accountability for the horrible
abuses that have been committed against the Syrian people” adding “ultimately,
these issues will be deliberated by the Syrian people in concern with regional
and international partners…this is about what Syrians need to end this crisis
and begin the process of rebuilding their country”Whilst a European official,
also speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, said that EU members
were willing to consider the idea of al-Assad going into exile but that there
was "no way we'd have him in our countries."The Reuters news report claimed that
very few countries would be open to hosting al-Assad, putting forward the United
Arab Emirates [UAE] as one of the few that might be open to the idea. Diplomatic
sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat that Algeria and Sudan are two other
possibilities.
Is the
Cedar Revolution history?
Angie Nassar, February 4, 2012
Now Lebanon/The debate over implementing a unified history curriculum was
reignited this week when Culture Minister Gaby Layoun, a member of the
ministerial committee tasked with reviewing the draft curriculum, said he was
against using the phrase “Cedar Revolution” in school textbooks. The term refers
to the series of anti-Syrian demonstrations sparked by the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005.
Layoun appeared to backtrack on his comment Wednesday, telling the National News
Agency he is not against mentioning the events that led to the 2005 withdrawal
of Syrian troops from the country, but opposes using the term “Cedar
Revolution,” because it was “invented by the Americans.” Former US
Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky reportedly coined the name during a
February 28 news conference, according to The Washington Post.
Layoun’s stance has its critics. “Regardless of the etymological root of the
phrase or who created it, the policy of denial in dealing with our history is
unacceptable... There are certain facts which cannot be denied, whether you like
it or not,” Rami Rayes, spokesperson for the Progressive Socialist Party, told
NOW Lebanon.
Yet the Cedar Revolution was a critical event in Lebanon’s modern history and
should be included in the curriculum as part of an educational discussion, says
Hadi Zaccak, a Lebanese filmmaker who directed a 2009 documentary about the
effort to produce a standardized history text. “Consider the Arab-Israeli wars.
From our side, it’s called the ‘Nakba’ and from the Israeli side, it’s called
the ‘War of Independence.’ In the history book you have to mention this. The
student can then choose his or her point of view… and produce a kind of
analysis.”
Zaccak also notes how “strange it is that young people in Lebanon are very
politically oriented, but don’t really know about history. I’m always astonished
at how the students don’t know anything. They hear about certain events from
their parents, but when they go to school they hear nothing about this.”
The only thing more divisive than Lebanon’s politics, perhaps, is the range of
divergent perspectives from various sectarian communities on key points of the
country’s recent past. This has prevented the development of a unified history
curriculum. Most history lessons end in 1946, three years after Lebanon’s
independence from French colonial rule. Many schools avoid teaching the subject
altogether to deter sectarian and political fervor.
The debate over a standardized account of Lebanon’s modern history has been
ongoing for more than two decades. The Taif Accord, a reconciliation pact passed
in 1990 to end the country’s civil war, called for the implementation of a
unified curriculum.
“It’s a bit bizarre to tackle the issue of 2005, when we still haven’t agreed on
the period from 1975 to 1990, covering the civil war,” says Zaccack. “Before we
can even decide on calling it the Cedar Revolution or not, let’s see if other
issues can be tackled,” adds Lokman Slim, co-founder of the Umam Documentation &
Research NGO, which archives materials from Lebanon’s social and political
history, including the civil war.
Slim argues the Cedar Revolution semantics debate is a diversion tactic by
politicians. “I think it’s in everyone’s interest to have this kind of blockage
because nobody really wants to move forward with the project of a history book
which could finally call into question our national education policy. It’s a
minor issue hiding a larger one, which is: Do we really want a unified history
book to begin with?”
According to Slim, the answer is “no.” “Any idea of unification seems to me
suspicious, so when it comes to this book I think it means somebody wants to
impose his [or her] own narrative.”
But Sari Hanafi, associate professor of sociology at the American University of
Beirut, says a unified history curriculum is necessary. “I think in terms of
social identity it’s important for the Lebanese to have a shared narrative which
also highlights their differences. We hold absolutely different visions of
Lebanon. We should admit this, and admit our own limitations.”
If it were up to Hanafi, though, politicians would have no say in the matter.
“There should be no vote by the council of ministers or the parliament... It
should be defined and approved by a committee of historians and that’s it.”“It’s
not a question of history being true or not, but a question of perspective” he
adds. “Truth is a process, not an achievement. We’ll never fully know the
truth... but we can reduce the range of lies [through]... certain methodologies
and scientific methods... the issue of labels is the least of our problems.”
Today Syria…Tomorrow Iran
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
The above title is not my own wish, or expression, but rather this is something
that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said himself during the recent “World
Conference on Youth and Islamic Awakening” held in Tehran under the auspices of
the Iranian government and attended by thousands of youth. This conference
attempted to claim that the Arab revolutions are following the path of Iran’s
Khomeinist revolution; however this conference did not go according to plan for
Ahmadinejad.
This is because after images were shown during the conference of what happened
in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and Libya, in addition to other pictures aimed at
provoking Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Jordan, and Morocco; an Iranian youth
in the audience suddenly stood and held up a poster with one word written on it,
namely “SYRIA?”. In other words: what about Syria? At this point, voices were
raised repeating “God, freedom, and Syria!” Of course, this youth was silenced
by the conference organizers, and other voices were raised repeating slogans
defending the Bashar al-Assad regime. When it was time for Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to give his speech, and upon reaching the podium, he told
the audience “we must be vigilant: the West is trying to foment sectarian
conflict in our societies, as part of their goal of keeping Israel alive.” He
added “today Syria, tomorrow your country” i.e. Iran.
Ahmadinejad is linking the safety and security of his own country with that of
the Bashar al-Assad regime, not vice versa; for rather than the tyrant of
Damascus saying that any threat to the Iranian regime weakens the al-Assad
regime, it was Ahmadinejad who said that al-Assad being targeted today would
mean Iran being targeted tomorrow. The meaning is clear; Ahmadinejad is well
aware that Iran will have no value and role in the region without the
subservience of the al-Assad regime; as the Syrian regime has facilitated Iran’s
presence in the region, particularly in Lebanon, and this is thanks to
Damascus’s support of the Iranian agent Hassan Nasrallah. This is something that
has made it easy for Iran and Syria to trade with the Palestinian Cause, and
continue their so-called fight against Israel by promoting the “resistance” lie,
which is something that has been proven false. This is because this “resistance”
is nothing more than an attempt to infiltrate the region on the part of Iran,
and its agents like the al-Assad regime and Nasrallah. Ahmadinejad’s statements
that “Today Syria, tomorrow your country” means that he is now well aware that
the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime will be akin to Iran losing its right
hand with regards to foreign policy, which would mean the complete failure of
Tehran’s foreign policy since the Khomeinist revolution. This is because Iran
has thrown its entire weight behind the sectarian regime in Syria, since the
Hafez al-Assad era down to the Bashar al-Assad era today, and Syria has helped
Iran to become involved in all Arab files and issues, infiltrating the region,
and even recruiting agents there.
Therefore, the collapse of the al-Assad regime means that Iran will have to fall
back at home and finally reap what it has sown, which is something that Tehran’s
mullahs, and Ahmadinejad, fear. This can be seen in the Iranian president’s
warning to the youth to be vigilant and that “today Syria…tomorrow Iran”. This
is indeed what is expected, therefore the collapse of the al-Assad regime is
something that will benefit everybody.