LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 26/2012
Bible Quotation for today/Jesus Accuses the Pharisees and the Teachers of the
Law
Luke 11/37-53: "When Jesus finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with
him; so he went in and sat down to eat. The Pharisee was surprised when he
noticed that Jesus had not washed before eating. So the Lord said to him, Now
then, you Pharisees clean the outside of your cup and plate, but inside you are
full of violence and evil. Fools! Did not God, who made the outside, also make
the inside? But give what is in your cups and plates to the poor, and everything
will be ritually clean for you. How terrible for you Pharisees! You give to God
one tenth of the seasoning herbs, such as mint and rue and all the other herbs,
but you neglect justice and love for God. These you should practice, without
neglecting the others. How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the reserved
seats in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. How
terrible for you! You are like unmarked graves which people walk on without
knowing it. One of the teachers of the Law said to him, Teacher, when you say
this, you insult us too! Jesus answered, How terrible also for you teachers of
the Law! You put onto people's backs loads which are hard to carry, but you
yourselves will not stretch out a finger to help them carry those loads. How
terrible for you! You make fine tombs for the prophets—the very prophets your
ancestors murdered. You yourselves admit, then, that you approve of what your
ancestors did; they murdered the prophets, and you build their tombs. For this
reason the Wisdom of God said, I will send them prophets and messengers; they
will kill some of them and persecute others. So the people of this time will be
punished for the murder of all the prophets killed since the creation of the
world, from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed
between the altar and the Holy Place. Yes, I tell you, the people of this time
will be punished for them all! How terrible for you teachers of the Law!
You have kept the key that opens the door to the house of knowledge; you
yourselves will not go in, and you stop those who are trying to go in!
When Jesus left that place, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to
criticize him bitterly and ask him questions about many things, trying to lay
traps for him and catch him saying something wrong.
Latest analysis,
editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Al-Assad hanging in the balance/By
Tariq Alhomayed/January 25/12
Victory or defeat/By:
Hazem Saghiyeh/January 25/12
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
January 25/12
U.S. Raid in Somalia Frees American, Dane as Obama Hails
Courage of Special Forces
Obama: U.S. is determined to prevent Iran from getting a
nuclear weapon
Iran's Ahmadinejad ups rates to stem money crisis
Report in Azerbaijan: Attempt on Israeli envoy's life
thwarted
Azerbaijan
foils Iranian-Hizballah terror strike against Israel targets and Habad
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz
chief warns Hezbollah on overseas terror plots
Israeli Attorney General orders probe against Jerusalem
mufti
Israel to UN: Tomorrow will be too late for action against
Iran
Iran says sanctions to fail, repeats Hormuz threat
UK could send military
assets to Strait of Hormuz
All eyes on Iran in USA Florida presidential debate
Iran: EU oil sanctions will have 'serious consequences'
EU Sanctions Target Iran's Tejarat Bank, Guards Corps
Australia Will Follow EU Ban on Iranian Oil Imports
Iran Summons Danish Envoy to Protest EU Oil Embargo
Turkey Slams France’s ‘Racist’ Genocide Bill, Warns of
Retaliatory Measures
Top Commander Says NATO Not Mulling Intervention in Iran,
Syria
Europeans and Arabs Seek U.N. Vote on Syria Next Week
Britain, France, U.S. Criticize Russian Arms Sales to
Syria
52 Dead, Including 39 in Homs, as Syrian Forces Storm Hama
Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc: Govt. Must Go to Arab League
to Stop Syrian Violations
Gulf states to quit Arab League mission in Syria
Moallem says Syria vindicated,
blasts Arab "conspirators"
Syria, Bahrain, Yemen get worst ever press freedom ranking
Egypt army hands
legislative power to new parliament
Yemen's Saleh seeking
exile in Oman
Lebanese banks will
abide by Syria sanctions: Salameh
U.N. lauds Lebanese
officials for safeguarding stability
Lebanon upholds verdict over general's Israel leaks
STL defense to answer questions on Twitter
France ignores Turk threats, vows genocide law in two
weeks
Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare
meets Mikati, Mansour
U.S. Raid in Somalia Frees
American, Dane as Obama Hails Courage of Special Forces
by Naharnet/U.S. Special Forces troops flew into Somalia on a nighttime
helicopter raid early Wednesday, freed an American and a Danish hostage and
killed nine pirates in a mission that President Barack Obama said he personally
authorized.
The Danish Refugee Council confirmed that the two aid workers, American Jessica
Buchanan and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, were freed and "are on their way to be
reunited with their families."
Buchanan, 32, and Thisted, 60, had been working with a de-mining unit of the
Danish Refugee Council when they were kidnapped in October.
A pirate who gave his name as Bile Hussein told The Associated Press he had
spoken to pirates at the scene of the raid and they reported that nine pirates
had been killed and three were missing. He said the raid was very quick and
caught the guards as they were sleeping after having chewed the narcotic leaf
qat for much of the evening. Qat is a stimulant but users often sleep heavily
after hours of chewing.
A second pirate who gave his name as Ahmed Hashi said two helicopters attacked
at about 2 a.m. about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the Somali town of Adado
where the hostages were being held.
The U.S. military's Africa Command, based in Stuttgart, Germany, confirmed that
nine kidnappers were killed.
"Last night's mission, boldly conducted by some of our nation's most courageous,
competent, and committed special operations forces, exemplifies United States
Africa Command's mission to protect Americans and American interests in Africa,"
said Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Africa Command.
Obama seemed to refer to the mission before his State of the Union address in
Washington Tuesday night. By then it was already Wednesday morning in Somalia.
As he entered the House chamber in the U.S. Capitol, Obama pointed at Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta in the crowd and said, "Good job tonight."
"As Commander-in-Chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out
this mission, and the dedicated professionals who supported their efforts,"
Obama said in a statement released by the White House Wednesday. He said he
authorized the rescue mission on Monday.
"Jessica Buchanan was selflessly serving her fellow human beings when she was
taken hostage by criminals and pirates who showed no regard for her health and
well-being," Obama said. "The United States will not tolerate the abduction of
our people, and will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to
bring their captors to justice."
A Western official said the helicopters and the hostages flew to a U.S. military
base called Camp Lemonnier in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti after the
raid.
The timing of the raid may have been made more urgent by a medical condition.
The Danish Refugee Council had been trying to work with Somali elders to win the
hostages' freedom but had found little success.
"One of the hostages has a disease that was very serious and that had to be
solved," Danish Foreign Minister Villy Soevndal told Denmark's TV2 channel.
Soevndal did not provide any more details. Soevndal congratulated the Americans
for the raid and said he had been informed of the action.
Panetta visited Camp Lemonnier just over a month ago. A key U.S. ally in this
region, Djibouti has the only U.S. base in sub-Saharan Africa. It hosts the
military's Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The Danish Refugee Council
said both freed hostages are unharmed "and at a safe location." The group said
in a separate statement that the two "are on their way to be reunited with their
families."
Ann Mary Olsen, head of the Danish Refugee Council's international department,
was the one who informed the family of Hagen Thisted of the successful military
operation.
"They (the family) were very happy and incredibly relieved that it is over," she
said.
The two aid workers appear to have been kidnapped by criminals — sometimes
referred to as pirates — and not by Somalia's al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab.
As large ships at sea have increased their defenses against pirate attacks,
gangs have looked for other money making opportunities like land-based
kidnappings.
The Danish Refugee Council had earlier enlisted traditional Somali elders and
members of civil society to seek the release of the two hostages.
"We are really happy with the successful release of the innocents kidnapped by
evildoers," said Mohamud Sahal, an elder in Galkayo town, by phone. "They were
guests who were treated brutally. That was against Islam and our culture ...
These men (pirates) have spoiled our good customs and culture, so Somalis should
fight back."
Buchanan and Hagen Thisted were seized in October from the portion of Galkayo
town under the control of a government-allied clan militia. The aid agency has
said that Somalis held demonstrations demanding the pair's quick release. Their
Somali colleague was detained by police on suspicion of being involved in their
kidnapping.
The two hostages were working in northern Somalia for the Danish Demining Group,
whose experts have been clearing mines and unexploded ordnance in conflict zones
in Africa and the Middle East. Several hostages are still being held in Somalia,
including a British tourist, two Spanish doctors seized from neighboring Kenya,
and an American journalist kidnapped on Saturday.
SourceAgence France PresseAssociat
Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare meets Mikati, Mansour
January 25, 2012 /The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Special Tribunal for Lebanon
Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, on a farewell visit to Lebanon, met Wednesday with
the prime and foreign ministers.
Sources at the Grand Serail said Bellemare, who arrived in Beirut late Tuesday,
met Prime Minister Najib Mikati early in the day away from media spotlight.
Bellemare then headed to the foreign ministry for talks with Foreign Minister
Adnan Mansour. The Canadian judge announced in December that, for health
reasons, he would resign from his position when the U.N.-backed court’s first
three-year mandate ends in March. He has served as STL prosecutor since 2009,
when he was appointed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Bellemare issued a
confidential document to Lebanese authorities in October outlining additional
steps that could be taken to arrest the four men indicted in the 2005
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The suspects remain at
large. Bellemare is also scheduled to meet with Interior Minister Marwan Charbel
and Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi to discuss the STL during his four-day
stay.
STL
defense to answer questions on Twitter
January 24, 2012/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: The head of the Defence Office at the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon will be answering questions on Twitter from members
of the public from 3 to 5 p.m. Beirut time Tuesday. Francois Roux will answer
questions related to the Defense Office, whose principal duty is to protect the
rights of the accused. In late June, the STL indicted four members of Hezbollah
in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. Hezbollah
denies involvement.
Israel to
UN: Tomorrow will be too late for action against Iran
Israel's envoy to the UN Ron Prosor levies harsh criticism at the Security
Council, saying it is obsessed with Israel and ignores crimes of other
countries.
By Shlomo Shamir /Haaretz/Get Haaretz on iPhone Get Haaretz on Android "The Arab
world is in flames and the Security Council is dealing with construction permits
in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)," Israel's United Nations envoy Ron Prossor
said in a speech at the UN Security Council on Tuesday. Prosor used the Security
Council's monthly meeting on the situation in the Middle East to direct harsh
criticism at the body. "The obsession with Israeli and the ignoring of countries
where civilians are tortured and killed undermines the credibility and calls
into question the relevance of the Security Council," Prosor said. "Iran's
efforts to develop nuclear weapons represent the greatest threat to peace and
security in the world," Prosor said. "The silence of the Security Council will
be very costly. You must act today. Tomorrow will be too late." "The thought of
Iran equipped with nuclear weapons should take sleep from the eyes of Security
Council member states," Prosor said. "The international community cannot stand
by idly while the Ayatollah's regime works to combine extremist ideology with
nuclear technology." Prosor also attacked the Security Council for its silence
on continued rocket fire at Israel from the Gaza Strip. He mentioned a letter he
sent to the council protesting the rocket fire. "But we have still not heard
condemnation from the Security Council or the Palestinian Authority," Prosor
said. On UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's expected upcoming visit to Israel,
Prosor said: "I hope that the Secrtary-General's visit will provide a new
perspective on the real barriers to peace and security in the region and
illuminate the true problems of terror, extremism and incitement in our region."
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz
chief warns Hezbollah on overseas terror plots
By Haaretz /Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz said on
Tuesday that Hezbollah and other terrorist groups are trying to conduct attacks
against Israeli targets overseas. "During this time period, when our enemies in
the north are refraining from actions due to fear of a harsh response, we are
witnessing efforts by Hezbollah and other hostile elements to carry out vicious
terror attacks far from Israeli territory, for example what we saw in recent
reports about attempted attacks in Thailand," Gantz said. Last week, three men
were detained after planning to attack two Israelis employed by a Jewish school
in Baku, the Azerbaijan Ministry of National Security revealed. In mid-January,
a Lebanese-Swedish man was arrested in Thailand on suspicion of being involved
in a Hezbollah plot to carry out attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in
Bangkok.
Azerbaijan foils Iranian-Hizballah terror strike against Israel
targets and Habad
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report January 24, 2012/A Hizballah cell backed by
intelligence from Tehran and external Iranian terror cells in Turkey, Bulgaria,
Georgia and Armenia, was captured in Baku on Jan. 19 by Azerbaijan's National
Security Ministry (MNS) officers as it was about to launch a series of attacks
on the Israeli embassy, Chief Rabbi Shneor Segal and Rabbi Mati Lewis at the
Habad center and visiting Israel personages.debkafile's counter-terror sources
disclose that two of the Hizballah cell members live permanently in Baku. The
third, who resides in Tehran, was recruited by Iranian intelligence to lead the
Hizballah operation, which was the first joint Iranian-Hizballah terrorist
attack ever discovered. In its sights too were the former Israeli chief of staff
Gaby Ashkenazi who was due to visit to the Azerbaijan capital and several local
high officials who work with the United States and Israel. They were suspected
by Tehran of helping the US and Israel set up an attack on Iran from Azerbaijan.
The two Habad figures are Israeli-born heads of the Jewish community in Baku and
the Ohr Avner Chabad Jewish Day School, The cell was rounded up just weeks after
a Hizballah terrorist strike against the local Habad center was preempted in
Bangkok, thanks to Thai-Israeli counter-terror cooperation. There, Hizballah had
intended to take hostages and blow up the Habad headquarters, aping al Qaeda's
2009 outrage in Mumbai.Israel's Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz had this to
say Tuesday, Jan. 24: "We stand guard over the nation's security in near and
distant arenas. Our borders appear calm. But at the very time that our enemies
in the north avoid striking us for fear of painful punishment, Hizballah and
other hostile elements are making every effort to bring off savage terrorist
attacks against Israelis and the Jewish people in far places." The general
added: "I advise them not to test our resolve."Gantz was referring to the
constant Hizballah efforts to avenge the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh, the
terrorist group's special security chief, on Feb. 12, 2008 in Damascus, and
Iran's threats following the death of the Iranian nuclear scientist Prof.
Mostafa Ahamdi-Roshan on Jan. 11 in Tehran.
Hizballah and Iran both attributed the attacks to Israel. Our sources can
identify the Hizballah terror cell's Baku chief as an Iranian Azeri by the name
of Balaqardash Dadashov and the two local operatives as Rasim Aliyev and Ali
Huseynov. Found in their possession were guns and explosives said to have been
delivered to them by smugglers from Iran, although debkafile's counter-terror
sources say they entered Azerbaijan from Armenia. The operation leader
Balaqardash arrived from Tehran with a file full of photos of the targeted
Israeli figures, plans of the buildings to be attacked, and maps as well as
$9,300 to cover the costs of the preparations. Each of the terrorists was
promised a fee of $150,000.
حزب
الله والحرس الثوري الإيراني يفشلون في ازربجيان
http://www.debka.com/article/21677/
تفيد التقارير أن السلطان الأمنية في باكو/ اذربجيان قد افشلت مخطط ارهابي لحزب
الله والمخابرات الإيرانية في 19 من الجاري حيث تم اعتقال مجموعة محلية ممولة من
جماعات الملالي للإعتداء على مراكز اسرائيلية من بينها السفير الإسرائيلي ومدرسة
نعم هذا هو حزب الله على حقيقته البشعة، جيش ايراني بخدمة ارهاب ملالي ايران وهو
حول لبنان الذي يحتله بقوة السلاح إلى ساحة ومنطلق للعمليات الإيرانية الإرهابية ضد
الدول العربية وباقي دول العالم. في اسفل التقرير من موقع دبكة بالإنكليزية
Report in
Azerbaijan: Attempt on Israeli envoy's life thwarted
Attila Somfalvi/Ynetnews
Media outlets say three locals who were arrested last week were paid by Iranian
intelligence to kill ambassador in Baku as well as teacher and rabbi from Chabad
school
Three Azerbaijani citizens who were arrested by security forces last week
planned to attack Jewish targets, including Israeli ambassador to Baku Michael
Lotem, a local media outlet reported Tuesday. Israeli sources also speculated
that the terror cell members plotted to attack the embassy in Baku and the
ambassador. The report was published less than three weeks before the
anniversary of the assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh.
The men are suspected of plotting to kill a rabbi and a teacher at the Ohr Avner
Chabad Jewish Day School in Baku as revenge for the recent killing of a nuclear
scientist in Tehran. The Iranian regime claimed Israel was behind the
assassination. Two of the suspects were identified as Rasim Aliyev and Ali
Huseynov. According to reports, they received instructions from Balagardash
Dadashov, who was in contact with Iranian intelligence and received a sniper
rifle, pistols and explosive devices to attack Chabad emissaries operating in
Baku. It is estimated that the would-be assassins were supposed to receive
$150,000 to carry out the hit on the Israeli ambassador. It was reported that
Aliyev, Dadashov's brother-in-law, recruited Huseynov and gave him $9,300 as an
advance. Dadashov, who is in his 60s, has been wanted since 1995 on charges of
murder, abduction of children and other offenses. He reportedly headed a crime
syndicate that dealt in arms trafficking, kidnapping and more.According to an
Azeri news agency, Dadashov fled to Iraq, where he lived for many years, and
then moved to Iran. However, it was impossible to extradite him because Iran is
not bound by any extradition agreements.Some four years ago agents from Iran and
Hezbollah planned to set off a car bomb near the Israeli embassy in Baku shortly
after Mughniyeh's assassination, but the attack was foiled. Israel has issued a
travel warning for Azerbaijan. The Counter-Terrorism Bureau suggested that
visitors avoid places frequented by a large number of Israelis.
Some 30,000 Jews currently live in Azerbaijan. They enjoy freedom of religion
and are rarely targeted by anti-Semites.
IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz recently addressed the terror groups' attempt to
attack Israelis overseas. "During this time period, when our enemies in the
north are refraining from actions due to fear of a harsh response, we are
witnessing efforts by Hezbollah and other hostile elements to carry our vicious
terror attacks far from Israeli territory, for example what we saw in recent
reports about attempted attacks in Thailand," he said, adding "I suggest that no
one test our resolve." Israeli security officials have asked their counterparts
in Europe to boost security around Israeli groups for fear of terror attacks
initiated by Hezbollah. A number of countries, including Greece and Bulgaria,
have consented to the request. **Ilana Curiel, Polina Garaev and Kobi Nahshoni
contributed to the report
Israeli
Attorney General orders probe against Jerusalem mufti
Aviad Glickman /Ynetnews
Sheikh Hussein suspected of incitement to violence and racism after citing a
hadith claiming the end of days will not happen until Muslims kill Jews in
religious battle
Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein on Tuesday asked Israel Police to launch an
investigation against the top Muslim cleric of Jerusalem and the Palestinian
Authority over comments he made during a recent rally in Ramallah. Deputy
Attorney General Shai Nitzan sent Israel Police a letter asking that it launch a
criminal investigation against Grand Mufti Mohammed Hussein on suspicion of
incitement to violence and racism. an event celebrating the 47th anniversary of
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement last week, Mufti Mohammed
Hussein cited a hadith (saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) claiming that
the Earth's end of days will not happen until Muslims kill Jews in a religious
battle: "The Hour (of Resurrection) will not come until you fight the Jews. The
Jew will hide behind stones or trees. Then the stones or trees will call: 'Oh
Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.'" The
moderator who introduced the mufti at the Fatah event said, "Our war with the
descendants of the apes and pigs (i.e., Jews) is a war of religion and faith."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the mufti's comments, which were
posted on YouTube by an Israeli watchdog group, as "heinous." He called for an
investigation against the Muslim cleric. The mufti said the accusations were
part of what he called Israel's incitement campaign against senior officials in
east Jerusalem.
Ahmad Rwaidy, an advisor on Jerusalem affairs in Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas' office, told the Ramallah-based The Voice of Palestine radio station that
Netanyahu's call for an investigation against Sheikh Hussein constitutes an
attack on the Palestinian nation's religious and national symbols.
*Roi Kais contributed to the report
Iran says sanctions to
fail, repeats Hormuz threat
Daily Star/January 24, 2012 08:11 PM By Mitra Amiri
TEHRAN: Iranian politicians said on Tuesday they expected the European Union to
backtrack on its oil embargo and repeated a threat to close the vital Strait of
Hormuz shipping lane if the West succeeds in preventing Tehran from exporting
crude.
A day after the EU slapped a ban on Iranian oil, Iran's tone appeared defiant,
even sceptical, with Tehran insisting that, with the EU faced with its own
economic crisis, it needs Iran's oil more than Iran needs its business. The ban
is expected to take full effect within six months. "The West's ineffective
sanctions against the Islamic state are not a threat to us. They are
opportunities and have already brought lots of benefits to the country,"
Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi told the official IRNA news agency.
Speaking in London, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Britain Prince Mohammad Bin
Nawaf said the region was witnessing "a very difficult and a very tense
situation". "We are seeing every day an escalation in the rhetoric and this
definitely does not help in stabilising the area," he told a briefing.
"I think the next couple of weeks will be very critical for the whole region.
Hopefully, Iran will adhere to the proposals presented to them." He said Iran's
threats to block the strait of Hormuz would have grave consequences on the
Islamic Republic and the region. "It will be very difficult to maintain such a
blockade against the export of oil but the ramifications of such a decision
would be very grave and definitely would escalate the whole situation and God
knows where it would lead. "Definitely the Iranians will pay a very heavy price
if they gamble and take such a decision," the Saudi envoy said.
The EU wants to press Iran into curbing its contested nuclear programme and
engage in talks with six world powers. "The global economic situation is not one
in which a country can be destroyed by imposing sanctions," Moslehi said. A
spokesman for the oil ministry said Iran had had plenty of time to prepare for
the sanctions and would find alternative customers for the 18 percent of its
exports that up to now have gone to the 27-nation European bloc. "The first
phase of this (sanctions action) is propaganda, only then it will enter the
implementation phase. That is why they put in this six months period, to study
the market," Alireza Nikzad Rahbar said, predicting the embargo could be
rescinded before it takes force completely. "This market will harm them because
oil is getting more expensive and when oil gets more expensive it will harm the
people of Europe," state TV quoted him as saying. "We hope that in these six
months they will choose the right path." EMBARGO PLANS
The embargo will not kick in completely until July 1 because the bloc's foreign
ministers who agreed the ban at a meeting in Brussels were anxious not to
penalise the ailing economies of Greece, Italy and others to whom Iran is a
major oil supplier. The strategy will be reviewed in May to see if it should
proceed. Iran, which denies international suspicions that it is trying to design
atomic bombs behind the facade of a declared civilian atomic energy programme,
has scoffed at efforts to bar its oil exports as Asia lines up to buy what
Europe rejects. Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Danish ambassador on
Tuesday to complain about the EU's "illogical decision", accusing Europe of
doing the bidding of the United States. Emad Hosseini, spokesman for
parliament's energy committee, said that if Iran encountered any problem selling
its oil, it would store it, adding Tehran retained its threat to shut the Gulf
to shipping. The United States, which sailed an aircraft carrier through the
strait into the Gulf accompanied by British and French warships on Sunday, has
said it would not tolerate the closure of the world's most important oil
shipping gateway. Fitch Ratings issued an assessment of the embargo's market
impact saying it would likely cause an oil price increase. "However, prices may
not necessarily increase markedly from current levels as some of the risks
related to the EU ban on Iranian oil appear factored in already," it said. The
embargo decision had no discernible impact on oil prices as it was a move that
had been flagged well in advance and the threat to close Hormuz seemed remote.
Brent crude down slightly at $110 per barrel on Tuesday. U.S. President Barack
Obama said on Monday that the EU sanctions underlined the strength of the
international community's commitment to "addressing the serious threat"
presented by Iran's nuclear programme. "The United States will continue to
impose new sanctions to increase the pressure on Iran," he said in a statement.
Washington applied its own sanctions to Iran's oil trade and central bank on
Dec. 31 and on Monday extended them to the third largest Iranian bank,
state-owned Bank Tejarat, and a Belarus-based affiliate for allegedly helping
Tehran's nuclear advance. The EU sanctions were also welcomed by Israel, which
has warned it might attack Iran if sanctions do not deflect Tehran from a course
that some analysts say could potentially give Iran the means to build a nuclear
bomb next year.
Lebanon upholds verdict over general's Israel leaks
January 24, 2012 /Daily Star/BEIRUT: Lebanon's military court on Tuesday upheld
a verdict against a former army general and politician currently allied with
Hezbollah who was convicted of leaking information to Israel, a judicial source
said. "Lebanon's military appeals court upheld the two-year jail sentence
against retired general Fayez Karam but restored his civil rights," the source
told AFP. Karam in September was found guilty of contacting Israeli intelligence
and providing them with information on Hezbollah and its ally the Christian Free
Patriotic Movement (FPM), of which the retired general is a member. The verdict
did not find Karam guilty of spying for Israel. Karam was arrested last summer,
the first political figure to be detained in Lebanon as part of probe launched
in 2009 into Israeli spy networks.
The 62-year-old headed the Lebanese army's anti-terrorism and counter-espionage
unit during the 1980s and was close to FPM leader Michel Aoun, who was army
chief toward the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. Aoun, who was staunchly
anti-Syrian during the civil war, entered into a controversial alliance with the
Iran and Syria-backed Hezbollah in 2006, a year after returning to Lebanon from
exile in France. More than 100 people have been arrested on suspicion of spying
for the Israeli Mossad since April 2009, including members of the security
forces and telecom employees. Several have since been sentenced to death,
including one found guilty of aiding Israel during its devastating 2006 war with
Hezbollah.
Lebanese banks will abide by Syria sanctions: Salameh
January 25, 2012/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Lebanon's banking sector will abide by international sanctions against
unrest-swept Syria, central bank governor Riad Salameh said on Tuesday.
"Lebanese banks both at home and abroad... will not take any action, especially
as concerns Syria, that could expose any of our banking partners or put them in
a position whereby they have breached regulations in their countries," said
Salameh. Lebanon was fully committed to the implementation of international
regulations on banking transparency, he told a conference in Beirut organized by
the International Finance Corporation. "The central bank will seriously
investigate all complaints (of breaches) and will not hesitate in taking any
necessary measures," he added. Lebanon has come under international pressure to
abide by international sanctions on neighboring Syria, which include freezing
government assets and suspending cooperation with Syria's central bank and some
other banks.
Salameh has said Syria has no funds deposited in Lebanon's central bank and
Lebanese banking officials say they have adopted strict measures to ensure
compliance with the sanctions. These measures include
strict control over the transactions of Syrian clients and close monitoring of
Syrians who wish to open new accounts. The European Union on Monday blacklisted
five banks in Syria as part of efforts to tighten sanctions on the regime.
Salameh attributed a decline in local economic growth to the repercussions of
"rumors" linking Lebanon's banking sector to Syria.
"Growth in 2011 dropped due primarily to... rumors targeting its banking sector
in addition to revolutions and tensions across the region." The United States,
which lists Hezbollah as a terrorist group, last year filed a lawsuit against
the Lebanese Canadian Bank, accusing it of laundering hundreds of millions of
dollars in drug proceeds from an alleged cocaine trafficker with ties to the
Shiite militant group.
Lebanon's government, which is dominated by Iranian-backed Hezbollah, has
sidestepped taking a firm stand on the Syria crisis in what observers say is a
bid to avoid potential sanctions or a spillover of the violence. The United
Nations estimates more than 5,400 people have been killed in Syria since March
as the regime of President Bashar al-Assad cracks down on a popular revolt.
Salameh also shed light on the broad activities of the Lebanese banks,
especially in field of lending to both the private and public sectors. "Our
monetary policy has enabled the Lebanese pound to remain stable and has
bolstered the confidence in the Lebanese banking sector. All these factors also
caused the interest rates to fall while assets continued to grow which
ultimately induced lending to small and medium size businesses in Lebanon."
Salameh indicated that banking lending rose by 14 percent in 2011 compared to 23
percent in 2010, adding that SMEs received substantial share from these loans.
Salameh noticed that the Lebanese pound has regained the confidence and trust of
investors. The governor reiterated that the Central Bank will maintain its
monetary policy because this measure allowed the Lebanese pound to remain
stable. "This policy is important to keep inflation at bay and to weather the
effects of wage increase on the prices of commodities."He assured that the
Lebanese banks continue to draw deposits and liquidity.Salameh indicated that
loans to the private sector have exceeded the loans to the public sector.The
private sector received $40 billion of loans compared to $29 billion to the
public sector AFP, Daily Star
Saudi Arabian Officials Assault, Strip Search Christian Prisoners
ICC Urges Saudi Arabia to Release the Prisoners
http://www.persecution.org/2012/01/24/saudi-arabian-officials-assault-strip-search-christian-prisoners/
Washington, D.C. (January 24, 2012) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has
learned that Saudi Arabian officials strip searched 29 Christian women and
assaulted six Christian men after arresting them for holding a prayer meeting at
a private home in Jeddah. The prisoners are currently being held at Briman
prison in Jeddah.“We feel humiliated because the security officials stripped searched us. They
used the same glove to search several of us at the same time. Some of my friends
are suffering from physical pain to their private parts due to the unsanitary
condition of the strip search. We haven’t committed any crime. We are imprisoned
for worshipping the God of heaven and earth,” said one of the female prisoners
during an interview with ICC.
Speaking to ICC, another prisoner said, “A high-ranking security official
insulted us saying ‘you are non-believers and animals.’ He also said, ‘You are
pro-Jews and supporters of America.’ We then responded, ‘We love everyone. Our
God tells us to love everyone.’”In a message for Christians around the world, the prisoner said, “We want you to
help us to get out of prison in every way you can, including prayer. Please tell
your governments about our plight, contact human rights organizations and others
and inform them about us.”ICC’s Jonathan Racho said, “The Saudi Arabian officials are committing serious
violations of human rights by detaining and mistreating the Christians. It is
outrageous that the officials indefinitely incarcerate innocents for practicing
their faith. We urge the Saudi officials to release the prisoners and respect
their religious freedom.”
Please sign this petition asking the Saudi Arabian government to release the
Christian prisoners.
Call the Saudi Arabian Embassy in your country and ask them to release the
prisoners.
United States: (+1) 202 342 3800
Canada: (+1) 613 237 4100
United Kingdom: (+44) 207 9173-000
Australia: (+61) 2 6250 7000
Germany: (+49) 30 88 92 50
France: (+33) 1 56 79 4000
For interveiws, contact Jonathan Racho, Regional Manager for Africa: jonathan@persecution.org
All eyes on Iran in Florida presidential debate
With Romney slipping in the polls, and Gingrich gaining momentum, the debate
turned into an acrimonious bout between the two Republican frontrunners. The
two, however, could agree on one thing: the Iranian threat.
By Natasha Mozgovaya/Haaretz
In just two weeks, the U.S. Republican primaries turned from what seemed as a
almost inevitable result (with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney riding
high in polls, with highest number of party endorsements and with victories in
two states) to the big unknown - with three candidates claiming a victory each
(Rick Santorum in Iowa, Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, Newt Gingrich in South
Carolina). Mitt Romney is slipping in the polls, while reporters’ mailboxes are
exploding of attack ads from each camp. The next few days promise to bring even
more negativity.
During Monday night’s Republican debate, held at the University of South Florida
in Tampa, the candidates spoke about taxes, "Obamacare", electability and the
hypothetical 3 A.M. call reporting on the Cuban dictator's death. Former speaker
Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney clashed again and again, with Romney criticizing
Gingrich's failed leadership and his lobbyist ventures.
“You spent now 15 years in Washington on K Street, and this is a real problem,
if we’re going to nominate someone who not only had a record of great distress
as the speaker, but that has worked for 15 years lobbying”, Romney said to
Gingrich.
Gingrich defended his work for Freddie Mac, saying: "I've never done any
lobbying.... The only report in the newspaper was in the New York Times in July
of 2008, which said I told the House Republicans they should vote no, not give
Freddie Mac any money because it needed to be reformed".
He also retorted that he is "not going to spend the evening trying to chase
Governor Romney's misinformation", promising to list it on his website, and
calling on the audience to watch videos of Mike Huckabee and John McCain's
attacks against Romney from 2007-2008.
Talking about his electability, Gingrich turned to former President and
conservative icon Ronald Reagan, saying that "in 1980, when Ronald Reagan
started the year about 30 points behind Jimmy Carter, and when the Republican
establishment described his economic ideas as "voodoo economics," Reagan just
cheerfully went out and won the debate, won the nomination, and won the general
election."
Mitt Romney attacked Gingrich again, saying that in 1994 he was given an
opportunity to be a leader, and "at the end of four years, he had to resign in
disgrace from his job as speaker. In the 15 years after he left the speakership,
the speaker has been working as an influence peddler in Washington".
The candidates were also asked to comment on Iran’s threatening to close the
Straits of Hormuz. Was it, in their opinion, an act of war?
Mitt Romney said "of course it's an act of war,” adding that it is “appropriate
and essential for our military, for our Navy to maintain open seas…we want them
to see that we're so strong they couldn't possibly defeat us. We want to show
Iran any action of that nature will be considered an act of war, an act of
terror and America is going to keep those sea lanes open".
Newt Gingrich responded by saying that the United States has historically sought
peace, saying it is dangerous that “Iranians think that in fact this president
is so weak they could close the Straits of Hormuz and not suffer substantial
consequence." On the other hand, Congressman Ron Paul said that the root of the
current Iranian threats are the international sanctions being imposed on the
Islamic Republic.
"We're blockading them", he said. "Can you imagine what we would do if somebody
blockaded the Gulf of Mexico? That would be an act of war.” Paul further stated
that taking on Iran would be “the most foolish thing in the world to do.”
Senator Rick Santorum said Iran had committed several acts of war: "They are
holding hostages; they are attacking our troops; the IEDs, the improvised
explosive devices that are killing our troops in Afghanistan and killed them in
Iraq.” “You look at these ships that have been attacked by Iran. Embassies were
attacked by Iran…It is a long list of attacks, of warlike behavior, on the part
of this regime," Santorum added. Santorum focused his attack on President
Obama's policy, saying "Obama's Iran policy has been a colossal failure. It's
been a failure because he's not been true to the American public about the
threat that Iran poses to the world -- not just to Israel but to the world and
to the United States.”
Al-Assad hanging in the balance
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
What is certain today after the Arab stances and decisions issued last Sunday in
Cairo following the Arab ministerial meeting is that the fate of Damascus’s
tyrant now hangs in the balance, but who will come to his aid? Bearing in mind
that Sunday’s events, whether the stances or decisions, have many important
implications.
There was the courageous and responsible Saudi stance, represented by the Saudi
Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, with his meeting with the Syrian
opposition and afterwards his highly significant speech that he made at the Arab
League meeting, in which he prioritized important points above mere rhetoric,
especially when he responded to al-Assad’s attack on the Arab states by saying:
“is it in the Arab nature for a ruler to kill his own people?”. The other
significant matter is the new Arab initiative towards Syria, which means that in
reality, the tyrant of Damascus is now caught between the blades of the
scissors: the Arab initiative stipulates his removal from power, and if he
rejects this it means that matters will be pushed to the Security Council. The
irony here is that the Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, remarked
that this new initiative is similar to the Gulf initiative for Yemen. Yet this
was an initiative that Doha withdrew from, and labeled a failure, and here I say
it is ironic because Sheikh Hamad today is engaged in a similar initiative with
Syria, on the day that Ali Abdullah Saleh is finally leaving Sana’a!
However, this is not the subject of the discussion. What is important about the
new Arab initiative towards Syria is that it makes provisions for dialogue, a
new constitution, and parliamentary and presidential elections, under Arab and
international supervision, with specific dates and deadlines, as soon as al-Assad
hands over power to his deputy, Farouk al-Sharaa. It is important that this
initiative came about through an Arab consensus, albeit with Algerian
reservations to transfer matters to the Security Council - which would mean the
inevitable internationalization of the issue and despite Lebanon distancing
itself from the initiative. In reality, Lebanon distanced itself from the Arab
world ever since its government became the government of Hezbollah, meaning that
it is an ally of al-Assad. Lebanon has effectively sold its consent for the new
Arab initiative, alongside the other prominent sellers Iraq and Algeria, which
is another story altogether; the story of Iran’s allies.
The Arab consensus here means that al-Assad is now alone, and today he must
accept the Arab initiative, or declare his rejection of it, which subsequently
entails the matter being transferred to the Security Council. Prince Saud
al-Faisal’s meeting with the Syrian opposition, as well as the content of his
speech, mean that the Arab ceiling has been raised significantly. There is no
longer any room for al-Assad’s tricks; the Syrian opposition is just around the
corner from achieving Arab recognition. In fact, the new Arab initiative already
suggests implicit recognition of the Syrian opposition, whereby it stipulates
that al-Assad’s deputy must engage in formal negotiations with them. Here an
important point remains, namely that the situation on the ground is not going to
help the al-Assad regime, but rather it will be exposed to ongoing losses, not
to mention the systematic erosion of its prestige, especially with some areas of
Syria falling into the hands of the Free Syrian Army. All this means that the
situation on the ground may not even grant al-Assad the chance to negotiate, and
indeed this is what we expect. Thus the reality of the situation today suggests
that al-Assad is hanging in the balance, and who will come to his aid: The Arab
initiative, the revolutionaries or the Security Council?
52 Dead, Including 39 in Homs, as Syrian Forces Storm Hama
by Naharnet /Syrian security forces killed 52 people across the country on
Tuesday as troops stormed Hama following large protests in the flashpoint
central city, activists said. "The Syrian armed forces stormed the neighborhoods
of Bab Qubli and al-Jarajmah in Hama, firing heavy machineguns," the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said. Activists in the city said that troops had
gone on the offensive after large demonstrations earlier in the day. "Since the
morning, entrances to Hama have been blocked ... Syrian troops stormed the city
from its northern and western entrances," Saleh al-Hamwi, spokesman of the
General Revolution Commission, told Agence France Presse by telephone. Anwar
Amran, another anti-regime activist in Hama, said tanks had entered the city and
there had been "heavy machinegun fire" in three different neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, the Local Coordination Committees, the main activist group spurring
protests on the ground, said security forces killed 52 people across the
country, "including 18 who died when shelling destroyed two buildings in the
Homs neighborhood of Bab Tadmur."Thirty-nine people were killed in the central
opposition bastion Homs, five in Hama province, three in the southern province
of Daraa, the cradle of the uprising, two in the flashpoint northwestern
province of Idlib, two in Damascus province and one in the northern province of
al-Raqqa, the LCC said. For its part, the London-based Observatory said two
civilians were killed in Hama province and one in Homs, Syria's third-largest
city. "A civilian was killed by gunfire from a checkpoint ... in the Bab al-Sibaa
neighborhood of Homs," one of the focal points of protests against President
Bashar al-Assad's regime that erupted in March last year, it said. Another two
civilians died in Hama province when security forces fired on the car they were
traveling in near the Tibah al-Imam locality, the Observatory added. Separately,
Syrian security forces reportedly opened fire in Idlib province in an attempt to
disperse some 10,000 people gathered for the funeral of Radwan Rabi Hamada, an
anti-regime protester killed in the town of Saraqeb on Monday.Observatory
chairman Rami Abdul Rahman said security forces fired heavy machineguns after
Hamada's burial in the village of al-Bara. And in the southern city of Daraa,
clashes broke out between deserters and the regular army, the watchdog added.
The United Nations estimates that more than 5,400 people have been killed in
Syria since last March.The regime blames the violence on "armed terrorist gangs"
backed by foreign agitators.SourceAgence France Presse.
Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc: Govt. Must Go to Arab League
to Stop Syrian Violations
by Naharnet /The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday expressed its
condemnation and concern over what it called “the escalating violations by the
Syrian regime’s forces against Lebanese sovereignty.”In a statement issued after
its weekly meeting under former premier Fouad Saniora, the bloc denounced “the
attack against the three fishermen in al-Arida, which led to the martyrdom of
teenager Maher Hamad,” warning that “suck attacks will leave the residents of
the border areas without jobs.”“This attack indicates disrespect for the
Lebanese state and its independence and sovereignty and for the Lebanese
people’s dignity. The Syrian regime’s repeated attacks cannot be tolerated and
it is unacceptable to remain silent over them,” Mustaqbal lawmakers said in
their statement. “In the face of the shameful laxity of the government, which
did not act or demand an apology over these unacceptable attacks, the Mustaqbal
bloc calls on the government to break free of the captivity of foreign hegemony
and to go to the Arab League to seek an end to these violations, because it is
unacceptable anymore to leave things unaddressed,” they added.On the other hand,
the bloc condemned “the behavior of the Lebanese foreign minister (Adnan Mansour)
at the Arab League, as he has become the official spokesman of the Syrian
regime.”The conferees also voice their regret over “the Syrian regime’s negative
response to the Arab League’s (new) initiative to resolve the crisis in
Syria.”Syria said Tuesday it will spurn further Arab efforts to resolve its
political crisis. "Enough of the Arab solutions from now," Foreign Minister
Walid Muallem said, accusing the Arabs of "plotting" to internationalize the
crisis and taking decisions while "knowing that they will be rejected" by
Damascus. His remarks came after the Arab League called on Syria's President
Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy and to clear the way for a
unity government within two months, in a surprise weekend announcement. "We do
not want Arab solutions. We said that two days ago when we refused the
initiative and when the ministers council decided to turn to the Security
Council," said Muallem. "We categorically refused (this proposal)." "The
solution is a Syrian one based on the interests of the Syrian people ... based
on the completion of the reform program proposed by President Bashar al-Assad,"
he told a televised news conference. Muallem also said Syria had no choice but
to confront armed groups the government claims are fomenting violence. The
U.N. says the Syrian regime has killed more than 5,400 people since March.
Turkey Slams France’s ‘Racist’ Genocide Bill, Warns of
Retaliatory Measures
by Naharnet /Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday slammed as
discriminatory and racist a bill passed by the French Senate making denial of
the Armenian genocide a crime.
"The proposal adopted in France is tantamount to discrimination, racism and
violates freedom of thought," Erdogan said in the parliament during an address
to his fellow deputies.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the decision, saying the law
should not be finalized to "avoid this being recorded as part of France's
political, legal and moral mistakes."
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose party supported the bill, must sign it
into law, but that is largely considered a formality.
If the law is signed, "we will not hesitate to implement, as we deem
appropriate, the measures that we have considered in advance," Turkey's Foreign
Ministry said. It did not elaborate on the measures.
France's parliament approved the bill late Monday, risking more sanctions from
Turkey and complicating an already delicate relationship with the rising power.
Officials in Sarkozy's government insisted the vote didn't directly target the
country. Turkey, which sees the allegations of genocide as a threat to its
national honor, has already suspended military, economic and political ties, and
briefly recalled its ambassador last month when the lower house of parliament
approved the same bill.SourceAgence France Presse Associated
Victory or defeat?
Hazem Saghiyeh, January 23, 2012 /Now Lebanon
As is usually the case with him, our colleague Ali al-Amin raised a few days ago
(Al-Balad, January 15, 2012) an issue, which he regarded as indispensable. It is
“the new phenomenon in Lebanon,” which was described by Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar
TV as “the journey of hundreds of Shia citizens – some of them barefoot – to
Baalbek on foot to commemorate this anniversary,” the 40th day of Hussein
bin Ali’s martyrdom. Amin reminded of late Imam Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah’s
stance on such practices, as he labeled those who do so as “being crazy.” More
importantly, the writer warned against sectarian activities that “highlight
specificity” and broaden the gap between Shia in Lebanon and other Lebanese
nationals, Sunni or Christians. Important though this issue is, it brings to
mind yet another observation that is no less expressive of Hezbollah’s current
situation. “Walks” to a given shrine or tomb are part of famous practices
denoting religiousness in the history of all religions.
Thirteenth-century Europe, for instance, saw the adepts of several Christian
movements self-flagellating to atone for their sins while moving from one place
to another wearing unified garments and brandishing flags. They also carried
whips, long nails and candles. They staged processions for a whole month, days
and nights included, in order to atone for their sins with their blood, thinking
that this would keep natural disasters and the plague epidemics at bay. This
behavior is certainly masochistic and does not fit the shouts of political
victory, which denote a sadistic trend. It is an otherworldly practice rather
than an earthly one. Therefore, Khomeini’s Iran – whether before, during or
after the Islamic Revolution – noticeably proposed to channel pain in all its
forms toward the enemy rather than toward oneself.
The Khomeini doctrine represented the greatest politicization of “Jihad” in
modern history, and the theory of the “Guardianship of the Jurist” consecrated
men of religion as heads of political authority, thus giving precedence to
yielding influence over yielding to influence. As an offshoot of this tradition,
the speeches of the Hezbollah secretary general transformed “victory” into the
compass of political propaganda. Divine victory was thus based on missiles
reaching what lies way beyond Haifa and brought the day on which Israel would
cease to exist closer. This article does not aim to declare a preference for
anyone of two religious orientations, Masochist defensive one and another, which
is sadistic and offensive. Hezbollah is either victorious, in which case there
is no need for journeys on foot, or defeated, in which case this victory
rhetoric becomes superfluous. This blending most probably reflects a fear of
defeat, which hides underneath all these victory shouts.
*This article is a translation of the original, which appeared on the NOW Arabic
site on Monday January 23, 2012
Obama: U.S. is determined to
prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon
By Natasha Mozgovaya /Haaretz
In his State of the Union address, President Obama reminds Americans he
fulfilled his election promises, declares 'iron-clad' commitment to Israel's
security.
The United States is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon
and will take no options off the table to achieve that goal, U.S. President
Barack Obama said in his State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Obama said a peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear dispute is still possible
if Iran changes course and meets international obligations. He said Iran's
regime is "more isolated than ever before, its leaders are faced with crippling
sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will
not relent."
While Obama could not engage in the same personal attacks that have
characterized the Republican primaries debates, his words were unmistakably
marked by the election-year. He began by reminding American citizens that he has
fulfilled his elections promises, including bringing troops back from Iraq, and
reminding them of one of the most symbolic accomplishments of his
administration: killing al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden.
"For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq," he
said. "For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to
this country. Most of al-Qaida’s top lieutenants have been defeated. The
Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to
come home."
He praised U.S. troops and compared their teamwork to the current condition of
U.S. society.
"Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example," he said.
"Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in
educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech
manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own
energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the
world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is
rewarded."
Iron-clad commitment to Israel
Israel was mentioned briefly in the speech. While speaking about U.S. leadership
around the globe, Obama said U.S. ties with its oldest alliances in Europe and
Asia are deeper and stronger than ever. "Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s
security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in
history," he said.
"Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline
or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about. That’s
not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to
work with us."
Obama promised that, despite planned cuts in the military budget, his strategy
would ensure the U.S. maintains the "finest military in the world."
Ultimately, Arab fate is in hands of the people
Speaking on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Egyptian uprising that
led to the fall of President Hosni Mubarak two weeks later, Obama also discussed
the Arab Spring.
Regarding Syria, he said he has "no doubt that the Assad regime will soon
discover that the forces of change can’t be reversed, and that human dignity
can’t be denied," but warned that it was still uncertain what the end of this
"incredible transformation" will be.
"We have a huge stake in the outcome," admitted Obama, "And while it is
ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate
for those values that have served our own country so well. We will stand against
violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human
beings – men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies
that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is
no match for liberty."
American optimism
The Republican candidates' sloganeering has referred to "restoring" America,
"fighting for America" or calling to "Believe in America." Obama went for the
same tone on Tuesday night.
"We can do this", he said. "I know we can, because we’ve done it before. At the
end of World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from
combat, they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever
known. My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to
college on the GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line,
was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth."
Obama, whose speech was intercepted several times by lengthy standing ovations,
spoke about American optimism and promise.
"The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge
is more urgent. No debate is more important," he said.
"We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really
well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an
economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and
everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic
values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them."
Rebuilding the economic house of cards
Obama reminded Americans of how the U.S. got into its current economic
situation, when in 2008 "the house of cards collapsed."
"We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or
understand them. Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people’s money.
Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the
bad behavior. It was wrong." he said.
"It was irresponsible," he added, "And it plunged our economy into a crisis that
put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent,
hard-working Americans holding the bag."
"In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly four million jobs. And
we lost another four million before our policies were in full effect," he
pointed out. Then, Obama - who has been accused by one of his rivals as being a
"food stamp president" - said that "in the last 22 months, businesses have
created more than three million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs
since 2005. American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first
time since the late 1990s."
"Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we’ve
put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like that
never happens again."
Obama discussed how the U.S. auto industry was on the verge of collapse when he
took office, but said that now, "General Motors is back on top as the world’s
number one automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any other major
car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And
together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs."
Iran's Ahmadinejad ups rates to stem money crisis
By REUTERS 01/25/2012/Increases bank rates to 21% in attempt to stabilize rial,
reverse dash for dollars, gold over sanctions fears; Ahmadinejad policy a U-turn
ahead of parliamentary elections.
TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agreed to increase bank interest
rates on Wednesday, hoping to halt a spiraling currency crisis intensified by
new Western sanctions.
"The economy minister has announced Ahmadinejad has agreed with the approval of
the Money and Credit Council to increase interest rates on bank deposits to up
to 21 percent," the official IRNA news agency reported. Sanctions the United
States and the European Union announced over the last month - targeting Iran's
vital oil exports and its central bank - exacerbated fears about the economy and
worsened a dash for hard currency. The rial was already losing value since a
decision last April to cut interest paid on bank deposits to a range of a
12.5-15.5, below inflation which is currently around 20 percent, prompting many
Iranians to withdraw savings and buy gold and foreign currency and pushing up
the price of both.
But the dash for those safe havens accelerated sharply after the new sanctions
were announced, resulting in the rial losing 50% of its value against the price
of dollars available on the open market in just one month.
Monday's decision marks a policy U-turn for Ahmadinejad, who faces a political
test in March 2 parliamentary election. He previously vetoed efforts by Central
Bank Governor Mahmoud Bahmani to increase rates. The rial's slide is a huge risk
to already rising inflation as Iran is heavily reliant on imported consumer and
intermediate goods whose prices have surged as the rial has depreciated.
Trying to pop the bubble. The West hopes the economic pressure will force Iran
to curb the nuclear work they fear is aimed at making bombs but which Tehran
says is entirely peaceful.
Ahmadinejad's representative in parliament - which is already highly critical of
the president and may become more so after March 2 - said the new policy would
burst what he called the bubble of gold and dollar prices. "The effects of the
new decision will be clear in the market very soon and the bubbles being created
for foreign currency and gold will be removed," the ISNA news agency quoted
Mohammad Reza Mirtajedini as saying. The deputy head of parliament's economics
committee criticized the government for reacting late to the crisis which he
said had "no reasonable, logical basis".
"Increasing the bank deposit interest rates is an appropriate tool for people's
investments but doing it in a hasty manner and the current inflamed situation of
the market will not solve any problem," Mostafa Motavarzadeh told the
semi-official Fars news agency.
The price of 8.133-gram gold coins dropped on the news, local media reported, to
8,500,000 rials, reversing most of last week's 45% increase when the price rose
to 10,100,000.
The effect on the price of dollars was negligible however with ISNA saying the
price had fallen on the news to 22,500 rials from 23,000 rials - still double
the central bank's official "reference rate" of 11,293 rials.However, exchange
agencies contacted by Reuters said they had no dollars to sell, reflecting
either a shortage of notes or a reluctance to sell in such a volatile
atmosphere.
France ignores Turk threats, vows genocide law in two weeks
January 25, 2012/ By Nadege Puljak/Daily Star
PARIS: France on Tuesday brushed off angry threats of retaliation by Turkey and
vowed to enforce within a fortnight a new law banning denial of the Armenian
genocide.
The French Senate on Monday approved the measure which threatens with jail
anyone in France who denies that the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turk
forces amounted to genocide. That sparked a furious reaction in Turkey, where
hundreds protested outside the French embassy in Ankara and Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan denounced the move as "tantamount to discrimination and
racism".Erdogan warned that his Islamist-rooted government would punish Paris
with unspecified retaliatory measures if Sarkozy, whose right-wing UMP party
initiated the bill, signed it into law. But Sarkozy appeared undeterred.
"The president of the republic will promulgate the law punishing denial of the
genocide of the Armenians in 1915 within the normal timeframe," which is two
weeks, a Sarkozy aide said.
France has already officially recognised the killings as a genocide, but the new
law would go further, by punishing anyone who denies this with up to a year in
jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($57,000).
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their forebears were killed in 1915 and 1916
by the forces of Turkey's former Ottoman Empire.
Turkey disputes the figure, arguing that 500,000 died, and denies this was
genocide, ascribing the toll to fighting and starvation during World War I and
accusing the Armenians of siding with Russian invaders.
Armenia hailed the passage of the bill through the French Senate, with President
Serzh Sarkisian writing in a letter to Sarkozy: "France has reaffirmed its
greatness and power, its devotion to universal human values."
The world's largest Muslim body, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation,
meanwhile rejected the bill as inconsistent with historical facts. Turkey's ally
Azerbaijan blasted the French vote, with the foreign ministry saying the move
was "against the principles of democracy, human rights, freedom of speech and
expression".
In Washington, State Department Victoria Nuland said that "this is a matter
between Turkey and France... we want to see good relations between them."
Amnesty International meanwhile, criticised the law, saying it would violate
freedom of expression.
"This bill, if implemented, would have a chilling effect on public debate and
contravene France’s international obligations to uphold freedom of expression,"
said Amnesty's Europe and Central Asia director Nicola Duckworth.
"People should be free to express their opinions on this issue -- in France,
Turkey and elsewhere," she said. "French authorities are failing to comply with
their international human rights obligations."
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, who has publicly said he was against the
bill, appealed Tuesday to France's "Turkish friends" for calm, but his call went
unheeded.
Erdogan said: "We will implement our sanctions step by step, without any
retreat. We'll publicise our action plan according to the developments on the
ground."
When France's lower house passed the bill last month, Ankara recalled its envoy
to Paris for consultations and froze political and military ties with Paris
while vowing to impose "permanent" sanctions if the measure is finally adopted.
If it takes effect, the law is expected to hurt diplomatic and trade ties
between the two NATO allies, and Turkey has drawn up contingency plans.
Possible new sanctions include lowering diplomatic ties to the level of charge
d'affaires and halting cultural and scientific cooperation.
The Turkish government has so far avoided calling for a full boycott of French
products under pressure from the Turkish business community.
Trade between Turkey and France was worth 12 billion euros ($15.5 billion) in
2010, with several hundred French businesses operating here.
The Turkish press on Tuesday expressed collective fury over the bill, accusing
France of breaching the right of freedom of expression.
"Shame on you, France" the daily Vatan said. "France, where the ideal of freedom
was born, has delivered the hardest blow to the freedom of expression," it
wrote.