LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 28/12

Bible Quotation for today
Romans 12/14-21: " Ask God to bless those who persecute you—yes, ask him to bless, not to curse. Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep. Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise. If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God's anger do it. For the scripture says, I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord. Instead, as the scripture says: If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame. Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Nasrallah is panic-stricken/By Dr. Amal Al-Hazzani/Asharq Alawsat/July 27/12
Muslim Persecution of Christians: June, 2012/by Raymond Ibrahim/ July 27/12
Arab Leaders: False modesty and the trappings of power/By Adel Al Toraifi/Asharq Al-Awsat/July 27/12
Manaf and Abdel Razzaq/By: Hazem al-Amin/Now Lebanon/ July 27/12

US Air Force: Bunker buster ready for use
Ynetnews 27.07.12 /Air Force Secretary Donley tells Capitol Hill Club bombs designed to destroy deeply buried bunkers that protect nuclear weapons are ready for use 'if needed.' Pentagon officials: Bombs tailor-made to disable Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo After years of development, the 30,000-pound behemoth bunker buster is ready to be used if needed, US Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said this week.According to The Air Force Times, Donley spoke at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on Wednesday about the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is designed to destroy deeply buried bunkers that protect chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. "If it needed to go today, we would be ready to do that," he was quoted as saying. “We continue to do testing on the bomb to refine its capabilities, and that is ongoing. We also have the capability to go with existing configuration today,” Donley added. Military experts have repeatedly mentioned the need for bunker busters in any attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. According to reports, the bomb weighs some 30,000 pounds and is capable of penetrating up to 200 feet underground before exploding. The bomb is 20.5 feet long and can carry over 5300 pounds of explosive material. Russian news agency RT reported that the Pentagon has spent $330 million to develop and deliver more than 20 of the precision-guided bunker-buster bombs.
RT said US military chiefs openly admitted the weapon was built to strike the fortified nuclear facilities of “rogue states” such as Iran and North Korea.
Although the Pentagon insists that it is not aimed at a specific threat, RT reported, unnamed officials have repeatedly claimed the bomb is being tailor-made to disable Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, or at least to intimidate Tehran. Last year it was reported in the US that President Barack Obama authorized the transfer of dozens of GBU-28 bunker buster bombs to Israel.
Israel asked Washington for the bombs as early as 2005, but its request was denied by former President George W. Bush's administration. In 2010 Bush informed then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he will order the transfer of the bombs to Israel in 2009 or 2010.

Nasrallah to place Hezbollah at al-Assad’s disposal – Report
26/07/2012/By Yousef Diab
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat- A report in Lebanon’s “al-Joumhouria” newspaper revealed that “following the confirmed assassination of four Syrian officers, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah contacted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, offering his condolences and enquiring about the health of his brother Maher [al-Assad]. He also enquired after al-Assad’s personal state and morale. More significantly, according to the information, Nasrallah placed all of Hezbollah’s capabilities at al-Assad’s disposal, in the event of the Syrian regime requiring urgent assistance”.
The newspaper quoted senior political sources confirming that there had been contact between the two leaders, and that “Nasrallah had offered al-Assad two forms of assistance, firstly he offered elements of Hezbollah’s special forces any time they are needed, even if they are required to be sent to open fronts to fight the revolutionaries. Secondly, Nasrallah invited the Syrian president to his personal residence, or even to meet inside the Iranian embassy in Beirut…but al-Assad has opted to remain in Syria because he still believes he is able to steer the ship with the help of some Russian political and military experts”.
The article reported that Hezbollah, prior to the death of Syrian Defense Minister General Daoud Rajha, “had – with the Defense Minister and the Syrian Chief of Staff – developed a military plan to intervene directly to support the regime, in the event of it facing any form of foreign aggression. This plan included strategies to deploy radars and missiles in the Beqaa Valley and to supply the Syrian army with 2,000 elite Hezbollah troops”. It is likely that “this plan still exists, albeit with slight modifications, providing for the military deployment of Hezbollah troops, passing through the al-Masna border crossing and some mountain areas in strategic location”.Commenting on this report, MP Kamel Rifai, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, told Asharq Al-Awsat that “despite the fact that the resistance holds the Syrian leadership in high regard, it will not interfere in any internal conflict in Syria”.
He added “the resistance will not point its weapons at any Arab entity, because these weapons and those men are to fight against the Zionist enemy”.
He also stressed that “All Hezbollah wants is a peaceful solution between the opposition and the regime in Syria, and although the party displays sympathy and loyalty to those who stand with the resistance (the Syrian regime), our conflict is primarily with Israel”.
The Hezbollah MP also pointed out that “you will not find any member of the resistance standing on the Lebanese Syrian border with one party against the other in Syria”.
As for Amin Hoteit, a retired Brigadier General and strategic expert with close to Hezbollah, he pointed out that “Hezbollah’s battle is not in Damascus or Syria, it is against the Israeli enemy”. He told Asharq al-Awsat: “If Hezbollah wants to provide a defense for the Syrian regime, it has more influence in other areas. It would be impossible for Hezbollah to send fighters to Syria, where considerations are multiple and complex”, adding that “the Syrian regime does not need Hezbollah troops, and the party is calling for an end to the violence and for a non-militarized uprising, so such talk is ridiculous”.
Hoteit stressed that “Syria is still strong and the Syrian army still holds control of the land because of the supportive environment and the public opposition to armed militias”. He explained that “sending troops from Hezbollah to Syria would mean the entry of foreign troops, and this would impact upon public sympathy for the Syrian army, which in the space of a few weeks has been able to eliminate 2,000 gunmen thanks to this popular support”.

Report: Hizbullah Fighters Lately Entered Syria to Back Assad Troops
Naharnet /27 July 2012/Hizbullah fighters have lately crossed the area of Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali in Hermel to Syria to help Syrian government troops in their fight against rebels, security sources said.
The sources told An Nahar daily published on Friday that the militants from the 910 unit of Hizbullah’s Jihad Council are fighting alongside the Syrian forces in the areas of al-Qussair, Homs and al-Rastan. Hizbullah has also a strong military presence in the area of Zabadani, the same sources said. The main battlefront is however in Aleppo where rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad's regime have brought in reinforcements as more government troops have arrived to take part in a generalized counter-offensive.
Meanwhile, an object that cashed in the Younine region of the eastern city of Baalbek earlier in the month was a Mirsad-1 reconnaissance drone operated by Hizbullah, the sources said.
The party was carrying out a test on how to equip the aircraft with explosives to attack specific targets by remote control, they added.

Former head of the U.N. observer mission in Syria, Robert Mood Says Assad Will Fall but Syria Conflict May Not End
Naharnet /27 July 2012/The former head of the U.N. observer mission in Syria, Robert Mood, said Friday that President Bashar Assad's fall was only a matter of time but that his exit might not end the conflict."Sooner or later, the regime will fall," said the Norwegian general, whose mandate to lead a 300-strong mission ended last week amid a sharp spike in violence.
"The spiral of violence, the lack of proportion in the regime's reactions, its incapacity to protect the civilian population, mean that the regime's days are numbered, but will it fall in a week or in a year? That is a question I do not dare answer," he told Agence France Presse. The fragmented rebellion, which remains militarily weaker than the regime, is still engaged in the fight of "David versus Goliath," Mood said, adding that any rebel success may not necessarily mean the end of the conflict."Many think that if Bashar Assad falls or that if he is given an honorable exit... the problem will be solved. That is an over-simplification one should be wary of," Mood told a news conference. "The situation could even get worse," he cautioned."On the other hand, it is important to say that it is impossible to imagine a future Syria with the current power holders still in place."Mood has been replaced by Senegalese Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye, who has taken over a drastically reduced mission with just 150 observers and a mandate of only 30 days.*Agence France Presse.

Speaker Nabih Berri Abstaining from Any Public Appearance for 'Compelling' Security Reasons
Naharnet/27 July 2012/Security reasons have been behind Speaker Nabih Berri’s absence from any public appearance, Ad-Diyar newspaper reported on Friday. According to the daily, security agencies have been able to reveal new data regarding the assassination plot against Berri. Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, who is the speaker’s advisor, told the newspaper that Berri is refraining from appearing in public due to “compelling security reasons.”Berri didn’t join the annual Iftar banquet held by AMAL on Thursday and he also didn’t attend the Iftar held by President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday.Media reports said earlier this month that the al-Qaida terrorist network has offered a $300,000 reward for the assassination of Berri and Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji.
The speaker confirmed in June that he obtained a list of names of those who are plotting to assassinate him and several other politicians and figures, deeming it a serious and dangerous threat.
In January, security agencies urged Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat to take precautions as they might be the target of an assassination plot.
Several politicians have allegedly been the target of murder attempts recently including MP Butros Harb, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and head of Tawhid Movement Wiam Wahhab.

Bahia Hariri Says Seeking Pacification in Sidon after Rival Demos, Unrest
Naharnet/ 27 July 2012/Residents of the southern city of Sidon staged rival protests on Friday as MP Bahia Hariri rejected "all forms of violence," a day after tension between the supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir and members of the Popular Nasserite Movement threatened to spiral out of control. “Sidon was abandoned and the government did not do anything to address the problem. We are keen to preserve all the components of the city in order to prevent strife,” Hariri said at a press conference she held at the headquarters of the Jamaa Islamiya in Sidon following talks with the group’s officials.
“Amid these developments, we urge everyone to show keenness on the unity of the city's residents and we have started communicating with all the political forces in the city in a bid to pacify the situation,” Hariri announced. She stressed that the expression of views “must remain peaceful,” rejecting “all forms of violence and attacks.”“We will carry on with our contacts with all the political forces after the government turned a blind eye to what is happening,” Hariri added. Earlier on Friday, angry protestors blocked Sidon’s al-Murjan roundabout with burning tires to reject the sit-in launched by al-Asir on the city’s eastern highway against Hizbullah’s arms. TV footage showed a man throwing old sofas from the roof of his house to help the protestors put them on fire along with the burning tires.
Security forces remained as bystanders and later firefighters reopened the road after the protestors dispersed. Dozens of businesses have suffered financially from the sit-in, which the Salafist cleric has said would be open ended until his demands to find a solution to Hizbullah’s arsenal are met. The burning of tires coincided with a march that al-Asir’s supporters held for the second day in a row following Friday prayers. The protestors marched towards the seaside corniche but returned to the sit-in site after security forces prevented them from reaching the area following a decision by the Sub-Security Council of the South. Al-Asir told Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) that the Popular Nasserite Movement has the right to express its opinion but in a civilized manner and not through tire burning and assaulting people.
But the head of the party, Osama Saad, snapped back, telling al-Marada movement’s website that the cleric’s sit-in is provocative and damages the economy. The streets of Sidon witnessed the deployment of Nasserite gunmen on Thursday night after an afternoon brawl between al-Asir’s supporters and Nasserite Abu Ali Skafi left a vehicle and shop windows damaged. An Agence France Presse photographer was also beaten by members of the Internal Security Forces who intervened to end the skirmish.

Lebanon's Cabinet, SCC Exert Efforts to Reach Agreement to Avoid Large-scale Crisis
Naharnet /27 July 2012/The thorny issue of the new wages scale for Syndicate Coordination Committee is heading towards settlement with the cabinet as the ministerial committee tasked with studying the demands of the public sector is expected to meet on Tuesday. According to An Nahar newspaper published on Friday, the cabinet will approve the new salaries scale for all the public sector during its session next Thursday at the Grand Serail gradually in order to avoid inflation.Prime Minister Najib Miqati previously suggested to separate the demands of the teachers and the SCC, which angered the syndicate that accused the cabinet of “trying to divide the syndicate’s unity in the country.” Head of the private schools teachers association Nehme Mahfoud told the daily that the SCC is seeking to resolve the issue and will not shut the door of negotiations. “The cabinet is held responsible for the current situation and the PM has continuously pledged to adopt the agreement (with the SCC) then backed down,” Mahfoud stressed. For his part, head of Association of Public Secondary School Education Teachers Hanna Gharib revealed that several ministers are not aware of the deal held with the ministerial committee.The ministerial committee includes 11 ministers. On Thursday, a delegation from the SCC held a meeting with Environment Minister Nazem al-Khoury to brief him about the agreement with the premier. “The delegation asked for our help to resolve the current problem under the auspices of President” Michel Suleiman, Khoury told As Safir newspaper.
He advised the delegation not to further escalate the measures and block dialogue with the government as “it will be met with more escalation by the cabinet.”
Gharib told the daily that the goal behind the meeting is to brief the minister about the agreement with the premier. He revealed that the SCC will send delegations for meetings with several other ministers to inform them about the deal and their demands. Economy and Trade Minister Nicolas Nahhas told As Safir “we will find a way out of the crisis.” Miqati reiterated via twitter on Thursday ahead of his visit to London to participate in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, that it is “illogical that the cabinet is demanded to resolve a crisis that has been accumulating for several years.”
He criticized the protests held by the SCC saying: “Amid these critical conditions we refuse to yield to demands that are threatening the social and financial stability and to exhaust the state’s treasury with additional burdens.”The SCC, which is a coalition of private and public school teachers and public sector employees, recently boycotted the correction of official exams for grades 9 and 12 over the government’s failure to include the new salaries scale in the state budget.

Manaf and Abdel Razzaq
Hazem al-Amin/Now Lebanon/ July 27, 2012
A Syrian activist wrote on his Facebook page: “Firas Tlas’ dissent won the revolution a Hollywood figure, while the regime did not lose an unrivaled military commander.” This is one of dozens of expressions that were abundantly posted on Syrian Facebook walls to comment on the dissent of the “handsome man.”
“Handsomeness” is obviously the main characteristic of the dissenter who was seemingly keen on stressing it and transforming it into an implicit statement even as his statements have been sparse so far.
What did Firad Tlas want to say by putting forward his “handsomeness” as a key factor in the portrait of the regime dissenter?
For starters, we should anticipate the possibility of having this introduction misconstrued as a satire of handsomeness or its triviality in public affairs. Indeed, it has long been wretchedly said that politics should come with a certain degree of austerity. Our supervisor at the Communist Party told us one day: “You should know, comrades, that Stalin kept wearing the same shoes for nine years.” Later, he noted that Khrushchev raised his shoe in the United Nations and said: “I am the son of the lowliest farmer in Ukraine.”
One cannot deny that Tlas’ “handsomeness” is indeed surprising, as he is the son of an uncomely regime. The picture that springs to mind for such figures is that of a round-faced officer with a dyed mustache … and yet we get Manaf Tlas as a different model of Baath officers! It seems that the novelty of this model is essential to understand what went on in Syria throughout the decades of Baath rule. How can the Baath regime give rise to a “Hollywood figure”? What were the values and standards underlying this “model”? This handsomeness is certainly not of a local origin; rather, it is made by “post-Baath” elements. This means that the Baath regime is no stranger to it. The relation between Manaf’s handsomeness and the Baath is evident, as the man is simply Mustapha Tlas’ son.
Another officer of the Tlas family, namely Abdel Razzaq Tlas, may be an even stronger symbol of Syrian handsomeness and an expression of its local components, whereas Manaf’s handsomeness is tainted by the possibilities underlying it. The man is influent and the son of the corrupt regime who managed to “cultivate” his hardship using Hollywood elements, having spent long days on the Côte d’Azur. This handsomeness cannot be dissociated in Syria’s conscience from the fact that it is due to the food factory established by the family after it won the commission for the Syrian Army’s meals.
Once again, one must avoid getting caught in the trap of “Soviet” primitiveness by scorning “industrial” handsomeness and being biased towards local handsomeness, as it would be backward to do so. Ultimately, the difference in handsomeness is merely one between local and international values. Abdel Razzaq Tlas is handsome because he successfully emulated the image of a local star, whereas Firas Tlas is handsome because he successfully emulated the image of a Hollywood star. The first added to his “handsomeness” a beard, which – he said – is not related to Salafism whereas the second went to Mecca for the Umrah immediately upon his dissent.
The former “Soviet” man is weary of falling again and claims to be a fan of Abdel Razzaq whilst being afraid of a slight “admiration” he has always felt with regard to Manaf, even as he warns himself that the man is the son of the bloody and corrupt Baath regime.
The two men are obviously at a loss as to how to cash in their handsomeness, but it is equally obvious that the sons of the Tlas family will be the stars of the coming period. Which Tlas will Syria choose?
**This article is a translation of the original, which appeared on the NOW Arabic site on Friday July 27, 2012

Nasrallah is panic-stricken
26/07/2012/By Dr. Amal Al-Hazzani/Asharq Alawsat
Dr. Amal Al- Hazzaniis is an Assistant Professor in King Saud University in Riyadh.
No one cares for the speeches of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah anymore. For years, satellite channels neglected to broadcast his speeches simply because people weren’t interested after they lost their luster and relevance. Yet, the speech he delivered recently on the anniversary of the July 2006 war was somewhat different, for it was delivered shortly after several of the Syrian regime's prominent leaders had been assassinated; leaders who were once considered to be the umbilical cord feeding and supporting Hezbollah.
The speech was different this time as Nasrallah appeared apprehensive and anxious to an unprecedented degree, even more so than when he came out in August 2006 to beg the Arabs to mediate with the US and force Israel to end its bombardment of Lebanon. In his recent speech, Nasrallah tasted the bitterness of losing key symbols in the Syrian regime, whether as individuals, such as Assef Shawkat, or in their capacity as Syria's Ministers of Defense and Interior. Nasrallah was part of the crisis management cell administered by the Syrian regime's elements and adherers, considered to be the most aggressive and tyrannical entity involved in repressing the rebels. This is why he was telling the truth when he said that those killed were his comrades in arms.
The speech highlighted the state of panic that has engulfed the al-Assad regime's allies, who are now attempting to muster strength following the assassination of some of the regime's prominent leaders. However, the speech also contained rhetoric that was largely anticipated, as Nasrallah stressed his explicit support for Bashar al-Assad, and even extended his heartfelt condolences to the crisis management elements who lost their lives, despite the fact that they carried out massacres against Syrian civilians.
The speech touched upon two important issues that deserve to be contemplated: Firstly, Nasrallah demonstrated a great degree of simplicity and naivety in attempting to clean up Bashar al-Assad's face when thanking him for manufacturing the missiles that Hezbollah used against Israel in the summer 2006 war, and that Islamic resistance groups launched against Israel from Gaza. In fact, this was not an endorsement for Bashar, but rather an accusation. If al-Assad really had enough armament potential to defend Lebanon and Gaza, then why hasn’t he liberated the occupied Golan Heights, which are closer and more pertinent to Syria? Besides, the missiles used by Palestinian resistance factions are manufactured locally and are considered extremely primitive. Armament experts call them “cartoon missiles” because they are mere fire crackers that only produce noise; they fly off at random directions and never hit their targets. Even when Bashar al-Assad tried to bring Syria into the domain of manufacturing nuclear warheads, when he built a small facility in Deir al-Zour deep in the Syrian soil, Israeli troops infiltrated the site and spent a full night there inspecting, examining and collecting samples, whilst Bashar al-Assad and his army leaders were all asleep.
Nasrallah justifies what the regime is doing in Syria on the grounds of confronting a Zionist conspiracy to dismantle the only Arab army that is standing up to Israel. This is despite the fact that for more than a year, the whole world has witnessed the Syrian army, with the logistical assistance of the Russians and the Iranians, fighting against Syrian revolutionaries who began with a peaceful revolution, before they later on received the military support of army defectors. Yet no one has sought to offer heavy or advanced weaponry to the revolutionaries. The international community remains reserved, Jordan is abstaining from offering any assistance in order to ensure its internal security, Turkey has failed to impose a buffer zone, whereas in Lebanon, the Syrian regime's opponents do not dare to bring even a motorbike or a kite across the border into Syria.
Nasrallah says that the West refuses to arm any country that may pose a threat to Israel, but does not object to arming the Gulf States. Yet the irony here is that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Iran's ally and Nasrallah's rival, last week appealed to Washington to help arm the Iraqi army's air and ground forces. In the coming period, especially after the fall of the al-Assad regime, Iraq will be of great importance to the regional dispute between the Arabs and their Persian rival.
The other striking issue in Nasrallah’s speech is that he neglected to mention that during the Syrian revolution, the Syrian regime's forces, including elements from Hezbollah, have bombarded Palestinian refugee camps in Syria. Al-Raml camp in Latakia was shelled by gunboats, and the regime’s forces also attacked Yarmouk camp in Damascus, as well as camps in Aleppo, Hamah and Homs. In his speech, Nasrallah dared to warn the Palestinians against returning the Palestinian cause to the Arabs, claiming that it would be lost for another 60 years. He reminded them that the “resistance” axis that has sided with them in recent years is now on the verge of collapse.
Nasrallah is well aware that the Palestinian resistance factions, especially Hamas, have agreed a truce with Israel and that, ever since the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin eight years ago - may God rest his soul, we can no longer count the number of ceasefires and armistices that Hamas has brokered with Israel. Ahmed Yassin, whose assassination was bemoaned by all Arabs, was a symbol of pure struggle and resistance, and hence, he received considerable Arab support. The day of his release from an Israeli jail in 1997 was a cause for real celebration, and Arab states like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar all competed to provide treatment for him. He headed first to Egypt under the invitation of President Hosni Mubarak, and then on to Saudi Arabia where he received a hero’s welcome and a royal reception, and was visited in hospital by King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, who was crown prince at the time. The King was quoted as saying to him "I have come to emphasize to the world that I adopt the same stance as you." At the time, Ahmed Yassin was heading the resistance movement, and despite his intellectual and methodical differences with the Palestinian Authority, he was keen for the reconciliation of the Palestinian people and was even keener for improved Arab relations. In fact, we can say that the Palestinians only abandoned their resistance to Israel and became embroiled in in-fighting after the Palestinian cause became a commodity to be bought and sold by Ayatollah Khamenei.
In reality, the Palestinian cause has never once been detached from the Arab mindset, apart from Gaza, which is subject to the domination of an estranged government that has chosen to side with others. As for the Palestinian cause, with all its historical and human depth, it has remained in the hearts of all Arab states.

STL prosecutor tells Sleiman new indictment to be issued soon
July 26, 2012/The Daily Star
BAABDA, Lebanon: Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Norman Farrell informed President Michel Sleiman Thursday that the U.N.-backed court will soon issue a new indictment in the 2005 assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri. Political sources told The Daily Star that Farrell also asked for technical assistance during his meeting with Sleiman at the Presidential Palace in Baabda. “A new indictment accusing four to six individuals will be issued within five months or so,” one source said. The source did not reveal whether or not the individuals are members of Hezbollah. The four men already indicted are members of the party. “The Prosecutor asked for the President’s help in providing technical assistance from the Justice Ministry and the relevant apparatuses,” added the source.
The STL issued a sealed indictment and arrest warrants against four members of Hezbollah in late June 2011, lifting confidentiality on the indictment after Lebanese authorities failed to apprehend the four suspects. Farrell met with Prime Minister Najib Mikati Wednesday; the two men discussed various aspects of the tribunal. According to a source close to Mikati, STL officials “have no specific demands; they consider [Lebanon] to be cooperating.” The source described Farrell’s visit to Lebanon as routine. Farrell arrived in Beirut late Tuesday. Recent documents released by the STL indicate that Farrell intends to amend the indictment of four Hezbollah members in the 2005 assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri.

Dubai police chief warns of Muslim Brotherhood, Iran threat
July 26, 2012/By Mirna Sleiman, Tom Perry/Daily Star
DUBAI: Dubai's chief of police has warned of an "international plot" to overthrow the governments of Gulf Arab countries, saying the region needs to be prepared to counter any threat from Muslim Brotherhood sympathisers as well as Syria and Iran. The comments from Dahi Khalfan, one of the most outspoken security officials in the United Arab Emirates, follow the detention in the UAE since April of at least 20 dissidents, according to relatives of the detainees and activists. "There's an international plot against Gulf states in particular and Arab countries in general... This is pre-planned to take over our fortunes," Khalfan told reporters at a gathering late on Wednesday marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "The bigger our sovereign wealth funds and the more money we put in the banks of Western countries, the bigger the plot to take over our countries... The Brothers and their governments in Damascus and North Africa have to know that the Gulf is a red line, not only for Iran but also for the Brothers as well." Mahmoud Ghozlan, spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, dismissed the accusation, saying the remarks did not deserve a reaction. Ghozlan was involved in a row with the UAE earlier this year when Khalfan also accused the Brotherhood of trying to sow discord in the UAE. "I promised myself to pay no attention to this man or to comment on everything he has to say," said Ghozlan, whose movement won Egypt's presidential election in June.
Most of the detainees since April are Islamists, targeted by an official clampdown amid concern they may be emboldened by the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in other Arab countries such as Egypt.
The UAE, a federation of seven emirates and a major oil exporter, allows no organised political opposition. It has avoided the political unrest that has toppled four Arab heads of state since last year thanks in part to its cradle-to-grave welfare system. But it has also moved swiftly against dissidents, and last year stripped citizenship from Islamists whom it deemed a security threat and jailed activists who called for more power for a semi-elected advisory council. Analysts say Islamists are aiming to tap into unease among the UAE's largely conservative citizens at having become a minority in their own country, most of whose 8 million people are foreign workers.
The economic boom in Abu Dhabi and Dubai has given the UAE an average per capita annual income of $48,000, but has also brought what some see as unwelcome Western influence.
Islamists in the UAE say they share similar ideology with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt but have no direct links with the group, seen as a mentor for Islamist groups in the region.
They say they want more civil rights and greater power for the Federal National Council, a quasi-parliamentary body that advises the government but has no legislative power.
UAE Interior Ministry officials have not been available to comment on the arrests. Last week, UAE officials announced that authorities were investigating a foreign-linked group planning "crimes against the security of the state". "I had no idea that there is this large number of Muslim Brotherhood in the Gulf states. We have to be alert and on guard because the wider these groups become, the higher probability there is for trouble," Khalfan said on Wednesday. "We are aware that there are groups plotting to overthrow Gulf governments in the long term."

Arab Leaders: False modesty and the trappings of power
By Adel Al Toraifi/Asharq Al-Awsat
In a recent interview the president of Tunisia, Moncef Marzouki, said that he does not even own a car and that his home is an old house. When asked how it feels to carry out his duties in the presidential palace, he replied: “In all honesty, I am yet to discover this palace … every day I undertake the work I have to do in order to help the people … as for the décor or whatever, I do not care for this.”
Displays of modesty, and going against “protocol” by steering clear of manifestations of power and sultanic splendor, have become fashionable amongst a number of political figures who have risen to power during the last year, following the seismic events of the “Arab Spring”. The Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi, for example, undertakes dawn prayers at a public mosque and refuses to block traffic for his motorcade. He prefers to stay at his residence at Tagammu al-Khamis, Heliopolis, rather than move to a presidential palace.
Supporters of such initiatives argue that these displays are spontaneous and genuine. Some suggest that they are important in order to break the stereotype created by former presidents and leaders who previously portrayed themselves as highly arrogant individuals obsessed with the trappings of power. In addition, those who support such initiatives argue that the humility of the president also instils a sense of modesty among his senior officials. An oft cited example is the Tunisian Foreign Minister, Rafik Abdul Salam, who was photographed at the last Ennahda party conference sleeping on the floor in the conference hall, after a long day of heated, partisan debate.
But does “humility” in itself mean better policy-making? When can we differentiate between what is spontaneous and what is contrived? In his book “The Language of Politics” (2000), Adrian Beard, having spent several years studying the rhetoric and statements of political leaders, and comparing these with their political stances, indicates that politicians—no matter how much they display qualities of humility and asceticism—are ultimately individuals who are fond of power and want to maintain it for as long as possible. Of course, there are exceptional cases whereby individuals indifferent to power have assumed control; individuals who have sought to diminish power’s psychological influence on their own personality, but they are very few in number.
Beard asserts that most people involved in politics often portray themselves as devoted individuals who have never sought to use power personally, but rather to serve their fellow citizens. Some of them may actually live in modest homes and their living conditions may not be overly materialistic, but they are not ascetics when it comes to the political powers granted to them.
Presidents in Western countries, for example, are always keen for public handshakes and photo opportunities with the general public, and presidents or political candidates can often be seen kissing babies or visiting war veterans to show that they have a human side. Likewise, a politician may be seen wandering through a government department to inspect its services, or eating at a popular restaurant to mingle with the poorer classes. In the end this behaviour is calculated with results in mind, for the president or political candidate does not live like this every day.
Here I do not mean to belittle such popular initiatives; a politician does not need to show that he respects his citizens or is interested in their affairs, but there is a very clear difference between purely calculated and spontaneous acts when it comes to public behaviour.
It is common for a dictator to want to cultivate fear and terror in the hearts of those he governs, but he will never gain their respect. In contrast, the ruler whose behaviour appears weak and hesitant in front of his own citizens undoubtedly loses some prestige. More importantly, such a ruler loses the ability to lead his citizens towards growth and prosperity.
Adrian Beard believes that what is important is not public behaviour, or public statements, but rather what is implicit. In other words, some leaders exaggerate their manifestations of humility, whereas in reality they are plagued by arrogance and a love of power, more so than anybody else. Whenever a politician profusely repeats statements of asceticism and humility, one realizes that this is an affectation.
In contemporary Arab history, there are many examples of leaders who lived in modest environments, and were known to have—relatively—clean hands, at least according to the accounts of their supporters. However, their policies were disastrous for their citizens and directly resulted in wars and regional conflicts, take the examples of the late presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser, Abd al-Karim Qasim, and others. Even the “Arab Spring” states that witnessed popular uprisings were not ruled by despotic tyrants in their early eras, in the same manner that they seemed to be at the end.
In 2000, the late Moroccan politician Abdelhadi Boutaleb revealed that he was on an official visit to Libya on the eve of the 1969 coup, and hence he was forced to wait in a hotel until the airport opened. After returning to his hotel, he found a small handwritten note in his hotel room which read “from Muammar to his brother Abdelhadi Boutaleb.” Boutaleb then asked the reception desk: “Who is this Muammar?” and he was told that one of the “senior officers carrying out the coup” had come to visit him and put this note under his door. Boutaleb revealed that he was impressed by this humility and etiquette at the time, but it did not give him a clue that this young, polite officer would transform into what he ultimately became. Likewise, at the beginning of his reign, former Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali released prisoners and called for democratic reform. At the time even Sheikh Rachid Ghannouchi praised Ben Ali and considered him to be a saviour, saying in a published interview: “Before the November Movement, Tunisia was on the brink of a civil war, and the new president has saved the country from an unknown fate.” (al-Majalla, issue 445, August 1988)
The beginning of even Bashar al-Assad’s reign was relatively open. He personally contacted intellectuals and artists to reach out to them, and some of those who are in the Syrian opposition today previously attended banquets at the presidential palace, participated with al-Assad’s popular initiatives, and commended the humility of the president and his good manners. However, today we realize the extent of evil and destruction the al-Assad regime has committed in order to crush the uprising.
As you can see, a president displaying humility at the beginning of his reign does not mean he will adopt good policies, and perhaps these manifestations of modesty might mask financial corruption and political abuse. Some would argue that the Islamists, because of their religious faith and conservative, ideological discipline are more likely to be humble rulers with grounded policies. This is not necessarily true, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the most humble of all Iranian presidents in terms of what he eats and drinks—and the fact that he only owns a rickety old Peugeot car—but this does not mean that he is interested in developing his country. The poor president—as he has been called—has made the Iranians even poorer during his reign. Furthermore, reports published in conservative Iranian newspapers have accused the President and his aides of financial corruption involving billions of dollars. The Prime Minister of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, who continues to rule over the Gaza Strip after an armed coup, also excels in his calculated displays of modesty. He delivers the Friday sermon, leads the prayer, and consumes his meals sitting on the floor as the poor do, but Gaza during his reign has become a place full of scandals of corruption and power abuse. On 19 April, a Washington Post report indicated that some Hamas leaders were running their own underground trade and smuggling rackets, at a time when the Palestinians are becoming increasingly poor, and the Hamas Prime Minister is calling for an “Islamic Caliphate.”
If he cannot provide security and welfare to the citizens of Gaza, how can he participate in the establishment of a future empire? It is necessary to point out that whenever a president puts on an exhibition of humility, the reality is that the government will incur additional expenses to ensure his safety, regardless of the gains in his popularity as a result. The lesson does not lie in the appearance, even if it seems impressive, because real humility is manifested in efficient policies and delivering promises. A president who gambles the future of his country on foreign agendas, whilst his citizens are suffering from international sanctions, can never bring prosperity to his country even if he appears humble.

New Israeli taxes are steps towards a $25-30bn war budget
DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis July 26, 2012/The Israeli government convenes Monday, July 30, to approve an austerity-cum-taxation package entailing a 5-percent, across-the-board cutback in government ministry budgets to raise NIS 1 billion, or $250 million, in revenue; a tax hike will yield another NIS 3 billion, or $750 million. Both steps will generate an estimated total income of about one billion dollars. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz explained Wednesday, July 25, that these measures are vital to save Israel from economic decline like Germany, whose credit rating turned negative this week, or disaster like Greece and Spain which teeter on the brink of bankruptcy. Even America’s economic troubles are cited as worth avoiding.
Beer and cigarettes went up that night as a foretaste of the new measures.
Government leaders warned that the new steps were just the first round of further cutbacks and tax hikes in store for 2013. They are estimated to realize a further revenue injection of NIS 20 billion ($5 billion). The first package was produced this week at an emergency economic marathon led by the prime minister, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer and other heads of the economy. The public was informed that the most urgent item on its agenda was ways and means of keeping Israel’s annual deficit within the 3-3.4 percent limit despite rising calls on the national purse. In every statement, ministerial spokesmen stressed that more tough measures were in store after the current round. But for now, the education, social welfare and defense budgets remained untouched.
Some critics of Netanyahu government critics blame its policy of overspending in response to a wave of social protesters; others resent the one percent hike on VAT on purchases as hitting low-income groups. At the same time, debkafile's sources in Jerusalem report that Netanyahu and Steinitz have rightly turned genuine economic difficulty into a lever for getting the country on track for a war economy, without saying this in so many words. They have therefore avoided discussing the consequences of the new measures – aside from a cap on the national deficit – or their duration. Israel’s leaders appreciate that the country is perilously close to war but they can’t tell for how long it will last or how it will end. A short war might boost economic development while a long conflict costing billions would require more belt-tightening. Gone are the old days when an embattled Israel was able to ask and receive from Washington easy-term loans to cover its war costs, military hardware gratis to replenish depleted weapons and ammo stores and/or international loan guarantees. Today, Jerusalem knows that given the present state of the US economy and the possibility of Israel having to act unilaterally against Iran, it will have to come up with its own war funding.
This week’s marathon most certainly went past economic steps to ponder cost-accounting relative to the number of countries potentially at war with Israel as critical to size of the defense budget. Cost estimates swing wildly between an operation against Iran, facing Iran, Syria and Hizballah together for a long or short conflict, or a possible contest with Egypt to purge Sinai of terrorists.
Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak gave part of the game away about the dual purpose of the new measures in the comments they made Wednesday and Thursday, July 25-26.
Both used an interesting tactic: First, they focused on the dry facts and figures of government spending, is deficit, revenue etc. but they then made speeches about the new security dangers facing Israel and the high cost of repelling them.
Netanyahu said that recent regional regime changes mean that Israel has to spend more on defense to maintain its balance of strength and face the challenges of a nuclear Iran, missile threats, cyber warfare and a colossal influx of weaponry to the region “which are in certain hands today and may be in others tomorrow.”
There is no knowing how Bashar Assad means to use Syria’s large stocks of chemical and biological stores, which way the Syrian situation is destined to develop, or against whom Israel may be called upon to fight.
He cited the cost (NIS1.4 billion) of building the security fence along Egypt’s Sinai border for the first time after three decades of treating this frontier as a border of peace.
How much would it cost to send troops into Syria to seize control of Syria’s unconventional war stocks and prevent their use against Israel? A large Israeli force would be needed for this preemptive raid. But what then? Do the soldiers’ stay on guard indefinitely, remove the stock from Syria or destroy it regardless of collateral damage? Those options would carry a price tag in the range of $1-2 billion.
The prime minister left the nuclear issue to the defense minister.
Barak took the opportunity of a graduation ceremony at the Israeli National Security College Wednesday, July 25, to say: Israel might have to make "tough and crucial decisions" about its security and future. "I am well aware of the difficulties involved in thwarting Iran's attempts to acquire a nuclear weapon. However, it is clear to me that without a doubt, dealing with the threat itself will be far more complicated, far more dangerous and far more costly in resources and human life than thwarting it"
This was a broad hint at Israel’s sense that it has no choice but to attack Iran’s nuclear program because the cost of inaction would be far greater.
Barak also commented that the lesson Israel has drawn from the Syrian calamity is that when it comes to a security crunch, Israel can only rely on itself.
While all the official statements focused on saving the Israel economy from drowning in the maelstrom of the global crisis, debkafile's military and Jerusalem sources noted that nothing was said about the sources of replenishing the drain on the national coffers of fighting a war.
A clue may be found in the offer made by the finance minister of big tax breaks for three big multinational companies operating in Israel – Intel, Teva and CheckPoint - in return for their consent to plow their local profits back into Israel.
The accumulated amount mentioned is NIS 100 billion ($25 billion) for which they would only be charged 3 percent tax.
Steintiz would not have discussed this deal in public had it not been approved in principle.
debkafile’s analysts conclude that if this sum can be made available to the Israeli economy in a war crisis, the national deficit could be kept at a manageable level and foreign capital discouraged from fleeing the country. It therefore looks as though the Netanyahu government is digging the Israeli economy in to weather a war and setting up a strategic financial reserve in the range of $25-30 billion, and perhaps more, for the worst-case scenario.

Muslim Persecution of Christians: June, 2012
by Raymond Ibrahim
Originally published by the Gatestone Institute
July 26, 2012
http://www.raymondibrahim.com/12045/muslim-persecution-of-christians-june-2012
U.S.-backed rebels are committing Christian genocide in Syria, where they are sacking churches and issuing threats that all Christians will be cleansed from rebel-held territory. A mass exodus of thousands of Christians is taking place, even as mainstream Western reporters like Robert Fisk demonize those same Christians for being supportive of the secular regime.
The bloody jihad waged against Nigeria's Christians, which has seen hundreds killed this year alone, now includes plans to kill Christians with poisoned food, as part of the Islamic organization Boko Haram's stated goal of purging Nigeria of all Christian presence.
During Egypt's presidential elections, Al Ahram reported that "the Muslim Brotherhood blockaded entire streets, prevented Copts from voting at gunpoint, and threatened Christian families not to let their children go out and vote" for the secular candidate.
Meanwhile, under President Obama, the U.S. State Department, in an unprecedented move, purged the sections dealing with religious persecution from its recently released Country Reports on Human Rights. Likewise, the Obama administration insists that the Nigerian crisis has nothing to do with religion, even as Obama offered his hearty blessings to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood president, in the midst of allegations of electoral fraud.
Categorized by theme, June's assemblage of Muslim persecution of Christians around the world includes (but is not limited to) the following accounts, listed in alphabetical order by country, not severity.
Church Attacks
Egypt: Because many visitors were in attendance, Muslims surrounded a Coptic church during Divine Liturgy "demanding that the visiting Copts leave the church before the completion of prayers, and threatening to burn down the church if their demand was not met." The priest contacted police asking for aid only to be told to comply with their demands, "and do not let buses with visitors to come to the church anymore." Christian worshippers exited halfway through liturgy to jeers outside. As they drove away, Muslims hurled stones at their buses. Also, repairs to a Coptic church that was torched and gutted a year ago by rioting Muslims were woefully inadequate, leaving the congregation with a staggering debt from further necessary repairs.
Indonesia: A Muslim mob of 300 wrecked a store that was being used for a Sunday church service on the pretext that it had not obtained "permission to hold Mass." The mob wrecked the first floor of the store, breaking windows and damaging furniture. Police stopped them before reaching the third floor, where some 60 Christians had congregated. None of the Muslims were arrested, although 12 Christians were taken into custody for questioning. Separately, in compliance to calls by Islamic clerics, authorities ordered 20 churches to be torn down, following the closure of 16 smaller Christian places of worship in the same district last month. The congregations continue to hold services inside their sealed-off buildings as other members stand guard outside.
Iran: Authorities ordered the closure of yet another church in the capital, Tehran, "amid a government campaign to crack down on the few recognized churches offering Farsi-speaking services," according to a human rights group. The church originally served Assyrian background Christian members; however, "due to an increasing number of Farsi-speaking believers—mostly MBBs [Muslim Background Believers]—it [the church] has become a cause of concern for the authorities and they now ordered it to shut down."
Kashmir: A 119-year-old church was torched by Muslims. The local bishop "said that the Muslim fundamentalists want Christians to leave the state… He said that the church had filed a case with the police but had been advised not to 'play up' such incidents." Christian minorities "are coming under growing threat from Kashmir's Muslim majority. A Christian human rights group in India said that over 400 Christians have been displaced as a result."
Kazakhstan: Land use regulations are being exploited "as a means to prevent religious communities and their members exercising freedom of religion or belief." Most recently, authorities "forced a Methodist church to 'voluntarily' close and fined the wife of the Church's Pastor, who further paid for an announcement in newspapers saying the church was 'liquidating itself,'" simply because "We do not want more punishment from the authorities."
Nigeria: Islamic militants attacked several churches during every Sunday of the month with bombs and guns killing dozens of Christian worshippers, and critically wounding hundreds, including many children. Growing numbers of Christians "dare not" attend church services anymore, even as reports suggest that some police are intentionally abandoning their watch prior to such attacks.
Sudan: Authorities bulldozed two church buildings to the ground and confiscated three Catholic schools, as a response to the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, saying that such buildings are associated with now unwelcome, largely Christian South Sudanese in the Islamic-ruled country. Another church building belonging to the Full Gospel Church was destroyed in the same area two months ago, also on the claim that it belonged to South Sudanese.
Turkmenistan: An Evangelical church in the Muslim-majority nation was raided by authorities: "All adult believers at the meeting were questioned about their faith and all of their Christian literature was confiscated." Their literature was returned two weeks later.
Apostasy, Blasphemy, Proselytism
Egypt: A Christian student handing out Christian literature in Assuit University "raised the ire of Muslim students," resulting in clashes on campus, "amid shouts of sectarian chants," leading to many injuries. Likewise, a Salafi leader declared on Egyptian TV that Muslims have no right "to convert to Christianity."
Iran: Five months after five Christian converts were arrested, their condition and fate remain unknown. They are accused of "attending house church services, promoting Christianity, propagating against the regime and disturbing national security." Being imprisoned for 130 days without word "is an obvious example of physical and mental abuse of the detainees…. one of the prison guards openly told one of these Christian detainees that all these pressures and uncertainties are intended to make them flee the country after they are released." Also, a young Iranian woman, who recently converted to Christianity and was an outspoken activist against the Islamic regime, was found dead, slumped over her car's steering wheel, with a single gunshot wound to her head.
Pakistan: A banned Islamic group filed a blasphemy case against a 25-year-old mentally retarded Christian man. Muslims had converted him to Islam two years earlier, to use him as a pretext to annex his Christian village. In the words of a witness: "These people (Muslims) do not let us live. We are poor but are working hard to survive. On the night of the incidence a mob of Muslim clerics gathered [around] our colony to burn us all because of the blasphemy Ramzan [the retarded man] committed. Everyone was very scared. We all have small children in our houses and we didn't know what to do. The mob surrounded our colony and raised a slogan to burn all the houses, they had torches in their hands and petrol in the cans. We called police and thank God police arrived just in time.
Saudi Arabia: Thirty-five Ethiopian Christians arrested in December for praying in a private home remain jailed, even as Saudi officials offer contradicting reasons for their arrest. Meanwhile, they have been beaten and subjected to interrogations and strip searches. Saudi Arabia formally bans all religions other than Islam. However, in 2006, Saudi authorities told the United States that they would "guarantee and protect the right to private worship for all, including non-Muslims who gather in homes for religious practice."
Sudan: A Muslim woman divorced her husband, a convert to Christianity, causing the court automatically to grant her custody of their two sons. When the father tried to visit his children, his wife threatened to notify authorities. "They might take the case to a prosecution court, which might lead to my sentencing to death according to Islamic apostasy law—but I am ready for this," said the Christian. "I want the world to know this. What crime have I done? Is it because I became a Christian? I know if the world is watching, they [Sudanese authorities] will be afraid to do any harm to me."
United States: Two Christian men in Saint Louis, Missouri received death threats from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard, apparently for converting to Christianity and preaching it. One of the men formerly served in the Revolutionary Guard and was once even assigned a suicide mission against Israel, before converting and immigrating to the U.S. "The two men believe that Islam is a religion that could easily radicalize a Muslim into a terrorist." Likewise, in Dearborn Michigan, Christian demonstrators exercising their free speech rights were stoned by Muslims shouting "Allahu Akbar!"
Dhimmitude
[General Abuse, Debasement, and Suppression of Non-Muslims as "Tolerated" Citizens]
Indonesia: "The number of violations of Christians' religious rights in Indonesia reached 40 in the first five months of the year, nearly two-thirds the amount of anti-Christian actions in all of last year," according to the Jakarta Christian Communication Forum. The Christian minority in Indonesia faced 64 cases of violations of religious freedom last year, up from 47 in 2010." Violence against Christians also increased.
Mali: "Islamists in control of northern Mali are enforcing a strict version of Sharia law that victimizes Christians, women and other vulnerable groups." The radicals took control of northern Mali in April after ousting the armed forces of the government. "All the Christians have left Timbuktu (the main city in north Mali) because of the Sharia law as well as because of the presence of people linked with al-Qaeda," said a Christian leader who fled from northern Mali.
Pakistan: Police are siding with the Muslims accused of beating a pregnant Christian woman, causing her to miscarriage twins, and gang-raping her 13-year-old Christian niece. "Muslim criminals believe police and courts will give little credence to the complaints of Christians in the country, which is nearly 96 percent Muslim," adds the report. The Christian family is "paying a huge price for being poor … and for being Christian," said the uncle: "What can we expect from the police when they are not paying heed even to the court orders? They are distorting facts and have even gone to the extent of accusing a 13-year-old [raped girl] of committing adultery with three men." Another Christian politician's ID mistook him for a Muslim, causing him to insist "on the floor of the Punjab Assembly that he was born a Christian and appealed to them and the media not to indulge in propaganda against him that could incite Muslim extremists to kill him."
South Africa: More than 70 students were kicked out of the Coastal KZN As-Salaam campus dormitories and are currently homeless, because campus officials tried to make them observe Islam, including by banning Bibles, which the students resisted. "All we wanted was to be free to practice our own religions and not be forced to follow Islam, but now we have been punished by being deprived of safe accommodation," said one student.
Turkey: Thousands of devout Muslims prayed outside Hagia Sophia—formerly Christendom's greatest cathedral now a museum—shouting, "Allahu Akbar!" and demanding the building be opened as a mosque in honor of the jihadi sultan who conquered Constantinople in the 15th century.
About this Series
Because the persecution of Christians in the Islamic world is on its way to reaching epidemic proportions, "Muslim Persecution of Christians" was developed to collate some—by no means all—of the instances of persecution that surface each month. It serves two purposes:
Intrinsically, to document that which the mainstream media does not: the habitual, if not chronic, Muslim persecution of Christians.
Instrumentally, to show that such persecution is not "random," but systematic and interrelated—that it is rooted in a worldview inspired by Sharia.
Accordingly, whatever the anecdote of persecution, it typically fits under a specific theme, including hatred for churches and other Christian symbols; apostasy and blasphemy laws; sexual abuse of Christian women; forced conversions to Islam; theft and plunder in lieu of jizya (tribute); overall expectations for Christians to behave like cowed "dhimmis" (barely tolerated citizens); and simple violence and murder. Oftentimes it is a combination thereof.
Because these accounts of persecution span different ethnicities, languages, and locales—from Morocco in the west, to India in the east, and throughout the West, wherever there are Muslims—it should be clear that one thing alone binds them: Islam—whether the strict application of Islamic Sharia law, or the supremacist culture born of it.
Previous Reports
May, 2012
April, 2012
March, 2012
February, 2012
January, 2012
December, 2011
November, 2011
October, 2011
September, 2011
August, 2011
July, 2011

Asharq Al-Awsat talks to General Manaf Tlass
By Tariq Alhomayed
Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat – After much hesitation and silence, Brigadier General Manaf Tlass agreed to speak with Asharq Al-Awsat about his relationship with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his defection from the Syrian regime, the situation in Syria today, his view for the future of the country and whether he is looking to play a role in it. The interview with Brigadier General Manaf Tlass took place in the city of Jeddah on the west coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tlass is in Saudi Arabia to perform the umrah [pilgrimage] and conducted this interview with Asharq Al-Awsat:
[Asharq Al-Awsat] The manner in which you left Syria is shrouded in secrecy; can you tell us what exactly happened?
[Tlass] The departure process was very complicated and took a lot of time. A number of parties were involved and this took quite a long time, but I will not reveal exactly how I was able to leave.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is this in order to protect those who helped you?
[Tlass] That’s right.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you tell us if you left via Damascus airport, or via an airport in Turkey or Beirut?
[Tlass] I cannot reveal the location for fear that certain parties will be held accountable, or that this will reveal who was involved or the manner in which this took place. For my part, I will remain silent, and perhaps in the future I will reveal how I was able to leave Syria.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] You did not announce your defection from the al-Assad regime immediately, like others who have defected. Why did you hesitate?
[Tlass] I did not hesitate, for I have had differences with the regime since the beginning of the crisis regarding its handling of this. I kept to myself for a period of time and there were many mistakes in the manner that the crisis was being handled. I had no involvement or decision in this, and that is why I preferred to leave. I did not try to be a party to the handling of the crisis at the beginning because I did not agree with this, and because I did not want to be part of one side against another. All parties should have been provided with assistance in order to get out of the crisis, and that is the reason why I did not announce my defection.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Was your departure part of plans for the transitional process in Syria, namely that you could be assigned the task of governing the country in the post-Assad period, as is being reported by some parties?
[Tlass] I am not looking for power; I am looking for security and stability for Syria, and if I have the opportunity to participate – as any ordinary Syrian citizen – in rebuilding Syria, then I am ready. However I am not looking for power, and I did not leave Syria in order to lead the transitional period. I am aware that this will be a difficult period, and it would be very difficult for any single individual to shoulder this responsibility during this period. Therefore what should happen is that a team comprising internal and external [Syrian] figures should be formed to cooperate to achieve this [transitional] period. As for myself, I did not leave Syria seeking to obtain any role; I left because I refused to participate in the security solution…that is the main reason for my leaving Syria.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] When did you last meet with Bashar al-Assad?
[Tlass] Approximately one year ago.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Have you spoken with him about his handling of the Syrian crisis, or any related issue?
[Tlass] No, we did not have any conversations in this regard, but I did oppose the security apparatus’s vision for dealing with the crisis. I tried to resolve this in a peaceful manner, but I saw that there were plans for the security solution, so I withdrew from these attempts. This is because I believe the crisis is complex and needs to be addressed in a genuine and correct manner. However I discovered that this [popular] movement was escalating, and was only being addressed through one mechanism, namely the mechanism of arms, which is something that I reject. There were those who were in need of dialogue, and in need of the regime listening to them, but it did not listen to them. I was among those who preferred to conduct dialogue with the [popular] movement, and so I isolated myself…from the management of this crisis.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] It’s common knowledge that you were a childhood friend of Bashar al-Assad, so how can it be possible that you did not advise him – directly or via intermediaries – that resorting to the security solution was a mistake?
[Tlass] I did put forward such views; however there were difficulties regarding the political issues. As you know, in friendship you can advise a friend a number of times and then find that you have no influence, and so you decide to distance yourself in the hope that this may have some kind of impact. I tried hard – no more and no less – but there was another camp that was working in the opposite direction. I wish he [Bashar al-Assad] had listened to me.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you describe precisely how the government operates in Syria, particularly since the outbreak of the revolution?
[Tlass] There are security agencies that receive reports from where the [popular] movement is taking place, and they take action to address this utilizing security mechanisms, having no other alternative. I would prefer this be treated via the political process, without resorting to the security solution. Therefore, since the beginning this was being addressed via comprehensive security mechanisms. I was well aware that getting involved in the security solution, and then withdrawing from this, would be very costly and represent a huge loss, and that is why I viewed the security solution as the regime committing suicide. As I said, getting out of this security solution will be truly disastrous, for the number of victims is rising day after day, which means that it also becomes increasingly difficult, day after day, to achieve reconciliation.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Why have none of the politicians in Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle defected?
[Tlass] We are not in need of looking for more defectors, whether senior officers or ministers. Rather, we need to address the crisis that has reached an extremely dangerous phase in Syria, as it is moving in directions that cancel each other out. Therefore what is required now is not more defections, rather re-drawing the new Syria. What is important is that we find a way to reach a solution to protect the homeland from division and sectarian fighting; this is what we must seek by any and all means.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think there is any possibility of a solution whilst al-Assad remains in power?
[Tlass] The possibilities have become very difficult. For him to remainin power after this huge death toll means that the chances [for a solution] are weak.
I wish he had not acted in this way, and he could have remained in power, but the security apparatus confused him. And mistakes in political are sometimes lethal.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is your view regarding the bombing that targeted the national security headquarters in Damascus, killing four senior al-Assad regime officials?
[Tlass] This was a large security breach, and the regime must contemplate this and rethink the course it is taking because these areas, such as where the explosion took place, are difficult to penetrate. This, therefore, indicates that the [popular] movement has become very sophisticated, and the regime must contemplate this and listen to the echoes of this movement. If it fails to do so, this will be a disaster for the regime as a whole.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you have any information about Maher al-Assad? Was he present at this meeting?
[Tlass] I do not think Maher al-Assad is this circle to have attended that meeting, for his [military] rank does not enable him to do so.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] General Tlass, is there anything in your previous career that you are ashamed of? Are your hands stained with blood?
[Tlass] No, I declined to participate since the beginning of the crisis, specifically from the moment that the manner in which this was being addressed turned to violence. My hands are not stained with blood, and I do not accept history recording that my hands have ever been stained with blood. I hold myself accountable to myself before history can hold me accountable, and I do not care about power or position.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think it would be impossible for a military coup to take place in Syria?
[Tlass] It would be very difficult for there to be a coup in Syria because the regime enjoys a special setup and systematic mechanism that makes the proposition of an internal coup extremely difficult. However there should have been a coup at the beginning of the crisis, and I had hoped that the president [Bashar al-Assad] himself would have carried it out, namely a coup in favor of the political solution, [Syrian] citizens and reform.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you tell us the extent of the support that al-Assad is receiving from Iran, Hezbollah, Iraq and the Russians?
[Tlass] It is difficult to determine this matter because it is subject to national issues and interests, therefore it is difficult to determine the size of the aid [that al-Assad is receiving]. However we must look at the interests of each state and its ties to other states, as well as the extent of the impact of such interests.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Are Iranian forces directly taking part in managing the Syrian crisis?
[Tlass] I have not seen anything, but I have heard this from some people. As for myself, I have not seen anyone because I was not among those who were managing the crisis, therefore I cannot answer.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Western states have repeatedly asserted that Bashar al-Assad’s days are numbered. What do you think?
[Tlass] The only thing we hope for is salvation for Syria, without looking at the number of days, for it is not within my capability to say whether it will be days or months. However I hope that the Syrian crisis ends with minimal losses, and that the country can recover quickly. For the longer the crisis lasts, the longer it will take Syria to recover; therefore I cannot set a time-frame. This is something that depends on the developments on the ground, as well as international developments.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Based on your personal knowledge of Bashar al-Assad, do you think he will step down, or will he follow Gaddafi’s footsteps to the end?
[Tlass] I do not know how I can answer this question, for each individual is exposed to certain circumstances and responds to this according to his character. If I was subject to these circumstances, I would not have acted in this manner…but I cannot answer as to whether he [al-Assad] will step down or not.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Bashar al-Assad has been able to promote the view that he is surrounded by hawks, which has convinced many – including some in the West – that he is not solely running things in Damascus. Is al-Assad truly managing the crisis or not?
[Tlass] These are the decisions of the circle around him…
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What about his role? Is he weak?
[Tlass] No, he is not weak, but there are those around him who have downplayed the magnitude of the crisis, and so he has preferred to deal with it via this [security] framework…
[Asharq Al-Awsat] You officially announced your defection from the al-Assad regime on Al-Arabiya TV. What are your plans now?
[Tlass] I announced my defection at the beginning of the crisis. I had defected from the regime whilst I was still in Syria, for it is not necessary for the defector to appear on television and officially announce his defection. Since the beginning of the crisis I have acted as an individual who defected from the regime, for the manner in which the regime addressed the crisis was against my convictions and desires. I could not deal with solutions that go against my convictions and desires, and that is why I defected from the regime.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What are your plans now?
[Tlass] My plan is to live in safety with my family and children, and this is something that I hope for all the Syrian people. If there was safety in Syria, and the Syrian people believed this, then I would be amongst the first people there, because I am a Syrian citizen, and I cannot accept being safe whilst my people are not. Therefore I hope safety is established in Syria and all the Syrian people are able to life in safety.
As for the political issue, and whether I will participate or not, when I left Syria it was not in my thinking to participate or engage with any political task, however if this serves my country, and serves security and stability in Syria, then it is possible that I will participate as an ordinary citizen, or as any individual who wants to resolve this crisis. There are patriots in Syria, and abroad, and we hope that there will be an agreed solution without destroying Syria. There are many noble people in Syria and abroad, and we hope that they develop a roadmap to safely exit this crisis, with minimal losses to the country. Syria is a country that accommodates different minorities and ethnic groups, a country with various national identities that require a safe space to treat the wounds they have suffered as part of this crisis. I hope there will be real and noble national parties that will help in treating these wounds, and prevent Syria from this deterioration which is threatening its future. I hope that Syria follows a roadmap out of this crisis.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Will you communicate with the opposition Syrian National Council [SNC] and Free Syrian Army [FSA]?
[Tlass] I will communicate with each noble party that wants to build Syria, whether the SNC or the FSA, whether at home or abroad, and even if they are part of the regime. I will communicate with all parties to find a roadmap out of this crisis, and nobody is exempt from communication. There are many people in the regime whose hands are not stained in blood, and who were not consulted [regarding the security solution], and they should not be marginalized, rather we must preserve our national institutions and the Syrian state. We will only refuse to deal with those who were part of the management of the crisis, as for the other noble Syrian citizens, they cannot be marginalized from Syrian society. We hope that this mosaic of Syrian society is part of the roadmap to return to drawing up Syria, in a civilized manner, as it was and even better than before.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] You are talking about a Syria without Bashar al-Assad?
[Tlass] I cannot see a Syria with Bashar al-Assad.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What contact have you had with the international community since leaving Syria?
[Tlass] I am looking, along with the noble people outside of Syria, to reach an agreed solution with the noble people inside the country. I departed to try – although I cannot say for certain that I will succeed – to help, as much as possible, in unifying the noble people inside and outside of Syria to develop a roadmap to get out of this crisis, whether I have a role in this or not. I am not looking for positions so much as saving Syria from this crisis.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What can you tell us about your visit to Saudi Arabia?
[Tlass] I am very happy to be in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and am very glad to have been able to perform the umrah [pilgrimage]. Saudi Arabia is a friend to Syria, and one of the regime’s strategic mistakes was to lose this relationship with Saudi Arabia. I expect Saudi Arabia and Syria to always enjoy close relations because they share the same compass, whether in terms of faith or Arab nationalism. Therefore I came to Saudi Arabia to greet our Saudi brothers, and to see whether it is possible for them to help us in drawing up this roadmap, along with our other regional and international friends. We will deal with anybody who can help Syria with the crisis it is facing, let alone Saudi Arabia which is a sisterly state whose relationship we must preserve. This is because it is a state of principles and values, a state that has helped the Syrian people on a number of occasions, starting from the October [1973] war, where it sent a number of troops, as well as economic aid. We hope that there will always be a close and friendly relationship between ourselves and our Saudi brothers.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, for giving me this opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia, as well as everything that he has provided to the Syrian people in terms of assistance and aid. This is something that demonstrates the generosity of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.