Bible Quotation for today/Teaching about Charity
Matthew 6/1-4: "1 Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.  So when you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it.  Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources

Egypt Takes Another Step Toward Autocracy -- and Instability/Eric Trager/Washington Institute/April 03/13
Egypt’s Brotherhood: Follow theTurkish Example/By: Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/Asharq Alawsat/ April 03/13

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 03/13

Israel’s Def Min inspects Golan position. Al Qaeda nears Syrian chemical depot
Latest U.S. Travel Warning Highlights Kidnappings, Sectarian Violence
Geagea Says Failure to Adopt Baabda Declaration by Upcoming Govt Topples Dialogue

Independent MPs: We Will Coordinate Stance with March 14 to Agree on New Premier
Jumblat, Aoun Bicker over Telecom and Energy Portfolios

Wadi Khaled Clans Call on Suleiman, Ibrahim to Negotiate Release of al-Ahmed
Charbel for 'Consensus' on Vote Law and Cabinet, Calls for Quick Appointment of ISF Chief
Eight Syrian Alawites Abducted from Minibus in Wadi Khaled
Arsal Army Attack Suspect Released on Bail

Mustaqbal: Elections Must Be Held on Time, New Cabinet's Ministers Shouldn't Be Nominated for Parliament
PSP Says Report on Its PM Candidate Inaccurate, Jumblat Declines to Comment
Aoun Hints He Won't Nominate Miqati, Slams Jumblat as Mentally Unstable
Arrest Warrants Against 7 Suspects Accused of Assault on Clerics

Salafist Cleric Rafehi Says He Was Not Target of Assassination Attempt
Report: National Struggle Front to Back Hariri's Pick for Premiership
Sami Gemayel Describes Jumblat as 'Key' to Deal on Vote Law
Report: March 8 to Resume Talks after Failure to Reach Consensus

Canada Opens Diplomatic Mission in Iraq
A Canada-U.A.E. Strategic Agenda
Abbas Blames Israel for Prisoner's Cancer Death
Ban: N. Korea Crisis 'Has Already Gone Too Far'

Fire Guts 3,000 Sq. Meters of Forestland near Jeita Country Club

UNHCR: Disease Stalks Iraqi Camps for Syrians

Syria Offers Kidnappers Amnesty Deal

Meshaal Reelection May Better Hamas Ties with West
Egypt Launches Fresh Probe against Popular Satirist

U.S. Concern over Egypt Rights after Satirist Detained

In North Syria, Eating Herbs to Survive

Fierce Battles in Two Damascus Districts

Israel’s Def Min inspects Golan position. Al Qaeda nears Syrian chemical depot
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report April 2, 2013

http://www.debka.com/article/22869/Israel%E2%80%99s-Def-Min-inspects-Golan-position-Al-Qaeda-nears-Syrian-chemical-depot-

In fierce battles with Syrian troops, Al Qaeda’s al-Nusra front is spearheading the rebels’advance on the Syrian army’s biggest chemical weapons depot at the Al-Safira military and air defense base near Aleppo in the north. By Tuesday, April 2, the assault force had come within 1.5 kilometers of its target. This prompted an urgent visit by Israel’s top security officials to the Golan border for a close assessment of the situation.
The group surveying the situation from the IDF position at Tel Hazaka was led by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and OC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Yair Golan.
On his first visit to the Golan border, the defense minister said that Israel had in the past and would in the future prevent the proliferation of weapons that could “threaten us.” Yaalon was the first leading Israeli figure to state clearly that Israel would act to prevent the proliferation of Syria’s chemical weapons – whether to the al Qaeda or Hizballah terrorist organizations. His words came after the rebels Monday seized from the Syrian army the town of al-Safira from which they continued to push forward toward the sprawling air, air-defense and artillery base itself. As Syrian defenses weakened, the troops fighting there and in the Damascus region were issued with anti-contamination suits and gas masks. DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources add that the possible fall of the strategic al-Safira base into rebel hands, especially the Islamist militias, was one of the highest items on the agenda of US President Barack Obama’s talks with Israeli and Jordanian leaders in Jerusalem and Amman in the third week of March. He supervised plans for coordinated US-Israeli-Jordanian-Turkish action in Syria in the event of a direct threat of chemical warfare. The minister and the generals spent time on the Golan border with Syria on final checks to make sure that the IDF units were well prepared for possible action to prevent al Qaeda procuring chemical weapons of mass destruction.

Latest U.S. Travel Warning Highlights Kidnappings, Sectarian Violence
Naharnet /Kidnappings, sectarian violence and tension along the Lebanese-Syrian border have led the U.S. State Department to issue a warning to U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to Lebanon. “U.S. citizens living and working in Lebanon should understand that they accept risks in remaining and should carefully consider those risks,” said the travel advisory issued on Monday. It supersedes a warning issued in September to emphasize information on security, kidnappings, and an upsurge in violence in Lebanon and the region. The advisory said the potential for a spontaneous upsurge in violence remains and the Lebanese government is not able to guarantee protection for citizens or visitors to the country if violence erupts. “Access to borders, airports, roads, and seaports can be interrupted with little or no warning” and “public demonstrations occur frequently with little warning and have the potential to become violent,” it said. It also warned that sectarian disputes can lead to gunfire or other violence with little or no warning.
Lebanon has recently witnessed a spate of tit-for-tat sectarian abductions linked to the civil war in Syria. Gunfights mainly in the northern city of Tripoli have left dozens of casualties.
Mortars and shells from the Syrian side also regularly crash in Lebanon, causing several casualties. The U.S. warning said “security incidents in the border regions between Lebanon and Syria … coincides with an increasing number of security incidents around the country.” “U.S. citizens in Lebanon should monitor ongoing political and security developments in Syria, as this may impact the security situation in Lebanon,” it added.
Reiterating that Hizbullah is an extremist group that the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization, the warning said: “U.S. citizens have been the target of numerous terrorist attacks in Lebanon in the past, and the threat of anti-Western terrorist activity continues to exist in Lebanon.” “U.S. citizens traveling or residing in Lebanon despite this Travel Warning should keep a low profile, assess their personal security, and vary times and routes for all required travel.”

Geagea Says Failure to Adopt Baabda Declaration by Upcoming Govt Topples Dialogue
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Tuesday that the failure to adopt the Baabda Declaration as the policy statement of the new government will obstruct the resumption of the national dialogue between the rival parties. “The ministerial statement of any cabinet should be clear in this regard,” Geagea said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper. He pointed out that the March 8 alliance’s integrity is at stake, saying: “If they refused to include the Baabda declaration in the ministerial statement, then their endeavors will be revealed.” In the Baabda Declaration, 16 political leaders from both the March 8 majority coalition and the March 14 opposition agreed to avoid rhetoric that fuels sectarian incitement. They also pledged to consolidate stability to prevent the country from descending into strife. Concerning the upcoming parliamentary elections, Geagea lashed out at attempts to postpone the polls. “The most significant signal we can send to the people and foreigners is that the constitutional life in the country is not twisted,” the Christian leader told the daily.
He pointed out that the Lebanese Forces is seeking the formation of a government capable of preparing for the polls and overseeing them. Deep rift between the March 8 and 14 coalitions surfaced over the electoral system that would be adopted during the upcoming polls. The majority insists on the adoption of the Orthodox proposal that considers Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system, but it was opposed by President Michel Suleiman, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, al-Mustaqbal bloc, the Progressive Socialist Party, and the independent Christian MPs of the March 14 opposition, saying it harms the social fabric and increases sectarian tension. Geagea said that the formation of a non-technocrat cabinet would instantly postpone the elections. Miqati's resignation on March 22 further complicated the political crisis in Lebanon after signs began appearing that the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces are seeking a national salvation cabinet while the March 14 opposition alliance wants a neutral government.

Independent MPs: We Will Coordinate Stance with March 14 to Agree on New Premier
Naharnet /Independent Christian March 14 MPs stressed on Tuesday the need to form a neutral government that can oversee the parliamentary elections. They said after a meeting at MP Butros Harb's residence: “We will coordinate our stances with the March 14 camp in order to reach an agreement over a new prime minister who will form a neutral cabinet.”The new government should also set as a priority reaching an agreement over a new parliamentary electoral law, they added. They stressed the need to hold the elections on time or with a delay of a few months “in order to avoid the collapse of Lebanon's democratic system due to the dangerous vacuum.”“Lebanon's enemies should not be allowed to complete their coup against the constitution, which will lead to the country's total destruction,” they noted. Consultations are ongoing between various political parties in Lebanon in order to reach an agreement over a new prime minister who will be tasked with forming a new government. Binding parliamentary consultations over this issue will take place on April 5 and 6. The cabinet resigned on March 22 over its failure to agree on forming the authority to oversee the parliamentary elections and extending the term of Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi, who stepped down from his post on Saturday after reaching the retirement age.

Mustaqbal: Elections Must Be Held on Time, New Cabinet's Ministers Shouldn't Be Nominated for Parliament
Naharnet/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday reiterated its call for holding the elections on time without any “postponement or stalling in this matter”, expressing their support for a hybrid electoral law.
"The bloc is now working on developing an advanced formula of the hybrid proposal,” the MPs revealed in a released statement after the bloc's weekly meeting at the Center House.
They expressed: “The elections are an opportunity to renew the democratic system in Lebanon and they give the people a chance to elect their representatives. We do not think there are any excuses for postponing the elections”.The lawmakers said that Prime Minister Najib Miqati's resignation opened “new positive horizons for the future of Lebanon and led to a prevailing state of calm and peace among citizens after the dominance of tension in the political, social, and economic domains that were brought forward by the government's practices and the differences between its members”.
“The resignation allows for the formation of a new cabinet, one that must seriously work on safeguarding Lebanon against sectarian and political tension and assure security in the country,” the statement elaborated.
"It should also work on restoring trust in the state's constitutional, legal, administrative and economic institutions”.
Miqati resigned last month over differences between cabinet members on the formation of the authority that would oversee the elections and the extension of the tenure of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, who handed over his post to Brig. Gen. Roger Salem after reaching the age of retirement.The al-Mustaqbal MPs stated that the new ministers must not be nominees for the parliamentary elections, urging holding the consultations to name the next premier on time. ”The statement plan of the cabinet should reflect the Baabda Declaration and commit to the policy of disassociation without being selective in this matter to protect Lebanon from the repercussions of the regional, particularly Syrian, turmoil,” the MPs said.Al-Mustaqbal said that besides holding the elections on time, the new cabinet's priorities must include preparing an electoral law that assures just representation and freedom of choice, taking into consideration Christian-Muslim coexistence."The National Pact and the Constitution should also be considered as the pillars of any law to be adopted,” the statement noted.
It added: “The cabinet must call national dialogue sessions under the patronage of President Michel Suleiman”.

PSP Says Report on Its PM Candidate Inaccurate, Jumblat Declines to Comment
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday stressed that he will not “voice any stance or comment” on his candidate for the premiership before his upcoming TV interview on Thursday evening.
In a brief phone interview with al-Manar television, Jumblat declined to comment on a media report claiming that he will back former premier Saad Hariri's pick for the premiership. The opposition al-Mustaqbal bloc and the centrist National Struggle Front have agreed to throw their weight behind the person that Hariri will name to lead the new government, said a report published by As Safir newspaper on Tuesday. Caretaker Minister Wael Abu Faour, who is close to Jumblat, held talks with Hariri in Riyadh and returned to Beirut late Monday, said the report. As Safir said that the talks culminated in a deal for Jumblat's bloc to name the same person that Hariri, who is the head of al-Mustaqbal movement, will back for the premiership on condition that he be a non-provocative man and acceptable by all sides. But al-Manar quoted PSP sources as saying that the report is "inaccurate." "Nothing is final before we agree on the nature of the coming period,” the sources said. “There is direct communication with Hizbullah and Jumblat is communicating with (Speaker Nabih) Berri and al-Mustaqbal,” the sources added. Al-Manar also reported that caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati “will return Tuesday night from London to Beirut amid reports of important meetings he will hold in the coming hours."
It also quoted sources close to President Michel Suleiman as saying that "the postponement of (binding parliamentary) consultations (to name a new PM) may only happen if all parties request that."
Meanwhile, Mustaqbal sources told LBCI television: “We refuse to await Miqati's return and Hariri and (ex-PM Fouad) Saniora are discussing the possible nominees, but the chosen candidate will not be known before Thursday.”Jumblat's sources did not deny to LBCI “the rapprochement between the PSP and Mustaqbal over the formation of the government,” but added that they want first to know “the characteristics of the coming period.”
“Nothing has been settled and a delegation from the parliamentary majority will meet tomorrow with Berri. Let there be a new law and we will go tomorrow to polls,” LBCI quoted Hizbullah sources as saying.

Aoun Hints He Won't Nominate Miqati, Slams Jumblat as Mentally Unstable
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday launched a vehement verbal attack on Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and hinted that he will not renominate Najib Miqati for the premiership. “Jumblat is mentally unstable and he is trying to punish us because we backed the Orthodox Gathering (electoral) law,” said Aoun during an interview on his movement's mouthpiece OTV.
“There is collective impotence in this state which is built upon a mafia-like structure and those who robbed and embezzled are fighting us now,” Aoun added. “I tell Walid Jumblat, 'where would you go if I opened the case of the Ministry of the Displaced?'” Aoun went on to say. Sharp differences have surfaced between Aoun and Jumblat over the energy and telecommunication portfolios in the next cabinet.
“The FPM will not be granted the energy and telecommunications portfolios... It's impossible and will not happen again,” As Safir newspaper quoted Jumblat as saying.
Aoun hit back during the TV interview, noting that “52 major global oil firms came to Lebanon and in three years we managed to pass the executive laws and decrees and we conducted the (oil and gas) survey.”
“I want to ask Walid Jumblat, 'what have you done since joining the cabinet in May 1984? What are your accomplishments?'” Aoun said.
He charged that Jumblat “does not want the proper representation and coexistence stipulated by the constitution.”“When a sect appropriates the rights of another sect, how can there be coexistence? Coexistence can only be preserved through justice and equality,” Aoun stressed. He noted that a parliamentary session to vote on the controversial Orthodox Gathering proposal -- under which each sect elects its own representatives -- “would be legitimate even if al-Mustaqbal (movement) and the PSP boycotted it.” “If I filed a lawsuit against someone who stole my rights and he didn't show up, I cannot say that the trial is illegitimate. There are non-negotiable rights,” Aoun explained. “If the Orthodox law was not approved, I would consider that we are living under a dictatorial authority and going through a phase of degeneration in state institutions. Those who abandon the Orthodox Gathering law will be cursed by history,” Aoun added.
Commenting on Miqati's resignation, Aoun said: “We have reached a point where laws have become totally disregarded by officials, including Miqati, who tried to manipulate the laws by seeking to extend (Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf) Rifi's term.” “Several crimes happened during Rifi's tenure and none was solved, but legally speaking, the extension was an issue to be decided by the entire cabinet and there is no applicable law, which requires resorting to the Shura Council, not to the parliament,” Aoun added.
“When Miqati decided that Rifi is more important than the government, he toppled it, because there are severe situations that he didn't want to be held responsible for,” he said.“I don't know why the president (Michel Suleiman) and the premier want to maintain the vacuum. I don't have contacts with them now and I was relieved by the government's resignation as it wasn't very satisfying,” Aoun added.
He stressed that legislation must serve the public interest, “not the interests of individuals, and the attempt to extend Rifi's term was a coup attempt.”
Aoun revealed that his bloc has not nominated anyone for the premiership until the moment.
“We have not nominated anyone for the premiership and there are conditions and counter-conditions. I demand fairness and each party must be represented according to its political weight,” he added. “When you put numerous preconditions, that means that you don't want elections. We have not reached a common viewpoint with our allies concerning the candidate for the premiership and meetings will be held in the next 24 hours,” Aoun went on to say. “I've heard that Miqati is putting conditions and I don't accept conditions, but rather principles upon which the government must be formed,” he stressed.
The FPM leader asked rhetorically: “How can we name Miqati again after he resigned over two demands and he now has five conditions to return to the premiership?”

Egypt’s Brotherhood: Follow theTurkish Example
Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/Asharq Alawsat
There have been indications that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is facing difficulties repeating the successful experience of the Islamists in Turkey. In the best of cases, perhaps the Brotherhood will not succeed in Egypt until it undergoes the same prolonged and harsh course that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan endured. If we drew a quick comparison between the two cases, we would find similarities and differences.
The similarities are that the Islamists in both countries came to power through the door of genuine democracy, in a state where the military is highly influential, and the liberal trend dominates over the economy, security, and the media.As for the differences—which are of particular concern to the Brotherhood in Egypt—the Islamists in Turkey, unlike those in Egypt, adopted a slow but effective progression. In this endeavor, they sought to serve the public through municipal institutions in mid-level departments for over ten years. Shortly afterwards, the Islamists gained control of Istanbul municipality, the largest in Turkey, and other areas followed. They left the secular presidential position until a later stage, by which time the Turkish people were convinced that the Islamists deserved to be in power. This is to say that they let their actions, rather than words, win over the people, and so they eventually acquired what they wanted. Having been extremely successful in administering Turkish municipalities and having been in direct contact with ordinary Turkish citizens, a positive public perception of the Islamists was generated through what the Turks saw with their own eyes. It was such a successful experience that many of the Turks were stunned. The Islamists had dispelled the myths promoted by their secular opponents, portraying them as a handful of “dervishes” who belonged in the mosque pulpits and madrassas, and who did not understand politics or government administration.
This success of Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey became an inspiration to other political Islam movements, to the extent that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt almost replicated the name with its own Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), while Abdelilah Benkirane’s Justice and Development Party (PJD) currently heads the Moroccan parliament. However, the Brotherhood has neglected the differences between its own experience and that of Erdoğan’s, particularly in terms of gradual progression. The Muslim Brotherhood’s FJP in Egypt, which was formed immediately after the Egyptian popular revolution, entered politics from the top, rather than starting from the grass roots. This is a key difference, and mistake, when compared to Erdoğan’s experience. The other considerable difference lies in the fact that the Turkish AKP emerged from the Welfare Party, after a difficult period of self-criticism and reassessment within the Islamic movement itself, and particularly with regards to the party’s leader, Professor Necmettin Erbakan. Erbakan’s rhetoric and theories were subjected to earnest revisions, regardless of the man’s stature or leadership. With complete transparency and courage, a reformative process was undertaken by the young generation within the Islamist movement; Erdoğan and his right hand man Abdullah Gül. This sincere and transparent process of self-criticism, no matter how right or wrong, is non-existent whether in the Brotherhood in Egypt or in their offshoots across the Arab world. Brotherhood members still seem to treat their leaders with exaggerated degrees of respect and blind obedience to their orders and opinions. As a result, there is little scope for change and progress. The Brotherhood will not be able to rule Egypt effectively until it undergoes a critical re-evaluation.
 

Wadi Khaled Clans Call on Suleiman, Ibrahim to Negotiate Release of al-Ahmed
Naharnet/Heads of clans in the Lebanese border area of Wadi Khaled urged President Michel Suleiman and General Security chief Brig. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim to negotiate with the Syrian authorities the release of Mohammed al-Ahmed. “We call on Suleiman, Ibrahim and all officials in security agencies to directly intervene and contact the Syrian authorities to free al-Ahmed,” the clans said in a statement on Tuesday.
On Monday, eight Syrian Alawites were kidnapped from their minibus at the Jisr Qmar border crossing in Wadi Khaled while en route to Syria. The men were abducted in retaliation for the disappearance of al-Ahmed who went missing in Syria more than a year ago. Ali Fahd al-Ahmed, who read the statement, pointed out that the clans denounced any kidnapping attempts. He said that the clans are only “welcoming several Syrian nationals at their homes to press the Syrian authorities to release their son.”They considered the disappearance of al-Ahmed as a “humanitarian case.” For is part, al-Hisheh Municipality chief Dahham al-Nayef told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that the kidnapped Alawites are at the house of Hussein Mohammed al-Ahmed. He noted that the Lebanese state is responsible for negotiating the release process with the Syrian authority.
Two years into a spiraling war in neighboring Syria, sectarian tensions have flared up in Lebanon. Frequent sectarian clashes have raged in the flashpoint city of Tripoli, where Alawite fighters have battled armed members of the Sunni community. Last week, a wave of tit-for-tat kidnappings hit the Bekaa region, pitting Shiites from the Jaafar clan and Sunnis from the town of Arsal.

Salafist Cleric Rafehi Says He Was Not Target of Assassination Attempt
Naharnet /Salafist cleric Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi stated on Tuesday that he was not the victim of an assassination attempt, explaining that al-Taqwa Mosque in the northern city of Tripoli was the target of Monday's shooting incident. He said during a press conference: “I was not the target of the attack, but the mosque was the victim because of its support of the Syrian revolution.”
The mosque is guilty of supporting the Syrian people through humanitarian means, he added. “We have backed the revolt on the relief level, contrary to other partners in Lebanon who have been supporting the Syrian regime through all possible means,” stressed Rafehi. “The world has let the Syrian people down because they are Muslims,” he noted. “If the attack against me was aimed at creating strife, then I declare that we will not be dragged to strife,” said the cleric. Moreover, he revealed that one of al-Taqwa Mosque's cleric's convoy once came under attack as it was leaving Martyrs' Square in Beirut. He did not disclose details of the incident. Rafehi said that the authorities at the mosque chose not to publicize the incident in order to avert creating tensions in the country. He explained that the clerics at the mosque were being targeted due to their support of the Syrian revolution.
“We will leave investigations in Monday's incident to the security authorities,” he added. Rafehi on Monday escaped unharmed from an apparent assassination attempt in the northern city of Tripoli, state-run National News Agency reported. “An unidentified attacker fired a gunshot towards Rafehi as he was leaving al-Taqwa Mosque, but the bullet missed him and he is in good health,” LBCI television reported.
NNA said the bullet struck the mosque's door.

Report: National Struggle Front to Back Hariri's Pick for Premiership
Naharnet /The opposition al-Mustaqbal bloc and the centrist National Struggle Front have agreed to throw their weight behind the person that ex-Premier Saad Hariri will name to lead the new government, a report said Tuesday. Caretaker Minister Wael Abu Faour, who is close to National Struggle Front chief MP Walid Jumblat, held talks with Hariri in Riyadh and returned to Beirut late Monday. As Safir newspaper said that the talks culminated in a deal for Jumblat's bloc to name the same person that Hariri, who is the head of al-Mustaqbal movement, will back for the premiership on condition that he be a non-provocative man and acceptable by all sides. Al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora was also among Hariri's major visitors over the weekend. Al-Mustaqbal MP Nuhad al-Mashnouq told An Nahar daily that the talks in Riyadh focused on the party's call for a neutral technocrat cabinet hat would oversee the parliamentary elections. Any discussion about a non-technocrat government is out of the question, he said.The MP also ruled out bringing back caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati to power to head a neutral technocrat government. “The man has said that he was a candidate for the elections and a neutral technocrat government requires a prime minister who hasn't announced his candidacy,” al-Mashnouq told An Nahar. The lawmaker shrugged off a scenario similar to 2011 when Jumblat's 12-member bloc along with the March 8 majority led by Hizbullah brought Miqati to the premiership.
Hariri headed a cabinet in 2009, until its collapse in 2011 after March 8 alliance ministers withdrew from his national unity government. Al-Mashnouq denied that al-Mustaqbal and the National Struggle Front had struck a deal during Abu Faour's visit to Riyadh. “The results of the visit of the Front's delegation haven't appeared yet,” he said. “We haven't yet discussed names because we are waiting for an agreement on the type of the government.”
Miqati resigned last month over differences between cabinet members on the formation of the authority that would oversee the elections and the extension of the tenure of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, who handed over his post to Brig. Gen. Roger Salem after reaching the age of retirement. Although the March 14 opposition's most factions have ruled out naming Miqati to head a technocrat cabinet, the March 8 majority led by Hizbullah hasn't yet settled on the person that it sees fit for the job. Reports have said that Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, who is a major member of the March 8 alliance, is refusing to name Miqati.

Sami Gemayel Describes Jumblat as 'Key' to Deal on Vote Law
Naharnet /Phalange MP Sami Gemayel has described centrist Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat as the “key” to a deal among rival blocs on an electoral draft-law.
Gemayel told al-Liwaa daily in an interview published Tuesday that consultations on a vote law among the March 14 alliance leaders haven't stopped. “The Phalange, the Lebanese Forces and al-Mustaqbal movement have reached an advanced stage on an electoral draft-law that guarantees the best representation (for all the Lebanese) and preserve its nationalistic aspect,” he said. “But honestly the ball is now in the court of Walid Jumblat. He is the key to the majority,” the lawmaker said. The solution comes when Jumblat “approves any of the five proposals made,” he added. Gemayel hinted that the March 14 alliance has so far been unable to clinch a deal on a vote law over al-Mustaqbal bloc's insistence to garner the approval of Jumblat. Gemayel also lambasted Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement for backing the Orthodox Gathering proposal not for the purpose of guaranteeing the best representation for Christians but for clinching a victory in the elections. Hizbullah and the FPM are staunch supporters of the proposal that considers Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system. But the plan, which has also been approved by the Phalange at the joint parliamentary committees meeting, was criticized by al-Mustaqbal, the National Struggle Front and the March 14 alliance's Christian independent lawmakers. Asked about the type of the new government after the resignation of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati last month, Gemayel said: “We believe that a neutral cabinet (as proposed by al-Mustaqbal) is incapable of taking decisions to lead the country at this difficult stage.” “That's why we proposed a salvation government in which all officials and leaderships are represented,” he said.
Gemayel told al-Liwaa that it was necessary for March 14 alliance leaders to reach an agreement on the person they would nominate during the biding consultations set by President Michel Suleiman next Friday and Saturday.
“There is a big awareness by March 14 leaders on a united stance on the name of the PM-designate and the cabinet's form,” he said. The Phalange lawmaker ruled out however the adoption of the “army, people and resistance” formula in the policy statement of the future cabinet as conditioned by Hizbullah. The ministerial statement should be based on the Baabda Declaration instead, he said.

Report: March 8 to Resume Talks after Failure to Reach Consensus
Naharnet/Sharp differences loomed to the surface among the March 8 coalition's members over the thorny crises confronting the country as the main factions of the coalition are expected to hold talks on Wednesday to resolve the disputes. According to An Nahar newspaper published on Tuesday, March 8 Christians and Hizbullah representatives failed during a meeting they held the day before to reach common ground on the nature of the new cabinet and the new electoral law. The meeting was held between Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh, Tashnag Party MP Hagop Pakradonian, political aide of the Hizbullah chief Hussein Khalil and Hizbullah Liaison and Coordination Officer Wafiq Safa in the absence of AMAL movement-led by Speaker Nabih Berri. Later, Franjieh, Saade, Safa and Khalil headed to Ain el-Tineh for talks with Berri but no statements were made after the meeting. An Nahar reported that the meeting revealed the deep rift between Berri and Aoun as Hizbullah failed to bridge the gap between the two politicians. The daily pointed out that Aoun clarified to his allies during Monday's meeting in Rabieh that he totally rejects the extension of the current parliament's tenure, stressing the importance of holding a parliamentary session to vote on the so-called Orthodox Gathering electoral draft-law. Aoun is holding on to the Orthodox proposal as the only alternative to the 1960 law. Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that the March 8 parties will hold talks in Ain el-Tineh on Wednesday to resolve the lingering disputes. The talks come ahead of the April 5-6 binding consultations between President Michel Suleiman and the parliamentary blocs and independents on the name of the PM-designate after Prime Minister Najib Miqati resigned on March 22. His resignation further complicated the political crisis in Lebanon after signs began appearing that the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces are seeking a national salvation cabinet while the March 14 opposition alliance wants a neutral government. However, An Nahar said that the March 8 coalition is seeking to postpone the date of the binding consultations.

Charbel for 'Consensus' on Vote Law and Cabinet, Calls for Quick Appointment of ISF Chief
Naharnet/Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel shied away on Tuesday from revealing the timeframe for the postponement of the parliamentary elections but said he needed six months of preparations for the polls if there was consensus on a new law. During a visit to the general-directorate of the Internal Security Forces in the Beirut neighborhood of Ashrafiyeh, Charbel said: “I can only announce for how long the polls will be postponed when agreement is reached on a new law.” He reiterated that he had prepared for the elections based on the 1960 law over a failure by the rival blocs to agree on a new draft-law to govern the polls that are set to be held on June 9.
Charbel stressed however that no new draft-law would be adopted in the absence of consensus among the parties concerned. Six months are needed for the preparations to be made by the interior ministry, he said.
Charbel's visit to the ISF general-directorate came after Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi handed over on Saturday the police leadership post to Brig. Gen. Roger Salem. Rifi turned 59 – the ISF’s maximum working age – on Monday. Salem will serve as acting head of the ISF until a new director-general is appointed. A proposal to extend Rifi's tenure was one of the reasons that led to Prime Minister Najib Miqati's resignation last month.
Charbel hailed the ISF for the role it has played over the years, saying the institution had paid the price of its mission through the martyrdom of several of its members.
“We hope that the ISF wins the trust of the citizen and the other way around,” he told reporters. He also hoped “for unity away from politics and sectarianism to serve the citizens.”
The caretaker minister called for the quick formation of a new government to appoint the new ISF director-general. Asked about a travel warning to Lebanon issued by the U.S. State Department, Charbel said: “We carry out our duties as much as we can.” He didn't elaborate. Charbel also described the security situation as stable after the cabinet's resignation. Asked about the type of the new government, he reiterated that the cabinet's form should be approved by all parties. President Michel Suleiman has set next Friday and Saturday as the dates for the binding consultations with parliamentary blocs and independent MPs to name a premier-designate.

Arsal Army Attack Suspect Released on Bail
Naharnet /The Military Appeals Court ordered on Tuesday the release on bail of a man suspected of involvement in a deadly attack on the army in the northeastern town of Arsal, the state-run National News Agency reported.
The court's presiding judge, Alice Shabtini, ordered the release of Naufal al-Hujairi on a LL1 million bail, NNA said. Her ruling came despite a request by Military Examining Magistrate Fadi Sawan to uphold the decision to keep him in custody. The news agency said that four other suspects have requested Sawan to order their release. Two Lebanese soldiers were killed in February when members of an armed group ambushed their patrol that was in the area to pursue a suspect wanted on terrorism charges. The ambush raised tensions between the residents and the army after they accused it of approaching the town in civilian vehicles.

Arrest Warrants Against 7 Suspects Accused of Assault on Clerics
Naharnet/Beirut Examining Magistrate Judge Ghassan Owaidat issued on Tuesday arrest warrants against the seven suspects involved in the attacks against four Sheikhs in Beirut.
Owaidat kicked off interrogations with the seven men earlier in the day. Four of the suspects are accused of assaulting two Dar al-Fatwa clerics Sheikh Mazen Hariri and Sheikh Ahemd Fakhran in Khandaq al-Ghamiq area in Beirut, a majority Shiites neighborhood. The remaining three are suspected of attacking two other Sheikhs, Omar al-Imami and Ibrahim Abdil Latif, in the Shiyyah in Beirut's southern suburb.
The detainees have been identified as Hasan Mansour, Hasan Kaakour, Bilal Aoun, Ali Mansour, Hasan Mahmoud, minor Mohammed S. and Talal Mansour. Last week, General Prosecutor Judge Hatem Madi referred the case along with a lawsuit filed by Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani over the attacks. Qabbani had also requested to refer the case to the Supreme Judicial Council given the danger of crimes committed against state security and civil peace in an attempt to stir strife among different confessions. The Council deals with crimes that threaten civil peace. Tensions soared in Beirut and several roads were blocked in protest at attacks on four clerics in two separate incidents in Khandaq al-Ghamiq and Shiyyah.

Fire Guts 3,000 Sq. Meters of Forestland near Jeita Country Club
Naharnet/A huge blaze broke out on Monday near the Jeita Country Club resort, gutting all trees across 3,000 square meters of forestland, state-run National News Agency reported. Civil Defense crews were still trying to contain the flames in the afternoon, NNA said. An Nahar newspaper later said firefighters were starting to bring the fire under control. The agency said the blaze was caused by a friction of power lines installed over the forest, reassuring that Jeita Country Club is safe from any spread of flames.

Jumblat, Aoun Bicker over Telecom and Energy Portfolios
Naharnet/Sharp differences between the Progressive Socialist Party and the Free Patriotic Movement surfaced on Tuesday over the energy and telecommunication portfolios despite the failure of the rival parties to agree on the nature of the new cabinet and the name of the PM-designate.
According to As Safir newspaper, PSP chief MP Walid Jumblat rejects handing over to the FPM the same shares that it had in the resigned government.
“FPM will not be handed over the energy and telecommunications ministries... It's impossible and will not happen again,” the newspaper quoted Jumblat as saying.
The Druze chief wondered if anything stood in the way of granting the energy ministry portfolio to the head of the Petroleum Companies in Lebanon, Bahij Abu Hamza, who is loyal to Jumblat.
He also hinted that Bassam Yemmin, who is loyal to the Marada Movement, should be appointed as telecom minister.
According to As Safir, Aoun rejects the reassignment of Caretaker PM Najib Miqati after he resigned on March 22 without having guarantees that his bloc will keep the energy and telecom ministries.
Miqati's resignation further complicated the political crisis in Lebanon.
Aoun's Change and Reform bloc was handed 10 portfolios in the resigned government.
The cabinet, which was formed in 2011, came after the March 8 alliance ministers withdrew from ex-PM Saad Hariri's national unity government.
Jumblat's 12-member National Struggle Front parliamentary bloc, along with the March 8 majority led by Hizbullah, brought Miqati to the premiership.

Eight Syrian Alawites Abducted from Minibus in Wadi Khaled
Naharnet/Eight Syrian Alawites were kidnapped on Monday from their minibus in the Lebanese border area of Wadi Khaled while en route to Syria, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.
They were abducted by the members of two families who hail from Wadi Khaled in retaliation for the disappearance of their relative who went missing in Syria more than a year ago, NNA said. Wadi Khaled residents abducted eight Alawite workers after stopping a minibus carrying 14 Syrian nationals at the Jisr Qmar border crossing in the Wadi Khaled area of al-Bqaiaa, the agency said. It identified the abductees as Mohsen al-Ali, Hazem al-Hasan, Salman al-Ali, Tamim al-Hasan, Nassim Khabouri, Muslim Gharib, Abdo Gharib and Yamen Khabouri.
The Lebanese army sent its troops to search for the hostages, the agency added.Earlier on Monday, LBCI television said “the family of Fheid al-Ahmed abducted eight Syrian Alawite workers from a minbus in Wadi Khaled to swap them for their son who is being held in Syria.”
Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera put the number of Syrian abductees at five, noting that they belong to the same family.
It said al-Ahmed telephoned his family on Sunday to inform them that he is being held by Syrian security services.
For its part, LBCI said the clans and mayors of Wadi Khaled held a meeting to discuss releasing the hostages and avoiding a possible escalation.
Meanwhile, a security official told Agence France Presse that unknown attackers kidnapped nine Syrian Alawites after they crossed into Lebanon by bus.
The assailants seized the group "shortly after their bus crossed the Syrian-Lebanese border via the Jisr Qmar crossing into the Wadi Khaled area of north Lebanon," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "Women and children were among the group," the official added, without giving any further details.
Later on Monday, al-Hisheh Municipality chief Dahham al-Nayef said “the Syrians held in the town by al-Ahmed family are guests, not hostages.”
He said the motive behind the abduction was “the belief of Hussein Fahd al-Ahmed's family that the relatives of some of the Syrian abductees played a certain role in the abduction of their son Mohammed Hussein Fahd al-Ahmed more than a year ago.”
According to al-Nayef, al-Ahmed was handed over to Syrian authorities after a blackmail attempt.
The municipal chief revealed that efforts were underway to resolve the issue, calling on the Lebanese state to “play its role and mediate with the Syrian authorities to release al-Ahmed.”
He said most of the Syrian abductees hail from the Homs neighborhood of al-Nazha.
Two years into a spiraling war in neighboring Syria, sectarian tensions have flared up in Lebanon.
Frequent sectarian clashes have raged in the flashpoint city of Tripoli, where Alawite fighters have battled armed members of the Sunni community.
Last week, a wave of tit-for-tat kidnappings hit the Bekaa region, pitting Shiites from the Jaafar clan and Sunnis from the town of Arsal.

Canada Opens Diplomatic Mission in Iraq
April 1, 2013 (Baghdad) - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:
“Today’s opening is a historic milestone in Canadian relations with Iraq and comes at a pivotal moment. Ten years after the Iraqi intervention, Iraq is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, despite deep and lingering sectarian tensions.
“With conflict raging in neighbouring Syria, with the Ayatollah [Ali Khamenei]’s regime relentlessly pursuing sectarian hegemony and nuclear ambitions, and with a NATO ally and economic partner bordering Iraq’s north, today’s opening here in Baghdad expresses Canada’s intention to expand our engagement with a key regional player.
“We know that security and prosperity are intrinsically linked, especially for those many Iraqis who have only ever known lives of war and strife. Iraq is situated at the intersection of intrinsic international security challenges that affect us all. At this intersection also rests a principal fault line between Sunni, Shia and Kurdish identities, historically mired in sectarian conflict but with the potential of one day becoming a multi-confessional, pluralist society at peace with its neighbours, one where Muslims, Christians and other religious and ethnic groups will live in security and social harmony.
“Canada’s trade and investment interests in Iraq have strong potential, including in the country’s north, where we will expand our dialogue with leaders in Erbil. To pursue our interests, we know that Canada needs to be on the ground in Baghdad.”
The new mission in Baghdad, an office of Canada’s Embassy to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Republic of Iraq in Amman, will be headed by a chargé d’affaires, Stephanie Duhaime. The mission will be co-located in the British Embassy Baghdad, consistent with the agreement signed last fall by Baird and U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague. Canada’s ambassador to Iraq will continue to be based in Jordan, and will continue to oversee the bilateral relationship at the strategic level.

A Canada-U.A.E. Strategic Agenda
April 2, 2013 (Abu Dhabi) - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), today issued the following joint statement:
“Just over a year ago, we set out an agenda between our countries to strengthen and re-energize the Canada-U.A.E. relationship. To that end, we set three goals. First, sign a nuclear cooperation agreement. Second, launch a Canada-U.A.E. business council. And third, facilitate travel requirements to increase business, tourism and joint prosperity for our citizens by restoring the visa regime. We are pleased to announce that we have accomplished those goals, which will be formalized in the next month.
“As strategic partners, Canada and the U.A.E. can make significant contributions toward the goal of achieving stability and prosperity across the region. We will do so by developing a strategic agenda based on the following core themes:
Prosperity
Security
Development
“Within the next six months, our governments commit to explore concrete goals in each of these areas. At the end of this period, senior officials will report back to the ministers of foreign affairs with recommendations on how our strategic alliance can be strengthened.
Prosperity
“More than 150 Canadian companies are currently engaged in the U.A.E., the region’s hub for trade and commerce. Likewise, U.A.E. companies such as TAQA [Abu Dhabi National Energy Company] are working in Canada on the cutting edge of technology, pioneering new and sustainable innovations in energy. We have signed key economic agreements that significantly enlarge the spectrum of our cooperation, such as the nuclear cooperation agreement; and memorandums of understanding on innovation and sustainable technology. In addition, our two countries have launched a Canada-U.A.E. business council. Our citizens and companies can benefit from and contribute to each other’s prosperity. Today, we are announcing the nomination of the Emirati and the Canadian co-chairs of the Canada-U.A.E. Business Council [CUBC]: His Excellency Abdulla Saif Ali Slayem Al Nuaimi, Vice-Chairman of TAQA, and Mr. Gordon Nixon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Royal Bank of Canada. The CUBC will identify opportunities to enhance our commercial relations, advancing the private sector’s ability to secure new opportunities.
“In May, U.A.E. Minister of Economy His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri and Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, the Honourable Ed Fast, will meet to inaugurate the CUBC and discuss next steps in the economic partnership. The CUBC will meet at least twice, once in each country, and will report to ministers with recommendations by the end of 2014.
Security
“The foremost obligation of any government is the security of its own people, and our strategic relationship will strengthen cooperation in this area between our two countries. Canada’s Public Safety Minister, the Honourable Vic Toews, met with His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Minister of Interior, in February to share knowledge and experience in rule of the law, law enforcement and security. Both ministers agreed that Canada and the U.A.E. will strengthen cooperation on police, corrections and border matters, including training opportunities. We look forward to concrete measures being announced in the near term.
“We have taken action together to support stability in the Middle East, and we share deep concerns about prevailing forces behind threats to stability in the region. We are committed to working together against nuclear proliferation, and we call on Iran to address concerns surrounding its nuclear program by cooperating fully with the international community and, in particular, the International Atomic Energy Agency and engaging meaningfully with the P5+1 process. The international community must act effectively and responsibly to address threats to regional stability, including the brutal actions of the Assad regime against the people of Syria. Canada and the U.A.E. will look together at the principal threats to regional security, and work closely in strengthening stability during the transitions in the region.
Development
“Canada welcomes the creation of a new ministry for international development and cooperation in the U.A.E., led by Her Highness Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi. Canada’s development minister, the Honourable Julian Fantino, accepted an invitation to visit the U.A.E. later this month, where he will explore opportunities in development assistance with Sheikha Lubna. This will be the inaugural of many constructive meetings toward collaborating in our mutual objectives to reduce poverty and create prosperity in the developing world by investing in economic development.
Conclusion
“We find ourselves at a historic crossroads in the region and globally: between an opportunity to promote prosperity, security and development and the threats posed by extremists, conflict and poverty. It is essential for Canada and the U.A.E. that we continue to build our strategic partnership for the future. Through this partnership, our citizens will realize a world of increased prosperity, security and opportunity.”
 

Ban: N. Korea Crisis 'Has Already Gone Too Far'
Naharnet /U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that tensions had already soared too high on the Korean peninsula and warned Pyongyang against making nuclear threats. "The current crisis has already gone too far," Ban said at a press conference in Andorra. "Things must begin to calm down, there is no need for the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) to be on a collision course with the international community. Nuclear threats are not a game."Ban also said he feared an escalation in the crisis. "I'm convinced that nobody intends to attack the DPRK because of a disagreement about its nuclear system or foreign currency, however I'm afraid that others will respond firmly to any military provocation," Ban said. "I urge again the authorities of the DPRK to fully abide by the relevant security council resolutions and refrain from making further provocative measures. Dialogue and negotiations are the only way to resolve the current crisis." Agence France Presse

Abbas Blames Israel for Prisoner's Cancer Death
Naharnet/Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas blamed the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday for the death of a prisoner suffering from terminal cancer. "The Palestinian presidency holds the government of Netanyahu responsible for the martyrdom of prisoner Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh today in the prisons of the Israeli occupation," Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said in a statement. Earlier on Tuesday, Abu Hamdiyeh, 64, died at Soroka hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva where he was suffering from terminal throat cancer, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. "Prisoner Maisara Abu Hamdyieh died today. He had cancer," Qadura Fares, head of the Ramallah-based Prisoners Club, told AFP, accusing Israel of responsibility due to its "refusal to release him for treatment."The Palestine Liberation Organization too lashed out at Israel, accusing the Jewish state of a "premeditated crime against humanity" and warning that more terminally ill prisoners could die. "We are still looking at a grave situation with the hunger-striking prisoners and dozens of cases of long-term illnesses in need of treatment," it said. "The world should move quickly in light of the deterioration of their health." Abu Hamdiyeh, who was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to life in jail, began complaining of throat problems about nine months ago and was subsequently diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus. The Israel Prisons Service confirmed his death, adding that a process for his early release had been under way in the light of his deteriorating health.

Egypt Takes Another Step Toward Autocracy -- and Instability
Eric Trager/Washington Institute
Washington should tell Morsi that politicized prosecutions and other autocratic moves are increasing the risk of wider violence.
Egypt's prosecution of comedian Bassem Youssef for allegedly insulting President Muhammad Morsi and denigrating Islam is the latest indication of the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated government's undemocratic disposition. The move will likely deepen the non-Islamist opposition's mistrust of the country's political and judicial institutions, encouraging groups to continue seeking change through increasingly violent demonstrations rather than official political channels. Given Washington's interest in promoting democratic governance and stability in Egypt, the Obama administration should urge Morsi to pardon Youssef and end the crackdown on critics of the Brotherhood.
Youssef's case is not unique. According to the Egypt-based Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, four times as many lawsuits for "insulting the president" were filed during Morsi's first 100 days in office than during Hosni Mubarak's thirty-year reign. Although private citizens filed many of these suits, the Brotherhood has encouraged them by frequently depicting its media critics as remnants of the old regime. The group has also made politicized prosecutions even more likely in the future by pushing a new draft electoral law through parliament allowing the use of religious slogans in campaigns. Article 44 of the new constitution, ratified in December, prohibits "the insult or abuse of all religious messengers and prophets," and this can be broadly interpreted to insulate Islamist religious political slogans from non-Islamist attacks.
Morsi and the parliament have also worked to stifle media criticism by appointing a Muslim Brother as minister of information, using their control over state-run media to fire writers and editors who question the new government's policies, and hiring new editors sympathetic to the group's ideology. Meanwhile, the government has begun prosecuting wealthy anti-Brotherhood businessmen, potentially denying opposition media outlets and political parties vital sources of funding.
This pattern of prosecutions has validated opposition concerns that Morsi is undermining judicial independence. The irregular appointment of Prosecutor-General Talaat Abdullah is especially worrisome: Morsi used his November 22 constitutional declaration, through which he temporarily asserted virtually unchecked executive authority, as a pretext for selecting Abdullah rather than leaving the decision to the Supreme Judicial Council, as required by Egyptian law at the time. And last week, in another assault on judicial oversight, Morsi's office declared that it would not abide by a court decision ruling the appointment illegal.
Youssef's prosecution will only further inflame the situation. Opposition parties have already declared their refusal to participate in the next parliamentary elections, which Morsi recently indicated might be pushed to October given the current lack of sufficient guarantees for electoral transparency. Some oppositionists have resorted to violence against Brotherhood targets as a means of spurring the military to topple Morsi, whom they increasingly view as illegitimate due to his dictatorial behavior. The government's blatant assault on free speech will likely harden this position and fuel further violence, thereby adding to Egypt's mounting economic woes.
To reverse this dangerous trend and encourage stability, the Obama administration has rightly urged the non-Islamist opposition to re-engage in the political process by participating in the next elections. But so long as the Morsi government uses the political process to undermine judicial independence and enhance its crackdown, the opposition's skepticism will be warranted. Washington should therefore warn Morsi -- publicly, so as to counter the widely held impression of U.S. backing for the Brotherhood's actions -- that his autocratic policies are exacerbating Egypt's volatile political atmosphere. It should also advise him privately to act decisively and reverse course, in part by pardoning Youssef.
**Eric Trager is the Next Generation fellow at The Washington Institute.