Bible Quotation for today/How to Please God
Hebrews 13/01-18: "Keep on loving one another as Christians. Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. There were some who did that and welcomed angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering, as though you were suffering as they are. Marriage is to be honored by all, and husbands and wives must be faithful to each other. God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” Let us be bold, then, and say,“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” Remember your former leaders, who spoke God's message to you. Think back on how they lived and died, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not let all kinds of strange teachings lead you from the right way. It is good to receive inner strength from God's grace, and not by obeying rules about foods; those who obey these rules have not been helped by them.
The priests who serve in the Jewish place of worship have no right to eat any of the sacrifice on our altar. The Jewish high priest brings the blood of the animals into the Most Holy Place to offer it as a sacrifice for sins; but the bodies of the animals are burned outside the camp. For this reason Jesus also died outside the city, in order to purify the people from sin with his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp and share his shame. For there is no permanent city for us here on earth; we are looking for the city which is to come. Let us, then, always offer praise to God as our sacrifice through Jesus, which is the offering presented by lips that confess him as Lord. Do not forget to do good and to help one another, because these are the sacrifices that please God. Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you. Keep on praying for us. We are sure we have a clear conscience, because we want to do the right thing at all times. 19 And I beg you even more earnestly to pray that God will send me back to you soon."

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

Media and Difficult Questions/Osman Mirghani /Asharq Al awsat/April 27/13

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 27/13

Bulgaria Re-enacts Deadly Burgas Blast Blamed on Hizbullah
Obama Renews Warning that Syria Chemical Arms Use Will Be 'Game Changer'
Obama’s non-response to Assad’s chemical weapons would encourage a nuclear Iran
Israel Ups Security along Border with Lebanon
Serra briefs Sleiman, Berri on UNIFIL mission
Europol: Hezbollah linked to 2012 Bulgaria bombing
Hezbollah denies sending drone over Israel
Bogdanov: Resolve Lebanon's issues via dialogue
Putin Hails Suleiman's Efforts to Safeguard Lebanon as Bogdanov Meets Senior Officials
Jumblat Meets Berri, to Issue Stance on Electoral Law Proposal within 24 Hours
Lebanon's PSP Challenges Electoral Deadlines Suspension
Suleiman Vows to Challenge Any Attempt to Extend Parliament's Mandate
Troops Backed by Militia Battle Rebels around Damascus
Bogdanov Urges No Interference in Lebanon, Says Bishops Abduction a Grave Crime
Iraqi Forces Enter Northern Town after Gunmen Leave
Troops Backed by Militia Battle Rebels around Damascus
Harper turns ‘sociology’ into dirty word after passing anti-terrorism bill
Obama: Syria chemical weapons 'game changer'
Syrian air strikes, shelling batter rebels in Damascus suburbs
UN warns Iraq at 'crossroads,' calls for calm
Boston bomb suspect moved to prison from hospital

Bulgaria Re-enacts Deadly Burgas Blast Blamed on Hizbullah
Naharnet /Bulgarian investigators on Friday re-enacted a July 2012 bomb attack blamed by Sofia on Hizbullah that killed five Israelis, blowing up two old buses and 11 silicon mannequins in a controlled explosion.
The aim was "to provide information and important evidence on the type and quantity of explosive used" in the attack at Burgas airport on the Black Sea, chief investigator Boyko Naydenov said. As in the real blast, which also killed one Bulgarian, the explosion tore apart a mannequin representing the bomber, spreading body parts over the test area in Ihtiman, 70 kilometers southeast of Sofia. This confirmed the hypothesis that he was standing next to one of the bus' luggage compartments when the device went off, Naydenov said.
"The results are more than satisfactory," he said. The silicon head of the bomber was found "practically at the same distance and direction from the bus." Silicon is similar to human tissue.
Investigators believe that the bomber, who has not been identified despite police having his DNA and fingerprints, did not intend to die in the attack but planned to detonate the bomb from afar. In July Israel immediately blamed Iran and Hizbullah, but it took until February for the Bulgarian government to also point the finger at the Lebanese group.
It remains unclear, however, how the attack in Bulgaria, a member of the European Union whose Black Sea resorts are popular with Israeli tourists, was organized.
Investigators said in February that two Hizbullah-linked accomplices had been identified as Australian and Canadian passport-holders.
Source/Agence France Presse.

Obama Renews Warning that Syria Chemical Arms Use Will Be 'Game Changer'
Naharnet /U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday promised a "vigorous investigation" into reports Syrian forces fired chemical weapons and renewed his warning that proof of their use would be a "game changer."
Obama delivered the warning during talks at the White House with King Abdullah II of Jordan, as he faced rising political pressure for a military intervention in the vicious Syrian civil war.
He told reporters that U.S. authorities had "some evidence that chemical weapons have been used on the population in Syria, these are preliminary assessments, they're based on our intelligence gathering."
"We have varying degrees of confidence about the actual use, there's a range of questions about how, when, where these weapons have been used," he said.
The president said that Washington would pursue a "very vigorous investigation and would work with its partners towards a definitive answer on the chemical weapons issues as soon as possible. He said that as horrific as it was that civilians face mortar fire and other attacks, the use of chemical weapons "crosses another line." "That is going to be a game changer ... we have to make assessments deliberately but I think all of us, not just the United States, but around the world, have to recognize how we cannot stand by and permit the systematic of weapons like chemical weapons on civilian populations.
"This is going to be something that we're going to be paying a lot of attention to, trying to confirm, mobilize the international community around those issues."
Earlier on Friday, the White House said Obama is awaiting a "definitive judgment" on whether the Syrian regime used chemical weapons against rebel fighters before taking action.
The statement from Washington came as the Syrian opposition urged the U.N. Security Council to take immediate steps, possibly even by imposing a no-fly zone, following the U.S. announcement that the weapons had likely been used.
British Prime Minister David Cameron added his voice to the fray, saying growing evidence that Syrian President Bashar Assad had turned an arsenal of chemical agents on his own people was "extremely serious."
In Washington, where U.S. spy agencies issued the assessment that Syria had likely used chemical arms on a "small scale," the White House remained cautious.
"We are working to establish credible and corroborated facts to build on this intelligence assessment in order to establish a definitive judgment as to whether or not the president's red line has been crossed," spokesman Jay Carney said. The spokesman said those facts would "inform our decision-making about next steps," adding that "all options remain on the table." "The president wants the facts. And I'm not going to set a timeline, because the facts need to be what drives this investigation -- not a deadline," Carney said, shortly before Obama was set to sit down with Jordan's King Abdullah II.
"The situation in Syria is and has been grave. The Assad regime has the blood of its own people on its hands."
Carney reiterated that Washington backed a United Nations investigation into the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Damascus has asked for a U.N. probe but has since refused to let a U.N. team into the country.
Assad's government only wants its claims that opposition rebels used chemical arms to be investigated. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said the team should also look into opposition claims. Syria's opposition urged the U.N. Security Council to act without delay. "Should it find the regime used such weapons, it must act immediately, at least by imposing a no-fly zone," an official from the main opposition National Coalition told Agence France Presse on condition of anonymity. During the 2011 uprising that ousted long-time Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, the Security Council imposed a no-fly zone to prevent civilians being hit by regime air strikes.
But the Council has been deadlocked over Syria for more than two years, with permanent members Russia and China backing Assad and vetoing several draft resolutions that would have threatened sanctions on the regime.
The opposition National Coalition has accused the regime of using chemical weapons in the northern province of Aleppo, in Homs in the center and in rebel-held areas near Damascus.
Britain's Times newspaper published a report on Friday detailing the killing in Aleppo of a family, allegedly by chemical arms.
The family "died twitching, hallucinating and choking on white froth that poured from their noses and mouths. Their doctors believe that they were killed by nerve gas," said the report.
In London, Cameron -- whose Foreign Office confirmed it also had "limited but persuasive" evidence of the use of chemical agents -- said the international response would likely be political rather than military.
"This is extremely serious. And I think what President Obama said was absolutely right, that this should form for the international community a red line for us to do more," Cameron told the BBC.
"In my view what we need to do... is shape that opposition, work with them, train them, mentor them, help them so we put the pressure on the regime and so we can bring this to an end," he said.
The European Union was cautious, reiterating a request to Damascus to allow a U.N. chemical weapons probe in Syria.
Israel meanwhile led a push for military action. "From the moment the international community understands that red lines have been crossed and that chemical weapons have been used, they will realize there's no other choice than to react (militarily)," said Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin. Experts say containing the threat of chemical weapons would likely involve a presence of troops on the ground.
David Reeths, director of IHS Jane's Consulting, said containment operations "are extremely complex and would almost certainly require a significant in-country presence for an extended period of time."
Source/Agence France Presse.

Obama’s non-response to Assad’s chemical weapons would encourage a nuclear Iran
DEBKAfile Special Report April 26, 2013/
President Barack Obama faced a tough decision Friday, April 26, on how to handle Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons just a month after he warned it would be “game changer.”
The US intelligence community and the White House have now produced evidence that Assad has used chemical weapons against his own people and so crossed the red line Obama has repeatedly and publicly laid down for a US response. While extremely reluctant to embroil America in the Syrian war, those red lines would be discounted as meaningless by the world, the Middle East and Israel most of al, if he holds back now.
This loss of credibility and face would have three immediate consequences:
1. Assad will not stop using lethal chemicals against his people. After getting away with it scot-free, he will use them against any time he feels his regime has its back to the wall.
2. Tehran and Pyongyang will take US inaction on the Syrian chemical issue as a license to go forward and develop their nuclear and other sophisticated weapons without fear of forceful interference.
3. At some stage in the Syrian conflict, Assad will transfer to Hizballah a quantity of chemical weapons and other advanced war materiel as a reward for the Lebanese Shiite radicals’ stalwart battle in support of his regime. debkafile’s military sources have learned that preparations are already in train for the transfer.
Thursday, Israeli Air Force F-16 warplanes shot down opposite Haifa a drone Hizballah had sent winging toward Israel, but no firm response followed this provocation. Assad and Hizballah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah will certainly be encouraged by this non-response to risk going forward with the transfer in the belief that Israel will not interfere. And, so, chemical weapons will be allowed to reach a confirmed terrorist organization.
The way the White House communicated its message to Congress Thursday is as instructive as its content: The member of the White House staff chosen to frame the communication was Miguel Rodriguez, White House director of the Office of Legislative Affairs. It was couched in the language of a legal document rather than a policy statement on a high-powered foreign issue of the utmost military and strategic concern:
“Our intelligence community does assess, with varying degrees of confidence, that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically, the chemical agent sarin," Rodriguez wrote.
"Given the stakes involved, and what we have learned from our own recent experiences, intelligence assessments alone are not sufficient – only credible and corroborated facts that provide us with some degree of certainty will guide our decision-making.” For a pointer to how Obama may address a nuclear-armed Iran, this same document could be applied simply by substituting “The Islamic Republic of Iran” for the “Syrian regime” and “nuclear weapons” for “chemical weapons.” The document also administered a cold shower from the boss for the two senior members of the Obama administration Thursday and their revelations Thursday. Secretary of State John Kerry disposed of diplomatic ifs and buts when he said: The Syrian government has launched two chemical weapons attacks.
Somewhat more cautiously, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said: The US intelligence community has determined with "varying degrees of confidence" that Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces have used the nerve agent sarin against civilians and forces fighting to remove Assad from power.”Any use of chemical weapons, Hagel said, would violate standards of warfare.
The White House is informing Congress about the chemical weapons use now, Hagel said. This was a reversal of the reservations the defense secretary had voiced that morning about the assessment heard from the Israeli military intelligence officer Brig. Gen. Itai Brun that the Syrian army had used chemical weapons. debkafile’s Washington sources report speculation in the US capital that the president may settle his dilemma with an indirect military response to the Syrian chemical crisis, by deploying US troops on the Jordanian-Syrian border. It would be hoped that Damascus, and Tehran too, would be deterred by seeing American troops in place and therefore in position for a military response to the use of - or advance toward - weapons of mass destruction. This deployment was to be finally decided at the White House Friday when President Obama heard visiting Jordan’s King Abdullah voice acute concerns about the Syrian threat to his country.

Jumblat Meets Berri, to Issue Stance on Electoral Law Proposal within 24 Hours
Naharnet /Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat held talks on Friday with Speaker Nabih Berri on the government formation process and the parliamentary electoral law. He said after the meeting at Ain el-Tineh: “We discussed several proposals over the law and I will issue a stance over one of them within 24 hours.”He stressed the importance of holding the parliamentary elections on time “in order to maintain stability in Lebanon.”
On the formation of a new cabinet, Jumblat remarked: “We hope the new government will include various political powers and respect the policy of disassociation.” Lawmakers have until May 15 to reach an agreement on a new electoral law through consultations outside the parliament. Regardless if they reach an agreement or not, Berri is set to call for a legislative session to vote on the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal. The plan that calls for each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system is the only proposal that has been approved by the joint parliamentary committees. But Berri has given the lawmakers more time to agree on an alternative to the 1960 law after al-Mustaqbal bloc, Jumblat's National Struggle Front and the March 14 alliance's independent MPs rejected the Orthodox proposal.

Lebanon's PSP Challenges Electoral Deadlines Suspension
Naharnet /The Progressive Socialist Party of MP Walid Jumblat submitted on Friday a challenge before the constitutional council over the suspension of the electoral deadlines set by the 1960 law.
The council has one month to either accept or reject the challenge. PSP official Nashat al-Husniyeh told LBCI TV that the challenge was made after it “became clear that some (parties) are seeking to extend the parliament's mandate and throw the country in a vacuum.” Eleven lawmakers have signed it. They include the 8 MPs of Jumblat's National Struggle Front bloc, and Deputy Speaker Farid Makari, Ahmed Karami and Marwan Hamadeh, he said. Constitutionally, the president, the speaker or 10 MPs could challenge a law. If the challenge is approved by at least seven out of the 10-member constitutional council, it would become effective.
The head of the council, Issam Suleiman, said he will call for a session next Monday to study the challenge. President Michel Suleiman signed earlier this month the draft-law suspending the deadline for submitting nominations for the polls until May 19.The draft-law was referred to the president after it was approved by parliament despite the boycott of the National Struggle Front. It calls for setting the deadline for submitting candidacies to three weeks before the elections date. It also allows candidates who seek to withdraw their nominations to do so 15 days before the polls.

Suleiman Vows to Challenge Any Attempt to Extend Parliament's Mandate
Naharnet /President Michel Suleiman slammed Lebanon's rival parties for failing to agree on a new electoral law, stressing that he would challenge any attempt to extend parliament’s mandate. In an interview with al-Mustaqbal daily published Friday, Suleiman said: “All the countries surrounding us are suffering from major problems and bloodshed so that the people could have the right to vote.” “Is it fair for us to do the exact opposite?” he wondered. “Elections renew political life and the citizen feels that his opinion is respected.” “That's why I will not accept the extension of the parliament's mandate and will hold onto the necessity of holding the polls to have a rotation in power,” Suleiman told the newspaper. The president stressed that the 1960 law would still be valid if the rival MPs failed to reach consensus on a new vote law. “If there is a strong will to hold the elections, then they could agree on a new law,” he said. Suleiman stressed however that “the country can't remain without elections at a time when all the countries around us are carrying out polls.”The rival MPs failed on Tuesday to reach consensus on a new law. They suspended their meetings as part of a legislative subcommittee over the huge gap between them. But the lawmakers have until May 15 to reach an agreement through consultations outside parliament before Speaker Nabih Berri calls for a legislative session to vote on the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal. The plan that calls for each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system is the only proposal that has been approved by the joint parliamentary committees. But Berri has given the lawmakers more time to agree on an alternative to the 1960 law after al-Mustaqbal bloc, the National Struggle Front and the March 14 alliance's independent MPs rejected the Orthodox proposal. In his interview with al-Mustaqbal, the president stressed that he agreed with Premier designate-Tammam Salam for the new cabinet to be specialized in supervising the polls. The government's “life should be short” to supervise the elections, he said. Suleiman backed Salam's insistence for the cabinet to be made up of members not running in the elections. He also supported the PM-designate's efforts to include the rotation of portfolios in the government make-up. Sources close to Salam have said that he is seeking to form a 24-member cabinet.

Troops Backed by Militia Battle Rebels around Damascus
Naharnet/Fresh fighting erupted on the outskirts of Damascus on Friday, as Syrian regime troops battled rebels in the north, south and east, backed in some areas by tanks and militia, a watchdog said. "Fierce clashes are raging in Barzeh district, pitting rebels against troops and members of the pro-regime popular committees," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The district in northern Damascus also came under tank fire by the army, the British-based group said. The militiamen were brought in from Esh al-Warwar district, which has a population drawn mainly from the Alawite minority community to which President Bashar Assad belongs, it added.
Most of the rebels are from Syria's Sunni Muslim majority. In its third year, the conflict has taken on an increasingly sectarian nature, as Assad's regime has armed militias among the Alawites and other minority groups.
Analysts say the militias have better knowledge of the ground and are more adept at street fighting than the regular army, which is largely made up of conscripts. Rebels and troops also clashed in several areas of south Damascus, parts of which have been reduced to rubble by months of fighting. In the east of the capital, fresh fighting erupted in Jubar district, where rebels hold a number of enclaves, the Observatory said.
The army also shelled the eastern suburbs, where rebels have established rear bases they have used to launch attacks deeper inside the capital.
Warplanes, meanwhile, bombarded Ain Terma, east of Damascus, and Daraa to the southwest, the Observatory reported. Regime forces launched a campaign several months ago to crush the insurgency near Damascus and to secure the capital. Activists say civilians are paying the highest price for the violence near and around Damascus.
Thousands of people, among them women and children, are holed up in rebel stronghold Moadamiyet al-Sham, close to the town of Daraya, an activist with close ties to anti-regime networks in Damascus province said.
"There is daily bombardment, and thousands of residents in Moadamiyet al-Sham are under siege by the army. There is no bread, no baby formula for children. People are eating rotten bread," the activist, who identified himself as Malek, told Agence France Presse. Elsewhere, jihadist rebels planted explosives targeting troops on a strategic road used by the army to send reinforcements and supplies towards eastern Aleppo, the Observatory said, adding that the attacks had killed an unknown number of soldiers. And in the northwestern province of Idlib, clashes raged around the Abu al-Dohur airport, as rebels kept up a fierce campaign to take over air bases in insurgent-held areas in Syria. At least 130 people died in violence across Syria on Thursday, the Observatory said -- 53 civilians, 27 soldiers and 50 rebels.Source/Agence France Presse.

Putin Hails Suleiman's Efforts to Safeguard Lebanon as Bogdanov Meets Senior Officials
Naharnet/Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov handed over on Friday to President Michel Suleiman a letter of support from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Putin hailed in the letter to the efforts exerted by Suleiman to maintain stability in Lebanon, expressing support to the resumption of the all-party talks and to the dissociation policy adopted by the Lebanese government.
Lebanese authorities have officially followed the policy to distance the country from the Syrian conflict. But they have also been reluctant to publicly blame either regime forces or rebel fighters for fire hitting villages and towns near the border with Syria. Bogdanov also called on Lebanese officials to cooperate with the efforts undertaken by the president to preserve the civil peace.
For his part, Suleiman urged Russia to help Lebanon in resolving the crisis caused by the large influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the 2-year conflict in the neighboring country as the Lebanese government has limited capacities.
He later held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri at Ain el-Tineh, saying: “We are proud of our ties with Lebanon and hope that the Lebanese would find the appropriate solutions to all issues.”
The two officials the situation in Lebanon, mainly the cabinet formation process and the preparations for the elections, as well as the developments in Syria. “We agree with Berri that dialogue is the only solution to all problems and crises,” he added. Earlier, Bogdanov held separate with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and caretaker FM Adnan Mansour on the second day of his tour on senior Lebanese officials.
The Russian diplomat told reporters after talks with Miqati at the Grand Serail that the meeting tackled the bilateral ties between the two countries. He urged officials to safeguard security, stability and unity, and to fortify Lebanon's sovereignty and independence and the safety of its territories. According to a statement issued by Miqati's office, the talks focused on the situation in the region, the conflict in the neighboring country Syria and the conditions of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon. “The international community should cooperate with Lebanon to resolve the crisis caused by the huge influx of the Syrian refugees,” Miqati pointed out.
The meeting was held in the presence of Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin and caretaker Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas.
After meeting Mansour at the Bustros Palace, Bogdanov expressed hope that the Lebanese would be able to resolve all their disputes, form a new cabinet and agree on an electoral law.
He later held talks with the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad after which he said: “Officials in Lebanon must work on achieving stability in their country through establishing its sovereignty and security.” “The Lebanese must search for solutions to their problems through comprehensive national dialogue and we are confident that the political powers will be able to do so,” he remarked.
“We respect the will of the Lebanese people and we value the views of Hizbullah that should be respected given the sacrifices it presented to the country,” he added.
Discussions with Raad also addressed the situation in the region, particularly Syria. For his part, the MP stated after meeting Bogdanov: “We hope to maintain contacts with Russia in order to preserve stability in the region and Lebanon.” Bogdanov also met with Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Elias Audeh to address the abduction of Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo Youhanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo and Iskanderun Boulos al-Yaziji. The Russian official said: “We are employing all possible means to contact the authorities in Damascus and the Syrian opposition in order to inquire about the fate of the captives and ensure their release as soon as possible.” He advised that these efforts take place away from the media spotlight. The two archbishops were kidnapped at the hands of gunmen on Monday in the outskirts of the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Bogdanov's four-day official visit to Beirut comes in light of the rising threats caused by the Syrian turmoil given that the cross-border violations of Lebanese territories have recently increased.
Lebanon has suffered a significant spillover of Syria's conflict, with frequent cross-border shelling of both Sunni and Shiite areas in the north and east. Lebanon hosts the region's biggest Syrian refugee population, which the U.N. says exceeds 430,000 people.

Iraqi Forces Enter Northern Town after Gunmen Leave
Naharnet/Iraqi security forces began moving back into a northern town on Friday after gunmen who seized it two days ago made an agreed withdrawal, officials said. The gunmen pulled out of Sulaiman Bek in Salaheddin province early in the day under a deal worked out by tribal chiefs and government officials, local official Shalal Abdul Baban and municipal council deputy chief Ahmed Aziz said. The gunmen swarmed into the predominantly Sunni Turkmen town on Wednesday after deadly clashes with the security forces, who pulled back in the face of the offensive as residents fled. Army Staff General Ali Ghaidan Majeed told Agence France Presse on Thursday that the gunmen had been given 48 hours to withdraw or face attack. Majeed said at the time that intelligence information indicated there were about 175 gunmen in Sulaiman Bek -- 25 allegedly from al-Qaida, and 150 from the Naqshbandiya Army, another Sunni militant group. The gunmen's seizure of Sulaiman Bek came during a bloody wave of violence that killed more than 180 people in three days. Officials later revealed on Friday evening that the death toll from four days of bloody violence in the country has risen to more than 200. The violence, which began with clashes between protesters and security forces on Tuesday, has also wounded more than 300 people, they said. Source/Agence France Presse.

Media and Difficult Questions
Osman Mirghani /Asharq Al awsat
Amid the feverish race between traditional media and modern digital media—particularly social networking websites—numerous mistakes were committed while covering the Boston Marathon bombings and while in pursuit of the proverbial journalistic scoop. Accusations were made without legitimate evidence and before the sequence of events could be clarified. Even the police had to correct or modify some of its news, after hastily posting any developments on Twitter. Live feeds from different television channels were dispatching every single detail, relevant or not, and social networking websites were posting information without scrutiny or examination.
Less than twenty-four hours after the bombings, certain websites exposed the name of a suspect, a university graduate, as other news outlets circulated these claims and even published his photo. Later on, however, the news item proved to be incorrect. Some websites also claimed that the police had detained a Saudi Arabian national, information that was later refuted.
In the race to offer news analysis, experts familiar with the situation appeared on some television channels while others invited figures who based their comments on Wikipedia posts and superficial knowledge. Simultaneously, the numerous TV cameras set up at the scene of the crime did not have anything new to broadcast, prompting the networks to rebroadcast old footage. Within the context of this race for exposure, several media outlets described the Boston bombing as the worst incident to have taken place in American since the 9/11 attacks. Statements such as this seem somewhat exaggerated, considering the obvious disparity between the two occurrences in terms of magnitude, the number of victims, and the strategy of destruction. Why should the Boston bombing be considered the most vicious terrorist attack since 9/11, in comparison, for example, to the attack carried out by Major Nidal Hassan in 2009 killing 13 people at the Fort Hood Base in Texas ? Is the distinction between the two based on the use of gunfire in Texas versus a bomb in Boston? Or is it based on the fact that Nidal Hassan targeted his military colleagues, whereas brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev targeted civilians?
The exaggerated coverage of the Boston attack took place in the midst of a feverish rivalry between different media outlets and television networks—a rivalry that only worsened when social networking came into the picture. All this contributed to intensifying the distressing climate that completely crippled life in the city. This prompted questions regarding the manner in which this event was covered by the media. Many media outlets favored speed over accuracy and dispatched news without waiting for confirmation from police or the authorities in order to keep up with social media. These social networking websites also circulated numerous rumors, some of which contained exaggerated and inaccurate information. At least in the case of other media outlets, especially television networks, the facts where later corrected or amended if proven inaccurate.
The extensive days-long coverage of the Boston bombings received more attention than other terrorist attacks in other parts of the world or non-terrorist incidents that had a higher death toll. This was made apparent when Obama had to directly address the families of the victims of the Texas fertilizer plant blast stating, “You are not alone, you are not forgotten.”
Based on this, the Boston Marathon bombing did not only put terrorism in the limelight once again, but it also put the media to the test and renewed discussions about its role in presenting information and analysis versus falling into the trap of coverage based on what is termed “reality television.” This method includes a cameraman dispatching every singly detail of a particular scene regardless of whether it is significant or not.
Everybody agrees that the media is fascinated by terrorism and terrorists purposely carry out operations to draw attention to their acts.
This was explained by Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda’s then second-in-command, who stated that the media is half the battle. However, it is also true that the massive coverage given to terrorist crimes is presenting a moral quandary since the media, though unintentionally at times, is offering these terrorist the attention they seek. It is true that the media is not responsible for any terrorist phenomenon, nor does it initiate such acts, but it falls victim to these terrorists when it allows their acts to psychologically affect viewers at home.
The issue is not that simple because it is the nature of the media to inform the public of what is happening and it cannot abstain from doing this. On the contrary, viewers encourage media outlets to expand their coverage. Also, terrorism is a complex subject and does not rely solely on media coverage; if the media were to disappear, it would not necessary follow that so would terrorism. Combating terrorism requires security and political efforts to redress the grievances that may lead to extremism, and hence, terrorism.
The medias role in this is to dispatch news and information, and present analyses that help the public understand and answer specific questions. The difficulty lies in the mechanism by which to do this and in making sure not to fall into the trap of exaggerating or sensationalizing a certain incident, to prohibit terrorists from stealing the limelight.

 

Lebanese MP, Amine Wehbi's right Diagnoses for the Iranian ruling Ailment إيران حكم ظالم وشعب مظلوم
Elias Bejjani: On his Face book page today Lebanese MP, Amine Wehbi delineated the painful truth and reality of the Iranian regime and people. What he wrote in Arabic is below. In our opinion he is 100 % right. In reality the gap is very wide between Iran's oppressed people and their ruthless rulers. A rogue regime like this is against all that is human and all that are rights and history. definitely this regime's demise is not questionable and accordingly its defeat by the people and failure is just a mater of time. In really it is very encouraging when a Lebanese MP, has the courage and the vision to address the Iranian dilemma. Below the Arabic MP's note
كتب النائب أمين وهبي على صفحته يقول:
كل شعوب المنطقة المحبة للسلام والاستقرار , كانت تتعاطف مع نضال الشعب الايراني , للتخلص من حكم الشاه الاستبدادي !
ماذا قدم النظام الايراني الذي اقيم على انقاذ نظام الشاه , للشعب الايراني ولشعوب المنطقة ؟!
قدم النظام الايراني , سياسة "تصدير الثورة" , التي اصبحت ترجمتها الحقيقية , التدخل المباشر والفض , في الشؤون الداخلية لدول المنطقة , ولكم امثلة على سبيل المثال لا الحصر :
1. دور ايران في العراق , تغذية عوامل الانقسام والاقتتال المذهبي , فأصبح العراق العظيم والغني بشعبه وثرواته , يعيش حالة نزيف , وتاكل دائمين .
2. دور ايران في سوريا , تغذية عوامل الانقسام والاقتتال المذهبي , من خلال الدعم المطلق لنظام ظالم , لم يقدم لشعبه سوى القمع والقهر والبطالة والفقر , والتفريط بالتراب الوطني في الجولان .
3. دور ايران في لبنان , تغذية الانقسام المذهبي , وخلق حالة مسلحة ومرتبطة بايران تمويلا وتسليحا وإمراة . تنفذ املاءات النظام الايراني , غير مراعية لمصالح الشعب اللبناني , ومصالح دولته وسيادتها .
4. دور ايران في دول الخاليج , تعمل ايران على زعزعة استقرار هذه الدول , وتدمير نسيجها الاجتماعي ووحدة شعوبها .
5. وفي ايران !!.. لم يقدم هذا النظام لشعبه سوى القمع والفقر والكثير من الشعارات , والانزلاق في سياسة سباق التسلح , على حساب لقمة عيش فقراء الشعب الايراني .

Harper turns ‘sociology’ into dirty word after passing anti-terrorism bill
By Matthew Coutts/National Affairs Reporter
This is a tricky question to consider: Just how soon should we jump into action ahead of a terror plot? Should we be ready to move against a suspect before we hold irrefutable proof that a plot even exists?
Or should we consider acting early enough to stop would-be suspects from considering those plans at all?
Canada’s government seems to have the answer. Yes, be ready to act the moment we have a sneaking suspicion. No, don’t bother trying to understand what would lead someone to consider an act of terror in the first place.
One day after passing a bill that will give law enforcement agencies the right to detain people suspected of terrorist connections, Prime Minister Stephen Harper again shot down idea of considering the matter on a wider scale.
Harper said the recent string of terrorist events did not make it time to “commit sociology.” That is a quote-worthy way of saying, “don’t start looking for the ‘root causes’ that lead to terrorism.”
"I think, though, this is not a time to commit sociology, if I can use an expression," Harper said, according to CBC News. "These things are serious threats, global terrorist attacks, people who have agendas of violence that are deep and abiding threats to all the values our society stands for."
Consider this the second round in attack against Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s idea that we should look at the motivating factors behind the Boston bombing. His thinking was that if we understood what leads people to commit such acts, we could intervene early.But intervening that early isn’t our focus. Our focus is stopping each event before it happens. And the Canadian government passed a law on Wednesday that resurrects 9/11-era powers to help them do just that.
CBC News reports that the bill, which received support from both Conservatives and Liberals in the House of Commons, welcomes back some powers allowing law enforcement agencies to detain and imprison anyone suspected of being involved in terrorism.
Anyone. You.
Bill S-7, the Combating Terrorism Act, was passed on Wednesday after being rushed forward in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing. It was on the books for debate, but the timing was expedited after the attack. And maybe that was appropriate.
The powers were created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington on a time-limited basis. They expired in 2007 because the minority Conservative government did not have support at the time to renew them. Now, however, they have the numbers, and support from the Liberals.Bill S-7 does include some new provisions, including a clause that makes it illegal to leave the country for the purpose of committing terrorism. But the two returning provisions surround interrogating and detaining suspected terrorists.
In short, anyone suspected of ties to terrorism can be held for three days without facing charges. If they refuse to answer questions, they can be held for up to a year.
The major concern is that these laws will be abused and misused by law enforcement officials who are overzealous (even rightfully) in their mission to avoid a terrorist attack.What makes me somewhat less tense about the subject is that these provisions were not used at all during their first genesis, according to the Globe and Mail.
Having those laws on the books will allow Canadian officials to act early – perhaps even as early as the moment we suspect someone might be plotting something dastardly. But considering why someone might feel that way, that’s still frowned upon.
Perhaps we should detain anyone suspected of “committing sociology” as well.

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