LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

Bible Quotation for today/The Spirit and Human Nature
Galatians 05 /16-26: " What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do. 18 If the Spirit leads you, then you are not subject to the Law. What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God. But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another."

Thursday first day of Eid al-Fitr: Lebanon's mufti
August 07, 2013 /The Daily Star/BEIRUT: Thursday will be the first day of Eid al-Fitr, Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani announced Wednesday. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. “The Mufti announces that Thursday is the first day of Eid al-Fitr,” a statement from Dar al-Fatwa said, minutes after Saudi Arabia made the announcement. “We congratulate Muslims and ask God to accept those Muslims fasting and praying ... Dar al-Fatwa is the home of all Muslims and will remain so God willing to preserve their hopes,” it added. The Mufti will hold Eid al-Fitr prayers on Thursday morning at Mohammad al-Amin Mosque in Downtown Beirut.

Yemen says foils plot to seize oil and gas facilities
Reuters – SANAA (Reuters) - Yemeni security forces have foiled a plot by al Qaeda to take over oil and gas export facilities and a provincial capital in the eastern part of the country, a government official said on Wednesday.
Rajeh Badi, press advisor to Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa, said the plan involved dozens of al Qaeda militants dressed in Yemeni army uniforms storming the facilities on the night of the 27th of Muslim month of Ramadan, which was on Sunday. "The plot aimed to seize the al-Dabbah oil export terminal in Hadramout (province) and the Belhaf gas export facility, as well as the city of Mukalla," Badi told Reuters, referring to the Hadramout provincial capital. He said the plot was prevented by deploying extra troops around the targeted facilities and banning anyone from entering. The United States has evacuated some U.S. diplomatic staff out of Yemen and told nationals to leave the country immediately after warnings of potential attacks that had prompted Washington to shut missions across the Middle East. Other Western countries, including Britain, France, the Netherlands and Norway, also closed their embassies in Sanaa and some evacuated their staff. It was not immediately clear if the foiled plot was linked to these security measures. Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries, is the base for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), one of the most active branches of the network founded by Osama bin Laden, and militants have launched attacks from there against the West. (Reporting Mohammed Ghobari, writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

Egyptian government rebukes foreign critics
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—US Senators John McCain, and Lindsay Graham arrived in Cairo on Tuesday accompanied for talks with Egyptian Vice-President Mohammed El-Baradei and Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi.
The two senators also held meetings with General Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and discussed developments in Egypt and the efforts to resolve the political crisis that has gripped the country since the ousting of Mohamed Mursi form the presidency at the beginning of July. The American delegation said “the Brotherhood must not use violence,” and called on the interim government to release “political detainees,” and return to the path of democracy.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Al-Musalmani, media adviser to the interim president, spoke out against criticism of Egypt’s interim government, saying “foreign pressures have exceeded international norms . . . and Egypt is capable of protecting the revolution and the state.” Spokesman for the interim government, Sherief Shawki, told Reuters: “There is a roadmap, which means that what happened was not a coup and that it was Egyptian people who decided on the roadmap.” Shawki also said the involvement of McCain and Graham was unwelcome, adding, “We don’t want foreign intervention to be imposed on us.”
McCain and Graham held a news conference yesterday in which they urged the parties of the Egyptian crisis to begin a national dialogue and avoid violence. They said the suspension of military aid to Egypt in response of deposing former President Mohamed Mursi would send the wrong signal at the wrong time.
McCain stressed said all parties should condemn violence, and called on the government to release all political detainees. He also said the government should hold a comprehensive national dialogue involving all parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood. Senator McCain said the next stage in Egypt was critical, and would have a great effect on the future of the country and the Middle East as a whole. He added that the US will continue to support Egypt in every step. Graham called on the Brotherhood and their supporters to end the protests in the streets and squares and to return to the political process, for fear of Egypt becoming a failed state. He told CNN before arrival in Cairo that the military must give power to the elected civilians. He said: “Those in power now are not elected and those elected are in prisons. The situation is unacceptable.”
Cairo saw an intensive Arab and foreign diplomatic presence in the past week, all working to achieve a political settlement between the Brotherhood and the new government in Egypt.
However, the Muslim Brotherhood spokesman, Gehad El-Haddad said “the party’s stance was clear and it was the adherence to constitutional legitimacy,” a reference to its insistence on the return of Mursi as president.
Observers have expressed surprise at the strong comments made by the government about foreign interference at a time when they allowed foreign mediators to meet leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The National Coalition for Legitimacy and Rejection of the Coup, which supports Mursi, meanwhile, expressed their appreciation for calls for calm and the initiatives which aimed at resolving the crisis, but stressed that “legitimacy must be restored, by the return of the elected president.” The Coalition said “it valued calls for dialogue and calm from all parties inside and outside Egypt, and emphasizes that procedures to achieve calm must be preceded by a return of legitimacy, by the return of the elected president to his post, and the return of the dissolved Shura Council, which would restore calm. Then other issues could be discussed without any limits.”
In another development, London’s Financial Times has reported that Egypt’s interim government will introduce a number of short-term measures aimed at reviving the country’s struggling economy, which has suffered from more than two years of political turmoil. Ziad Bahaaedin, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, told the Financial Times that immediate measures would include injecting liquidity into the economy by fast-tracking payments owed by the government to building contractors, restarting stalled projects, expediting critical infrastructure programs and activating a delayed World Bank employment program.

US proposes Syria peace talks at UN in September, say sources
By: Michel Abu Najm/Asharq Alawsat /Lakhdar Brahimi is thought to have urged international sides to pressure SNC leader to show more “flexibility.”
A man walks with makeshift crutches along a damaged street filled with debris in the besieged area of Homs August 6, 2013. (REUTERS/Yazan Homsy.)
Paris, Asharq Al-Awsat—The US State Department has proposed holding the “Geneva II” conference on the Syrian crisis in the second half of September, and at the UN in New York rather than in the Swiss city, Asharq Al-Awsat has learned. Senior diplomatic sources based in Paris, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the reason of Washington’s suggestion is purely “pragmatic,” given presence of international diplomats operating in the UN’s General Assembly. Although it was originally proposed by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in May, attempts to settle on a final date have proved elusive, thanks in part to disagreements among the Syrian opposition. For its part, Russia has not confirmed such reports, though Lavrov demanded this week that the conference be held as soon as possible.
“What is happening [in Syria] makes the calling of the forum even more pressing. The more we delay calling it, the more victims there will be among civilians,” Lavrov said at a press conference in the Italian capital of Rome on Tuesday. So far, the Syrian opposition, represented by the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), has not set up a delegation for the conference, as it currently refuses to negotiate with the Syrian government.
The United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is reportedly “pessimistic” about the prospects of the conference being held next month. For Brahimi, the hard-line position of the SNC head Ahmed Jarba and the encouragement he receives from some of the influential Gulf States have impeded the realization of the conference. Brahimi is thought to have called on several international actors to pressure Jarba to show more “flexibility” over the conference, particularly after the rebels on the ground have recently achieved a number of successes in the north, east and south of Syria. Rebel attempts to turn the tide of battle in Syria decisively in the their favor have turned on new supplies of arms, as well as attempts to improve coordination between fractious rebel militias. However, many Western capitals have begun to complain that many of the plans and proposals they have put forward to assist and train Syrian rebels have not been “responded to as expected” by the Syrian opposition. In one case, a course intended to train around 40 rebel fighters was attended by only two opposition fighters, prompting its cancellation, Asharq Al-Awsat has learnt.

Barring the IDF, Netanyahu’s last resort against possible Obama détente with Iran is US Congress
DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis August 7, 2013/ Still at cross-purposes on nuclear Iran
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at his first news conference Tuesday, Aug. 6, said his government would not discuss his country’s nuclear program with the world powers under pressure. No sooner had he spoken than Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu shot back: The only thing that worked in the past was pressure, so the answer now is increased pressure.
It is an open secret that what Rouhani is after is the lifting of US and European sanctions which are crippling Iran’s economy. He is not altogether unrealistic: Only last February, the Six World Powers made Tehran an offrer to gradually ease sanctions if Iran stopped enriching uranium – even temporarily. That was before he was elected. Now, Rouhani wants more dramatic concessions on sanctions to prove his worth to the Iranian people and assure them he will be alleviating their economic hardships very soon. The Obama administration is sharply divided by the debate for and against removing sanctions. Proponents argue that Rouhani, who is perceived in the West as a moderate, should be encouraged because he may be the man to eventually persuade Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to freeze Iran’s nuclear program.
He succeeded once before, in October 2003, when he was Iran’s senior negotiator, they maintain - forgetting that Tehran was then gripped by fear that the US army, which had invaded Iraq in March of that year, would turn on next-door Iran and wipe out its nuclear program. After a pause of less than a year, when Khamenei and Rouhani saw the US army becoming mired in Iraq and therefore no threat, they switched their nuclear weapons program back on at full power. Judging from this precedent, Netanyahu advised a visiting delegation of 36 US Members of Congress in Jerusalem not to heed Rouhani’s demand to drop the pressure, i.e. sanctions. Nothing else works, he said. At the same time, the prime minister, like his American guests, is well aware that pressure in the form of sanctions never slowed Iran’s race for a nuclear bomb, but rather accelerated it.
On Monday, Aug. 5, The Wall Street Journal divulged a fact know for six months to Israeli and US intelligence communities – that in mid-2014, Iran will finish building a heavy water reactor at Arak in northwestern Iran and be able to produce plutonium for nuclear bombs from the reactor’s spent fuel rods, a method used by India, Pakistan and North Korea. Plutonium for bomb-making will therefore be available sooner than enriched uranium.
However, a large surface reactor is an easier target to hit than the underground facilities at Fordo that house Iran's uranium-enrichment facilities.
This was behind the thinking of an unnamed senior Israeli official, when he commented to the media on Tuesday that Israel was capable of attacking the Iranian nuclear program on its own without American back-up – albeit less effectively than an operation by the US or with American operational support. He meant that Israel could destroy key components of Iran’s nuclear program, but not disable it entirely.
debkafile’s military and intelligence sources find in these remarks a growing acceptance in Israel’s political and military officials that President Obama’s reluctance to involve the US in military action in Syria applies equally to Iran. Netanyahu is going to great lengths to present Israel’s case to members of Congress, whom he sees as his last resort for winning Obama around. He figures that even if the US President is resolved to go easy with Rouhani and lift sanctions, Congress will block him. This is of course no more than a holding tactic and therefore susceptible to compromise at some point. Its weakness lies in the fact that not only is Obama balking at military options, so too is Netanyahu. The Iranians, including their new president Rouhani, who monitor every twitch of every US and Israeli political and military muscle, will understand that for now, they can keep going forward with their nuclear plans without fear of interference.

Suleiman Says Army-People-Resistance Formula No Longer Applicable in Policy Statement
Naharnet /President Michel Suleiman has said that the army-people-resistance formula can no longer be used for the new cabinet's policy statement over Hizbullah's involvement in the war in Syria, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Wednesday. The daily quoted Suleiman as telling a delegation from the Beirut National Gathering that the resistance took a unilateral decision to fight in Syria without consulting with the army and the people.
Such a decision took the resistance out of its commitments to the people-army-resistance formula, he reportedly said. According to al-Liwaa, the president hinted that he would sign a decree for the formation of a neutral cabinet if Premier-designate Tammam Salam comes up with such a lineup over the failure of the political parties to limit their conditions. Salam has so far been unable to form his government over conditions and counter-conditions set by the March 8 and March 14 alliances. But an official close to Suleiman told As Safir daily that the president continues to insist on Hizbullah's participation in the cabinet despite calls by March 14 officials to put the party aside over its fighting alongside troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad. “There is no hostility between the president and Hizbullah … nor between him and any other Lebanese party,” the official said. He defended Suleiman's Army Day speech, saying the president differentiated between the resistance and terrorism. “The speech did not target Hizbullah. All arms used in the fighting in Syria are illegitimate and all weapons used locally are also illegal,” the official said. He stressed that only weapons targeted at Israel are considered legitimate as part of a national defense strategy. Suleiman said in his Army Day speech last Thursday that “it has become urgent to approve a defense strategy after the resistance's arms went beyond Lebanon's borders.” “Out of our differentiation between the resistance and terrorism, it is time for the state and the army to be the sole decision-makers on the use of force,” said Suleiman.

Jumblat: I Advise Nasrallah to Withdraw from Syria as Demise of Regime is near
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted on Wednesday the Syrian rebels' breakthrough in taking over the strategic Minnigh airport in Aleppo, saying that changes on the ground are beginning to take place in the conflict, reported Egypt's Asharq al-Awsat news agency. He told the agency: “I advise Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to withdraw from Syria because the countdown for the demise of the regime has begun.” “The countdown has started because it is impossible for the regime to continue on oppressing the Syrian people,” he remarked. On Tuesday, rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad captured Minnigh key air base in the northern province of Aleppo after a months-long battle. They have been fighting loyalists for the air base for some eight months, as part of a battle in Aleppo province to stop the regime from using warplanes to strike areas in opposition hands. Commenting on efforts to form a new government in Lebanon, Jumblat said: “I will study the available options, including a neutral de facto cabinet, should a neutral technocratic one be rejected.” “I do not want to take the risk in advocating a de facto government as I was among the first to demand the establishment of a national unity cabinet that Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam had described as one of national reconciliation,” added the MP. He also voiced his support for the establishment of a government that does not include party figures. On disarming Hizbullah, he said: “Nasrallah could not lay down the party's weapons even if he wanted to because this decision is in the hands of Iran.” “The Lebanese people however want stability … so let the national dialogue address disputes and let a technocratic cabinet resolve them,” Jumblat declared.
Prime Minister Najib Miqati resigned in March and Salam was appointed to form a new government amid conflicting positions between the political powers. The March 14 alliance is demanding forming an impartial cabinet, the March 8 forces is insisting on forming a political one, and Jumblat objects to a cabinet that does not represent all Lebanese factions. Salam has demanded the formation of a cabinet of national reconciliation.

Fire Erupts at Gas Station in al-Laylaki in Renewed Clashes between Zoaiter, Hjoula Families
Naharnet/A fire broke out on Wednesday at a gas station in al-Laylaki area in Beirut's southern suburbs as a result of armed clashes between two rival families, reported the National News Agency. It said that Mehdi Nassif and Firas Zoaiter were wounded in the renewal of clashes between the Zoaiter and Hjoula families. The army has since intervened to contain the situation. Wednesday's clashes broke out after the death of Mehdi Zoaiter from injuries he sustained from previous rounds of unrest with the Hjoula family. OTV later reported that 200 armed Zoaiter family members assaulted workers at the emergency room at Sainte Therese Hospital in al-Hadath. During a previous round of clashes in June, the army explained that the unrest broke over living issues, not political reasons.

Suleiman Says Army-People-Resistance Formula No Longer Applicable in Policy Statement
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman has said that the army-people-resistance formula can no longer be used for the new cabinet's policy statement over Hizbullah's involvement in the war in Syria, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Wednesday. The daily quoted Suleiman as telling a delegation from the Beirut National Gathering that the resistance took a unilateral decision to fight in Syria without consulting with the army and the people.
Such a decision took the resistance out of its commitments to the people-army-resistance formula, he reportedly said. According to al-Liwaa, the president hinted that he would sign a decree for the formation of a neutral cabinet if Premier-designate Tammam Salam comes up with such a lineup over the failure of the political parties to limit their conditions. Salam has so far been unable to form his government over conditions and counter-conditions set by the March 8 and March 14 alliances. But an official close to Suleiman told As Safir daily that the president continues to insist on Hizbullah's participation in the cabinet despite calls by March 14 officials to put the party aside over its fighting alongside troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad. “There is no hostility between the president and Hizbullah … nor between him and any other Lebanese party,” the official said. He defended Suleiman's Army Day speech, saying the president differentiated between the resistance and terrorism. “The speech did not target Hizbullah. All arms used in the fighting in Syria are illegitimate and all weapons used locally are also illegal,” the official said. He stressed that only weapons targeted at Israel are considered legitimate as part of a national defense strategy. Suleiman said in his Army Day speech last Thursday that “it has become urgent to approve a defense strategy after the resistance's arms went beyond Lebanon's borders.” “Out of our differentiation between the resistance and terrorism, it is time for the state and the army to be the sole decision-makers on the use of force,” said Suleiman.

Geagea Urges Lebanese to Back Suleiman to Salvage Lebanon
Naharnet /Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called on the Lebanese to express support to President Michel Suleiman to salvage the state, stressing that the March 14 alliance has no other option but to back Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam in order to reach a neutral cabinet. “Suleiman is the only remaining symbol for legitimacy,” Geagea said in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday.
He pointed out that Suleiman and Salam “has an intention to form the a new cabinet.” The LF leader noted that the cabinet formation process will reach an end when the parliamentary blocs agree on a “neutral cabinet with rotating portfolios and without a veto power to anyone.” “Communication with Salam is ongoing and he is holding onto his stance and conviction that the cabinet should be divided equally between the March 14 alliance, the March 8 coalition and the centrists.”“He (Salam) has no intention to resign,” Geagea added. The Christian leader stressed that the situation in the region had an impact on Lebanon, especially, that Hizbullah is involved in the turmoil in the region.” The Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance wants an all-embracing cabinet while the March 14 coalition is pushing Salam to keep Hizbullah away from the line-up over its participation in the war in Syria alongside troops loyal to President Bashar Assad. Salam is seeking to form a cabinet divided equally between the Lebanese foes and the centrists and rejects to grant the veto power to any party.

Miqati Rejects Attempts by Mobs to Ignite Tripoli
Naharnet /Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati considered on Wednesday that the disputes in the northern city of Tripoli between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen no longer exist.
“We are witnessing attempts by some mobs to control the city,” Miqati said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper. “This is totally rejected,” he said. The northern city has seen several rounds of deadly fighting between rival neighborhoods as a result of the spillover of the Syrian war. Miqati stressed that the state will put an end to the deteriorating situation in the city. A security meeting was held on Tuesday at the Grand Serail headed by Miqati. The meeting addressed the situation in the northern city. Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel denied rumors saying that Tripoli will witness security incidents after the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
However, later in the day protests broke out in Tripoli over a ruling against the imam of the Amira Mosque over his links to the 2008 bombing in the city's Tall area. The Judicial Council sentenced on Tuesday the Imam of the Amira mosque Sheikh Tarek Merhi to 15 years in jail without the possibility to appeal the ruling over his link to the Tall bombing in 2008. Merhi and others were sentenced to 15 years in jail over their connection to the attack.

Security Forces Boost Presence in Roumieh over Fears of Riots
Naharnet/Security forces stepped up security measures near Roumieh prison after obtaining information of riots inside and outside the facility amid reports that an escape attempt was thwarted. The state-run National News Agency said that the heavy security deployment came in light of reports that the supporters and relatives of Islamist inmates intend to protest outside the facility, while prisoners will riot inside their cells. Meanwhile, Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) reported that prison guards thwarted an escape attempt by 15 inmates from Roumieh prison through a secret tunnel. However, MTV channel said that the reports are plain rumors. Roumieh, the oldest and largest of Lebanon's overcrowded prisons, has witnessed sporadic prison breaks and escalating riots in recent years as inmates living in poor conditions demand better treatment. The reports come a day after the Judicial Council sentenced the Imam of the Amira mosque Sheikh Tarek Merhi to 15 years in jail without the possibility to appeal the ruling over his link to the Tall bombing in 2008. Five others were sentenced to death and seven others to 10 years of hard labor. Ten officers and three civilians were killed in the Tall attack against the army on August 13, 2008. The militant group Fatah al-Islam was suspected of being behind the attacks. Soon after the court verdict, demonstrations broke out in the northern city of Tripoli and protesters scuffled with the army.

Charbel Says Tripoli Situation 'Not Comforting,' Calls for 'Iron Fist' to Quell Unrest
Naharnet/Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Wednesday security forces should strike gunmen with an “iron fist” in the northern city of Tripoli, which he described as having an “uncomfortable” security situation and “bad” economic conditions. “Tripoli residents are fearing an upcoming turmoil … but the army and security forces are coordinating to prevent security incidents,” Charbel said ahead of a meeting of the Central Security Council aimed at implementing a strategy to impose order in the city. “The security situation there is stable but not comforting for many reasons,” he said without giving more details.
During Ramadan there was “relative calm” in the northern city, he told reporters. But he described the economic situation as “bad.” The city “looks like an abandoned village after 4:00 pm as a result of the presence of armed men,” Charbel said. “We will try as much as possible to limit the activity of those tampering with security” in Tripoli, he added though he appealed for assistance from Lebanese politicians.
He hoped for a “successful and continuous” support by the politicians to the army and security forces in restoring order in Tripoli. The problems in the past were limited to the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, he said. But the crisis worsened after the residents began using arms for useless reasons. The two neighborhoods have witnessed several rounds of deadly fighting – a direct spillover of the Syrian war.
Charbel denied that the city's armed men were receiving financial support from the security forces. “They know very well their financiers, who are not the security forces,” he said in response to a question. He challenged them by saying “Let them give names.” Charbel hailed the role played by police and the army in containing Tuesday's incidents in the northern city. “The Judicial Council studied the rulings well before issuing them” in al-Tal and Bahsas bombings case in 2008, he said. The Judicial Council sentenced on Tuesday the Imam of the Amira mosque Sheikh Tarek Merhi to 15 years in jail without the possibility to appeal the ruling. Five others were sentenced to death and seven others to 10 years of hard labor. Soon after the court verdict, demonstrations broke out in Tripoli and protesters scuffled with the army.

President Gemayel Calls on Hizbullah to 'Cooperate' to 'Save Lebanon'
Naharnet/Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel expressed readiness to exert all efforts needed to help line-up a cabinet and urged Hizbullah to join efforts and abide by the Baabda declaration to save Lebanon.
“We are ready to offer sacrifices and to exert all efforts needed to help form a cabinet that meets the ambitions of all the Lebanese and the approval of all parties,” Gemayel said after a meeting with outgoing PM Najib Miqati at the Grand Serail. Urging Hizbullah to abide by the Baabda declaration, Gemayel said: “We are all in the same boat. We have to overcome selfishness. I hope that Hizbullah abides by the Baabda declaration and cooperate to save Lebanon,” he said. The Phalange Party chief also voiced fears of the “difficult circumstances facing the country. Most of the state institutions are obstructed and we hope to offer solutions for that,” he said. Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam seeks to form a "government of national interest,” vowing to step down if any party resigns from the cabinet. While the March 14 camp calls for a neutral government, the March 8 wants a political. Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on the other hand has vowed not to vote for a “one-colored government.”

Maronite Bishops Call for Supporting Army, Security Forces to Help them Maintain Stability
Naharnet/The Maronite bishops council hailed on Wednesday the army and security forces for their efforts in confronting the various security incidents that have taken place in Lebanon in recent months.
It said: “We call on the people to respect and support the army through all possible means in order to allow it to perform its duties.” The council made its remarks after its monthly meeting chaired by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi at the Patriarchate's summer headquarters in Diman. “The army is bravely dealing with various security incidents and making sacrifices for Lebanon,” it added, while calling on the people to help put an end to the spread of weapons in Lebanon. Addressing the government formation efforts, the bishops voiced their concern over the political deadlock caused the disputes between the rival parties, demanding that they put aside their differences, reach reconciliation, and form a cabinet capable of tackling the people's affairs. “The new government should tackle the country's problems, distance Lebanon from regional conflicts, and devise a new parliamentary electoral law to hold the elections as soon as possible,” it stressed. “We call on officials to return to national dialogue in order to reconcile and restore communication between them,” it suggested. Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji had vowed on the occasion of Army Day last week that the military will not bow to difficulties, saying that it “is working day and night to improve its competence to confront any emergency.” Later that day, two rockets were fired in the Baabda area with one landing in the garden of the Freiha villa that is located near the Officers' Club.

Airport Customs Foil the Importation of 70,000 Smuggled Cigars
Naharnet/Official at the Rafik Hariri International Airport's customs foiled on Wednesday an attempt to import a huge quantity of smuggled cigars into Lebanon. "72325 cigars imported from the Dominican Republic were seized in the shipping department at Beirut's International Airport,” the state-run National News Agency reported. "They were placed in several boxes and wrapped in nylon.”The NNA explained that the smugglers used fake names in the bill of lading, and they claimed that the boxes contained personal luggage that belong to a woman residing in the southern Beirut suburb of Hadath. The bill of lading also had a fake phone number. The NNA noted: “The smuggled goods were seized and handed over to the Tobacco and Tambac Regie.”“Concerned authorities have launched an investigation to identify and pursue the smugglers.”

Connelly: Fully-Empowered Govt. Will Help Lebanon Face Local, Regional Challenges
Naharnet/U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly stressed on Wednesday that the Lebanese people deserve a government that reflects their aspirations. She said: “Lebanon would be better placed to face current regional and domestic challenges with a fully-empowered government in place.”She made her remarks after holding separate talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam marking the end of her tenure as ambassador to Lebanon. She added after meeting Salam: “As always, the U.S. believes that government formation must be a Lebanese process and that the Lebanese people deserve a government that reflects their aspirations and that strengthens Lebanon's stability, sovereignty, and independence while fulfilling its international obligations.” After meeting Miqati, Connelly said: “As my time here in Lebanon comes to an end, I would like to underscore that the United States remains committed to a stable, sovereign, and independent Lebanon.” “The United States and the international community recognize that Lebanon is grappling with the effects of spillover from the Syrian crisis. The best defense against such spillover and the best means to protect Lebanon is to strengthen the institutions of the state, for all parties to respect Lebanon’s democratic process, and for Lebanon’s leaders to be responsible to the Lebanese electorate and protect the interests of all Lebanese,” she added. “In order to achieve this goal and insulate Lebanon from the effects of the Syrian crisis, the United States supports the calls on all parties to abide by the disassociation policy and to respect their commitments to the Baabda Declaration,” she stated. “We strongly encourage Lebanese leaders to expeditiously form a new government and to finalize their work on a new electoral law that would renew the parliament and allow Lebanon’s democratic process to get back on track,” stressed the ambassador.
“We also call on all parties to respect the institutions of the state. Hizbullah’s unilateral involvement in the Syrian conflict risks dragging Lebanon into that conflict and further undermines the Lebanese state,” she remarked.
“As I noted to caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour in our meeting earlier on Wednesday, the United States commends the European Union’s recent decision to designate Hizbullah's military wing as a terrorist organization, which sends a strong message that Hizbullah cannot operate with impunity and that there are consequences for its actions,” Connelly said.
She also reiterated U.S. support for the Lebanese armed forces and the Internal Security Forces who are working in coordination with Lebanon’s leaders to maintain security and stability in Lebanon. The ambassador renewed the commitment of the United States to a stable, sovereign, and independent Lebanon. Miqati resigned in March and Salam was appointed to form a new government amid conflicting positions between the political powers that are thwarting the formation of a new cabinet. The March 14 alliance is demanding forming an impartial cabinet, the March 8 forces is insisting on forming a political one, and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat objects to a cabinet that does not represent all Lebanese factions. Salam has demanded the formation of a cabinet of national reconciliation.

Arida General Security Post Resumes Work Thursday as Probe in Attack Continues
Naharnet/The General Directorate of General Security on Wednesday announced that work will resume Thursday morning at the al-Arida border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, noting that the investigation into the latest attack on the post is still underway. “The probe is still underway under the supervision of the military prosecution to unveil the circumstances of the attack on the building and its equipment and identify the perpetrators and instigators of this act that targeted an official security post,” a General Security statement said. On Monday, the directorate announced the closure of the border post for repair works “after it was attacked Sunday by some residents, who pelted it with stones and vandalized its equipment.”The directorate said the attack caused malfunctions in its computer system, asking travelers to use other crossings pending the end of restoration work.
Al-Aboudiyeh is the only other legal border checkpoint in northern Lebanon. There are many other illegal crossings along the border with Syria. On Sunday, angry al-Arida residents smashed the windows of the base and nearby vehicles with rocks after a Syrian man was killed while trying to enter Lebanon from the nearby Grand River. The man, who was allegedly fleeing the violence in Syria, was shot dead by Syrian security forces.
The residents also scattered General Security's equipment in the base and blocked the international highway with burning tires, calling on the Lebanese army to deploy in the area to protect the border.

Qabbani Announces Thursday First Day of Eid al-Fitr, Says Dar Al-Fatwa 'Home to All Muslims'
Naharnet/Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani announced that Thursday August 8, is the first day of Eid al-Fitr."We congratulate all Muslims on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr and we ask God to accept their fast and prayers,” Qabbani said in a released statement on Wednesday evening. "May this holiday restore peace and stability in the country, and help Lebanon overcome its aggravating crises.”The Mufti pointed out in his statement that Dar al-Fatwa is “the home of all Muslims.” "Dar al-Fatwa will remain faithful to the Muslims' expectancies,” he added. Qabbani's statement comes amid a heated debate over the leadership of Lebanon’s top Sunni religious authority. The Mufti will perform the Eid prayers at 6:40 am on Thursday at the Mohammed al-Amin mosque in downtown Beirut. However, Qabbani said he will not be receiving well-wishers “due to the security situation in Lebanon and neighboring countries.”Saudi Arabia had announced earlier on Wednesday that Thursday is the first day of Eid al-Fitr after the Shawwal's crescent was sighted in the kingdom.

4 Israeli Troops Injured in Lebanon Border Blast, Houla Forestland Set Ablaze
Naharnet /Four Israeli soldiers were injured in a landmine blast along the northern border with Lebanon, media reports said on Wednesday. A Lebanese army communique said that the “Israeli patrol violated Lebanon's sovereignty." "An infantry patrol of the Israeli army penetrated 400 meters inside Lebanon in the Labbouneh area at 00:24 local time," the statement said. "An explosion took place and the soldiers were wounded, with blood found at the scene. A military committee has opened an investigation in coordination with UNIFIL," the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, it said. An Israeli military spokesperson said Wednesday that the soldiers were hurt during "overnight activity adjacent to the northern border." It did not say if they were injured in training or in combat, and refused to elaborate further. Israeli media said that the three soldiers were taken into surgery and one is in the ICU. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said later that “Israel will continue to act responsibly to secure its border.” Netanyahu during a tour of a military compound in the Negev wished the soldiers swift recovery. According to the state-run National News Agency, a landmine explosion struck the soldiers' patrol, which crossed into Lebanon's southern border and advanced 150 meters inside the Lebanese border village of Labbouneh.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour commented on Wednesday's event, slamming the incursion as a violation of U.N. resolution 1701. He also assured that Lebanon will file a complaint with the U.N. Security Council. Media reports said earlier that that two explosions in Israeli territory were heard in Naqoura overnight, followed by sporadic gunshots and illumination bombs by the Israeli army. However, Lebanese security officials said that seven explosions were heard from the Israeli side of the border. Later on Wednesday, Israeli troops at the al-Abbad border post deliberately set fire to forestlands in the Lebanese town of Houla, NNA said.
Civil Defense crews and Lebanese soldiers were exerting efforts to extinguish the flames, it added. Earlier, al-Manar television said Israeli forces set ablaze the oak forests in Houla. "An Israeli field operations room went up in flames in the al-Abbad border area facing the Fatima Gate," Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) said. "Lebanese and Israeli army units went on alert on both sides of the border in the South after Israeli troops set on fire forestland in Houla," Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) reported. Later on Wednesday, UNIFIL said it has opened an investigation into “the incident involving an explosion that injured several (Israeli) soldiers.” In a statement issued to the press, the U.N. force said it was informed by the Lebanese army that an Israeli patrol had crossed the U.N.-demarcated Blue Line last night in Labbouneh and that there had subsequently been an explosion. “UNIFIL immediately launched an investigation into the alleged violation of Security Council Resolution 1701,” which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah, the statement said. “A UNIFIL investigation team is currently at the location indicated by LAF. Our effort is to ascertain if any traces of a possible explosion or other activity can be identified on the ground,” the mission stated. “At the same time, we have asked the IDF (Israeli army) to provide us details of any incident in the area as alleged and, if so, its precise location,” UNIFIL added.

Egypt PM Vows to Disperse Islamist Protesters as Presidency Announces 'Failed' Mediation
Naharnet/Egypt's Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi vowed Wednesday to disperse Islamist protest camps in Cairo, after the failure was announced of foreign mediation with supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi.
"The cabinet affirms that the decision to disperse the Rabaa Adawiya and Nahda sit-ins is a final decision, on which all agree, and there is no going back on it," Beblawi said, reading a statement aired on state television.
The protesters in the two Cairo squares have been camped out for more than a month, and insist they will stay until the deposed president Morsi is reinstated. "We call on them now, anew, to quickly leave, and return to their homes and work, without being chased if their hands have not been soiled by blood," Beblawi said, adding the government would offer free transportation. He accused the protesters of "exceeding all bounds of peacefulness by incitement to violence and use of weapons and blocking roads." "The government's solicitude for the holy month of Ramadan...in which it hoped the crises would be resolved without the intervention of security, did not mean the cabinet had gone back on its decision," Beblawi said. Earlier on Wednesday, the Egyptian presidency said Western and Arab efforts to mediate an end to Egypt's political deadlock have failed, signalling a possible crackdown on Islamists that has sparked fears of more carnage. The statement came hours after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns left Cairo, having made no headway in finding a compromise between the army-installed government and supporters of Morsi. "The phase of diplomatic efforts has ended today," the presidency said, referring to mediation by Burns and EU envoy Bernardino Leon, who were among other diplomats who had traveled to Cairo. "These efforts have not achieved the hoped for results," the statement added. Source/Agence France Presse.

U.S. Cancels Moscow Summit, Cites 'Lack of Progress'
Naharnet /U.S. President Barack Obama has decided to put off a Moscow summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, the White House said Wednesday, citing a lack of progress in relations and 'disappointment' over the Edward Snowden affair. Obama talked about the souring relationship with Moscow in a talk show interview late Tuesday, accusing the Russians of slipping back "into a Cold War mentality." In a statement, White House spokesman Jay Carney said that while the United States valued what had been accomplished with Russia in Obama's first term, there had not been enough progress to warrant a summit. "Given our lack of progress on issues such as missile defense and arms control, trade and commercial relations, global security issues, and human rights and civil society in the last twelve months, we have informed the Russian government that we believe it would be more constructive to postpone the summit until we have more results from our shared agenda," Carney said. "Russia's disappointing decision to grant Edward Snowden temporary asylum was also a factor that we considered in assessing the current state of our bilateral relationship,' he said. Russia last week granted a year's temporary asylum to Snowden, a former U.S. intelligence contractor who revealed the existence of U.S. electronic surveillance programs that scoop phone and Internet data on a global scale. Obama was to meet with Putin in Moscow in early September after a G20 summit in Saint Petersburg. Meanwhile, Russia expressed that it is "disappointed" by the decision of Obama, the Kremlin said Wednesday. "We are disappointed," Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters, adding it was clear to Moscow that the decision was linked to Snowden who has been granted asylum in Russia. Ushakov added the situation showed that the United States was still not ready for relations "on an equal basis" with Russia but said the invitation for Obama to visit was still in force. SourceAgence France Presse.

CIA official: Syria war biggest threat to US security
August 07, 2013 /Agence France Presse
WASHINGTON, District of Columbia: The war in Syria poses the greatest threat to US security because of the risk of the government falling and the country becoming a weapons-rich haven for Al-Qaeda, a CIA official says.
CIA second-in-command Michael Morell gave the assessment in an interview published Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal as he prepares to retire after 33 years with the agency. Morell said there are now more foreign fighters flowing into Syria each month to take up arms with Al Qaeda-affiliated groups than there were going to Iraq to fight with Al-Qaeda at the height of the war there. The Syrian government's weapons "are going to be up for grabs and up for sale" as they were in Libya when Moamer Kadhafi fell, he added. "It's probably the most important issue in the world today," he said of the war in Syria, "because of where it is currently heading" -- toward the fall of the government of President Bashar al-Assad, according to Morell. Morell also said the violence in Syria has the potential to spill across borders into Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Morell told the Journal that second on his list was Iran, followed by the global Al-Qaeda threat, North Korea, and cyberwarfare. On Al-Qaeda, he said the United States had "significantly degraded" the group's capabilities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. But the terror network has also scored victories, such as its dispersal, which he said has spread its ideology and global reach.Morell will be replaced by Avril Haines, a 43 year old White House lawyer.

Al-Qaeda's Resiliency in Yemen
Daniel Green/Washington Institute
Although counterterrorism operations are essential to defeating al-Qaeda, they must be complemented by a low-cost, low-visibility campaign to help the Yemeni government extend its reach in the provinces.
The closing of U.S. embassies throughout the Middle East due to threats from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) indicates that however successful the U.S. drone program has been, the terrorist group continues to be a resilient, adaptable opponent. On July 16, AQAP second-in-command Said al-Shihri was killed by a suspected drone attack in Yemen, demonstrating the usefulness of unmanned aerial vehicles in degrading al-Qaeda's strength there. Yet the country's interior safe havens allow AQAP to persist even as it endures drone strikes and government military offensives. To address this problem, a new approach is required.
BACKGROUND
Last year, Yemeni military operations were largely successful in pushing AQAP out of the southern areas it had overrun in 2011. Since retreating to its traditional safe havens toward the country's interior, however, al-Qaeda has returned to its insurgent roots as its tries to reconstitute its forces.
AQAP's first priority is to create the operational space it needs to regrow. Toward this end, it has undertaken a concerted assassination campaign against Yemeni security, military, and intelligence officials in the provinces where it is most active, such as Abyan, Shabwa, Marib, Hadramawt, al-Jawf, and Bayda. It has also targeted Popular Committee tribal leaders who provided the government with intelligence, local guides, advisors, and clearing/holding forces during the 2012 offensive in the south. The assassination campaign has killed over ninety Yemeni officials and tribal leaders, typically through motorcycle, suicide, or improvised explosive device attacks. Such operations require knowledge of the victim's daily routine, pre-positioning of assassination teams, and constant surveillance of the target, suggesting that AQAP has a pervasive infrastructure in Yemen -- one largely undetected by intelligence personnel.
Al-Qaeda has also made limited incursions into several governorates -- such as Bayda in April, Hadramawt in May, and Lahij in June -- in order to hold key villages and demonstrate its continued capabilities. In addition, it has expanded its criminal fundraising efforts (e.g., robberies, protection rackets, blackmail, smuggling) and used various propaganda efforts to intimidate the people, dishearten the government's local allies, and maintain its public profile (e.g., leaflets, speeches, and graffiti).
TOWARD A "FORWARD STRATEGY"
Given AQAP's persistence in Yemen, U.S. policymakers need to rethink their strategy against the group. This means facilitating the long-term expansion of Yemeni security forces and government services to areas where al-Qaeda's influence is most developed in order to complement and eventually replace the current drone-centered strategy. In particular, Washington should help Sana launch a decentralized pacification campaign that mirrors AQAP's structure and soft-power strategy while applying counterinsurgency best practices, thereby leveraging the local population against the group.
Unlike in Iraq and Afghanistan, this approach would involve a small U.S. presence exercising influence through the Yemeni government, building relationships with local officials and citizens in order to address the root causes of AQAP's strength. In many cases, tribal elements shelter the group because they hope to garner increased government attention, gain an advantage over rivals, or benefit from al-Qaeda's development and justice programs. Other supporters inside and outside Yemen want AQAP to sow discord because they believe it will further their own political goals or personal gain.
Although counterterrorism missions are an essential component of any strategy to defeat AQAP, they are insufficient and perhaps even counterproductive in the long term due to the risk of civilian casualties. What is needed is a low-visibility, relatively inexpensive strategy in the provinces -- a realistic approach focusing on good governance, development, reconstruction, and security activities that complement the ongoing counterterrorism campaign.
Organizing for victory. A pacification program focused on extending Yemeni government sovereignty to AQAP safe havens will require dedicated effort and a blending of traditional governance, development, and security approaches. Operational design will compensate for diminished resources. Washington's first step should be to create a separate entity at its embassy in Yemen to concentrate on developing a deeper relationship with officials and agencies responsible for service delivery to the provinces.
Focusing on the countryside. Once it has established a province-focused organization, Washington should review its current security, governance, and development programming, giving priority to regions where AQAP is strongest and to those Yemeni ministries most involved in provincial affairs. This will require reorienting some resources away from development, counterterrorism, and political reporting, and toward stabilization, pacification, and political action. For example, it is not unusual for U.S. officials to undertake development programs in relatively safer areas of Yemen because of the ease of working with local officials there. Yet many such areas have more highly developed governance structures and greater capacity than elsewhere, suggesting that some development programming can be reallocated to more unstable regions.
Enabling a "clear and hold" strategy. After forming the necessary relationships with key Yemeni military and civilian officials, U.S. pacification teams should then deploy to the countryside with Yemeni security forces and embed with provincial officials. The goal of these teams should be to advise the Yemeni military as it confronts AQAP, clears areas held by the group, and transitions to a population-protection posture. Once this step is achieved, the Yemeni military should partner with local tribes and police to bolster their strength as part of an enduring strategy to prevent al-Qaeda from returning. As with the Anbar "Awakening" movement in Iraq and the Afghan Local Police program, U.S. officials should explore the possibility of helping Sana regularize its tribal supporters into legitimate, defensively oriented security forces.
Defeating AQAP's soft-power strategy. Once security has been established in these provinces, Washington should deploy Civil-Military Support Elements to their capitals. Partnering with local governors, these teams should focus on extending the central government's reach, facilitating good governance, providing humanitarian aid, conducting needs assessments, and otherwise enabling U.S. civilian development programming. Embedding with select provincial governments will also help U.S. personnel mentor local leaders in a manner consistent with the central government's goals.
Internationalizing the struggle. In carrying out this restructured strategy, Washington should partner not just with other nations interested in defeating AQAP, but also with international institutions such as the World Bank, Gulf Cooperation Council, and World Health Organization. U.S. personnel will be at greater risk once they deploy to the countryside, so sharing the risks with international institutions will enhance safety and mission success. Credibility is important as well -- an expanded U.S. presence will be better received if it is undertaken with international legitimacy.
CONCLUSION
A Yemeni citizenry protected by government security services, enlisted in its own defense, and empowered to make local political decisions would be a resilient and enduring check against the return of al-Qaeda and its false promises of a better future. Such an outcome would also make the United States safer, since AQAP will have been defeated by the very people it sought to enlist in its cause.
*Daniel Green is the Ira Weiner fellow at The Washington Institute and a military veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq. A longer version of this article will be published by the journal PRISM in the fall.

The Limits of Iranian Moderation
Randa Takieddine/Al Hayat
In Tuesday's edition of Le Monde, the famous political cartoonist Plantu summed up the moderation of Hasan Rohani, the new Iranian president, by drawing Bashar Assad holding an axe and killing his people. In the drawing, Rohani tells Bashar, "Please, not so hard," while a Rohani supporter says to a woman, "Look, there's a moderate." The cartoon expresses the direction of Iranian policy upon Rohani's election and the formation of his government. Ever since he declared his candidacy for president, Rohani has presented himself as an open-minded reformist who wants to see Iran leave behind its economic tribulations, brought on by sanctions because it is developing nuclear weapons. For years, the international community and the G6, which are negotiating with Iran, have asked Tehran to halt its program to develop nuclear weapons, and for years, these countries have run up against Iran's lack of responsiveness to this demand. Rohani does not give the impression that he wants to stop this program. On the contrary, he affirms Iran's right to a nuclear program. As for support for Syria and the Assad regime, Rohani affirmed his adherence to this policy. Iran continues to provide support in the form of weapons, oil and money, while Hezbollah forces support the Assad regime. Iran's economy is certainly on the brink of collapse because of the sanctions. Iran's oil production has dropped considerably, with the large reduction in purchases of Iranian oil by countries such as China, Japan, India and others, because of the attendant financial complications because of the sanctions. China has adopted a barter system involving some goods to pay for Iranian oil. The European Union slapped a ban on importing Iranian oil around a year ago, and that country's economic conditions are deteriorating. However, despite this, the Iranian regime continues to provide financial and military support to Assad, Hezbollah, and a number of politicians in Lebanon. This will certainly not stop with the coming of Rohani. His priority will be trying to convince the west, and especially the United States, that Iran under his presidency has changed, so that the sanctions on his country are dropped. However, how will this be possible, if it continues with its nuclear program and its support for Assad and Hezbollah? Iranians are known for their ability to maneuver, and in western circles they have been called "rug merchants," meaning that they are skilled in making offers, setting conditions, and maneuvering around them.
Rohani can buy time if he opens negotiations with the Obama administration, which would welcome such a development; Obama has said as much on more than one occasion. However, Iran under Khamenei will not change. Just as President Mohammad Khatami failed, seeing true openness from Rohani will be difficult and complicated. Obama is a weak American president on the world stage, but American congressmen will not let him lift sanctions on Iran if that country continues to develop nuclear weapons, because they fear for Israel. It will be extremely difficult for Rohani to achieve his mission of improving Iran's economy if Iran does not change its policy. For example, he could have given a positive signal about Lebanon and encouraged its agent there, Hezbollah, to agree to the formation of a neutral government, without setting impossible conditions, because the country is in danger. But after President Michel Suleiman visited Iran to congratulate Rohani on his election, it seems that any positive move in this direction has yet to take place. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's participation in the fighting in Syria has increased. How can Rohani turn a new page if he does not take the initiative with regional and foreign policy moves that indicate the beginning of profound change, and do not constitute a mere verbal, media maneuver? He needs to show that Iran is determined to fix its economic situation, which is the result of sanctions.

Arab-American Relations
Abdullah Iskandar/Al Hayat
Bilateral relations between the United States and the Arab countries are good in general, especially on the commercial level which is registering a major surplus in favor of the Americans, despite the cost of the energy they import. However, political ties, and despite the eloquence of the official statements, are no match for the commercial ones.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan generated American-Arab convergence on all levels in order to face it, and the Arab Gulf countries employed all their capabilities to defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan, which is a strategic goal. This political-military-financial convergence depleted the Soviet giant and hastened its withdrawal until its collapse. In other words, American-Arab cooperation, alongside Pakistan which constituted a rear base and passageway for all the elements of the battle, achieved a historical mission – according to its two parties – i.e. end the Soviet Union.
Ever since this exemplary cooperation in Afghanistan which achieved its goal with distinction, the American calculations parted from their Arab counterparts on almost all regional affairs. Today, we are seeing the consequence of this divergence on more than one file, after it was among the reasons which led to division in the Arab countries.
At the top of the files that contributed to the American and Arab calculations growing apart is probably the settlement file with Israel, knowing that the orphan initiative presented by the George Bush Sr. administration to exchange land with peace did not result in any progress towards settlement. It is even suspected that the Madrid conference was the symbolic price granted to the Arabs in exchange for their participation alongside the American troops in the ousting of Saddam Hussein’s troops from Kuwait. And during Bill Clinton’s term, the Americans collaborated with the Israelis to turn the comprehensive peace process into bilateral negotiations, which is why the current peace process is limited to the Palestinian course – although the Arabs presented a comprehensive peace initiative which earned international acceptance. Still, the United States is obstructing the transformation of this initiative into a negotiations mechanism on all courses, including the land for peace formula.
President George Bush Jr. invaded Iraq in the context of a political process which did not take into account the Arab positions towards Saddam Hussein’s regime. He immediately started dismantling the Iraqi state and its basic structure, which has placed and is still placing the issue of the country’s unity at stake. This also made the calculations diverge, considering that the Arab regime, which wanted to get rid of Saddam Hussein, was saying at the same time that the Iraqi state should not be linked to the fate of the defeated dictator. As a result, and because the Americans did not take the Arab concerns into consideration, Iraq was divided and torn apart between fighting sectarian entities. Until now, the situation in Iraq is still controlled by the sectarian parties that came from or are allied with Iran, which is increasing and deepening the Arab fears, without the American trying to alleviate them by pressuring the side monopolizing power. The Arab-American calculations parted at this point, amid concerns that are still surrounding sectarian hegemony over Iraq.
And while Arab officials, especially in the Gulf, are expressing worries over Washington’s and Tehran’s signing of a deal at some point without taking into account the Arab interests in the Gulf, the divide affecting the Arab and American calculations in regard to the Syrian file is still wide, and is maybe among the reasons why the conflict is expanding and the killings, destruction and displacement are ongoing, without there being signs of a solution on the horizon. The United States’ calculations are based on its interest in exercising its authority, and clearly, the Arabs are the ones mainly paying the price for this American policy that has been the object of numerous complaints and demands for it to take the Arab interests into account. And at a time when Washington holds pressure tools that can be used on the Arab side, the Arabs voluntarily relinquished theirs. The slogan related to the oil weapon was issued in specific circumstances that might not apply during the current stage, but the Arabs should push towards a formula that would link the tense political relations to the flourishing commercial ones.