LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 20/2013

Bible Quotation for today/The Parable of the Widow and the Judge
Luke 18/01-08: "18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged. “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. And there was a widow in that same town who kept coming to him and pleading for her rights, saying, ‘Help me against my opponent!’ For a long time the judge refused to act, but at last he said to himself, ‘Even though I don't fear God or respect people, yet because of all the trouble this widow is giving me, I will see to it that she gets her rights. If I don't, she will keep on coming and finally wear me out!’” And the Lord continued, “Listen to what that corrupt judge said. Now, will God not judge in favor of his own people who cry to him day and night for help? Will he be slow to help them? I tell you, he will judge in their favor and do it quickly. But will the Son of Man find faith on earth when he comes?”

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
How much does Venezuela matter to Hezbollah/By: Ana Maria Luca/Now Lebanon/ January 20/13
Iran: The "Fatwa" and Obama's Creative Diplomacy/By Amir Taheri/Asharq Alawsat/January 20/13
Assadization: A Political Cancer/By Hussein Shabokshi/Asharq Alawsat/January 20/13

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for January 20/13
Bulgaria Tight-Lipped after Report that Hizbullah is Linked to Anti-Israeli Bombing
Suleiman Heads to Moscow to Receive Award, Meet Top Officials
Opposition Members Hold onto their Alliance Despite Electoral Differences
The Western view of Lebanon: no longer a top priority
STL could take action against Al-Akhbar Pro Axis Evil Lebanese Daily
EU, media groups offer training for better STL reporting
President Sleiman calls for defense strategy to protect oil wealth
Lebanon's March 8 coalition certain polls will not be held based on 1960 law
Lebanon: Gunmen strike at Karami convoy, wound 11 people
Plumbly Meets al-Rahi, Hopes Elections Will Be Held on Time
LF: We'll Stay Committed to Allies, Starting with Mustaqbal, Regardless of Dispute over Electoral Law
Berri Says Discussions with al-Mustaqbal on Electoral Law Need 'Follow up'
PSP Delegation Meets Skaff: Dialogue Only Way to Return Situation back to Normal in Lebanon
President Michel Suleiman Tours Southern Lebanon to Inspect UNIFIL, Army
Couple Defy Personal Status Code, Wed in Lebanese Civil Ceremony
Gunmen shoot up Lebanese minister's convoy
Banks to inject $1.45 billion in Lebanese market
Future Movement open to hybrid (Mixture) vote law
Beirut refugee conference marred by snags
Saudi–US sign "Trusted Traveler' accord
Anti-France protest in s. Lebanon over jailed Abdallah
Algerian hostage crisis not over – British PM David Cameron
Seven hostages killed in Algeria desert 'final assault'
For many foreigners, hostage nightmare not yet over
Obama urged to step in before it’s ‘too late’
Iran says progress made in U.N. nuclear talks
U.N. agency and Iran fail again to reach nuclear deal
Executed Sri Lankan maid's mother refuses Saudi money
Sniper Kills Al-Jazeera Reporter in Syria's Daraa
U.N.'s Pillay Renews Demand for Syria War Crimes Case
Egypt Police Stop Muslims from Storming Church
Canada Sets Tone of Cooperation for President Obama’s Second Term

Bulgaria Tight-Lipped after Report that Hizbullah is Linked to Anti-Israeli Bombing
Naharnet/The Bulgarian foreign ministry has declined to comment on a report that an investigation will link Hizbullah to the July 2012 tourist bombing that killed five Israelis. On Thursday, Israel's Channel 2 reported that the Bulgarian investigation, which will be released soon, found Hizbullah was behind the bombing in Burgas that killed the five tourists and their Bulgarian driver. Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, declined to comment on the report in Israeli media. But Yigal Palmor, spokesman for the ministry of foreign affairs, told The Jerusalem Post on Friday: "We will not make any comments before the Bulgarian government divulges its conclusions and states its position." The head of the regional investigation unit in Burgas told the 24 Hours daily newspaper in a January 3 interview that Sofia had identified and issued an arrest warrant for one of the accomplices of the man who blew up the Israeli-packed bus. But Stanelia Karadzhova was taken off the case for releasing details of the investigation without clearing it with the supervising prosecutor. Six months after the July 18 attack, Sofia is struggling to identify the actual bomber, despite having his DNA, fingerprints and a computer-generated portrait. This has prevented Bulgaria from pointing the finger at anyone so far.Immediately after the attack, Israel blamed Iran and Hizbullah for the bombing.

How much does Venezuela matter to Hezbollah?
Ana Maria Luca/Now Lebanon
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/reportsfeatures/how_much_does_venezuela_matter_to_hezbollah
“Does Hezbollah have operations in Venezuela? Of course! They work in Venezuela and send the money to the Middle East.” This is an extract from an interview with the world’s fifth most-wanted drug kingpin, Walid Makled, also known as El Arabe, who was arrested in August 2010 in Colombia.
Soon after his arrest, Makled asked to be extradited to the United States and admitted on television to being very close to the Venezuelan government and having done business with high-ranking army officers and members of the government. He accused Venezuela's political elite of involvement in cocaine trafficking and holding fundraising operations for Hezbollah and Colombian FARC guerillas.
The friendly relationship between Hezbollah and the Venezuelan government led by Hugo Chavez developed after the 2006 July War and grew into a tight ideological and business partnership, Lebanese experts say. According to US authorities, Venezuela acts as a safe heaven and a source of funding for Hezbollah members and supporters. But with Chavez’s health declining and uncertainty over who is going to succeed him and what kind of policy the new government will have, it is also unclear how Hezbollah and its partner Iran will deal with the change.
It was Chavez himself who reached out to Iran in 2001, and he visited Tehran several times to show his solidarity with the Islamic Republic against US foreign policy. In 2006, while Lebanon was under the Israeli offensive, the Venezuelan president expressed his support for Hezbollah. Chavez also stunned the UN General Assembly in 2006 with a speech in which he called US President George W. Bush "the devil" who acts like he owns the world. Hezbollah supporters in Dahiyeh carried pictures of him and chanted “thank you.”
Many analysts believe the relationship between Hezbollah and Venezuela is strictly political, and a regime change in Caracas will not necessarily influence the Party of God and its finances.
“Of course, the relations serve Hezbollah, but I don’t think that Venezuela’s future or fate is linked to it,” said political analyst and commentator Kassem Kassir, who writes for the NOW Arabic site.
“The suggestions Chavez made – Venezuela’s independence, confronting the US, the rapprochement with Iran on the international political level – reflected positively on Hezbollah-Venezuela relations. There is also Venezuela’s adoption of issues of general interest such as Palestine. In the July War, Venezuela took brave decisions against Israeli policy. This strengthened the relationship between Hezbollah and Venezuela too,” he added.
For his part, Al-Balad commentator Ali Al-Amine told NOW that “there are no indications that there is cooperation beyond this political or moral dimension or solidarity in the face of the US policy. No one spoke of a relationship at a military or security level. But this does not cancel [the presence of] merchants or businessmen who benefit from this relationship.”
But for the US and Colombian security agencies, these businessmen and how they make their money as well as where they send it are more important than any ideology.
Venezuela has a large Lebanese and Syrian community, and several officials and ministers in the government in Caracas are of Lebanese or Syrian descent. Tarek al-Ayssami, son of the Baath party leader in Venezuela, won the elections in the large state of Aragua last October. Aissami served as the head of the Immigration and Naturalization office in Caracas and he was appointed minister of interior in 2009. But during his mandate, according to Venezuelan opposition websites, he allegedly gave a large number of visas to young Lebanese and Syrian men. He has also been accused of recruiting Venezuelan youth of Arab descent to send them to Lebanon and Iran for training. His brother Firas al-Aissami and one of their cousins are also suspects in the Makled drug trafficking case.
A close friend of Aissami, Lebanese-born Venezuelan diplomat Ghazi Nasreddine, was blacklisted in 2008 by the US Department of Treasury for funding Hezbollah. According to a press release Nasreddine utilized his positions as a diplomat and the president of a Caracas-based Shiite Islamic center to provide financial support to Hezbollah. “He counseled Hizballah donors on fundraising efforts and has provided donors with specific information on bank accounts where the donors' deposits would go directly to Hezbollah,” the press release read. The diplomat allegedly met with senior Hezbollah officials in Lebanon and facilitated the travel of party members to and from Venezuela to ask for donations for the Party of God.
The Treasury said that another Lebanese, Fawzi Kanaan, was the owner of two travel agencies in Caracas that facilitated travel of Hezbollah supporters between Venezuela and Lebanon. According to the Treasury’s press release, there was proof that Kanaan had been in Iran for training.
Aissami later denied any connection with any Hezbollah members travelling to and from Venezuela.
According to Kassir, it is not a secret that young Hezbollah supporters have been travelling to Venezuela for various events. “A number of students and young men went [to Venezuela] to participate in festivals, conferences and workshops. There were some consultants of Chavez who came to Beirut and visited Hezbollah officials,” Kassir explained, adding, however, that there is no official information about any military cooperation.
*Amani Hamad contributed reporting to this article.
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/ar/nowspecialar/قصة_الاهتمام_المتبادل_بين_فنزويلا_وحزب_الله

STL could take action against Al-Akhbar Pro Axis Evil Lebanese Daily
January 19, 2013/By Stephen Dockery/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: The spokesman for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon condemned a recent report by Al-Akhbar Friday, saying the news outlet was irresponsible for publishing the names of alleged witnesses.
He suggested the tribunal had the power to punish violators of the trial’s integrity with contempt of court. Spokesman Marten Youssef made his remarks in Beirut at a conference about improving reporting on the court and international justice issues hosted by Samir Kassir Eyes, the European Union and Sam Houston State University from the United States. “The publishing of names of witnesses or what appears to be names of witnesses is irresponsible journalism,” Youssef told The Daily Star about AlAkhbar’s report. “While the STL cannot confirm the content of the news article in Al-Akhbar, we condemn any attempt to intimidate and compromise the identities of any individuals, which may impact the safety and security of Lebanese citizens and undermine the administration of justice,” Youssef said in a statement after the event. He said the publication of protected information from the trial could put people’s lives at risk and possibly violates the court’s authority. “Any [deliberate] disclosure of confidential information violates the STL’s rules of procedure and evidence and can be subject to judicial proceedings for contempt,” Youssef said. Earlier this week Al-Akhbar, which has been very critical of the tribunal and the court process, published the names, photos and information of a number of people the newspaper claimed were being named as witnesses by the prosecution in the international court case over the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The information, which the newspaper said it had received from a leak from within the tribunal, included full names, ages, and occupations for those listed. The STL was set up in 2007 after the 2005 killing of Hariri in Beirut. In 2011 the prosecution indicted four Hezbollah members in absentia for the bombing and has been slowly moving toward a trial. So far the case revealed by the prosecution hinges on cellphone data and testimony of over 550 witnesses.
It was a number of those witnesses that Al-Akhbar claimed to have revealed the identity of in their report, saying their story showed the “nature of the prosecution’s evidence, which is circumstantial at best.”Youssef said the court had powers to protect witnesses if needed and would try to prevent leaks from occurring. “As a measure of last resort, the STL’s Registry has a protection program in place, [for individuals] considered by the judges to be at risk of imminent serious harm or death as a result of their interaction with the Tribunal,” he said. The prosecution has had a number of setbacks during the pretrial phase, including the release of suspects held for years, allegations of false witness testimony and a number of changes in prosecution leadership. The defense has recently claimed it had had inadequate time and resources to prepare a defense and needed more time before the trial could begin.

EU, media groups offer training for better STL reporting
January 19, 2013/By Stephen Dockery/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Media groups and the European Union called for better reporting on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and international justice issues Friday, as they kicked off a three-day conference and training for journalists.
“Journalists have a crucial role to play, it’s their responsibility to present international justice in a clear and comprehensible manner, respecting the founding principles of justice including independence, accountability, equity, accessibility, efficiency and the presumption of innocence,” said Elsa Fenet from the EU. The STL has been investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri for years and has been subject to much criticism and political brinksmanship from politicians and reporters. Most recently, news outlets have published information they said was leaked from inside the court, possibly compromising the safety of witnesses, STL officials said. At the conference reporters will get training in legal terminology, sourcing and how world news outlets cover international justice issues. Reporters and editors from The New York Times, CNN, Sam Houston State University and a number of international organizations are providing the training.The conference kicked off Friday with a discussion among officials from the STL, International Criminal court and the Samir Kassir Foundation of how courts communicate with the public. The STL has heavily tweeted to convey information about the case.

Opposition Members Hold onto their Alliance Despite Electoral Differences
Naharnet /A meeting held between the head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, the leader of the Phalange party and a March 14 opposition lawmaker confirmed the strong alliance between them, sources said Saturday.
An Nahar daily said the meeting that brought together al-Mustaqbal's Fouad Saniora, Amin Gemayel, who heads the Phalange, and March 14 independent MP Butros Harb was held on Thursday night on the sidelines of a social event.
Phalange sources told the newspaper that the talks confirmed the alliance between the members of the opposition and stressed that differences on an electoral draft-law would not harm their ties.
Sources close to Saniora also said that contacts among the different factions of the March 14 alliance will continue and be consolidated.
The tripartite meeting came as the Lebanese Forces parliamentary bloc, which is part of the coalition, said on Friday it will remain committed to its allies, starting with al-Mustaqbal Movement, regardless of the dispute over the electoral draft-law.
It said in a statement following a meeting chaired by LF leader Samir Geagea that the bloc remains open to discussing any alternative to the Orthodox Gathering proposal that enjoys the support of the majority of the Lebanese people.
The proposal, which calls for a single district and allows each sect to vote for its MPs in a proportional representation system, has received the backing of the LF, the Phalange and their rivals from the March 8 majority alliance – the Free Patriotic Movement and the the Marada movement.
But several independent Christian MPs from the opposition, including Harb, al-Mustaqbal and the Progressive Socialist Party of MP Walid Jumblat have criticized it for widening the sectarian divide among the Lebanese.
Harb said Saturday that the members of the March 14 alliance would eventually agree on a single stance from the electoral draft-law.
He reiterated that the Orthodox proposal would shatter the Lebanese social fabric.

Berri Says Discussions with al-Mustaqbal on Electoral Law Need 'Follow up'
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri said Saturday that a meeting he has held with al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader Fouad Saniora needs “follow up” after they did not reach consensus on an electoral draft-law.
The meeting was “honest and transparent, and needs follow up,” Berri told An Nahar newspaper. Saniora visited Berri in Ain el-Tineh at the head of a delegation that included MP Nuhad al-Mashnouq and former Minister Mohammed Shatah, an aide for ex-Premier Saad Hariri, who heads al-Mustaqbal movement The talks which lasted more than two hours and were followed by lunch at the speaker's residence, were “very good and focused on proposed electoral draft-laws,” al-Mustaqbal delegation's sources told An Nahar. The two sides “deeply tackled the fears of Christian (parties) but no agreement was reached between them,” they said.
“Neither Berri accepted the proposal of the delegation to adopt a winner-takes-all system and neither al-Mustaqbal delegation agreed to his proposal of (adopting) proportionality,” the sources said.
But Berri and Saniora “put the foundations for common viewpoints,” they added. Christians parties from the rival March 8 majority and March 14 opposition alliances have announced their support for the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal that envisages Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its MPs in a proportional representation system. But discussions among rival MPs as part of a parliamentary subcommittee led to a proposal to combine the two systems. The lawmakers have until Monday to hold consultations and come back with results to agree on an electoral draft-law only months before the polls. The Orthodox proposal has been rejected by al-Mustaqbal along with other parties for allegedly increasing the sectarian divide among the Lebanese. Although each side held onto its own stance on the electoral draft-law, the meeting was an “ice breaker,” the sources of the conferees told al-Liwaa newspaper.“It reopened the door of dialogue between them,” they said.

President Sleiman calls for defense strategy to protect oil wealth
January 19, 2013 /By Mohammed Zaatari/The Daily Star
TYRE, Lebanon: The Lebanese Army has been asked to hammer out a defense strategy to protect Lebanon’s offshore oil and gas reserves, President Michel Sleiman said Friday during a tour of south Lebanon.
He added that until the Army was equipped with sophisticated arms under the government’s five-year plan, Lebanon could benefit from Hezbollah’s weapons to defend the country against a possible Israeli attack.
“Oil needs protection and a strategy to defend it. We have drawn up a [defense] strategy and asked the Army to prepare a strategy for sea, land and air defense,” Sleiman said in a speech addressing troops at the Army’s base in the southern city of Tyre. “However, this strategy requires equipment and armament. We have approved a five-year program for equipping the Army. But until this has been achieved with the aim of bolstering the Army with sufficient arms and equipment to help it implement this strategy, we can benefit from the resistance’s weapons in light of the Army’s needs and according to a decision-making mechanism on which we can agree at the [National] Dialogue Committee,” he added. Referring to the defense strategy he had presented to the Dialogue Committee last year, Sleiman said: “We need the resistance’s capabilities, which have shown courage and played a major role in liberation [from Israeli occupation], in line with the Army’s requests. We also need the resistance’s doctrine to establish and implement democracy in Lebanon.”
The president was welcomed at the military base by Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi; Brig. Gen. George Shreim, commander of the south Litani area; and Brig. Gen. Ali Shahrour, Army intelligence chief in the south.
Sleiman predicted “a promising future” for Lebanon as a result of the expected drilling of oil and gas reserves in its territorial waters.
“This [oil] wealth will not be used to repay debts, but as a wealth for the next generations,” he said. The government has formed a six-member Petroleum Administration with full powers to negotiate with international oil companies and issue licenses for the winning firms to drill for oil and gas off the Lebanese coast. Britain-based Spectrum, which was conducting a 3-D seismic survey off the coast, said the southern territorial waters had an estimated 25 trillion cubic feet of gas buried under the sea. International experts have estimated the value of gas between $40 billion and $70 billion.
A source at Baabda Palace said Sleiman’s trip to the south was an “annual traditional visit” to convey his greetings to Lebanese troops and the U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL on the New Year.
“The president is visiting UNIFIL as part of a regular visit,” UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told The Daily Star.
Sleiman arrived in the border town of Naqoura aboard a military helicopter. He headed straight to the Naqoura headquarters of UNIFIL where he was welcomed by Kahwaji and UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Paolo Serra.
After a military band played the national Lebanese and UNIFIL anthems and the president inspected a UNIFIL Guard of Honor, Sleiman headed to Serra’s office where he held talks centering on cooperation between the Army and the peacekeepers. In welcoming Sleiman, Serra said: “Your presence here today Mr. President, is a fervent expression of your sustained support and commitment to the work carried out by UNIFIL in the south of Lebanon and to our strategic partnership with the Lebanese Army.”
During the meeting, issues related to the implementation of UNIFIL’s mandate under U.N. Resolution 1701 were discussed, with particular focus on cooperation between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to a UNIFIL statement. Serra said he briefed Sleiman about the “close coordination between UNIFIL and the LAF, which is critical for the successful implementation of our mandate. “This strategic partnership has brought substantial improvement in the security environment in the south and I intend to take it forward. “I also stressed on the strong relationship between UNIFIL and the people of south Lebanon who have welcomed and hosted the peacekeepers since 1978. This close human bond is paramount for the success of the mission,” he added. Serra expressed his satisfaction at the prevailing calm and stability in the UNIFIL area of operation in southern Lebanon.
In his speech at the military base in Tyre, Sleiman underlined the Army’s role in protecting the country and its sovereignty “alongside UNIFIL whose role we highly appreciate.” Addressing Lebanese troops, he said: “What is required from you is protection and coordination with UNIFIL in order to implement Resolution 1701.”“The Lebanese Army has defended democracy, public freedoms and human rights, renounced fanaticism and fought terrorism,” Sleiman added. He urged troops to keep an eye on the security situation and prevent the repercussions of the conflict in Syria from spilling over into Lebanon. “The Army in the first place must protect itself from the slide into politics or sectarianism,” Sleiman said.

President Michel Suleiman Tours Southern Lebanon to Inspect UNIFIL, Army
Naharnet /President Michel Suleiman kicked off on Friday a tour to inspect the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon units and the Lebanese army troops stationed south of the Litani river. Suleiman headed aboard a military helicopter to the region amid heavy security deployment. The president, accompanied by Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn, was received by Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji and UNIFIL Commander Major General Paolo Serra. He later discussed with Serra the cooperation and coordination measures between the UNIFIL and the army, the state-run National News Agency reported. Suleiman arrived at Banu Barakat military base in Tyre, where he gave a speech before military personnel. He stressed in his speech on the role played by the army in maintaining unity and preserving stability throughout Lebanon. “The military institution was and will always be unbiased and away from the political rhetoric,” Suleiman said. He hailed the coordination between the army and the UNIFIL peacekeepers in implementing United Nations Security Council resolution 1701. Earlier, As Safir newspaper quoted presidential sources as saying that Suleiman will reiterate during his visit Lebanon's commitment to Security Council resolution 1701. He will also urge the international community to force Israel to commit to the resolution. Suleiman is expected to stress cooperation and coordination between the Lebanese army and the UNIFIL, which bolstered stability in the area. The president will also stress that the state will exert efforts to provide the army with the logistic and military equipment to enable it to carry out its tasks.UNIFIL was expanded in 2006 following a devastating war between Hizbullah and Israel and now numbers some 12,000.

Couple Defy Personal Status Code, Wed in Lebanese Civil Ceremony
Naharnet /A Lebanese couple have challenged the sectarian personal status code in Lebanon, tying the knot in a first of a kind civil marriage in the country on November 11, 2012, LBCI television reported on Friday.
“Kholoud Sukkariyah and Nidal Darwish removed the reference of their sects from their respective IDs and based their marital contract on Decree No. 60 L.R,” said Lawyer Talal Husseini, who authored the draft.
The decree, which organizes and recognizes religious communities and grants them rights, says those who are not affiliated with a sect are subject to the civil law of personal status, as well as to the introduction of the Constitution which adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Husseini explained. “Kholoud and Nidal's marital contract was signed by the Notary Public and it was referred to Interior Minister Marwan Charbel who will look into its legitimacy,” LBCI remarked. “An activist in the civil society suggested when she learned about our intention to marry in a civil union, to do it in Lebanon and not abroad,” the bride said, explaining how the process began.
What followed later was completing the necessary paper work, requesting a proof of eligibility of marriage from the mukhtar (local mayor) and asking the notary to prepare a document that lists the articles of the union's conditions and the financial disclosure. “We also had to announce the marriage 15 days prior to the actual ceremony, in case someone has a reason to oppose it,” the bride added.
Lawyer and civil activist Munif Hamdan confirmed to MTV: “This marriage is legal and we only lack scientific and cultural courage to adopt civil unions in Lebanon”.
"If the Ministry of Interior approves it, it would hence opened the door towards civil society and secularism in Lebanon,” Hamdan expressed.

The Western view of Lebanon: no longer a top priority
January 19, 2013/By Antoine Ghattas Saab/The Daily Star
Lebanon is living in a state of stability forced by international decisions that will continue even if Syria’s regime falls, a Western diplomat told The Daily Star. In the past, personal disputes and ever-growing grudges would have led different Lebanese factions to try and escalate the tense political and security situation. But international factors have limited the degree of unrest political actors can stir up within the country.
The diplomat argued that nationwide sectarian clashes were unlikely, as regional instability had removed third-party peace brokers such as Qatar – which brokered the Doha Agreement that prevented clashes around Lebanon from escalating into war in 2008. This diplomat, who regularly meets with Lebanese political leaders, expected the upcoming elections in June to dominate political discussions for the time being. Western states – including European countries, the United States and Russia – have advised Lebanon to proceed with the upcoming vote. He added that the Cabinet and Prime Minister Najib Mikati were vital to maintaining stability. Reasoning that Mikati would stay regardless of future upheaval because he had international and local support, the diplomat called the premier a guarantor of stability and continuity in Lebanon – two things Western diplomacy cannot afford to tamper with. The international community would not accept Lebanon entering a state of political vacuum, he said, as some parties could manipulate a ruling crisis to promote their plans to change the current political formula.
Atef Harb, secretary-general of the World Council of the Cedars Revolution, said the U.S. had recently avoided interfering directly in the internal affairs of other countries, especially Syria, which he described as a place of “shifting sands.” Harb also said there were indirect contacts between American government representatives and Iranian officials after Tehran requested the U.S. slow down discussions of its nuclear plans.
The secretary-genera lhas a wide span of relations with members of the U.S. congress and came to Lebanon to hold meetings with Lebanese officials. As for the Syrian situation, Harb relayed that American policy is built more than anything on information gathered from the Syrian battlefield.
The delay of American arms support has complicated the unification of Syrian opposition forces as well as the rise of fundamentalist groups in Syria, Harb said. He compared such groups to those that rose out of the Lebanese Civil War, during which militias with no clear purpose or principles became active. Harb added that the opposition fighters were unified against one thing: the ousting of President Bashar Assad. But they differ about everything else, an issue that has caused the Western world to curb support for the Syrian opposition. In the current state of international affairs, Russia benefits while U.S. and other international players hesitate, Harb explained. Iran, on the other hand, has attempted to support the Syrian regime by calling on Hezbollah to interfere alongside regime forces, and by forming a direct line of military supplies through the Iraqi and Syrian border.
Harb said Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria is an attempt to preserve the balance of power, currently tipped in its favor, in Lebanon. If Syrian opposition fighters – including fundamentalist groups – seize control of the border regions with Lebanon, an alliance could form between Syrian and Lebanese forces, some of which are already unified in the north and in some of the Bekaa regions, he said. By interfering in Syria, Hezbollah seeks to prevent any further such cooperation, which might well have an effect on Lebanon’s fragile internal politics. Finally, Harb added that Lebanon has slipped below other U.S. interests, namely Syria, Iran, preventing the Muslim brotherhood from spreading its wings too far and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Lebanon: Gunmen strike at Karami convoy, wound 11 people
January 19, 2013/By Misbah al-Ali, Antoine Amrieh/The Daily Star
TRIPOLI, Lebanon: Gunmen demanding the release of Islamist prisoners opened fire on Youth and Sports Minister Faisal Karami’s convoy in Tripoli Friday, wounding 11 people in an incident directly linked to rising tensions in north Lebanon over the bloody conflict in Syria. Karami, who was not harmed, initially described the attack as an attempt on his life while his father, former Prime Minister Omar Karami, said the incident was a “mistake.”
“I was a target of an assassination attempt when my convoy was attacked by gunmen and they were aiming at me,” Karami told The Daily Star. Later, the minister retracted his statement. “I don’t think I was personally targeted,” Karami told a local TV channel, adding that the assailants “did not know I would be passing in this area at this time.” One of Karami’s vehicles went up in flames after the attack, which was sparked by a dispute over traffic priority between the minister’s bodyguards and armed Islamists from Tripoli’s Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood, whose residents support the armed rebellion against Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Eleven people were wounded in the incident, including four of Karami’s bodyguards, security sources said.
The gunmen, some carrying assault rifles, were heading to Tripoli’s main Nour Square to stage a sit-in after Friday prayers in solidarity with the dozens of Fatah al-Islam inmates still waiting trial at Lebanon’s Roumieh prison, northeast of Beirut. As they approached the popular landmark, tension erupted between the protesters and Karami’s bodyguards as they drove through Azmi Street near Nour Square, triggering a shootout.
Karami was hauled out of his car by bodyguards, who clashed with the armed men. The protesters then tossed a grenade at the minister’s convoy, setting an SUV on fire. Following the incident, tight security was reinforced around Omar Karami’s offices in the city while the Army deployed heavily in Nour Square backed by armored vehicles. The sit-in was canceled.
Around 200 suspected Fatah al-Islam inmates allegedly involved in the 2007 battle with the Lebanese Army in the northern Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared are awaiting trial at Roumieh, Lebanon’s largest prison.
The attack on Karami’s convoy heightened tensions in Tripoli, which has been rocked in recent months by clashes between Assad’s supporters and opponents in Bab al-Tabaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhood.
However, Omar Karami, flanked by his son during a news conference in Tripoli, sought to play down the attack, saying the incident was a “mistake.”
“Today after this incident, we affirm that we do not hold any grudges against anyone or accuse anyone. We are certain that what happened was a mistake by the gunmen who were present at this location,” he said.
He added that no lawsuit would be filed in the case. “We affirm and insist that our choice remains within the logic of the state and we will not sue anyone or hold anyone responsible for this incident,” Karami said.
He voiced discomfort with the security situation in his home city, saying security forces could do more. “Security forces and the Army should take all the necessary measures to reassure people and reactivate the economy,” he added. The Lebanese Army said soldiers returned law and order in Tripoli following the shootout, “which damaged one of the convoy’s vehicles and wounded several members.”
An Army statement said that soldiers cordoned off the area around Nour Square and conducted patrols while setting up checkpoints across the northern city, adding that a search was under way to arrest the perpetrators.
Following the incident, Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for an emergency session of the Central Security Council in Tripoli.
Mikati, who met the Karamis, said the attack on the youth minister’s convoy was an attempt to sow strife in Tripoli: “A mere condemnation is not enough because God saved Tripoli from this dangerous crossroads.”
He warned of the increasingly tense situation in the northern city. “Arming [individuals] has reached an unprecedented and very dangerous level in the city,” he said.”Why were they [the protesters] carrying arms if they were heading to hold a sit-in?” Mikati asked
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, who chaired a meeting of the Central Security Council, called for Tripoli to be declared an arms-free city. He warned that strife in Tripoli might spread to all of Lebanon.
“The attack was not planned or premeditated,” Charbel told reporters. “The state and Tripoli’s politicians must meet and decide to declare the city free of arms ... It is not permissible for arms to be in the hands of people and be used so easily.”Although the Army has deployed in the area on several occasions following clashes between Assad’s supporters and opponents, Charbel said the “issue was bigger than the military, security forces and the Lebanese government.”“An arms-free Tripoli is a good example for all of Lebanon,” Charbel said. “What we fear most is for strife to start from this city to engulf all of Lebanon.”
A delegation of Tripoli’s Islamists visited Omar Karami to condemn the attack. The incident was condemned by politicians on both sides of the political divide. President Michel Sleiman, Mikati, Speaker Nabih Berri, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Cabinet ministers were among those who called Karami and his son to condemn the attack and congratulate the minister on his safety.
Hariri contacted Faisal Karami and condemned the attack as “a despicable attempt to drag Tripoli into instability again.”
“Hariri called on Tripoli’s residents and notables to be wary of such attempts, preserve national security and cooperate with the security and judicial authorities to fight such incidents and put an end to them,” said a statement released by the former prime minister’s office. Hezbollah’s deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem telephoned Omar Karami and his son on behalf of the party’s leader Sayyed Hasan Nasralalh to congratulate them on the youth minister’s safety after the attack.

Future Movement open to hybrid vote law
January 19, 2013/By Wassim Mroueh/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora expressed the willingness of the Future Movement to discuss a draft electoral law that combines proportional representation with a winner-takes-all system during a meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri Friday, said a source close to Berri. “Former Prime Minister Siniora expressed his party’s openness to discuss the draft law which the parliamentary subcommittee is currently studying,” said the source, describing the meeting between the two as positive. Siniora, who heads the Future parliamentary bloc, had lunch at Berri’s residence after the meeting. Future Movement MP Nuhad Mashnouq and Mohammad Shatah, an aide for Hariri, also attended the meeting. A source close to Siniora told The Daily Star the talks went well, although Berri and Siniora did not reach a consensus on a specific draft electoral law.
“The meeting was good, all proposed draft electoral laws were discussed, but no agreement was reached.”
Rival parties are currently deadlocked over which electoral law should be used in June’s parliamentary polls.
A parliamentary subcommittee representing various political groups will resume Monday to discuss a draft law proposed by Berri. It combines proportional representation and a winner-takes-all system.
The Lebanese Forces, Kataeb Party, Free Patriotic Movement, Marada Movement, Amal Movement and Hezbollah have voiced their support for a draft law proposed by the Orthodox Gathering. It stipulates that every sect elect its own MPs under a proportional representation system and represents Lebanon as a single district. The Christian parties argue that the proposal allows Christians to elect all of their 64 MPs in a representative manner unlike in the current situation.
But the Future Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party oppose the law on the grounds that it enhances sectarian sentiment, and have called for adopting a winner-takes-all system.
President Michel Sleiman said that his reason for supporting changes to the 1960 law, on which the 2009 elections were based, is that it led to polarization between factions and to some sects being dominated by one party.
“Our goal is to have a better law that is similar to our pluralistic democracy for which we are distinguished, one that leads to the realignment of political blocs not based on sects and ends hegemony in some sects,” he said, addressing members of the Lebanese Army at a base he visited in Tyre.
In an indirect reference to the Orthodox proposal, Sleiman said that Lebanon should not have an electoral law that fosters extremism in sects.
“It is better to have a pluralistic law which reflects the national unity for which we were distinguished since our independence,” he said.
Shatah said the sectarian concerns of some groups were legitimate, but added that some parties were exaggerating the dispute for political gains.
Speaking to the Central News Agency, he added that these legitimate concerns should be addressed in depth. “We proposed establishing a senate [in which sects are represented] to address the concerns of sects,” he said.
Separately, the LF parliamentary bloc said it would continues to honor its alliance with the Future Movement despite differences over the electoral law. “The bloc highlights the solidity of the March 14 alliance that continues to represent a patriotic orientation based on the historical act of the Lebanese people in 2005 for the sake of freedom, sovereignty and independence,” LF said in a statement.
“Thus, and regardless of differences over the electoral law, the Lebanese Forces adheres to the most to its solid alliance with sovereign groups, with the Future Movement in the forefront,” the bloc added.
It said that the Orthodox proposal was supported by the majority of groups represented in the subcommittee. The bloc said it was still open to discuss any alternative draft law that enjoys the support of most Lebanese parties and provides fair representation in line with coexistence.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy reiterated calls for Lebanon to hold parliamentary elections on time, saying it was the Lebanese who should decide which law should govern the polls.
“Lebanon will decide under which law elections are held; U.S. encourages mechanism that ensures free, fair and transparent elections,” the U.S. Embassy tweeted. “U.S. renews its call for Lebanon to uphold democratic principles and hold elections on time.” United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly also highlighted the importance of holding parliamentary elections on time after visiting Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai at Bkirki. “I welcomed the resumption of active discussions on the electoral law and the Patriarch’s support for this political process and the importance of holding the elections on time in line with Lebanon’s constitutional requirements,” he said. “It is important that Lebanon remain a model for democracy and for a genuine and vital political life in the region.”

Executed Sri Lankan maid's mother refuses Saudi money
January 18, 2013/Daily Star /COLOMBO: The mother of a Sri Lankan maid beheaded in Saudi Arabia for murder has rejected offers of cash from Saudi well-wishers following an outcry over the execution, a local newspaper said Friday. "I will not accept any gifts from the Saudis or the Saudi government which murdered my daughter," Rizana Nafeek's mother, Saiyadu Farina, told the Lankadeepa newspaper according to an excerpt of an interview on its website Friday. Sri Lankan newspapers say she has received cash offers exceeding two million rupees ($16,000) following the execution which was carried out on January 9 in the Saudi capital Riyadh despite repeated appeals for clemency. The local Daily Mirror said earlier this week that an advisor to the Saudi royal family had offered 1.0 million dollars to the family out of his own pocket during a visit to Sri Lanka last week.
The impoverished family lives in a make-shift home in the eastern village of Muttur. Nafeek had falsified her age and gone to Saudi Arabia as a maid to earn money to build a proper house for her family, according to family associates. President Mahinda Rajapakse who had pleaded on behalf of the maid denounced the execution and recalled Sri Lanka's ambassador to Riyadh in protest. Nafeek was found guilty of smothering an infant in her care after an argument with the child's mother in 2005 when she was 17 years old, the Saudi interior ministry has said. Human Rights Watch said Nafeek had retracted "a confession" that she said was made under duress. She said the baby died in a choking accident while drinking from a bottle. The US and the United nations led international condemnation of the Saudi authorities over the execution.

Beirut refugee conference marred by snags
January 19, 2013/By Meris Lutz/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: A major conference for Syrian refugees in Lebanon organized by Islamic charity groups Friday faced difficulties after two high-profile speakers failed to attend and multiple guests either dropped out or were replaced.
The general disorganization that marred the conference’s opening mirrored the ad-hoc approach and fragmentation that has hindered aid efforts so far. Multiple speakers advocated for the creation of refugee camps, which the Lebanese government has so far rejected. The conference, which was held at the Coral Suites al-Hamra hotel in Hamra, was organized by the Union of Aid Organizations for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon under the auspices of the Saudi Arabia-based World Assembly of Muslim Youth and the International Islamic Charity Commission in Kuwait. Conference organizers had billed MP Bahia Hariri and Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour as opening speakers, but Hariri sent a representative in her place and Abu Faour’s absence was never addressed. Of the seven speakers listed on the program, five, including Abu Faour and Hariri, were either missing or replaced. Additional speakers were added at the last minute with little or no introduction. According to a source who attended the opening, many of the international organizations, whose names appeared in the earlier version of the circulated program, were not actually contacted prior to having their names included on the agenda. Similarly, the conference was advertised as being under the auspices of the social affairs minister, who was neither present nor represented by anyone from his ministry. Nasser Hammoud, Hariri’s representative who spoke in her place, praised government and civil society efforts to address the refugee crisis, but added that with the continuation of the crisis these efforts were simply not enough to meet the needs of the growing refugee population.
He also came out against the “deportation” of Syrians from Lebanon, in what appeared to be a veiled insult aimed at Energy Minister Gibran Bassil, who has come under fire for comments suggesting the flow of refugees should be controlled. Hammoud went on to say that the creation of refugee camps on the Lebanese side of the border would make the distribution of aid and services easier.
MP Imad al-Hout supported the proposal and said the creation of such camps would result in lower administrative costs and more money going towards direct assistance for refugees.
One approach is merely a semantic switch, which has already gone into affect with the creation of an informal camp in the Bekaa town of Al-Marj, a strategy that appears to be gaining ground among certain factions.
“We set up a refuge center but we called it a welcome center instead of a camp,” said Abdel-Karim al-Moussa, who spoke on behalf of the Saudi International Relief Organization, adding that the organization was planning to open more of these centers. Several speakers appeared to be laying the groundwork for a much larger donor conference to be held in Kuwait on Jan. 30.

Assadization: A Political Cancer
By Hussein Shabokshi/Asharq Alawsat
We are still witnessing the repercussions of the criminal assault undertaken by Bashar al-Assad’s forces - with “MiG” aircraft - on the University of Aleppo campus. This assault, which left more than 200 dead, is a scene from a new chapter of death and terror that the al-Assad regime is carrying out against its people.
The series of killings, destruction and sabotage continues in Syria by all means, methods and techniques. Aleppo has been subjected to an organized campaign of genocide against all civil and cultural symbols. The old city market, bearing its beautiful Mamluk and Ottoman legacy, which was considered one of the largest and most famous indoor markets in history, suffered a massive fire that burned down its historic stalls as a result of the regime’s bombardment. The same happened to the Great Umayyad Mosque in the city, which was burned, looted and destroyed deliberately, and of course to the city’s most famous symbol, the majestic and historic Citadel of Aleppo.
Today we see the regime attacking and destroying the University of Aleppo, one of the most important and prestigious Arab academic establishments. The historic university was an institution long before Syria was contaminated by the regimes of Hafez and Bashar al-Assad and the Baath party. The targeting of the University of Aleppo and the prestigious College of Architecture was intended to send an implicit message, but it was very clearly directed towards anyone who wants to rebuild Syria in the future. The al-Assad regime is not only destroying the country, it is also seeking to destroy anyone who thinks of rebuilding it in the future.
Political scientists, analysts and those following current affairs warned of the gravity of the situation inside Syria and their strong fear of it worsening. They described the situation as akin to “Somalization”, “Lebanonization” or “Iraqization”, in reference to the deteriorating conditions various Arab countries have suffered, having been ravaged by fragmentation and ugly scenes of infighting, with opposing sides and warring factions. Countries like Somalia, Lebanon and Iraq are frightening examples of state collapse and civil war, and the high price of both. However, what is happening in Syria today is a separate phenomenon that will go down in political history and be analyzed for years to come; a phenomenon we can call “Assadization”. Assadization is the practice of committing genocide against your own people whom you are supposed to govern, promoting the idea that the world is conspiring against you because you advocate the principles of “resistance” and “opposition”, and repeating this idea again and again to try to convince the public into fear and submission.
In the future, Assadization will be a political case study that is carefully considered. Psychologists will meet to discuss it in order to come to terms with the panic and fear that the regime instilled in the hearts of the people over decades, through humiliation, degradation and intimidation. Likewise, sociologists will meet to study how the regime could exist with all its malevolent layers, one on top of the other; full of suspicious and conniving personalities. Economists will debate how the regime could eliminate the virtues of enterprise and courage that the Syrian economy was traditionally known for, forcing entrepreneurs and businessmen to leave the country, and then plunging Syria into massive debt through a farcical series of economic failures and experiments that exhausted the country and its people.
The phenomenon is still ongoing in all its forms, and Assadization will continue until the last moment. The regime, which came to power via a Trojan horse of lies, is no longer convinced of the slogans of Arabism, resistance, socialism and unity that it used to raise; whilst in reality it is practicing the exact opposite in an ongoing and sustained manner. Today, as the regime confronts “its people” in a battle for survival and salvation, there is no longer any room for shame, not even for lies, for the mask has fallen completely and al-Assad’s true face has been revealed.
Bashar al-Assad came to power via the Syrian People's Assembly in something akin to a masquerade ball. He quickly amended the constitution to suit his own interests and then in a satirical comic scene tried to convince the world that he was “democratically” elected. It is worth noting that Bashar was not his father Hafez’s first choice, but after the death of his older son Basil al-Assad in a mysterious car accident, Bashar was portrayed to the people with kind expressions such as “the beloved doctor” and “a man who understands the internet”. These slogans were used to distract the people from the continuing series of Assadization that has brought the great land of Syria to the sad state of affairs we see today.
The hope inside people has died, and suspicion and fear among them has been born in its place, stripping them of their dignity and freedom. The world has betrayed the Syrian rebels and has failed to provide the Free Syrian Army with weapons or information. It intervened in Mali immediately to salvage the situation there, whilst Syria and its people have been calling out for more than two years. This is shameful political hypocrisy.
Assadization is a political cancer that has plagued the Arab world and we must get rid of it. Al-Assad is only surpassed in his crimes by those who continue to support and justify him.

Iran: The "Fatwa" and Obama's Creative Diplomacy
By Amir Taheri/Asharq Alawsat
For decades, the dream, of making a deal with Iran has nurtured a veritable industry in the United States. Like other industries, this has been subjected to cyclical change, booming at times and suffering bust at others.
Since President Barack Obama’s re-election, the “talk to Iran” industry has experienced an unprecedented boom. Obama’s second administration looks as if it is designed to cajole the mullahs into a fresh attempt at deal-making. Obama’s choices of a new Secretary of State, Secretary of Defence, National Security Advisor and CIA chief show that Tehran could not have hoped for a more sympathetic team in Washington.
The “talk to Iran’ lobby uses some old clichés. “Talking is better than fighting” we are told. Also, it is “better to be a trouble-shooter than a trouble-maker”. And who could disagree? Because deal-making is part of their culture Americans admire politicians who can end conflicts with a compromise. Thus, appeasement marketed as creative diplomacy has generated what the American establishment knows as “the realistic school of foreign policy.”
That “school” is founded on a number of assumptions.
The first is that conflicts among nations are exclusively caused by divergent material interests.
Countries compete over access to raw materials, markets, and, in the old days, colonies. They may have territorial claims or harbour irredentist dreams against one another. They may also have security concerns about trade routes and/or treatment of ethnic kith-and-kin in other countries.
Remarkably Marxian in nature, that analysis puts material differences at the root of human conflicts, implicitly ruling out the possibility of existential threats caused by ideological differences.
That leads to a second assumption: differences cam be narrowed down to one or two “concrete” issues.
Successive US administrations narrowed down the conflict with the Soviet Union to the issue of arms control and, over decades, made several deals with Moscow.
Few noticed the absurdity of the exercise. We were told that nuclear weapons prevented war because of the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) principle. “Nuclear weapons are an instrument for peace,” President John Kennedy’s Defence Secretary Robert McNamara claimed. If that were the case, why would anyone want to reduce the effectiveness of an “instrument for peace”?
In three decades of “creative diplomacy” the US and the USSR reduced their capacities for destroying the earth with nuclear weapons from 40 times to just 22 times!
Meanwhile the Soviet Union continued its expansionist strategy and remained an existential threat to the United States.
In the 1970s, the USSR reached the peak of its global influence, ironically, with financial support from the United States.
In the end, it was only when Russia stopped being the Soviet Union that it ceased being an existential threat to the US and its allies.
Obama’s appeasement squad seems to be heading towards repeating the mistakes of the “realistic school.”
It is trying to reduce issues of conflict with Iran to a single one: Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
It then reduces that issue further by narrowing it down to Iran’s right to enrich uranium.
That is then narrowed down further to Iran’s right to enrich uranium up to 20 per cent. The final narrowing down would let Iran do pretty much what it pleases under “international supervision”.
But what guarantee is there that the Islamic Republic would not continue a clandestine programme?
According to Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman for the Islamic Republic’s foreign ministry, Tehran proposes to submit a “fatwa” from “Supreme Guide” Ali Khameneni to the United Nations as a guarantee for its commitment not to “develop, test or deploy” nuclear weapons.
Supposing it exists, the “fatwa” does not legally commit the Islamic Republic to anything. Nor could it have any effect in accordance with international law. In 1989, when the late Ayatollah Khomeini issued his “fatwa” for the murder of British novelist Salman Rushdie, successive Tehran officials publicly described it as a religious “opinion” that did not commit the Iranian government.
At that time, Khamenei was President of the Islamic Republic. On a state visit to Belgrade he told a press conference that Khomeini’s “fatwa” concerned “all Muslims throughout the world” but could not be regarded as “the official position of the Islamic Republic.”
Even inside Iran the “fatwa” has no legal authority. Though the highest political authority in the regime, Khamenei lacks the theological status of a “Marja’a al-Taqlid” (Source of Emulation).
A “fatwa” is a religious opinion issued in response to a question put to a “marj’aa”. It must not be confused with a papal bull.
To become legally binding any “fatwa” by Khamenei must go through the constitutional process of legislation, verification and final assent.
However, even if all of that is done, there is no guarantee that Khamenei would not issue another “fatwa” later to cancel the previous one. A regime that violates its own constitution on a daily basis would have little difficulty deceiving the “Infidel” by issuing “fatwas” to buy time. The practice acquires some theological sanctions through the principle of “taqiyah” or dissimulation to deceive an “Infidel” foe.
No doubt Obama thinks that he is a genius and can succeed where five US presidents before him have failed. Obama may be a genius in the American context if only because he has persuaded more than 60 million Americans to vote for him on two occasions. However, when it comes to dealing with mullahs he might fall victim to hubris. Signs indicate that the mullahs are preparing to lead Obama up the same garden path as followed by his predecessors.

Saudi–US sign "Trusted Traveler' accord
By Mohamed al-Bishi and Hiba Al-Qudsi.
London/Washington, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia and the United States signed an agreement for a "Trusted traveler" program on Thursday in Washington D.C., reaffirming the strong bond between the two countries. The agreement was signed by Saudi Interior Minister Prince Mohammed Bin Naif and US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. This program is expected to further facilitate travel and boost trade between the US and Saudi Arabia. In a joint statement, the Saudi Interior Ministry (MOI) and US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said "The trusted traveler programs will facilitate trade and travel between Saudi Arabia and the United States and will help authorities from the MOI and DHS more effectively identity potential threats to keep their borders and countries secure."
US Customs and Border Protection's trusted traveler program, Global Entry, allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers on arrival in the US. This allows customs authorities to focus on those travelers they know less about in order to more effectively identity potential threats For his part, Saudi Cultural Attaché to Washington D.C., Dr. Mohamed Al-Eisa, informed Asharq Al-Awsat that this agreement—along with all other agreements signed by Interior Minister Prince Mohammed Bin Naif during his visit to America—will undoubtedly contribute to advancing relations between the two countries. He added that the trusted traveler programs will facilitate travel between the two countries, emphasizing that this will be very important for Saudi scholarship students in the US.
He said, "There is great anticipation regarding the results of the Saudi Interior Minister's visit to Washington. Prince Mohammed Bin Naif is a figure who is well known and widely respected by US officials."
The number of Saudi tourists visiting the US has witnessed a steady increase over the past three years. One hundred thousand Saudi nationals visited the US in 2011, whereas this figure stood at 180,000 in 2012. This increase is largely attributed to the presence of some seventy thousand Saudi scholarship students in the US. Saudi students reportedly make up the 6th largest demographic of foreign studies in the US.
Speaking at the signing of the agreement, Janet Napolitano said, "I am proud of the bond between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and today's meeting marks another major step forward in our partnership. By enhancing collaboration with the Government of Saudi Arabia, we reaffirm our commitment to more effectively secure our two countries against evolving threats while facilitating trade and travel."
The joint MOI-DHS statement also noted "emerging cooperation on cybersecurity." The statement read, "MOI and DHS have a mutual interest in partnering to protect critical vital government and private sector infrastructure of bi-national importance, and to make cyberspace more secure for citizens of both countries" adding "given the significance of each nation in the global economy, this partnership also contributes to global security."

Question: "How should a Christian view gun control?"
GotQuestions.org/ Answer: The recent shootings across the United States have caused much heartache. The senseless and tragic incidents have also renewed the intensity of discussion regarding American gun laws. Politicians, sportsmen, and theologians have all weighed in on the issue of gun control. Guns are readily available in the U.S., and ownership is protected by the Constitution. How should a Christian view gun control? What does the Bible have to say that would apply to gun control?
The Bible was written long before the invention of any type of gun, so the phrase “gun control” will not be found in Scripture. However, the Bible records many accounts of wars, battles, and the use of weapons. Warfare is presented as an inevitable part of living in a fallen world (Mark 13:7; James 4:1), and weaponry is a necessary part of warfare. Weapons in the Bible were also used for personal protection. In some parts of Israel, robbers were common (see Luke 10:30), and many people carried weapons when they traveled. Carrying a weapon for self-defense is never condemned in the Bible. In fact, it was mentioned in a positive light by Jesus Himself on one occasion (Luke 22:35-38).
Christians are called to submit to governing authorities, and they are to obey the laws of the land (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17). This would have to apply to gun laws, too. If American gun laws change, American Christians should submit to these changes and work through democratic means toward any desired alternatives. The Bible does not forbid the possession of weapons, and neither does it command such possession. Laws may come and go, but the goal of the believer in Jesus Christ remains the same: to glorify the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Another biblical principle to consider is that “all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Jesus said this to Peter when Peter tried to mount an imprudent “defense” of Jesus against the mob that had come to arrest Him. Peter’s actions were not only futile against such a “large crowd armed with swords and clubs” (verse 47), but his rash behavior also belied Jesus’ submissive attitude (verse 50) and worked against the fulfillment of Scripture (verse 54). There is “a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:8), and Peter confused the two.
Christianity supports personal freedom. Romans 14:1-4 indicates that, when Scripture does not clearly address a particular issue, there is freedom for individual choice. America has historically embraced the concept of personal freedom that resonates with this principle, and the founding documents guarantee wide freedoms regarding firearms. Some point to Matthew 5:9, in which Jesus pronounces a blessing on the peacemakers, and apply it to the issue of gun control. The idea is that guns are antithetical to peace. This may be more of a philosophical or political idea than a theological one, however. There is nothing theologically, or even logically, that links guns to a lack of peace; sometimes, guns help maintain civil peace.
Debates over whether to control guns or how much to control them depend largely on political and philosophical arguments, not moral ones. This is not to say that there is no moral component to the issue. Obviously, the gun itself is amoral, an object that can be used for good or for evil. More important is the morality of the person wielding the gun, and that is too often the missing consideration in the gun control argument. The fact that some sinners use guns to commit sin does not mean guns are the problem. Sin is the problem, and that’s a moral and spiritual issue. Since the very beginning of humanity, people have been killing other people, with and without weapons (see Genesis 4). Taking a certain weapon out of circulation might make murder more difficult but by no means impossible.
As far as the Bible is concerned, the use of guns is a matter of personal conviction. There is nothing unspiritual about owning a gun or knowing how to use one. There is nothing wrong with protecting oneself or loved ones, even if it involves the use of weapons. We need not pretend there is never a need for guns, but pointing a gun at a person should always be a last resort. We should seek to neutralize threats without violence whenever possible.
So, how should a Christian view gun control? With the authority God has entrusted to it, the government has the right to allow or disallow gun ownership to whatever degree it deems right. We, as citizens, are called to submit to whatever gun control laws the government institutes. This is not, however, a statement on the wisdom of gun control. There are good reasons to allow law-abiding citizens to own guns. Ultimately, guns are not the problem. Sinful people are the problem.

Baird Sets Tone of Cooperation for President Obama’s Second Term
January 18, 2013 - Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced today that he will travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in events related to the presidential inauguration.
While in Washington, Baird will also meet with U.S. political leaders, U.S.-based ambassadors accredited to Canada and other leading players in the Canada-U.S. relationship.
“The Canada-U.S. relationship is the most successful partnership between two countries ever,” said Baird. “It continues to produce benefits—concrete and intangible—for people in both countries and is a model for the world.
“Our government looks forward to continuing to work closely with the U.S. to generate jobs and growth, and to increase trade and investment flows between our two countries.
“Canada is not immune to global challenges from beyond our borders. That’s why our government will continue to work with the United States on key initiatives like the Beyond the Border Action Plan, the Detroit International Crossing, the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
“We will continue to engage constructively with the Obama administration as we look to create more jobs, hope and opportunity in our two countries.”
U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration will take place on January 21, 2013.