Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians /5/01-10: "For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.  For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven;  if so be that being clothed we will not be found naked.  For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.  Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.  Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;  for we walk by faith, not by sight.  We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.  Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.  For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 

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Presidency: Baabda Declaration Does not Deal with Resistance Arms
Naharnet /An agreement reached among the country's rival leaders last year to steer Lebanon clear of the region's crises did not deal with the resistance's arms but should have paved way for the discussion of the national defense strategy, said a Baabda Palace statement on Thursday.
The rival leaders from the March 8 and March 14 alliances affirmed on June 11, 2012 commitment to the Taef Accord and agreed to keep Lebanon away from the policy of regional and international conflicts to spare it the negative repercussions of the regional crises.
Their agreement became known as the Baabda Declaration, which Thursday's presidential statement said was affirmed by three consecutive sessions.
“The Baabda Declaration did not include any text on the resistance and its arms and did not suggest ways to benefit from the resistance's capabilities,” said the statement read by Retired Brig. Gen. Bassam Yehia, the coordinator of the national dialogue committee.
“Such concepts came as part of the president's proposal of his vision on the defense strategy during a national dialogue session on Sept. 20, 2012,” he said.
During that session, the rival leaders considered the document “a mean to pave way for the agreement on the national defense strategy,” he said.
The statement said the declaration is closely linked to the national dialogue in addition to being officially adopted by the U.N. and Arab League.
The document forms a “unifying political framework” to exert efforts to defend the nation's sovereignty and draws a path to benefit from the country's capabilities to confront Israel, it added.
The explanatory statement came after both the March 8 and 14 alliances made different interpretations of the document.

ef had been given the option of converting to Islam, but had refused.  "Jesus didn't come to save him," he taunted.

All options open
September 12, 2013/The Daily Star
After nearly three weeks of geopolitical tensions following the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian war, U.S. President Barack Obama took to the airwaves Tuesday evening to declare the latest steps to be taken by his administration: postponing a congressional vote on a U.S. military response, and discussing a Russian initiative to end the crisis by seeing Damascus give up its control over its chemical weapons stockpiles.
In the past, some have praised Obama’s oratorical skills and ability to run an election campaign, while criticizing his performance once he trades the job of candidate for government official. After his speech Tuesday, however, many people have been busy criticizing both sides of Obama. As an orator and a politician, the U.S. president failed to inspire much confidence as he gave a puzzling, 15-minute address that sent the momentum of the Syrian war spiraling into a completely new direction. For weeks and months, there has been rising speculation and hope that Washington was grudgingly coming around to the idea that the U.S. and other Western powers should do more to provide material support to the Syrian rebels. In the days after the Aug. 21 chemical attack, which was likely carried out by the Syrian regime, Obama’s White House stated gravely that a U.S. military strike on Syrian targets was imminent – the announcement itself was powerful enough to shake up both the ranks of the rebels, and the regime, which has reportedly been busy relocating its assets, personnel and political detainees in anticipation of the strike. But Tuesday, Obama’s speech appeared to reduce the entire Syrian crisis into a chemical weapons issue, causing even further dismay in the ranks of the opposition to Syrian President Bashar Assad.
While removing such lethal weapons is certainly a plus for the world, in political and technical terms, this diplomatic solution could turn out to be a resounding failure if the whole process becomes bogged down by technicalities and stalling by Damascus.This is certainly a possibility, considering the dynamics of the actors involved. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been steadfast in his support of the Syrian regime. This nearly unconditional support is likely to continue despite any efforts by Assad to delay or undermine the handing over and destruction of his chemical weapons.
In contrast, Obama has lacked such surety on the Syrian conflict. His administration has clearly said “Assad must go” but has seemed unwilling or unable to do anything to support that position.
Obama must maintain his resolve and stand by his insistence that Assad’s weapon be destroyed as the days turns into weeks in the negotiation and implementation of the deal. The threat of a military strike must remain real, visible and certain until Assad disarms. And once that happens, then Obama must apply the same forcefulnessto tackle the larger problem – the hundreds of Syrian being killed each day by conventional weapons.

Israel says will act if WMDs transferred to Hezbollah
As global community tries to prevent Syria attack by negotiating surrender of country's chemical arms, Israel says in favor of diplomatic solution, yet watches warily from side
Atilla Shmolfavi Published: 09.12.13/ynetnews
As the international community tries to reach an understanding regarding Syrian chemical disarmament, Israel closely monitors the actions of President Bashar Assad. Officials made clear Wednesday night that Israel has not withdrawn, and the red lines it set in reference to Assad have not changed. In other words, Jerusalem clarified, if the Syrian president tries to deliver chemical weapons, or weapons that tip the scales in favor of Hezbollah, Israel will act to prevent their transfer. Our red lines have not changed," said an Israeli official. "Assad should understand already that he should not play around with us on this issue. Our policy has not changed, despite what is happening in the international arena. If something looks to us like an unusual step, it will be dealt with." These words were spoken even as the international effort to reach an agreement went up a level – Wednesday night five members of the UN Security Council were expected to meet to further discuss solving the Syrian crisis.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon hinted in speeches given in recent days that Israel has red lines, but declined to elaborate. Now, given the international community's efforts to dismantle the non-conventional weapons Assad has collected, Jerusalem emphasized that Israel reserved the right to respond to any attempt to arm Hezbollah with weapons of the sort. According to foreign reports, the IDF carried out operations in Syria several times, hitting shipments of weapons that could have been transferred to the Lebanese terrorist organization and endanger Israel. Jerusalem views events on the Syrian front with a discerning eye and cautious optimism, as it also does when considering the attitude of the US towards Iran. "We must see what happens in the end," said an Israeli official, "but it is clear our stance is that a loaded gun must be placed on the table in the form of a real military threat, and this is the appropriate position to take. Once Assad and the Russians realized that the United States was serious, they led the diplomatic process. This policy holds true for Iran's future as well."
Even President Shimon Peres said that he believed the current diplomatic efforts to be a better option than a military attack, provided that they lead to the dismantling of chemical weapons Syria.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a jab at US President Barack Obama in comments he made on Wednesday night, emphasizing his position that Israel cannot trust anyone on security issues.
To naval officers at a graduation ceremony in Haifa, Netanyahu said, "These days, perhaps more than ever, the main rule that guides me in my actions as prime minister and on which I am very particular, is: If I am not for myself, who will be? If we are not for ourselves, who will be? We are for ourselves." Hours later, Ya'alon re-emphasized the same principle, during a ceremony at the Latrun Armored Corps Memorial, "In the fog that covers the Middle East, we must understand that we need to rely only on ourselves.”The five member states – the US, France, Britain, Russia and China – were supposed to meet Wednesday to consider the French ultimatum draft resolution on Syria’s chemical weapons, but the meeting was canceled because Russia opposed the proposal. US lawmakers said if diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria according to the Russian program failed, the Senate vote on a military strike in Syria would take place next week. US President Barack Obama canceled the Senate vote that was supposed to take place this week, in order to allow time to examine the Russian proposal to dismantle Syria’s chemical arms, without military action.

Israeli Defense Minister,Ya'alon: We can rely only on ourselves
At memorial ceremony for fallen Armored Corps soldiers, defense minister says Israel 'mustn't ignore warning signals from Yom Kippur war'
Yoav Zitun Published: 09.11.13, 22:30 /Ynetnews
"In the fog that is covering the Middle East, we must realize that we can count only on ourselves and build an army that will deter any enemy," Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Wednesday after Russia reportedly gave the United States its plan for placing Syria's chemical weapons arsenal under international control. Speaking at a memorial ceremony for fallen Armored Corps soldiers in Latrun, Ya'alon said: "We must keep in mind that our greatest enemy is arrogance, haughtiness and oppression of thought. We mustn't follow our desires blindly after the warning signals that flickered from the Yom Kippur War." During the war in 1973, Ya'alon served as a first sergeant in a paratroopers' unit that fought on the Sinai front. He joined the reserve forces with the outbreak of the war, passed the officers' course and went on to become IDF chief of staff. Earlier, Ya'alon spoke at a naval officer's graduation ceremony in Haifa. "We do not know how the free world will act in response to the massacres in Syria," he said. "We are following the developments with responsibility, level-headedness and the awareness that we must trust ourselves – our strength and our deterrence capability," Ya'alon added. "We live in a reality in which instability is the only stable thing in the stormy waters of the Middle East."

Dear lion,’ ‘Cruel Pharaoh’: Assad's 48th birthday greetings
September 11th is Syrian dictator’s birthday; opposition's Facebook pages mention date, heap on a variety of insults, curses: ‘It should be his last birthday.’ On other hand, gets thousands of likes from supporters. Syrian social media at war /Roi Kais Published: 09.11.13, 23:48 /Ynetnews
Together with the relief from putting off the US attack on Syria, and in light of discussion surrounding the Russian initiative to resolve the chemical weapons conflict diplomatically, on Wednesday, Bashar Assad celebrated a more joyous occasion – his 48th birthday. And like his country embroiled in a civil war, Syria's virtual space is divided into supporters and opponents of the president. Thousands of Syrian citizens showered him with best wishes, while those affiliated with the opposition take the opportunity to ‘congratulate’ him in other other ways. One of the major Facebook pages identified with the opposition since the beginning of the uprising posted on Wednesday, "On this day was born 'Nero the Czar of Syria,’ they compare him to the cruel Roman emperor who ruled in the first century AD. "Bashar, son of Anisa and Hafez, Allah curse them. He was born to destroy Syria and murder thousands of children and innocents. We say to him on this miserable anniversary: every year a million curses upon you, you and your parents, and know that our revolution will triumph sooner or later and you will not escape punishment."Alongside the text, a caricature is posted, which shows Assad's aides wishing him good luck. He himself is sitting on a chair with a knife threatening to cut the birthday cake which oozes blood, with smoke rising from the candles, symbolizing the situation of Syria today. On the Facebook page of opposition in the city of Hama, it read, "On this day is the birthday of the dictator of Syria, Bashar Assad. That god will make it the last birthday in his life, and that god will make his end worse than that of Pharaoh, worse than that of Gaddafi and worse than that of the most brutal dictators in the history of history." But Syria is not the only country in the Arab world which referred to the birthday. Already in August, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masri Al-Yom published a caustic article in recognition of the occasion. The headline read, "Next birthday for Assad ... not happy." The article stated, "For the first time, Assad reaches September 11th without blowing out the candles, because the gift that comes to mind is coming to him by way of the Americans. And with the gift, his ears will ring due to the noise that will come on the backs of the missiles and the bombs by air and by sea, instead of celebratory fireworks."But as befits a tyrant, the media and social networks in Syria are also full of greetings and flattery. Also, AFP quoted citizens who claimed they were going to participate in a mass celebration parade marking Assad’s birthday, from the sports complex in the Al-Maza neighborhood, to Al-Thawra street in the center of Damascus.
The website Dams Post, affiliated with the regime, reported, "Thousands of Syrians are sending greetings to social networking pages that support him." The site made sure to put out jabs at other Arab countries, "Unlike kings and presidents in Arab countries, Assad did not make an official state holiday out of his birthday. This is why only a few Syrians know that it is his birthday."
Till 100, Assad On the Facebook page promoting the campaign for Assad’s 2014 ‘candidacy’ for president, which has more than 50,000 likes, it was posted Wednesday morning, "Today is the birthday of our Assad. Everyone congratulates him.”“Till 100, our Assad." In the flattering picture underneath, Assad appears with the words, “Happy new year, dear man."
The congratulatory message got thousands of likes, and positive comments, "Until 1000 to the lion of Syria," one female surfer wrote. Another added, "Allah will protect you, our Assad." Another posted, "Today is the day of Bashar Assad. Wishing that every year, you defeat the enemies and every year, you will be a world leader."On another page identified with the regime called "We are all Syria's Assad," was posted to mark the occasion, "Mr. President, on your birthday, we congratulate ourselves that you are our leader. We congratulate our army because you are its commander."

Netanyahu Says Syria Must Be Stripped of Its Chemical Weapons
Wednesday, 11 Sep 2013/Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Syria must be stripped of its chemical weapons and that the international community must make sure those who used weapons of mass destruction pay a price. Urgent: Should U.S. Strike Syria?Netanyahu said Syria had carried out a "crime against humanity" by killing innocent civilians with chemical weapons and that Syria's ally Iran, who is at odds with the West over its nuclear program, was watching to see how the world acted. "It must be ensured that the Syrian regime is stripped of its chemical weapons, and the world must make sure that whoever uses weapons of mass destruction pays a price for it," Netanyahu said. "The message that is received in Syria will be received loudly in Iran."© 2013 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.

Netanyahu: Iran 'watching closely' to see if world dismantles Syrian chemical weapons
By HERB KEINON 09/11/2013/J.Post/The Russian-brokered proposal to disarm Syria of its chemical weapons is an acceptable option if fully implemented, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu indicated on Wednesday in his first comments on the situation in the north. Speaking at a naval ceremony in Haifa, Netanyahu said that dozens and sometimes hundreds of innocent people were being killed on a daily basis just across Israel’s border. Some of them were murdered by chemical weapons,” he said. “That is a horrible crime, a crime against humanity. Now what needs to be ensured is that the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons will be dismantled and the world will ensure that anyone who uses weapons of mass destruction will pay a price. “The message Syria receives will resonate very strongly in Iran,” he stressed.
Netanyahu repeated what he had said on August 25, regarding Syria’s use of chemical weapons, that he was being guided by the first half of the sage Hillel’s ancient maxim: “If I am not for me, who will be?” Netanyahu said the practical translation of that adage these days is that Israel must always be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat. He cited comments US President Barack Obama had made regarding Israel’s ability to “defend itself with overwhelming force” during his speech on Syria on Tuesday. “That is correct,” Netanyahu affirmed, “and that is the foundation of our security.”
Obama, during his speech, downplayed Assad’s ability to retaliate against any US military action, saying “any other retaliation they might seek is in line with threats that we face every day.”
Obama added that Assad did not have any interest in an escalation that would lead to his demise. “And our ally Israel can defend itself with overwhelming force, as well as the unshakable support of the United States of America,” he affirmed. Jerusalem received that statement in a positive light, interpreting it as a sign that the US would support strong Israeli action against Assad if he responded to an American attack by striking out at Israel.
In a related development, Israeli officials would not comment on a report in Russian business daily Kommersant that Moscow intended to offer to supply Iran with five S-300 ground-to-air missile defense systems.
Russia signed a contract with Iran to supply them with the system in 2007 but cancelled the contract in 2010, after coming under intensive US and Israeli pressure not to go ahead with the sale.
According to Kommersant,the version of the weapons system to be offered would be a modified, less advanced model of the S-300. Russia has also agreed to construct a second nuclear reactor at Bushehr, the paper said, adding that these are among the issues that Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to discuss with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Friday during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan.

US declares victory with Russian plan on Syrian chemical arms
By MICHAEL WILNER, MAYA SHWAYDER JERUSALEM POST
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK – The Obama administration on Wednesday declared that the credible threat of force against Syria led its embattled leader, Bashar Assad, to renounce his chemical arsenal after decades of denying its existence. On Monday, Russia proposed that Syria cede control of its chemical weapons program to international monitors so it can be destroyed.Syrian leaders accepted the deal, saying their government would identify its chemical sites and sign the Chemical Weapons Convention.“It’s too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, and any agreement must verify that the Assad regime keeps its commitments,” President Barack Obama said in an address to his nation on Tuesday night. “But this initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use of force, particularly because Russia is one of Assad’s strongest allies.”
The deal is on the table, Obama said, “in part because of the credible threat of US military action,” and because of his personal diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Obama’s national address, originally scheduled to make the case to a skeptical public that striking Syria was both a moral and strategic imperative of the US, became a justification for the threat of force as well as an explanation of why his administration would give diplomacy a chance. “I’ve ordered our military to maintain their current posture to keep the pressure on Assad, and to be in a position to respond if diplomacy fails,” he said. “Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security, are at stake in Syria, along with our leadership of a world where we seek to ensure that the worst weapons will never be used.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry is set to begin two days of meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva on Thursday to discuss the details of a plan.
They will be joined by chemical weapons experts, who will explain exactly what would be required of an investigations team challenged with dismantling a 1,000- ton chemical weapons arsenal in the middle of Syria’s civil war.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the administration had a “responsibility to pursue” the deal, which would, if realized, be “an enormous step forward.”
“We’re not naive about the challenges. We don’t think this will be easy. But that’s why we’re going to Geneva,” Psaki said.
Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded to the possible diplomatic breakthrough on Wednesday and said he was “hopeful” that the US was “serious” about refraining from a strike on his country’s ally.
“I am hopeful that the United States’ new attitude to Syria is serious and not a game with the media,” Khamenei said in a public address. “For weeks they have threatened war against the people of this region for the benefit of the Zionists.” The US said it has been in contact with the Iranians throughout the crisis.
“We have conveyed our views regarding Syria and the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons to the Iranian leadership through the Swiss, our protecting power in Tehran,” National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan told The Jerusalem Post. “This is a channel we have available to us to convey our views on a range of regional security matters.” Psaki told reporters that the administration is “working towards a binding Security Council resolution,” while acknowledging that Russia may obstruct that path. Russia and China have both opposed even symbolic resolutions in the Security Council over the past two years condemning the violence in Syria.
France has drafted a resolution that would cite Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which allows the international community to use military power to enforce its provisions.
After two days of frantic back and forth, sudden declarations of cooperation, and emergency meetings that were subsequently canceled, the UN seems to have quieted down. However, Farhan Haq, spokesman for the secretary-general, assured reporters that “things are still moving very quickly” and that “the UN still has a strong role to play.” Haq remained adamant that no timeline could be given for when the results of the UN investigative team’s laboratory tests on the samples taken from sites in Syria could be released, nor did he comment on what the UN would do in the event it was determined that a non-state actor, and not the Syrian government, perpetrated the alleged chemical weapons attacks. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon “welcomes President Obama’s decision to take time to further explore this diplomatic opportunity to achieve this crucially important objective,” Haq said.
He further said he hoped Russian and US meetings later this week between Lavrov and Kerry would be “productive.”
Haq would not comment on whether the UN-Arab League’s joint special envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, would participate in the meetings between Kerry and Lavrov, or whether he would meet separately with the two diplomats. Haq confirmed that Brahimi would travel to Geneva later this week and that Brahimi and his team “are in regular contact with the US and Russian governments.”
Also on Wednesday, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report detailing the findings of an independent commission into several massacres and other war crimes that have occurred since the beginning of the Syria crisis in 2011. The report, which covers the period of fighting between May 15, 2013, and July 15, 2013, confirms one civilian massacre perpetrated by rebel groups, and at least seven by the Syrian government. Between 150 and 250 people were killed in Bania and Ras al-Nabaa, two coastal towns known to be sympathetic to the rebels. The report confirmed the reported mass killing of 450 people by Syrian government forces and Hezbollah fighters during a battle for the town of Qusair in western Syria. The one mass killing attributed to rebel groups occurred in June in the town of Hatla in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, during which 40 people were killed.

Egypt continues crackdown on Brotherhood
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egyptian authorities referred 30 senior Muslim Brotherhood members to criminal court on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in deadly clashes earlier this year, one day after international organizations decried Cairo’s post-June 30 clampdown on the Islamist organization. Amnesty International on Tuesday called for an independent investigation into alleged incidents of killings and torture carried out by Egyptian security forces following President Mohamed Mursi’s ouster. According to Peter Splinter, Amnesty representative in Geneva, “Between 14 and 18 August, at least 1,089 people were killed, many due to the use of excessive, grossly disproportionate and unwarranted lethal force by security forces.” “The scale of human rights violations, including of the right to life, the right to fair trial, the right to be free from torture, the right to freedom of expression and assembly, demands an urgent, impartial, independent and full investigation,” he added. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay had earlier issued similar calls for an independent inquiry into the violence, in addition to a UN team being sent to the country to assess the situation.  “The path to stability in Egypt lies in its ability to establish the rule of law in an inclusive manner that ensures that all Egyptians, irrespective of their political opinion, gender, religion, or status, are recognized as legitimate stakeholders in the future of their country,” she said. However Egyptian authorities denied any claims of wrongdoing for the violence that took place between 14 and 18 August, laying the blame with the Muslim Brotherhood. First Attorney for the South Cairo prosecutor, Judge Tarek Abu Zeid, referred a number of senior Muslim Brotherhood figures for trial for their alleged role in the violence, including former supreme guide Mehdi Akef, Freedom and Justice Party leader Saad El-Katatni, and spokesman Mohamed El-Beltagy. The 30 Muslim Brotherhood defendants are charged with inciting violence and attempted murder, as well as possession of arms and explosives which were allegedly to be used for the purposes of “terrorism” during the 30 June protests. The defendants denied all charges during the investigation. In related news, the massive nation-wide protests called for by the Muslim Brotherhood for Tuesday demanding the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi failed to materialize. Police, meanwhile, arrested dozens of figures wanted in connection of crimes committed during the dispersion of pro-Mursi protests in Rabaa Al-Adawiya and Nahda Squares last month. Egyptian police also reportedly arrested 15 people in connection with an attack on Tamarod (Rebel) movement founder Mahmoud Badr on Monday. According to Egyptian state media, Badr was stopped by assailants as he drove home from Qalioubiya on Monday. His car was stolen and he was robbed; it is not known if this attack is related to the leading role that Badr and his Tamarod movement played in ousting former President Mursi.

International experts mull Syrian chemical weapon proposal
Washington and London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Russian proposal to place Syria’s chemical weapons under international supervision would require the complete cooperation of a regime which is very secretive about its arsenal, in an operation which is difficult to carry out amid a civil war, say international disarmament experts. If the proposal was successful, it would mean a fundamental change in Damascus’s stance, which has to date refused to join the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and avoided questions about the arsenal it denied existed until very recently. This arsenal is considered among the world’s largest and French intelligence services have estimated its volume at “more than 1000 tonnes.” Daryl Kimball, director of the Arms Control Association, told French news agency AFP that “the first stage starts with Syria immediately signing the agreement to ban chemical weapons,” which came into force in 2007. In addition to joining the treaty, Damascus must provide a list of its arsenal and allow inspectors into the country to verify its statements and “investigate every ounce of chemical materials and ammunition,” according to spokesman of the organization, Michael Luhan. It is also possible to employ UN inspectors for this task in a similar way to the task carried out last August in Syria, or in Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War, according to Kimball. He also said “the problem with executing that task from a practical point lies in guaranteeing the safety of the inspectors and the safety of the chemicals in the long term.”
The expert did not hide his skepticism, however, saying “it is difficult to imagine the destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons during a civil war,” adding that “this is not the kind of work you want to do under the threat of missiles in the area.” David Kay, a former senior UN inspector in Iraq, said the task required large numbers of inspectors to guarantee the inspection of all the sites around the clock and to stop anyone entering these sites.
The West fears that President Assad could lose control of these chemicals–which include Mustard gas and the nerve agents VX and sarin–and that they will fall into the hands of extremist opposition groups.
Following the Russian proposal, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on Monday that areas controlled by the UN should be established in Syria to secure and destroy the chemical weapons. This would cost billions of dollars and take many years. The United States has spent USD 35 billion over the last two decades destroying its stockpile, in an operation which will not end before 2021.
Luhan said manufacturing chemical weapons is something, but destroying them is a different matter, “because it is more costly and sensitive at both technical and legal levels.”
The operation to remove the danger is different, depending on whether the chemical is attached to a missile as is the case in America, or is stockpiled before use, as is the case in Russia. In the first case, the weapons must be destroyed by burning them in specialized plants. In the second case, the chemicals can be deactivated by adding a chemical compound.
French intelligence service reports published in September indicate that the Syrian arsenal is “stored in a binary format, which means in the form of two chemical materials which are mixed before use.” This is similar to the system used in Russia, who is suspected in helping Syria build its chemical weapon program in the 1970s. The Syrian regime has a number of research centers in the Damascus suburbs, Aleppo, Homs, Latakia and Hama, and has produced hundreds of tonnes of chemical materials every year, according to the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and the Nuclear Threat Initiative, which lists all WMD arsenals in the world.

The Return of the Russians
By: Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Alawsat
Call it whatever you want: “The Russian initiative,” or “An American slip of the tongue.” Whatever you call it, this led to Bashar Al-Assad agreeing to give up his chemical weapons in order to avoid a military strike. However the reality is that what we are facing is nothing more than American, and international, weakness in the region; the Russians have taught the Americans—and particularly President Obama—an unforgettable lesson throughout the Syrian crisis. Yesterday, it seemed that we would finally find out the West’s, and specifically America’s, position regarding its regional and security interests, and this is indeed what happened. Russia played the “diplomacy” card and embroiled President Obama—who is in this fix due to his own hesitancy—in a difficult position. The Russians therefore opened a new front allowing Assad to avoid the prospects of a military strike, granting him more time to continue committing crimes. All this required of Assad was for him to announce that he agrees to hand over his chemical weapons, or place them under international supervision. This is a new trick, similar to the one he played on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon charged with investigating the assassination of Rafiq Hariri. In this case, Assad announced his agreement, only to delay and back out later, with the tribunal ultimately being buried under other international concerns. Today, the Russians have sold the Americans an illusion, akin to selling them a gas-field only nobody knows the true value of the gas, how to extract it, or how long this will take. The Russians were clever, and Obama had no choice but to respond quickly in order to save face, particularly after he shot himself in the foot by calling for a congressional vote on a possible Syria strike. Today, it is clear that the Syrian crisis had returned to square one politically, particularly as Assad will, as usual, seek to nullify this initiative through delays and procrastination; he excels at deceit and evasion.
The Russian initiative, or shall we say trick, demonstrates that the security of the entire region is in danger as a result of Obama’s weakness, while also confirming that the Russians have returned to be a major player in the region. It is clear that Russia and Assad have learned the lesson from Egypt, realizing that Washington is always on the back-foot when others are taking the initiative and maneuvering.
This is what the Russians and Assad achieved by using chemical weapons as a means of maneuvering throughout the crisis, even though the Syria crisis is not just linked to chemical weapons. It also seems as if Russia has helped re-normalize relations between Assad and the international community, particularly as the Syrian crisis is humanitarian, security-related, and includes fears of national fragmentation. The Syria crisis goes beyond the issue of chemical weapons, and this is something that the Arabs should keep in mind, especially since we are now facing one of two options: Either accept the Russian-Assad game and coexist with the Syrian crisis—though the repercussions of this decision would be dire—as we did it with other crises, or turn the tables on Russia and Assad! The latter option would require imposing a new reality on ground, and before this assertions that the Russian initiative must lead to a comprehensive political solution to the Syrian crisis, via the UN Security Council and under Chapter VII, for example. If we do not achieve this, it would mean the Arabs accepting Russia as a new regional superpower, and this is something that benefits only Iran and Assad.

Thank You, Bassem Youssef and Nadim Koteich
By: Hussein Shobokshi /Asharq Alawsat
Satire is one of the most important, popular and effective tools for leveling political, social, and economic criticisms. Different countries have known different forms of satire throughout different ages. During the Ancient Greek era, public theaters were home to the art of the dramatic monologue which later developed to appear in plays, songs, and the cinema. In the Arab world, exceptional talents arose in this particular field. In Egypt, famous composers Sayed Darwish and Sheikh Imam mastered the art of the “political” song, not to mention poet Ahmed Fouad Negm. These songs and poems, whether about occupation, inflation, corruption, unemployment or any other sensitive issues, shook the Arab street to its core. In the post-Arab Spring world today, we have all seen how satire and the satirical media has secured a strong presence in the political arena. On YouTube, astonishingly successful shows are being uploaded presenting content that enjoys high viewership figures, particularly among the youths. These YouTube channels and program present satirical takes on well-known social and economic issues blighting Arab society. Two examples immediately sping to mind when talking about popular YouTube programming. Firstly is Bassem Youssef’s Albernameg [The Program]. Youssef was an Egyptian surgeon who successfully transformed himself into a media personality via his YouTube show, when went on to gain international fame throughout the Arab world. Secondly, we have Lebanon’s Nadim Koteich and his satirical DNA television show.
In these two shows, the two anchors give their satirical take on the latest news that, given the situation in the Arab world, is closer to a black comedy. This takes a huge dose of courage, particularly as it is the worst and most troubling news stories that are most open to ridicule. Bassem Youssef was phenomenally successful in this endeavor doing the presidency of Mohamed Mursi in Egypt, a period in which news-makers and state officials took numerous comedic stances and positions. In fact, during Mursi’s single year in office satirists were presented with decades worth of material. This perhaps explains Bassem Youssef’s disappearance from our television screens. Post-Mursi Egypt cannot be as open to ridicule and jest as the Mursi era. As for Nadim Koteich, he is a TV anchor and journalist who has been known for his technical proficiency throughout his career, preparing all his subject-matter in a cautious and delicate manner so that the content of whatever he presents is always well-respected. However what remains is his “delivery”, which came as a complete surprise to his audience. Koteich achieved a striking amount of success in Lebanon for his unique blend of serious and satirical news analyses. Utilizing his unique tone and facial and hand gestures, Koteich has commented sarcastically on Hezbollah’s “resistance” in Syria, and the Assad regime’s “resistance” against its own people. Michel Aoun, Suleiman Frangieh, and Wiam Wahhab have also found themselves the target of his sharp wit, not to mention his targeting of the so-called “media Shabiha” such as Sherif Shehada, Khaled Al-Abbboud, Taleb Ibrahim, and Nasser Qandil. Bassem Youssef and Nadim Koteich are both successful examples of satire’s ability to impact the political arena and influence the general public. Thus, satire has become a major tool in forming and influencing public opinion. So, let me take this opportunity to say welcome to the world of satire and satirical media!