LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
March 8/2007

Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 20,17-28. As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve (disciples) aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day." Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."
Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left (, this) is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Free Opinions
The Rewards of Peace with Israel. By: Charles Jalkh (Freedom Fighter) 07/03/07
Finally: Muslims Speak Out Against Jihad. Author: Walid Phares 07/03/07
Riyadh-Tehran talks open a door for others to walk through-Daily Star March 08/03/07
Holding the Tribunal is the Solution. By: Daoud Shirian. March 08/03/07
 

Latest News Reports From the Daily Star For March 6/07
Murr: US fully supports Lebanese Army
Lebanese politicians pour cold water on hopes that Beirut crisis will end soon
Australian envoy says women's rights not 'just a family issue' at panel marking International Women's Day
Moallem denies arms crossing into Lebanon
A message to my love in Lebanon
Hoss: Local deal won't survive without regional accord
Journalist faces charges over 'fictitious' report on Hariri
Salloukh welcomes 'serious' attempts to break deadlock
Israel delays release of Lebanon war report
ISF seizes Civil-War era weapons discovered in district of Aley 
Arab Bank scoffs at US accusation of channeling funds to 'terrorist' groups
Undeterred by losses in Lebanon, Virgin plans Saudi, Syrian branches
LU bans political posters after fight on campus
UNIFIL troops winning hearts and minds in South
Shatila social center helps a little bit go a little farther in young charges' lives
Iliya Harik, professor of politics, dies at 72

Lebanese Catholic cardinal: Presidential elections first step to fix crisis
By Michael Hirst-3/6/2007
Catholic News Service
BKERKE, Lebanon (CNS) – The patriarch of Lebanon's Maronite Catholic Church said early presidential elections could be the first step in resolving the country's ongoing political crisis. "I've addressed a letter to (Lebanese President Emile Lahoud) to tell him that he is the judge of the situation and that he must step down ... because the country will not support his position," Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir, Maronite patriarch, said March 5. Cardinal Sfeir suggested that a "simple solution" to the dilemma would be to elect a new president now in preparation to replace Lahoud when his term expires in November. The presidential election would be followed by the creation of a new Cabinet and parliamentary elections, and the examination of the country's electoral law, which are all conditions stipulated by the Hezbollah-led government opposition.
However, Lahoud, a Maronite Catholic, has claimed he cannot hand over power to a government which he has been calling illegitimate since the resignation of all five Shiite Cabinet ministers in November. Lebanon's Constitution says the president must be Christian, and the prime minister and parliamentary speaker must be Sunni and Shiite, respectively. Members of all religious sects must be represented at the Cabinet level. Cardinal Sfeir said that despite his best efforts to unite Christian factions, they have not budged in their positions because of external pressures. "Unfortunately the Christians are divided because each party follows an (external) party," he told CNS. "Some Christians are with Hezbollah and so definitely with Syria and Iran, and the others are with (government-coalition leader Saad) Hariri, who is close to Saudi Arabia and the United States." The cardinal said this pressure was particularly true for Lahoud, whose term in office was extended in 2004 while Lebanon was still under Syrian occupation.
"Here in Lebanon nobody is completely free in their actions. Mr. Lahoud is allied to Syria, and Syria can influence his position. If he makes something against Syria he will be threatened," the cardinal said. Since December, the Shiite militant group Hezbollah has led a campaign, backed by most Lebanese Shiites, the country's largest Christian bloc and some Druze, to bring down a government they claim is corrupt, unrepresentative and subservient to the United States. The alliance has been demanding the government be replaced by a national unity Cabinet in which Hezbollah's allies would wield veto power.
Government supporters – comprising most Sunnis, Druze and some Christian parties – argue the protest is merely a coup-attempt instigated by Hezbollah's backers in Syria and Iran. Government supporters claim Hezbollah would use veto power to thwart the formation of an international investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The political crisis in Lebanon has crippled an economy still reeling after Israeli bombardment last summer and has led to an exodus of young workers. The anti-government protest has been based around an ongoing three-month sit-in outside the prime minister's office in downtown Beirut and has sparked spates of sectarian street violence. Cardinal Sfeir criticized the sit-in for forcing the closure of many businesses in the area. He said it exacerbated the exodus of young people from the country. "The demonstration is useless and harmful and for three months has not given any result," he said.
Cardinal Sfeir said that there was currently no political leader who could unite the country's Christian factions.  However, he said plans were underfoot for a "third way," possibly in the form of a new party that could bridge gaps between Lebanon's widely divergent Christian factions. The cardinal did not elaborate. "When we have faith we must be optimistic because our country has passed through many difficulties such as this which we are passing through now, and with God's help we will find a way to get out of it." Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Al-Qaida in south Lebanon
By CLAUDE SALHANI
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 7 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida has begun to infiltrate fighters in parts of southern Lebanon, replacing Hezbollah militants who were forced out of the area by Israel during last summer's violent clashes, said a well-informed Arab politician who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Still, the source said, this deployment of Islamist militants to south Lebanon is being carried out "with the discreet approval of Iran and Syria." Tehran and Damascus hope this will give them greater bargaining power in negotiating with the West over Iran's nuclear dossier and the ongoing investigation and pending trial into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, in which Syrian officials are prime suspects.
He added that the situation in south Lebanon was very "concerning," and was worrying moderate Arab leaders in the region who fear that with al-Qaida combatants now in striking distance of Israel, the situation in the Middle East could take a turn for the worst at any moment.
This new development is also very worrisome to countries that have contributed large number of troops to the upgraded UNIFIL, the United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon, particularly Italy and France.
One major concern is that the UNIFIL troops could become targets of al-Qaida should either Syria or Iran ever wish to pressure France or Italy or any other contributing nation. France, for example, fears its contingent in southern Lebanon could become the target of attacks as a result of Paris' support for the Lebanese government and the international community to have an international tribunal examine the assassination of Hariri.
Syria is widely suspected of having had a hand in the killing of Hariri on Feb. 14, 2005, and some intelligence specialists believe the order to have the former Lebanese prime minister killed came from "very high up."
Hariri's death triggered massive anti-Syrian demonstrations in Lebanon, which, combined with strong political pressure from France and the United States, eventually forced Damascus to withdraw its uniformed troops from Lebanon. Western intelligence analysts, however, believe Syria maintained an important intelligence contingent in Lebanon. Those, along with Hezbollah -- which receives much of its political, military and financial aid from Damascus and Tehran -- makes the Syrian-Iranian alliance a powerful force in Lebanon's political landscape. Now add in al-Qaida and the cocktail becomes all the more potent.
Following last summer's war in Lebanon, Rome and Paris had agreed to provide several thousand additional troops to revitalize UNIFIL and help the Lebanese army as it deployed in the southern part of the country for the first time in more than 24 years, filling the void left by Hezbollah after their forced departure from the area.
Indeed, if proven true -- and other independent sources seem to confirm the report of al-Qaida becoming more present in southern Lebanon -- there are ample reasons for concern.
Al-Qaida becoming operational in southern Lebanon greatly alters the geo-political map of the area once again. Moving into what has long been regarded as Hezbollah territory places the militant Islamist organization for the first time since its inception within striking range of Israeli cities, towns and settlements. Al-Qaida has repeatedly called for the destruction of the State of Israel.
During the 34-day war that pitted the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah and Israel into a devastating conflict, hundreds of thousands of Israelis living in northern Israel were forced to flee south to escape a deluge of rockets fired into northern Israel by the Shiite guerillas.
Furthermore, this re-kindles the precarious situation in southern Lebanon, making the Lebanese-Israeli frontier yet again a potential trigger point for a new Middle East crisis. Starting in the late 1960s, throughout the 1970s and up until 1982, when the Palestine Liberation Organization and other Palestinian factions were expelled from Lebanon, the presence of armed Palestinian groups in the Lebanese-Israeli border region was the cause of numerous Israeli incursions into southern Lebanon and air raids over the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Within a short while the PLO and other Palestinian armed groups had become the de facto authority, having taken control of large swaths of southern Lebanon and in the process forcing out the Lebanese army, pushing it north of the Litani River. With the Palestinians masters of most of the border area, Israel began referring to the Palestinian-controlled parts of south Lebanon as Fatahland -- and Israeli raids became more frequent.
The departure of Hezbollah from the border area and its replacement by units of the Lebanese army and UNIFIL was to herald a new era of tranquility to south Lebanon. But the arrival of al-Qaida will once again invite Israeli military intervention. If indeed Damascus and Tehran instigated al-Qaida's introduction to south Lebanon, they may have created a monster that will one day turn on them. The Sunni branch of Islam, to which al-Qaida belongs, has never been too fond of the Alawites who rule Damascus or the Shiite clergy in Iran. 

Is there a solution for Lebanon's chronic standoff?
By Dr. Robert Chahine
Opinion, March 6, 2007-Lebanonwire
For several months the Lebanese Diaspora worldwide has been preoccupied and anxious about Lebanon's unending crisis and has worried about escalating threats and one deadline after another. Experts and analysts have focused and warned about three powder kegs in the Middle East, waiting for a match to ignite beyond control: Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Concerns about the risks of all out civil war in either or all three are in fact very legitimate and warrant intensive efforts to prevent such possible disasters.
In Iraq, many believe that some degree of civil war is already in progress. However the new focus on pacifying and securing Baghdad, and the closer coordination with the Maliki government to increase support and reliance on the Iraqi forces, may offer at least some hope of preventing further progression to all out civil war. It may also give the current Iraqi government a chance to work on reconciliation and taking control of their country.
The Palestinian crisis is being addressed by intensive Saudi efforts to mediate between the Fatah- dominated Palestinian Authority and Hamas towards the formation of a national unity government. The Saudis are also discussing with the Iranians some understanding that may allow success of their efforts. Further new American pressure on the Israelis to revive the peace process, may improve the chances for a real solution.
As for Lebanon, the subject of our interest and focus, the outlook remains gloomy and may be, almost hopeless. This small peace-loving country has suffered the longest time from proxy cold and hot wars on its territory. Despite various initiatives coming from east or west, no significant or truly promising solution seems to appear on the horizon. All efforts, at best, are focused on containing the current standoff. At one point after the completion of the 2005 parliamentary elections and the formation of the current Seniora government, there was concern that the Lebanese situation may not stabilize, and the risk of violent confrontation will persist until the end of President Lahoud's extended term. Nevertheless, one relatively reassuring reality is that the Lebanese have unanimously repudiated violence and rejected until now all bait to start a new civil war. However the danger of that remains real, particularly when the Iranian leadership speaks of defeating the United States on the Lebanese scene!? There is some hope that the most recent Saudi - Iranian contacts may limit that risk.
We in the expatriate community who stay in close touch with Lebanon are firmly convinced that a satisfactory solution to the current situation is possible if the complex problems are recognized and analyzed with extreme sincerity and integrity. They then need to be addressed with courage, patriotism and real independence. Attempts at any solution should also acknowledge the realities on the ground, in the area and on the global geopolitical scene.
Many have written thoroughly on the proxy struggle between the East represented by Syria and Iran and the West under the leadership of the United States. This confrontation between the world only superpower, and the emerging dominant Middle East country, has taken an unfortunate confessional aspect, with the East using and manipulating the Shiites and radical extremists and the West allying itself with the Sunnis and the moderates anywhere they could be found.
Lebanon, being the famous cultural and religious mosaic, the land of dialogue of civilizations, is also unfortunately very vulnerable and susceptible to the prevailing atmosphere. The understandings and cooperation between its Christian and Muslim population, at one point, were not only a protocol for survival in harmony and dignity but also a model for diversity, tolerance and moderation resulting in success and prosperity. Pope John Paul II, speaking about the need to support Lebanon once said: It is not just a country; it is a message to the world. Nevertheless, in recent history, outside interferences resulted in tension and confrontations between Christians & Moslems. However sufficient recent precautions may have prevented, until now the recurrence of such tensions. On the other hand a multitude of recent events & interferences are threatening a Sunni-Shiite clash. There is in Lebanon a quasi balance between the Sunnis and Shiites whose numbers are rather close to one another (no recent census exists). In addition the majority of the Lebanese Druze are allied with the Sunnis, and the Alawites may be closer to the Shiites. The Christians are divided between the two camps, and despite the usually negative connotations of division, their split may have a positive facet in keeping the polarization away from turning into a Christian - Moslem confrontation.
In addition to all these complicated realities, internally and externally, that will have to be taken into consideration, if a viable solution is to be found, there are three additional pressing realities that need to be addressed.
First and foremost we can not forget that practically all major political crimes and terrorist acts going as far back as the disappearance of Imam Musa El Sadr and his companions and going through the assassinations of Kamal Jumblat, Bachir Gemayel, Rachid Karameh, Rene Mouawad, etc, to name a few, and culminating into the murder of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and his companions and all the subsequent bombings and assassinations of MPs, journalists and innocent civilians have until now remained practically unsolved. The "international tribunal" may be the only chance to start identifying and punishing culprits. This hopefully will stop or at least significantly curtail the cycle of violence. Formation of such tribunal is of utmost urgency and those who are opposing it should clearly offer their amendments so that they can demonstrate that they are not opposing it because they have something to hide. If the current Lebanese system cannot swiftly produce an acceptable structure for such tribunal, the United Nations should promptly form the tribunal on the basis of international norms, without input from Lebanon.
Second, Hezbollah remains armed and may have rearmed further after the July war with Israel, despite two United Nations Security Council Resolutions (1559, 1701). While there is a general consensus that Lebanon should abide by these UNSCRs, some realities need to be kept in mind. While Hezbollah may be financed and influenced by Iran & Syria, it nevertheless represents a significant segment of the Lebanese population. Therefore, forceful disarmament by the Lebanese army can not be a good option. It should be left to the next President, working courageously and intelligently with the parliamentary majority & the next, hopefully, more broadly based government, to find a way to reassure Hezbollah & convince them to disarm voluntarily. This could be addressed on the basis of patriotism and the best interest of the country and its unity, as well the safety, stability and economic interests of the Shiites in the South. We certainly hear the rumors that there is a secret plan for a Shiite canton under the table, but in the absence of real evidence of that we hope that Hezbollah will keep the commitment to the 10,452 km principle which they clearly stated before the 2005 elections, and that the rumors are only just that.
Third, we also need to remember that despite the exit of Syrian forces from Lebanon and multiple generous donors' conferences before and after the Syrian withdrawal, the economy remains very precarious, and the exodus of youth and brainpower continues at an alarming pace. Thus the threat of collapse may have been somewhat delayed but not completely eliminated yet. Therefore efforts to solve problems and stabilize the country can not be postponed indefinitely.
In the face of all that, the most talked about solution has been the formation of a "so called" unity government of 30 ministers with the parliamentary majority having 19 or 20, the minority having 9 or 10 with one independent minister who may side with either group. He or she may provide the "veto powered one third of the cabinet" when he or she sides with the opposition minority. Such solution, if accepted adds precariousness and instability since the criminal and terrorist elements responsible for most if not all the previous major assassinations and bombings have not yet been identified and neutralized. These elements can target and kill that minister at anytime and return the situation back to square one. We simplistically ask, why not form a transitional government of independents or "so called technocrats" with the parliamentary majority choosing for example 14 friendly ministers from outside parliament, the minority choosing 7 of their friends and the remaining nine or whatever number is needed to secure confessional balance, being chosen by mutual approval of both sides, based purely on their independence, integrity and competence.
After more than two decades, between war and Syrian domination, the return of sovereignty cannot be expected to promptly generate the rebirth of a stable and fully matured democracy. The current government, resulting from the rejuvenated democracy may not have the strength to solve all the accumulated problems, solely by the power of majority rule. This is particularly true in Lebanon where major decisions have traditionally been taken by consensus and have usually stalled if a significant confessional group opposed.
Obviously, in order to progress towards a transitional government acceptable to the parliamentary majority, resumption of dialogue should be reconsidered without delay. If it is not possible to use the formula adopted before the July war for security reasons, other mechanisms based on the use of proxies and a smaller number of participants could be considered. Further such dialogue if not feasible in the open could still occur in secrecy.
Last but not least, we need to remember that we are only about seven months away from the due date for the completion of President Lahoud's extended term. The best final solution may be found in choosing a unifying successor that can be agreed upon by both the parliamentary majority and minority. Or at least the choice of an appropriate successor should allow formation of a parliamentary super majority constituted by deputies from both camps, which will allow a smooth constitutional presidential election. The sequence of difficulties that emerged following the exit of the Syrian forces, has allowed the emergence of impressive potential candidates with remarkable security or economic qualifications as well as a few politicians who have demonstrated some potential for building bridges. Several of those are also amicable and acceptable to key players in the East and the West.
During the episode of dialogue, unfortunately stubborn polarization and fixation blocked the resolution of the presidential issue. Yet in Lebanon both traditionally and constitutionally the presidency is the post where most solutions of the complex problems, enumerated above, can be developed and enforced or at least initiated or facilitated. The partial delegitimization of President Lahoud internally and internationally is in itself a significant factor in perpetuating the current standoff.
The smart consensual choice of the next Lebanese President may be the best catalyst for finding unifying solutions to most, if not all the current problems. In fact this would be the exact role that the Lebanese constitution ascribes to the Presidency since the Taef accord. If whatever secret or open negotiations, that may be in progress succeed, the current standoff may be defused sooner rather than later. President Lahoud said at one point, when the dialogue was in progress, that he would be ready to step down, if a consensus candidate could be agreed upon. He may still be willing to honor such statement or may not have much choice to back away from it.
We wish to remind everyone involved that Lebanon is a consensual democracy. Thus consensus should always be sought to solve the vital problems that the country is confronting. Most of us in the expatriate community may have more freedom and independence to work with all decision makers on the Lebanese scene, towards achieving potential unifying solutions that would put the country on a path of peace, stability and prosperity. We hear of some laudable low key efforts by credible players on the Lebanese scene and we stand ready to support and facilitate these efforts, if they truly exist. We will be happy to use any access we may have to secure US support or at least non-obstruction, if necessary. We will also use whatever friendship or access some of us may have in the region towards success of such goals. The important point is to think out a fair and balanced Lebanese generated solution and we sincerely hope internal and external support will follow. We are hereby respectfully proposing a reasonable and equitable multifaceted solution, inspired by a thorough and honest analysis of the factors underlying the current Lebanese standoff. We sincerely hope we are at least starting a discussion among the Diaspora that will promptly progress into a real solution on Lebanese soil.
**Dr Robert Chahine, M.D., is the President of the American Lebanese Foundation: www.alfusa.org

Exclusive: Finally: Muslims Speak Out Against Jihad
Author: Walid Phares
Source: The Family Security Foundation, Inc.
Date: March 7, 2007
We can have hope for the future now that, for the first time, moderate Muslims collectively are speaking out against Jihad. FSM Contributing Editor Walid Phares explains why the recent Secular Islam Summit could be key to the success of this effort.
A unusual conference, taking place on the West coast of Florida, drew the attention of many observers of the War of Ideas: The first Secular Islam Summit. Organized by the Center for Inquiry Transnational and various activists, the meeting included two dozen speakers and about two hundred participants from various backgrounds and nationalities. It took place at the Hilton, St. Petersburg, just before and in conjunction with the Intelligence Summit which took place in the same location.
But this meeting, unlike many other Muslim intellectual conferences in the West or even worldwide, was aimed against Jihadism and for a secular and liberal expression within Islam. It wasn’t the first time Muslim authors and critics of the dominant religious and cultural order within their own community spoke out, wrote about or debated the issues.
The history of dissidence within the Muslim world, particularly in modern times, is rich and diverse. It is also full of drama and violence, particularly against the dissidents themselves. Since the mid 1920s, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the last Caliphate, and with the rise of Salafism, joined in the 1970s by Khomeinism, dozens of intellectuals experienced harsh conditions and met tragic destinies as they rose to oppose fundamentalism and press for reforms. That history has yet to be written thoroughly and taught in the mainstream educational systems. High profile authors and intellectuals have spoken out against authoritarianism and Islamism from the sub Indian continent to the sub Saharian desert. Dozens of journalists and academics have called for a global debate on the developments of politics and ideologies within Muslim countries. And with the post 9/11 era, more questions have fused worldwide from Western and non-Western quarters. “What went wrong in the Muslim world?” wrote Bernard Lewis? “Why do they hate us?” titled the press after the 2001 attacks. And since then, many among the public asked, without hearing convincing answers, “But where are the moderates (within the Muslim world)?”
The St. Petersburg meeting is not the first meeting where Muslim intellectuals (and non-Muslims) met and attempted to answer these difficult questions. Back in 1994, a Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights met in New Jersey to address similar concerns. Dissidents have been meeting in many countries and cities in the last decades and have produced high profile cases of theological and literary rebellion have illustrated the cultural conflict within Islam.
In the 1980s, Salman Rushdie of India got his fatwa for the publication of the Satanic Verses. Since then, the dissident author lives in the underground. In the early 1990s, author Mustafa Jeha was assassinated in Beirut for publishing the Crisis of Mind in Islam (Mihnat al Aql fil Islam). Across the Mediterranean and on two continents, other Muslim “revolutionaries” (described as apostates by their Jihadi enemies) have challenged the dominant ideological paradigm. But until recently, they never decided to act collectively, and until the meeting in St. Petersburg in Florida, they hadn’t decided to meet. Hence when a few among them (with well-known names in the field of dissidence) decided finally to get together and face the world, they have knowingly or not, begun to change the world. This was, as I saw it, a first small step in the right direction.
The opening remarks were given by two famous Western-based Muslim dissidents. The first to speak was Ibn Warraq, the author of several volumes on Secular Islam. Elaborating on a long and sophisticated introduction to the “intellectual movement”, he laid out the philosophical basis of full separation between religion and state in the Muslim world. But Ibn Warraq said he already “left” Islam and his call was to reform the “relationship” between Muslim societies and religious laws. He advocated universal values and a global reform of education. On political grounds, he called for a regime change in many countries, including in Iran, the formation of Human Rights centers, and in an interesting and new twist, he asked to “take Mullahs to courts for issuing fatwas.” His conclusion was simple: “they hate us because they were taught to do so.”
The second to address the summit was the “refuznik” Irshad Manji. Born in Africa and raised in Canada, the best-selling female author told the audience that the response to Jihad is Ijtihad. In short, reinterpretation of the religious texts (and the Koran), according to Manji would defy the Fundamentalists. Unlike Ibn Warraq, Irshad said she is still a Muslim and she will fight for her “Islam.” She argued that there are many verses in the texts that can help a new interpretation defeat the tight reading by the Islamists. In conclusion, Manji invited non-Muslims to take part in the debate along side with reformist Muslims: “If they tell you they have no business in Muslim affairs, tell them they have no business meddling in non-Muslim affairs.”
The first panel included Tawfiq Hakim from Egypt who underlined that the roots of Terrorism are found in the ideology that pretends being a religious doctrine. Nibras Kazimi from Iraq elaborated on the “mind of the Jihadi generals.” Other intellectuals, such as Shahriar Kabir from Bengla Desh, Dr Shaker al Nabusli from Jordan and Dr Afshin Ellian a Dutch-based Iranian, addressed the relationship between traditions and Sharia laws. At the end of the first day the last panel, with Salamat Neemat from Jordan, Hasan Mahmoud from Bengla Desh and I discussed international law and politics and the Islamist movement. The following day, Nonie Darwish from Palestine, Wafa Sultan from Syria, Zeino Baran a Turkish American scholar, and Manda Zand Ervin from Iran addressed secularism, women terrorists and Islamism.
Interestingly enough, and before the summit took place, internet-based attacks were unleashed against the conference by pro-Wahhabi, Salafi and Khomeinist web sites and bloggers. Al Jazeera sent a crew to interview the participants and also air “opposing views” from leaders of the local community in the area. In its afternoon shows, the network had a local representative of the advocacy group CAIR and Dr. Nabulsi from the conference “cross fire” about the conference.
In my presentation, I focused on the multiple areas of international relations where Jihadi concepts have to be addressed, not only by the dissidents, but also by so-called mainstream countries. The concepts are: Jihad, infidels, Caliphate and dar el Harb. These terms from early Islamic history may have been part of the norms of world politics and religious wars at the time, i.e., 1300 years ago, but under the current international system there is no place for Jihadism and its derivatives which would cause international law to disintegrate. In this conference, I argued, even though the global reform movement may not agree on all aspects of the crisis, it could constitute a broad Muslim resistance to Jihad. I termed the latter concept so that Muslims who can make the distinction between religious identity and a specific militant ideology can initiate a debate and liberate themselves from Jihadism. I also argued that the West has abandoned the anti-Jihadist Muslims for decades, and I deplored the fact that Western Government, the U.S. included, have been advised by Jihadi apologists instead of liberal Muslims for decades.
In a sum, the Secular Islam Summit may have not been as large as the Wahhabi- or Khomeinist-funded and -supported conferences around the world but it certainly gave an example of what could occur if the United States, Europe and the international community would seriously consider supporting the Muslim intellectuals who seek Pluralism, human rights and democracy: a surge in the War of Ideas that could push the War on Terror to conclude faster, and with much better results.
***FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Dr. Walid Phares is a Senior Fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the author of Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies against America and the forthcoming War of Ideas. Phares@walidphares.com. He is now a Fox News Contributor.

Syria Threatens Border Closure
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has denied allegations that arms are entering Lebanon and threatened to close the border if international troops were deployed along the frontier."All the rumors about arms crossing the borders ... are untrue," Muallem said in Damascus Tuesday in a press conference with visiting Belgian counterpart, Karel De Gucht. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 calls on the Lebanese government "to secure its borders and other entry points to prevent the entry in Lebanon without its consent of arms or related materiel." The resolution brought an end to the July-August war between Israel and Hizbullah that was sparked by the group's capture of two Israeli soldiers in a deadly cross-border raid. Several U.N. Security Council resolutions, including the one that brought about the ceasefire in last summer's war, have called for the disarming of all militias in Lebanon, including Hizbullah which is backed by Iran and Syria.
Asked about the possibility of stationing international troops on the border with Syria, Muallem repeated a threat he made several months ago, in which he said "Syria would close its border with Lebanon" in such a case. "Why would you want to establish an international control on the border between Syria and Lebanon," he asked during the press conference."That is a sign that the West wants a state of war between the two."
De Gucht said, however, that he was disappointed with Syria's stand not to allow international monitoring of its border with Lebanon, to prevent alleged arms smuggling to Hizbullah.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 09:55

Bishops Urge Lebanese-Made Settlement to Crisis
The Council of Maronite Bishops on Wednesday said Syria's threat to close the border with Lebanon if international troops were deployed along the frontier shows that "the viewpoints are still apart." The bishops voiced concern that Syria's warning to close its border with Lebanon, the ongoing power struggle as well as the controversial issues over the formation of a new cabinet and the international tribunal "threaten the fate of the nation entirely." On Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem repeated a threat he made several months ago in which he said Damascus will not allow international monitoring of its border with Lebanon.
A statement issued at the end of the bishops' monthly meeting and read by Monsignor Youssef Tawq urged rival Lebanese camps to "abandon their factional stands … and find a Lebanese solution to the current crisis." Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 13:32

Brammertz Back in Beirut
Chief U.N. investigator Serge Brammertz has returned from Saudi Arabia after meeting top officials there, An Nahar reported Wednesday.
It said Brammertz met with Secretary General of the Saudi National Security Council Prince Bandar Bin Sultan and Prince Muqren Bin Abdulaziz, head of the Saudi intelligence, "as part of his mission to gather information on ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination."
An Nahar said Brammertz returned to Beirut Tuesday night after spending two days in Saudi Arabia, his first visit to the Kingdom.
He is due to submit a report to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon in 8 days on progress made in his probe on Hariri's Feb. 2005 murder.

Murr Discusses with Rice Army's Role in South
Defense Minister Elias Murr has said that he discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the U.N. ceasefire resolution and the cooperation of the Lebanese army with U.N. peacekeepers. An Nahar daily quoted Murr as saying that their meeting in Washington Tuesday dealt with "the implementation of Resolution 1701 and the Lebanese military's cooperation in the south with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon." Security Council Resolution 1701 brought an end to the July-August war between Israel and Hizbullah. Murr told reporters that Rice stressed her government's "backing of the army with equipment without any political condition." Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 07:28

Israel Warns Against 'Terrorist Threat' in Lebanon
Israel on Wednesday warned against a "terrorist threat" in Lebanon and urged its citizens to leave Egypt and Jordan immediately, citing a "very high concrete threat" to their safety. The counter-terrorism unit attached to the prime minister's office, listed Israel's only two Arab allies in the Middle East with six enemy states as countries with a "very high concrete threat". Israelis were advised to avoid visiting the eight countries and leave immediately should they be there already, it announced in a statement. The bureau said the threat level applied to Egypt as a whole but was "especially" prevalent for the Sinai, a beach paradise peninsula on the Red Sea.
Aside from Egypt and Jordan, the six other countries were Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Israelis can theoretically only travel to such countries, with which Israel has no relations, if they have a foreign passport. Tensions have soared recently in the often bumpy relations between Egypt and Israel over claims that Israeli soldiers killed Egyptian prisoners during the 1967 Middle East war.(AFP) Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 15:11

Car Accident Kills two Belgian Peacekeepers in South Lebanon
Two Belgian peacekeepers were killed on Wednesday and two injured in a road accident in the south, a spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said. "According to preliminary information, two members of the Belgian battalion were killed and two others were seriously injured in a vehicle accident which took place in the general area of Kfarshuba," Liam McDowall said. He declined to provide further details. A news reporter said the peacekeepers' vehicle fell into a ravine on a road linking the villages of Kfar Shuba and nearby Shebaa.He said the casualties were evacuated by helicopter. On January 29, two Belgian soldiers were wounded in a cluster bomb blast in south Lebanon. Two other Belgian soldiers were hurt in a similar incident on December 29. Belgium has deployed 370 troops to the UNIFIL force, made up of about 12,000 blue-helmeted soldiers -- most of them from Europe.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 17:00

Lebanon Deal Fades As Hot Points Remain Unsettled
It has become clear that efforts to resolve the key controversial issues – formation of a national unity government and an international tribunal into Hariri's murder – have hit a dead end. The daily An Nahar on Wednesday said failure to resolve the two hot points coincided with an announcement by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem who demanded adoption of "the Syrian law as the groundwork for the international tribunal."  It quoted a government source as saying that Saudi Ambassador to Beirut Abdel Aziz Khoja has conveyed to Riyadh the opposition's insistence on a veto-wielding power in a new national unity government in exchange for guarantees to settle the tribunal issue after looking into the document and draft appropriate amendments, a demand strongly rejected by the ruling majority.
The pro-government March 14 coalition calls for the correlation between approval of the court to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri and the formation of a new government based on a 19 + 10 + 1 formula.
An Nahar said Khoja, who was in Riyadh Tuesday for a one-day visit, briefed Saudi officials on the outcome of his talks with the rival Lebanese leaders after Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed at a rare summit to resolve Lebanon's political crisis.
It said Khoja returned to Beirut overnight and is expected to launch a new round of talks Wednesday with senior Lebanese politicians related to the kingdom's efforts to break the deadlock. "Syria had already defined its stand in a letter sent to the (U.N.) Security Council," Muallem said at a joint press conference on Tuesday with visiting Belgian counterpart, Karel De Gucht."Just like the international tribunal was set up in accordance with the Lebanese law, it should be set up in accordance with the Syrian law," Muallem said.The Belgian foreign minister, however, expressed disappointment in Syria's refusal to hand over its citizens to the international court.
"I was disappointed to learn that … your country is not ready to transfer suspects to the Hariri tribunal," De Gucht told his host, speaking in English. "I think that is contrary to the principle of international law." "We will come to a point where the people responsible would have to be judged and punished. We are not looking for a political tribunal, it should be impartial and should be based on very clear-cut understanding of criminal law," De Gucht added. He stressed he thinks the political stalemate in Lebanon cannot be solved unless Syria pressures its allies across the border to compromise.(Naharnet-AP) Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 08:28

Iranian Official Defected to the West with Hizbullah Secrets
A former Israeli spymaster said on Wednesday that a former Iranian general linked to Lebanon's Hizbullah had probably defected to the West.
"Ali Reza Asghari (who mysteriously disappeared in Turkey) has probably defected to the West," said Danny Yatom, who was head of Mossad from 1996 until 1998 and is now an MP with the centre-left Labour party. "If he reaches the United States, sooner or later that information will probably reach Israel. He played a major role in Lebanon for many years as Revolutionary Guards commander and he also knew much about Ron Arad," he told army radio. Arad is an Israeli air force navigator who went missing after he ejected from a fighter-bomber during Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war. Mystery has continued prevail over Asghari's disappearance, amid accusations in Tehran he was snatched by Western spy agencies and suggestions in the Israeli media the Mossad may have been involved. Asghari, a former deputy defense minister said to have information about Iran's nuclear program, is believed to have gone missing in Istanbul in February shortly after checking into a luxury hotel. The Israeli media has said that while in the Revolutionary Guards, Asghari was Iran's liaison with the Lebanese Shiite Hizbullah.It has also claimed he was in charge of "special missions" carried out by the Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon in 1986, when Arad went missing. Israeli officials have repeatedly said that Iran holds the key to the fate of the airman, but Tehran has denied that it has ever held Arad.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 15:21

U.S. Finds Flaws in Lebanon Human Rights Situation
The U.S. gave Lebanon a mixed assessment of its human rights record in 2006, a year marked by the Israel-Hizbullah war and attacks on known figures.
In its annual survey of human rights practices, the State Department said that before the July-August war "the government took significant steps to increase freedom of assembly and association at mass demonstrations and by facilitating the formation of new political associations and parties." It also said that Premier Fouad Saniora's government "took concrete measures to prevent unauthorized eavesdropping on private citizens." However, it criticized "limitations on the right of citizens to peacefully change their government." Tuesday's report said that "there were instances of arbitrary or unlawful deprivation of life, torture, and other abuse."
On torture, the report said "the government acknowledged that violent abuse of detainees usually occurred during preliminary investigations conducted at police stations or military installations, in which suspects were interrogated without an attorney." On prison conditions, it said they did not meet minimum international standards.
"Prisons were overcrowded, and sanitary conditions in the women's prison, in particular, were very poor."
Despite the end of the war and the deployment of Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers in the south, "Hizbullah retained significant influence over parts of the country, and Palestinian militias retained control of refugee camps, beyond the reach of state authorities," the department said in the 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. It criticized but did not blame the government for not disarming Hizbullah and other militias in accordance with several U.N. Security Council Resolutions. "Due to several factors, including internal political differences and lack of capacity on the part of its security forces, the government has not taken the necessary steps to disarm extralegal armed groups, including Hizbullah," the report said. It also mentioned series of attacks on known Lebanese figures in 2006, including the killing of Islamic Jihad member Mahmoud Majzoub and his brother in Sidon on May 26, the attempted assassination of Lieutenant Colonel Samir Shehade in Rmeileh on September 5 and the November 21 murder of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel in New Jdeideh.The State Department said the probe into bombings in 2005 continued but there were no further developments in the June assassination of An Nahar columnist Samir Kassir, the murder of politician George Hawi the same month, the July murder attempt of Defense Minister Elias Murr, the bombing that targeted LBCI anchorwoman May Chidiac in September and the December killing of An Nahar's general manager Gebran Tueni.(AFP photo shows U.S. Under Secretary of State Barry Lowenkron speaking to reporters during the release of the report on global human rights at the State Department in Washington) Beirut, 07 Mar 07, 11:13

Syrian Prisoners Support Lebanon's Independence
Leading Syrian opposition figure Michel Kilo, who has been in custody since May, was brought before a military court on Tuesday on a charge on inciting prisoners to support the Beirut-Damascus Declaration, his lawyer said. Kilo and Mahmoud Issa, a communist activist, were brought before a military court "on a charge of inciting prisoners to support the Beirut-Damascus declaration," Khalil Maatuk told Agence France Presse.The petition, which both men have signed, calls for an overhaul of ties between the two states and for Syrian recognition of the independence of Lebanon, where Damascus was the major powerbroker for three decades until 2005.
They are charged with "publishing a political article or making a political speech with the aim of serving the propaganda of a party, an organization or a political group," the lawyer said. It carries a possible five-year jail sentence. The two men are also standing trial in a criminal court for "damaging to the image of the state," according to the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria. They have been accused of provoking religious and racial dissent, insulting official institutions, trying to "weaken national sentiment," damaging the image of the state and exposing Syria to the danger of aggression. The two trials will now run in parallel, said the lawyer.
Kilo and Issa, who were rounded up with eight other opposition figures, three of whom are still being held, lost appeals in December for charges of publishing false information and provoking dissent. In court on Monday, Kilo defended the Beirut-Damascus declaration, which was signed by about 300 intellectuals and artists from Lebanon and Syria, as serving the interests of both countries.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 06 Mar 07, 18:56

Murr: Army Weapons Exclusively in South
Defense Minister Elias Murr has refuted Israeli claims that Lebanon was violating Security Council Resolution 1701, An Nahar reported Tuesday.
The daily's Washington correspondent quoted informed sources as saying Murr told U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon in New York on Monday that the Lebanese military will confiscate all weapons that do not belong to the armed forces. The sources added that Murr stressed Lebanon's commitment to the cease-fire resolution that brought an end to the July-August war between Israel and Hizbullah. An Nahar said that Israel has claimed it has satellite images showing violation of the resolution.
However, Murr stressed to Ban that "the military is deployed in all sensitive regions in the south and there are no arms other than the Lebanese army's weapons there."
Resolution 1701 calls on the Lebanese government "to secure its borders and other entry points to prevent the entry in Lebanon without its consent of arms or related materiel." Murr is expected to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington on Tuesday in a visit aimed at shoring up support for the army.
Beirut, 06 Mar 07, 11:31


Hizbullah linked to Missing Iranian Official in Turkey
The Israeli media indicated Tuesday that an Iranian official who went missing in Turkey was a liaison officer with the Lebanese Hizbullah and had access to information about Tehran's nuclear program. Ali Reza Asghari, a deputy defense minister under Iran's former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, went missing in Istanbul in February three days after checking into a hotel there.Iran on Tuesday raised the possibility that he was abducted by Western intelligence services, the state IRNA agency reported from Tehran. "It is possible that the former deputy defense minister, Mr. Asghari, was kidnapped by the Western secret services due to his past at the ministry of defense," said police chief Ismaeel Ahmadi Moghadam. "Police investigation shows that he did not leave Turkey and was not in any of the hospitals in that country," he added. Tehran said on Monday that it had dispatched a team of diplomats to investigate Asghari's mysterious disappearance.
"Mr. Asghari disappeared during a recent trip to Turkey and the foreign ministry is following the issue, most notably by sending a consular mission," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters. "Iran is demanding explanations from the Turkish authorities," he added.
The Israeli media, however, carried several reports of speculative nature regarding the missing Iranian official's fate and the Jewish state ordered security tightened around its diplomatic missions worldwide, army radio reported.
The top theories discussed by the media in Israel -- all unconfirmed and none officially sourced -- say that its spies or those of its main ally the United States, could have either snatched Asghari or helped him defect. A journalist with the Israeli newspaper Maariv and a former agent with the Mossad foreign intelligence agency, Gad Shimron, said Asghari was a former senior official with Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards who had access to information on the country's controversial nuclear program.
In his Revolutionary Guard post, Asghari was also Iran's liaison with the Lebanese Hizbullah and "other terrorist groups," Israeli army radio said.
Asghari was also reportedly in charge of "special missions" carried out by the Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon in 1986, when Israeli airman Ron Arad went missing after ejecting from his plane over the south of the country, the Israeli media said.
Israeli officials have repeatedly said that Iran holds the key to the fate of the airman, who remains missing to this day. Tehran has denied that it has ever held Arad.
The air force navigator went missing after he ejected from a Phantom fighter-bomber during the country's 1975-90 civil war. He was captured by the Shiite movement Amal, headed by Nabih Berri, now speaker of the Lebanese parliament.
Israel engaged in lengthy negotiations for the release of the airman but contact was terminated when the Israeli military bombed the southern Lebanese village of Maydoun in 1996.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 06 Mar 07, 17:24

Hizbullah linked to Missing Iranian Official in Turkey
The Israeli media indicated Tuesday that an Iranian official who went missing in Turkey was a liaison officer with the Lebanese Hizbullah and had access to information about Tehran's nuclear program. Ali Reza Asghari, a deputy defense minister under Iran's former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, went missing in Istanbul in February three days after checking into a hotel there.Iran on Tuesday raised the possibility that he was abducted by Western intelligence services, the state IRNA agency reported from Tehran. "It is possible that the former deputy defense minister, Mr. Asghari, was kidnapped by the Western secret services due to his past at the ministry of defense," said police chief Ismaeel Ahmadi Moghadam. "Police investigation shows that he did not leave Turkey and was not in any of the hospitals in that country," he added. Tehran said on Monday that it had dispatched a team of diplomats to investigate Asghari's mysterious disappearance.
"Mr. Asghari disappeared during a recent trip to Turkey and the foreign ministry is following the issue, most notably by sending a consular mission," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters. "Iran is demanding explanations from the Turkish authorities," he added. The Israeli media, however, carried several reports of speculative nature regarding the missing Iranian official's fate and the Jewish state ordered security tightened around its diplomatic missions worldwide, army radio reported. The top theories discussed by the media in Israel -- all unconfirmed and none officially sourced -- say that its spies or those of its main ally the United States, could have either snatched Asghari or helped him defect.
A journalist with the Israeli newspaper Maariv and a former agent with the Mossad foreign intelligence agency, Gad Shimron, said Asghari was a former senior official with Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards who had access to information on the country's controversial nuclear program. In his Revolutionary Guard post, Asghari was also Iran's liaison with the Lebanese Hizbullah and "other terrorist groups," Israeli army radio said.
Asghari was also reportedly in charge of "special missions" carried out by the Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon in 1986, when Israeli airman Ron Arad went missing after ejecting from his plane over the south of the country, the Israeli media said. Israeli officials have repeatedly said that Iran holds the key to the fate of the airman, who remains missing to this day. Tehran has denied that it has ever held Arad. The air force navigator went missing after he ejected from a Phantom fighter-bomber during the country's 1975-90 civil war. He was captured by the Shiite movement Amal, headed by Nabih Berri, now speaker of the Lebanese parliament.
Israel engaged in lengthy negotiations for the release of the airman but contact was terminated when the Israeli military bombed the southern Lebanese village of Maydoun in 1996.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 06 Mar 07, 17:24

Holding the Tribunal is the Solution
Daoud Shirian Al-Hayat - 07/03/07//
The fact that an official statement about the Saudi-Iranian summit was not issued has created a state of doubt among some Lebanese circles concerning any foreseeable chances of resolving the Lebanese crisis, which is devastating Lebanon.
These doubts increased with Tehran's denial of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's stance with respect to the Arab initiative, as quoted by the Saudi Press Agency, considering such discrepancy as a possible negative indication of the atmosphere at the summit meeting between King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and President Ahmadinejad.
The non-issuance of an official statement, however, is not what determines the success or failure of the visit, and may instead indicate that the dialogue has not yet been concluded, given that the Lebanese issue was not the central issue of the talks, since the situation in Lebanon was part of a more comprehensive and deeper understanding between the Saudis and the Iranians.
The ongoing escalation marking the political crisis in Lebanon has become part of the sectarian tension that the region has been witnessing since the occupation of Iraq.
Reining in this tension can contain the consequent repercussions of this state of sectarian mobilization. Perhaps anyone following the statements that emerged from the summit meeting between the two leaders will find that the agreement to contain the sectarian crisis was the most prominent, since the absence of clear statements about the Lebanese and Iraqi crises served Riyadh's objective to isolate these two countries from foreign intervention.
Saudi Arabia did not seek to engage Iran in dialogue merely to reach an agreement on a mechanism, or to float any specific ideas to resolve the political crises in Lebanon and Iraq, but rather to shape up a vision of understanding, encourage the resumption of an inter-Lebanese and an inter-Iraqi dialogue free from non-nationalist pressure, and to agree on principals for creating a political and regional atmosphere conducive to a resolution based on defusing the sectarian sedition between the Sunnis and the Shiites, respecting the sovereignty and national interest of States, and keeping the Lebanese and Iraqi crises within their local and Arab frameworks.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal indirectly confirmed in statements to the media that the Saudi-Iranian summit was not intended for the discussion of details of the Lebanese crisis, saying that "In order for the situation in Lebanon to positively change, the Lebanese must have the resolve to independently arrive at the decision to uphold national interests above any other considerations".
Al-Faisal also pointed out that the ongoing crises in Lebanon and the region have inflamed the sectarian sedition between the Muslim Shiites and the Sunnis, and that the aim of the dialogue with Iran was "the protection against, and the containment of, the flames of sedition".
There is no doubt that the Saudi-Iranian dialogue, which culminated in a summit meeting between King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and President Ahmadinejad, will reflect positively on the region's crises, including the Lebanese one.
The final solution, however, lies in the hands of the Lebanese, because whatever doubts they may have regarding the ability of others to reach understandings or consensuses does not relieve them of their responsibility.
The Lebanese crisis was not a result of regional differences or agreements. It is true that the moves by some sides to draw strength from foreign parties, and the attempts to give the crisis a sectarian dimension have exacerbated the complexities of the crisis. But the core of the Lebanese crisis lies in the international tribunal, which the opposition seeks to bypass without the least intention of improving its demands.
The probable outcome for this stance is that the UN Security Council may force the establishment of the tribunal if the Lebanese fail to reach a consensus over its establishment.
That is why the opposition will be held responsible for the deteriorating situation in Lebanon if it continues to believe that the solution lies in the serious consideration of further escalatory measures with the aim of exerting further pressure on the Siniora government