LCCC ENGLISH
DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 7/07
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 14,15-24. One of his
fellow guests on hearing this said to him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in
the kingdom of God."He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to which he
invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to
say to those invited, 'Come, everything is now ready.' But one by one, they all
began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field and
must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I
have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you,
consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have just married a woman, and
therefore I cannot come.' The servant went and reported this to his master. Then
the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, 'Go out quickly into
the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled,
the blind and the lame.' The servant reported, 'Sir, your orders have been
carried out and still there is room.' The master then ordered the servant, 'Go
out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be
filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my
dinner.'"
Releases.
Reports & Opinions
Bin Laden's Frustration with His Lieutenants. By:
Dr. Walid Phares. November 6/07
Building on the democratic lesson of the army
commander: protecting the integrity of the constitutional process.
By Chibli Mallat. November
6/07
Another Buddha destroyed, and the world answers with
silence.By
Vishakha N. Desai. November 6/07
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 6/07
Kouchner: No Deal with Syria on Lebanon Election-Naharnet
Khalilzad: Presidents Can Get Elected by Majority-Naharnet
Security Council For Presidential Election in Lebanon-Naharnet
US Imposes Sanctions to Hinder Syria.The
Associated Press
'IAF carries out mock Lebanon raids'.Jerusalem
Post
Dichter: Syria ready for peace, are we?Jerusalem
Post
UN Calls for Free and Fair Elections in Lebanon.Voice
of America
Khaddam: Assad Wants to Hamper Lebanon Election to Torpedo Tribunal-Naharnet
Britain
to Open Up to Syria in Return for Positive Role in Lebanon-Naharnet
Security Council demands free and fair poll in
Beirut-Daily
Star
Hizbullah touts major 'maneuvers' in South Lebanon-Daily
Star
Challenge to fill Ghanem seat looms over horizon-Daily
Star
US Embassy hosts forum on intellectual property-Daily
Star
Israel believes captured troops are dead - report-Daily
Star
Legislator accuses Hizbullah of plans to foment 'strife-Daily
Star
Euro-Med members gather for two-day meeting in Lisbon-Daily
Star
Parliament holds vigil for victims
of cluster bombs-Daily
Star
Hariri slaying 'hurt economy' - French study-Daily
Star
AUB awards medal for voluntary service-Daily
Star
IndyAct uses blue and red to publicize green issues-Daily
Star
Foreign country to help resolve Sidon dump crisis-Daily
Star
Chouf residents rush to buy imported olive 'wood-Daily
Star
Palestinians weave their legacy in Ain al-Hilweh camp.AFP
Rice
'hopes' for Palestinian-Israeli peace deal before the end of Bush's term-Daily
Star
Iran dismissive
of US threat, open to discussions on Iraq-Daily
Star
Islamic scholars
dial up heated debate.AFP
Fanatics warn Bush to fear
consequences of peace.AFP
Iranian woman loses appeal
of jail time, lashes.AFP
Erdogan visits Washington to press for action
against PKK militants-Daily
Star
Security Council For
Presidential Election in Lebanon
The U.N. Security Council on Monday demanded free and fair presidential polls in
Lebanon later this month without foreign meddling.
After closed-door consultations on Lebanon, the 15-member body issued a
non-binding statement stressing the "need to hold free and fair presidential
elections in conformity with the Lebanese constitution and without any foreign
interference and influence."
The statement, read out by Indonesia's U.N. ambassador Marty Natalegawa who
chairs the council this month, reaffirmed "the need for all parties to resolve
all political issues on the basis of reconciliation and national dialogue." It
was issued after the council heard a briefing from U.N. Middle East envoy Terje
Roed Larsen on implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559. That
resolution, passed in 2004, calls for the disarming and disbanding of all
Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias as well as the restoration of Lebanon's
sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence. Lebanese
lawmakers have failed to agree on a consensus presidential candidate to replace
Emile Lahoud, the pro-Syrian incumbent whose term expires on November 24. Last
month, Lebanon's parliament speaker again postponed until November 12 a special
session to elect a president, to give the divided country's feuding political
factions time to agree on a consensus candidate. There are mounting fears that
the row could lead to two rival governments and a return to the final years of
the civil war when two competing administrations battled for control.(AFP)
Beirut, 05 Nov 07, 21:42
Khalilzad:
Presidents Can Get Elected by Majority
U.S. Ambassador
to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad said that presidents in democracies can get elected
by simple majority.
"In the view of many democratic countries, presidents can be elected by majority
and the Lebanese constitution permits that," Khalizad told reporters in New
York.
"We hope that there's the broadest possible support for the president that is
elected (in Lebanon), but the election should take place on time without
(foreign) interference," he added. Khalilzad said the United States also shared
concern expressed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that President Emile "Lahoud
might not leave office as he should at midnight on November 23 or that an
illegitimate separate government might be formed." Beirut, 06 Nov 07, 09:04
Kouchner:
No Deal with Syria on Lebanon Election
French Foreign
Minister Bernard Kouchner said no deal was cut with Syria regarding the upcoming
Lebanese presidential election.
"There is no deal between Paris and Damascus, but rather Syrian authorities were
reminded of fundamental issues," Kouchner told reporters in Paris.
He stressed the need for Syria to refrain from interfering in Lebanese affairs,
linking normalization of Franco-Syrian ties with Syrian compliance.
Kouchner said the presidential election should proceed without foreign
interference, stressing that the Lebanese alone should pick the new head of
state. Kouchner defined the manner by which the president should be elected: A
list to be presented by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir to be followed by
discussions between MP Saad Hariri and House Speaker Nabih Berri in order to
choose one or two candidates from Sfeir's list, adding that these nominees would
then be put forward for election and MPs would vote for one who shall become the
President.
Asked about the fate of French-Syrian ties, Kouchner said: "If Damascus respects
the democratic process, it's obvious that relations between Paris and Damascus
will improve.""Only then, we can maintain normal relations," he added. "…This is
the message we have sent to Syria for the fifth time."
Responding to statements by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem regarding a
Syrian-French agreement on Lebanon, Koucher said: "We did not strike any deal.
We reminded him of the principle issues which comprised of six points."
On U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's insistence that a president should
be elected from the majority March 14 coalition, Kouchner said: "Despite the
friendly relations that bind us together, we are not always in harmony with
America, and whenever there is a difference we point it out."
Kouchner hinted that he could return to Beirut. Meanwhile, a source in Paris
said a meeting in Damascus between French President Nicolas Sarkozy envoys and
Syrian President Bashar Asaad was "positive," and could present signs of good
news if the "roadmap" outlined by the two sides on the presidential election was
carried out.
The source said Sarkozy's top aides handed Assad a letter from the French
president that insisted on France's desire not to hurt the Syrian regime and
indicated that Lebanon's stability is a French priority.
French Charge d'affairs Andre Parant on Monday briefed Prime Minister Fouad
Saniora of the results of the meeting between Assad and French presidential
envoys Claude Gueant, the secretary general of the French presidency, and Jean
David Levitte, France's National Security Adviser.
Also Monday, Parant met Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab. He urged
the Lebanese to elect a president without foreign interference.
"I told (Geagea) that efforts must be doubled to hold presidential elections
with the widest possible support before November 24 in accordance with the
constitution," Parant said after the meeting. "The Lebanese must be given the
opportunity to elect a new president for the republic freely without pressure or
foreign interference amid a democratic atmosphere in compliance with Security
Council resolutions," he added. "This is the message that Sarkozy's envoy to
Damascus delivered and what was discussed between Kouchner and Muallem during
their meeting in Istanbul." Beirut, 06 Nov 07, 10:49
U.S.
Imposes Sanctions on Lebanese, Syrians for 'Undermining' Lebanon
In a bid to
combat Syrian influence over Lebanon, the U.S. announced economic sanctions
against four people -- two Lebanese and two Syrians, including a cousin of
Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Treasury Department announced that it was
freezing any assets the four individuals might have in U.S. financial
institutions. The action also prohibits any U.S. citizen from engaging in
transactions with the four. "Syria has used all means at its disposal -- from
bribery to intimidation to violence -- to undermine the legitimate political
process in Lebanon," Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levey said in announcing the
sanctions. "Today's action exposes four individuals involved in such activities
and serves as a warning to others who would do likewise." They were identified
by the Treasury as Assaad Halim Hardan, a member of the Lebanese parliament and
leader of the Syrian Social National Party central political bureau, and Wiam
Wahhab, a former cabinet minister. Treasury said both men work with senior
Syrian officials to undermine Lebanese sovereignty.
Britain
to Open Up to Syria in Return for Positive Role in Lebanon
Britain
stressed the need for a Lebanon-made settlement to the presidential election
crisis "without the interference from Lebanon's neighbors or from
others."British Foreign office spokesman Barry Marston said Britain would open
up to Syria and take an initiative of improving mutual ties if Damascus played a
"positive role" in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. "Syria faces a tough choice.
Either it stays in Iran's camp and plays a negative role in the Middle East, or
it would join the rest of the countries in order to make peace efforts in
Palestine and Iraq a success and to help the Lebanese people achieve national
reconciliation and carry out successful presidential election." Beirut, 06 Nov
07, 13:11
Khaddam: Assad Wants to Hamper Lebanon Election to Torpedo Tribunal
Former Syrian
Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of
seeking to hamper Lebanese presidential elections to torpedo the international
tribunal that would try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Premier
Rafik Hariri and related crimes. Khaddam said Assad's scheme was also designed
to provoke internal civil strife and create a power vacuum. "The Lebanon crisis
is not one among the Lebanese, neither it is due to disputes over the
presidential candidate," Khaddam said in remarks published on Tuesday. "The
major reason for the crisis comes from outside Lebanon, from the alliance
between the Iranian and Syrian regimes.""This alliance wants a president (for
Lebanon) that would serve their strategies from one side and helps torpedo the
international court," Khaddam said. He said Assad uses his allies as well as
secret agents to hamper the Lebanese election. Beirut, 06 Nov 07, 13:13
The Treasury Department also sanctioned Hafiz Makhlouf, a colonel and senior
official in the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate and a cousin of Assad,
and Mohammed Nassif Khayrbik, identified as a close adviser to Assad. Syrian
troops formally withdrew from Lebanon in April 2005 after a 29-year military
presence.
Treasury said in its announcement that the Syrian government is working through
Lebanese proxies to exert control over the Lebanese political system and weaken
the pro-government ruling coalition in Lebanon. The Treasury statement said
Syria's efforts include bribing politicians, intimidation, support for violence
and providing arms to militias and terrorist groups. The sanctions announced
Monday were imposed under two executive orders signed by U.S.President George
Bush in May 2004 and this past August.(AP) Beirut, 06 Nov 07, 08:14
Lebanon
and the U.N. Deny Hizbullah Maneuvers Report
The Lebanese
government and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Monday denied press
reports that the militant group Hizbullah had staged military-style exercises in
south Lebanon. Prime Minister Fouad Saniora told a press conference that a
report in Al-Akhbar newspaper concerning the alleged exercises was unfounded.
Lebanese security forces as well as the UNIFIL had informed his government that
there were "no maneuvers or unusual movements by civilian or military elements
on the ground", he said. "From what we gathered, there was a simulation on
paper, indoors," Saniora told reporters. "What happened was just an indoors
simulation which was not implemented on the ground." UNIFIL spokeswoman Yasmina
Bouziane told Agence France Presse: "The position of the Lebanese authorities is
corroborated by reports of the UNIFIL units on the ground." Hizbullah officials
questioned by AFP declined to comment on the reports.
Al-Akhbar, a paper affiliated with Hizbullah said the exercises on Saturday and
Sunday were the "largest scale maneuvers in the history of Hizbullah".
The group's leader Hassan Nasrallah had personally supervised them, it said.(AFP)
Khalilzad:
Presidents Can Get Elected by Majority
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad said that presidents in
democracies can get elected by simple majority.
"In the view of many democratic countries, presidents can be elected by majority
and the Lebanese constitution permits that," Khalizad told reporters in New
York. "We hope that there's the broadest possible support for the president that
is elected (in Lebanon), but the election should take place on time without
(foreign) interference," he added. Khalilzad said the United States also shared
concern expressed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that President Emile "Lahoud
might not leave office as he should at midnight on November 23 or that an
illegitimate separate government might be formed."Beirut, 06 Nov 07, 09:04
Dear Mr. Kahlil,
I'm writing you to object the use of racist terms in your last sketch-comment on
Sawt al Ghad.
I think using those racist terms, have dropped your level of professionalism and
hurt the feelings of many listeners.
I strongly object and hope you will apologies next time you go on air.
Jihad Mdawar
Hello, what does Condoleezza want?
Condoleezza the cute one, the one whom her color is black without any softness,
she is not funny at all, what does Condoleezza want?
When condy sees two persons met and shake hands, in less than 2 minutes, her
poison drops on both sides, and what does Condoleezza want?
Is she evil? Yes we can say that, is she thinking of troubles? Yes always in her
presence peace is gone, and only stupid will follow her, what does Condoleezza
want?
She does not want a president whom Lebanese have agreed on , and she does not
want the Lebanese to be lovers, the Christian is like the snail, if it did not
die, it will be very hard to be tasted, and we are being instinct very slowly,
last worry for Condoleezza , what does Condoleezza want?
She is the same as the Syrian, they both stepped on us, in their point of view
we are not people, they lead us with presidents, and what does Condoleezza want?
I don’t blame Condoleezza, she lives with madness in her head, but those
students of her, whose name is the rebellions of the cedars, if they have honor
and glory they will leave Condoleezza , because they will destroy with them
Lebanon, while they are entering her Project (Ass) and I will see you tomorrow.
Charble Khalil
http://www.tayyar.org/galleries/displayimage.php?album=988&pos=0
The right of Mr. khalil in speaking his point of view is respected but the
question rises up when we see him using such a low tool as racism....
I don’t think he will apologize now like he did when Hezbollah threaten him…
JM
Security
Council demands free and fair poll in Beirut
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
BEIRUT: The United Nations Security Council demanded on Monday that Lebanon's
presidential election later this month be free, fair, and devoid of foreign
meddling.
After closed-door consultations on Lebanon, the 15-member body issued a
nonbinding statement stressing the "need to hold free and fair presidential
elections in conformity with the Lebanese Constitution and without any foreign
interference and influence."
The statement, read out by Indonesian UN envoy Marty Natalegawa, who chairs the
council this month, reaffirmed "the need for all parties to resolve all
political issues on the basis of reconciliation and national dialogue."
It was issued after the council heard a briefing from UN Middle East envoy Terje
Roed Larsen on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559.
That resolution, passed in 2004, calls for the disarming and disbanding of all
Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias as well as the restoration of Lebanon's
sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.
US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad, meanwhile, said that in Washington's
view presidents in democracies "can get elected by majority."
"We hope that there's the broadest possible support for the president who is
elected [in Lebanon], but the election should take place on time without
[foreign] interference," he added.
Khalilzad said the US also shared concerns expressed by UN chief Ban Ki-moon
that incumbent Emile Lahoud "might not leave office as he should at midnight on
November 23 or that an illegitimate separate government might be formed."
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, in a television interview Monday,
stressed the need for Syria to refrain from interfering, linking normalization
of Franco-Syrian ties with Syrian compliance. He said the election must proceed
without interference from anyone and that the Lebanese alone should choose the
new president.
French Charge d'Affaires Andre Parant met Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at the
Grand Serail Monday. Parant informed Siniora of the results of the meeting
between French presidential envoys Claude Gueant, the secretary general of the
French presidency, and Jean David Levitte, France's National Security Adviser,
and Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Parant later met Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab, from where
Parant called for the Lebanese to elect a president without foreign
interference. "I told [Geagea] that efforts must be doubled to hold presidential
elections with the widest possible support before November 24 in accordance with
the Constitution," Parant told reporters after his meeting.
"The Lebanese must be given the opportunity to elect a new president for the
republic freely without pressure or foreign interference amid a democratic
atmosphere in compliance with Security Council resolutions," Parant said, "This
is the message that [French[ President [Nicolas] Sarkozy's envoy to Damascus
delivered and what was discussed between Kouchner and [Syrian Foreign Minister
Walid] Moallem during their meeting in Istanbul."
Meanwhile, Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt praised the position of
Lebanese Armed Forces commander General Michel Suleiman for respecting the
Constitution and making it clear that he is neither a candidate for the
presidency nor does he seek any political office.
In his weekly comments to the Progressive Socialist Party
newspaper Al-Anbaa, to be published Tuesday, Jumblatt said that as presidential
polls draw closer security risks will increase. He said security threats could
take many shapes and forms, some similar to events in Nahr al-Bared, aiming to
destabilize the country and hinder state institutions "which is the policy
adopted by the Syrian regime and its confederates in Lebanon."
Former President Amin Gemayel said that no matter how difficult or how great the
sacrifices to "liberate" presidential elections and bolster Lebanon's
sovereignty, it was preferable to risking internal strife. He said as the
Lebanese are all in one boat it is vital to talk to everyone, speaking
confidently in the name of what he termed the silent majority that only wants to
live with dignity in a free country.
Speaker Nabih Berri received Monday in Ain al-Tineh March 14 MP Ghassan Tueni,
who told reporters after the meeting that matters continue to move forward and
all sides continue to be hopeful and optimistic. "Nothing new has emerged after
the Paris meeting, we are still waiting," Tueni said, referring to the meeting
between parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri and Change and Reform Bloc
leader MP Michel Aoun.
Asked if the November 12 parliamentary session would proceed as expected, Tueni
said he doubted presidential elections will take place on November 12. "There
will be discussion among MPs on that date, both among MPs inside the hall and
those outside it." He said "an agreement [between rival political factions] will
not happen before 15 days, agreement is always reached in the final hour."
Hizbullah official Nawwaf Mousawi said the meeting between Aoun and Hariri has
irritated March 14 Christians, prompting them to issue one threat after another.
In a radio interview, Mousawi said the meeting in Paris laid the foundations for
a new phase in relations but all hinged on what Hariri could achieve, "as he was
not able to convince his allies in the past of accepting settlements reached
with Hizbullah and Amal."
U.S.
Imposes Sanctions to Hinder Syria
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration, trying to combat Syrian attempts to
reassert control over Lebanon's political system, said Monday it was imposing
economic sanctions against four people. The Treasury Department announced that
it was freezing any assets the four individuals might have in U.S. financial
institutions. The action also prohibits any U.S. citizen from engaging in
transactions with the four. "Syria has used all means at its disposal — from
bribery to intimidation to violence — to undermine the legitimate political
process in Lebanon," Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levey said in announcing the
sanctions. "Today's action exposes four individuals involved in such activities
and serves as a warning to others who would do likewise."
Treasury identified two of the people as Assaad Halim Hardan, a member of
Lebanon's parliament and chief of the Syrian Socialist National Party central
political bureau, and Wi'am Wahhab, a former member of Lebanon's parliament.
Treasury said both men work with senior Syrian officials to undermine Lebanese
sovereignty.
The Treasury Department also sanctioned Hafiz Makhluf, a colonel and senior
official in the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate and a cousin of Syrian
President Bashar Asad, and Muhammad Nasif Khayrbik, identified as a close
adviser to Asad.
Syrian troops formally withdrew from Lebanon in April 2005 after a 29-year
military presence. Treasury said in its announcement that the Syrian government
is working through Lebanese proxies to exert control over the Lebanese political
system and weaken the pro-government coalition in Lebanon.
The Treasury statement said Syria's efforts include bribing politicians,
intimidation, support for violence and providing arms to militias and terrorist
groups.
The sanctions announced Monday were imposed under two executive orders signed by
President Bush in May 2004 and this past August.
Hizbullah touts major 'maneuvers' in South Lebanon
Nasrallah: 'I hope that both friend and foe will realize that the resistance is
totally ready'
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
BEIRUT/BINT JBEIL: Hizbullah said Monday that thousands of its fighters -
unarmed and out of uniform - held an exercise in South Lebanon over the weekend
in response to major maneuvers conducted by the Israeli military across the
border. Israeli warplanes carried out intensive overflights along the coast from
Naqoura to Zahrani. Last week the Lebanese Armed Forces fired anti-aircraft guns
at Israeli jets that had intruded into Lebanese territory.
Two pro-opposition newspapers, Al-Akhbar and As-Safir, reported Monday that
Hizbullah had staged one of its largest exercises ever south of the Litani
River, the first since the end of the 2006 war with Israel.
"The resistance leadership was forced to take a different decision,
unprecedented in Hizbullah's history," Al-Akhbar said.
The daily said Hizbullah's secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,
personally directed the exercise, afterward congratulating the participants.
"I hope that both friend and foe will realize that the resistance is totally
ready to confront all kinds of Israeli threats," he was quoted as saying.
As-Safir said the move came after Israeli maneuvers near the northern border
with Lebanon and intensified Israeli flights over the South and Beirut. As-Safir
also quoted Major General Claudio Graziano, the commander of the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon, as warning Lebanese leaders in Beirut last week that
tensions in the South and a deepening political crisis in the country might
prompt European countries "to withdraw from UNIFIL within four months."
Italy, France, Spain and Germany form the bulk of the reinforced UN force that
deployed in South Lebanon after last year's war. UNIFIL spokesperson Yasmina
Bouziane denied the report quoting Graziano and stressed that the claims were
"totally baseless."
"All of the 28 troop-contributing countries concerned remain resolved and
committed more than ever to continue their contribution to UNIFIL's mission to
help ensure security and stability," said Bouziane.
As for the Al-Akhbar report, she said it has been "denied by Lebanese
authorities."
"The position of the Lebanese authorities is corroborated by reports of UNIFIL
units on the ground," she said.
"The Lebanese Armed Forces have the primary responsibility for security in South
Lebanon, including ensuring that the area between the Blue Line and the Litani
River is free of any unauthorized armed personnel, assets and weapons. To that
end, UNIFIL works closely in support of the [army]," she added.
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora also played down the reports, saying the exercises
were only a "simulation on paper."
"What happened is nothing but an indoor simulation exercise that was never
implemented on the ground," Siniora told reporters on Monday.
Apart from the 13,500 UN peacekeeping soldiers, the area south of the Litani is
patrolled by 15,000 Lebanese troops, in accordance with UN Resolution 1701,
which ended the hostilities in August 2006.
A senior Lebanese Army source told The Daily Star that there is no such thing as
"unarmed" military maneuvers, but added that the Hizbullah drills, while
officially unconfirmed, fall under the category of "movements of citizens around
the South."
"It does not mean anything to us [the army] unless it [the drill] is armed and
poses a threat to security," said the army source.
"Any activity or movement cannot be termed 'maneuvers,'" the army source said.
"They may choose to call them maneuvers, but we don't."
A senior member of Hizbullah confirmed that the exercise took place, saying it
was intended to counter Israeli activity.
"In response to what the enemy is doing, this maneuver by the Islamic resistance
was part of its ... work and its commitment to always defend Lebanon, its
sovereignty and its people," Sheikh Hassan Izzedine told New Television.
Although the reports of the exercise prompted fears of renewed conflict with
Israel, political analysts dismissed the idea that another war is imminent.
"Hizbullah is sending a political message to Israel," former senior UNIFIL
adviser Timur Goksel told The Daily Star in a telephone interview.
"It has always been Hizbullah's way to respond to Israel in kind," Goksel said.
Goksel said the message to Israel was simple: "If you can do these exercises, so
can we."
He also said that by being unarmed and not in uniform during the exercise,
Hizbullah did not "legally" violate 1701.
"But their maneuvers put the UN peacekeepers and the army in a difficult
position," he said.
Goksel said renewed conflict was unlikely, adding: "Israel wasn't threatened by
it, saw it as a political gimmick."
"Israel will monitor the situation from the sky," he added.
The Lebanese Army command has in the last few days, including Monday, issued
statements noting increased Israeli overflights in South Lebanon in violation of
Resolution 1701.
Last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a report saying that Israel
claims that Hizbullah has rearmed with new long-range rockets capable of hitting
Tel Aviv. Ban's report said Israel also claims Hizbullah has tripled its C-802
shore-based anti-ship missiles and has established an air-defense unit armed
with surface-to-air missiles. - With agencies and additional reporting by
Mohammed Zaatari
Legislator accuses Hizbullah of plans to foment 'strife'
By Maher Zeineddine
Daily Star correspondent
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
CHOUF: Democratic Gathering MP Mohammad Hajjar accused Hizbullah over the
weekend of planning to instigate conflict in the Chouf region of Iqlim al-Kharroub
and across all of Lebanon. "Former MP Wiam Wahhab is to execute Hizbullah's plan
in the Chouf, former MP Abdel-Rahim Mrad in the Bekaa Valley, [Free Patriotic
Movement leader] MP Michel Aoun in Jbeil and Kesrouan, Sunni cleric Fathi Yakan
in the North and former Minister Suleiman Franjieh in Zghorta," Hajjar said
Saturday. "The strife might explode once the new president is elected by the
half-plus-one scenario," he added.
Sheikh Mohammad Akoum said Saturday that many of Iqlim al-Kharroub's residents
"are asking their political leaders to provide them with the military supplies
they need." "Preparations are defensive rather than offensive," he said,
accusing former MP Zaher Khatib of instigating feuds within the Sunni community
and of engaging in a Shiite battle in "the land of Sunnis."There have been
unconfirmed reports that men are being recruited, rearmed and trained in the
North, Mount Lebanon, the South and now the predominantly Sunni area of Iqlim
al-Kharroub in the Chouf. While Internal Security Forces (ISF) officials refuse
to comment on the issue, an ISF officer in Iqlim al-Kharroub told The Daily Star
security forces had submitted to the government "all information they have."
According to Hajjar, "the story began eight months ago when Hizbullah started to
finance Khatib for the purpose of supporting an armed resistance to whose
establishment the former MP has contributed in Iqlim al-Kharroub.""New recruits
are being paid between $400 and $600 a month," he said.
Hajjar cited an official from the March 14 camp in the Iqlim al-Kharoub area who
said Khatib has sent some of the area's young men to Beirut's southern suburbs
and the Bekaa regions of Nabi Sheet and Brital to be trained in Hizbullah camps.
"The number of those men has exceeded 200; most of them are between 20 and 35
years old." "I warn Hizbullah against the danger of sowing tensions among
residents of Iqlim al-Kharroub," he added. For his part, Khatib said "secret and
suspicious trainings" were being carried out by the Future Movement, adding that
Future Movement members had received apparel "similar to those of the security
forces." Residents of Wadi al-Zina in the Chouf denied claims that military
training was taking place in the area.
Parliament holds vigil for victims of cluster bombs
Un de-mining group warns funds running out
By Mirvat Ammouri
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
BEIRUT: To mark the Global Day of Action against Cluster Bombs, the Parliament
hosted a gathering at its headquarters in Nijmeh Square on Monday to protest
against the use of cluster bombs and land mines. Dozens of people gathered in
the square to light candles in front of large posters showing civilian victims
killed and maimed by the munitions. Several MPs, including Abdel Latif al-Zein,
Michel Moussa and Ghazi Zeaiter, as well as Norwegian Ambassador Odlis Norheim,
representatives of the Lebanon Mine Action Center and numerous other NGOs
attended the event. The Global Day of Action was observed across the world with
a series of events to raise awareness, demonstrate global public concern, and
petition the international community to establish a treaty to ban the use of
cluster bombs by the end of 2008. Earlier this year 46 countries gathered in
Olso to endorse an international treaty banning cluster bombs which "cause
unacceptable [and indiscriminate] harm to civilians."
Norway called on countries of the world to join efforts to create an
international treaty in light of damage cluster bombs have caused across the
world. Over 80 countries are now participating in this process, known as the
"Oslo Process." "The goal is not to create a new law, [but rather] one that
protects lives," Norheim said.
New Zealand, a leading participant in the process, will host a second treaty
conference in Wellington from February 18-22, 2008. Representatives of 100
governments are expected to attend. Cluster bombs, delivered by aerial strike
and ground launches, eject a number of smaller bomblets upon hitting a target.
When the bomblets are released, they scatter to cover massive areas, causing
greater damage and more casualties. Many bomblets fail to detonate on impact,
leaving behind a deadly weapon that takes lives long after conflict ends. The
Israeli daily Haaretz quoted an unidentified military leader in the Israeli Air
Force as saying his unit dropped munitions containing more than 1.2 million
bomblets over South Lebanon during the summer 2006 war. "What we did was crazy
and brutal," he told the paper.
The United Nations estimates that 4 million cluster bombs were dropped by Israel
on Lebanon during the 34-day war, three quarters of them during the last 72
hours before the cease-fire. Since the cessation of hostilities, cluster bombs
have killed 38 civilians and severely wounded 236 others, including many
children. Some of the bombs have bright colors and look like small balls.
Hariri slaying 'hurt economy' - French study
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
BEIRUT: The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the abrupt
withdrawal of Syrian forces caused GDP growth in 2005 to shrink to 1.1 percent
from 4.7 percent in 2004, officials said on Monday. Speaking to reporters at the
Grand Serail, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's financial adviser, Robert Casparian,
said 2005 was rife with negative developments that affected the overall
performance of the economy. The French National Institute for Statistics and
Economic Studies conducted the survey on behalf of Lebanon's government. The
French institute had been tasked by the late Hariri to re-examine all public
accounts since 2001.
He added that thousands of Syrian laborers fled the country in 2005, which had a
devastating effect on the construction sector.
Following the Hariri assassination, most Syrian workers left Lebanon due to
fears that they would be targeted by angry mobs who believed Damascus was behind
the killing of the former prime minister. Casparian said remittances from
Lebanese living abroad were a big boost for Lebanon in 2005. "The large capital
inflows helped weather some of the negative effects," he added. Lebanese
expatriates, especially in the oil-rich Gulf region, send more than $5 billion
annually to Lebanon, or nearly 25 percent of the country's GDP. - The Daily Star
Building on the democratic lesson of the army commander: protecting the
integrity of the constitutional process
By Chibli Mallat
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
First person by Chibli Mallat
The army spokesperson's call to keep its commander "outside the political
bazaar" provides one of those unique occasions in the life of the Lebanese
Republic. Suddenly history beckons with an opening onto a better future for the
country's democracy and for the region. The US presidency knew such an occasion
when its first president, George Washington, refused to seek a third term and
retired from politics in 1797. In Costa Rica, Jose Figueres Ferrer established a
counterexample to military dictatorships in the whole of Central and Latin
America by restoring democracy and leaving power in 1949. So did Leopold Senghor
in Senegal in 1980, and even more powerfully Nelson Mandela in South Africa in
1999. This explains why the US, Costa Rica, Senegal and South Africa have been
the unquestionable models of stability and prosperity in their respective
regions. This is what we need for Lebanon, and why we must build on the army
commander's democratic lesson.
With the government split between a president and a prime minister who are at
loggerheads, each party interprets the Constitution as he likes. No
interpretation can prevail because there is no constitutional umpire to break
the Gordian Knot. The lack of a functioning government is complicated by the
absence of a Constitutional Council (but we should remember that the council was
not habilitated to offer constitutional interpretations in a crisis like the one
we are living), and, more gravely, by the shutdown of Parliament for a year. The
only way therefore to interpret the Constitution is to underline, as did the
army's commander in chief, its democratic calling.
What does "interpreting the Constitution democratically" mean? I read it as
opening up public spaces in a way that engages citizens, and addresses them as
intelligent and responsible individuals without whom any public office means
nothing. So I tried, by declaring my candidacy, and by engaging in a sustained,
transparent campaign over a period of seven months, to offer a modest
contribution to the presidential contest by taking it to the public. The war
between Hizbullah and Israel made it impossible to continue, but one phenomenon
has taken root: the compelling need for "declared candidates." The phenomenon is
new to Lebanon's constitutional history. Regardless of my own bid, I hope that
the next president is elected from among those who have openly declared they
were running, and actively campaigned for it. For why should the representatives
of the Lebanese people, who are tasked by the Constitution to elect the head of
state, choose a person who does not openly express to them his interest, and
openly fight for it ?
In the normal course of a democratic campaign, candidates are grilled by the
press, and by their electors (MPs and, beyond, the citizens), publically and
relentlessly. The press has done what it can, although one continues to regret
the absence of a debate between the candidates that leading television anchors
should have organized. More importantly, the parliamentary shutdown has been an
unmitigated disaster, compounded by the assassination of the MPs belonging to
the majority.
There is not enough time to redress this tragic development. Where then is the
place for the democratic debate? In the continuing polarization, the only game
left in town is Bkirki. In July, after putting the case to the Vatican as
crucial for the future of Christians in Lebanon and the larger region, I
encouraged the patriarch to open the race among candidates, and to offer Bkirki
as a debating forum. He was understandably reluctant, for how could he choose
some and keep others out?
I still think Bkirki, and through it the country at large, should restrict the
debate to declared candidates, and those who actively campaigned for the
presidency. There are actually only five of them, including myself, and it is
still possible to envisage a national debate under the aegis of the patriarch.
There is good ground to question such restrictions, and their effectiveness. As
I know the patriarch, he will not make that leap. Whether he does or not, if we
get to November 24 without an election, and Parliament is still shut down, the
debate and elections should take place elsewhere. With tensions rising, and
violence lurking again, elsewhere means abroad. Only the United Nations can
offer the needed legal umbrella.
I hope we are not cornered out of Beirut, by violence and threats thereof, but
grave risks remain, and one or more of the presidential candidates will turn
into the natural target of those who have been derailing the political process
in the country for three consecutive years now. MPs Aoun and Hariri engaged the
debate in France because it was "unsafe" to carry it out in Beirut. There is no
shame in this, for security is the most fundamental human right. So let the
campaign be pursued abroad among the declared candidates, and MPs offered a safe
haven by the UN to carry out "free and fair presidential elections" as requested
by Resolution 1559 and repeated ad nauseam and with no effectiveness since.
If the democratic lesson of the commander-in-chief is the respect owed to the
Constitution for a freely elected president, then the natural consequence of the
lesson is to ensure, abroad if necessary, the conditions for it to be carried
out safely. Only then will the Constitution have been protected.
**Chibli Mallat is a candidate for the presidency of Lebanon.
Another
Buddha destroyed, and the world answers with silence
By Vishakha N. Desai
Commentary by
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
The world watched in horror when Taliban forces destroyed the monumental Buddha
statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan in 2001. Political and cultural leaders from
around the globe condemned the attacks. Offers of help poured in. Everyone
asked: Will the world be ready next time? Alas, the answer is a resounding "no."
In northwest Pakistan's Swat Valley, armed Islamist militants recently attacked
one of the oldest and most important sculptures of Buddhist art. Dating from
around the beginning of the Christian era and carved into a 40-meter-high rock,
the seated image of the Buddha was second in importance in South Asia only to
the Bamiyan Buddhas.
This, moreover, was the second attack in less than a month. Murtaza Razvi of
Pakistan's Dawn newspaper has pointed out that the image that was attacked was
not in a remote area. In fact, it was next to the main road.
Despite repeated requests by Pakistani archaeologists to the local authorities
to protect the seated Buddha and other sites, especially after the first attack,
no action was taken. In fact, militants were able to carry out their work -
drilling holes in the rock, filling them with explosives, and detonating them -
in broad daylight. They did this not once, but twice. The first time, the image
escaped heavy damage because of the militants' incompetence. The second time,
they were more successful, destroying not only the sculpture's face, but also
its shoulders and feet. As if that were not enough, there are now reports of a
third attack.
In 1995, I traveled through the Swat Valley to study the area's Buddhist
treasures. Carved in cliff sides or protected in small museums, these remarkable
objects were the pride and joy of local Muslims, followers of the faith for more
than a millennium. As a non-Muslim, Indian woman, I was able to travel through
the region without any fear and received warm support from local residents.
People of all stripes welcomed me, and were often willing to take me to
important Buddhist sites. Today, little more than a decade later, the atmosphere
is so poisoned that neither local community leaders nor the local police came
forward to protect these monuments or claim them as their own. Even sadder is
that while Pakistani newspapers widely condemned these attacks and criticized
local officials' indifference, there has been almost no coverage in the
international press.
Can it be that after the Iraq war, and the dismaying images of looting at the
National Museum in Baghdad, we have lost our capacity to be outraged? Or is it
that we have become so inured to bad news surrounding the war on terror that we
have no desire to know more?
There are vast numbers of important Buddhist sites in Swat and other areas of
northwest Pakistan. At this point, all of them are under threat of destruction,
thanks to the influential voice of the Islamist leader Mullah Fazlullah, whose
father-in-law, Sufi Mohammad, founded one of the extremist orders.
This order was responsible for bringing more than 10,000 jihadi fighters to
Afghanistan to fight alongside Taliban soldiers against the United States in
2001. While Mohammad is believed to be languishing in a regional jail, Mullah
Fazlullah operates with impunity, using the radio to spread a message of hatred
and intolerance. It is time that the world community not only registers its
outrage against such destruction of cultural treasures, but also joins those
Pakistanis who are desperately trying to pressure their government to preserve -
for their sake and ours - their pre-Islamic cultural heritage. If the world does
not act this time, we risk losing one of the most precious legacies of early
Buddhist history.
**Vishakha N. Desai is president of the Asia Society. This commentary is
published in collaboration with Project Syndicate/The Asia Society (c)
www.projectsyndicate.org.
PRESS RELEASE
5 November 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Daou
Tel: +44 (0)780 956 3829
Email: eldaou@gmail.com
Protest against Baath’s Promotional Conference in London
The democratic forces in Lebanon and Syria represented by members of the March
14 Alliance and the Syrian opposition in the UK will be holding an all-day
demonstration on Wednesday 7 November 2007 to protest against a Baath sponsored
publicity stunt in the heart of London.
The "Focus on Syria" one-day conference, hosted by the Syrian-British Society (SBS),
purports to encourage "new investment and business opportunities in a
transformed market." Members of the March 14 Alliance believe the conference is
aimed at trying to lure investments to fill the pockets of the ruling clan and
cover for the deteriorating situation of the Syrian economy. The conference is
mainly a political message trying to prove that the Syrian regime is not
isolated, although in reality the only friend left for the regime is the
ruthless Iranian Ayatollahs.
The members of the March 14th Alliance are intent on exposing the Syrian Regimes
charade by protesting against the event and showing the true colors of the
murderous regime and its constant violations of the liberties and sovereignty of
Lebanon and the Lebanese. The March 14th coordinator in the UK, Jihad Sleiman
comments that: “The regime has enlisted the help of professional PR agencies to
market itself, but UN security council resolutions, various commission reports,
and the fact that more than 300 Lebanese detainees linger in Syrian jails
without a fair trial or the right to be visited by their families, is a
horrendous reality that no advertising effort can cover-up.”
The conference may not be about business at all. In a country were the economy
is run in a similar fashion to the political life, with no effort at reform,
business people will have to become partners with the clan running the show in
Syria and thus partners in their crimes. The murders in Lebanon of which the
Baath solely stands accused off, the continued weapons smuggling into Lebanon
from Syria, the constant threats and terrorists entering Lebanon from its only
Arab neighbor are crimes that have been repeatedly addressed by the
international community and the United Nations different committees and
councils.
The Baath regime in Syria continues to refuse to recognize its smaller neighbor
Lebanon by rejecting to delineate the borders between the two countries, and to
abstain from opening an embassy in Lebanon. In addition, the regimes continued
support of terrorism on Lebanese soil and the illegal arms trade is causing the
death of Lebanese anti-Syrian politicians, journalists and innocent civilians.
"Business in Syria does not come without Lebanese torture, fire and blood
attached to it”, according to Mohammad Mashmoushi one of the main figures of
March 14 in the UK.
The protest against the "Focus on Syria" conference will take place at the
entrance of Haberdashers' Hall, London on Wednesday 7th of November 2007 from
08:00 to 18:15. Demonstrators will move on to Gibson Hall from 18:45 onwards
where they will continue their protest outside the
Bin
Laden’s Frustration with His Lieutenants
By Walid Phares
Date: October 23, 2007
Yes, Bin Laden’s latest audiotape aired on al Jazeera is unique. Not in its
ideological party line or in the Salafi doctrinal roots; they haven’t changed
nor are they expected to. Surely, in a previous speech he inserted some
neo-Marxist and Trotskyite rhetoric but that was part of his “American”
discourse, and possibly at the request of his Gringo advisers.
Today’s audio didn’t concern itself with Berkeley’s approval but instead was
focused on chastising the chaotic commanders of Jihad in Iraq. Osama’s message
was more the expression of a frustrated (self-appointed) “Caliph” trying to
reign in his emirs gone wild in the deserts of the Middle East. The “Lord” is
upset with how al Qaeda Iraq has administered the struggle, the people and the
image.
Incredibly, the leader of al Qaeda said the “Mujahidins” in Iraq committed
“mistakes.” This was the first time the man used these words in this context:
self criticism. In fact he criticized the emirs for the recklessness of their
Jihad in the land of the two rivers. If one reviews the public statements of Bin
Laden, at least since 1996, this is the first time he has mentioned the
Jihadists’ mistakes, not the errors by Muslim rulers in general. Now, these are
his own fighters who are at fault.
The last time any al Qaeda leader came close to this posture was the shy warning
by Ayman Zawahiri to Zarqawi demanding that the killing of Shiia stop in Iraq.
But, at the time, the top leader wasn’t addressing the mistakes of the emirs. He
dealt with “higher geopolitical matters”, according to the comments of Abdel
Bari Atwan on al Jazeera tonight. “Sheikh Bin Laden said Atwan deals with high
level issues, such as the confrontation with the United States, India etc., but
this time the Sheikh is dealing with issues on the ground.”
Maybe this is not as comparable in context, but I see this event as a summoning
by the “Fuhrer” to his Generals after losing Libya, Stalingrad or Normandy. A
possible analogy would be that the plan of the high commander was excellent, but
the commanding officers messed it up. Indeed, since that speech delivered on
February 11, 2003 - in which Osama asked his worldwide Jihadists to prepare for
Iraq and form the expeditionary corps to fight the Kuffar (infidels) for Baghdad
- the terrorist activities were scoring points there: instability, bloodshed,
sectarian violence, further recruitment, and political chaos behind enemy lines,
that is within the West, particularly in America.
But things began to change as the “generals” started to act as owners of the
land. Again on al Jazeera (swiftly after the tape was released), another
commentator, Abdelwahhab al Qassab, said the reason for the setback was the
interference of al Qaeda (foreign fighters) in Iraqis’ daily lives. Qassab is
right, I’d argue, the emirs went wild in Iraq with the Sunni population,
particularly with the tribes. They went a la Khmer Rouge with traditional
communities and even with local Islamists. On al Jazeera, other commentators
said al Qaeda and its competitors committed the errors “of Algeria.”
Interestingly this statement means a lot to the analysts who observed the civil
war in Algeria in the 1990s. There, the mainstream Front Islamique du Salut
(Salvation Islamic Front), then its first offshoot, the “Armed Islamic
Groupings”, and last, the second generation offshoot “Salafi Group of Call and
Combat” all went from extreme to more extremism, and thus got themselves
involved in mass bloodshed with the Algerian population. Ironically, the
academic elite in the West, lost in the labyrinth of interpretation, portrayed
the Algerian Jihadists as an interim force for change (!). Stunningly, it is al
Qaeda today - in the words of Bin Laden – that claims the Algerian type of
reckless Jihadism is irresponsible!
This is so revealing in terms of the Western failure to identify the barbarism
of the Salafists in the 1990s and, doubling this failure of analysis, to assert
that since 2003 al Qaeda Iraq is an expression of the Iraqis opposing the
“foreign occupation.”
Well, here we have the chief of the organization telling the world that excesses
were committed in Iraq, which led to divisions and to alienating tribes and
urban communities. Indeed, in his letter to the “Iraqi people” Bin Laden is
asking – ironically - for a change of direction by his own followers. Actually,
to be more precise, the audio message’s title doesn’t use the term Shaab al Iraq
, accurately translated into “the people of Iraq”, but rather, the term “ahl al
Iraq” which would translate into: “population”, “communities” or even “the
inhabitants”…all an ideological indication that Iraqis aren’t a people of their
own but a segment of the Umma (Islamic Nation). His linguistic game aims at
telling his audience that local and transnational Jihadis are in fact one in
their struggle. In short here are his points:
1. All Jihadists - read also, Islamists - in Iraq must unify; meaning all power
struggles should cease.
2. “Mistakes” indeed were made and they need to be corrected.
3. The “tribes” cannot be marginalized and made into enemies. They should be
recuperated.
4. Clerics with strong fatwas should be the mentors of the reunified Jihadi
movement.
5. The main new direction is that the Jamaa (read the collectivity) presides
over the selfish leadership of one or multiple emirs. That’s the bottom line.
6. Last but not least, all Jihadists must come to a center of gravity where
everyone must make a concession.
Always on al Jazeera, yet another commentator, Dhaya' Rashwan, said that Bin
laden is telling his supporters in Iraq to make concessions on a few things and
unite with all other insurgents to defeat the US. And magically, Abdelrahman al
Jabburi - the spokesperson of the “Iraqi resistance”, a competitive group -
called in (al Jazeera) and declared that “indeed local Jihadists must seize the
opportunity and reorganize, unite.” Almost as in a captivating movie, in about
three hours, the master of al Qaeda had his message aired, the commentators were
ready to make a very focused analysis of what it means and leaders from inside
Iraq were calling in and approving. The audio message was a few minutes long,
while the whole back and forth debate was a few hours long.
At the end of the day, this taped show - as I have argued since last summer –
proves that al Qaeda central feels their strategic initiative in Iraq is lagging
behind. Two things went wrong for al Qaeda: one was the misbehavior of its own
barons on the ground, and two - one can see it clearer now - the (US-led) surge
has worked so far. The Jihadi combat machine is flying low and is going through
turbulence. Any major decision in Washington can accentuate this direction down
or release it up.
Bin Ladin has taken the risk of exposing this reality to his foes. It should be
read thoroughly and responsibly inside the Beltway.
# #
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Walid Phares is the director of
Future Terrorism Project at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a
visiting scholar at the European Foundation for Democracy, and the author of The
War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy.
read full author bio here
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