LCCC ENGLISH
DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 27/07
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9,1-6. He summoned the
Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (the sick). He said
to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor
food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter,
stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when
you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against
them."Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good
news and curing diseases everywhere.
Opinions
Time for Lebanon to prove it deserves to determine its
own destiny.The
Daily Star. September 26/07
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for September 26/07
Kouchner Cancels Meeting With Moallem-Naharnet
Rice:
Syria's Arms Supplies to Hizbullah Key Reason for Israel-Damascus Tensions-Naharnet
Lebanon
Less Corrupt than Iran, Libya, Syria-Naharnet
Lebanon's Last Chance to Make or Break-Naharnet
Hizbullah Fighter Escapes Attempt on Life-Naharnet
U.N. to Restate Support
for Free, Fair Presidential Election in Lebanon-Naharnet
Bush: Civilized Nations Should Stand with Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq-Naharnet
Can Lebanon's rival camps elect president?.Reuters
Hariri For Finishing Off the Assad Regime.Naharnet
Syria's attendance at summit is vital to peace process - EU.Jerusalem
Post
Syria willing to place Shaba Farms in UN custody.Ha'aretz
Ynet reporter visits site of Syria operation.Ynetnews
11
Fatah Islam Members Indicted for Terrorism-Naharnet
Will Hizballah Attack UN Troops?TIME
Where's the UN?Commentary - New York,NY,USA
Is Syria Slipping? Asharq
Alawsat
Riyadh calls for Lebanese to choose consensus
candidate.Daily
Star
Postponement of Lebanese election draws mixed
response from leaders-Daily
Star
They came, they saw, they adjourned to October
23-Daily
Star
All sides repeat denials of training for war,
but-Daily
Star
Chronology of events leading up to Lebanon's political
stalemate.AFP
Top banker warns Lebanese politicians to end
impasse-Daily
Star
UN-backed plan to curb power usage in Lebanon
hits high gear-Daily
Star
Solidere surges in
heavier trade on Beirut Stock Exchange-Daily
Star
Hordes of security forces guard Downtown
Beirut-Daily
Star
Beirut gets treated to the antics of an
unorganized clown who isn't a politician-Daily
Star
'We're with ya:' Bush assures Maliki of
unwavering American backing as more than 40 die-Daily
Star
Berlin charges Syrian-German with espionage.AFP
Laura Bush to visit Mideast to focus on breast cancer.AFP
Iranian president gets rough ride in New York-Daily
Star
Phares
on al Jazeera on "Iran's expansionism"
الاتجاه المعاكس- استهداف أميركا لإيران
Dr Walid Phares will be on a rerun on al Jazeera TV
on "Iran's expansionism" at 7:05 AM (US-EST) and 2:05 PM (Eastern Mediterranean)
Dr Phares' main points made during the "cross fire" show with an Iranian senior
expert on "Iran's National security":
1. The Iranian regime is waging wars "left and right" from Afghanistan, Iraq,
Lebanon, Gaza, the Gulf and all the way to Argentina.
2. The Iranian regime has appointed military overseeing the nuclear program, so
how can it not be about a nuclear weapon?
3. Tehran is spending its Oil revenues on funding terror through Hezbollah,
Hamas and the Pasdaran, instead of supporting its own people to develop a middle
class.
4. The Ayatollah regime is oppressing its own minorities in Khusistan,
Kurdistan, Baluch and its women, students and labor unions.
5. The Iranian occupation of three Arab islands, the Tumb, is a reminder of the
threat to the UAE and Bahrein, which was threatened lately by Iranian officials
to be "recaptured" by the Islamic Republic.
6. The Palestinian authority didn't mandate Khamenei to build a nuclear bomb and
throw it on Israel.
7. Tehran is backing a regime, the Baath of Damascus, which is involved in
assassinations of legislators in Lebanon and backing Hezbollah which wants to
bring down a democratically elected Government in Beirut.
8. The Iranian regime is mismanaging the country's natural resources. How can it
be that Iran buys 40% of its need in gas and petrol? Why isn't the regime
reforming the economy and helping the poor instead of spending on excessive
military structures?
9. Iran is developing nuclear technology, long range ballistic missiles and is
threatening countries with "vanishing." Isn't this a prelude to the use of
nuclear weapons?
10. The world can't trust a regime that oppresses its own people and is building
a weapon that can mass murder other peoples.
11. Iran wants to back the so-called struggle of Arabs while it is oppressing
the Arabs in Khusistan's province.
12. The Pasdaran and the Quds forces are behind terror in Iraq and in Aghanistan.
The full text of the "cross fire" will be posted on al Jazeera web site in the
next few days.
Rice: Syria's Arms Supplies to
Hizbullah Key Reason for Israel-Damascus Tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Syria's continued supply of
weapons to Hizbullah remains the "most acute" reason for tension between Israel
and Damascus. "There are lots of reasons to be concerned about Syria and
Israel," Rice said in an interview with Fox TV. "… The most urgent, immediate
one is that after the war in Lebanon, when Hizbullah was knocked back, Syria has
been the principal supplier for weapons coming in to Hizbullah," Rice said. "And
this has actually been publicly acknowledged by the Lebanese and others. Rice
said that for the Israelis to watch Hizbullah rebuild "was a problem, and so
we've been trying to work with the Lebanese on that issue.""But there are lots
of reasons for Syrian-Israeli tensions. I think that's one of the most acute,"
she stressed.
Rice said Israel was not the only country "that is just really concerned about
Syria. "What Syria is doing in Lebanon, what Syria is doing with the flow of
foreign fighters into Iraq, what Syria is doing in supporting Hamas by letting
them keep their offices in Damascus - these are all really threats to a
different kind of Middle East.
"So I can imagine that Roger, who mentioned this when we first started, might
say then why in the world would you want to invite Syria to a meeting, an
international meeting that is supposed to talk about the Israeli-Palestinian
peace.
Rice pointed out that the Syrians are members of the Arab Follow-on Committee,
the committee that the Arab League put together to have follow-on discussions
about their peace initiative. "This initiative will be one of the pillars for
the discussions in the meeting because we really would like to see not just a
Palestinian-Israeli track but really the Arabs need to get accustomed to the
idea that Israeli is going to be there, too. Rice accused Syria of intimidating
the Lebanese, saying that the problem is that the Syrians do not "really accept
that they are no longer in Lebanon."
"And they (Syrians) have tried through intimidation and support for any number
of their allies in Lebanon to make life very difficult for the democratically
elected government there."So yes, they do have to be pressured," Rice assured.
In response to a question, Rice said she believed that there was a chance that
"the reasonable, responsible Sunni Arab states that are very worried about the
Iranian influence and Iranian aggressiveness form a kind of natural set of
friends, allies, to try to do several things in the Middle East."She cited the
formation of a Palestinian state that can "live side by side with Israel" as one
thing that could be done "and therefore end that conflict and put us on the way
to reconciliation of Arabs and Israelis."
Secondly, Rice went on, is to "try to support the Lebanese Government … and also
to have better policies toward Iraq." She admitted that Iraq was the hardest of
all "because Iraq - what we've had to try to convince the Sunni Arab states of
is that just because Iraq's Government is Shiite majority, it is not
Iranian-backed. That there can be a Shiite-majority government that is Arab in
its character and integrated into the Arab world is not an easy argument.
Rice said one of the reasons that it was so important to get the violence in
Iraq under control was that "without some reduction in that kind of sectarian
violence led by death squads which the Iraqi army simply couldn't handle,
without some reduction there was no way that you were going to begin to get a
basis for any kind of political reconciliation." Beirut, 26 Sep 07, 12:30
U.N. to Restate Support for
Free, Fair Presidential Election in Lebanon
The United Nations has circulated a draft statement that restates support for
free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon.
The daily An Nahar on Wednesday quoted a French diplomatic source as saying that
the statement, under examination, is expected to be finalized within the coming
days. It said the statement also reiterates adherence to implementation of all
U.N. Security Council resolutions on Lebanon, particularly 1559, 1680 and 1701.
Members of the Security Council … call for timely, free and fair presidential
election in accordance with constitutional norms and away from any external
interference," the draft statement said.It said members of the Security Council
"encourage all efforts" in this regard, and stress the need for the "cessation
of violence and intimidation" against Lebanese MPs and institutions. An Nahar
said the statement also reiterates its backing to Lebanon's sovereignty,
independence and safety of its territories with its internationally recognized
borders. Beirut, 26 Sep 07, 08:33
Hizbullah Fighter Escapes
Attempt on Life
A Hizbullah fighter escaped an attempt on his life after he jumped from his car
before a hand grenade exploded under the vehicle in southern Lebanon on
Wednesday, police said.They said Ahmed Mhanna tried to start his car when he
heard an object falling from the vehicle which was parked near his home in Jbal
al-Botm, east of the southern port city of Tyre. Mhanna leapt from the vehicle
just in time to escape the explosion of the hand grenade which had been placed
on the left front tire. The car was damaged but he was unhurt. Police said they
had started an investigation. Hizbullah, which fought a devastating war with
Israel last summer, spearheads the country's Syrian- and Iranian-backed
opposition. The grenade attack came a day after the Lebanese parliament
postponed a vote on a new president to replace pro-Syrian incumbent Emile Lahoud
to allow more time for a consensus to be reached between the rival
sides.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 26 Sep 07, 13:35
Lebanon's Last Chance to Make
or Break
The four-week delay in electing a new president was seen Wednesday by the
government and opposition alike as a last chance to prevent an escalation of the
political crisis in Lebanon. "From now, and until October 23 we have a new
chance, it is a real chance for reconciliation," parliament speaker Nabih Berri,
a prominent opposition leader, told As-Safir newspaper. Lebanon's parliament on
Tuesday adjourned for four weeks a crucial session for MPs to elect a new
president and to allow more time for rival deputies to reach agreement on a
consensus candidate. "One month ... either agreement or confrontation," read the
front-page headline in Al-Balad newspaper, which is close to the Western-backed
ruling majority in parliament. "Race in the final month: agreement or collapse,"
agreed the opposition daily Al-Akhbar. Tuesday's brief parliament session
allowed leaders of the ruling majority to renew contact with the opposition,
which is strongly supported by neighboring Syria and regional ally Iran.
"The parliament session for the election of a new president of the republic did
not take place, but it was a turning point in setting up an entente between the
ruling majority and the opposition," commented As-Safir. For the first time in
months, parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri met twice on Tuesday with
Berri who has vowed to pursue contacts with the other camp to try reaching
agreement through dialogue.
"We hope for good results at the end. And this will not happen without both
sides ... working together to salvage the country," Berri said.
Berri said "reconciliation is a victory for everybody without exception. It is
not a victory for one party without the other, and it is not a victory of one
party at the expense of the other "We have to build on it. And the more we speed
up the work, the better it is for the country," he said.
Most of the 58 MPs from the Hizbullah-led opposition boycotted Tuesday's session
on the grounds that the feuding political parties had failed to agree on a
consensus candidate to replace Lahoud. MPs from the ruling majority have made
clear they plan to go ahead with a vote when lawmakers reconvene in October even
if no agreement has been struck.
But opposition deputies have warned that any attempt by the majority to force
through a vote would be a "declaration of war", in the words of Christian
opposition leader and presidential candidate Michel Aoun. Fears are running high
that the deadlock over the presidency could lead to two rival governments, a
grim reminder of the final years of the 1975-1990 civil war when two competing
administrations battled it out. Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government has
been paralyzed since opposition forces withdrew their six ministers from the
cabinet in November 2006 in a bid to gain veto power in cabinet.
Tuesday's session came in a tense atmosphere after the assassination last week
of MP Antoine Ghanem from the ruling coalition, the sixth deputy from the
anti-Syrian camp killed since 2005.(AFP) Beirut, 26 Sep 07, 15:15
Lebanon Less Corrupt than
Iran, Libya, Syria
Lebanon was rated Wednesday a corrupt nation by the Transparency International
in the same category with Algeria, Armenia and Mongolia, but in a much better
status than Iran, Libya and Syria Following are the rankings of 180 nations
studied by anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International for its annual
Corruption Perceptions Index, released Wednesday. The index score relates to
perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country
analysts and ranges between zero, which is highly corrupt, and 10, which is very
clean.
=1. Denmark 9.4
=1. Finland 9.4
=1. New Zealand 9.4
=4. Singapore 9.3
=4. Sweden 9.3
6. Iceland 9.2
=7. Netherlands 9.0
=7. Switzerland 9.0
=9. Canada 8.7
=9. Norway 8.7
11. Australia 8.6, =12. Luxembourg 8.4, =12. Britain 8.4, 14. Hong Kong 8.3, 15.
Austria 8.1, 16. Germany 7.8, =17. Ireland 7.5, =17. Japan 7.5, 19. France 7.3,
20. USA 7.2, 21. Belgium 7.1, 22. Chile 7.0, 23. Barbados 6.9, 24. Saint Lucia
6.8, =25. Spain 6.7, =25. Uruguay 6.7,
27. Slovenia 6.6, =28. Estonia 6.5, =28. Portugal 6.5, =30. Israel 6.1, =30.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.1, 32. Qatar 6.0, 33. Malta 5.8, =34. Macao
5.7, =34. Taiwan 5.7, =34. United Arab Emirates 5.7, 37. Dominica 5.6, 38.
Botswana 5.4, =39. Cyprus 5.3, =39. Hungary 5.3, =41. Czech Republic 5.2, =41.
Italy 5.2, =43. Malaysia 5.1, =43. South Africa 5.1, =43. South Korea 5.1, =46.
Bahrain 5.0, =46. Bhutan 5.0, =46. Costa Rica 5.0, =49. Cape Verde 4.9, =49
Slovakia 4.9,
=51. Latvia 4.8, =51. Lithuania 4.8, =53. Jordan 4.7, =53. Mauritius 4.7, =53.
Oman 4.7, 56. Greece 4.6, =57. Namibia 4.5, =57. Samoa 4.5, =57. Seychelles 4.5,
60. Kuwait 4.3, =61. Cuba 4.2, =61. Poland 4.2, =61. Tunisia 4.2, =64. Bulgaria
4.1, =64. Croatia 4.1, =64. Turkey 4.1, 67. El Salvador 4.0, 68. Colombia 3.8,
=69. Ghana 3.7, =69. Romania 3.7, 71. Senegal 3.6, =72. Brazil 3.5, =72. China
3.5, =72. India 3.5, =72. Mexico 3.5, =72. Morocco 3.5, =72. Peru 3.5, =72.
Suriname 3.5
=79. Georgia 3.4, =79. Grenada 3.4, =79. Saudi Arabia 3.4, =79. Serbia 3.4, =79.
Trinidad and Tobago 3.4, =84. Bosnia and Hercegovina 3.3, =84. Gabon 3.3, =84.
Jamaica 3.3, =84. Kiribati 3.3, =84. Lesotho 3.3, =84. Macedonia 3.3, =84.
Maldives 3.3, =84. Montenegro 3.3, =84. Swaziland 3.3, =84. Thailand 3.3, =94.
Madagascar 3.2, =94. Panama 3.2, =94. Sri Lanka 3.2, =94. Tanzania 3.2, 98.
Vanuatu 3.1, =99. Algeria 3.0, =99. Armenia 3.0, =99. Belize 3.0, =99. Dominican
Republic 3.0, =99. Lebanon 3.0, =99. Mongolia 3.0
=105. Albania 2.9, =105. Argentina 2.9, =105. Bolivia 2.9, =105. Burkina Faso
2.9, =105. Djibouti 2.9, =105. Egypt 2.9, =111. Eritrea 2.8, =111. Guatemala
2.8, =111. Moldova 2.8, =111. Mozambique 2.8, =111. Rwanda 2.8, =111. Solomon
Islands 2.8, =111. Uganda 2.8, =118. Benin 2.7, =118. Malawi 2.7, =118. Mali
2.7, =118. Sao Tome and Principe 2.7, =118. Ukraine 2.7, =123. Comoros 2.6,
=123. Guyana 2.6, =123. Mauritania 2.6, =123. Nicaragua 2.6, =123. Niger 2.6,
=123. East Timor 2.6, =123. Vietnam 2.6, =123. Zambia 2.6,
=131. Burundi 2.5, =131. Honduras 2.5, =131. Iran 2.5, =131. Libya 2.5, =131.
Nepal 2.5, =131. Philippines 2.5, =131. Yemen 2.5, =138. Cameroon 2.4, =138.
Ethiopia 2.4, =138. Pakistan 2.4, =138. Paraguay 2.4, =138. Syria 2.4, =143.
Gambia 2.3, =143. Indonesia 2.3, =143. Russia 2.3, =143. Togo 2.3, =147. Angola
2.2, =147. Guinea-Bissau 2.2, =147. Nigeria 2.2, =150. Azerbaijan 2.1, =150.
Belarus 2.1, =150. Republic of Congo 2.1, =150. Ivory Coast 2.1, =150. Ecuador
2.1, =150. Kazakhstan 2.1, =150. Kenya 2.1, =150. Kyrgyzstan 2.1, =150. Liberia
2.1, =150. Sierra Leone 2.1, =150. Tajikistan 2.1, =150. Zimbabwe 2.1,
=162. Bangladesh 2.0, =162. Cambodia 2.0, =162. Central African Republic 2.0,
=162. Papua New Guinea 2.0, =162. Turkmenistan 2.0, =162. Venezuela 2.0, =168.
Democratic Republic of Congo 1.9, =168. Equatorial Guinea 1.9, =168. Guinea 1.9,
=168. Laos 1.9, =172. Afghanistan 1.8, =172. Chad 1.8, =172. Sudan 1.8, =175.
Tonga 1.7, =175. Uzbekistan 1.7, 177. Haiti 1.6, 178. Iraq 1.5, =179. Myanmar
1.4, =179. Somalia 1.4(AFP-Naharnet)
Beirut, 26 Sep 07, 15:34
Message from the Lebanese
Information Centre (LIC)
25/09/07
HRes. 548 passed today the House of Representatives almost unanimously: 415
Members voted for. (Only 2 voted against: Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul.)
This Resolution specifies the policy of the U.S. Congress towards Lebanon. It
sends a clear message that there in no change in Congress' support for Lebanon's
sovereignty and democracy, for the Cedar Revolution and for the Siniora
Government. It deals a blow to those who thought that the Democrats in Congress
will reverse previous policies towards Lebanon, and will tolerate Syrian
interference in this country. Congratulations and Thanks to all of you who
helped.
Below Statements from Chairman Gary Ackerman who introduced the Resolution.
Joseph Gebeily
Ackerman Resolution on
Lebanon Passed by House
(Washington, DC) Congressman Gary L. Ackerman today led the House of
Representatives to pass of his resolution calling for strong U.S. support for
the government of Lebanon by a vote of 415 to 2. Ackerman, the chairman of the
House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, warned the House that
"Lebanon is being bullied" by Iran, Syria and their proxies, Hezbollah, Amal and
Gen. Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement.
Citing the campaign of assassinations, bombings, weapons smuggling and the
instigation of a jihadi insurgency, Ackerman slammed Damascus and Tehran for
destablizing Lebanon in order to pursue their own national interests.
"Now is the time for Congress to send a strong message of support for the
democratically elected and fully legitimate government in Lebanon" Ackerman
said. "Time is short. The Syrian-backed campaign of murder is creeping ever
closer to its goal of destroying the majority of the Lebanese parliament,
bringing down the government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, and again imposing
a pro-Syrian president on Lebanon."
Ackerman added, "The current Lebanese government, which is under siege, is both
legitimate and representative of the majority of Lebanese. The attempts to
undermine it are not some kind of retaliation. Lebanon's government is being
systematically attacked only because it is unwilling to subordinate its
authority and Lebanon’s sovereignty to external and extra-legal demands."
The resolution, H. Res. 548 condemns Syria and Iran for providing arms to
Lebanese militias, particularly the terrorist group Hezbollah, and Palestinian
factions in Lebanon in clear contravention of Security Council resolutions and
endorses "prompt action" by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon established by the
Security Council to investigate the assassination of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005. The resolution also pledges continued
U.S. material support to help preserve and strengthen Lebanese sovereignty and
independence.
On September 19, a massive car bomb killed Antoine Ghanem along with 5 other
civilians, and left many dozens of innocent bystanders wounded. Mr Ghanem, a
member of the Lebanese parliament, and a supporter of the Siniora government,
was just the latest in a string of 11 political assassinations over the past
three years. As a consequence of this pattern of violence, the Lebanon's ruling
March 14 alliance’s majority has dropped from 72 to 68 out of 127.
------------------------------------------------------
Rep. Gary L. Ackerman
Statement in Support of H. Res. 548
September 25, 2007
Mr. Speaker, what's been happening in Lebanon is extreme aggression in the
classic sense of the word. Through a campaign of assassinations targeting
Lebanese parliamentarians and political figures; bombings in public places;
threats to establish an alternative extra-constitutional government; and the
instigation of a jihadi insurgency by the Fatah al-Islam, Syria, Iran and their
boot-licking proxies, Hezbollah, Amal and Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement, have
brought Lebanon’s government to a constitutional crisis. Yet again, outside
actors have pushed Lebanon to the brink of civil war for their own selfish
interests.
Just 6 days ago, on September 19, a massive car bomb killed Antoine Ghanem along
with 5 other civilians, and left many dozens of innocent bystanders wounded. Mr
Ghanem, a member of the Lebanese parliament, and a supporter of the Siniora
government, was just the latest in a string of 11 political assassinations over
the past three years. As a consequence of this pattern of violence, the March 14
alliance is 2 parliamentarians away from being murdered out of their majority.
Now is the time for this Congress to send a strong message of support for the
democratically elected and fully legitimate government in Lebanon. Time, Mr.
Speaker, is short. The Syrian-backed campaign of murder is creeping ever closer
to its goal of destroying the majority of the Lebanese parliament, bringing down
the government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, and again imposing a pro-Syrian
president on Lebanon.
Fearing just this scenario, months ago, I introduced H.Res. 548, with the
Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Mr. Pence, with Chairman Lantos, and
Representatives Issa and Boustany, two Members whose roots extend back to
Lebanon. This bipartisan resolution expresses the strong support of the House of
Representatives for Lebanon's elected government, and affirms our readiness to
make that support tangible in order to help preserve and strengthen Lebanese
sovereignty and independence.
The resolution condemns Syria and Iran for providing arms to Lebanese militias,
particularly the terrorist group Hezbollah, and Palestinian factions in Lebanon,
in clear contravention of Security Council resolutions.
H. Res. 548 also endorses "prompt action" by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
established by the Security Council to investigate the assassination of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005. Syria must know with
utter certainty that the United States will never sacrifice justice in Lebanon
to allow Damascus to escape accountability for its crimes.
The current Lebanese government, which is under siege, is both legitimate and
representative of the majority of Lebanese. The attempts to undermine it are not
some kind of retaliation. Lebanon's government is being systematically attacked
only because it is unwilling to subordinate its authority and Lebanon’s
sovereignty to external and extra-legal demands.
Quite simply, Lebanon is being bullied. And in light of this fact, the United
States and the entire international community must come to its aid.
I urge my colleagues to support the resolution
Will Hizballah Attack U.N. Troops?
Tuesday, Sep. 25, 2007 -CNN
By ROBERT BAER/BEIRUT
Lebanon failed to elect a President Tuesday, continuing its drive along the
abyss. A new parliamentary session is set for October 23, with the hope that a
two-thirds quorum can finally be assembled by then to choose a successor to
outgoing President Emile Lahoud. But his term runs out on November 24, and the
chances of finding a compromise candidate, sources in Hizballah tell me, are
nil.
The same sources tell me that Hizballah will never compromise with the March 14
movement, which it considers an American puppet. The March 14 movement is a
political bloc that has promised to disarm Hizballah and take to trial the
murderers of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The same Hizballah sources told
me that an interim administration that shares any part of the March 14 agenda is
also not acceptable to Hizballah, which controls a third of the seats in the
parliament.
How determined is Hizballah to block the election of a President? "We will do
whatever it takes to keep a pro-American President from coming to office,"
Hizballah said. What that means is that aside from refusing the two-thirds
quorum needed to elect a President in parliament, Hizballah is considering an
attack on the French U.N. contingent in southern Lebanon. The aim of such a move
would not only be to convince the French to stop meddling in Lebanon, but also
to serve as a response to France's implicit threat to bomb Iran if Iran does not
stop its nuclear development.
Hizballah has no obligation to tell me the truth, but I have little doubt that
if provoked it would turn over the table and plunge Lebanon into another civil
war. Hizballah is stronger than the Lebanese army, and its threats are not idle.
During the last 25 years the indelible red line for Hizballah has been keeping
its arms. It says it needs them to drive the last Israeli forces out of Lebanon
— a small slice of land called the Sheba Farms — and force Israel to release its
remaining Lebanese prisoners of war. But it's more than that. Hizballah's
military is its raison d'etre. If Hizballah gives up its arms, it is just
another party in the dog's breakfast of Lebanese politics.
Israel's September 6 bombing of Syria has further incited Hizballah. "They hit
something, but, come on, it wasn't nuclear," a Hizballah source said, refuting
rumors in the press the Israelis had hit some sort of North Korean nuclear
shipment going to Syria. Hizballah didn't offer any evidence, but they believe
the September 6 Israeli strike was an attack on a missile shipment — and
possibly a prelude to an Israeli attack on Iran and Hizballah. None of it bodes
well for the election of a President — and that's about the one thing the
American Embassy in Beirut and Hizballah agree on. On September 24 the embassy
issued a warning to Americans living in Lebanon that the potential for violence
is high.
***Robert Baer, a former CIA field officer assigned to the Middle East, is
TIME.com's intelligence columnist and the author of See No Evil and, most
recently, the novel Blow the House Down.
U.N. to Restate Support for Free,
Fair Presidential Election in Lebanon
The United Nations has circulated a draft statement that restates support for
free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon.
The daily An Nahar on Wednesday quoted a French diplomatic source as saying that
the statement, under examination, is expected to be finalized within the coming
days. It said the statement also reiterates adherence to implementation of all
U.N. Security Council resolutions on Lebanon s, particularly 1559, 1680 and
1701.
Members of the Security Council … call for timely, free and fair presidential
election in accordance with constitutional norms and away form any external
interference," the draft statement said. It said members of the Security Council
"encourage all efforts" in this regard, and stress the need for the cessation of
violence and intimidation against Lebanese MPs and institutions. An Nahar said
the statement also reiterates its backing to Lebanon's sovereignty, independence
and safety of its territories with its internationally recognized borders.
Beirut, 26 Sep 07, 08:33
Bush: Civilized Nations
Should Stand with Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq
U.S. President George Bush called on the United Nations to do more to fulfil its
global responsibilities and said civilized nations have to stand with Lebanon,
Afghanistan and Iraq. Speaking before world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly
on Tuesday, Bush called on the world body to go back to its guiding principles
under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to defend freedom and battle
hunger and disease. "When innocent people are trapped in a life of murder and
fear, the declaration is not being upheld," he said. "When millions of children
starve to death or perish from a mosquito bite, we're not doing our duty in the
world."
Bush, who decided to go to war in Iraq in March 2003 without U.N. backing,
linked Baghdad's fight for democracy and against terrorism to the situations in
Lebanon and Afghanistan. "Brave citizens in Lebanon and Afghanistan and Iraq
have made the choice for democracy -- yet the extremists have responded by
targeting them for murder," he said. "The people of Lebanon and Afghanistan and
Iraq have asked for our help. And every civilized nation has a responsibility to
stand with them."
Taking aim at familiar foes -- Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Cuba, and violent
Islamic extremists -- Bush urged "civilized nations" to help people suffering
under dictatorships.
"In Belarus, North Korea, Syria, and Iran, brutal regimes deny their people the
fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration," Bush told an
audience including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Bush also predicted
the demise of 81-year-old Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who has been sidelined by
surgery since July 2006, saying, "the long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing
its end." "The Cuban people are ready for their freedom. And as that nation
enters a period of transition, the United Nations must insist on free speech,
free assembly, and ultimately, free and competitive elections," he said, as the
Cuban delegation to the global body walked out in protest. As Buddhist monks led
the biggest protests in Myanmar in 20 years, Bush denounced the "reign of fear"
imposed by the southeast Asian nation's military junta and announced new
sanctions against the regime.
"I urge the United Nations and all nations to use their diplomatic and economic
leverage to help the Burmese (Myanmar) people reclaim their freedom," Bush said.
In Africa, the U.S. president called on the United Nations to "insist for the
freedom of the people of Zimbabwe," which has been ruled by President Robert
Mugabe since 1980. He also urged the world body to quickly deploy peacekeepers
to Sudan's strife-torn region of Darfur, where at least 200,000 people have died
since civil war broke out in 2003. "The United Nations must answer this
challenge to conscience, and live up to its promise to promptly deploy
peacekeeping forces to Darfur," he said. While Bush spoke relatively little
about Iraq, his national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, said the U.S.
president wanted to tell the UN it needed to return to its core principles.
"One of the things the president wanted to try to do in this speech was to call
the United Nations back to first principles, and of course, one of the first
principles is freedom," Hadley said. While Bush praised the U.N.'s "noble
efforts" in combating hunger and disease, he also scolded its Human Rights
Council for failing to denounce repressive regimes and called for the panel to
be reformed. "The United States is committed to a strong and vibrant United
Nations. Yet the American people are disappointed by the failures of the Human
Rights Council," he said. "This body has been silent on repression by regimes
from Havana to Caracas to Pyongyang and Tehran -- while focusing its criticism
excessively on Israel," Bush said. "To be credible on human rights in the world,
the United Nations must reform its own Human Rights Council."(AFP) Beirut, 26
Sep 07, 09:46
Berri Adjourns Presidential
Vote till October 23
House Speaker Nabih Berri adjourned Tuesday's crucial parliamentary session to
elect a new president till October 23.
"The session has been adjourned till October 23 at 10:00 am," deputy Speaker
Farid Makari announced.
The announcement was made by a parliamentary official in the chamber after the
bell rang three times to call the lawmakers into session.
In a clear message to the opposition, MPs from the ruling majority said if there
was no quorum and no vote on Tuesday, they would go ahead and elect a president
with a simple majority when the next session convenes. "We are taking part in
today's session to preserve our right to vote in a subsequent session with a
simple majority," MP Elias Atallah told AFP before entering parliament. "Our
presence means that the first session has been convened, and the next session
(there will be a vote) with a simple majority," MP Samir Frangieh said. The
majority attended but opposition members who had gathered in the building stayed
in the hallways.
The postponement had been expected after the opposition, led by Syrian- and
Iranian-backed Hizbullah, vowed to boycott the session to block the ruling March
14 alliance from electing a president from its own ranks. March 14 MP Mohammed
Qabbani said there were more than 65 lawmakers, a simple majority, but less than
85 -- the necessary two-thirds quorum -- in attendance when the announcement was
made.
The lawmakers gathered under a tight security cordon for the first time in
nearly a year for a session on electing a new president to defuse Lebanon's
political crisis.
Many MPs from the ruling majority arrived at the legislature in downtown Beirut
under heavy military escort from the nearby Phoenicia Hotel where they had been
residing. Some of them stood outside the parliament headquarters briefly and
held up a banner bearing the names and pictures of six fellow lawmakers killed
since 2005 in attacks they have been blamed on Syria. The latest victim, Antoine
Ghanem, was assassinated last week in a car bombing in Beirut's Sin el-Fil
suburb.
"We were forced out, don't choose to be forced out" read the banner in a
supposed message from the grave.
MP Ghinwa Jalloul arrived, waving a Lebanese flag from her car and holding up a
picture of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri whose assassination in February
2005 lies at the root of the current crisis. "Long live Lebanon," she shouted to
reporters before entering the building.
The perimeter around the imposing structure was off-limits to normal traffic
after elite troops and tanks deployed in the area. Checkpoints were also set up
throughout the city creating traffic jams, and many businesses were shut.
Ali Bazzi, an MP with the opposition Amal movement, reiterated that his camp
would only take part in Tuesday's session if the feuding political parties
agreed on a consensus candidate. But many MPs said that was unlikely to happen,
and the session was expected to focus on consultations among the rival parties.
Lawmakers have to choose a candidate between September 24 and November 24 to
replace President Emile Lahoud, whose six-year term was controversially extended
by three years in 2004 in a Syrian-inspired constitutional amendment. A
two-thirds majority is required for a candidate to be elected by parliament in
the first round of voting. In the event of a second round a simple majority
suffices.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 25 Sep 07, 08:18
Hariri For Finishing Off the Assad Regime
Al-Moustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri stressed Tuesday that the Lebanese
would elect a new president without Syrian influence, called for getting rid of
Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime and warned Hizbullah against rejecting
the Taif accord. In an interview with Fox Television, Hariri said: "Time is of
essence, and we have to elect a president. I believe that we will elect a
president because we will not let the Syrian regime win over us on such an
issue."
"I believe that the Lebanese – the opposition and us – will have to find a
president for all Lebanon and for all Lebanese people. We will keep on pushing
for that, and we believe that the March 14 coalition has a majority; we are the
majority and we will keep on pushing to elect our president," he added
Hariri stressed that "we are looking for a consensus, and we believe that
through a dialogue with the opposition, people will calm down when they see the
challenges and threats that Lebanon will face without a president. Lebanon
without a president is something dangerous for all of us, for the majority and
for the opposition. The opposition knows that very well."Hariri insisted on
blaming the Syrian regime for the serial killings targeting anti-Damascus
Lebanese figures.
"I have no doubt that the Syrian regime is after all of us: they killed my
father, Gebran Tueni, Basil Fuleyhan, Pierre Amine Gemayel, Walid Eido, and
Antoine Ghanem. They will kill as many members of parliament of the majority who
represent the Cedar Revolution as possible. This is their way. They have never
stopped. They will never stop," Hariri said. He stressed that the "international
community has a responsibility. It can do a lot. The problem is, the
international community condemns and condemns. The problem is that the killing
has not been only targeting Lebanese members of parliament. My disappointment is
that the UNIFIL was attacked and all the international community was able to do
is condemnation."
"With a regime that is willing to go for as far as killing 6 members of
parliament in the last two years, is condemnation enough? I think this regime
needs to be isolated … The solution is not in getting rid of the regime of
Saddam only but of the regime of Bashar also," Hariri said.
He expressed the belief that "there will be justice. An international tribunal
will be hopefully established by the beginning of the year. This is our hope.
This is for the Lebanon, for the Lebanese people and for all those who have been
assassinated, and even for those who had been assassinated before my father."
"All the assassinations that occurred in Lebanon, like the (1977) assassination
of Kamal Jumblat and others, were committed by the Syrian regime. But there was
no justice, and the perpetrators were not punished. But now and for the first
time in Lebanon's history and in Lebanon's democracy that an international
tribunal has been set up to give us justice. We do not want political justice,
and we are ready to accept any decision to which the tribunal would come up,"
Hariri added.
He said the Syrians "think that the more they kill people, the more they will
affect our ability to continue and fight for our Cedar Revolution. The March 14,
2005 was a historical day in Lebanon, and they want to erase that historical day
from the minds of the Lebanese people. This is something that a regime such as
the Syrian regime cannot face, because it was an uprising of Muslim and
Christian people."
"This is something that could be fatal for such a regime. That's why they want
to kill those members of parliament to get rid of the majority, and they will go
after the leadership of this majority," added Hariri.
The young leader stressed that "we want peace. We don't want to be against
Syria, but we want Syria to respect us. We want diplomatic relations with
Damascus. We have agreed on that in the national dialogue talks. We are not the
ones who are killing Syrian members of parliament, but they are the ones who are
killing Lebanese members of parliament. We need and we want from Syria to just
involve itself with its internal politics and to solve its problem of the Golan
Heights. They should not interfere into our life. They should not tell us how to
resist or to liberate our Shebaa farms. We will do it as a government, and we
will do it as Lebanese people. We will do it as united Lebanese, and they should
not interfere in our problems."
Hariri defended U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701 . "The 1559 is
not just words on paper. The Syrians left Lebanon, and this is something that we
have gained. We should preserve and protect what we have achieved. On 1701, we
have already sent the Lebanese army to South Lebanon while we were unable to
take this step during the past 25 years. We have about 12000 UNIFIL troops in
the South; this is also something that has been accomplished. I think that it is
not going to be a short-term process," he explained. Hariri expressed gratitude
to foreign states that had supported the Lebanese Army in its 106-day battle
against Fatah al-Islam terrorist in the northern refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared.
"President Emile Lahoud claims that he has built the army, while the army has
been ill-equipped. The army has no ammunitions when it was fighting in Nahr Al-
Bared. The army has run out of ammunition in a week, but thanks to the United
States and thanks to other allies like the Europeans, the Saudis and the
Egyptians, the Jordanians, and the Emiratis, the army was able to accomplish its
mission in Nahr Al-Bared. We need to rebuild our army and our internal security
forces in order that all Lebanese – no matter to which political party they
belong – feel safe and protected. This army and this ISF will be able to protect
Lebanon from any foreign enemy," Hariri said. He warned the Iranian-backed
Hizbullah against rejecting the Taif accords, noting that: "Hizbullah has said
on many occasions that they are with the Taif agreements, and if they do
challenge these agreements they will be committing the biggest mistake.
Honestly, this will turn Lebanon upside down."
Beirut, 25 Sep 07, 21:25
11 Fatah Islam Members
Indicted for Terrorism
Eleven members suspected of belonging to the Fatah al-Islam militia have been
charged with murder and terrorism, state prosecutor Saeed Mirza said.
He told AFP that the defendants, seven of them in preventive detention, were
charged in connection with the murder of several Lebanese army soldiers who were
killed during a 15-week standoff with the Al-Qaida-inspired militants that ended
on September 2.
More than 400 people died in the battles at the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr
al-Bared, in northern Lebanon, including 167 soldiers.
A total 297 members of Fatah al-Islam have been charged in connection with the
fighting since August.
The suspects charged on Monday are accused of terrorist acts, threatening the
state as well as its civil and military institutions, and firing on soldiers,
civilians and interior ministry forces, according to the charge sheet. Mirza
said he was seeking arrest warrants for the 11 men who are of various Arab
nationalities.
The prosecutor in August filed charges against 227 militants, including the head
of Fatah al-Islam Shaker al-Abssi, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Charges were also filed last week against 59 others.(AFP) Beirut, 25 Sep 07,
12:21
Geagea: No Consensus on
pro-Syrian President
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Monday that March 14 MPs will not
elect a new president tomorrow to "Keep the door open for further dialogue."
"Electing a new president doesn't necessarily mean achieving pre-election
consensus on the head of state … We will not practice our constitutional right
tomorrow (Tuesday) to keep the door open for further dialogue," Geagea told a
news conference at his residence in Merab, north of Beirut.
He accused the Hizbullah-led opposition of working for the election of a
president "who remains at the service of Syrian (Intelligence) agencies. That is
why they are trying to elect a president who would satisfy Syria."
"Either they achieve that or prevent presidential elections. This is the
Opposition's plan which puts us between Syria's hammer and the March 8 hard
place," he added.
Geagea described the March 14 alliance of being "the actual opposition. When
they assassinate parliamentary deputies one after the other any discussion of
quorum becomes useless."
He said Lebanese opposition factions are to blame for the serial killings
targeting anti-Syrian Lebanese figures.
"We do not blame the enemies of Lebanon, but we do blame internal factions who
benefit from our (Shed) blood. We want a president who would continue the
building of institutions to guarantee the Lebanese People's security and
stability," Geagea added.
The assassination of March 14 MP Antoine Ghanem by a powerful car bomb blast in
Beirut's eastern suburb of Sin el-Fil on Wednesday was "The 11th such attack in
three years," Geagea recalled.
Victims of the serial killings were "all against Syria's deployment in Lebanon
and against the return of Syria's influence. So isn't it logical to blame Syria
for the killings?" he asked.
Geagea blamed failure of efforts to expose the killers on security agencies.
"Security agencies are responsible, not Premier (Fouad) Saniora … We proposed
changes in the security agencies and the judiciary, but obstacles always
prevented that. Certain security agencies do not regard Syrian intelligence as
an enemy and do not launch investigations in all issues they are asked to
investigate," he stressed.
The Lebanese Forces leader said the March 8 opposition wants to "either prevent
presidential elections or install a head of state similar to (pro-Syrian
President Emile) Lahoud and they want to retain the present status of security
agencies."
"Whoever delays the elections for even one moment puts Lebanon in the line of
danger," Geagea stressed.
As for the traditional demand by the opposition for the formation of a
government in which they enjoy veto powers, Geagea said: "Had such a government
been formed, the army wouldn't have entered Nahr al-Bared" refugee camp in north
Lebanon and finished off the Fatah al-Islam terrorist network.
Settling the quorum controversy, according to Geagea, is the responsibility of
Parliament "which the March 8 team doesn't resort to … We are not the side that
has prevented parliament from convening."
If Berri's Parliamentary bloc refrains from entering the assembly house to elect
a president that would mean that the speaker's initiative "is not serious,"
Geagea concluded. Beirut, 24 Sep 07, 15:52