Israel: U.S. Won't Deliver Combat Weapons to Lebanese Army for Fear they Could Reach Hizbullah
Naharnet/Israeli media gave importance to President Michel Suleiman's visit to Washington. The Jerusalem Post, citing senior Israeli military sources, said the United States has decided to provide Lebanon with $410 million worth of military assistance. "But Washington will not provide any combat weapons to the Lebanese army for fear they could end up in Hizbullah hands," one source said. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 11:04

Report: Weapons Seized in Thailand Possibly Destined for Hizbullah
Naharnet/Weapons aboard a cargo plane discovered in Bangkok were most probably destined for Hizbullah, Israel's mass-selling Yediot Aharonot daily quoted Western intelligence sources as saying. The sources also did not rule out the possibility of the shipment being destined for Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A Thai court on Monday extended by 12 days the detention of four Kazakhs and a man from Belarus who flew into Thailand on the plane carrying more than 35 tons of sanctions-busting weapons from North Korea.
The cache, including missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles, was discovered after the pilot from Belarus and the four other crew from Kazakhstan landed to refuel at Bangkok's domestic Don Mueang airport on Friday, officials said. The men were charged Sunday with possessing weapons for war and appeared at the court Monday morning. "The court approved our request to detain them for another 12 days and they will be moved to Bangkok Remand Prison while their lawyer seeks bail," said national police spokesman Pongsapat Pongcharoen after the hearing. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday it was not yet clear why the weapons were being transported.
"We only know they were due to refuel in Sri Lanka (after Bangkok)," Abhisit told reporters. However, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the plane was going to "a destination in the Middle East" to unload the weapons. After that, according to the crew, it had planned to refuel in the United Arabs Emirates and Azerbaijan before flying to its final destination in the Ukraine. The plane began its journey in North Korea's capital Pyongyang. Abhisit said the weapons came from a North Korean company and the Russian cargo plane was registered in Georgia. He said the crew requested permission to land for refueling in Bangkok and then lied to inspectors about their cargo, saying it was oil-drilling equipment. "We received the tip-off from intelligence reports that said this plane was suspicious. When the plane refueled, we searched it and found the weapons," he said. Thai media said the tip-off came from U.S. intelligence. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 11:12

Hariri's Damascus Visit Not Soon
Naharnet/One thing is for sure. Prime Minister Saad Hariri will visit Damascus, but not anytime soon. Some observers believe that the visit had been postponed pending the resolution of a number of issues, including Hariri's return from Copenhagen summit, President Michel Suleiman's arrival from Washington and a Cabinet meeting to pave the way for the trip and set a date for the visit and its agenda. In light of this, a delegation would be formed to accompany Hariri. These observers believe the understanding among leaders of the March 14 forces on Hariri's visit will be translated in the nature of the ministerial delegation accompanying him, particularly after comments made by deputy chief of the Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan in which he said his group was willing to attend Damascus talks with the Hariri. Besides all that, a specific date for Hariri's visit has yet to be set through diplomatic channels. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 07:54

Fatfat: Certain Parties Trying to Obstruct Hariri's Damascus Visit
Naharnet/MP Ahmed Fatfat on Monday accused "certain parties" of trying to obstruct a visit to Damascus by Prime Minister Saad Hariri. In an interview with OTV, Fatfat denied any knowledge about Hariri's trip to Syria. He said Lebanese-Syrian relations should be based on mutual respect. On the delegation to accompany Hariri to Damascus, Fatfat said the delegation would comprise Cabinet ministers. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 12:43

Justice Ministry: Statements without Official Signature Irrelevant
Naharnet/The Justice Ministry on Monday warned that any statement that does not have the ministry's signature would be considered irrelevant, a reference to Syrian warrants.
"Given that one of the newspapers published what it called a 'legal opinion,' the ministry of justice stresses that any view being published without the ministry's signature is considered irrelevant," said a statement. "The ministry will declare an official stance in that regard," the statement added. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 13:57

Suleiman Meets Obama to Press U.S. to Deliver Promised Military Aid
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman will meet U.S. President Barack Obama and his deputy Joe Biden in Washington on Monday where he is expected to urge speeding up of arms delivery for Lebanon. Suleiman, who arrived in Washington on Saturday, will also emphasize on the Palestinian right of return and condemn naturalization, according to State Minister Adnan Sayyed Hussein.  Hussein said Suleiman will also inform U.S. officials that U.N. Security Council Res. 1559 is an internal Lebanese issue to be discussed at the national dialogue table and that it should not be dealt with internationally. In remarks published Monday by daily As-Safir, Hussein said all "misunderstood points" or "misunderstandings" that erupted prior to Suleiman's U.S. trip had been contained, pointing to the phone call that took place between Suleiman and Syrian President Bashar Assad on Friday.  He said the telephone conversation showed that there is no justification to all attempts to question the relationship between the two Presidents, who were in agreement over "strategic approach" on issues. The U.S. has long provided military assistance to Lebanon — including $410 million to the military and the police. But Washington has not handed over any sophisticated arms for fear they could end up in Hizbullah hands. The military assistance over the past years included aircraft, tanks, artillery, small boats, infantry weapons, ammunition, Humvees and cargo trucks, according to the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. The embassy says the U.S. will provide the Lebanese army with 12 Raven unmanned reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft in the coming months. Hizbullah's military power has drawn concern within Lebanon and in Israel. Hizbullah says it must keep its weapons to fight off any future Israeli aggression.
Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 08:41

Assad Hails Hariri's Damascus Visit, Aoun in Syria to Offer Condolences
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar Assad has reiterated his country's "full support" of Lebanon and the new government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Assad also told Parliament that he hails Hariri's visit to Damascus. Meanwhile, President Michel Suleiman dispatched Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to Syria to offer Assad condolences over the death of his younger brother, Majd. Economic and Trade Minister Mohammed Safadi also headed to Syria to offer Assad condolences on behalf of Hariri. Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun arrived in Syria before midday Monday to personally offer his condolences. Speaker Nabih Berri, Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh as well as Hizbullah official Hussein Khalil and MP Talal Arslan took part in the funeral in Qordaha on Sunday. PSP leader MP Walid Jumblat sent a telegram offering his condolences to Assad.(AFP photo shows an undated picture of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and his wife Anisseh posing for a family picture with his children Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 09:32

Hariri: Riyadh Hasn't Put Conditions on its Support for Lebanon
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said that Saudi Arabia hasn't put conditions on its support for Lebanon and never interfered in the country's internal affairs.
Hariri told the Saudi daily Okaz that King Abdullah has supported Lebanon in the most difficult circumstances and will continue to back the country's independence and sovereignty.
The Lebanese PM also praised the Saudi King for backing Arab and Islamic causes, including the Palestinian issue and the right of Palestinians to have their own state with Jerusalem as its capital. Hariri told Okaz that the Lebanese are in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of any possible attack by Yemen's Huthi rebels. Riyadh's forces have been fighting the rebels since November 3, after a group of Huthis killed a Saudi border guard and occupied two small Saudi villages. Furthermore, Hariri said he told King Abdullah during his visit to Saudi Arabia that Lebanon will play a bigger role in inter-Arab rapprochement to confront all regional challenges. "Arabism is an invincible line in defense of Lebanon and its independence and sovereignty," the premier added. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 08:52

Maronite League: Incomplete Success in Achieving Christian Reconciliation
Naharnet/The Maronite League has admitted to not being fully successful in efforts to achieve inter-Christian reconciliation and called for an election law that allows Christians to choose their own representatives. Following its yearly meeting on Sunday, the League said it never saved an effort "in achieving Christian reconciliation." "Even if it didn't fully succeed in this regard, it was able … to create the right atmosphere to push all sides towards giving priority to reconciliations," a League statement said. The statement added that the League did not interfere in the June 7 parliamentary polls and called for a modern law that reflects the appropriate representation of pollsters and allows Christians to choose their own representatives. The conferees also discussed future challenges in the country and assessed the presence of Christians and mainly Maronites in state institutions. During the meeting, MP Nehmatallah Abi Nasr stressed on the need to solve the issue of land sales to foreigners and called for the adoption of a law that gives the Lebanese nationality to expatriates or to people of Lebanese descent.
Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 08:05

New Opinion: Is this a priority?
December 14, 2009
Now Lebanon/Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be happy about the way things are turning out for his country regarding Lebanon. (AFP/Louai Beshara)
A quick scan of the Lebanese press on Monday told us that Lebanese President Michel Sleiman will meet his US counterpart, Barack Obama, with three items on his agenda: the withdrawal of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 (mainly because of the controversial clause pertaining to Hezbollah’s disarmament) and the rejection of calls to naturalize Lebanon’s estimated 300,000 Palestinians. He will also apparently try to negotiate further US military aid to Lebanon.
Challenging the validity of 1559 will be music to the ears of Syria and Hezbollah, both of whom would love to see it compromised and who must be overjoyed that the debate on its validity has somehow managed to bypass the National Dialogue, that long-ineffective forum at which the subject was to be discussed among all of Lebanon’s parties.
One can’t help but feel that Syria must be very pleased with the way its Lebanon file is shaping up. It has bided its time and reestablished a considerable degree of influence over Lebanese affairs that it must have thought was lost forever in 2005. Sure, the tanks and troops may not return, but the gains of the Independence Intifada have been wiped out.
Today, the March 8 “opposition” has effective veto power in the cabinet, while the specter, not to mention threat, of an armed Hezbollah still casts a worrying shadow over any hopes Lebanon has for peace, prosperity and reform. In fact, one only has to count the number of Lebanese politicians who are heading to Damascus to pay condolences to the Syrian president for the death of his younger brother, Majd, to see how things have changed. And it is in this climate that Sleiman flew off to Washington.
The truth of the matter is that Lebanon has enough problems of its own without having to once again act as a game board for the Arab-Israeli conflict on behalf of a state that is still the main suspect in the murder of a former Lebanese premier. The Lebanese people should hope that Sleiman will also, among his exhortations, urge President Obama to once again throw his country’s support behind a sovereign and stable Lebanon.
Sleiman should make the most of his trip and call for the full implementation of all UN Security Council resolutions (including 1559); seek US support in gaining the cooperation of the Syrian government to fulfill Lebanese and UN demands for the demarcation and monitoring of the Syrian-Lebanese border in order to stop the illegal flow of arms and personnel from Syria and Iran into Lebanon; seek Washington’s assistance in strengthening the Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces to enable them to fully carry out their stated remit (and not stand by as they did on May 7, 2008, when Beirut was gripped by militia violence); ensure that the US supports the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that hopefully will try the assassins of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and other Lebanese victims of politically-motivated crimes; and finally get a statement from the Obama administration that it will not impose on the Lebanese the naturalization of the Palestinians living within its borders in exchange for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement.
If Sleiman is to fulfill his role as a genuine consensus president, then he will not play that role by adopting Syria and Hezbollah’s agenda. He has plenty on his plate around which there is a consensus: improving his country’s democratic credentials, rebuilding national institutions, creating a blueprint for prosperity and erasing corruption. In short, he should be helping to build a genuine state free from regional interference and domestic obstacles.


LAF contains armed dispute in Baalbek
December 14, 2009
Naharnet/The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on Monday contained a dispute in Baalbek's Al-Sharawina neighborhood between Jaafar and Wehbe family members, who allegedly used rockets and machine guns.-NOW Lebanon

Jamil Sayyed… “Power worshipper”
Date: December 14th, 2009/
By the political analyst: Future News
Media reports have noted the education of Jamil as-Sayyed and his ability to persuade, as well as his patience, his ability to install traps and dismantle it, his described caution, his ability to go with the different flows without fear, or shame, however these reports point out two deadly weak points in his character:
The first is his exaggerative narcism which is the means by which he collects his knowledge and the information about all politicians, media people, intellects, clerics, economists, businessmen, and artists. He used to adore collecting every detail about those people which allowed him to point out everyone’s weak points. He used to delay fixing an appointment for an MP or a Minister for months when he was ready to find a free time to meet a journalist to give info, write a news piece, or an analysis against one man or another.
His second weakness point is his craving desire for power, as he had never pictured himself out of it.
According to the reports, Sayyed was aware that Elias Hrawi had held three summits with Syrian President Hafez el Assad to oust him (Sayyed) but failed.
Jamil as-Sayyed clashed with President Hrawi, Speaker Nabih Berri, and PM Rafic Hariri, Salim el Hoss, as well as his own chief Emile Lahoud, yet he remained in his post while the others fluttered in ups and downs.Speculations say that Sayyed, who was keen to exile any successful or ambitious officer, especially the Shiite ones, always sought to make the officer his follower, while he was always keen to punish any officer who went to Mseileh to meet Speaker Berri. Jamil had clashed several times with three specific army generals, and when he took office at the General Security services, he managed to exile a group of officers who have master degrees in law and replaced them with a group of his own, who had barely finished high school.

Amal, Kabalan back Sheikh Sadek against Hizbullah
Date: December 13th, 2009/Future News
Health Minister Muhammad Jawad Kalifeh sponsored Sunday the inauguration of an ambulance center in the southern city of Nabatieh under the management ofthe Imam of the city Sheikh Abdel Hussein Sadek. The ceremony that occurred at Nabatieh’s Husseiniah was attended by Development and Liberation MP Yassin Jaber and a number of Amal Movement officials in the absence of any representative of Hizbullah. Minister Khalifeh gave a speech hailing the Sheikh Sadek by considering him as “the shock absorber of the region of Nabatieh and the man of the resistance in the occupation period.” “Speaker Nabih Berri told me to transmit salutation to Sheilh Sadek and to the residents of Nabatieh and to tell you that he is going to offer an ambulance vehicle to the city,” added Khalieh. The son of Sheikh Sadek, Mahdi who heads the ambulance team of the city stressed the necessity of keeping politics away from this center and recalled an aggression against two members of the team by Hizbullah members in Nabatieh. Additionally, Deputy Head of the Islamic Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel Amir Kabalan inaugurated a Mosque in the southern city and appointed Sheikh Sadek to supervise it. On the other hand, a confrontation seems to undergo between Sheikh Sadek and Hizbullah during the holy days of Ashura as the Shiite party decided to shade a tent to celebrate the occasion 100 meters away from Sadek’s center.
Hizbullah that celebrated Ashura’s nights last year in coordination with Sadek and the Amal Movement at the Husseiniah, decided to celebrate this Shiite occasion on its own, while sources close to Sadek said that this occasion is for all the residents of Nabatieh not for a specific party. Informed sources also noted that Hizbullah is preparing for a central march on December 27 under the supervision of the party’s security personnel in coordination with the Lebanese Army intelligence. The same source added that “the party will take strict measures this year on Ashura, throughout Lebanon to prevent the infiltration of a suicide between the participants,” especially following that incidents that occur each year on this occasion in Iraq.

 

Israel: U.S. Won't Deliver Combat Weapons to Lebanese Army for Fear they Could Reach Hizbullah
Naharnet/Israeli media gave importance to President Michel Suleiman's visit to Washington. The Jerusalem Post, citing senior Israeli military sources, said the United States has decided to provide Lebanon with $410 million worth of military assistance. "But Washington will not provide any combat weapons to the Lebanese army for fear they could end up in Hizbullah hands," one source said. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 11:04

Report: Weapons Seized in Thailand Possibly Destined for Hizbullah
Naharnet/Weapons aboard a cargo plane discovered in Bangkok were most probably destined for Hizbullah, Israel's mass-selling Yediot Aharonot daily quoted Western intelligence sources as saying. The sources also did not rule out the possibility of the shipment being destined for Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A Thai court on Monday extended by 12 days the detention of four Kazakhs and a man from Belarus who flew into Thailand on the plane carrying more than 35 tons of sanctions-busting weapons from North Korea.
The cache, including missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles, was discovered after the pilot from Belarus and the four other crew from Kazakhstan landed to refuel at Bangkok's domestic Don Mueang airport on Friday, officials said. The men were charged Sunday with possessing weapons for war and appeared at the court Monday morning. "The court approved our request to detain them for another 12 days and they will be moved to Bangkok Remand Prison while their lawyer seeks bail," said national police spokesman Pongsapat Pongcharoen after the hearing. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday it was not yet clear why the weapons were being transported.
"We only know they were due to refuel in Sri Lanka (after Bangkok)," Abhisit told reporters. However, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the plane was going to "a destination in the Middle East" to unload the weapons. After that, according to the crew, it had planned to refuel in the United Arabs Emirates and Azerbaijan before flying to its final destination in the Ukraine. The plane began its journey in North Korea's capital Pyongyang. Abhisit said the weapons came from a North Korean company and the Russian cargo plane was registered in Georgia. He said the crew requested permission to land for refueling in Bangkok and then lied to inspectors about their cargo, saying it was oil-drilling equipment. "We received the tip-off from intelligence reports that said this plane was suspicious. When the plane refueled, we searched it and found the weapons," he said. Thai media said the tip-off came from U.S. intelligence. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 11:12

Hariri's Damascus Visit Not Soon
Naharnet/One thing is for sure. Prime Minister Saad Hariri will visit Damascus, but not anytime soon. Some observers believe that the visit had been postponed pending the resolution of a number of issues, including Hariri's return from Copenhagen summit, President Michel Suleiman's arrival from Washington and a Cabinet meeting to pave the way for the trip and set a date for the visit and its agenda. In light of this, a delegation would be formed to accompany Hariri. These observers believe the understanding among leaders of the March 14 forces on Hariri's visit will be translated in the nature of the ministerial delegation accompanying him, particularly after comments made by deputy chief of the Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan in which he said his group was willing to attend Damascus talks with the Hariri. Besides all that, a specific date for Hariri's visit has yet to be set through diplomatic channels. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 07:54

Fatfat: Certain Parties Trying to Obstruct Hariri's Damascus Visit
Naharnet/MP Ahmed Fatfat on Monday accused "certain parties" of trying to obstruct a visit to Damascus by Prime Minister Saad Hariri. In an interview with OTV, Fatfat denied any knowledge about Hariri's trip to Syria. He said Lebanese-Syrian relations should be based on mutual respect. On the delegation to accompany Hariri to Damascus, Fatfat said the delegation would comprise Cabinet ministers. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 12:43

Justice Ministry: Statements without Official Signature Irrelevant
Naharnet/The Justice Ministry on Monday warned that any statement that does not have the ministry's signature would be considered irrelevant, a reference to Syrian warrants.
"Given that one of the newspapers published what it called a 'legal opinion,' the ministry of justice stresses that any view being published without the ministry's signature is considered irrelevant," said a statement. "The ministry will declare an official stance in that regard," the statement added. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 13:57

Suleiman Meets Obama to Press U.S. to Deliver Promised Military Aid
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman will meet U.S. President Barack Obama and his deputy Joe Biden in Washington on Monday where he is expected to urge speeding up of arms delivery for Lebanon. Suleiman, who arrived in Washington on Saturday, will also emphasize on the Palestinian right of return and condemn naturalization, according to State Minister Adnan Sayyed Hussein.  Hussein said Suleiman will also inform U.S. officials that U.N. Security Council Res. 1559 is an internal Lebanese issue to be discussed at the national dialogue table and that it should not be dealt with internationally. In remarks published Monday by daily As-Safir, Hussein said all "misunderstood points" or "misunderstandings" that erupted prior to Suleiman's U.S. trip had been contained, pointing to the phone call that took place between Suleiman and Syrian President Bashar Assad on Friday.  He said the telephone conversation showed that there is no justification to all attempts to question the relationship between the two Presidents, who were in agreement over "strategic approach" on issues. The U.S. has long provided military assistance to Lebanon — including $410 million to the military and the police. But Washington has not handed over any sophisticated arms for fear they could end up in Hizbullah hands. The military assistance over the past years included aircraft, tanks, artillery, small boats, infantry weapons, ammunition, Humvees and cargo trucks, according to the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. The embassy says the U.S. will provide the Lebanese army with 12 Raven unmanned reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft in the coming months. Hizbullah's military power has drawn concern within Lebanon and in Israel. Hizbullah says it must keep its weapons to fight off any future Israeli aggression.
Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 08:41

Assad Hails Hariri's Damascus Visit, Aoun in Syria to Offer Condolences
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar Assad has reiterated his country's "full support" of Lebanon and the new government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Assad also told Parliament that he hails Hariri's visit to Damascus. Meanwhile, President Michel Suleiman dispatched Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to Syria to offer Assad condolences over the death of his younger brother, Majd. Economic and Trade Minister Mohammed Safadi also headed to Syria to offer Assad condolences on behalf of Hariri. Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun arrived in Syria before midday Monday to personally offer his condolences. Speaker Nabih Berri, Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh as well as Hizbullah official Hussein Khalil and MP Talal Arslan took part in the funeral in Qordaha on Sunday. PSP leader MP Walid Jumblat sent a telegram offering his condolences to Assad.(AFP photo shows an undated picture of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and his wife Anisseh posing for a family picture with his children Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 09:32

Hariri: Riyadh Hasn't Put Conditions on its Support for Lebanon
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said that Saudi Arabia hasn't put conditions on its support for Lebanon and never interfered in the country's internal affairs.
Hariri told the Saudi daily Okaz that King Abdullah has supported Lebanon in the most difficult circumstances and will continue to back the country's independence and sovereignty.
The Lebanese PM also praised the Saudi King for backing Arab and Islamic causes, including the Palestinian issue and the right of Palestinians to have their own state with Jerusalem as its capital. Hariri told Okaz that the Lebanese are in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of any possible attack by Yemen's Huthi rebels. Riyadh's forces have been fighting the rebels since November 3, after a group of Huthis killed a Saudi border guard and occupied two small Saudi villages. Furthermore, Hariri said he told King Abdullah during his visit to Saudi Arabia that Lebanon will play a bigger role in inter-Arab rapprochement to confront all regional challenges. "Arabism is an invincible line in defense of Lebanon and its independence and sovereignty," the premier added. Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 08:52

Maronite League: Incomplete Success in Achieving Christian Reconciliation
Naharnet/The Maronite League has admitted to not being fully successful in efforts to achieve inter-Christian reconciliation and called for an election law that allows Christians to choose their own representatives. Following its yearly meeting on Sunday, the League said it never saved an effort "in achieving Christian reconciliation." "Even if it didn't fully succeed in this regard, it was able … to create the right atmosphere to push all sides towards giving priority to reconciliations," a League statement said. The statement added that the League did not interfere in the June 7 parliamentary polls and called for a modern law that reflects the appropriate representation of pollsters and allows Christians to choose their own representatives. The conferees also discussed future challenges in the country and assessed the presence of Christians and mainly Maronites in state institutions. During the meeting, MP Nehmatallah Abi Nasr stressed on the need to solve the issue of land sales to foreigners and called for the adoption of a law that gives the Lebanese nationality to expatriates or to people of Lebanese descent.
Beirut, 14 Dec 09, 08:05

New Opinion: Is this a priority?
December 14, 2009
Now Lebanon/Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be happy about the way things are turning out for his country regarding Lebanon. (AFP/Louai Beshara)
A quick scan of the Lebanese press on Monday told us that Lebanese President Michel Sleiman will meet his US counterpart, Barack Obama, with three items on his agenda: the withdrawal of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 (mainly because of the controversial clause pertaining to Hezbollah’s disarmament) and the rejection of calls to naturalize Lebanon’s estimated 300,000 Palestinians. He will also apparently try to negotiate further US military aid to Lebanon.
Challenging the validity of 1559 will be music to the ears of Syria and Hezbollah, both of whom would love to see it compromised and who must be overjoyed that the debate on its validity has somehow managed to bypass the National Dialogue, that long-ineffective forum at which the subject was to be discussed among all of Lebanon’s parties.
One can’t help but feel that Syria must be very pleased with the way its Lebanon file is shaping up. It has bided its time and reestablished a considerable degree of influence over Lebanese affairs that it must have thought was lost forever in 2005. Sure, the tanks and troops may not return, but the gains of the Independence Intifada have been wiped out.
Today, the March 8 “opposition” has effective veto power in the cabinet, while the specter, not to mention threat, of an armed Hezbollah still casts a worrying shadow over any hopes Lebanon has for peace, prosperity and reform. In fact, one only has to count the number of Lebanese politicians who are heading to Damascus to pay condolences to the Syrian president for the death of his younger brother, Majd, to see how things have changed. And it is in this climate that Sleiman flew off to Washington.
The truth of the matter is that Lebanon has enough problems of its own without having to once again act as a game board for the Arab-Israeli conflict on behalf of a state that is still the main suspect in the murder of a former Lebanese premier. The Lebanese people should hope that Sleiman will also, among his exhortations, urge President Obama to once again throw his country’s support behind a sovereign and stable Lebanon.
Sleiman should make the most of his trip and call for the full implementation of all UN Security Council resolutions (including 1559); seek US support in gaining the cooperation of the Syrian government to fulfill Lebanese and UN demands for the demarcation and monitoring of the Syrian-Lebanese border in order to stop the illegal flow of arms and personnel from Syria and Iran into Lebanon; seek Washington’s assistance in strengthening the Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces to enable them to fully carry out their stated remit (and not stand by as they did on May 7, 2008, when Beirut was gripped by militia violence); ensure that the US supports the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that hopefully will try the assassins of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and other Lebanese victims of politically-motivated crimes; and finally get a statement from the Obama administration that it will not impose on the Lebanese the naturalization of the Palestinians living within its borders in exchange for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement.
If Sleiman is to fulfill his role as a genuine consensus president, then he will not play that role by adopting Syria and Hezbollah’s agenda. He has plenty on his plate around which there is a consensus: improving his country’s democratic credentials, rebuilding national institutions, creating a blueprint for prosperity and erasing corruption. In short, he should be helping to build a genuine state free from regional interference and domestic obstacles.


LAF contains armed dispute in Baalbek
December 14, 2009
Naharnet/The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on Monday contained a dispute in Baalbek's Al-Sharawina neighborhood between Jaafar and Wehbe family members, who allegedly used rockets and machine guns.-NOW Lebanon

Jamil Sayyed… “Power worshipper”
Date: December 14th, 2009/
By the political analyst: Future News
Media reports have noted the education of Jamil as-Sayyed and his ability to persuade, as well as his patience, his ability to install traps and dismantle it, his described caution, his ability to go with the different flows without fear, or shame, however these reports point out two deadly weak points in his character:
The first is his exaggerative narcism which is the means by which he collects his knowledge and the information about all politicians, media people, intellects, clerics, economists, businessmen, and artists. He used to adore collecting every detail about those people which allowed him to point out everyone’s weak points. He used to delay fixing an appointment for an MP or a Minister for months when he was ready to find a free time to meet a journalist to give info, write a news piece, or an analysis against one man or another.
His second weakness point is his craving desire for power, as he had never pictured himself out of it.
According to the reports, Sayyed was aware that Elias Hrawi had held three summits with Syrian President Hafez el Assad to oust him (Sayyed) but failed.
Jamil as-Sayyed clashed with President Hrawi, Speaker Nabih Berri, and PM Rafic Hariri, Salim el Hoss, as well as his own chief Emile Lahoud, yet he remained in his post while the others fluttered in ups and downs.Speculations say that Sayyed, who was keen to exile any successful or ambitious officer, especially the Shiite ones, always sought to make the officer his follower, while he was always keen to punish any officer who went to Mseileh to meet Speaker Berri. Jamil had clashed several times with three specific army generals, and when he took office at the General Security services, he managed to exile a group of officers who have master degrees in law and replaced them with a group of his own, who had barely finished high school.

Amal, Kabalan back Sheikh Sadek against Hizbullah
Date: December 13th, 2009/Future News
Health Minister Muhammad Jawad Kalifeh sponsored Sunday the inauguration of an ambulance center in the southern city of Nabatieh under the management ofthe Imam of the city Sheikh Abdel Hussein Sadek. The ceremony that occurred at Nabatieh’s Husseiniah was attended by Development and Liberation MP Yassin Jaber and a number of Amal Movement officials in the absence of any representative of Hizbullah. Minister Khalifeh gave a speech hailing the Sheikh Sadek by considering him as “the shock absorber of the region of Nabatieh and the man of the resistance in the occupation period.” “Speaker Nabih Berri told me to transmit salutation to Sheilh Sadek and to the residents of Nabatieh and to tell you that he is going to offer an ambulance vehicle to the city,” added Khalieh. The son of Sheikh Sadek, Mahdi who heads the ambulance team of the city stressed the necessity of keeping politics away from this center and recalled an aggression against two members of the team by Hizbullah members in Nabatieh. Additionally, Deputy Head of the Islamic Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel Amir Kabalan inaugurated a Mosque in the southern city and appointed Sheikh Sadek to supervise it. On the other hand, a confrontation seems to undergo between Sheikh Sadek and Hizbullah during the holy days of Ashura as the Shiite party decided to shade a tent to celebrate the occasion 100 meters away from Sadek’s center.
Hizbullah that celebrated Ashura’s nights last year in coordination with Sadek and the Amal Movement at the Husseiniah, decided to celebrate this Shiite occasion on its own, while sources close to Sadek said that this occasion is for all the residents of Nabatieh not for a specific party. Informed sources also noted that Hizbullah is preparing for a central march on December 27 under the supervision of the party’s security personnel in coordination with the Lebanese Army intelligence. The same source added that “the party will take strict measures this year on Ashura, throughout Lebanon to prevent the infiltration of a suicide between the participants,” especially following that incidents that occur each year on this occasion in Iraq.