LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 21/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2:41-51. Each year his
parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve
years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed
its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they
journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three
days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were
astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they
were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety." And he said to
them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my
Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down
with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept
all these things in her heart.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
From May 7 to June 7/Future
News 20/06/09
Robert Fisk's World: In Tehran, fantasy and
reality make uneasy ...Independent
- London, 20/06/09
Syria questioned again-Al-Ahram
Weekly 20/06/09
Iran's democratic upsurge-Al-Ahram
Weekly 20/06/09
A Bit of Fear and Trepidation.By:
Walid Choucai 20.06.09
An
iron fist won't resolve the fact that Iranians have lost trust in their leaders.The
Daily Star 20.06.09
The Built-In Response to Terrifying Moments-Washington
Post 20/06/09
Watching Iran, Re-Fighting Iraq-New
York Times 20/06/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for June
20/09
Soaid:
We Will Take Appropriate Measures if Attacks Against Sfeir Continue-Naharnet
Jumblat
Calls for Electoral Law that Allows Minorities to Reach Parliament-Naharnet
Lebanon
Informs U.N. About its Stance from Implementation of Resolution 1701-Naharnet
Suleiman Asks Cabinet to
Carry out Caretaking Mission as New Parliament Mandate Begins-Naharnet
Eight Men Guilty of
Plotting Attacks on U.N. Troops-Naharnet
Calm maintained on Israel's north border-United
Press International
Lebanon: 8 guilty of plotting attacks on UN
troops-Ynetnews
A Struggle for the Legacy of the Iranian
Revolution-New York Times
Arab neighbors watch Iran's troubles-CNN
International
Elias
Abu-Assi: Sfeir’s honesty,
unquestionable/Future News
Frangieh: Kroubi accused Nejad of
paying 1.5 $ billion-Future
News
Jumblatt: ‘Things are critical I
don’t want to say anything/Future News
An extended arm reviewing the
past, but what about the future-Future
News
Hamade: Jumblatt did not and will
not leave March 14 coalition-Future
News
PSP: Jumblatt- Nasrallah meeting
aims at alleviating tension/Future News
Souaid: Jumblatt’s visit to
Nasrallah is not a new four-party alliance/Future News
Franjieh: Give Us Veto Power and
Have Your Ministerial Declaration; Sfeir's Positions Are His Own Not Church's-Naharnet
Berri
Says Resistance 'Last Barrier' to Israeli Plans for Settlement-Naharnet
Jumblat-Nasrallah Meeting Paves Way for Wider Reconciliation-Naharnet
Israel
Takes Down Flag at New Observation Post-Naharnet
Qassem: We Won Undisputed Popular Majority, Parliamentary Mainstream Can't
Commit Us to What It Wants-Naharnet
Williams: We Are Looking
Forward to Work With New Cabinet in Monitoring Border-Naharnet
Hizbullah-Marada Leaders Meet-Naharnet
Israel Sets Up Observation
Post in Violation of Border, Lebanese Army-Naharnet
Israel-Palestine & Lebanon: Where to Now?Newropeans
Magazine
Number of swine flu infections in Lebanon hits 20-Daily
Star
Jumblatt warns of Israeli 'extremism' after surprise meeting with Nasrallah-Daily
Star
Most Iraqi refugees are living in Lebanon illegally, facing exploitation-Daily
Star
Lebanese Army deploys along border after Israeli violations-Daily
Star
Leading experts highlight key areas in need of overhaul by new administration-Daily
Star
Grenade targets Fatah in Rashidieh-Daily
Star
Murr meets with UNIFIL commander-Daily
Star
Experts call for greener banks in Lebanon-Daily
Star
French-Qatari talks focus on Lebanon-Daily
Star
US
Senate spending bill earmarks $69 million for Lebanon-Daily
Star
Al-Kafaat group aims to double'Village' capacity-Daily
Star
Local
drivers join MINI race in England-Daily
Star
DFLP
calls for rebuilding Nahr al-Bared-Daily
Star
New book store draws crowd with hard-to-find niche publications-Daily
Star
Lebanon's preparedness for disasters falls short-Daily
Star
Abu-Assi:
Sfeir’s honesty, unquestionable
Date: June 20th, 2009
/Future News
Vice-President of the National Liberal party Elias Abu-Assi said Saturday that
no one can question the sincerity of the Maronite Patriarch Mar Nasrallah
Boutros Sfeir who said that the danger on the Lebanese entity was a serious one,
Abu-Assi told the Free Lebanon radio.
Sfeir had warned the Lebanese, on the eve of the parliamentary elections,
against the Iranian danger that faces the Lebanese entity and identity and
called them to fight this threat by casting their ballots in favor of the track
of sovereignty, independence and freedom. Abu-Assi
whoo lost the electoral battle against Free Patriotic Movement candidates in
Baabda Mount Lebanon district, said that the recent attack launched by
Hizbullah’s Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah “has failed to undermine
the patriarch’s unquestionable honesty.”
Moreover, he denounced accusing President Sleiman of partiality saying
“President Sleiman adheres to the laws and to the constitution; accusing him of
bias is unacceptable.”
Abu-Assi rejected the opposition’s preconditions to participate in the
government saying “veto powers must be in the hand of the president of the
republic.”
“The March 14 coalition’s Christians show reserve to the re-election of House
Speaker Nabih Berry for another term because of his previous practices.”
Berry had closed the parliament for 18 months on the pretext that the Shiites
are not represented in the government. It is worth mentioning that they had
resigned their offices in protest against approving of the international
tribunal that looks into the assassination of former Premier Rafic Hariri who
was killed in a car explosion on February 14, 2005, and Premier Fouad Siniora
did not accept their resignation. Moreover, he said
that the minority is targeting the Taëf Agreement saying “The Taëf is not a
sacred book, but we have to implement it fully before we think about amending or
even replacing it.”Separately, Abu-Assi said “the issue of Palestinian
resettlement in Lebanon is a serious one, but we have to face it collectively.”
Soaid: We
Will Take Appropriate Measures if Attacks Against Sfeir Continue
Naharnet/March 14 general-secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid
warned on Saturday that the coalition would take appropriate measures if
officials from the opposition continue to criticize and attack Patriarch
Nasrallah Sfeir. Attacks against Sfeir mean
"overstepping the red line," Soaid told al-Markazia news agency.
"We as a national political team and as a Christian team will
have the appropriate stance and (take appropriate) measures if this moral
decadence continues," Soaid warned. "The
Syrian-Iranian pair is trying to attack him through authorities that are loyal
to Syria and Iran before being loyal to Lebanon," he told the agency.
The March 14 official added that Sfeir was being attacked by
the March 8 team because he is the only authority that defended Lebanon's
sovereignty and independence during the Israeli occupation and Syrian tutelage.
Soaid stressed that Sfeir "represents Lebanon's conscience"
and seeks to prevent "any coup attempts against Lebanese values."
He said the March 14 forces will stand by the patriarch,
adding despite their differences with the March 8 alliance they never attacked
Christian or Muslim spiritual authorities. Beirut, 20 Jun 09, 20:38
Jumblat Calls for Electoral Law that Allows Minorities to Reach Parliament
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Saturday demanded
partnership and called for a new electoral law that allows political minorities
representation in parliament.
Jumblat hoped for "a change in the electoral law, which is an old demand, and
which would allow political minorities to be represented in parliament."
The Druze leader also hoped during a meeting with a PSP
campaign delegation from Marjayoun-Hasbaya district that the "qualified person
be given a chance to reach parliament." The MP called
for partnership and said the June 7 parliamentary elections were based on
rejection of the other. "It's true that we succeeded
this time. But unfortunately success wasn't based on partnership. It was based
on rejection of the other and on confessional fanaticism," he told his visitors
in Mukhtara. "We want partnership," he said, urging
his visitors from the south to be united and cohesively confront Israel and its
agents. Beirut, 20 Jun 09, 18:02
Lebanon Informs U.N. About its Stance from Implementation of Resolution 1701
Naharnet/Lebanon accused Israel in a letter sent to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon of
violating Lebanese sovereignty and not complying with efforts to withdraw from
the border village of Ghajar.
The Lebanese foreign ministry sent the letter on June 11 to Ban and the
president of the Security Council via the Lebanese mission in New York.
In the letter, the ministry complained about Israel's
continued violation of Lebanese territory and sovereignty, the occupation of the
Shebaa farms area and Kfarshouba hills and lack of cooperation with U.N.
peacekeepers' efforts to withdraw from the Lebanese part of Ghajar.
Such moves are a clear violation of Security Council
resolution 1701, the ministry said, ahead of Ban's report on the resolution
which is expected to be issued next week. Lebanon also
condemned violation of the U.N.-drawn Blue Line and launching of rockets from
its territories. The letter informed Ban about the
arrest of alleged Israeli spies and stressed that the Lebanese army continued to
study cluster bomb maps that Israel delivered to UNIFIL. The foreign ministry
considered the maps not complete. The U.N. chief was
also informed that the Lebanese government was doing all effort to fully
implement resolution 1701, including controlling the borders. Beirut, 20 Jun 09,
17:44
Frangieh: Kroubi accused Nejad of paying 1.5 $ billion in Lebanon’s elections
Date: June 19th, 2009 Source: MTV
Member of the Lebanese Parliament Samir Frangieh said Friday the candidate for
the Iranian Presidential polls Mehdi Kroubi accused Iran’s president elect
Mahmud Ahmedinejad of paying one and a half billion dollars in the Lebanese
Legislative elections to support the ‘March 8’ opposition alliance.
Frangieh said the attack of Hizbullah’s chief Hassan Nasrallah against Maronite
Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir “has opened the door of sectarianism”.
He wondered “why Nasrallah did not object to Ahmedinejad’s statement during
which he said the whole region will change if ‘March 8’ alliance won?”
Frangieh, who lost the Maronite seat in Zgharta district in the June 7
elections, said Iran’s Ahmedinejad “would have been in better position if the
opposition had won the elections is Lebanon.”Frangieh said the meeting of leader
of the Democratic Gathering MP Walid Jumblatt with Nasrallah “was expected”,
pointing that Jumblatt “has considerations regarding the dangerous sectary
dispute between the Druze and Shiite communities.”“Hizbullah must learn from the
previous experiences”, he said wondering “didn’t they learn from losing the
parliamentary elections?”Frangieh said Hizbullah has an interest in
participating in the government to-be formed and in overcoming the past,
pointing that the Shiite party “is before a crossroads and will not make its
decision before knowing what will come out of the situation in Iran.”
Souaid: Jumblatt’s visit to Nasrallah is not a new four-party alliance
Date: June 20th, 2009 Source: Future News
Former MP Fares Souaid, coordinator of March 14’s general secretariat, asserted
on Saturday that the meeting of Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt
and Hizbullah’s secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah aims at easing the
tense environment, negating a new four-party alliance. “The current situation is
different than that of four-party alliance in 2005, Jumblatt’s visit to
Nasrallah was decided and announced before the elections,” noted Souaid. As for
March 8’s campaign against the Maronite Patriarchy, Souaid condemned this
campaign considering that the opposition is holding Maronite Patriarch Mar
Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir responsible for their defeat.” He also said that this
campaign won’t end at this point as the Syrian regime and Hizbullah consider the
Patriarchy as the cornerstone of Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence.
Majdalani to almustaqbal.org: Nasrallah must apologize to Sfeir
Date: June 19th, 2009
Future News
/By Huda Husseini Fayed
Almustaqbal bloc MP Atef Majdalani asked Hizbullah’s General Secretary Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah to apologize immediately for his campaign against Maronite
Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir.Majdalani, who was re-elected as
representative for Beirut district at the Parliament, stressed that Patriarch
Sfeir’s speech before the elections was driven by his “fear for the
nation.”Nasrallah made a speech Friday, during which he denounced Cardinal
Sfeir’s speech as he urged the Lebanese ‘to vote for Lebanon’ one night before
the polls.
“Nasrallah’s speech is dangerous”, Majdalani noted, “It causes confessional
tensions, especially as it is directed towards a spiritual leader who represents
a basic sect of Lebanon’s diversity.”He affirmed that the criticism made by
Almustaqbal bloc is directed against political ideologies and not religious
views.“We have always been courteous with other counterparts. When we criticize,
we criticize politics and not confession,” stressed the MP.Majdalani called on
the Lebanese to read Hizbullah’s manifesto of 1985 which stated the party’s
principles and beliefs. He pointed that the Shiite party attempts to achieve
these rules and did not issue any new documents that contradict the manifesto.
From May 7 to June 7
Date: June 20th, 2009
Future News
It is not true that some of the minority group understood democracy in essence
and practice and accepted the aftermath of the parliamentary elections which
resulted in renewing the confidence of the popular base in March 14. The tensed
and escalating rhetoric which is expressed by those who lost the elections,
posing excuses for themselves, demonstrates that the upcoming stage does not
call for optimism. Who accepts
the results and admits his loss must be aware of the difference between May 7 -
2008 and June 7 - 2009. The circumstances between these two dates changed
dramatically and the Lebanese clearly declared their refusal to the concept of
intimidation and mistrust by aligning to the electoral boxes.
The majority is not responsible for curing the crisis of “victory swelling”
which the opposites suffered because of ignoring the concerns and problems of
people and relying on statistics performed by informants not statistic
specialists. It isn’t the majority’s responsibility that the logic of arms and
glorifying it is not accepted by most of the Lebanese who make a living from
their jobs and education not militias. The difference
between the two dates is fundamental; the first dropped the mask of all fake
claims of accepting Lebanon the sovereign independent state, while the other was
a democratic and civilized response for intimidation, assassination, blocking
roads and burning tires and containers. The eloquent
of the minority must realize the meaning of responding to violence through
voting, determination and adherence to the project of the state which protects
all the Lebanese citizens without discrimination, even if they persist with
their logic of mistrust, screaming, and pointing fingers through air.
An extended arm reviewing the past, but what about the future
Date: June 20th, 2009
/Future News
The meeting between Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and
Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt and its repercussions on the next
period was the only breach to the positive stagnation in the Lebanese political
atmosphere on the eve of the Parliament Speaker elections and the government
composition.
And as the government of national unity that was formed after the Doha accord is
now a care taker government, the mandate of the Parliament that was elected in
2005 expires today, thus the new one with a 71-seat majority to the March 14
alliance and a 57-seat minority to the March 8 camp will take charge. For that
reason, eldest MP Abdel Latif El Zein will have to call for a session in the
coming days to elect a new Speaker.
While the statement of Supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatullah
Ali Khaminei had an international and regional impact, the Jumblatt-Nasrallah
meeting had the widest impact locally. After this meeting, a Hizbullah statement
noted that Nasrallah and Jumblatt stressed on “the necessity of a joint work to
take Lebanon and the region from a tensed situation to a cooperative situation
protecting Lebanon.”
An informed source told almuistaqbal.org that “Nasrallah and Jumblatt agreed on
keeping in touch under the umbrella of the calm paving the way for a better
future for Lebanon.” He also said that Jumblatt’s visit follows March 14’s
post-elections policy of “extended arm” that was announced by Almustaqbal bloc
leader MP Saad Hariri as a national standard,” and explained that meetings
between Progressive Socialist Party and Hizbullah officials will pursue pending
issues in future meetings. Additionally, state
minister Nassib Lahoud, leader of the Democratic Renewal Movement, considered
this meeting as a positive step that enables the overcome of the negative past
period, as Labor minister Muhammad Fneish commented on the meeting by saying
that it brought back normal relations between both parties.
Separately, spokesperson of the French Foreign Ministry Eric
Chevalier announced that the discussions between French President Nicola Sarkozi
and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa II will tackle the situation in
Lebanon. The meeting that will take place in the Paris on Monday added the
spokesperson, is going to tackle the issues of Lebanon as a friendly state
without intervening in its local matters like the government composition.
Jumblatt: ‘Things are critical I don’t want to say anything’
Date: June 20th, 2009 Source: Al Akhbar
MP Walid Jumblatt, the leader of the Democratic Gathering, vaguely responded to
a phone call by Al Akhbar daily about the meeting with Hizbullah’s secretary
general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah two days ago. “A good and frank meeting in which
we discussed several issues,” noted Jumblatt, adding that “things are so
critical I don’t want to say anything.”
Additionally, Annahar newspaper stated that a book written in English was in the
photo on the table separating both leaders, and knew that it is a gift from
Jumblatt to Nasrallah. This book is written by the Pakistani writer Tarek Ali
titled “The Dual: Pakistan in the times of American strength.” Progressive
Socialist Party Information office official Rami Rayess told the Kuwaiti
newspaper Awan that the meeting was prepared previously and aimed at ensuring a
calm local atmosphere and an attempt to take advantage of the consensual
atmosphere that followed the parliamentary elections. He also said that this
meeting would procure an environment of confidence and unity protecting Lebanon
especially after Israel’s threats, adding that both sides agreed to keep in
touch while joint committees meet every now and then. The PSP official asserted
that the meeting between Jumblatt and Nasrallah does not mean that the Druze
leader has taken a new political position.
Hamade: Jumblatt did not and will not leave March 14 coalition
Date: June 20th, 2009 Source: Voice of Lebanon
Marwan Hamade, of the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc led by Druze
leader Walid Jumblatt said Saturday that Jumblatt would remain in the March 14
coalition, but he sought to tinge it with a more open character.
“MP Walid Jumblatt did not and will not leave the March 14
coalition, but he sought more openness in the current stage,” Hamade told the
Voice of Lebanon radio. “Jumblatt seeks neutralizing
Lebanon in any regional confrontation,” he added. “The
meeting between MP Walid Jumblatt and Hizbullah’s Secretary-General Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah comes in the context of alleviating the tension that followed
the May 7 incidents as well as discussing the speech of the Israeli Premier
Benjamin Netanyahu.”“A similar meeting will be held soon between MP Jumblatt and
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.”Hamade described Nasrallah’s
attack on the Maronite patriarch as “unacceptable.”
PSP: Jumblatt- Nasrallah
meeting aims at alleviating tension
Date: June 20th, 2009 Source: Annahar
The main goal of the meeting held on Thursday between Progressive Socialist
Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt and Hizbullah’s Secretary- General Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah, was to resume efforts to alleviate tension from the Lebanese arena, a
prominent source in the PSP told the An-Nahar newspaper.
The four hours and a half overnight meeting between the two
men was the first in three years after they met at the dialogue table in the
June 2006. “Jumblatt and Nasrallah reviewed the past
mistakes and discussed ways to find common grounds for cooperation,” the source
who spoke on the condition of anonymity told the paper.
“The meeting took several months of preparation, and it was
not related to the recent political developments or to the difference that
erupted between Hizbullah and the Maronite Patriarchy,” the source said.
“Moreover, the meeting does not comprise any of the two men’s
relocation. Every faction has its political stance and alliance and neither of
them will move to the other side,” he added. “Although
the meeting synchronized with parliamentary and cabinet entitlements, but it was
not intended to tackle these issues. Yet, it would facilitate the cabinet
formation and the election of the next house speaker.”The Hizbullah run Al-Manar
television reported Friday “the meeting constitutes the most important step
toward calm and going beyond the political incidents that stroke the country for
the past four years.”The meeting is a prelude to a series of meetings to be held
soon among which is a meeting between MP Walid Jumblatt and MP Michel Aoun,” it
added.
Jumblat-Nasrallah Meeting Paves Way for Wider Reconciliation
Naharnet/MP Walid Jumblat has described a meeting with Hizbullah chief Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah as "good and frank" refusing to give more details, according to
the Lebanese daily al-Akhbar on Saturday. Reactions to the three-hour meeting
late-night Thursday in the southern suburbs of Beirut were unanimous that it was
another example of the climate of openness prevailing in the country and an
indicator of reconciliation talks involving other sides. In remarks to
al-Akhbar, Jumblat said: "I can only say that the meeting was good. We spoke
frankly and conducted a good review of issues. Matters are delicate and I
absolutely do not want to comment (any further)."An Nahar daily quoted senior
sources in the Progressive Socialist Party as saying the goal behind the meeting
was to "follow up on attempts to ease tensions" in regions with mixed
populations. Emotions ran high between the Shiite and Druze communities in the
aftermath of clashes on May 7, 2008. Under an agreement, the Nasrallah-Jumblat
meeting "does not represent a change in the political direction of either side.
Each team has its political status and alliances that will be preserved," the
sources said. "This however does not mean the rift will be renewed," they added.
The sources said the meeting will "ease the formation of a government and allow
establishments to resume operations under cabinet rules."They said the Lebanese
political arena "will witness more open meetings based on the Jumblat-Nasrallah
encounter."For its part, al-Manar said Thursday's reconciliation was "the most
significant step on the path to appeasement and to counter the repercussions of
political events that hit Lebanon over the past four years." It said the talks
paved the way for more reconciliation meetings "most significantly between
Jumblat and MP Michel Aoun."
The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat pointed that the two leaders did not hold in-depth
discussions on a new government since preparations were underway for a meeting
between Nasrallah and MP Saad Hariri after the latter's return from
Riyadh.According to sources, Nasrallah and Jumblat shared a common view on
"confronting the Israeli threat, the need to remove the question of Hizbullah's
weapons arsenal from debate and to limit it to national dialogue discussions,"
the paper added. Beirut, 20 Jun 09, 11:29
Berri Says
Resistance 'Last Barrier' to Israeli Plans for Settlement
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri said in comments published Saturday that Lebanon's
resistance was the "last barrier" to Israel's plans to settle Palestinian
refugees.
In an interview with the Kuwait al-Dar newspaper, Berri also called for
bolstering "Arab unity and solidarity in the face of Israel's schemes to shatter
and break up" the region.
Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed for the first time
the creation of a Palestinian state in return for a Palestinian recognition of
Israel as a Jewish state, among other conditions. The Lebanese speaker said
Netanyahu's speech "showed that resistance was the Arab's only choice." "Arab
objection is the first and foremost course of action" against Israel's attempts
to force the Palestinians to give up their right to return to their homeland
while "the resistance in Lebanon is the last barrier to those plans," he said.
Berri also denied "discussing with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michele Sison
anything to do with his candidacy for speaker, after majority leaderships called
for conditions and guarantees in return for his reelection." He said he has
taken "a definitive position against such interferences and only agreed to meet
Sison after receiving clarifications" on the visit's intent. Berri reaffirmed
his adherence to national "consensus regardless of the number of seats and
shares." He stressed the need for "a climate that allows genuine cooperation."
In a separate interview with the pan-Arab al-Sharq al-Awsat daily, he voiced
hope for "a solution tailored inside Lebanon." "In case of hurdles, then a
return to a Syrian-Saudi (base) is inevitable. "The Syrians must then work with
the Saudis on interfering in order to put things back on track once again. The
Syrian-Saudi agreement was and still is key to positive (developments) in
Lebanon when harmony and understanding are reached," he said. He also called for
"the language of dialogue" to prevail in the country. Berri downplayed
"conditions" demanded by some March 14 leaders for his reelection. Beirut, 20
Jun 09, 13:18
Israel Takes Down Flag at New Observation Post
Naharnet/The Israeli army has taken down its flag at an observation post that it
erected on Wednesday in a restricted area on the outskirts of Kfarshouba hills,
the Lebanese As Safir daily reported Saturday. The measure paves the way for the
removal "at a later date" of the outpost altogether following talks between
UNIFIL and Israel, the paper quoted security sources.
The Lebanese army said in a statement Friday the post was an "act of provocation
and a clear violation" of Lebanese territory. "Given this provocative stance,
Lebanese army units deployed in the region ran patrols along the border," it
added. The army filed a complaint with UNIFIL demanding the peacekeeping force
"deal with this urgent situation."UNIFIL spokeswoman Yasmina Bouziane said
Israel's "activities were taking place south of the Blue Line and outside
UNIFIL's operations zone." She called on all sides to "exercise self restraint
and avoid provocative acts that can heighten tension in the area."Bouziane also
urged "full respect of the Blue Line as demarcated by the United Nations in
2000." Beirut, 20 Jun 09, 09:59
Qassem: We Won Undisputed Popular Majority, Parliamentary
Mainstream Can't Commit Us to What It Wants
Naharnet/Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Naeem Qassem said the Lebanese
parliamentary opposition received an undisputed popular majority and fostered a
balance with the mainstream parliamentary bloc, adding that the parliamentary
majority is incapable of committing the opposition to what it rejects. In
dealing with the election's outcome "the opposition acted with civility and good
manners," Qassem said. "The presence of the parliamentary mainstream in the
majority today means it could initiate proposals and ideas. However, It cannot
act alone, it can propose consensus but cannot commit the opposition to what we
won't accept," The Hizbullah official said. He added that the parliamentary
minority supports serious work and thus has called for all to work in finding
the right framework to consensus "this will allow us to save the ship."
"Although the opposition did not win the parliamentary majority, it succeeded in
maintaining its seats in parliament, the level of votes it received and achieved
its goal in remaining in the field," Qassem said. He ended by saying that those
who seek peace the Netanyahu way have to know that we won't accept this "because
this means that we lose our rights. His [Netanyahu] speech is a message to the
world that wants to consecrate the occupation of Palestine and threaten the
whole region, his speech is that of occupation and not that of peace and
settlement." Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 22:00
Williams: We Are Looking Forward to Work With New Cabinet
in Monitoring Border
Naharnet/United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said
the international community and donor nations are looking forward to working
with Lebanon's new cabinet when its formed in widening the monitoring over its
eastern border. Williams said: "Last January the Lebanese cabinet announced a
plan for widening its control over the eastern border. We at the U.N. held a
number of meetings and work-shops in this regard in which we gathered the
Lebanese side with donor nations in Beirut for this discussion." "There is a
strong and mutual desire with the Lebanese side for continuing this work with
the new Lebanese government once it is formed. We at the U.N. and the donor
states are looking forward to work closely with the new cabinet," Williams said.
The U.N. official held a wide meeting on Friday with Prime Minister Fouad
Saniora on this issue. He later told reporters "what has been achieved so far in
terms of managing and monitoring the Lebanese border according to UNSCR 1701 is
good in particular regarding the northern border." Foreign Minister Fawzi
Salloukh, Finance Minister Muhammed Shatah, Lebanese security officials and the
ambassadors of the United States, United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands,
Denmark and Germany, attended the meeting.
Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 21:20
Hizbullah-Marada Leaders Meet
Naharnet/Elected MP and Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh paid a visit
Friday to Hizbullah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. The three and a half
hour meeting between both opposition leaders covered various current internal
Lebanese developments, discussions demonstrated a good sense of agreement on
issues between both officials, the National News Agency said. This meeting comes
following a similar meeting that gathered Hizbullah's Secretary-General with
Progressive Socialist party and 'Democratic Gathering' leader MP walid Jumblat
and Nasrallah, Thursday evening following the June 7 parliamentary elections.
Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 20:13
Israel Sets Up Observation Post in Violation of Border,
Lebanese Army
Naharnet/The Lebanese army on Friday said Israel has violated the border by
establishing an observation post in a restricted area on the outskirts of
Kfarshouba hills. "In clear violation of a restricted area of Lebanese
territory, and in an attempt to impose a new reality on the ground, the Israeli
enemy on Wednesday set up an observation post at the edge of Kfarshouba and a
military position overlooking Baathaeel pond," a Lebanese army communiqué said.
"Given this provocative stance, Lebanese army units deployed in the region ran
patrols along the border," it added. The army said it was following up on the
violation with the leadership of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon "to deal with
this urgent situation." Beirut, 19 Jun 09, 13:39
Franjieh: Give Us Veto Power
and Have Your Ministerial Declaration; Sfeir's Positions Are His Own Not
Church's
MP Suleiman Franjieh has insisted on a demand for veto power in the new
government telling the majority they can draft a ministerial declaration of
their choice in return.
In an interview with OTV late Friday, the Marada leader also renewed criticism
of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir saying the latter's positions reflect his
personal views not those of the Church. Franjieh voiced his support for MP
Michel Aoun and repeated opposition demands for "veto power and more" in the new
government.
He also insisted that the opposition will only participate in a government of
national unity. "Either we are in or we are not," he said, adding that
coordination was ongoing between Nasrallah and Aoun. Franjieh wondered whether
March 14 wanted Hizbullah's weapons arsenal as "a guarantee in a (future)
ministerial declaration."
"If so, let them give us veto power and they can have which ever declaration
they want. Last time they legalized the arsenal in the statement and later
conspired against it," he added.
Addressing Sfeir, the Marada leader said the patriarch had "gone too far by
casting doubt on the intentions of the Christian opposition."
"I believe he sees us as traitors and that we are selling our homeland to Iran.
It took him a long time before he (spoke) of Arabism, we are way ahead," he
said.
Franjieh went as far as calling for a separation between Bkirki, the Church and
Sfeir, who the MP said was voicing "his personal will."
Franjieh's barrage against Sfeir comes after Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah provoked a storm for criticizing the patriarch for warning that
"Lebanon's entity and Arab identity will be in danger" should the opposition win
the June 7 polls.
The Marada leader said Sfeir had invited denunciation when he "touched on sects
and religious ranks and he received the reply."
"Each one of us has the right to self defense," Franjieh said, adding that
Bkirki was "harming its stature by placing itself in an unnecessary position."
He also accused former MP Fares Soaid of drafting the patriarch's statement on
the eve of the elections.
On the future prime minister, the MP said the opposition was waiting for the
return from Riyadh of MP Saad Hariri, who is so far the only candidate for the
post.
"If he is still a candidate, then he will need national consensus. But if the
contender is PM Fouad Saniora, there will be a different stand," he said.
The second scenario, Franjieh said, "does not invite optimism because it means
that Saudi Arabia decided to strengthen its grip on Lebanon."
While describing relations with the president of the republic as "normal,"
Franjieh called on Michel Suleiman to "take a position that separates between
wrong and right and not to remain neutral.""If his positions clash with ours,
then we will oppose him," he added. The former interior minister expressed
gratitude for the Maronite League for initiating reconciliation among
Christians. "We accept reconciliation for the best interest of the
Christians although we will not benefit from it," he added.
In a related development, Hizbullah issued a statement Saturday saying a
three-hour meeting between Franjieh and Nasrallah the day before "covered recent
elections and the political situation on the domestic and regional levels."The
two leaders also discussed the implications of last week's policy speech by
Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Lebanon and the region in general, it
said. They agreed on the need "to focus energies on bolstering domestic and
national unity in the face of dangers (posed by Israel) especially concerning
the right of the Palestinians to return to their homeland," the statement added.
Nasrallah and Franjieh reaffirmed the opposition's "unified stance" as Lebanon
prepares to form a new government. Beirut, 20 Jun 09, 09:36
What To Do With Hezbollah Now
By: David Schenker: Lebanon's Elections Are Over But Tough Questions Remain
CBCNEWS Openion
On June 7, Lebanon's pro-West March 14 coalition surprised the world by
defeating the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance in parliamentary elections.
Although March 14 was the incumbent, the coalition was widely seen as the
underdog vis-à-vis its Iranian- and Syrian-backed opponents. The victory not
only returns the March 14 coalition to power, it confirms for the second time in
four years the anti-extremist orientation of Beirut.
The election outcome is good news for Washington and Beirut. If Hezbollah had
triumphed, the Obama administration would have reevaluated its financial and
political support for Lebanon. Instead, the organization's defeat at the hands
of a U.S. ally may at least temporarily slow the momentum of Tehran's regional
"resistance" agenda.
But March 14 is not out of the woods. Despite the majority's victory there are
no mandates in Lebanese politics. And if recent history is any indication, the
coming months will be perilous for the majority, especially if it tries to take
bold initiatives.
After winning elections in 2005, for example, March 14 dared to raise the
sensitive topic of Hezbollah's weapons. Subsequently, a three-year campaign of
assassination against anti-Hezbollah politicians--believed to have been
perpetrated by Syria and its Lebanese allies--decimated its parliamentary
majority, nearly reversing the election results.
More recently, in May 2008 when the government made decisions to enhance state
sovereignty inimical to Hezbollah's interests, the organization's militia
invaded Beirut. Hezbollah only returned to the barracks when the decisions were
reversed and March 14 agreed to provide the organization with the ability to
block all future government initiatives, a perquisite known as a "blocking
third" of the cabinet.
While Hezbollah has conceded defeat at the polls and said it would "accept the
will of the people," the organization has made clear that no spoils will go to
the victor. A day after the elections, Hezbollah's parliamentary leader Mohammed
Raad said that the "crisis" in Lebanon would continue if the majority persisted
in raising questions about Hezbollah's arsenal. He also suggested that
regardless of the election results, Hezbollah should again be awarded the
blocking third. March 14 is on record as opposing this concession.
Raad himself did not indicate what would happen should March 14 refuse to grant
this veto power to its foes, but Beirut's leading pro-Hezbollah daily Al Akhbar
provided a clue. Either Hezbollah would retain its blocking third or Lebanon
would "return to before May 7 [when Hezbollah invaded Beirut] heading toward a
collision; no one knows where it will lead." Essentially, if March 14 demurs,
Hezbollah has threatened a return to civil war.
Hezbollah's allies in Damascus have been no less explicit about their
expectations. In Syria, the government-controlled press is publishing articles
by "scholars" recommending the establishment of a Lebanese "national unity
government" with Hezbollah veto power. The first official postelection
proclamation by a Syrian official echoed this sentiment, calling for a "spirit
of consensus" to prevail. Syrian president Bashar Assad phoned his Lebanese
counterpart, Michel Suleiman, and congratulated him on the success of Lebanese
consensus in the elections, a "spirit necessary to face the forthcoming
developments and tackle them."
While these messages seem innocuous enough, given the history of Syrian meddling
in Lebanon, March 14 understandably views such unsolicited suggestions as other
than friendly advice. The Obama administration's initial reaction to the
elections has also generated anxiety among the majority. Of particular concern
was the White House statement calling on March 14 to "maintain your power
through consent," a message seen as U.S. support for providing Hezbollah with a
parliamentary veto.
During his June 4 address to the Muslim world, President Obama said that
"America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard
around the world, even if we disagree with them." There is little doubt that
Washington continues to "disagree" with Hezbollah, but it is also true that the
organization is neither peaceful nor law-abiding.
The coming weeks will be tense in Beirut, as the winning coalition navigates the
formation of a government and its ministerial statement, the policy guidance for
Beirut. If March 14 has its way, unlike in 2005, this statement will not
legitimate Hezbollah's weapons, which the U.S. government describes as "a threat
to Lebanon." In addition to opposing a Hezbollah blocking third in the cabinet,
March 14 appears to favor the appointment of Saad Hariri--the leader of the
bloc--as prime minister. Syria is already signaling its preference for another
candidate believed to be more disposed to Damascus.
Given Hezbollah's preponderance of force, March 14 may not ultimately succeed in
its effort to deny the blocking third or to compose a ministerial statement that
strengthens state sovereignty vis-à-vis the Shiite militia. But the Obama
administration should not undermine March 14's ambitious attempts to effect real
change in Lebanon. While the election was a good start, Washington's continued
support for March 14 in this difficult period will be critical if there is any
hope of consolidating the election gains.
**By David Schenker
Reprinted with permission from The Weekly Standard
A Bit of Fear and Trepidation
Fri, 19 June 2009
Walid Choucair/Al Hayat
One of the most important challenges that Lebanon is facing after the
parliamentary elections that ended with the victory of the March 14 coalition,
is for its political leadership – all of its components, and its elite, and with
them the warring sects and tribes – to find a transitional formula for
coexistence with the shifting regional and international conditions, which are
taking on new movement and creating facts upon which future events will be
built.
The new dynamism is not limited to various policy orientations of the
administration of US President Barack Obama in the Middle East, to regain
American leadership there. Nor is it linked to this administration’s dispute
with the ruling group in Israel. It does not stop at the rampaging Israeli
extremism, which portends military confrontations under the leadership of
Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman. And, it does not end at the
ramifications of western policies, led by Obama, on Iran and its presidential
election, which has created a movement with an impact on Iran’s future
negotiating stance, and not at the western and Arab opening to Damascus.
This new dynamism in the region renders its states all vacillating between a
victory for the policy trend of negotiation and comprehensive settlement, and
the prospect of destructive military confrontations. The fear of alternative
wars instead of authentic ones, to reduce the huge damage involved if
adventurers like Netanyahu resort to them, springs from the fact that the Jewish
state might resort to a war against Lebanon and Hezbollah, as Iran’s arm in the
region, instead of Iran itself, in light of the constant Israeli incitement
against Tehran as the currently biggest danger to the Jewish state.
If the victory by the March 14 coalition in the elections reduced the
possibility of turning Lebanon into a bargaining chip, held by Iran and Syria
(if the opposition had won) and if the trend toward negotiation and settlement
becomes more likely, then this win will not eliminate the possibility of Israel
engaging in another military adventure against Lebanon, even though it could
grant a bit of time to strengthen its regional and international position, in
order to avoid the worst case scenario. This can be considered Lebanese
coexistence with the two possibilities with less damage. However, this
coexistence requires domestic agreement in order to manage it, based first of
all on dismantling the political and psychological mobilization and high alert.
If some parties have pointed this out, prior to the elections and after the
results were announced, they called for accord and an equal relationship with
Syria, as the head of the Future Movement, Saad Hariri, said. They have also
called for changing priorities, as the head of the Progressive Socialist Party,
Walid Jumblatt, has said, and for a national unity government that does not
distinguish between the March 14 and March 8 coalitions in which “the cards are
shuffled,” as Speaker Nabih Berri has said. But there are parties that continue
to use the language of mobilization, since prior to the elections, and appear to
be unable to adapt to the need to re-shuffle the domestic deck, as a result of
the regional-international situation.
The latest speech by Hezbollah’s secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,
warned that dismantling the mobilization by Lebanon’s strongest party and the
only armed group with a regional agenda, was very difficult to swallow.
Hezbollah’s need to remain at the utmost level of mobilization led it to accept
the election results, without adapting to them, and prompted its leadership to
widen its battles, to cover the Maronite patriarch, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir,
and bring out the feelings of sectarian and religious injustice, as if this is
the only sect or religion that feels this injustice. This will incite this
feeling among others, reproducing the mobilization in a vicious circle.
There might be a responsibility on Speaker Berri, and MPs al-Hariri and Jumblatt
(when the two meet with Sayyed Nasrallah to kick off their dialogue with him)
for reassuring him with the aim of pushing him to modify his language, in view
of the need for the party’s participation in managing the period of coexistence
with regional and international political formulas that once again put Lebanon
in the middle of the game of nations, or the eye of the storm. However, there is
a certain portion of responsibility on Hezbollah. Sayyed Nasrallah made his
listeners happy the other day when he said he was preparing for an opposition
victory over the majority because “it is a big responsibility, which concerns
keeping one’s promises,” after his previous address held that the opposition, if
it won, could govern a country 100 times bigger than Lebanon.
**Lebanon, and with it Hezbollah, face post-election possibilities that also
deserve fear and trepidation.
Robert Fisk’s World: In Tehran,
fantasy and reality make uneasy bedfellows
It’s said that the cruel ‘Iranian’ cops aren’t Iranian at all. They’re Hizbollah
militia
ndependent - London, 20 June 2009
At around 4.35 last Monday morning, my Beirut mobile phone rang in my
Tehran hotel room. "Mr Fisk, I am a computer science student in Lebanon. I have
just heard that students are being massacred in their dorms at Tehran
University. Do you know about this?" The Fisk notebook is lifted wearily from
the bedside table. "And can you tell me why," he continued, "the BBC and other
media are not reporting that the Iranian authorities have closed down SMS calls
and local mobile phones and have shut down the internet in Tehran? I am learning
what is happening only from Twitters and Facebook."
When I arrived at the university, the students were shrieking abuse through the
iron gates of the campus. "Massacre, massacre," they cried. Gunfire in the
dorms. Correct. Blood on the floor. Correct. Seven dead? Ten dead, one student
told me through the fence. We don't know. The cops arrived minutes later amid a
shower of stones. Filtering truth out of Tehran these days is as frustrating as
it is dangerous.
A day earlier, an Iranian woman muttered to me in an office lift that the first
fatality of the street violence was a young student. Was she sure, I asked?
"Yes," she said. "I have seen the photograph of his body. It is terrible." I
never saw her again. Nor the photograph. Nor had anyone seen the body. It was a
fantasy. Earnest reporters check this out – in fact, I have been spending at
least a third of my working days in Tehran this past week not reporting what
might prove to be true but disproving what is clearly untrue.
Take the call I had five hours before the early-hour phone call, from a radio
station in California. Could I describe the street fighting I was witnessing at
that moment? Now, it happened that I was standing on the roof of the al-Jazeera
office in north Tehran, speaking in a late-night live interview with the Qatar
television station. I could indeed describe the scene to California. What I
could see were teenagers on motorcycles, whooping with delight as they set light
to the contents of a litter bin on the corner of the highway.
Two policemen ran up to them with night-sticks and they raced away on their
bikes with shouts of derision. Then the Tehran fire brigade turned up to put out
– as one of the firemen later told me with infinite exhaustion – their 79th
litter-bin fire of the night. I knew how he felt. A report that Basiji militia
had taken over one of Mir-Hossein Mousavi's main election campaign office was a
classic. Yes, there were uniformed men in the building – belonging to Mousavi's
own hired security company.
Now for the very latest on the fantasy circuit. The cruel "Iranian" cops aren't
Iranian at all. They are members of Lebanon's Hizbollah militia. I've had this
one from two reporters, three phone callers (one from Lebanon) and a British
politician. I've tried to talk to the cops. They cannot understand Arabic. They
don't even look like Arabs, let alone Lebanese. The reality is that many of
these street thugs have been brought in from Baluch areas and Zobal province,
close to the Afghan border. Even more are Iranian Azeris. Their accents sound as
strange to Tehranis as would a Belfast accent to a Cornishman hearing it for the
first time.
Fantasy and reality make uneasy bedfellows, but once they are combined and
spread with high-speed inaccuracy around the world, they are also lethal. Sham
elections, the takeover of party offices, a massacre on a university campus, an
imminent coup d'état, the possible overthrow of the whole 30-year old Islamic
Republic, the isolation of an entire country as its communications are
systematically shut down.
I am reminded of Eisenhower's comment to Foster Dulles when he sent him to
London to close down Anthony Eden's crazed war in Suez. The secretary of state's
job, Eisenhower instructed Dulles, was to say "Whoah, boy!" Good advice for
those who believe in the Twitterers.
But the no-smoke-without-fire brigade has a point. Look at the extraordinary,
million-strong march against the regime by Mousavi's supporters on Monday. Even
the Iranian press was forced to report it, albeit on inside pages. Yes, the
authorities have indeed closed down the local SMS service. Yes, they have slowed
down – but not closed – the internet. My Beirut roaming phone now rarely reaches
London, although incoming calls arrive – unfortunately for me – round the clock.
The Iranian government is obviously trying to interfere with the communications
of Mousavi supporters to prevent them from organising further marches.
Outrageous in any normal country, perhaps. But this is not a normal country. It
is a state as obsessed with the dangers of counter-revolution as the West is
obsessed with Iran's nuclear ambitions. The Supreme Leader's speech yesterday
was proof of that.
But then we had the famous instruction to journalists in Tehran from the
Ministry of Islamic Guidance that they could no longer report opposition street
demonstrations. I heard nothing of this. Indeed, the first clue came when I
refused to be interviewed by CNN (because their coverage of the Middle East is
so biased) and the woman calling me asked: "Why? Are you worried about your
safety?" Fisk continued to spend 12 hours a day on the streets. I discovered
there was a ban only when I read about it in The Independent. Maybe the Guidance
lads and lassies couldn't get through on my mobile. But then, who had cut the
phone lines?
We have, in fact, reported all the censorship – of local newspapers as well as
communications. The footage of a brutal police force assaulting the political
opposition on the streets of the capital has shocked the world. Rightly so,
although no one has made comparison with police forces who batter demonstrators
on the streets of Western Europe, who beat women with night-sticks, who have
kicked over an innocent middle-aged man who immediately suffered a fatal heart
attack, who have shot down an innocent passenger on the London Tube... There are
special codes of morality to be applied to Middle East countries which
definitely must not apply to us.
So let's take a look at those Iranian elections. A fraud, we believe. And I have
the darkest doubts about those election figures which gave Mousavi a paltry
33.75 per cent of the vote. Indeed, I and a few Iranian friends calculated that
if the government's polling-night statistics were correct, the Iranian election
committee would have had to have counted five million votes in just two hours.
But our coverage of this poll has been deeply flawed. Most visiting Western
journalists stay in hotels in the wealthy, north Tehran suburbs, where tens of
thousands of Mousavi supporters live, where it's easy to find educated
translators who love Mousavi, where interviewees speak fluent English and
readily denounce the spiritual and cultural and social stagnation of Iran's –
let us speak frankly – semi-dictatorship.
But few news organisations have the facilities or the time or the money to
travel around this 659,278 square-mile country – seven times the size of Britain
– and interview even the tiniest fraction of its 71 million people. When I
visited the slums of south Tehran on Friday, for example, I found that the
number of Ahmadinejad supporters grew as Mousavi's support dribbled away. And I
wondered whether, across the huge cities and vast deserts of Iran, a similar
phenomenon might be discovered. A Channel 4 television crew, to its great
credit, went down to Isfahan and the villages around that beautiful city and
came back with a suspicion – unprovable, of course, anecdotal, but real – that
Ahmadinejad just might have won the election.
This is also my suspicion: that Ahmadinejad might have scraped in, but not with
the huge majority he was awarded. For with their usual, clumsy, autocratic
behaviour, the clerics behind the Islamic Republic may have decreed that only a
greater majority for the winner could decisively annihilate the reputation of
its secular opponents. Perhaps Ahmadinejad got 51 per cent or 52 per cent and
this was preposterously increased to 63 per cent. Perhaps Mousavi picked up 44
per cent or 45 per cent. I don't know. The Iranians will never know, even though
the Supreme Leader told us yesterday that the incredible 63 per cent was
credible. That is Iran's tragedy.
Yes, Ahmadinejad remains for me an outrageous president, one of those cracked
political leaders – like Colonel Ghaddafi or Lebanon's General Michel Aoun –
which this region sadly throws up, to the curses of its friends and to the
delight of its enemies in the West. And the Islamic Republic itself – while it
has understandable historical roots in the savagery of the Shah's regime which
preceded it, not to mention the bravery of its people – is a dangerously
contrived and inherently unfree state which was locked into immobility by an
unworldly and now long-dead ayatollah.
And those nuclear arms? How many of us reported a blunt statement which the
Supreme Leader and the man who ultimately controls all nuclear development in
Iran made on 4 June, just eight days before the elections? "Nuclear weapons," he
said in a speech in which he encouraged Iranians to vote, "are religiously
forbidden (haram) in Islam and the Iranian people do not have such a weapon. But
the Western countries and the US in particular, through false propaganda, claim
that Iran seeks to build nuclear bombs – which is totally false..."
There are few provable assurances in the Middle East, often few facts and a lot
of lies. Dangers are as thick as snakes in the desert. As I write, I have just
received another call from Lebanon. "Mr Fisk, a girl has been shot in Iran. I
have a video from the internet. You can see her body..." And you know what? I
think he might be right.