LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
October 06/09

Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:25-37. There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
MP. Michel Aoun's speech to the students who passed the technical baccalaureate exams of 2008-2009/Now Lebanon/05/10/09
Once again, it is Iran/Hanin Ghaddar/Now Lebanon/October 05/09
Obama aide: Iran not closer to nuclear bomb/Israel News/October 05/09
We are not animals/Israel Opinion/October 05/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October 05/09
Azerbaijan Jails 2 Lebanese 15 years for Israeli Embassy Plot/Naharnet
Jumblat Looks Forward for the Syrian-Saudi Summit to re-fortify Lebanese-Syrian Relations/Naharnet
Aoun: Comprehensive Agreement to Be Soon Announced /Naharnet
U.S. Reiterates Cabinet Formation is 'Strictly' Lebanese Issue/Naharnet
Siddiq Sentenced to 6 Months for Entering UAE on Fake Passport/Naharnet
Visitor Count in the Works as Security Council to Probe into Disappearance of 7,000 Gulf Nationals in Lebanon/Naharnet
Lebanon Braces for Syrian-Saudi Summit Tuesday/Naharnet
Shatah: Priority to Budget Crisis, then Power Problem/Naharnet
Argentine prosecutor requests arrest of former president Carlos Menem over 1994 attack on Jewish center/(AFP)
Canned trash: Killing Israel-bashing UN report was a rare, welcome move/Daily News
Opposition groups upbeat on prospects of cabinet formation-Daily Star
UAE asked to justify expulsions-Daily Star
Hizbullah MP urges media resistance-Daily Star
Lebanon consumer confidence shows slight drop-Daily Star
Merrill Lynch projects growth in Lebanon at 5.8 percent in 2009/Daily Star
Lebanon keeps post on tourism body-Daily Star
ISF patrol attacked in Qusaybeh-Daily Star
Money woes behind An-Nahar layoffs-Daily Star
Student names sought in Hariri probe-Daily Star
Controversial North Cyprus ferry leaves political storm in its wake-Daily Star
Palestinian extremism 'pure fiction' - Aynayn-Daily Star
AUB names new PR director-Daily Star
ACS starts cleaning campaign at Sidon beach-Daily Star
Lebanese designer to be inducted into US Auto Hall of Fame-Daily Star
Lebanon's canine revolution: Scores of dogs take part in Martyrs Square rally-Daily Star

Argentine prosecutor requests arrest of former president Carlos Menem over 1994 attack on Jewish center
By Agence France Presse (AFP) /Monday, October 05, 2009
BUENOS AIRES: An Argentine prosecutor asked an appeals court Friday to detain former President Carlos Menem over allegations he helped obstruct an investigation into a deadly 1994 bombing often linked to Hizbullah. Buenos Aires accuses the government of Iran of having masterminded the car bombing of a Jewish charities center and of using Hizbullah to execute the attack. As a sitting senator, Memen, 79, has judicial immunity, and to be arrested would first have to be impeached by the legislature. Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who is investigating the attack on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) which killed 85 people and injured 300 people, also requested the arrest of the ex-president’s brother Munir Menem and former intelligence services chief Hugo Anzorregui. Last week, Argentina said that it would ask Lebanon and Colombia for help in pursuing the case. Nisman also called for the detention of George Parker, the former head of the country’s anti-terrorism unit, and federal Judge Juan Jose Galeano, who oversaw the investigation into the attack for 10 years but was removed from case in 2004 over irregularities. Menem and his former officials were indicted on Thursday by Judge Ariel Lijo on allegations they concealed and tampered with evidence related to the July 18, 1994 attacks, but the judge did not order the suspects’ detention. Interpol has issued “red notices” at Argentina’s request seeking the extradition of a Lebanese national and five Iranians, including Ahmad Vahidi – the current Iranian defense minister and then-head of the Al-Quds force, a branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps that operates overseas.
Menem, once a colorful but popular figure, found his star fading amid corruption scandals and economic mismanagement. The former president is currently facing charges in a separate case involving his role in a scheme to smuggle weapons to Croatia and Ecuador while both countries were involved in wars in the 1990s. – AFP

U.S. Reiterates Cabinet Formation is 'Strictly' Lebanese Issue
Naharnet/Sources at the U.S. embassy in Beirut told Naharnet that the continued position of the United States is that the "shape and composition" of the Lebanese government is strictly a Lebanese issue. "We hope that the current political impasse will be resolved quickly and that Lebanon will form a government in a manner that respects its Constitutional process," the source said. The source called on "all friends of Lebanon to support the government formation process." The Hizbullah-led Opposition had accused U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison of making a move to block government formation. Free Patriotic Movement member Salim Salhab on Monday accused the United States without naming it, saying "some external powers do not want a government at the moment, and this was clear in the actions taken by the U.S. Ambassador." "If the Lebanese agree on a government, we can overcome the American behavior that does not want a government at the time being," Salhab added. Beirut, 05 Oct 09, 11:38

Lebanon Braces for Syrian-Saudi Summit Tuesday
Naharnet/There were conflicting reports as to when the Syrian-Saudi summit would take place in Damascus. The daily An-Nahar, citing information obtained from Damascus, said Saudi King Abdullah will start his visit to Syria on Tuesday. An-Nahar said Abdullah, who is expected to stay three days in Syria, will spend the day in Aleppo on Tuesday. He will head to Latakia on Wednesday, and on Thursday will visit Damascus, according to An-Nahar. Opposition sources, however, said the summit between Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad is not likely to take place before the second half of this week. Pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat quoted diplomatic sources in Damascus as saying that the Saudi monarch will kick off a three-day visit to Syria on Tuesday. They said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed a trip to Damascus which was due on Monday due to Abdullah's visit to the Syrian capital. Beirut, 05 Oct 09, 10:05

Siddiq Sentenced to 6 Months for Entering UAE on Fake Passport
Naharnet/Mohammed Zuheir Siddiq, a former witness in the inquiry into the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri, was sentenced Monday to six months in prison and deportation from the UAE for entering the country on forged passport. The sentence was handed down by Abu Dhabi Supreme Court. Siddiq, a former Syrian intelligence agent, came into the United Arab Emirates with "a false Czech passport provided to him by French intelligence services," his lawyer Fahd al-Sabhan told the supreme federal court on Monday, the daily Gulf News said. The lawyer said that Siddiq, arrested in the UAE, had asked for refuge in the country, whose authorities knew he was heading there, the Gulf News said. Contacted by AFP, Sabhan refused to comment on the case. Siddiq, in initial reports of the United Nations inquiry commission, was described as a key witness in the February 2005 killing of Rafik Hariri in a huge seafront bomb blast in Beirut. Nicknamed the "king witness", Siddiq claimed that Lebanon's former pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had given the order to kill the wealthy businessman who had become opposed to the grip exercised by Damascus over its tiny neighbor. But later, Siddiq recanted and Lebanese and Syrian judicial authorities accused him of lying. In May, the prosecutor at the international tribunal charged with bringing Hariri's killers to justice said that Siddiq was no longer a credible witness and was of no interest to the inquiry. Siddiq had been detained in France in a Paris suburb in 2005. He was freed in 2006 and disappeared from his French home in 2008, to reappear in the United Arab Emirates.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 05 Oct 09, 11:14

Visitor Count in the Works as Security Council to Probe into Disappearance of 7,000 Gulf Nationals in Lebanon
Naharnet/The General Security Directorate was preparing a count of all visitors – Arabs and Westerners – who entered Lebanon during the summer and are feared to be still in the country illegally. The count outcomes are set to be revealed within a few days. Lebanon's Central Security Council is slated to hold a meeting on Tuesday under caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to discuss this issue. President Michel Suleiman, meanwhile, expressed concern over reports that 7,000 Gulf nationals who came to Lebanon this summer belonged to fundamentalist groups. The unconfirmed reports had said police were tracking down those who are still in the country illegally. "The issue has been exaggerated quite a bit," Baroud said in remarks published Monday by the daily As-Safir. Baroud was confident that security forces were "fulfilling their duties to the fullest extent," adding that he personally does not pay attention to rumors. A high-ranking security official, meanwhile, said there is no truth in the rumor that a large number of Gulf citizens were still in Lebanon. The official explained that security authorities gave Gulf nationals this year a six-month entry visa instead of three due to the coincidence of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays. He said Lebanese intelligence have advance information on the suspects via "Interpol" and other security services Lebanon cooperates to combat terrorism. The official said security services have managed to arrest a number of suspects and wanted men this summer, including Gulf citizen known as "Abu Talha." Caretaker Tourism Minister Elie Marouni condemned the report. "Rumors that Gulf citizens were settling down in Lebanon are nothing but a new attempt to sabotage tourism in Lebanon," he told Future News TV on Monday. Beirut, 05 Oct 09, 08:38

No Cabinet before Syrian-Saudi Summit
Naharnet/As France seemed to be pushing forward toward the issue on government formation, Saudi and Syrian influence over Lebanon also was back on track with reports that no Cabinet deal would be reached before a Syrian-Saudi summit. While An-Nahar newspaper quoted an Opposition source as ruling out any progress toward a Cabinet lineup before Saudi King Abdullah's visit to Damascus on Tuesday, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing well-informed sources, said no new government is likely to be announced before mid next week.
Senior Opposition figures, however, told al-Hayat that the government formation process would take "a week or so" since talks between PM-designate Saad Hariri and heads of the parliamentary bloc require extra efforts to ensure an agreement. They said information available to them pointed out that Hariri's visit to Damascus during the Syrian-Saudi summit is unlikely, a sign that the premier-designate's trip to Syria would take place after government formation based on a formula that would enjoy the blessing of Syria. Opposition sources told an-Nahar that no new date, at least not over the weekend, has yet been set for talks between Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, Elysee Secretary-General Claude Gueant is expected to visit Damascus on Sunday on a mission linked to Cabinet formation as well as to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem's stay in Paris. Diplomatic sources have said that Gueant's mission to Syria would tackle among other topics, the outcome of contacts between Syrian officials and Lebanese leaders. They said Gueant would also urge Damascus to facilitate a Cabinet lineup no longer than 10 days. On Saturday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's top advisor Henry Guaino brought to Lebanon a message of friendship and support for the country. Guaino told MTV that the "problem is not just Lebanon's current situation but that of the Middle East as a whole." Beirut, 04 Oct 09, 08:12

Opposition groups upbeat on prospects of cabinet formation
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff
Monday, October 05, 2009
BEIRUT: Opposition groups expressed optimism on Sunday with regard to the cabinet formation. Hizbullah officials said that a government based on the 15-10-5 formula could emerge within 10 days, while Amal Movement sources underscored the importance of Saudi King Abdullah’s visit to Syria. Hizbullah’s second-in-command sheikh Naim Qassem said that a national-unity cabinet adhering to the 15-10-5 structure could be formed within 10 days, given the ongoing positive atmosphere. A source close to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told The Daily Star on Sunday that his party believed Abdullah’s talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad would positively influence the formation process. The source added that the expected Syrian-Saudi talks toward the end of next week Assistant Secretary General Hussein Khalil, while media outlets reported on Sunday that Hariri’s expected meeting with Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun had been postponed until after Abdullah’s visit to Syria next week.
Hariri has said he would commence another round of cabinet negotiations this week, this time with the heads of various political blocs. “There is a consensus on the 15-10-5 formula as we look forward to eliminate a few complications; nevertheless some March 14 officials do not want a partnership cabinet,” Qassem added on Sunday, a reference to Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea’s recent pessimistic comments. The 15-10-5 structure grants the majority 15 seats, the opposition 10 and Sleiman 5 ministers; the majority and the opposition would respectively be denied an absolute majority and veto power, while Sleiman holds the decisive votes.
Geagea has called on Sleiman and Hariri to form a majority cabinet if negotiations with opposition groups reach a dead end, and he also accused March 8 of spreading falsely positive propaganda so it could later blame the majority for the failure of negotiations. Also voicing optimism, Hizbullah MP Nawaf Moussawi said that political parties were about to reach an agreement over the cabinet formation, adding that ongoing talks would conclude soon in the formation of a national-unity government.
Similarly, Loyalty to Resistance MP Hussein Hajj Hassan expressed confidence concerning ongoing deliberations on the cabinet front, as he revealed that daily meetings were taking place between opposition leaders and Hariri, in order to reach an understanding on the government make-up. “Deliberations will ripen when the premier-designate reaches an understanding would, with all parties regarding the distribution of portfolios and the nomination of candidates,” he added.
Hassan underlined the necessity to adopt the 15-10-5 formula in order to form a national-unity cabinet away from foreign interference, particularly American intervention.
The Hizbullah MP accused the US of hampering the formation process in order to exploit Lebanon’s political deadlock to serve its regional purposes.
Syrian state-run paper Al-Watan on Sunday slammed Geagea for obstructing the cabinet formation upon a request from the US.
In remarks published by the daily Ash-Sharq al-Awsat on Sunday, Geagea said that regional circumstances did not favor the formation of a cabinet.
Slamming Aoun, Geagea added said that the FPM chief was obstructing the formation process “not in defense of Christian rights but rather to serve Hizbullah’s and Iran’s interests.”
LF MP Georges Adwan said talks during Hariri’samong other issues, tackle Lebanon’s government crisis, contrary to claims by some Lebanese parties.
On Saturday, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri held talks with Hizbullah’s second stint as premier-designate did not result in new developments.
Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel, an LF ally, said the opposition’s demand for a two-thirds majority or unanimous vote on decisions which necessitate only a simple majority contradicted constitutional norms.
Echoing Hassan, Hizbullah’s caretaker Labor Minister Mohammad Fneish called on all parties to reject foreign intervention – particularly from the US – if it aimed to promote strife among Lebanese with the goal of torpedoing consensus and preventing the formation a partnership cabinet. Fneish added that Lebanon should try to take advantage of the positive atmosphere stemming from the Syrian-Saudi rapprochement in order to form a cabinet without high political rhetoric. Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party MP Wael Abou Faour on Sunday urged parties to take advantage of favorable regional developments to reach an agreement over the cabinet. Separately, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s special adviser Henry Guaino informed Sleiman of France’s support for Lebanon and his country’s efforts to keep foreign developments from influencing Lebanon’s domestic affairs, particularly the cabinet formation.
The letter delivered by Guaino from Sarkozy also tackled Lebanese-French ties as well as France’s regional and international role in promoting a comprehensive Middle East peace.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy’s Secretary General Claude Gueant met on Sunday with Assad, as they discussed constructive developments in French-Syrian ties. Gueant also stressed Syria’s important role in preserving regional stability and security, as well as France’s support for a comprehensive resolution to the second stint as premier-designate did not result in new developments. Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel, an LF ally, said the opposition’s demand for a two-thirds majority or unanimous vote on decisions which necessitate only a simple majority contradicted constitutional norms. Echoing Hassan, Hizbullah’s caretaker Labor Minister Mohammad Fneish called on all parties to reject foreign intervention – particularly from the US – if it aimed to promote strife among Lebanese with the goal of torpedoing consensus and preventing the formation a partnership cabinet.
Fneish added that Lebanon should try to take advantage of the positive atmosphere stemming from the Syrian-Saudi rapprochement in order to form a cabinet without high political rhetoric.
Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party MP Wael Abou Faour on Sunday urged parties to take advantage of favorable regional developments to reach an agreement over the cabinet.
Separately, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s special adviser Henry Guaino informed Sleiman of France’s support for Lebanon and his country’s efforts to keep foreign developments from influencing Lebanon’s domestic affairs, particularly the cabinet formation. The letter delivered by Guaino from Sarkozy also tackled Lebanese-French ties as well as France’s regional and international role in promoting a comprehensive Middle East peace. Meanwhile, Sarkozy’s Secretary General Claude Gueant met on Sunday with Assad, as they discussed constructive developments in French-Syrian ties. Gueant also stressed Syria’s important role in preserving regional stability and security, as well as France’s support for a comprehensive resolution to the second stint as premier-designate did not result in new developments. Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel, an LF ally, said the opposition’s demand for a two-thirds majority or unanimous vote on decisions which necessitate only a simple majority contradicted constitutional norms.
Echoing Hassan, Hizbullah’s caretaker Labor Minister Mohammad Fneish called on all parties to reject foreign intervention – particularly from the US – if it aimed to promote strife among Lebanese with the goal of torpedoing consensus and preventing the formation a partnership cabinet. Fneish added that Lebanon should try to take advantage of the positive atmosphere stemming from the Syrian-Saudi rapprochement in order to form a cabinet without high political rhetoric. Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party MP Wael Abou Faour on Sunday urged parties to take advantage of favorable regional developments to reach an agreement over the cabinet. Separately, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s special adviser Henry Guaino informed Sleiman of France’s support for Lebanon and his country’s efforts to keep foreign developments from influencing Lebanon’s domestic affairs, particularly the cabinet formation.
The letter delivered by Guaino from Sarkozy also tackled Lebanese-French ties as well as France’s regional and international role in promoting a comprehensive Middle East peace.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy’s Secretary General Claude Gueant met on Sunday with Assad, as they discussed constructive developments in French-Syrian ties. Gueant also stressed Syria’s important role in preserving regional stability and security, as well as France’s support for a comprehensive resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Canned trash: Killing Israel-bashing UN report was a rare, welcome move
Editorials /Sunday, October 4th 2009/Daily News
Score one for the good guys. Under intense U.S. pressure, the UN Human Rights Council shelved, if only temporarily, the distorted, unfair, libelous and dangerous report on Israel's war of self-defense in Gaza.The document, produced by a commission headed by supposedly esteemed international law expert Richard Goldstone, was worse than a one-sided affair.
In keeping with the council's blatant anti-Israel posture, Goldstone accused the Jewish state of war crimes for acting to end an eight-year bombardment of 4,200 Hamas rockets and 5,700 Hamas mortars. There was joy in the lands of Hamas and Hezbollah at Goldstone's conclusions because they essentially declared that Israel could not legitimately use force in Gaza - no matter how the country attempted to avoid civilian casualties. And try Israel did, by making thousands of phone calls and dropping tens of thousands of leaflets warning of impending attacks on Hamas terrorists. The air force went so far as to drop noisemakers on roofs as a signal to people to flee.
No matter. The report concluded that Israel targeted "the people of Gaza as a whole" as part of "an overall policy aimed at punishing the Gaza population for its resilience and for its apparent support for Hamas." All too transparently, the goal was to put Israel in the dock. But the Obama administration pushed the Palestinians into withdrawing such a resolution, proving that, at least in this case, U.S. membership on the council came in handy.

We are not animals
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3785067,00.html
Israel Opinion
Sever Plocker
Shalit tape another facet of Hamas’ attempt to gain global legitimacy
Published: 10.04.09,
The brief Gilad Shalit videotape was produced by Hamas with precision. It was meant to convey an impression to viewers in Israel and abroad: We, the members of Hamas who are holding Gilad Shalit, are not animals. We are not al-Qaeda, which documents its captives humiliated and beaten up. We are not the Taliban, which forces its prisoners to make horrific confessions. We are not the Pakistani Jihad, which filmed the brutal murder of Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl. We are not even Hezbollah. We, Hamas – as of the fall of 2009 – represent a humane approach. We are treating Gilad Shalit as one treats a prisoner of war. The fact is that Gilad is wearing a uniform, alive and well, without visible signs of physical or emotional torture. He tells the camera about an experience he remembers from his military services. As you see, we are not wild animals.
Indeed, we’ve been holding Gilad Shalit for a long time without providing information about his condition, yet now we decided to change our approach and accept a reasonable Israeli offer. Let’s engage in dialogue as equals with shared human values. We’ll respect you, and you’ll respect us. This is the new image which Hamas wishes to reinforce among Israeli and global public opinion through the Shalit video. The grand swap Hamas aspires to seal now – judging by the videotape’s implicit message – includes a component that was absent from other such deals: Legitimacy. After two years of dictatorial rule in Gaza, Hamas needs to a breakthrough that will let it out of the Gaza ghetto it trapped itself in along with the Strip’s population. The grave disaster brought upon Gaza by the Shalit abduction cannot be anything but patently clear to any reasonable Palestinian, even if he fears to express it in public. Even Mahmoud Abbas is preferable in Palestine today compared to the current Hamas regime.
‘The new Hamas’
The almost sole outlet for Hamas’ leadership is Gilad Shalit; he’s their spring board and lifesaver. Through a lone 23-year-old soldier, Hamas hopes to salvage itself, take front stage among Arabs and Palestinians, and gain recognition as a relatively sane political organization that can be a legitimate party in any regime to be established in the territories.The latest reports from Gaza also attest to a change in the government culture there. The process of Islamization has not been curbed, yet it modified its shape; it is being enforced more pleasantly, with less force. There is even a certain decline in the level of wild incitement against Israel and the Jews. Hamas is sanitizing and shining itself ahead of joining the grand Palestinian coalition. The Gilad Shalit videotape is part of this trend and is meant to make it known to the world. It is meant to prove that the “new Hamas” already exists and that it prefers the narrative of dialogue over the narrative of constant rejection. It’s an attempt to present a new face. Can we conclude from this that Gilad Shalit’s parents will see and hug him at home sooner than expected? Only if the deal to be sealed will include not only a prisoner release, but also the (at least partial) lifting of the global boycott on Hamas. Hamas will agree to show flexibility on the names and numbers of the prisoners to be released should an authorized party give it the kosher stamp. Kosher for dialogue, kosher for policy purposes, and kosher for taking power. It is worthwhile for Hamas to release Shalit in order to secure Obama’s blessing. I watched Gilad Shalit facing the Hamas camera and I thought to myself: Here is yet another cruel game of history, which imposes such great burden on the shoulders of this young soldier, who is showing incredible courage.

Obama aide: Iran not closer to nuclear bomb
In interview with CBS's 'Face the Nation', National Security adviser Jones dismisses IAEA's conclusion that Tehran has 'sufficient information' to produce bomb, says dispute over nuclear program shifting to cooperation
Reuters Published: 10.04.09, 18:03 / Israel News
President Barack Obama's top security adviser on Sunday dismissed a report that Iran was closer to making an atomic bomb and said Iranian cooperation in the last few weeks was good for nuclear non-proliferation.
Nuclear Threat
Congress readies Iran sanctions if diplomacy fails / Associated Press
Sen. Dodd among those working on plans to significantly expand sanctions against Tehran if negotiations on its nuclear program fail. 'We don't have to wait, certainly for Russia or China or for anybody else, to take the action we deem to be appropriate,' House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says The New York Times reported on Saturday that a confidential analysis by staff of the International Atomic Energy Agency concluded that Iran has acquired "sufficient information to be able to design and produce" a bomb. "Whether they know how to do it or not is a matter of some conjecture, but what we are watching is what is their intent and we have been worried about that intent," National Security adviser Jim Jones said. "We now have an Iran that is willing to come to the table," Jones said on CBS's "Face the Nation" program.
Asked whether Iran was closer to having a bomb, Jones said on CNN: "No, we stand by the reports that we have put out."
"What has happened with regard to Iran in the last couple of weeks has been very significant," he told CNN's "State of the Union" program, pointing to Iran's decision to open a new uranium enrichment site near the holy Shiite city of Qom for inspection.
IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei announced on Sunday in Tehran that the UN nuclear watchdog will inspect the site on October 25, and he praised a shift "from conspiracy to cooperation" in Iran's dealing with the West. 'Things are moving in the right direction'
Iran, which rejects Western charges that it is seeking to build nuclear weapons, held talks with six world powers in Geneva on Thursday. Western officials said that in the talks, Iran had agreed "in principle" to ship out most of its enriched uranium for reprocessing in Russia and France. Jones said the next meeting with Iran on October 19 will discuss the methodology for the transfer of about 1,200 kilos of low-enriched uranium to Russia. Both developments "move the dial in our direction favourably" and were positive steps for Western efforts to contain nuclear weapon capability in the world, Jones said. "Clearly, on non-proliferation, whether it is North Korea or Iran, the world is sending its own message to both countries and fortunately we are seeing some positive reaction to that," Jones told CNN. "For now things are moving in the right direction." US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said she was "not in a position to characterize (the New York Times) report or our intelligence. "There are various assessments and they don't all align," Rice said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"What happened last week was a constructive beginning but it was only a beginning. The onus is now squarely on Iran to adhere to the commitments it has made."

Berri, Guaino meet in Ain al-Tineh
October 5, 2009 /Now Lebanon
Speaker Nabih Berri met with special advisor to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Henri Guaino, in Ain al-Tineh on Monday. Guaino met earlier on Monday with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh and left without making a statement.

Once again, it is Iran
Syrian diplomatic activity is related to developments in Iran. Will it affect Lebanon?
Hanin Ghaddar , October 5, 2009
Saudi King Abdullah (C) speaks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) at the opening ceremony of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (AFP /Omar Salem).
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s visit to Saudi Arabia on September 23 came as a surprise, especially after he had very clearly stated that he would not attend the opening of King Abdullah University in Jeddah. The visit was followed by a flurry of Syrian diplomatic activity: Assad’s deputy went to Washington, the Syrian foreign minister visited France, and the Saudi King received an invitation to visit Damascus.
Though this sudden surge of diplomatic activity was unexpected to many observers, it came about largely because Syria realized that it was losing ground; Israel is not as interested in peace negotiations with Damascus because Iran is its top priority at the moment, and the Assad regime got a clear message from the US that the West’s recent openness toward it will not continue if Syria does not begin fulfilling its promises, particularly those concerning Lebanon.
However, the main motivation behind Syria’s surprising turnaround was the escalating tone the West has taken toward Iran, most notably US President Barak Obama’s recent threats of sanctions and even war. But whether or not the conference between Iran and the P5+1 states that took place in Geneva last week leads to definitive results – either a war against Iran or a deal between Tehran and the West – Syria will have to find new ways to protect itself and its regional interests.
And hence Assad’s visit to Saudi Arabia, which he hoped would be able to act as a protector for his regime in light of the recent tension between Syria and Iraq.
In return, the Saudi King will go to Syria tomorrow for a three-day visit, according to An-Nahar daily. This, many believe, will have a positive impact in Lebanon, as a rapprochement between Assad and King Abdullah could lead to the long-awaited formation of the Lebanese cabinet. But some analysts believe that the meeting will not be focused on Lebanon; rather, that the two leaders will mainly discuss Iraq and Iran’s negotiations with the West.
Things in Lebanon seem to be going more smoothly anyway, as tensions have decreased between the March 14 and March 8 coalitions, with both sides expressing optimism over Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri’s second round of cabinet-formation consultations.
Yet this of course means little in reality, and all eyes are on Damascus to see if the meeting bears fruit.
Assad’s visit to Saudi Arabia and his invitation to King Abdullah were not based on any promises or commitments. It is possible that Assad was simply trying to buy time until Iran makes a deal with the West, or until tensions between the two sides reach a climax over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Of course, Iran’s relation to the international community is still very vague. Tehran agreed this week to have UN nuclear inspectors check its new uranium enrichment facility in the city of Qom on October 25. However, the threat of sanctions has still not been taken off the table, as many are weary Tehran is simply trying to buy time until the end of the year. Plus, the Ahmadinejad regime angered the Russians when its Qom facility was discovered, thus consolidating the international position against its nuclear program.
A week earlier, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev met with President Obama and indicated he could support sanctions against Iran over its efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. "Russia's position is clear: Sanctions rarely lead to productive results, but in some cases sanctions are inevitable," Medvedev said during a joint appearance with Obama after their meeting.
Iran’s supreme leader and president have linked the country’s nuclear program the country’s very existence, and therefore painted foreign inspection of the nuclear facilities as undue meddling in internal affairs. They have thus created a paradox for the West, as without Iranian cooperation, international inspectors might not be able to discover other facilities, but trust building takes much more time and effort, which many in the West are not willing to give.
The effects of any move will have an exaggerated impact here in Lebanon. If Western diplomatic efforts with Iran prove futile and sanctions and even missile strikes are carried out, tension will rise in the South, the seat of Iran’s number-one ally, Hezbollah, and neighbor of Iran’s number-one enemy, Israel.
Israel, on edge over the entire deal, may send a message to Tehran by striking Hezbollah first. On the other hand, Iran itself might take the initiative by using Hezbollah to pressure the international community, knowing full well that problems in Lebanon always have regional ramifications, especially considering the presence of UNIFIL troops in the area.
Iran’s nuclear program is inexorably linked to the country’s regional role. What Iran is trying to do, through its recent cooperation, is to get the US to fully realize just how powerful it is. However, if Tehran’s role in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan is not contained as well, Iran would still constitute a threat to the region and the peace process as a whole.
Time will show how Iran will react, and how it will use Hezbollah in Lebanon, militarily on the borders, and politically in the cabinet formation.
Whatever happens in Damascus between the Syrian president and the Saudi king, Iran still has to give its say. Hezbollah so far has downplayed the significance of the Damascus meeting. All things considered, the cabinet formation might still take a while.

Michel Aoun
October 5, 2009
Now Lebanon
On October 4, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the following speech delivered by General Michel Aoun, the head of the Change and Reform Bloc, to Free Patriotic Movement graduates who passed the technical baccalaureate exams of 2008-2009.
“I am happy to be addressing young people because I was once like them, i.e. a school student. I used to think and have ambitions, parts of which I tried to implement and some of which were indeed implemented. In any case, these things are linked to your personal assessments and to history. You are the generation that will continue what we started, for we inherited a country which made us very tired and prevented us from being happy with our lives. I hope we will offer you a more comfortable country where you will be able to achieve positive things and not just live a negative life. Today, you are on the threshold of a new stage in your lives and it might be the most important one because you will choose the career through which you will enter the wider community. In university, your environment will expand and you will meet a lot of people. I therefore advise you not to address the others with preconceived ideas so that you can get to know each other. The environment in which we live raises people to fear the other, while we are a country of multiple sects and parties. Believe in sound principles and act upon them, so that you become an archetype mobilizing the others and a [mobilizing] community that could build a nation.
“The lies, the misleading and the accusations of corruption you are hearing in the news today are unacceptable. Every cleric, politician, lawyer or professor who says that all are corrupt is the one who is corrupt, for had he not been so he would not have accused everyone of being so... Good societies were never built by the opportunists but by the rebels, and those [rebels] that created something new in their communities were never ordinary men adjusting to the prevailing situation. They speak of pragmatism or realism, and based on that, you must reject what is wrong and reuse to succumb. In university, they place boundaries preventing us from raising your awareness and preparing you to enter social and political life, while you have reached the age allowing you to express your political positions, while you are excluded from political culture and facing it as individuals. The goal behind that is to prevent the emergence of a public opinion wishing to see change, since each is pleased with his position and is concerned about change. We, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Change and Reform bloc want to instill concerns, for it is not normal for people not to be concerned about the violations occurring before them and the deterioration of the social values. So how can we achieve this reform?
“Today, I call on you to enter the university community, learn, be successful and develop your political culture so that you can differentiate between what is right and what is wrong and acquire the power to choose between the two. Good people do not say that the entire community is corrupt, sterile and lacking in values, instead they are the archetype mobilizing the majority which will achieve what should be achieved. Today and in large part, reality is misleading. They are accusing Michel Aoun of sabotaging all the solutions. What did I sabotage? Let each of you ask himself this question, not just because you are part of the Free Patriotic Movement. I never spoke or issued statements, so what did I sabotage?
“They are also saying that so-and-so are using me, but who has caught me red-handed? I say to you that you will never be shamed by history, because I exploited all my energies to be a model and I know how successful I have been. I did nothing to be ashamed of or that would bring you shame and none of my actions, whether successful or not, will do so. However, I hold you responsible for my success...
“Mobilization and the instigation of strife were due to the non-respect of the right to differ with the other, and this was the basis on which our opponents relied during the elections.
“However, we have overcome that because our culture and program are founded on the enhancement of solidarity and peace within the community and not just on the non-assault of the other. We are not merely seeking coexistence but unified existence, because we in the Movement have an educational plan which we hope to implement and you will see many things changing. You are the emissaries who will spread and preach about these principles, because this community cannot be reformed without the efforts of your likes. Our community is one of cocoons that should be opened to one another so that people can meet and realize they are alike and are seeking to achieve the same ambitions.”