LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
October 12/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to
Saint Mark 10:17-30. As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt
down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal
life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God
alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not kill; you shall not commit
adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not
defraud; honor your father and your mother.'" He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him,
loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you
have, and give to (the) poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come,
follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had
many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who
have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the
kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through (the) eye of (a) needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were exceedingly
astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at
them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things
are possible for God." Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything
and followed you." Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has
given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times
more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and
children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Iran marches toward the bomb/By:
Nadim Koteich/Now Lebanon/
october 11/09
Communism today in Pyongyang and
Damascus/Hazem Saghieh/Now Lebanon/ October 11/09
The Arab presence/Future
News/October 11/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October 11/09
Two Molotov bombs thrown near army
checkpoint in Ain al-Hilweh, no casualties reported/Now Lebanon
Aoun: Cabinet impasse caused by
those seeking to weaken the state/Now Lebanon
Baroud: Cabinet formation delay
might lead to municipal election postponement/Now Lebanon
Adwan says linking cabinet
formation to Saudi-Syrian summit is wrong/Now Lebanon
Zahra: for a constitutional
government/Future News
Shatah: refuses “monopolization” of
cabinet portfolios/Future News
Soaid: Saudi-Syrian rapprochement
not enough to form a cabinet/Future News
Jouzou condemns smearing campaigns
against Egypt/Future News
Hizbullah: Jumblat's Strategy Shift
Irreversible/Naharnet
Lebanon leader says UAE helped ease pain of
Israeli aggression/GulfNews
Iran
Objects as Syria Overcomes Pressure by Opening up to Saudi Arabia-Naharnet
Erdogan:
Lebanese Cabinet to Be Announced within Day or Two-Naharnet
Drug
Smuggler Escapes, Another Wounded in Clash with Lebanese Customs-Naharnet
Berri to Meet Qatari Emir
before Heading to UAE-Naharnet
Sfeir Concerned about
Lebanon's Constant Habit to Deviate from Constitution-Naharnet
Hariri Won't Visit Saudi
as Positive Actions Await Implementation-Naharnet
Another Hariri-Aoun
Meeting in the Works-Naharnet
Feltman Welcomes
Saudi-Syrian Eagerness toward Lebanese Cabinet Formation-Naharnet
Aoun: New Cabinet Policy
Statement Almost Accomplished, Names and Portfolios not Tackled-Naharnet
Optimism on Government
Formation Next Week as Lebanese Await Damascus Summit Outcome-Naharnet
ISF Soldier Assaulted in
Borj al-Barajneh-Naharnet
Thousands of Lebanese
Armenians Protest Turkey-Armenia Deal-Naharnet
All Ain el-Rummaneh
Assailants Arrested-Naharnet
Major Power Warns About
Possible Israel-Hizbullah Confrontation-Naharnet
Berri in Qatar Saturday
and UAE Monday for Talks on Deported Lebanese-Naharnet
ISF Soldier Assaulted in Borj al-Barajneh
Naharnet/An Internal Security Forces soldier identified by his initials (H.H.)
was assaulted Saturday with a knife in Borj al-Barajneh area by Hassan
Shamseddine who stabbed the soldier in the neck causing him to bleed, but the
soldier managed to shoot at the assailant and injure his leg. The soldier was
taken to an unidentified hospital for treatment, while Shamseddine was taken to
Bahman Hospital. Reports said that Shamseddine is a drug addict. In a separate
incident, the Drugs Combating Bureau managed, in collaboration with Dahr al-Baidar
police checkpoint members, to arrest Hassan A. who is wanted for drug dealing
charges. 1377 grams of opium, 187 grams of cocaine powder, and 65 grams of base
cocaine were seized from the detainee. Beirut, 10 Oct 09, 21:20
Sfeir Concerned about Lebanon's Constant Habit to Deviate from Constitution
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir discussed Sunday the latest
developments with MP George Adwan. Adwan quoted Sfeir from Bkirki as expressing
concerns about Lebanon's constant habit to "deviate from its authority which is
the Constitution." Beirut, 11 Oct 09, 12:50
Feltman Welcomes Saudi-Syrian Eagerness toward Lebanese
Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey
Feltman has expressed Saturday his country's welcoming of Saudi-Syrian summit's
eagerness toward forming the anticipated Lebanese cabinet. Feltman said in an
interview aired by the U.S.-sponsored Al Hurra TV network that if the
Saudi-Syrian summit's concern about the Lebanese is on forming their government,
then Washington welcomes that. "We hope that Lebanese leaders consider forming
the government as soon as possible in conjunction with the Lebanese Constitution
and June 7 elections results." added Feltman. Feltman also stressed his
country's full commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty and independence as well as
forming a cabinet according to the Lebanese Constitution. "Only the Lebanese
need to take decisions regarding their country," stressed Feltman. He also said
that Deputy Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Moqdad who held talks last week in
Washington agreed on the same stance where Washington discussed the Lebanese
issues only to insist that Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese. Beirut, 10 Oct 09,
18:48
Iran Objects as Syria Overcomes Pressure by Opening up to Saudi Arabia
Naharnet/Reading the Syrian-Saudi summit cannot be done apart from what the
region is witnessing – be it constant developments or the reshuffling of
political cards in the wake of talks between Iran and the West or openness
toward Syria as well as cooperation with Damascus regarding issues concerning
Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine in addition to overlapping spheres of external powers'
influence which include the bloody events in Yemen that are of interest to the
security of Saudi Arabia and its borders. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing a
Lebanese ministerial source, said Sunday these developments have thrown their
weight on the Syrian-Saudi summit which did not only tackle the Lebanese issue
but other vital topics. The source pointed out that Iran showed inflexibility
regarding Syria's rush into openness toward Riyadh, adding that Tehran has
"clearly" informed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of its objection during his
Aug. 19 trip. This has put the breaks on Syrian-Saudi rapprochement, according
to the source. He said that dramatic developments that have accelerated
regionally and globally prompted Damascus to overcome the Iranian objection for
"objective reasons related to its own interests." Beirut, 11 Oct 09, 09:34
Erdogan: Lebanese Cabinet to Be Announced within Day or Two
Naharnet/Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the new Lebanese
government will be announced within a day or two. "The Lebanese government will
see light within a day or two," Erdogan told Dubai-based satellite TV channel
al-Arabiya. Al-Arabiya said Erdogan's interview will be aired in full later.
Observers, however, told the daily an-Nahar in remarks published Sunday that
Erdogan's announcement should be taken figuratively, thus, it should be
interpreted that the Lebanese Cabinet will see light soon.
Beirut, 11 Oct 09, 07:03
Drug Smuggler Escapes, Another Wounded in Clash with Lebanese Customs
Naharnet/A drug smuggler managed to escape but another was seriously wounded
during a clash at daybreak Sunday with Lebanese customs at the Bekaa town of
Sultan Yaqoub.
State-run National News Agency said light machine guns were used in the fight
which injured Haitham Hamad who hails from the town of Kfar Qawq in the Rashaya
province.
Another drug smuggler managed to escape to an unknown location, NNA said. He was
not identified. Beirut, 11 Oct 09, 12:12
Hizbullah: Jumblat's Strategy Shift Irreversible
Viewpoints concerning the Syrian-Saudi summit were exchanged between Hizbullah
chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Druze leader Walid Jumblat at a recent
meeting.
Nasrallah and Jumblat also assessed during their Friday night meeting the
regional situation in the wake of the high-level meeting in Damascus between
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi King Abdullah, according to
well-informed sources. They said the two men believed the summit had a positive
impact in terms of a speedy formation of a new national unity government, which
Hizbullah considers "will protect the country and the resistance at this
stage."The two sides also reportedly agreed on a Cabinet lineup based on the
15-10-5 formula.
Hizbullah sources told the daily an-Nahar in remarks published Sunday that the
meeting confirmed that Jumblat's "shift in political strategy is irreversible."
Nasrallah and Jumblat were said to have welcomed any initiative aimed at helping
Cabinet formation including outcome of the Saudi-Syrian summit. Their stance
came during a meeting Friday night attended by MP Akram Shehayeb, Jumblat's son
Taymour, and Hizbullah official Wafiq Safa. According to a joint statement,
Nasrallah and Jumblat discussed the local and regional situation and stressed
the positivity of the two-day meeting between King Abdullah and Assad. The two
leaders also stressed the importance of Arab-Arab openness and the need to
overcome crises in the Arab and Islamic world. Nasrallah and Jumblat also agreed
to move forward in all measures that consolidate the atmosphere of
reconciliation and on the necessity of removing all obstacles preventing cabinet
formation. Beirut, 11 Oct 09, 08:29
Berri to Meet Qatari Emir before Heading to UAE
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri is expected to meet with the Qatari Emir before
heading to the United Arab Emirates to deal with the issue of deported Lebanese
Shiites. He is expected to travel to the UAE on Monday. Berri had stressed the
great role played by Qatar in the "restoration of solidarity and unity among the
Lebanese."An Nahar daily on Saturday said Berri was keen on adopting "the policy
of dialogue" away from "politicization" during his discussion of the issue of
hundreds of Lebanese Shiites who were expelled from the UAE in the past three
months. Berri received an invitation to visit the UAE five days ago and knows
that the solution to the issue is looming, according to An-Nahar. Beirut, 11 Oct
09, 11:04
Hariri Won't Visit Saudi as Positive Actions Await
Implementation
Naharnet/PM-designate Saad Hariri is expected to resume talks on Cabinet
formation on Monday as sources told An-Nahar daily that the Mustaqbal Movement
leader will not visit Riyadh to follow up on outcome of the Syrian-Saudi summit.
Meanwhile, AMAL Movement MP Ali Hasan Khalil and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah's political aide Hussein Khalil returned to Beirut from Damascus after
being updated on the outcome of the Syrian-Saudi summit. The sources said the
ball was once again in Hariri's court who "must make a move and take an
initiative toward government formation." Beirut, 11 Oct 09, 10:28
Another Hariri-Aoun Meeting in the Works
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement sources said a meeting is expected to take
place soon between PM-designate Saad Hariri and Tayyar head Gen. Michel Aoun.
The sources said a phone call between the two leaders will take place to set up
the meeting. Regarding the distribution of ministerial seats, the source told
the daily an-Nahar in remarks published Sunday that if portfolio rotation is
comprehensive, including the financial ministry, "then this is a positive step."
Beirut, 11 Oct 09, 07:16
Aoun: New Cabinet Policy Statement Almost Accomplished,
Names and Portfolios not Tackled
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said Saturday that the
new government's Policy Statement is almost accomplished which saves one month
of its actual duties time after its formation. "Discussions with PM-designate
Saad Hariri did not tackle cabinet ministers names or portfolios," said Aoun in
an interview aired by Al-Jadeed TV network.
Aoun stressed the importance of forming a national unity government in a fair
and comprehensive manner hinting at a close meeting with Hariri without
revealing its exact date. Regarding the Syrian-Saudi summit, Aoun welcomed the
two Arab countries rapprochement denying the idea that Arabs agreeing on a
national unity government in Lebanon is considered as an external interference
in Lebanon's internal issues. Aoun stressed the importance of cooperation in
mutual issues such as war with Israel. Beirut, 10 Oct 09, 22:00
Optimism on Government Formation Next Week as Lebanese
Await Damascus Summit Outcome
Naharnet/The new cabinet is expected to be formed next week, according to
well-informed sources, although a media report said that both majority and
opposition are sending positive messages despite lack of consensus that could
push government formation forward. As Safir daily reported Saturday that last
week's meeting between PM-designate Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement
leader Gen. Michel Aoun at Center House was fruitless. It said the two men
didn't discuss names or portfolios and their meeting was only focused on
attempts to "build trust" and "turn the page of the past." As Safir's report
came as well-informed sources told An Nahar and Al Liwaa newspapers that the
cabinet "could see light next week amid a positive atmosphere on the Arab
level." The sources added that Hariri could present to President Michel Suleiman
during an expected visit to Baabda palace the new government lineup.
Suleiman's visitors also quoted the president as saying that "the positive
(results) of the (Damascus) summit should be interpreted with a quick formation
of the government." Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri's representative MP Ali
Hassan Khalil and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's assistant Hussein
Khalil are in Damascus to ask Syrian officials about the results of the summit
between Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad on Thursday. Al-Hayat
newspaper quoted well-informed sources as saying that Abdullah and Assad agreed
to awaken the Lebanese into the necessity of forming the new government and
remove all obstacles. Berri, meanwhile, told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat that
he clings to his decision not to make any statements pending a clearer picture
on the cabinet issue. However, sources close to Berri said that the speaker's
decision to call for a parliamentary session on Oct. 20 for the election of
parliamentary committees, chairmen and rapporteurs means he is giving early
signs for the need to form the government before that date. Beirut, 10 Oct 09,
09:36
Thousands of Lebanese Armenians Protest Turkey-Armenia Deal
Naharnet/Thousands of Lebanese Armenians demonstrated on Saturday against
Yerevan's plans to establish ties with Ankara, gathering outside the Turkish
embassy in Rabieh and the Armenian patriarchy in Antelias. Several hundred of
the community, the largest in the Arab world at around 140,000 people, rallied
outside the Turkish embassy in Rabieh, north of the capital, where security
forces formed a cordon. They removed some barbed wire before being forced to
retreat when the security forces fired tear gas into the crowd. Angry youths
carrying Armenian flags chanted "Turkey out." Separately, thousands of
protestors wearing T-shirts bearing the word "No" gathered late in the afternoon
at the Armenian patriarchy in Antelias, also north of Beirut. Turkey and Armenia
are set to take a historic step towards reconciliation in Zurich on Saturday by
signing pacts to normalize ties after nearly a century of bitterness over their
blood-soaked past. The agreement, which must be ratified by the parliaments of
both countries, faces deep resistance with the influential Armenian diasporas.
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian recently toured four major host countries of
the community -- France, the United States, Lebanon and Russia -- to try to
allay their fears.(AFP) Beirut, 10 Oct 09, 19:28
All Ain el-Rummaneh Assailants Arrested
Naharnet/The army intelligence has arrested all those involved in the Ain el-Rummaneh
knife attack that killed one person and injured several others earlier in the
week, security sources told Voice of Lebanon radio station on Saturday. They
said the army arrested two more individuals on Saturday, raising the total of
arrests to 10. An Nahar daily had earlier said that the army intelligence was
searching in south Lebanon for two men involved in Tuesday's knife attack. It
said the two men reside in Bourj al-Barajneh district in Beirut's southern
suburbs and have managed to escape to two villages in the south. George Abou
Madi was killed outside his home on Tuesday night by knife-yielding young men
riding motorcycles from Shiyah.
Beirut, 10 Oct 09, 09:53
Two Molotov bombs thrown near army checkpoint in Ain al-Hilweh, no casualties
reported
Now Lebanon/October 11, 2009 /Unknown assailants threw two Molotov bombs near an
army checkpoint in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp without causing any
casualties. The Lebanese army set up more checkpoints in the area following the
attack.
Aoun: Cabinet impasse caused by those seeking to weaken the state
October 11, 2009 /Now Lebanon
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun spoke Sunday at a commemoration in
Renaissance Church in Rabieh for the martyrs of the battle of October 13, 1990,
saying that the cabinet impasse is not caused by “exterior” factors, but rather
“by those who seek to weaken the state.”He added that the Lebanese people have
two choice, continuing under the current situation, or supporting a reform
movement. Aoun praised the martyrs, saying they died to defend Lebanon’s people,
territory and sovereignty. “What we have offered society does not compare to
what the martyrs offered,” he said. He also said that “the society we seek
cannot be reached without keeping the spirit of resistance,” adding that
resistance is needed to achieve reforms.“Unfortunately, corruption is widespread
and there are no means of ensuring accountability. We need people who have the
spirit of the resistance to fight corruption,” Aoun said.
Baroud: Cabinet formation delay might lead to municipal election postponement
October 11, 2009 /Now Lebanon
During the opening of an electoral law workshop in Broummana on Sunday, Interior
Minister Ziad Baroud said that the delay in the cabinet formation might lead to
postponing the municipal elections, which he said “is something we do not
want.”“We should carry out major modifications in order for the elections to be
held on time,” Baroud said, adding that modifying the municipal law cannot be
completed in a comprehensive manner as it relates to the issue of administrative
decentralization. He stressed however that the law should be altered to adopt
proportionality. “Administrative decentralization and the municipal law are
complementary, and they should be discussed in addition to the parliamentary
electoral law after the municipal elections, since the three laws are
fundamentally important for Lebanon’s future,” Baroud said.
Adwan says linking cabinet formation to Saudi-Syrian summit is wrong
October 11, 2009 /Now Lebanon/Following his meeting with Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir in Bkirki on Sunday, Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan
said that it is “wrong to link the cabinet formation to the outcome of the
Saudi-Syrian summit.”He said that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will
discuss “details,” a reference to the distribution of portfolios and the names
of ministerial candidates, during his meetings with the parliamentary blocs and
independent MPs next week. He added that these meetings will be a “real test to
the feasibility of forming a national-unity government.”“The cabinet formation
has not taken a right and active direction yet,” said Adwan, explaining that the
formation of a new government within the few days is unlikely.
Jouzou condemns smearing campaigns against Egypt
Date: October 11th, 2009/Future News
Mufti of Mount Lebanon, Mohammad Ali Jouzou denounced on Sunday the smearing
campaigns launched against Egypt, noting that they hide malicious objectives.
“The abhorrent attacks on Egypt are being part of an orchestrated campaign of
libel against our big sister nation,” the National News Agency quoted Jouzou as
saying. He accused Iranian mouth-pieces in Lebanon in addition to "petit Syrians
agent," as he dubbed them, of conducting fact distortions and being unhappy
about any inter-Arab rapprochement, in reference to the recent Saudi-Syrian
detente. He absolved Egypt from recent incidents in Tripoli saying pro-Syrian
elements were behind them. Jouzou hailed the recent Saudi-Syrian “historic
summit,” which is a remarkable step towards the unification of the Arab nation,
asserting that both Saudi and Egypt play a key role in the Arab politics and
both share a mutual understanding. The Mufti beseeched President Sleiman to take
what he termed as practical concrete steps in order to save the country,
especially concluding the formation of a strong government.
Communism today in Pyongyang and Damascus
Hazem Saghieh , October 9, 2009
Now Lebanon
The press recently covered two different news stories relating to communism and
communist parties.
The first of the stories described how North Korea – a country ruled by its 67
year-old supreme leader Kim Jong-il, a position inherited from his father Kim Il
Sung – has amended its constitution, affording its current leader even greater
powers, altering the perception of communism and reinforcing the ideology of
“the army first” that communism is based upon.
Of course, Kim’s powers, beyond any doubt, remain absolute. However, this was
apparently insufficient since the amendments made dispelled any and all
ambiguity that might have seeped into the mind of someone with a wily
imagination. Kim Jong-il, who perhaps has become very ill, is “the paramount
leader of the country, the chairman of the National Defense Commission, the
supreme commander of the army and, according to the 1998 constitution, the
overseer of state affairs.” These titles are coupled with what he is most
commonly called: “Dear Leader.” Additionally, previous reports have indicated
that, when this “dear leader” was stricken ill, he chose his third son to be his
successor in the world’s first communist dynasty.
In reality, communism, which in China has already been abandoned in practice if
not rhetorically, served its objectives in North Korea and was subsequently
stowed away in the ice-box. It helped in the ascendance of the country’s first
leader and his eldest son and successor to the dictatorial post they came to
occupy, then was promptly abolished because it was “difficult to realize.” As
such, Kim, and with him the army, are no longer in need of the ideology and the
“vanguard party” which is provided by the country’s military intelligence.
The second story revolved around the Extraordinary Meeting of Communist and
Labor Parties held a few days ago in Damascus and hosted by Syrian Communist
Party leader Youssef Faisal. The gathering was comprised of 50 communist parties
from 42 states with the goal of showing “solidarity with Arab and regional
causes.”
This gathering’s press statement stressed on showing “solidarity with and
support for the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people, supporting Syria’s
steadfastness and its rejectionist role, and aiding the resistance against
imperialist plans and designs over all Arab land, the most prominent of which is
the project of the new Middle East which is intended to control its underground
wealth (What about wealth above the ground?) and fragment and divide the region
into smaller sectarian states.”
However, this statement omitted a direct calling, one more important than all of
the others it neglected, which the communist parties gathered in Damascus should
have mentioned. This omitted clause could have been put as follows: “The Israeli
occupation is crouching mere kilometers away from where we are now gathered.
Everyone who wants to follow the path of resistance to imperialism and stand
resolute and defiant against it should march down to that front today, not
tomorrow. That is because we need to lead, not from the back, but from the
front. We must personally stand, alongside the Syrian army, at the vanguard of
those who set the example, being prepared for martyrdom and sacrificing our
lives and blood.” By the way, according to such manner of speech, imperialism is
always “thirsty” for blood, a blood with which self-importance is continuously
“inebriated”… and he who gets drunk is thirsty of course.
The absence of this clause in the statement issued from the meeting of communist
parties explains the first news story, namely communism’s becoming superfluous,
transforming into an engine for despots, before eventually coming to an end
altogether. **The article is a translation of the original, which appeared
on the NOW Arabic site on October 5.
Iran marches toward the bomb
Nadim Koteich , October 10, 2009
Now Lebanon/The Geneva meeting with Iran, which was eagerly described as
“constructive” by Washington, left the most important question unanswered: What
Middle East would these talks “construct”? The answer depends much on what we
draw from the talks between Iran and the international community, and as things
stand at the moment, Iran is marching towards developing its own nuclear bomb.
Uranium enrichment is no longer a red line for Iran and discussion have gently
shifted to the level of uranium purity Iran is allowed to process for domestic
use and what will be done with the surplus. Hence, Tehran can comfortably
announce plans to install a “new generation of centrifuges” at the country’s
newly-revealed nuclear facility near the Shi’ite holy city of Qom, and at other
sites, yet to be revealed. This was the hope as outlined by Secretary of Defence
Robert Gates, during a CNN/George Washington University forum which was hosted
by him and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In the meantime, a report prepared by IAEA experts and made public by ISIS said
that Iran has successfully tested Shahab-3 missiles which have a range of 2,000
kilometers, and is working to develop a nuclear payload that can be delivered by
them. The report concludes that Tehran already has the technical knowledge to
build a nuclear bomb.
Israeli media is already addressing the possibility of living with a nuclear
Iran, while Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak “conceded” that an Iranian
nuclear bomb does not pose an existential threat to Israel.
This possibility is sending shivers down some spines in several Arab capitals.
In the last week, the UAE has adopted a civilian nuclear energy law that will
pave the way for huge nuclear power program worth $41 billion. Although civilian
in nature, the program hints at the region’s preparedness to start a nuclear
arms race should Iran get there. UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed
Al-Nayah openly expressed his country’s (and the GCC’s) concerns to Clinton in
Sharm Il-Sheikh in March that the U.S. would reach an agreement with Iran on key
strategic issues without Washington consulting its Arab allies.
Saudi Arabia is close to spending billions to buy a Russian S-400 advanced
missile defense system, to protect against a potentially nuclear Iran, Gulf
analysts and diplomats told AFP recently.
Elsewhere, Washington is sabre-rattling against Tehran with a semi-official,
plan B focused around assurances, bribes and containment, and which involves the
U.S. nuclear umbrella over America’s Middle East allies, if Iran develops its
bomb. It is an option that dovetails with the line of thinking of many officials
around the Obama administration, and some of which was expressed openly their
boss took office.
Take Ashton B. Carter, who wrote, before being assigned the job of Defense
Undersecretary, that “containment and punishment” is the post-diplomacy-failure
policy. Meanwhile, Gary Samore, head of non-proliferation at the National
Security Council, preached of a responsible nuclear Iran, a country, he
suggests, “would probably act like other nuclear-armed states and was not likely
to give terrorists the bomb.”
Then consider the mounting opposition coming from some hawks in the “bomb Iraq
camp.” Brookings’ Michael O’Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack (whose book The
Threatening Storm influenced many liberals to back the Iraq war) agreed during a
joint panel prepared by AEI and Brookings the same day of Geneva talks, that
containment, not military action, is the best policy on Iran. Feeling that
assurances and containment could fail to convince Israel, the Obama
administration is considering bribery. The Washington Times quoted unnamed US
officials as saying that President Obama will not pressure Israel to publicly
disclose its suspected nuclear weapons program, nor will he pressure the Jewish
state to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty. It is the same president
who, days earlier, was lecturing the world at the UN General Assembly on nuclear
nonproliferation and who was the driving force behind the UN resolution which
aims at ridding the planet of nuclear weapons. So, on preventing a nuclear Iran,
we are invited to shift gears from “yes we can” to “what can we do?”, before we
gamble on there being a regional balance of nuclear power while at the same time
striving for a long term goal of a nuclear-weapons-free planet. In the meantime,
those who disagree ought to, according to Newsweek’s Fareed Zakaria, “shut up”.
The Arab presence
Date: October 10th, 2009
Future News
The Saudi-Syrian summit came as a consequence to the decision of the two
countries to close the chapter of disparity between them and any observer could
detect a Saudi- Syrian tendency over the past few months to go beyond the long
era of sharp dispute. Saudi Arabia wants to find common grounds with Syria and
build on it to deal with the crises that the Arab world is witnessing. The
importance of the summit lies in the fact that it has opened a new chapter of
Saudi-Syrian mutual relations on the one hand and confirmed the will to rely on
this new concurrence in tackling delicate issues such as the problems in
Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. Despite our right to build hopes on the summit to
work out our problems, but we must realize that such an event would never be
enough to resolve the thorny issues in which the local and the regional
coincide. We must not disregard the fact that we are part of a region that
concerns the entire world. The initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques has tried to establish a new dynamism that extinguishes fire and finds
real solutions and not recommendations.
Such political accomplishments need time. Any ways, we must not forget that the
past four years has witnessed an Iranian expanded attack to fortify the pillars
of the Persian nation and that the difference with Iran stretches from Bagdad to
Beirut. Moreover, we also know that the fall of Baghdad was a reason for the
great turmoil that the region is currently passing through.
Our main concern currently is that some sides in Lebanon might resort to empty
pretexts to buy Iran some time especially since the Persian nation is willing to
negotiate on countries from Afghanistan to Lebanon if the U.S showed some
leniency. What we expect from the summit is not hostility against any country,
except Israel, but to set the political ground for an effective Arab presence.
Iranian
ammunition was headed for Syria, possibly Hezbollah – German reports
by DAVID LINDSAY
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=95453
The large consignment of ammunition confiscated from an Islamic Republic of Iran
Shipping Lines (IRISL) freighter at the Malta Freeport on Friday was en route
from Iran to Syria, and possibly onward from there for delivery to the Hezbollah
Shiite militia group, according to German press reports yesterday.
Moreover, the ship, the Hansa India, had been stopped last week in the Suez
Canal by the US Navy and boarded by American security personnel, who found seven
containers loaded with 7.62mm calibre bullet casings, apparently ammunition for
Kalashnikov rifles, as well as blanks that could be used for the manufacture of
projectiles.
But following the intervention of the German government, the ship had been
allowed to proceed to Malta, where the cargo was confiscated on Friday. The
German weekly magazine Der Spiegel is to report on this in its next issue.
It is also reported that US authorities believe the Iranian ammunition was bound
for Syria to either supply the Syrian army or Hezbollah.
In what German diplomats have reportedly described as an “embarrassing affair”,
two US Navy ships, apparently acting on information from the US secret service,
had stopped the German-owned freighter in the Suez Canal and searched the
German-owned ship’s cargo.
The German ship owners, Leonhardt & Blumberg, however, has clarified that the
freighter has been chartered out to Iranian national shipping company IRISL for
a number of years. The incident has reportedly created fresh political tension
between the US, Germany and Iran.
The Hansa India is now expected back in Hamburg on 17 October.
Acting on information supplied by the American and German authorities on
Thursday, Maltese Customs, police and army personnel descended on the Freeport,
where the Hansa India was offloading cargo for transhipment, on Friday. The
presence of ammunition was discovered using scanning equipment the US government
had donated to the Freeport.
The consignment is believed to have been transported from the Freeport to an
undisclosed location, and further investigations led by the Economic Crimes Unit
are also underway.
The American Embassy said in a statement on Friday night, “The enforcement of
international law on the high seas by all members of the international community
is vital to the world’s security.
“At every level, the Government of Malta responded with alacrity to the report
of a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, and without
fanfare proceeded to responsibly and fairly act in accordance with its
international responsibilities to off-load and isolate the prohibited cargo.”
UN Resolution 1747 prohibits the shipment of weapons or ‘related material’ to or
from Iran, while EU rules also prohibit such shipments.
Since 2004, the Malta Freeport has served as IRISL’s Mediterranean hub and
accounts for over 10 per cent of the Freeport’s business, but the line has been
marked by controversy on more than this one occasion.
In September 2008, the US government called for more and better inspections of
cargo carried aboard IRISL ships – 10 to 12 of which call at the Malta Freeport
every week – after accusations that the line was assisting Iran’s alleged
nuclear weapons programme.
The call followed the application of sanctions against the shipping line, as
well as on IRISL Malta – a company incorporated in Malta with a Maltese
shareholding, by the US Treasury Department for facilitating the shipment of
military-related cargo destined for an Iranian government agency that controls
ballistic missile research, development and production.
Moreover, the US has accused IRISL of “deliberately misleading maritime
authorities” by employing deceptive techniques to disguise the true nature of
shipments that are, in reality, destined for Iran’s alleged WMD (weapons of mass
destruction) programme.
IRISL, according to the Treasury Department, has pursued new strategies to avoid
the detection of military shipments as international attention on Iran’s nuclear
programme increased. Such strategies, according to the US authorities, include
the use of generic terms to describe shipments so as not to attract the
attention of shipping authorities.
With IRISL being one of the Malta Freeport’s leading customers, the accusation
implied that Maltese authorities could have been misled on past occasions –
after the US contributed US$2 million for a state-of-the-art Customs inspection
warehouse at the Malta Freeport for the purpose of detecting illicit weapons and
WMD materials.
The US sanctions reinforced the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1803 of March
2008, which called on states, in a manner consistent with national legal
authorities and international law, to inspect IRISL cargoes to and from Iran
transiting their ports.
“Countries and firms, including customers, business partners, and maritime
insurers doing business with IRISL (and IRISL Malta),” the Treasury Department
observed, “may be unwittingly helping the shipping line facilitate Iran’s
proliferation activities.”
IRISL, Iran’s largest state-owned shipping line, has been accused by the US of
providing logistical services to Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces
Logistics, which was itself sanctioned by the US in 2007 for controlling Iran’s
ballistic missile research, development and production activities.