LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
November 18/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 18,35-43. Now as he
approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him,
"Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity
on me!"The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he
kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!" Then Jesus
stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus
asked him, What do you want me to do for you? He replied, "Lord, please let me
see." Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediately
received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this,
all the people gave praise to God.
Saint Gregory the Great (c.540-604), Pope,
Doctor of the Church
Homilies on the Gospel, no.13; PL 76, 1081 (©Cistercian publications)"He
immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God"
Our Redeemer foresaw that the hearts of his disciples would be greatly disturbed
by his passion. He foretold to them far ahead both the agony of his passion and
the glory of his resurrection (Lk 18,31-33). Then when they beheld him dying, as
had been foretold, they would not doubt he was to rise again. But since the
disciples, still unspiritual as they were, were entirely unable to grasp the
words of the mystery (v.34), there was need of a miracle. A blind man received
the light before their eyes so that a heavenly deed might strengthen the faith
of those who failed to grasp the words of the heavenly mystery. We must
understand the miracles of our Lord and Savior, dearly beloved, so as to believe
that they have been truly done and that their meaning still signifies something
else... We do not know the historical identity of the blind man, but we know
whom he mystically denotes. The blind man is the human race. In our first
parents it was driven from the joys of paradise, and ignorant of the brightness
of the divine light, it suffered the darkness of its condemnation. But yet it is
enlightened by presence of its Redeemer, to see already the joys of inward light
by desire, and to direct the footsteps of its good works in the way of life.
Interview with General Michel Aoun
Michel Aoun Talks to Asharq Al-Awsat/Interview
by Marwan Haddad/17/11/2008
Free Opinions,
Releases, letters & Special Reports
How Will Obama Manage the Iranian
Time Bomb?
17/11/08
Chicago’s Mafia in the White
House.By: Huda Al Husseini- Asharq Alawsat 17/11/08
Salameh's suggestion might shake Arab policymakers into action-The
Daily Star 17/11/08
Lawson Kass Hanna:
Open Letter to
Mr. Suleiman Frangieh,
17/11/08
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for November
17/08
'Obama didn't endorse Arab Peace
Plan'-Jerusalem Post
Israel to free 250 Palestinian
prisoners/ Israel News
Miliband: Iran feeling the impact
of sanctions
Bodies
of 2 Lebanese Executed in Syria to be Handed Over to Lebanese Committee-Naharnet
Man Who Helped Abssi Escape
Arrested, Fatah Islam Detainees Handed Over to U.N. Commissio-Naharnet
Jumblat
1st Lebanese Politician to Visit Washington After Obama's Election-Naharnet
Berri
Calls for Developing Unified Arab Parliament-Naharnet
March 14 Wins 3 of 4 Seats at
Beirut Bar Association-Naharnet
Economic, Financial Dialogue in the Works by Hariri-Naharnet
Arab Interest in Fatah
Islam Testimonies, Hariri's Request to Investigate Terrorism-Naharnet
Mitri from Damascus:
Lebanon and Syria Have Strong Bonds-Naharnet
Lebanese majority newspaper says Syria helps Fatah al-Islam-Xinhua
Aoun: Lebanese Republic is Not in Baabda, but in Grand Serail-Naharnet
G20
meeting agrees on plan to restore global growth, prevent future crises-(AFP)
Beirut OKs panel to study cooperation with Syria-Daily
Star
Cairo
judge slaps gag order on Tamim trial-(AFP)
Al-Mustaqbal publishes 'proof' that Syria, not Future, helped Fatah al-Islam-Daily
Star
Catholic leaders wrap up annual conference-Daily
Star
Close
race at Beirut Bar Association-Daily
Star
Hezbollah condemns US warships deployed off Lebanese coast-Haber
27
Miliband to criticize Israel on settlements-International
Herald Tribune -
Russia seeks unmanned drones from Israel-Jewish
Telegraphic Agency
Barack Obama brings hope of Iran talks, says Shimon Peres-Times
Online
Berro
stresses need to get serious about consumer protection-Daily
Star
Swedish journalists get crash course on Lebanon-Daily
Star
Promoting Lebanon to French and European tourists is a demanding job-Daily
Star
Beirut, UN and NGO team up against forest fires-Daily
Star
Olmert
orders plans drawn up for massive offensive against Gaza-(AFP)
Tory delegates tilt right with social
policy resolutions at convention
November 15, 2008 - 16:03
THE CANADIAN PRESS
http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=n111523A
WINNIPEG - The Conservative party of Canada has formally adopted policy
resolutions that would strip human-rights tribunals of some powers and create
new charges for the killing of unborn children. The socially conservative
measures were among resolutions voted in by some 2,000 delegates at the first
Conservative policy convention in more than three-and-a-half years. The
resolutions, while not binding on the government of Prime Minister Stephen
Harper, allowed party faithful to exercise their right-of-centre policy
leanings. One policy would take away investigative and adjudication powers from
the Canadian Human Rights Commission and tribunal for complaints of hate speech.
It was adopted virtually unanimously by delegates. A more contentious proposal
would add charges to anyone who kills or injures a fetus during the commission
of a crime against a pregnant mother. One speaker who opposed the resolution was
roundly jeered when she said the motion would open the door to criminal
sanctions against abortion. Convention organizers, who kept workshop debates on
the resolutions out of public view on Saturday, limited the amount of debate on
the open convention floor by sharply restricting the number of speakers -
despite complaints from delegates.
Bodies of 2 Lebanese Executed in
Syria to be Handed Over to Lebanese Committee
Naharnet/The bodies of two Lebanese citizens "executed" in Syria after being
found guilty in criminal and security cases will be handed over to the Committee
in charge of the missing Lebanese in Syrian jails. They were identified as Abdul
Nasser Masri and Bassam Mttalaj. Beirut, 17 Nov 08, 11:23
Jumblat 1st Lebanese Politician to Visit Washington After
Obama's Election
Naharnet/Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblat begins on Monday a
three-day visit to Washington during which he will meet with top U.S. government
officials and members of Congress. An Nahar daily said Monday that the
Progressive Socialist Party leader's visit to Washington is the first by a
Lebanese politician since Barack Obama's election as U.S. president. Jumblat
will be accompanied by his wife Noura and MP Marwan Hamadeh. The Druze leader
will meet with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Eric Edelman, the policy chief for
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern
Affairs David Welch and several top officials. Beirut, 17 Nov 08, 05:50
Lebanese majority newspaper says Syria helps Fatah al-Islam
www.chinaview.cn 2008-11-17 17:37:40 Print
BEIRUT, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese majority newspaper Al-Moustaqbal, owned by
Sunni leader Saad Hariri, published a report Monday saying that the Fatah
al-Islam militant group is founded and controlled by Syrian intelligence
officers seeking to destabilize the Lebanese government. The report came one
week after the Syrian state TV broadcasted "confessions" by captured members of
the group allegedly involved in suicide bombing in Damascus in September. The
confessors said that they have received financial support from Hariri's Al-Moustaqbal
movement. On the contrary, the daily published testimonies of captured Fatah
al-Islam members, who said that senior Syrian intelligence officers armed and
trained the group, which fought 15-week battle with the Lebanese army in 2007 at
Naher al-Barid Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon. Al-Moustaqbal daily
quoted one of the arrested militant in Lebanon, Ahmad Merhi, as saying that he
was aware of the coordination between Fatah al-Islam and Syria in 2007. Merhi
said in his testimony that the head of the Syrian military intelligence, Major
General Assef Shawkat asked them to"assist" Shaker Abssi, the Fatah al-Islam's
fugitive leader.
He claimed that due to Syrian assistance, "dozens of Fatah al-Islam fighters has
escaped Lebanon after fighting at Naher al-Barid camp," which left 400 people
dead.
Another captive, Youssif Darwish, said some of Fatah al-Islam men had been
released earlier from Syrian jails to join the militant group in Lebanon.
Mustafa Mesto, a captured militant as well, said that the second in command of
Fatah al-Islam, Abu Madia, was in fact a Syrian intelligence officer who was
planning to assassinate Saad Hariri and Maronite patriarch Nasrallah Sfier.
Hariri, however, had asked the Arab League to send an Arab fact-finding
committee to look into Syrian allegations which said that his party was
financing Fatah al-Islam.
Aoun: Lebanese Republic is Not in Baabda, but in Grand
Serail
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun said that the Lebanese
Republic is not at Baabda Palace, but rather at the Grand Serail.
He warned against a "plot" against Lebanon tantamount to that against Iraq."They
want Lebanon to become a second Iraq in order to justify the existence of a
neighboring racist country - Israel," he said. "Democracy was not once practiced
in Lebanon…Where corruption is uncontrolled," Aoun complained. "Everyday we have
people violating the law." Beirut, 16 Nov 08, 21:09
Man Who Helped Abssi Escape Arrested, Fatah Islam Detainees
Handed Over to U.N. Commission
Naharnet/Lebanese authorities arrested the person who helped Fatah al-Islam
leader Shaker Abssi escape while the judiciary handed over a number of detainees
from the terrorist group to the U.N. commission investigating ex-Premier Rafik
Hariri's assassination. News reports on Monday said Lebanese detainee Ahmed Itir
has revealed to investigators the name of the man, also a Lebanese, who helped
Abssi cross the border into Syria. They said that person, who is still
undergoing interrogation, has confessed to having helped Abssi escape in a white
Mitsubishi van. Sources following the probe said investigators are now convinced
that Abssi was at the northern Palestinian refugee camp of Beddawi at the
knowledge of Sheikh Hamza Qassem. Qassem, the Palestinian Imam of Beddawi camp's
Quds Mosque, has been arrested on terrorism charges. He has testified to
investigators to having hosted Abssi upon his escape from nearby Nahr al-Bared
camp more than a year ago. Abssi spent nearly one month at the sheikh's
residence, then moved to a hideout in Beddawi camp where he stayed for months,
according to Qassem.
According to information obtained by LBC television, Abssi was hiding at a
security-controlled quarter of Ahmed Jebril's Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine-General Command, a pro-Syrian Palestinian faction. It said detainee
Itir, who is known as Abu Abdo, has given investigators details about Abssi's
escape through the Bekaa Valley into Syrian territory. Asharq al-Awsat daily
said for its part said that the PFLP-GC was the party that helped Abssi escape.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Security Force at Beirut's Shatilla camp handed over
to Lebanese authorities an extremist clergyman known for his links with Fatah
al-Islam and al-Qaida. The cleric, identified as Sheikh Jamal, a mosque imam,
was known to have played a role in recruiting terrorists. He is also accused of
provocation against the Lebanese army. Future TV, meanwhile, said the Lebanese
judiciary has turned over more than one Fatah al-Islam member to the U.N.
commission investigating Hariri's assassination and related crimes. It said an
automatic rifle was found with one detainee that was said to have been used in
the assassination of cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel. As Safir newspaper, for
its part, quoted a Palestinian source as saying that Syrian security authorities
had dismantled about 16 terror networks with links to al-Qaida and other
extremist groups. Beirut, 17 Nov 08, 08:35
Berri Calls for Developing Unified Arab Parliament
Naharnet/Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Sunday called for developing the
Unified Arab Parliament and stressed the importance to "stand together" during a
meeting of the UAP in Oman next March. "Heads of the Arab Parliaments should
attend the upcoming meeting so we could together come out with one unified stand
to face the dangerous political and financial developments across the universe
that is reaching the Arabs," Berri said from Kuwait. He thanked Kuwait for its
continuous commitment to help Lebanon and hoped it would assist Lebanon in
getting rid of cluster bombs after running out of money earmarked for the
elimination of the explosive ordinance.
Economic, Financial Dialogue in the Works by Hariri
Naharnet/MP Saad Hariri was preparing to launch an economic and financial
dialogue mid this week to give this issue the significance it deserves.
Official personalities and officials of the private sector are to attend the
meeting, the daily An Nahar reported Monday.
Hariri had been engaged in studying the global financial crisis and its
repercussions on Lebanon, the region and the world. Beirut, 17 Nov 08, 11:09
Mitri from Damascus: Lebanon and Syria Have Strong Bonds
Naharnet/Information Minister Tareq Mitri arrived in Damascus Sunday to take
part in a conference of Arab Information Ministers. Mitri said he believed
President Michel Suleiman's recent visit to Damascus has "laid the foundations
for a relationship between Lebanon and Syria after passing through a difficult
phase."He said "strong bonds" exist between Lebanon and Syria, adding that the
relation is "based on mutual respect and common interests." Beirut, 16 Nov 08,
18:10
March 14 Wins 3 of 4 Seats at Beirut Bar Association
Naharnet/The ruling March 14 Forces on Sunday won three of four seats in
Beirut's Bar Association elections.
The fourth seat went to George Nakhle of Gen. Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic
Movement. He won 1945 votes. March 14 candidates Andre Chidiac won 1833 votes,
Farid Khoury 1753 votes and George Estephan got 1695 votes. Beirut, 16 Nov 08,
16:09
Chicago’s Mafia in the White House
16/11/2008
Huda Al Husseini
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=14740
Asharq Alawsat
US President George W. Bush pledged that he would cooperate as much as possible
with President-elect Barack Obama to ensure a smooth transition of power.
With the world’s eyes firmly on Barack Obama since his election victory, it is
expected that his policies towards the Middle East will be more in line with the
policies of former US President Bill Clinton. But Obama’s main issue, as
everybody knows, will be the economy, and then Iraq, from which he promised to
withdraw US troops within two years. Dealing with Iraq will then lead to the
issue of Iran and after that he will turn his focus towards Afghanistan.
The appointment of Rahm Emanuel to the Chief of Staff post provoked a negative
response in the Arab world. An American source explained to me that Obama has
known Emanuel for years as both men are from Chicago, and that Emanuel is a
democrat who knows how to deal with Congress since he has been a member for six
years. Previous to this, Emanuel had worked with Clinton and the new democratic
administration will bring together a so-called “Chicago Mafia.” The new Chief of
Staff, Rahm Emanuel, is well known for being both stubborn and intrepid.
As for the Arab reaction, my source said “Emanuel is American and a member of
Congress; he does not decide US policy. It is the president who decides with the
help of the Secretaries of State, Defense, and the Treasury, the National
Security Adviser and the CIA…so Arabs should stop responding negatively to
Emanuel’s appointment.”
The priorities that the Obama administration must deal with are in some way tied
to foreign policy. The current US economic situation means that Obama will have
to pay special attention to America’s ties with China. There is an urgent need
for US foreign policy to work closely with China that is playing a fundamental
political role in recovering the US economy. There are no indications that China
is exploiting US financial difficulties − on the contrary.
Due to these difficult circumstances, the most prominent of which is the
financial crisis, there is no risk looming on the horizon of Obama’s
administration launching a new war; rather it will work to eliminate Bush’s
unilateral policies and this will help to ease tensions throughout the world.
The new president will not commit the same mistake as former US President Lyndon
Johnson, who inherited the Vietnam War from his predecessor in office; he
allowed the war to dominate his entire presidential term, which eventually
destroyed his political career. Obama’s election to the presidential post has
changed the course of history, and inevitably, this will be reflected in
American society and the world at a later stage.
The US military command in Baghdad has received orders to step up its campaign
against Al Qaeda and Shia insurgents as Pentagon officials want to ensure
stability in Iraq before President Bush leaves office on 20 January, 2009. The
American source said, “We want a strategic change in Iraq before Obama enters
the White House; we want him to feel that he has inherited a stable Iraq
therefore there is no need to rush to withdraw troops or decrease their number.”
A significant number of Obama’s plans for Iraq depend on US ties with Iran, as
this will determine an American exit strategy from Iraq. According to reliable
sources, there is ongoing secret communication between the US and Iran.
Furthermore, it is noticeable that Iranian statements are not attacking
President-elect Barack Obama directly, but US policy in the region.
There is an Iranian tendency to launch into attempts to establish a relationship
with America that is if the Obama administration agrees to comprehensive
negotiations and Washington is convinced of Iran’s regional influence. Steps may
be taken quickly towards appeasement following the upcoming Iranian elections
next June and American sources said that an American-interests section in Tehran
would be opened over the next few weeks.
As for the war in Afghanistan, Obama is set to support head of the US Central
Command General David Petraeus’ plan for a comprehensive campaign against the
militants followed by “negotiations with the reconcilables among the Taliban.”
The success of General Petraeus’ strategy will rely on Pakistani cooperation,
and Russian and Iranian goodwill, just as it will also rely on Saudi Arabia
exercising its influence on the Taliban (or the responsive elements within the
group anticipating a settlement) and on the Pakistani political and military
leadership.
Saudi Arabia has no problem in dealing with the Obama administration, but there
are several global ties that the new American government must smooth so that it
does not inherit a long war in Afghanistan. It must coordinate closely with its
European allies, and convince India that its interests will not be harmed if
Obama chooses to assure Russia that the USA does not threaten it.
This does not invalidate the importance of Obama recognizing Pakistani-security
interests in Afghanistan, which means reducing the Indian presence there. There
was assertion that Islamabad would not work with a Kabul-Delhi alliance against
its own national security from within Afghan territory.
And so we come to the Middle East and the Palestinian issue. Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert approved that Israel is committed to the establishment of a
Palestinian state, even after announcing his resignation. Olmert had discussed a
number of commitments with the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her
last visit to Israel, the most important of which was the pledge to withdraw a
large number of troops from the West Bank. The US Secretary of State also
requested that he put forward proposals to withdraw from the Golan Heights.
Olmert, just like President Bush, showed a desire to further the peace process
during his last months in office, in an attempt to salvage what is left of his
reputation. Olmert is expected to meet with President Bush in Washington at the
end of the month to discuss the establishment of a Palestinian state,
negotiations with Syria, and the Iranian nuclear program. President-elect Obama
is also expected to attend.
This summer, the Bush administration realized that the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state would not be accomplished by the beginning of
2009; rather the issue is likely to remain stalled for months due to the
upcoming Israeli elections, and the continuing deadlock between the Palestinian
Authority and Hamas.
Obama’s group of advisors for the Middle East are encouraging dialogue with
Syria, in spite of the recent US raid on Syrian territory close to the Iraqi
border. The US-Syria rapprochement is expected at the beginning of next year and
Syria indicated so by establishing ties with a number of European and Middle
Eastern countries, primarily Turkey.
The Obama administration will call for Syria to make decisive commitments to
respect the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon and that Syria establishes
diplomatic relations with Lebanon for the first time since the independence of
both countries. The American source said, “A new US receptiveness towards Syria
may lead to more stability in Lebanon and encourage reconciliation between the
March 14 Coalition and Damascus.”
The Obama administration will certainly also call for Syria to cease its support
for Hezbollah but this request clashes with the strategic importance of
Hezbollah as a key ally in the eyes of Damascus. Rather, Syria will propose that
it act as a bridge for the next American administration to encourage Hezbollah
to integrate into Lebanese politics, and convince it to abandon the conflict
with Israel. This of course is also dependant on the development of
Washington-Tehran ties.
On one hand, Lebanese optimists believe that Syrian-US rapprochement will result
in rapprochement between the Sunnis and Alawites in Tripoli, but this will not
happen without some extremists resorting to carrying out terrorist operations in
Lebanon.
The realists in Lebanon, on the other hand, say that the current state of calm
in Lebanon will only last until the beginning of 2009, when politicians will
begin to campaign for parliamentary elections. If the opposition is victorious
in the elections, then the strategy of national defence will incorporate
Hezbollah fighters in the regular military structure and at the same time,
Hezbollah will have significant influence over foreign and defence policy. If
the March 14 Coalition is successful in the elections then the government will
adhere to UN Resolution 1559 that calls for all armed groups within Lebanon to
disarm, applying pressure to Hezbollah, which will then insist on considering
itself resistance and will not give up its weapons unless it gains fundamental
political powers in return.
Therefore, unless there is a radical change in the region, Lebanon will remain
captive to Hezbollah’s weapons. Until the time comes for the Obama
administration to pay attention to the details of fundamental issues affecting
the Middle East, Lebanon will remain a “playing card” in the hands of various
parties because of its policies, and recognising the independence of [the
Republics of] Abkhazia and South Ossetia will not rescue Lebanon unless these
two countries inspire it to separate every group according to its region and to
not leave itself open for Russia to come in and butt heads with America on
Lebanese territory. Lebanon is a small country that could not afford to be part
of [political] games between nations.
'Obama didn't endorse Arab Peace Plan'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Former US ambassador to Israel Dennis Ross, who is a senior advisor to US
President-elect Barack Obama on Middle East policy, denied on Monday a Sunday
Times report that Obama is planning to base his peacemaking efforts in the
Middle East on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.
The Arab Peace Initiative, based on the Saudi peace plan of February 2002, calls
for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories taken in the Six Day War,
including east Jerusalem, in exchange for normalizing ties with the Arab world.
Quoting an adviser to Obama, the report states that during his visit to the
Middle East in July, the president-elect said Israel would be "crazy" to refuse
a deal that could "give them peace with the Muslim world."
According to the paper, Obama's advisers feel that the time is right for such a
deal as Arab countries fear rising radical Islamic movements and a potentially
nuclear Iran. They have reportedly told Obama he should not waste time, and must
begin pushing his policies within his first year in office while he still enjoys
maximum goodwill. Senior Jerusalem officials last month dismissed a sudden surge
of interest both in Israel and abroad in the initiative, saying it was a
function of both a diplomatic process that has stalled and the transition
periods in Israel, the US and the Palestinian Authority.
"Whenever the process stalls, there will be those who will pull out the Saudi
plan," one senior official said. "And the Saudis have an interest in pushing
this out there now, to put on a 'constructive face' with which to greet the new
US president." *Herb Keinon contributed to this report.
Israel to free 250 Palestinian prisoners
Prime Minister Olmert meets with Palestinian President Abbas in Jerusalem,
informs him Jewish state will release Fatah inmates as goodwill gesture in honor
of Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. All prisoners freed will be forced to sign
commitment not to return to terror
Roni Sofer Published: 11.17.08, 15:51 / Israel News
Another goodwill gesture to Palestinians: Israel will release 250 Fatah
prisoners in honor of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha which will take place at
the beginning of December, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced Monday during a
meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem. Israeli officials
clarified that the gesture will include the release of prisoners who were
involved in terror but belong to the moderate camp, and are not members of Hamas
or the Islamic Jihad. The release is part of Israel's effort to encourage the
moderate forces and prove that such gestures can only be reached by taking the
road of peace. All the prisoners slated to be freed will be forced to sign a
commitment that they would not return to the road of terror. Israeli officials
have began preparing the list of names of prisoners designated for release,
which will then be handed over to the Ministerial Committee on the Release of
Palestinian Prisoners. Sources at the Prime Minister's Office said that Israel
releases Palestinian prisoners every year ahead of the Muslim holiday.
Miliband: Iran feeling the impact of sanctions
Jersusalem Post/Iran is clearly feeling the effect of economic sanctions imposed
by the international community over its nuclear program, British Foreign
Secretary David Miliband told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. "Sanctions are
clearly having an impact on the Iranian economy," Miliband said, "as is the
global economic situation." "All nuclear proliferation is dangerous," but such
proliferation in the Middle East is "especially dangerous," Miliband added,
speaking at the end of the first day of a visit to the region that will also
take him to Syria and Lebanon. Iran, he noted, was facing five UN resolutions
demanding that it halt uranium enrichment, and was in conflict with the IAEA
over its nuclear program.
How Will Obama Manage the Iranian Time Bomb?
by Michael Ledeen
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/obamas-inevitable-crackberry-withdrawal/
November 14th, 2008 8:59 pm
Now he’s had his first real intelligence briefing, and it was probably an
eye-opener, because it’s quite a scene out there. I hope he’s got someone close
to him with the wit and the nerve to tell the president-elect that the
intelligence community is also a mess, and that he can be morally certain the
real world is even worse than the one he’s just been briefed about.
The real world is so frightening that I can’t imagine Hillary Clinton will be
foolish enough to accept the job of secretary of state; anyone who takes that
job is almost certain to fail. How can anyone believe that he or she has a good
chance of dealing with:
–the expanding anti-American alliance, now including Russia, Iran, Venezuela,
Ecuador, China, North Korea and Syria (remember that the “Axis of Evil” had only
three charter members);
–the global financial/economic crisis, which is almost surely in a relatively
early stage;
–allies wimping out all over. No one seems to have the stomach (and none has the
wherewithal) to mount a more aggressive campaign in Afghanistan, which Obama has
promised to do.
And that’s only the top of the list. The Iranian nuclear project is still there,
simmering away, as the mullahs almost daily threaten the destruction of Israel
and the United States. Iran claims to have tested yet another (long-range)
missile, and shown us photographs. The State Department, as always, clicked its
tongue, but since so many of these proclamations have proven false in the past,
there’s no reason I know of to take this one any more seriously than the earlier
hoaxes.
What IS clear about Iran could and should be good news for Obama and his team
(whoever they are): the regime shows every sign of being in a paranoid panic
over the hatred the Iranian people feel for the mullahs. Hence we have recently
seen a huge drill in the major cities, wherein tens of thousands of security
forces rehearse their actions in the event of an insurrection; new repression
against major non-Persian ethnic groups, including a ban against the use of the
Azeri language; and a mounting tempo of executions.
Yet so far as I can tell, neither Bush nor Obama has the slightest intention of
supporting democratic revolution in Iran, which is the key ingredient to any
successful American policy in the region. Both Bush and Obama insist on seeing
Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan as separate policy matters, a failure of strategic
vision that lies at the heart of our failed war plan for Iraq in the first
place, and which deflected our attention from Afghanistan long enough to permit
the Taliban and its Iranian supporters to rebuild their forces.
Until our policy makers finally come to terms with the hard truth that we are in
a regional war, and that it has to be waged on a regional scale, we will fail to
win the overall struggle. Yes, Iraq looks good today, and although there is
still a curious unwillingness to say it in Washington, we defeated al Qaeda in
Iraq. But it can all come apart quite quickly if we “declare victory and go
home,” because the Iranians and the Syrians will step up the terror war in Iraq.
It will be interesting to see who Obama picks to “manage” the Iranian time bomb.
My guess is that he will take people who have been wrong from the beginning. I’m
betting that he will find people from the Carter years, the ones who favored the
fall of the shah and rather liked the Ayatollah Khomeini.
Any takers?