LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
October 08/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10,38-42. As they
continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha
welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet
listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and
said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the
serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha,
you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
Master Eckhart (c.1260-1327), Dominican theologian
"Mary listened to him speak"Mary first had to become a Martha before she
could become a real Mary. Because so long as she remained at our Lord's feet she
was not yet so: in name she was, but not as yet in its spiritual actuality. Some
people stretch things so far that they would like to free themselves from all
work. But I say this is useless! It wasn't until they had received the Holy
Spirit that the disciples began to believe anything concretely. Mary too, so
long as she was sitting at our Lord's feet, was still learning; she had only
just begun to learn; she was learning how to live. But afterwards, when Christ
had ascended into heaven and she had received the Holy Spirit, only then did she
begin to serve. She crossed the sea, preached and taught and became a fellow
worker with the apostles. From the first moment of God's becoming man, both man
and God, Christ also began to work for our blessedness even to the end when he
died on the cross. There was not a member of his body that did not take part in
this great work.
Free Opinions,
Releases, letters & Special Reports
Experts mistake
Jihadi tactics.
By: Dr. Walid Phares 07/10/08
Should Syria be
Worried?By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed 07/10/08
Where a drug baron can reasonably look down on politicians-
The Daily Star 07/10/08
The 'war on terror' has proven to be a mixed bag-By
Laurie Mylroie 07/10/08
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for October
07/08
Report:
U.S. Sending Cobras to Lebanon to Face Syrian Intervention Threats-Naharnet
Hale:
U.S. has Not Changed Policy toward Lebanon, Syria 'at All'-Naharnet
5 Hizbullah Brigades
Operatives Arrested in Iraq-Naharnet
Olmert Urges Russia to
Prevent Weapons from Reaching Hizbullah-Naharnet
Security Alert Against
Possible Attack on Christian Target in North Lebanon-Naharnet
U.S. Embassy Warns of Potential
Dangers in 1st Half of October-Naharnet
Abul Aynayn: Mideast Stability
Depends on Establishment of Palestinian State
Tripartite Meeting
Discusses Israeli Violations-Naharnet
Aoun May Not Boycott
Dialogue-Naharnet
Berri Calls for Global
Campaign to Denounce Israel's Use of Cluster Bombs-Naharnet
Syrian Troop Buildup Now Expanded
to Cover Northern Bekaa-Naharnet
U.S.-Lebanon Military Commission to Bolster Cooperation-Naharnet
Washington Curbs Attempts by Syria, Iran to Control Lebanon, Assad Responds-Naharnet
Stocks plunge worldwide as US bailout fails to steel investors-(AFP)
UNIFIL hosts Lebanese, Israeli officers for talks in Naqoura-Daily
Star
Hezbollah source: A 'big surprise' awaits Israel
if it attacks Lebanon-Ha'aretz-Daily
Star
Washington and Beirut set up joint military panel-Daily
Star
Washington and Beirut set up joint military panel-Daily
Star
Is Damascus planning a return to Lebanon?-Daily
Star
Mitri: Lebanese deserve normalcy during polls-Daily
Star
Abu al-Aynayan advises Couchepin to read history-Daily
Star
Magistrate drops murder charges against Geagea-Daily
Star
Mossad boss wins award - for Mughniyeh assassination-Daily
Star
Berri calls for more pressure over cluster bombs-Daily
Star
Congestion limits growth in business at Beirut Port-Daily
Star
Lights in Lebanon will stay off if Egypt wants too much for power - Tabourian-Daily
Star
Beirut bans Chinese milk powder over health fears-
(AFP)
Jordanian woman, three children go missing-Daily
Star
UN details human trafficking in Lebanon features in report-Daily
Star
AUB president reminds incoming students that knowledge is fallible-Daily
Star
University of Maryland kicks off annual Rihani lectures-Daily
Star
Gibran from Mars and the Lebanese from Venus-Daily
Star
Pianist plays up Jeita Grotto's bid to win seven wonders contest-Daily
Star
Barak: Syrian border is calm
Defense Minister travels to Golan on anniversary of Yom Kippur
War, emphasizes that border is pastoral but it's important to remain wary
Hanan Greenberg Published: 10.07.08, 14:19 / Israel News
Thirty-five years after the Yom Kippur War broke out "the border along the Golan
Heights is the quietest in Israel," said Defense Minister Ehud Barak Tuesday
during a visit with a regional division. "The hemorrhage is along the
border with Lebanon but it's still important to be wary of what's happening"
along the border with Syria, he said. "Thirty-five years ago, upon these very
hills, Avigdor Kahalani sat along with a tank unit. They fought one of the
hardest, most demanding battles in the history of Israel and, due to their
courage, saved the nation," he said. "Now these hills are pastoral, but in the
north you can never now how quickly things will change and it's important to be
prepared for Advertisement any eventuality." He addressed the ongoing
contacts between Israel and Syria but noted that, nonetheless, "it's too early
to say what will happen as a result." During his visit to the Golan Heights,
Barak met with reservists, heard security briefings given by senior officers in
Northern Command and met with artillery soldiers in the midst of an exercise.
PHARES: Military Aid to Lebanese Army Means Guns and
Ammo for Hezbollah W. Thomas Smith Jr.
06 Oct 2008
The AP is reporting: “The United States and Lebanon on Monday set up a joint
military commission to bolster military cooperation — a move that follows the
first visit by the newly elected Lebanese president to Washington. …“At the time [of Lebanese Pres. Michel Sleiman’s September visit to Washington],
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was quoted as saying the Lebanese army was
given nearly $400 million in military assistance. A further $60 million worth of
aid, including helicopters, ammunition and Humvees, is awaiting Congress’
approval.”
Both nations have reportedly “signed three new military contracts worth $63
million” in U.S. grants to the Lebanese Army for “secure communications,
ammunition and infantry weapons:” Military aid which will ultimately end up in
the hands of Hezbollah, according to Middle East terrorism expert Dr. Walid
Phares.
“It is ironic to say it, but Hezbollah ‘authorized’ the creation of a U.S.
Lebanese military commission so that eventually the organization would seize the
U.S. made ‘secure communications, ammunition and infantry weapons,’” says Phares
in a conversation this evening.
“The unreal equation here is that the U.S. grants $460 million to a
Hezbollah-dominated government, thinking this half-billion dollars is going to
be part of an effort against terrorism. But Hezbollah which has the upper hand
over the political control of the Lebanese Army and has its hands and eyes
inside the Lebanese government will be — at the end of the day — the final
recipient of American military aid, as strange as it may appear.
“I am surprised that decision makers in the West, including in the U.S. really
believe that helicopters, ammunition and Humvees will be used in any fashion
against the will and the control of Hezbollah.
“Will the Lebanese Army use these weapons against Sunni Salafi militias in the
north? Sure, as scripted by Hezbollah. The shrewd Iranian-controlled
organization uses the Lebanese state to get U.S. weapons to be used against some
local Sunni bands, while securing the strategic control over the entire country.
As the 9/11 Commission puts it, ‘U.S. officials continue to have a failure in
imagination.’”
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.
Tripartite Meeting Discusses Israeli Violations
Naharnet/A tripartite meeting was held between officials from the
Lebanese army, U.N. peacekeeping officers and Israeli military representatives
at the border crossing of Ras al-Naqoura on Monday. Commander of the United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano met with Lebanese
army and Israeli military representatives and discussed with them "the
implementation of Resolution 1701 and violations of the Blue Line with a view to
preventing incidents," said UNIFIL spokesperson Yasmina Bouziane. "They also
discussed the marking of the Blue Line, the issue of the village of Ghajar" and
continued Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, Bouziane said.An Nahar daily
on Tuesday said the four-hour meeting was the first in two months. It came the
same day the newspaper reported that the UNIFIL command informed Lebanese
authorities that Israel is likely to withdraw from the Lebanese side of the
border village of Ghajar by November 21. An Nahar said that the command sent a
letter to "Lebanese official sides" a few days ago telling them that U.N.
peacekeepers "have information" about a possible Israeli pullout from the
northern part of the divided village of Ghajar, which is in Lebanese territory.
Beirut, 07 Oct 08, 08:04
5 Hizbullah Brigades Operatives Arrested in Iraq
Naharnet/U.S. forces have arrested five members of Hizbullah
Brigades in Iraq for alleged involvement in arms smuggling from Iran. A
statement issued by the U.S. army said the arrested were made on Saturday.
"Coalition forces, acting upon intelligence tips, targeted criminals suspected
of involvement in missile attacks against coalition and Iraqi security forces,"
according to the statement received by the independent news agency Aswat al-Iraq
"The five suspects were arrested in three separate places without incident,"
added the statement. It noted that "more than 30 criminals of Hizbullah Brigades
were arrested during the past couple of months".
The statement said Hizbullah Brigades are aided by Iran and its members are
believed to use missiles, mortar shells and explosively formed penetrators (EFPs)
in civilian areas. Beirut, 07 Oct 08, 12:06
Hale: U.S. has Not Changed Policy toward Lebanon, Syria 'at
All'
Naharnet/U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Hale said
Tuesday the United States has not changed its policy toward Lebanon or Syria.
"I've had numerous discussions with a range of Lebanese leaders and politicians
about the whole range of issues in the Lebanese – American relationship in the
region," Hale said in an interview with the Voice of Lebanon radio station
before holding talks with MP Michel Murr and later with President Michel
Suleiman.
"We just finished the military talks we launched and I've been talking to
Lebanese officials about the strong American support for Lebanon's independence
and for the continuation of our policies here, which have not changed," Hale
stressed. "It's an international community being committed to Lebanon
sovereignty as reflected in U.N. Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701," he
added. Hale said the U.S. "has not changed its policy toward Lebanon or toward
Syria."
"We remain very firm in seeking our goals and our objectives which are just
outlined. "So there has been absolutely no change in America's approach to the
issues at all. The message was very clear and we needed to see performance in
the areas that I've just outlined. Syria has a long long way to go before it had
anywhere met these area objectives." Beirut, 07 Oct 08, 11:16
Washington Curbs Attempts by Syria, Iran to Control
Lebanon, Assad Responds
Naharnet/The United States has launched a preemptive effort aimed
at aborting attempts by allies of Syria and Iran to gain additional influence in
Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories while Washington is preoccupied
with the presidential elections campaign and its aftermath. A U.S. diplomatic
source told Naharnet the visits by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David
Hale and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Mary
Beth Long are aimed at following up a plan that was launched by Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice and her assistant David Welch with Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid Muallem in New York last week. The two-pronged U.S. plan revives
contacts with Syria and its allies while maintaining a no-contact policy
regarding Iran and Hizbullah; and establishes contacts with Lebanese officials
with the aim of outlining support to state institutions. The U.S. move launched
by Hale in Beirut on Saturday included meetings with reputed pro-Syria
opposition politician Elie Firzli, an ex-MP. In his previous visit, Hale had
held talks with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun as well as with
independent politicians seeking to support President Michel Suleiman, including
Neemat Frem, ex-Minister Roger Deeb, Dr. Nabil Hkayem, ex-Ambassador Simon Karam
and Richard Jraisatti. By establishing such a wide range of contacts, the United
States wants to "relay a strong message" that it backs President Suleiman, the
Lebanese government, the military establishment, the security forces and
security agencies, the source explained. He said the initial outcome of the U.S.
move was outlined Sunday evening by Syrian President Bashar Assad who informed
Suleiman during a telephone contact that the deployment of Syrian troops off
Lebanon's northern borders was in line with UNSCR 1701, which bans the illegal
transfer of weapons and gunmen from Syria to Lebanon. Assad, by making the
announcement, backed off from his previous stand that had linked the military
deployment to the alleged threat by fundamentalist factions deployed in north
Lebanon, the U.S. official concluded. Beirut, 06 Oct 08, 15:23
Report: U.S. Sending Cobras to Lebanon to Face Syrian
Intervention Threats
Naharnet/The U.S. has decided to withdraw Cobra gunship
helicopters from Jordan to send them to Lebanon after Prime Minister Fouad
Saniora alerted Washington about a Syrian plot of a large-scale terror attack or
assassination to drum up an excuse for an intervention into northern Lebanon,
the Israeli DEBKAfile website reported. Citing military sources, it said the
decision was taken during talks between Lebanese officials and U.S. Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State David Hale and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense
for International Security Affairs Mary Beth Long. Long arrived in Beirut
Sunday, joining Hale, who has held several days of talks with Lebanese
politicians. The helicopters were to be dispatched with the intention to put
Damascus under the impression that the U.S. will intervene militarily if Syrian
troops, massed on the northern border with Lebanon, should penetrate. The
website said a Lebanese military delegation will visit Jordan on Tuesday to
inspect the Cobras stored there after fighting in Iraq. They will have to work
out, however, how to transport them to Lebanon, DEBKAfile said:
- Either disassembled aboard large American transport planes via Israeli air
space over the Mediterranean to Lebanon. - Or have American pilots fly them by
the same path. - Or by the slowest route -- loaded in parts aboard a freighter
at Jordan's Red Sea port of Aqaba, and then carried through the Suez Canal to
the Mediterranean. According to the military sources, the U.S. has promised
Cobra flight training for Lebanese air crews. Until they are ready, the gunships
will be flown by civilian fliers from the Middle East with military skills.
Beirut, 07 Oct 08, 10:22
U.S.-Lebanon Military Commission to Bolster Cooperation
Naharnet/The United States and Lebanon on Monday set up a joint
military commission to bolster military cooperation — a move that follows the
first visit by President Michel Suleiman to Washington. A joint statement Monday
by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the Lebanese army said the commission will
provide an annual opportunity to discuss military cooperation. It also said the
two sides signed three new military contracts worth $63 million in U.S. grants
to the Lebanese army for secure communications, ammunition and infantry weapons.
The U.S.-Lebanon Joint Military Commission (JMC) "will provide an annual
opportunity for the United States and Lebanon to commit to military cooperation
goals for the coming years and to review commitments made in the past year," the
statement said.
Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for
International Security Affairs Mary Beth Long led the commission's inaugural
session Monday. Long arrived in Beirut Sunday, joining U.S. Deputy Secretary of
State for Near East Affairs David Hale who has held separate talks with Lebanese
politicians for several days. "Participants in this year's JMC discussed current
and future military assistance to Lebanon, including the need for a broad range
of military capabilities for counterterrorism," the statement said.
The development comes against the backdrop of a Syrian troop buildup along
Lebanon's northern border and follows bombings blamed on Islamic militants in
the two neighboring countries. Syrian President Bashar Assad has said the
deployment is aimed at cracking down on smugglers and told Suleiman in a
telephone call Sunday that it was in line with a U.N. resolution requiring the
tightening of the border. Still, the State Department on Monday said it was
concerned by the Syrian military activity. "Any intervention by Syrian troops
into Lebanon would be unacceptable," deputy spokesman Robert Wood told reporters
in Washington. "The recent terrorist attacks that took place in Tripoli and
Damascus should not serve as a pretext for further Syrian military engagement."
Suspected militants have targeted the Lebanese army in two bombings in the last
two months in the northern port city of Tripoli, killing 25 people, many of them
soldiers. Also, a Sept. 27 car bombing in Damascus killed 17 people. "The Syrian
government is well aware of our views with regard to any kind of military
activity along the border," Wood said.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 07 Oct 08, 04:07
Olmert Urges Russia to Prevent Weapons from Reaching
Hizbullah
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has urged Russia to support
his country's peace talks with Syria and prevent arms smuggling to Lebanon, an
official from Olmert's office said. The official quoted Olmert as telling
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov late Monday that Moscow should back
Turkish-brokered indirect negotiations between Israel and Syria and "prevent
weapons from Syria from reaching extremist elements in Lebanon, such as
Hizbullah."
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting's content was
not officially made public. Olmert's trip to Moscow aims to focus on the issue
of Russian arms sales to Israel's enemies.
Olmert has announced he will step down in a matter of weeks or months — as soon
as a new government is formed or elections are held. That leaves him with little
influence, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's invitation may amount to a
respectful farewell. The two men will meet Tuesday.
However, Olmert said Sunday he would emphasize Israel's security concerns,
including "the supply of arms to irresponsible elements whose activities worry
us very much." He also said he would work to resolve "the Iranian problem, where
Russia plays a special role."Iran says it plans to buy from Russia advanced
S-300 anti-aircraft missiles that could target aircraft sent to destroy its
nuclear facilities. Syria, which backs Hizbullah, reportedly has asked to buy
them, too.
Russia has not confirmed the reports, but Lavrov said recently his government
was prepared to sell Syria arms of a "defensive character."
On sales to Iran, state weapons exporter Rosoboronexport said only that "we do
not have such information," the ITAR-Tass news agency reported Monday.
"The international community's challenge is to strengthen moderate and pragmatic
forces in the Middle East, and acts that strengthen extremist elements are
counterproductive," Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said in Moscow. Russia,
meanwhile, is emphasizing its role as one of the "Quartet" of international
mediators on the Middle East. "The situation in the Middle East, the peace
process and international priorities for its promotion ... will be among the
central issue on the agenda," a Kremlin official said.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 07
Oct 08, 05:11
Security Alert Against Possible Attack on Christian Target
in North Lebanon
Naharnet/Lebanese security officials, political leaders and
religious authorities have received warnings against preparations by regional
intelligence agencies to launch a "suicide attack" against a Christian target in
north Lebanon with the aim of stirring up a Christian-Sunni confrontation. Well
informed sources told Naharnet religious authorities and security officials have
been advised to take precautionary measures around churches, monasteries,
schools and universities run by Christian organizations, as well as the seats of
bishops in the northern city of Tripoli and surrounding villages. The security
alert also covered the summer seat of the Maronite Church in Diman and the
Lebanon seat of Greek Orthodox Patriarch A. Hazim in the Balamand region as
possible targets. Security officials also ordered tightened security
measures around the residences of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in the
Cedar district, Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh in Bnashii, and MP
Nayla Moawad in Zghorta. By choosing targets from the various Christian
churches, the scheme aims at stirring up Christian-Sunni confrontation, by
attributing such attacks to fundamentalist Islamist groups. The alleged
perpetrators want to alter the balance of power in north Lebanon prior to the
2009 general elections, the sources said. March 14 leaders believe the plan is
similar to the serial assassination campaign that started on Oct. 1, 2004 by
targeting then cabinet minister Marwan Hamadeh, who escaped with serious wounds.
That campaign, which also included the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik
Hariri, aimed at preventing the anti-Syria alliance from winning the elections
by terrorizing its voters. However, Syria's allies accuse March 14 forces of
seeking to block the 2009 elections or scaring off the population with
terror-like attacks because they realize that they would not be able to harvest
majority of the new parliament's seats.
Beirut, 06 Oct 08, 17:14
Lebanon Bans Chinese Milk Products After Melamine Scandal
Naharnet/Lebanon has banned the import of all powdered milk
products from China over a contamination scandal that sparked global concern
about Chinese food imports. "I have asked that all powdered milk products be
banned because of what is happening in China," Agriculture Minister Elias Skaff
said Monday, adding that the measure took effect late last week. He said he has
also asked that all Chinese powdered milk products already on the Lebanese
market be withdrawn.
According to the agriculture ministry, some 500 tons of powdered milk is
imported each year to Lebanon from China. The industrial chemical melamine is at
the center of the scandal. Milk powder containing melamine has been blamed for
killing four babies and sickening more than 54,000 children with kidney stones
and other illnesses in China.The scandal has sparked global concern about
Chinese food imports and recalls in several countries from Asia to Europe of
Chinese-made products, including milk powder, cookies and candies. China's
cabinet vowed a complete overhaul of the scandal-ridden dairy industry Monday,
pledging to inspect every link from the farm to the dinner table to try to
restore public trust in Chinese-made food products. In its strongest action yet,
China's highest level of government called the industry "chaotic" and
acknowledged there was a lack of oversight. At Monday's meeting of the State
Council, or Cabinet, the government said it would punish companies and officials
involved in the contamination of milk products. Police detained six more people
suspected of tampering with milk in northern China, a spokeswoman said, bringing
to 32 the number of people arrested in the scandal.(AFP-AP-Naharnet) (AP photo
shows Chinese laboratory technicians testing samples of Chinese milk products at
a laboratory in Mengniu Dairy) Beirut, 07 Oct 08, 03:14
U.S. Embassy Warns of Potential Dangers in 1st Half of
October
Naharnet/The U.S. embassy has issued a warning to its citizens
about potential violent actions targeting Americans in Lebanon and called on its
nationals to increase their security awareness. It said the threats were
particularly high in the first half of October. "The U.S. embassy is concerned
about the potential for groups or individuals to exploit the end of the holy
month of Ramadan to undertake violent actions targeting Americans," the mission
said in a statement. "U.S. citizens in Lebanon are reminded to maintain a high
level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security
awareness," it said. It urged Americans to review their planned movements and to
remain vigilant during this time. "American citizens should also carefully
assess the need to visit popular gathering spots or other public places where
large numbers of people are present," the embassy said.(AP photo shows a man
walking in front of a mural showing a Lebanese flag with an Arabic writing that
reads: 'We want to live cool') Beirut, 07 Oct 08, 05:52
Aoun May Not Boycott Dialogue
Naharnet/Change and Reform bloc leader Michel Aoun on Monday made
a surprise political turn, saying he would not boycott national dialogue, but "I
might just watch them." Aoun also said he wants intra-Christian reconciliation
on a sound base, noting that whoever "opposes my participation reflects his bad
intentions." Aoun made the remarks to reporters at his residence in Rabiyeh
following a meeting by his bloc members. Aoun said the security situation "is
not good" claiming that "some cells are planted in northern areas, and they
express themselves by blasts." He renewed his rejection to an alleged plot aimed
at naturalizing Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, an issue that is already
rejected by constitutional text. He urged Israel to "open its borders to
(Returning) Palestinians."
Beirut, 06 Oct 08, 18:23
Should Syria be Worried?
07/10/2008
By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed
Asharq Alawsat
There are two possible scenarios for the appalling bombing in Damascus: Was the
bombing planned by outside parties, as suggested by the Syrian capital's media
analyses, or was it an unexpected incident?
I will start with the second scenario and I am confident that no one to date
knows the whole truth except of course the perpetrator himself. This is a war
between the strongest terrorist organization in the world and the most powerful
security services in the Middle East. There is not a security body [in the
Middle East] that is more influential than the Syrian security services, which
have been known over the past three decades for their successful operations.
Syria has devoted special attention to security and put it before all other
considerations, thus becoming an expert in security matters. For this reason,
and throughout the years of Iraq's domestic war, the Iraqis and the Americans
rejected Damascus's claims that it knew nothing about the infiltration
activities from Syrian territories all the way to the southern borders. They
also had a problem accepting the excuses it used when confronted with accurate
information that it could not close its long borders with Iraq and that with its
tremendous power, the United States has failed to prevent infiltration from
Mexico into US territory. Despite the reasonable Syrian response, someone once
said: "O brother, not a single fly can enter or leave Syria without the Syrians
knowing about it."
No one believed the Syrian version of the story, because thousands of people,
who came to Iraq from around the world, crossed the border with their weapons.
Some officials were more candid in their statements and said: "We have nothing
to do with all that is happening [in Iraq] and there are no Syrians in Iraq. Yet
at the same time, we cannot prevent others from resisting the occupation."
Several states embraced or turned a blind eye to armed groups and paid the
price. These states believe that first, they are smarter and more skillful; and
second, that they are protected.
When terrorism hit Syria, the Syrian reaction was similar to that of most Arab
states that were affected by it. At the beginning they are in a state of shock,
and after a few bombings, they insist that there is an outside conspiracy
against them. The Algerians reiterated these words at the beginning of the
1980s, and in the end, they admitted that terrorism was a local creation that
they had to confront. Today, the Syrians discovered that the bombing was a
suicide operation and was not caused by a booby-trapped car that was remotely
detonated by some terrorist.
Syria believed that the terrorist activities that are directed to the outside
cannot harm it. And like all other Arab states, Syria also believed that it was
smarter than others and more capable of dealing with terrorism with the help of
its security bodies. However, today, it discovered that it is but another
target. We admit that Syrian security is extremely strong and vicious.
Nevertheless, terrorism is not like any other threat and is not like anything we
ever experienced in the past. Religious extremist terrorism is multiplying like
bacteria and the strongest security apparatuses in the world are unable to put
an end to it. This is because after an individual is brainwashed in a mosque,
through an electronic website, or through television, he becomes stronger than
the most powerful security services in the world. Unfortunately, Syria has
allowed cross-border terrorism to move freely in its land for a long time, based
on the notion that it is the best and cheapest weapon that will force the
Americans to backtrack on their position to the advantage of its political
calculations. Finally, Damascus has gone back on its position and has started to
cooperate after all the pressure that has been exerted on it following
Al-Hariri's assassination.
Damascus has served as the best source of information on the mujahidin and has
helped hunt them down. As a result, violence in Iraq has dropped by 80 percent.
With time, the Syrians will discover that they are not the victims of an outside
conspiracy, not even by those who disagree with them the most. This is because
these parties believe that by preserving Syria's security they will be
preserving their own security and that any vacuum or chaos will affect them all,
as was the case in Iraq. However, the political tension and security
non-cooperation that exist on the ground are in no one's best interest. For its
own political, sectarian, and economic reasons, Syria needs -- more than any
other state -- to cooperate against terrorism rather than to selectively
cooperate with Iran and its allies.
Experts mistake Jihadi tactics
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
By Walid Phares
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=16285
The main finding of the last 19 years since the Soviet collapse is that Jihadi-led
terrorism has become a central threat to democracies worldwide. The debate among
Jihadi Salafists since the Khartoum conferences in the early 1990s wasn’t
between those who advocated violent Jihad as a concept and those who rejected
it, as many experts in the West continue to erroneously affirm. The gist of that
Jihadi debate was between two schools, as to which enemy to target and how.
Combat-Jihad (al Jihad al Qitali) is a tool, a weapon, not a sui generis
doctrine by itself. As I advanced in my first post-9/11 book, Future Jihad, the
realist school—the classical Wahhabis and the Muslim Brotherhood—advocated a
reserved attitude towards engaging the West militarily before being able to
achieve strategic parity with the West. Unfortunately, a number of analyses in
the West confused this strategic approach with an alleged commitment to
non-violent means. Hence, we’ve had a very poor understanding of Jihadi
penetration for more than one decade. Today we see the emergence of a similar
understanding within the Western counterterrorism community, which argues that
the classical Jihadists are philosophically non-violent, thus they can be
partnered with liberal democracies against the philosophically violent Jihadis
such as al Qaeda.
Such a fundamental mistake in analysis and understanding can affect national
security doctrines in the West and lead them into more serious and erroneous
assessments in the future: for the debate among Jihadis is not about the use of
violence or not. It is about when to use it, against whom and under which
conditions. If that level of analysis is missing in the West, then another
decade may well be lost in unsuccessful and futile attempts to find the "good
Jihadists" and enlist them against the "bad Jihadists."
Jihadis split over strategies, not violence
The split within the Jihadist community is not about the philosophy of violence
because Jihad is not only and always sheer military action. There are Jihadi
goals to attain, and Jihadi "qital" (combat) is only one means to achieve these
goals. The Salafists (Wahhabis or Muslim Brotherhood) can decide not to resort
to Qital as long as they are making progress in changing the balance of power to
their advantage. But as the balance is changing, they will move to the next
stage and use all means at their disposal, including Jihadi Qital.
The analytical mistake committed by some is to single out a "moment" in Jihadi
strategy and think it is "the" Jihadi strategy. Hence we are witnessing the
proliferation of academics’ and experts’ calls to "engage" with the non-violent
Jihadis as if the latter were a category in itself. In fact, this is a truncated
reading of the whole process of Jihadism. Worse, it is also a maneuver by the
Jihadists in their war of ideas to ignite trends within the realm of their
enemies (liberal democracies) which would actually slow down the process of
containment. In short, what some call "engagement" is in fact a successful move
on behalf of the long term Jihadist to obstruct the West and other democracies
from moving forward in their own campaign.
From that perspective and, in view of the comprehensive monitoring of the Jihadi
movement as a whole (both realists and combat Salafists), Jihadi terrorism has
become a central threat to democracies at large. But that threat is even more
evident and menacing with regard to Europe, i.e., the countries who are members
of the European Union. The networks, both ideological and militant, have had
several decades of penetration on the continent. The most affected areas are
naturally the former colonial countries such as France and Great Britain, but
also Spain, Holland and Italy. Germany, Scandinavia and the Benelux also
absorbed a Salafi presence towards the end of the Cold War. In the big picture,
Western Europe has been the recipient of significant influence and networks of
Islamists from several regions of the world, particularly from the Maghreb,
sub-Indian continent, and the Levant.
Central Europe and now Eastern Europe are witnessing a progression in the
penetration process. But in view of the nature of Communist control for decades,
the Jihadists do not yet have strongholds in cities such as Prague, Warsaw,
Bratislava, Budapest and beyond. From scanning the internet, however, one can
see the steady expansion of Salafism, and to some extent Khomeinist influence,
but mostly migrating from Western Europe. Eventually the networks will be
extended from West to East, following the expansion of the European Union
itself. But let’s note that an East-West Jihadi migration is also emanating from
the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Wahhabi-funded groups from Bosnia, Kosovo,
Albania, Chechnya and other spots are now landing in central Europe.
Another aspect of Jihadi penetration in Europe is the financial network
expanding across the continent in terms of the "high finances" of Wahhabi-supported
interests as well as the "low finances" of al Qaeda-type factions, both using
European banking systems. The Iranian-Hezbollah financial web is also present
and is detectable in Germany and Scandinavia.
Failure of Expertise
Current European expertise in counterterrorism is spending serious time and
heavy funding on an attempt to understand the rise of this web of Jihadism,
which is coined as the "radicalization factor." Since the Madrid attacks in
2004, the European expert investigations have centered on the socio-economic and
"root causes" of terrorism. But alternative findings, also emerging from
European research, are increasingly demonstrating that the "non-Jihadi" root
causes aren’t providing strategic answers. Rather, the expert advice provided to
national governments and Europeans since 9/11 has failed to predict the rapid
rise of the networks. Even more perturbing is that the advising process
continues to push towards the "non-Jihadi" theories, even as they have collapsed
critically.
For example, the classical school in counterterrorism alleges that the Jihadists
do not have one overarching ideology across the continent, but separate and
distinct doctrines related to local claims and demands. This claim has been
shattered by the mountain of evidence that the grand doctrine -al Aqida al
Jihadiya- is omnipresent from London’s enclaves to Marseilles’ suburbs and, more
importantly, goes unchallenged on the internet.
Another example is the failure to understand the central core of the ideology,
whose long range goals are not satisfied by political or socio-economic
negotiations. The so-called disenfranchisement argument has also been shattered
by the Jihadists themselves. One, their agenda rejects it; two, their social
strata disprove it; and three, the direct causality between disenfranchisement
and terrorism is simply not valid. Nevertheless, many advisors on Islamism
continue to push a legless body of arguments, depriving decision-makers and the
public from real solutions.
Ignoring who best to engage
On the other hand, the much-needed tactic of engaging counter-Jihadi Muslims and
civil society groups in the Greater Middle East has been almost ignored by
chanceries and their counterterrorism experts. Ironically, instead of focusing
on engaging the dissidents, pro-democracy human rights NGOs and activists, the
"advice" extended to European Governments and now to the United States as well,
is to engage the Islamists, and even the Jihadists.
This tactic is the result of a systemic failure of understanding not only the
Jihadist strategies and realities, but also the political sociology inside the
Arab and Muslim world and the immigrant communities in the West and in Europe.
Government policy makers were almost convinced by their senior advisers,
themselves relying on academic and professional expertise that the road to
de-radicalization goes through an engagement with the radicals, or those who are
a little bit less radical. Hence the move - and the spending - to integrate the
Muslim Brotherhood, Wahhabis and Khomeinists in a bilateral dialogue with law
enforcement and higher political levels for a few years now.
Obviously, the issue is not about having or not having a dialogue with these
Islamist factions. It is not about "talking." It is really about hoping that
these bilateral discussions will effectively lead to de-radicalization.
Undoubtedly, these engagements aren’t leading to reversing the radicalization
processes, and they never will. Law enforcement and intelligence reports are
clear in proving that none of this thinking has led to a reverse of Jihadization,
either in Europe or in the United States.
Counter-Jihadists win
In contrast, findings show that the activities by counter-Jihadist Muslim groups
and similar cadres are the leading factors to help resist the advance of radical
mobilization. The equations I have tested for over twenty years are verifiable:
every time Jihadists and counter-Jihadists engage in a battle of ideas,
counter-Jihadists win. Every time Jihadists are alone on the scene, obviously,
they win.
It is now imperative that a renewed debate about radicalization in Europe,
particularly in light of an EU Czech Presidency for half a year, restructures
the engagement process to include the democracy segments within Middle Eastern
and Muslim communities on the continent. Czech and central European experience
in dissidence-dynamics and counter totalitarian processes is a needed component
in the wider European effort to contain the Salafist and Khomeinist ideological
expansion.
The forthcoming Czech Presidency of the European Union must initiate a strategy
on support for democracy as one of the new policies needed to win the battle of
de-radicalization. Engagement must remain a solid principle, but with whom to
engage strategically is the real question. Those who deserve systematic and
relentless backing are those who in their communities are willing to fight for
the shared values of democracy and humanism. All attempts to ignore them have
led to strengthening the very forces which are spreading Jihadism. Europeans and
Americans have a real choice ahead of them, they must not fail again.
**Walid Phares writes for the Cutting Edge News and is the Director of the
Future Terrorism Project at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a
visiting scholar at the European Foundation for Democracy. He is the author of
The war of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy.