LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 28/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9,43-45. And all were astonished by the majesty of God. While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men. But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger [Pope Benedict XVI]
Lenten sermons 1981, no.3/"The Son of Man is to be handed over to men"
When the Roman soldiers had scourged Jesus, crowned with thorns as he was and clothed with a robe of mockery, they led him to Pilate. It seems that this tough soldier was shaken at the sight of this broken and battered man. He showed him to the crowd, inviting their pity as he announced: «Idou ho anthropos; Ecce homo» or, as we usually translate it: «Behold the man!» In Greek, however, what this means more precisely is: «See, this is man!» In Pilate's mouth the words were cynical and meant: «As for us, we are proud of being men, but take a look at this one, this worm: this is man. How despicable he is, how small!» Yet in these cynical words John the Evangelist recognised words of prophecy that he then passed on to all christians. Indeed, Pilate was right to say: «See, this is man!» In him, in Jesus Christ, we can read what man, God's purpose, is and what is the treatment we reserve for him. In the torn body of Jesus we can see just how cruel, small-minded and petty man can be. In him we can read the history of man's hatred and sin. But in him, in his suffering love, we can see God's response even more: Yes, this is the man God loved even to the dust, whom God loved even to the point of following him into the final suffering of death. Right up to his final humiliation he remains God's chosen, the brother of Jesus Christ, called to share in God's eternal love. The question, «What is man?» finds its answer in imitation of Jesus Christ. Walking in his steps we are able to learn each day what man is, in the patience of love and in suffering with Jesus Christ, and thus become men. So we want to look towards him whom Pilate, and whom the Church, shows us. Man is what he is. Let us ask him to teach us to become real men, to be men.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Dr. Walid Phares: Syrian Mukhabarat Perhaps Responsible for Today's Car-Bomb Attack. By: W. Thomas Smith Jr. 28/09/08
Tensions flare between WCCR director and Lebanon’s (pro-Hezbollah) foreign minister at D.C. reception. By: W. Thomas 27/09/08
Sharia Law: Coming to a Western Nation Near You?. By Cinnamon Stillwell 27/09/08
Reforming Lebanon's electoral law is a good start, but it won't be enough-The Daily Star 27/09/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 27/08
Najjar: Lebanon, Syria, Saudi in Danger-Naharnet
Damascus rocked by deadly car bomb-guardian.co.uk
Car Bomb Kills 17 in Damascus-New York Times
Syria condemns Damascus car bombing as "cowardly terrorist act"-Xinhua
Washington Warns Against Manipulating Lebanon's Forthcoming Elections -Naharnet
Nasrallah Courts Dear Beirut, Advises Government to Purchase Black Market Weapons -Naharnet
Cobras or No Cobras to Lebanon?-Naharnet
Washington Criticizes Salloukh for Leaking Information -Naharnet
Beirut Free of Provocative Posters -Naharnet
Israel Thwarted at Least 10 Kidnap Attempts by Hizbullah, Report -Naharnet
Rice Says Lebanon Much Better Than Before-Naharnet
Hariri: Removing Posters and Banners from Beirut in Three Days-Naharnet
Berri Accuses Israel of Launching Intelligence War on Lebanon-Naharnet
Hariri-Nasrallah Reunion before Fitr Holiday!-Naharnet
Assad Backs Lebanon's National Dialogue-Naharnet
Lebanon is Losing its Forests!-Naharnet
McCartney Performs in Tel Aviv, Says he is Bringing Message of Peace -Naharnet
Reconciliation among rivals 'victory for all,' Sleiman tells ...Daily Star
Rice says Lebanon better off since Bush administration came to power-Daily Star
Nasrallah pledges to maintain spirit of consensus in Lebanon-Daily Star
Bassil plans to expand ADSL in Lebanon-Daily Star
Reforming Lebanon's electoral law is a good start, but it won't be ...Daily Star
Berri accuses Israel of launching intelligence war against Lebanon-Daily Star
Israel claims to have thwarted 50 Hizbullah abduction attempts-The Daily Star
Lights out: Lebanon faces looming power crisis-Daily Star
Thousands of Iraqi Christians find refuge in Lebanon-Daily Star
Forest fires 'pushing Lebanon toward desertification'-By IRIN News.org
Teaching multiple languages to children in Lebanon: How soon is too soon for little minds?-Daily Star

Damascus rocked by deadly car bomb Explosion in south of Syrian capital is second major terrorist bombing this year and comes on top of assassinations
Jenny Percival guardian.co.uk,
Saturday September 27 2008
At least 17 people were killed and 14 others injured today when a car bomb exploded on a crowded residential street in Damascus, the Syrian capital.
A car containing 200kg of explosives blew up on Mahlak Street in the south of the city near a road leading to the international airport, according to a report on Syrian television. The Syrian interior minister, Bassam Abdul-Majid, called the bombing a "terrorist act" and said all the victims were civilians. "We cannot accuse any party. There are ongoing investigations that will lead us to those who carried it out," Abdul-Majid told state television.
Such bombings are rare in Syria, a tightly controlled country where the regime of the president, Bashar Assad, uses tough tactics to crack down against dissent and maintain stability. But in the last year there have been two major assassinations, and recent years have seen bombings blamed on Sunni Muslim militants opposed to Syria's secular government. Today's bombing is by far the largest and will test the government's tight grip on security. Television footage showed shattered windows in apartment buildings and a wrecked car with its roof twisted. The explosion was at a junction leading to Saydah Zeinab, a holy shrine for Shia Muslims about five miles away. The shrine is frequently visited by Iranian and Iraqi pilgrims. There is an intelligence building in the area. Cars are not normally allowed to park nearby and it was not clear how close the bombing was to the building. Al-Manar, a satellite TV station linked to Lebanon's Shia militant group Hizbullah, carried witness reports that more than 14 people were injured including children. Police sealed off the area after the blast at 8.45am local time. The last major bombing in Damascus was in February when a car bomb killed Imad Mughniyeh, one of the world's most wanted and elusive terrorists. The former Hizbullah security chief was suspected of masterminding attacks that killed hundreds of Americans in Lebanon, as well as brutal kidnappings of westerners. Hizbullah and its top ally, Iran, blamed Israel for the assassination. Israel denied any involvement. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/27/syria.terrorism

2nd Car Bomb in Damascus Since Mughniyeh Killing
Naharnet/A car bomb exploded near a Shiite shrine in southern Damascus on Saturday killing 17 people and wounding 14 others in one of the deadliest attacks to hit Syria in a dozen years, state media said. The car packed with 200 kilograms of explosives blew up near a security checkpoint on a road to Damascus international airport. Interior Minister General Bassam Abdel Majid told state television the attack was "a terrorist act" and that all the casualties were civilians.
"A counter-terrorist unit is trying to track down the perpetrators... We can't point the finger at any side."The rare attack in a country known for its iron-fist security came at 8:45 am (0545 GMT) during the morning rush-hour in the teeming neighborhood of Sayeda Zeinab, the state-run SANA news agency said, quoting a Syrian official. The district is popular among Shiite pilgrims from Iran, Lebanon and Iraq who pray at the tomb of Zeinab, daughter of the Shiite martyr Ali and granddaughter of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed. SANA has said that more than two million people visit the shrine each year.
Witnesses told state television the bomb could have claimed more victims if it had taken place a day later. "It felt like an earthquake. The force of the explosion threw me out of bed," said one man who lives near the scene of the blast. "Thank God this was Saturday. The catastrophe would have been bigger if the attack had taken place on Sunday when schools were open."
A boy said: "May Allah break the hands of those who did this."State television broadcast footage showing damage to cars, a building and a bus, but security guards banned journalists from approaching the scene, which was cordoned off. The precise target of the bombing was not immediately known.
"Syria is targeted, either by countries whose interests contradict those of Damascus... or by other groups who have an interest in undermining Syrian security," law professor Ibrahim Darraji told AFP. The blast was the deadliest since a spate of attacks in the 1980s blamed on Muslim Brotherhood militants.
It was the worst since February when Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh, linked to attacks on Western and Israeli targets in the 1980s and 1990s, was killed in a Damascus car bombing. The Lebanese Shiite group blamed Israel, which denied any involvement. Syria called Mughniyeh's murder a "terrorist" act.
Saturday's attack also comes after Lebanon said on Monday that Syria had boosted troop numbers along the border. Damascus said the move was to combat smuggling. In August, Syria confirmed the assassination of top army general Mohammed Suleiman, described in Arab media as having been the government's liaison with Hizbullah. The Saudi-owned pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat said he was a senior officer "in charge of sensitive files and closely linked to the Syrian top brass."
On Thursday the head of the U.N. atomic agency, Mohammed ElBaradei, revealed that the watchdog's probe into alleged illicit nuclear work in Syria has been delayed because the agency's contact man in Syria had been murdered.
He did not reveal the contact's identity.
"The reason that Syria has been late in providing additional information (is) that our interlocutor has been assassinated in Syria," ElBaradei told a closed-door session of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-member board. U.S. President George Bush on Tuesday again accused Syria and its key regional ally Iran of sponsoring terrorism, saying in a farewell speech to the U.N. General Assembly that such violence "has no place in the modern world."(AFP)
Beirut, 27 Sep 08, 13:59

PHARES: Syrian Mukhabarat Perhaps Responsible for Today's Car-Bomb Attack W. Thomas Smith Jr.
27 Sep 2008
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
A powerful car-bomb detonated this morning in the Syrian capital, killing at least 17 and wounding scores. Why, who, or what terrorist entity is responsible has since been the subject of much speculation. But Middle East terrorism expert Professor Walid Phares says one “very possible scenario is that the attack was executed by the Syrian Mukhabarat (intelligence service) or one of these agencies as a prelude to attack Sunni strongholds inside Lebanon."
Speaking by phone from Paris – where he is currently briefing counterterrorism experts, Defense officials, and others at the French Military Academy – Phares says: "When you connect the dots between Syrian President [Bashar] Assad, who calls on Lebanon's president to send troops to the heavily Sunni-populated areas of north Lebanon, to the massing of Syrian troops along the northern borders, and then to the statements made by Syrian officials on Arab TV – including this morning on al Jazeera – that factions within Lebanon could be behind the explosion, you cannot but see the big picture: The strategic target of the Syrian regime is to control the Sunni areas in northern Lebanon who are fiercely opposing the pro-Assad Alawite militias in Tripoli and the advance of Hezbollah's special units across the northern Bekaa towards Akkar in northern Lebanon."
So the question is, would Syrian Intelligence forces actually detonate an explosive device on Syrian soil as a means of enflaming a situation, framing Lebanon, and creating an excuse to launch attacks across Lebanon's borders?
Experts know there is no question but that they would. And as Phares explains: "The Syrian regime is desperately attempting to establish a perception of itself within the international community that Syria is engaged in combating Al Qaeda and its ilk inside Lebanon. It is within this perception that Syria hopes to gain some legitimacy from the West in order that Damascus may extend its reach and influence back inside its neighbor. The best way for Syria to accomplish this is to project an image of its being a victim to ‘Sunni radical terror.’ If one or more explosions inside Syrian territory will do it, that shouldn't be a problem for a regime which is trying to save its skin in an ongoing international investigation and indictment in the Rafik Hariri assassination case."
However, Phares says he does not expect “a direct Syrian intervention across the border into Lebanon; not immediately. The classical Syrian modus operandi is to see the situation deteriorating fully before they offer so-called ‘help.’”
He adds, "Fact is, the Assad regime is waiting to see who will enter the White House before moving to the next step toward Lebanon. For now the Syrian Mukhabarat is scoring point-by-point trying to regain the status of the regime internationally. That is very important for them."
We asked Phares for his opinion regarding recent analysis proffered by everyone from Western media to consulting groups and think tanks, many of which contend the incident may well-be the result of increasing tension between Hezbollah and Syria.
"Just the opposite,” he says. “Everything is coordinated between Tehran and Damascus. If it were otherwise, we would have witnessed different types of actions between the two camps and additional statements. Iran and Syria are solidly moving forward to score points against the U.S., Europe, Arab moderates and the UN. Those analysts who propose otherwise are being influenced by the sharp and well-funded Syro-Iranian propaganda and the power of the petrodollar."
Dr. Phares directs the Future of Terrorism Project for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and is a visiting scholar at the European Foundation for Democracy in Brussels. He is currently on a European tour.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. online at uswriter.com.

Tensions flare between WCCR director and Lebanon’s (pro-Hezbollah) foreign minister at D.C. reception
27 Sep 2008
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
No fisticuffs reported, but attendees at a Washington, D.C. reception Thursday evening witnessed a caustic exchange between John Hajjar, U.S. director of Lebanon’s pro-democracy World Council of the Cedars Revolution, and Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, an ally of the Hezbollah terrorist organization.
According to sources, at approximately 7:00 p.m. (Eastern), Hajjar was introduced "in a surprise move" to Salloukh at a reception for Lebanese Pres. Michel Sleiman hosted by the Lebanese ambassador at D.C.’s Omni Shoreham Hotel. (Sleiman was in town this week meeting with Pres. Bush and senior administration officials.) When Salloukh extended his hand, Hajjar refused his; putting his hand in his pocket. “I will not shake hands with people working for Hezbollah!” Hajjar said. Salloukh responded, “You should leave here!”Hajjar replied, “No! you should leave here! I’m an American citizen!”
There was a temporary hush in the immediate area of the reception room. Attendees were reportedly sitting their drinks on tables, anticipating some level of escalation. Both men walked away.A few hours following the reception, I spoke briefly by phone with Hajjar who confirmed the incident.
“I also said to Salloukh, ‘Are you Lebanese or an Iranian? Choose!’” said Hajjar. “He was stunned, end of conversation. It’s amazing to think that these people believe they can ‘make nice’ at cocktail parties and maybe go to your kids’ weddings, and then the next day they are lobbing bombs or trying to assassinate you.”
Tom Harb, secretary general of the WCCR, later told me: "We must also recognize that many in the Lebanese-American community have been – and are – critical of the fact that a pro-Hezbollah minister accompanied the new president of Lebanon to Washington, D.C. But according to diplomatic protocol, Lebanon's foreign minister must accompany the president. This means that Iran's eyes follow President Sleiman wherever he goes. Sleiman should not have brought Salloukh with him to Washington."
Today, Naharnet is reporting: “Washington has criticized Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh for allegedly leaking to the media details on the summit discussion between President George Bush and his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman [Sleiman] at the White House. [More here]”
In an international environment that is increasingly soft-soaping and lending legitimacy to butchers like Hezbollah and their allies – the fact that the likes of Salloukh would even be attending a cocktail party in the nation’s capital (one-month before the 25th anniversary of early Hezbollah’s bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut, and less than five months after Hezbollah’s murderous rampage in Lebanon) is beyond reason – I salute Hajjar.
But after all, I'm an old Marine rifleman.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. online at uswriter.com.

Washington Warns Against Manipulating Lebanon's Forthcoming Elections
Naharnet/A Ranking U.S. diplomat says only Lebanon's implementation of UNSCR 1701 can prevent an Israeli war to disarm Hizbullah and warns against manipulating the forthcoming general elections. The diplomat, who spoke to Naharnet on condition he not be further identified, said "U.S. efforts alone are not enough to prevent war, especially if not accompanied by Lebanese efforts to defuse the explosive situation and avert giving Israel a pretext to launch a new war."
"Wars are caused by those who provide pretexts and justifications for them," the senior diplomat explained.
He insisted that the United States would not go into a "deal" with Syria over Lebanon.
"Lebanon's independence is part of any possible American-Syrian agreement in the future. You can say there would be no U.S.-Syrian agreement prior to a full agreement between Lebanon and Syria and the implementation of all international resolutions on Lebanon," he stressed.
Senior American diplomats believe maintaining the present situation in Lebanon is tantamount to assembling detonation fuses so that any spark could unleash military confrontations that might not be restricted to the southern arena.
U.S. State Department officials say the situation on the Lebanese side of the border with Israel, Hizbullah activities and the non-implementation of all the clauses of UNSCR 1701 as well as other international resolutions in addition to the persisting smuggling of weapons from Syria to Hizbullah complicate U.S. efforts to prevent an Israeli war. They said Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman made a recent visit to Israel during which he exerted pressure on the Jewish state to speed up withdrawal from the northern sector of the Ghajar village and to turn over to U.N. guardianship the Shebaa Farms pending demarcation of the region.
American diplomats appear confident that full implementation of UNSCR 1701 by Lebanon could lead to halting Israeli penetration of Lebanon's sovereignty, the withdrawal from Ghajar and Shebaa Farms.
The senior U.S. diplomat said Lebanon's forthcoming elections, scheduled for May 2009, should be held in line with Lebanon's "political system and international law." He warned, however, that "any attempt to manipulate the elections to place Lebanon with those working against the international community and Washington's Middle East policy would pose a threat to global security, to the U.S. policy and to vital American interests."
"The United States would not tolerate that and it would not be interfering in Lebanon's domestic affairs, but rather safeguarding its regional interests," the official noted. Beirut, 27 Sep 08, 12:27

Nasrallah Courts Dear Beirut, Advises Government to Purchase Black Market Weapons
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has pledged to defeat "even nine Israeli military divisions" if Lebanon was attacked and advised the government to purchase weapons "from the black market" to arm the regular army. Nasrallah, in an address marking Jerusalem Day celebrations, said Hizbullah "does not want to dominate Lebanon" and is ready for "whatever can reassure people in all areas, especially in our dear capital Beirut and its signified natives."
Reconciliation, according to Nasrallah, "does not mean new political alliances … we remain with our allies … and they remain with their allies."
Reconciliation aims at providing for a "positive atmosphere with the aim of halting tension … which paves the way for peaceful civilized competition in the forthcoming elections," according to Nasrallah. Nasrallah pledged that in case Hizbullah and its allies won the majority in the elections "we would call for the formation of a national unity cabinet in which the other party would be a partner in running the country." Beirut, 27 Sep 08, 08:34

Najjar: Lebanon, Syria, Saudi in Danger
Naharnet/Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar on Saturday said Syria should have made public the outcome of its investigation into the killing of Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh in February. Najjar made the remark in a radio interview in answering a question about his assessment of the car bomb blast that killed 17 people and wounded 14 in southern Damascus earlier in the day. "Had they made public the outcome of the investigation people would have been able to know who is targeting Syria," Najjar said. He said Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia are "in danger.""One of the sides that oppose peace and stability in the region is behind these threats," Najjar added without elaboration. He criticized Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun for describing Premier Fouad Saniora as "the treasury thief."
Beirut, 27 Sep 08, 14:17

Cobras or No Cobras to Lebanon?
Naharnet/A senior official with the U.S. Defense Department has provided Naharnet with detailed information on Washington's position toward supplying the Lebanese army with weaponry and question marks raised over this issue. The official told Naharnet in response to a question: "First, I must stress that, in our point of view, the Lebanese army -- at the administrative and organizational levels --- is considered qualified to receive our support and is able to absorb it considering the skills it enjoys both individually and collectively, in addition to its organizational structure. "Honestly, we are often, not just politically, but also technically cautious in dealing with armies of many developing countries … But the situation differs with regard to the Lebanese army, which we consider as being among the very rare armies within these countries that deserves our assistance and support.
On how much would the U.S. stance affect arming the Lebanese army given Israel's rejection to such a move, the official said that Washington, regardless of the Jewish state's position, has provided Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries with a "massive amount of arms."
"We are a super power that has its own policies and interests; and only it – not any other country no matter how close it is -- decides which is best for these policies and interests," the official added.
On the type of weapons Washington is able to provide the Lebanese army with and how much it matches with Lebanon's needs, particularly with regard to Cobra helicopters, the official said: "What is weird is that some in Lebanon have fabricated a problem that does not exist."
"The kind of weapons is determined by the planning and research division of the armies and not politicians," the official explained.
On whether this meant Washington rejects providing the Lebanese army with Cobras, the official confirmed that "the U.S. administration has not yet received an official or detailed request from the Lebanese defense ministry for any specific kind of weapons so we could discuss."
He said the delay was from Lebanon since the U.S. defense department had been waiting for a visit by Defense Minister Elias Murr this September "to go into the details of the needs of the Lebanese army. But this visit did not take place for Lebanese, and not American, considerations."
The U.S. official stressed that Washington had no problem with providing the Lebanese army with the equipment it needs, even if it was Cobras or modern anti-armor rocket launcher systems or others.
He said the U.S. administration, however, awaits official request from Lebanon for its needs and requirements. The official said that regarding the Cobras, more important than obtaining them is ensuring the desired crews to steer them and keep up with the maintenance. Also equally important for the Lebanese government is to take the cost of spare parts into consideration, according to the official, adding that the U.S. administration is in principle willing to provide the Lebanese army with a number of helicopters as a gift. The official wondered, however, whether military experts would also be needed for caring and maintaining the choppers and whether exhausting the amounts for the assistance of the Lebanese army on a limited number of combat helicopters "would make the Lebanese army capable of confronting the challenges facing it."
"There are some in Lebanon who are waging a political and media war against the United States and accuse us of all sort of things … So how can those who want to antagonize us request us to arm them so they could fight us? "Of course, I don't mean the Lebanese government. But I'm pointing at some parties and political sides that consider themselves in a state of confrontation with us … and threaten to target U.S. interests in the region," the official went on to say.
He said developing the "defense strategy" that would be adopted by the Lebanese government as a result of the national dialogue would likely lead to a final decision necessary to provide supplies that meet the military's needs. "The nature of this strategy requires specific weaponry and supplies that could differ with respect to the content of the defense strategy, its means and its goals," the official concluded. Beirut, 26 Sep 08, 09:32

Muallem, Rice Discuss Lebanon
Naharnet/Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has met his U.S. counterpart Condoleezza Rice at the United Nations for talks on Iraq, Lebanon, and the Middle East peace process, the official SANA news agency reported on Saturday. It said the meeting was held "following a request by the U.S. secretary of state and on the sidelines of a meeting by the international Quartet for the Middle East."SANA said Turkish-mediated indirect talks launched in May between Syria and Israel also were discussed. The agency said Rice "voiced U.S. satisfaction with positive events that have taken place in the region and expressed the readiness of the United States to contribute to comprehensive peace" in the Middle East. The Rice-Muallem meeting was their second since November 2007 when they held talks on the sidelines of a conference on Iraq. The two first met in May last year during another gathering on Iraq.
Syria and its key regional ally Iran have been repeatedly accused by the U.S. administration of President George Bush of fuelling unrest in Iraq.
Washington accuses Syria of turning a blind eye to foreign fighters crossing into Iraq to battle U.S.-led forces, and claims that Iran supports elements that target coalition troops. The United States also accuses Syria and Iran of meddling in Lebanon. Both countries deny all the charges. Bush on Tuesday again accused Syria and Iran of sponsoring terrorism, saying in a farewell speech to the U.N. General Assembly that such violence "has no place in the modern world."
Earlier this month Iraqi President Jalal Talabani reassured Bush that Iran and Syria now pose "no problem."(AFP) Beirut, 27 Sep 08, 13:41

Washington Criticizes Salloukh for Leaking Information
Naharnet/Washington has criticized Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh for allegedly leaking to the media details on the summit discussion between President George Bush and his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman at the White House. A "responsible American source" told the daily An-Nahar his administration was "dismayed by Salloukh's breach of diplomatic norms" by allegedly leaking headlines of the Bush-Suleiman discussion to the media.
Suleiman was quoted as advising Bush to avoid isolating Syria in his quest for Middle East peace. "We've noticed that he (Salloukh) didn't do the same after the Suleiman talks with Syrian officials," the U.S. source said, in an apparent reference to the recent talks between Suleiman and Syrian President Bashar Assad.
An-Nahar, in a Washington-datelined report, said the U.S. official was referring to "leaks posted by Naharnet.""Such leaking (of information) is not proper and reflects lack of respect to the American side," the source said. "It would be sad if Suleiman's message to Bush is the same as Salloukh's to the media," the U.S. official noted. Beirut, 27 Sep 08, 10:32

Beirut Free of Provocative Posters
Naharnet/Lebanon's feuding political factions have started removing posters and banners from Beirut, in an effort to ease tension that has prevailed since Hizbullah's crackdown on the city in May. The effort was launched as of late Friday following a meeting between representatives of Hizbullah, AMAL and Mustaqbal Movement at the Helou police barracks, which was presided over by commander of Beirut Police Department Brig. Gen. Nabil Merii.
Agreement on the move was reached in two separate meetings earlier in the week between Hizbullah and Mustaqbal Movement and between Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri and AMAL leader-House Speaker Nabih Berri. The agreement covers Beirut as a first stage and pledges to spread to other Lebanese areas.
In East Beirut's Ashrafiyeh neighborhood, feuding Christian factions also were removing posters and banners, police reported. Beirut, 27 Sep 08, 10:06

Israel Thwarted at Least 10 Kidnap Attempts by Hizbullah, Report
Naharnet/Israel's defense establishment has reportedly received more than 50 warnings about Hizbullah attempts to kidnap high profile public and security officials over the past few years. Senior security officials briefed the cabinet on the warnings during a special meeting discussing the security risks Israelis face when traveling abroad, as well as the recent travel advisories issued by the Counter Terrorism Bureau, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
The senior security officials reportedly said that at least 10 of the foiled plots were supposed to mimic the abduction scenario of Elhanan Tannenbaum.
Tannenbaum, an Israeli businessman and a former IDF colonel, was kidnapped by Hizbullah in 2002, after being lured out of Israel under the false pretense of a drug deal. He was released from captivity in January of 2004 as part of a prisoner exchange deal. The Counter Terrorism Bureau has repeatedly noted that the number of threats made against Israelis, especially senior IDF officers and security officials, has spiked since the assassination of Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh in a Damascus car bombing in February. According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the senior security officials told the cabinet that the defense establishment has most recently helped an IDF major-general escape a Middle East country after obtaining information that his life was in danger.
"Hizbullah's drive to abduct officers and other security personnel stationed outside Israel is skyrocketing," noted a source in the defense establishment.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak urged all Israelis to abide by the Counter Terrorism Bureau's travel advisories: "The government, through its various security agencies, is doing its best to map out all of the threats and warn the public. But responsibility lies first and foremost on the travelers." Beirut, 26 Sep 08, 05:18

Rice Says Lebanon Much Better Than Before
Naharnet/Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saw that Lebanon was better off today than under the previous U.S. administrations.
"Lebanon today is different. It is much better off since the current U.S. administration came to power," Rice said in remarks published by the pan-Arab al-Hayat newspaper in Arabic and translated into English by Naharnet. She cited a series of achievements that were not made before. When asked to comment about reports that the U.S. has "lost" Lebanon because Hizbullah kept its military might and transformed the country into an Iranian base, Rice said: "I spent some time with President Michel Suleiman who spoke about U.S. help to build a better Lebanese army. "Let us remember," she told the newspaper, "that before the year 2006 the Lebanese army wasn't present in the south of the country. "Let us remember that the army took measures against (refugee) camps, a move it was unable to carry out in the past. "Let us also remember that Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon after years of hegemony and that Lebanon now has a democratically elected government headed by Premier Fouad Saniora," she added. About Hizbullah's arms, Rice said: "Suleiman stressed during the national dialogue that weapons should be kept in the hands of Lebanese authorities." Beirut, 26 Sep 08, 10:38

Sharia Law: Coming to a Western Nation Near You?
by Cinnamon Stillwell
FrontPageMagazine.com
September 25, 2008
http://www.meforum.org/article/1987
Georgetown University's Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) will be hosting a conference on October 23 that asks the loaded question: "Is There a Role for Shari'ah in Modern States?"
The Saudi-funded ACMCU and its founding director, John Esposito, one of the foremost apologists for radical Islam in the academic field of Middle East studies, have certainly been doing their bit to make the idea more palatable.
The Saudi prince for whom ACMCU was named has been pumping millions of dollars into Middle East studies at Georgetown, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and beyond, and as the case of Esposito demonstrates, it magnifies the voices of scholars with a decidedly uncritical bent. As a result, ACMCU analysis regarding Sharia (or Islamic) law tends to focus not on its injustices (amputation, stoning, hanging, honor killing, punishment for blasphemy, execution of apostates, persecution of non-Muslims, sanctioned wife-beating, female genital mutilation, and so on), but rather on repackaging it in ways that will appeal to Western sensibilities. The concept of a more "moderate" version of Sharia law that is compatible with democracy is at the forefront of this effort.
While it's difficult to predict exactly what will take place at the upcoming ACMCU conference, the fact that Esposito will present the opening remarks provides considerable insight into the politics of the event.
Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, a book co-authored by Esposito and executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies Dalia Mogahed, has been widely criticized for its blatant inaccuracies and attempts to whitewash anti-Western and extremist sentiment in the Muslim world. Accordingly, Sharia law is framed in a non-threatening fashion. As Robert Satloff put it in the Weekly Standard:
…Amazing as it sounds, according to Esposito and Mogahed, the proper term for a Muslim who hates America, wants to impose Sharia law, supports suicide bombing, and opposes equal rights for women but does not "completely" justify 9/11 is . . . "moderate."
At the Newsweek/Washington Post "On Faith" blog earlier this year, Esposito referenced his book as a means of downplaying concerns over support for Sharia law in the Muslim world:
…for many any mention of Shariah is often equated facilely with Taliban-like laws. In fact, as the Gallup World Poll shows, majorities of mainstream Muslims (women as well as men) want some form of Shariah, religious values, as a source of law. This sentiment is not all that different from a majority of Americans who want to see the Bible as a source of legislation. (See Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think)
But comparing Sharia law under a dictatorial or clerical regime to biblical inspiration in a secular, democratic nation is like comparing apples and oranges. Yet this is precisely the kind of moral equivalency one expects from Esposito at the ACMCU conference.
Providing further cause for concern, keynote speaker and Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman is a notorious champion of Sharia law. In a March, 2008 New York Times Magazine article on the subject, Feldman claimed:
In fact, for most of its history, Islamic law offered the most liberal and humane legal principles available anywhere in the world. Today, when we invoke the harsh punishments prescribed by Shariah for a handful of offenses, we rarely acknowledge the high standards of proof necessary for their implementation.
…At its core, Shariah represents the idea that all human beings — and all human governments — are subject to justice under the law.
Reviewing Feldman's latest book, The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State, Jonathan Schanzer elaborates on this disturbing thesis:
Feldman's central premise is that the scholars of early and medieval Islam were guardians of justice. These independent scholars, he argues, kept the all-powerful caliph in line by judiciously ensuring that his decrees were in accordance with Shari'a law. The proper application of Shari'a ensured fair governance. Thus, Feldman claims, resurrecting the scholarly class is needed today.
Yet Feldman's book, Schanzer concludes, "fails to convince the informed reader that Islamic law and democracy are destined for marriage."
In an aptly titled piece on Feldman's scholarship, "Shilling for Sharia at Harvard," Hillel Stavis warns that "it can only be a matter of time before the professor, having asserted that Sharia law is desirable, will assure us that its introduction in the United States is inevitable."
Considering recent developments in Britain, the inevitability of Sharia law may not just be an abstraction. As reported last week by The Times Online:
Islamic law has been officially adopted in Britain, with sharia courts given powers to rule on Muslim civil cases.
The government has quietly sanctioned the powers for sharia judges to rule on cases ranging from divorce and financial disputes to those involving domestic violence.
Rulings issued by a network of five sharia courts are enforceable with the full power of the judicial system, through the county courts or High Court.
Melanie Phillips, writing for National Review Online, notes the role of Saudi funding and Middle East studies in furthering this process:
Even thought itself is being Islamized, with academic objectivity in the teaching of Islam and Middle East studies set aside in favour of indoctrination and propaganda. An as-yet-unpublished report by Prof. Anthony Glees says that extremist ideas are being spread by Islamic study centers linked to British universities and backed by multi-million-pound donations from Saudi Arabia and Muslim organizations. Professor Glees says, ‘Britain's universities will have to generate two national cultures: one non-Muslim and largely secular, the other Muslim. We will have two identities, two sets of allegiance and two legal and political systems.
Britain can serve as a cautionary tale for the West. Scholars who downplay the threats to democratic societies posed by the encroachments of Sharia law, and push a sanitized, idealized version thereof, may one day help usher in our worst nightmare.
Now there's a subject that would make for a truly groundbreaking Middle East studies conference.
Cinnamon Stillwell is the West Coast Representative for Campus Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum. She can be reached at stillwell@meforum.org.