LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
August 26/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to
Saint Matthew 23,13-22. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and
when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.
Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If one swears by the temple, it means
nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.' Blind
fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And
you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the
gift on the altar, one is obligated.' You blind ones, which is greater, the
gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears
by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven
swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.
Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890), priest,
Founder of a religious community, theologian Parochial and Plain Sermons vol.5,
no.22: The Thought of God, the Stay of the Soul/Come to God in true repentance
The sense of God's presence is not only
the ground of the peace of a good conscience, but of the peace of repentance
also. At first sight it might seem strange how repentance can have in it
anything of comfort and peace. The Gospel, indeed, promises to turn all sorrow
into joy. It makes us take pleasure in desolateness, weakness, and contempt. "We
even boast of our afflictions," says the Apostle, "because the love of God has
been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us,"
(Rom 5,3; 5)... But if there be one sorrow, which might seem to be unmixed
misery, if there be one misery left under the Gospel, the awakened sense of
having abused the Gospel might have been considered that one. And, again, if
there be a time when the presence of the Most High would at first sight seem to
be intolerable, it would be then, when first the consciousness vividly bursts
upon us that we have ungratefully rebelled against Him.
Yet so it is that true repentance cannot be without the thought of God; it has
the thought of God, for it seeks Him; and it seeks Him, because it is quickened
with love; and even sorrow must have a sweetness, if love be in it. For what is
to repent but to surrender ourselves to God for pardon or punishment; as loving
His presence for its own sake, and accounting chastisement from Him better than
rest and peace from the world? While the prodigal son remained among the swine,
he had sorrow enough, but no repentance; remorse only; but repentance led him to
rise and go to his Father, and to confess his sins. Thus he relieved his heart
of its misery, which before was like some hard and fretful tumour weighing upon
it... Remorse, or what the Apostle calls "worldly sorrow," (2Cor 7,10) worketh
death. Instead of coming to the Fount of life, to the God of all consolation,
remorseful men feed on their own thoughts, without any confidant of their
sorrow... We need a relief to our hearts, that they may be dark and sullen no
longer... Nothing short of God's presence is our true refuge.
Free
Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Lebanese Army Commandership: A Political or a
Military Post?By: Elias Harfoush Dar
Al-Hayat 26/08/08
Nasrallah Warns Israel;
Hizbullah-Syria-Lebanon Axis Tightens.By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu 26/08/08
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August
25/08
French FM arrives in Syria-Xinhua
French FM: Our Relationship With Syria Depends On Syria's Moves ...MEMRI
Jumblatt : An Israeli invasion of south Lebanon would be a ...iloubnan.info
UN troops calm Lebanon but tensions remain-Reuters
UNIFIL denies reports of Israeli incursion in south Lebanon-Monsters
and Critics.com
French Foreign Minister Kouchner visits Lebanon,
Syria - Summary-Earthtimes (press
release)
Lebanon/France-Radio
France Internationale
Syrian FM: No headway in peace talks with Israel-International
Herald Tribune
Aoun Says Critics of His Southern Trip Are
"Jealous"-Naharnet
Kouchner: France's Openness is Related to Syrian Steps Toward Lebanon-Naharnet
Nasrallah Vows Ultimate Victory if
Israel Attacks Lebanon-Naharnet
March
14 Warns Against Drafting Separate Amendments to Election Law-Naharnet
Israel:
UNIFIL Should Be More Firm with Hizbullah-Naharnet
Advisor to McCain's
Campaign: Syria Involved in Hariri's Murder-Naharnet
Quarrel between Hizbullah, Aoun Supporters in
Jezzine-Naharnet
Nasrallah threatens to destroy
Israel if Jewish state carries out threat to attack Lebanon
Kouchner to prod Syria on Lebanon relations-Daily
Star
Dangerous talks with Syria-Jerusalem
Post
Russia and Syria joins Palestinans on Rice's
agenda-Jerusalem
Post
Report raps Lebanon's environmental performance-Daily
Star
UAE ambassador lays foundation stone for South
Lebanon center-Daily
Star
UNIFIL denies reports of Israeli incursion in South-Daily
Star
Roumieh
prison death raises concerns of possible mistreatment-Daily
Star
Zouk Mikael's old souk gets a taste
of Rio de Janeiro-Daily
Star
Aoun meets hizbullah fighters
during tour of south Lebanon-Daily
Star
Kouchner to prod Syria on Lebanon
relationsDaily
Star
Sfeir: Political divisions a
worrying sign-Daily
Star
UNIFIL denies reports of Israeli
incursion in South-Daily
Star
Local magazine wins recognition at
Asian Publishing Awards-Daily
Star
Bahia
Hariri hosts talks on Palestinian-Lebanese relations-Daily
Star
Chouf
residents use rotten meat to protest against power cuts-Daily
Star
Future
Movement MP accuses army of targeting Sunni areas-Daily
Star
UAE
ambassador lays foundation stone for South Lebanon center-Daily
Star
Connecting youth Summer camp brings
young Palestinians, Lebanese together-Daily
Star
Report raps Lebanon's environmental
performanceDaily
Star
Nasrallah Warns Israel; Hizbullah-Syria-Lebanon Axis Tightens
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
(IsraelNN.com) Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Sunday his terrorist
army is much stronger than before the Second Lebanon War and can destroy Israel.
He issued the threat at a Boy Scout ceremony as a response to Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert's remark last week that "if Lebanon becomes a Hizbullah state, then
we won't have any restrictions" in striking the country. The Prime Minister
claimed that during the last war, Israel did not use all of its firepower
because the enemy was Hizbullah and not its host country Lebanon.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has sent United Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon a letter protesting Prime Minister Olmert's remarks. Siniora, at a
meeting with his Cabinet, accused Israel of "once again…threatening to launch a
new attack on Lebanon, forgetting that the [Israeli] occupation was the core of
the problem for Lebanon and the region."
The flurry of threats and warnings came two days after a report in the Italian
newspaper Corriere Della Sera that three Hizbullah leaders visited Russia in
July to clinch a deal involving the purchase of anti-tank missiles and
air-defense systems. Israel disclosed evidence during the Second Lebanon War
that Hizbullah used advanced Russian anti-tank missiles smuggled from Syria, in
violation of previous international agreements.
Nasrallah said, in a speech televised by the Hizbullah-backed Al Manar satellite
network, that his arsenal of weapons is so great that "the Zionists will think
not one thousand times but tens of thousands of times before they attack
Lebanon."
The prospect of an Israeli attack on Iran's growing nuclear threat also played a
hand in Hizbullah's latest threats. Mohammed Raad, the head of the terrorist
party's political bloc in the Lebanese government, warned, "The first shot fired
from the Zionist entity toward Iran will be met by a response of 11,000 rockets
in the direction of the Zionist entity. This is what military leaders in the
Islamic Republic [Iran] have confirmed."
Hizbullah has become a stronger political force in Lebanon since the end of the
war two summers ago, winning enough representation in the Cabinet to veto any
major decisions.
Syria, which aided Hizbullah in the Second Lebanon War, last week established
diplomatic relations with Lebanon for the first time in history, providing
Syrian President Bashar Assad with a stronger political base in Beirut's affairs
after having withdrawn its military from Lebanon before the 2006 war.
Syria has dominated Lebanese affairs for 30 years, and the West has joined
Lebanese opponents of Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs in accusing
Damascus of being behind the the 2005 assassination of anti-Syrian former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri.
The new Lebanese government that gives Hizbullah more power assures Syria that
it still can influence affairs in Lebanon, with the naming of Michel Suleiman as
president. He is close to Syria and was the Lebanese army chief for 10 years
during the Syrian army's control of the country.
"It's a win-win situation," said Patrick Seale, a British expert on Syria told
the Associated Press. "The Lebanese get diplomatic recognition and the Syrians
get recognition of vital interests in Lebanon."
Arab, Western Diplomats Pour Into Beirut
Naharnet/A number of Western and Arab diplomats pour into Beirut this week, starting with
a visit by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Sunday.
After meetings with Lebanese officials, Kouchner will head to Damascus for talks
with Syrian President Bashar Assad ahead of a visit to Syria by French President
Nicolas Sarkozy planned for early next month.
Sarkozy's visit to Damascus, according to the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, has been
linked to progress in establishing diplomatic ties between Lebanon and Syria.
U.S. State Department official David Hale is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon on
Tuesday to keep up-to-date with developments ahead of President Michel
Suleiman's trip to New York.
On Wednesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit also is due in Beirut
to relay a message to Suleiman from his Egyptian counterpart Husni Mubarak on
bilateral relations and regional issues.
Abul Gheit also would follow up in Beirut topics that Premier Fouad Saniora had
raised during his recent visit to Alexandria.
One day after the Egyptian official's visit to the Lebanese capital, Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas is to hold talks in Beirut with Suleiman and Lebanese
officials on regional issues and bilateral relations. Beirut, 25 Aug 08, 10:49
Major events in Syria-Lebanon history
Agencies
25 August, 2008
By The Associated Press Sun Aug 24, 08
1920: France, the colonial power in Syria and Lebanon, declares a Lebanese state
with its current borders, adding to it regions that were part of the Ottoman
province of Syria.
1976: Syrian forces move into Lebanon as peacekeepers after the country is
engulfed in civil war but are drawn into the conflict.
1990: Lebanon‘s 15-year civil war ends with Syrian forces defeating opponents,
controlling large parts of the country and installing allied governments in
Beirut.
2005: Lebanon‘s former prime minister Rafik Hariri is assassinated and Syria is
blamed. Damascus denies involvement, but amid sweeping street protests, is
forced to withdraw its forces. It keeps a grip on the country through Hezbollah,
the Shiite militant group it supports alongside its ally, Iran.
2008: Israel and Syria launch indirect peace talks.
Quarrel between Hizbullah, Aoun Supporters in Jezzine
Naharnet/Hizbullah disciplinary members turned out in force a few days ahead of a planned
visit by Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun to Jezzine and nearby
villages, the daily An Nahar reported Monday.
It said Hizbullah members in a grey four-wheeler Dodge stopped a young man at
Jezzine's entrance by force of arms, beating and threatening him.
An Nahar added in its report from Jezzine that Hizbullah members "dragged the
man out of his car and hit him hard under the pretext that he did not follow
instructions to stop."
A separate incident, according to the newspaper, also took place between
Hizbullah's disciplinary members and others from the FPM in Jezzine minutes
before Aoun reached the city's main square Sunday, prompting a speedy
intervention by security forces. Beirut, 25 Aug 08, 11:04
Nasrallah Vows Ultimate Victory if Israel Attacks Lebanon
Naharnet/Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah vowed on Sunday to destroy Israel if it
carried out threats to attack Lebanon.
"If (a war) were to happen as they are threatening, our victory this time will
be decisive, unquestionable and final," Nasrallah said in a televised address
marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Hizbullah -sponsored
"Al-Mahdi Scouts."
A number of Israeli leaders have issued warnings to Lebanon in recent days after
the formation of a national unity government in which the Hizbullah-led
opposition has 11 ministries and the power of veto over cabinet decisions.
"The moment the Lebanese government confers legitimacy on Hizbullah, it must
understand that the entire Lebanese state will be a target in the same way that
all of Israel is a target for Hizbullah," Environment Minister Gideon Ezra said
on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made similar remarks the previous day, warning that
Israel would fight a far more devastating campaign than in the 2006 war if
Hizbullah led the government.
Nasrallah branded these statements as "scare tactics" and "psychological
warfare" on the Lebanese, saying they were "an internal necessity in Israel.
"There are currently elections within Kadima (Israel's ruling political party)
and each candidate is trying to portray himself as the leader and the savior" of
Israel, he said.
Nasrallah said Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak had threatened to wage a land
operation with five Israeli military units.
"The five units will be destroyed in our mountains and valleys and homes and
villages," Nasrallah said.
"And with it will be destroyed your country that is violating our sacred land."
Israel and Hizbullah fought a devastating 34-day war in the summer of 2006 which
left over 1,200 Lebanese dead, mostly civilians and more than 160 Israelis,
mostly soldiers killed.
The Israeli bombardment of Lebanon at the time centered mostly on Hizbullah
strongholds in southern Lebanon and the southern suburb of Beirut, but the
military did hit civilian infrastructure, including the main international
airport, roads, bridges and a power station.
Israel has always said that such instances were exceptions to an attack that was
solely focused on Hizbullah and was initially aimed only at recovering two
Israeli soldiers seized in a deadly cross-border raid on July 12, 2006 which
sparked the conflict.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 24 Aug 08, 20:59
Kouchner: France's Openness is Related to Syrian Steps Toward Lebanon
Naharnet/Visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has said that France's
openness to Syria "is related to steps to be taken by Damascus toward Lebanon."Kouchner met upon arrival in Beirut Sunday with leaders from the ruling March 14
alliance.
"I will tell Syrian officials during my prospective visit to Syria that the
future of relations between France and Syria is highly dependent on the nature
of Lebanese-Syrian ties," Kouchner told reporters at Beirut airport.
On Monday, Kouchner met President Michel Suleiman and headed for separate
meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Fouad Saniora.
Kouchner will head to Damascus to meet Syrian President Bashar Assad ahead of a
visit to Syria by French President Nicolas Sarkozy planned for early next month.
Sarkozy's visit to Damascus, according to the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, has been
linked to progress in establishing diplomatic ties between Lebanon and Syria.
Beirut, 25 Aug 08, 09:39
Advisor to McCain's Campaign: Syria Involved in Hariri's Murder
Naharnet/The advisor to U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain's campaign has
accused Syria of involvement in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination and said
Hizbullah put itself on the terror list when it intimidated Beirutis last May.
Reports of U.N. investigators reveal Syria's involvement in the "heinous crime"
in 2005, Robert "Bud" McFarlane told al-Mustaqbal daily in remarks published
Monday.
McFarlane, who was National Security Advisor to U.S. President Ronald Reagan,
also said it was important for the international community to bring the culprits
to justice.
He hoped that the next report on Hariri's assassination would reveal new facts
about the crime. There was no explanation for the Hizbullah attacks on media
outlets belonging to the Hariri family in May when the Shiite group's fighters
clashed with al-Mustaqbal movement gunmen, McFarlane said. Beirut, 25 Aug 08,
13:53
March 14 Warns Against Drafting Separate Amendments to Election Law
Naharnet/The ruling March 14 alliance warned against drafting separate amendments to the
elections law at Tuesday's session, news reports said Monday.
The daily An Nahar said March 14 leaders have decided to ask Speaker Nabih Berri
to "combine under one draft law" new electoral divisions for the upcoming
general elections with other parliamentary clauses subject to amendment at an
extraordinary parliamentary session on Tuesday.
It quoted March 14 leaders as expressing fear that if the election-related draft
resolutions were not adopted under one law than the other clauses would be
neglected.
As Safir, meanwhile, quoted Mustaqbal lawmakers as saying that the movement will
likely reject any draft law on electoral divisions unless it coincides with
other amendments to the election law.
Druze leader Walid Jumblat told As Safir that a decision on electoral divisions
will be made at a meeting Monday of the Democratic Gathering bloc which he
heads.
As Safir said Jumblat was likely to brief Berri on March 14's stance regarding
this issue prior to Tuesday's parliamentary session. Beirut, 25 Aug 08, 08:50
Israel: UNIFIL Should Be More Firm with Hizbullah
Naharnet/Israel's Shabak, or Security Agency, has demanded that the Israeli government
starts dialogue with the United Nations in an effort to expand instructions for
U.N. troops serving in Lebanon to work "more firmly against Hizbullah."
Shabak has also called on the Israeli government to support the extension of
UNIFIL's mandate for one more year "because there is no better alternative than
that."The Israeli daily Haaretz said Shabak's appeal came despite criticism by
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak against UNIFIL."South Lebanon has been turned into an arena for Hizbullah activities," Shabak
said. Beirut, 25 Aug 08, 12:54
Syria Appoints Ambassador to France
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has appointed an ambassador to France -- a post
that remained vacant for around two years due to strained relations between the
countries.
The state-run SANA news agency said Sunday that Lamia Shakkour was sworn in
Sunday before Assad.
"President Assad wished Mrs. Shakkour success in her mission," it said.
The post has been vacant since the previous ambassador, Siba Nasser, retired 18
months ago and was not replaced. Charge d'Affaires Chaghaf Kayali has in the
meantime handled diplomatic issues between the two countries.
The announcement comes a day before French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner,
whose country holds the European Union presidency, is due in Damascus for talks
with Syrian leaders.
Syrian-French relations deteriorated after the 2005 assassination of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria's critics accuse Damascus of having
a role in the slaying, a charge Syria denies.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy hosted Assad in July, appearing determined to
bring Syria back into the international fold. The French president travels to
Damascus Sept. 3.
Syria has also worked to improve ties with Lebanon and renew peace talks with
Israel.(AP-AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 25 Aug 08, 10:01
Lebanese Army Commandership: A
Political or a Military Post?
Elias Harfoush
Al-Hayat - 25/08/08//
Selecting a new Lebanese army commander has become part of political bargaining
despite the wishes expressed by the army leadership to keep this issue away from
the continued political bickering whose intensity has not calmed down even after
the formation of the so-called national unity government.
Over the past decade, ever since General Emile Lahoud moved from the army
headquarters in Yarzeh to the presidential palace in Baabda, the army
commander's post - which still remains one of the primary posts allocated for
the Maronites - has practically transformed into a "factory" where the next
president is made. This is why the selection of the new commander comes under
the spotlight although President Michel Suleiman has barely started his term and
even though the precedent of seeking a second term has become a tradition, only
avoided by those who could not pursue it regardless of the constitutional
impediments that are supposed to prevent extending the presidential term beyond
the constitutional limit of six years.
This, however, is not the only factor that makes selecting a new army commander
so important. Another factor includes the roles that are now allocated to the
army, whether in terms of maintaining law and order or in following up the
implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701. The latter preserves peace at the
Lebanese-Israeli borders where the army plays a role as important or perhaps
even more important than that played by the international peacekeeping forces.
In both cases, any role played by the army is open to various interpretations
that fall within the political arena rather than the arena of military
professionalism. This became evident during the recent events of Tareek al-Jdideh
in Beirut and with the charges of "bias" that target the army from this or that
side, not to mention the incidents of arms smuggling to Hezbollah in the
southern border area, developments repeatedly denied by the army and the UNIFIL
leaderships.
Denial, hwever, does not change the nature of the accusations, just as
statements expressing the wishes of the army leadership that politicians refrain
from involving the army in their struggles are no more than a duty the army must
fulfill. After all, the confusion between the political and military role of the
army commander has become evident to all since the breakdown of the political
process in Lebanon as a result of its dependence on security and intelligence
forces. This was evident during the Syrian mandate period and came as a result
of the "wars" fought by General Michel Aoun as army commander when he was
appointed prime minister of a provisional government in 1982, most notably his
"war of liberation" which paved the path for the defeat and penetration of the
military establishment at the hands of the Syrian army.
With Lebanon passing through a new phase, there are high hopes for a role to be
played by the army and its leadership, one in which loyalty to politicians is
separated from loyalty to the nation. However, army commanders, as it is
well-known, come from different backgrounds with different political loyalties
and sectarian identities. Consequently, the army commander will also come from a
similar background, hence the explicit and implicit conflict among political
leaders and their attempts to improve the chances of one candidate at the
expense of another whenever possible.
In principle, the solution suggested by Defense Minister Elias al-Murr to the
dilemma of selecting a new army commander seems both professional and practical,
with the selection subjected to military and technical criteria taking into
consideration military hierarchy and seniority among officers. In addition, the
Council of Ministers is likely to offer President Michel Suleiman, whose former
office will be preoccupied by the new commander, a primary role in the selection
process on the basis that he is more familiar with the issues of the
establishment he had headed for a decade. If things head in this direction,
selecting the new army commander will be the first confirmation that the new era
is interested in separating public office, especially in primary posts, from
political interests, and in returning the army to its security role and
politicians to their electoral bickering