LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 13/2012
Bible Quotation for today/The Future Glory
Romans 08/18-30: " I consider that what we suffer at this
present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be
revealed to us. All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal his
children. For creation was condemned to lose its purpose, not of its own will,
but because God willed it to be so. Yet there was the hope that creation itself
would one day be set free from its slavery to decay and would share the glorious
freedom of the children of God. For we know that up to the present time all of
creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth. But it is not just
creation alone which groans; we who have the Spirit as the first of God's gifts
also groan within ourselves as we wait for God to make us his children and set
our whole being free. For it was by hope that we were saved; but if we see what
we hope for, then it is not really hope. For who of us hopes for something we
see? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. In the
same way the Spirit also comes to help us, weak as we are. For we do not know
how we ought to pray; the Spirit himself pleads with God for us in groans that
words cannot express. And God, who sees into our hearts, knows what the thought
of the Spirit is; because the Spirit pleads with God on behalf of his people and
in accordance with his will. We know that in all things God works for good with
those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. Those
whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his Son, so that
the Son would be the first among many believers. And so those whom God set
apart, he called; and those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared
his glory with them.
Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from
miscellaneous sources
Syria’s border blackmail may backfire//By Michael Young/ The Daily Star/April
12/12
What Iran Might Gain from a Nuclear Deal/By
Patrick Clawson/The Washington Institute/April
12/12
Death to Churches,
Targeting Christian Holidays in the Islamic World/By: by Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone
Institute/April 12/1
Syrian
Murder of Ali Shaban/An awkward death/Now Lebanon/April 12/12
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous
Sources for April 12/12
March 14
says Geagea assassination attempt repercussion of Syrian crisis
Israeli Defense Official: Next War will Include Attacks on Lebanese State
Institutions
Lebanese Forces bloc MP Joseph al-Maalouf warns against not handing over telecom
data
Future
bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat retorts to Berri’s statement on attempts to create enemies
on northern borders
Labor
Minister Salim Jreissati against anti-Syrian regime protests in Lebanon
Report: Israel and Lebanon in ‘Indirect Cooperation’ over Gaza Flotillas
Security Sources Snap Back at Decision Preventing Access to Telecom Data
UAE Minister: Ahmadinejad Violated Our Sovereignty
Exclusive: Iran’s “new
initiatives” place Israel at center of nuclear talks
U.S.: Iran can end its isolation by giving up nuke program
Clinton: There is Still Time for Diplomacy with Iran
Assad regime says committed to UN-sponsored ceasefire in Syria
Day 1 arrives in Syria,
now what?
German Foreign Minister Presses Russia on Syria
U.S. Says Syria Truce Pledge to be Judged by Actions
March 14 presses
government to allow access to telecoms data
Speculation rife as
official word on Sadr’s fate pending
Walking the front line
of Lebanon’s Civil War
SOLIDE seeks commission on fate of disappeared
Bkirki committee: Time for new electoral law
Lebanese Army Says Report Claiming 2 Recruits Joined FSA 'Exaggerated'
Judiciary Refuses to Hand over Complete Telecom Data to ISF on Geagea Probe
March 14 Source: Jumblat Most at Risk after Geagea
Syria Sticks to SANA Story on ‘Terrorist Groups’ in Shaaban Killing
Jumblat Stresses Need for Dialogue between State, Opposition to End Bahrain
Crisis
Berri: Lebanon Has Right to Acquire Oil through Resistance if Diplomacy Fails
Fayez Shukur Relays Assad’s Interest in Shaaban’s Death
Israel’s
mysterious wall with Lebanon
France has
no intention to withdraw from UNIFIL, envoy says
Army Launches Investigation into Shaaban’s Death
Khartoum mobilizes army after South Sudan claims key oil field
Israeli Defense Official: Next War will Include Attacks on
Lebanese State Institutions
Naharnet/ 12 April 2012/Israel will attack Lebanese government targets during a
future war with Hizbullah, a senior defense official said, lamenting that the
Jewish State did not do so during the 2006 aggression on Lebanon. “It was a
mistake not to attack Lebanese government targets during the war in 2006,” The
Jerusalem Post quoted a senior defense official as saying. “We will not be able
to hold back from doing so in a future war.”The official said that Israel
complied with a U.S. demand and restricted its bombings to Hizbullah targets
during the war to refrain from weakening the government that was at the time led
by Fouad Saniora. “This will not be the same in the future, particularly now
that Hizbullah and the government are effectively one and the same,” the
official said.The IDF has significantly boosted its “target bank” since the 2006
war, the Jerusalem Post reported. Today’s bank is said to contain thousands of
Hizbullah targets, compared to the approximately 200 that the Israeli army had
on July 12, 2006, when Hizbullah abducted two Israeli soldiers, triggering the
war. The decision regarding bombing Lebanese government institutions is part of
a revised Israeli army strategy on how to inflict damage on Hizbullah and speed
up the end of the new war, the daily said.
Report: Israel and Lebanon in ‘Indirect Cooperation’ over Gaza Flotillas
Naharnet / April 2012/The Israeli navy has recently strengthened its “indirect
cooperation” with the Lebanese navy in the Mediterranean ahead of possible
pro-Palestinian flotillas to Gaza on Nakba Day, Haaretz daily reported.The
Lebanese army increased its naval operations and barred any ship from
approaching the maritime border with Israel, to prevent any possible
provocations on Land Day on March 30, Haaretz said. It said that when the
Israeli navy identifies a fishing boat that is closing in on Israel's maritime
border at a distance less than 400 meters, it resorts to its counterparts on the
Lebanese side, through an international body, and Lebanese ships arrive and
drive the boat north, away from the Israeli border. The Israeli navy has been
preparing for possible pro-Palestinian flotillas to Gaza on Nakba Day on May
15."On the one hand we are glad that (the Lebanese) are helping us, but on the
other hand it's not always good, as we remember the Lebanese sniper," Haaretz
quoted an Israeli navy officer as saying in reference to a 2010 border clash
between the two armies that left an Israeli soldier and three Lebanese dead.
"Our goal is that the Lebanese will take care of the fishing boats that approach
the border," a commander in the Israeli navy said. "The danger is the close
distance: A suicide bomber could get to Rosh Hanikra or Achziv beach within
seconds."
According to Israeli intelligence assessments, Hizbullah is preparing for a
possible attack on Israel from the southern Lebanese border, and is reportedly
also operating ships.
"Currently it is very quiet here, but like the entire northern border, if
nothing is happening – it is because Hizbullah doesn't want anything to happen,"
the commander told Haaretz.
Security Sources Snap Back at Decision Preventing Access to Telecom Data
Naharnet /2 April 2012/Security sources have slammed a decision by a judicial
authority to prevent the Internal Security Forces from accessing
telecommunications records, saying the security of the people was more important
than their privacy. “What’s more important? The security of the people or their
privacy?” the sources wondered in remarks to An Nahar daily published
Thursday.The dispute on the telecom data came back to the forefront of
discussions after the assassination attempt on Lebanese Forces chief Samir
Geagea on April 4. A three-member independent judicial authority refused the
request of the ISF to provide it with the complete telecom records between
January 16 and April 10 to investigate Geagea’s attempted murder. It justified
its decision to the infringement on people’s liberties. The security sources
also accused Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui of providing security
agencies with all the data until January 15.“Where was the privacy before that
date?” they quipped. The sources said that the legislative and consultative body
at the justice ministry stressed in 2009 that tracing mobile communications has
nothing to do with wiretapping and is not subject to law 140 on the secrecy of
telephone calls. Meanwhile, An Nahar said that Interior Minister Marwan Charbel
will ask the cabinet to provide the wiretapping command center based in his
ministry with the necessary equipment to control mobile and landline phone calls
as part of its mission. Such a move would allow the center to access the data
without any request from the telecom ministry, the daily added.
UAE Minister: Ahmadinejad Violated Our Sovereignty
Naharnet /12 April 2012/UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan
slammed a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to a disputed island,
state news agency WAM said.
"Sheikh Abdullah blasted the visit as a 'flagrant violation' of UAE sovereignty
over its territories and a setback to all efforts and attempts the UAE is making
to find a peaceful settlement to Iran's occupation of the three UAE islands,"
WAM reported late on Wednesday. "This visit will not change the legal status of
these islands which are part... of the UAE national soil," the English-language
statement said.During his visit to Abu Mousa Island on Wednesday, Ahmadinejad
insisted historical documents proved "the Persian Gulf is Persian," according to
the official IRNA news agency.
The Iranian leader said the name "Persian Gulf" derived from the "culture,
civilization and the dominant opinion" of the area. "Since a few thousand years
ago, the main culture in most of the world was the Iranian culture and
civilization, and it is clear that the naming (of the waterway) would be based
on the name of this culture and land. "I am not worried about some claims to the
Persian Gulf at all, because only one who is weak would be worried" about such
claims, Ahmadinejad said. Sheikh Abdullah, who visited Iran in February, said
Ahmadinejad's move and "provocative rhetoric... exposes Iran's false allegations
regarding its keenness to establish good relations... with the UAE and countries
of the region." The Emirati minister said Ahmadinejad's actions come at a time
"when the two countries agreed to exert more joint efforts" to resolve their
dispute. "The visit... was a gross breach of this agreement." He urged Iran "to
take measures and stances that strengthen confidence between countries and
people of the region and refrain from such provocative" acts. Iran, under the
rule of the Western-backed shah, gained control of the islands of Abu Mousa,
Lesser Tunb and Greater Tunb in 1971, as Britain granted independence to its
Gulf protectorates and withdrew its forces.Abu Mousa, the only inhabited island
of the three, was placed under joint administration in a deal with Sharjah, now
part of the United Arab Emirates.But the UAE government says the Iranians have
since taken control of all access to the strategic island and installed an
airport and military base there.
**SourceAgence France Presse.
Murder of Ali Shaban/An awkward death
Now Lebanon/April 12, 2012 /A lot of things have been said about Ali Shaaban,
the New TV cameraman who was murdered on Monday when Syrian security forces
strafed his car parked on the Lebanese side of the border. Take this tribute
from Syrian Minister of Information Adnan Mahmoud, in which Shaaban was
described as “the epitome of high morality… something which Lebanon’s resisting
youth has always enjoyed.” One would be tempted to say it’s a shame Mahmoud
can’t say the same thing about his own soldiers. But, then again, his are the
nauseating and insincere words of an equally nauseating and insincere regime,
one that has been running on empty for the past year. We do not know if Shaaban
really was the “epitome of high morality”—one rarely speaks ill of the dead,
especially a martyr who fell in a grief-charged atmosphere—but in a region in
which life is so cheap and death so random, the name of Ali Shaaban will
resonate for a long time to come.
And not simply because he was a member of “Lebanon’s resisting youth”—whatever
that means—but because his death has arguably done much to open up the eyes of
those Lebanese who have refused to accept the truth about the regime of
President Bashar al-Assad.
There can be no sectarian conspiracy to which we can ascribe Shaaban’s death.
Nor was this was the work of an unfortunate stray round. Shaaban and his
colleagues were fired upon in a sustained attack by servants of a regime, whom,
by their actions, appeared to care not one jot for innocent lives.
The conclusions one draws from the incident are damning. If Syrian troops can
target and kill journalists for no apparent cause, then surely there is no
reason why we should believe other troops are not doing the same to other
innocents. Indeed, if they are happy to gun down a foreign national in his own
country, imagine what they are prepared to do to their own within their borders.
It is a question that must surely be asked by those who had until now given
Assad the benefit of the doubt, who believed in the narrative of a regime
responding to an armed, Islamist insurgency. Because to believe such a narrative
fits snugly with old certainties, in particular the one that would have us buy
into the idea that the axis of Iran, Syria and Hezbollah is essentially an
honorable one that fights injustice, but one which an Israel-loving West has
tarred unfairly with the brush of terror and extremism.
But what of those certainties now? Unless you believe that Shaaban was engaged
in some fiendish activity and therefore had it coming, or was gunned down by
rebels to discredit the regime, then there is only one conclusion one can draw
from this whole tragic episode (which, sadly, when set against the scale of
brutality of the past year, is otherwise minor): President Assad is not simply
the goofy ophthalmologist doing a difficult job in a tough neighborhood. His
regime, one that purports to lead the fight against Zionist oppression and
injustice, has once again proven to be nothing more than a cabal of murdering
hooligans. What of their allies in Hezbollah? Surely the murder of a good Shia
boy by a regime it has always defended has put the Party of God in something of
pickle. It has responded in the only way it can and has demanded “justice.”
(Indeed, it is likely that the Syrians will find those responsible and claim it
was an act of gross ill-discipline, but no one will be fooled.)
Then we have Hezbollah’s puppet ally, the Free Patriotic Movement’s Michel Aoun,
who was typically gutless in his reaction to the incident. “The results of the
investigation into Shaaban’s murder have not been officially published,” he
said, clearly wary of upsetting the Syrian regime. “We will comment on the issue
when the results are known.” We are not holding our breath.
Finally, what of the Lebanese government? Any nation worth its salt would have
summoned the Syrian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and given him 24 hours to
leave town. Then again, what can we expect from a government that was all but
made in Syria.
Ali Shaaban has been hailed a martyr by all shades of the political spectrum.
This cannot hide the craven position our government has taken on his killing,
nor will it be more than a crumb of comfort to his family. But when people
remember Ali Shaaban, they will remember that he is the latest in a long line of
people murdered by a regime whose time is up.
Labor Minister Salim Jreissati against anti-Syrian regime
protests in Lebanon
April 12, 2012 /Labor Minister Salim Jreissati said on Thursday that the
Lebanese cabinet should have prevented the organization of anti-Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad’s regime protests in Lebanon.
“The Taif Accord addresses the relations between Lebanon and Syria, and it would
have been better if the Lebanese government had prevented [people] from
protesting against the Syrian regime,” Jreissati told Al-Manar television. He
also said that there was a “conspiracy” targeting Syria, adding that demands for
reform transformed into demands for regime change. Lebanon's political scene is
split between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, led by
the March 8 group, and a pro-Western camp represented by March 14. Protests in
support and against Assad’s regime were held in Lebanon since anti-regime
protests erupted in Syria in mid-March 2011. -NOW Lebanon
Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat retorts to Berri’s statement on attempts to create
enemies on northern borders
April 12, 2012 /Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat retorted to Speaker Nabih Berri’s
statement on why some were trying to find another enemy, apart from Israel, on
the northern borders. “A wolf cannot be blamed for its aggression as long as the
shepherd is the sheep’s enemy,” Fatfat told the Free Lebanon radio station.“Do I
understand from Berri that the blame falls on [deceased Al-Jadeed cameraman] Ali
Shaaban for pointing his camera [toward the Syrian-Lebanese] border? Who
attacked [Shaaban]?”On Monday, Al-Jadeed television accused the Syrian army of
shooting dead its cameraman, Shaaban, saying it opened fire on its team which
was on Lebanon's side of the border. Lebanon's political scene is split between
supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, led by the March 8
group, and a pro-Western camp represented by March 14. -NOW Lebanon
Lebanese Forces bloc MP Joseph al-Maalouf warns against not
handing over telecom data
April 12, 2012/Lebanese Forces bloc MP Joseph al-Maalouf said on Thursday that
not handing over telecommunications data to the relevant security forces will
push March 14 to take political, legal or popular action to address the
issue.“We will follow up on this issue in parliament, in addition to [employing
the appropriate] legal methods,” Maalouf told the Voice of Lebanon (100.5) radio
station.
He added that there was a possibility of taking to the streets to address the
matter.March 14 figures have slammed Telecommunications Minister Nicolas
Senhnaoui for allegedly not transferring telecom data and have said that it is
hindering the investigation into last week’s attempted assassination against
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.-NOW Lebanon
March 14 says Geagea assassination attempt repercussion of Syrian crisis
April 11, 2012 /The March 14 General Secretariat on Wednesday said that the
attempted assassination against Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea was part of
the Syrian crisis’ repercussions.
“This crime tried in vain to take [Lebanon] back to the dark period of political
assassinations that targeted figures of the independence movement,” the March 14
alliance said in a statement issued following a meeting held at Geagea’s
residence in Maarab. On March 4 snipers targeted Geagea outside his Maarab
residence in the district of Kesrouan, but failed to hit him.
“[Even though this crime] targeted Lebanon, it [was also part] of the
accelerating repercussions of the Syrian crisis” on Lebanon, the statement read.
March 14 also called for referring Geagea’s attempted assassination to the
justice council “since it [is considered an attempt] to destabilize the country
and civil peace.”
The group also said that “the government’s surprising [decision to stop]
delivering [telecom data] to the security agencies which [help reveal the
culprits involved in crimes, including] Geagea’s [attempted murder], implies
that the government is an accomplice [of the perpetrators].” The March 14 called
for the government to backpedal on its decision regarding the telecom data.
Moreover, the Western-backed group called for the cabinet to take “a decisive
stance regarding threats made by [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s] regime
against Lebanon’s stability.”
In turn, March 14 General Secretariat coordinator Fares Soueid addressed pro-Assad
factions in Lebanon saying: “If you want to commit suicide, along with the
falling Syrian regime, then go ahead [because we will not join you]. We will not
allow you to drag Lebanon wherever you want.”Lebanon’s political scene is split
between supporters of Assad’s regime, led by the March 8 group, and a
pro-Western camp represented by March 14.-NOW Lebanon
March 14 presses government to allow access to telecoms
data
April 12, 2012 01:48 AM The Daily Star
March 14 officials held a wide-ranging meeting at Geagea’s residence in Maarab,
Kesrouan.
BEIRUT: Members of the March 14 coalition urged Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s
government Wednesday to swiftly repeal a decision preventing security services
from accessing the country’s telecommunication records. The officials, who held
a wide-ranging meeting at the residence of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea
in Maarab, Kesrouan, warned the government against concealing from the security
services telecoms data that, according to the March 14, would significantly help
in the investigation of the attempted assassination of Geagea.
“March 14 maintains its right to take any political, legal and popular measures
against the government if it fails to meet the coalition’s demands,” said a
statement read out by Minyeh MP Ahmad Fatfat following the meeting. The meeting
came a week after two 12.7 caliber sniper bullets almost hit Geagea outside his
residence in Maarab. No leads have been made into the investigation of the
attack and according to security services, the search for the culprits might hit
a dead end without access to the data of phone calls made over the past few
months.
In a show of support for the LF leader, dozens of March 14 officials gathered at
Maarab to voice their condemnation of the attempt on Geagea’s life.
The coalition also called on the government to refer the case to the Judicial
Council because of the danger the incident poses to the national security of the
country.
“March 14 calls for the assassination attempt of Samir Geagea to be referred to
the Judicial Council, since it is a threat to civil peace and security of the
nation that would have destabilized the country,” said Fatfat. Although Kataeb
(Phalange) Party leader Amin Gemayel and Metn MP Sami Gemayel did not attend the
gathering for security reasons, Zahle MP Elie Marouni said that his presence
underscored the Kataeb Party’s support for Geagea. “My presence here today is a
proof against all rumors that the parties are distant from each other,” Marouni
told reporters in Maarab.
The statement also said that the coalition was surprised that the government
suddenly stopped granting telecoms data to security services for use in
investigations.
Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui maintains the government has placed
the authority over the data in the hands of the Judicial Committee.
Beirut MP Nadim Gemayel told reporters that he was deeply concerned by the
attempt on the LF leader’s life, saying that had the attack succeeded, it would
have unleashed dangerous repercussions in the country. Commenting on the killing
of a Lebanese cameraman along the Lebanese-Syrian border by the Syrian Army
earlier this week, the gathering said that the shooting was an attack on all
Lebanese and on freedom of the press in the country. Ali Shaaban, 30, died
instantly when the Syrian troops opened fire on a three-member crew of Al-Jadeed
TV on the Lebanese side of the border.
The coalition called on the government to take a firm stance against the
continuous threats made by the Syrian regime against Lebanon’s sovereignty.
“Government should take the necessary steps to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty and
security from the violations of the Syrian regime,” said Fatfat. At least eight
Lebanese have been killed as a result of Syrian gunfire along the
Lebanese-Syrian border since popular demonstrations in Syria began over a year
ago. Damascus has repeatedly said that its measures are meant to fight the
smuggling of weapons across the border and target army deserters.
SOLIDE seeks commission on fate of disappeared
April 12, 2012/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Support of Lebanese in Detention and
Exile (SOLIDE) said Wednesday that families of the Lebanese detained in Syria
are waiting for Parliament’s approval of a proposal to establish a national
commission to reveal their relatives’ fate. Speaking during a news conference
outside the ESCWA building in Downtown Beirut, SOLIDE founder Ghazi Aad said he
would also hand the proposal to Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government for
approval. “I hope through the momentum this movement has built in the past seven
years, we will reach to a solution to the problem of Lebanese who have forcibly
disappeared,” said Aad. “This commission ensures an effective work plan to reach
a solution to this problem that would allow giving clear and detailed answers
about the fate of the victims of the forcibly disappeared,” Aad added. According
to official figures, some 17,415 Lebanese went missing during the 1975-1990
Civil War.
Bkirki committee: Time for new electoral law
April 12, 2012/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: A committee established by the Maronite
Patriarchate in Bkirki to reach an agreement on a proposal for a new electoral
law for the country said Wednesday that the time has come to agree on a new law.
The committee added that the current electoral law, which is based on a law
drafted in 1960, no longer ensures proper representation for Christians.
“The time has come to pass a new electoral law for the upcoming 2013
parliamentary elections, especially since the current one doesn’t allow the
proper representation of Christians and does not guarantee equality [between
Christians and Muslims] as stated in the Taif Accord,” said a statement made by
the committee following their meeting. The committee, which is made up of MPs
George Adwan, Alain Aoun, Sami Gemayel and former ministers Youssef Saade and
Ziyad Baroud, voiced its rejection of the 1960 electoral law which was used in
the 2009 parliamentary elections. According to the participants in the meeting,
the committee discussed several alternatives to the current law that have the
potential to be agreed on by various political sides in the country. Bkirki had
initially voiced its support for a proposal made by the Orthodox Gathering,
which calls for allowing every sect to elect its own representatives to
Parliament, and tasked a committee to hold meetings with all religious groups
and parties to win their support for the proposal. However, with a number of
sects having rejected the Orthodox Gathering’s proposal, the committee is now
working to reach agreement on another proposal to submit to the Lebanese. “The
committee is working to agree on some of the alternatives to the current law
after studying each of them in detail,” it said.
Syria’s border blackmail may backfire
April 12, 2012/By Michael Young The Daily Star
Pity Ali Shaaban for the hypocrisy that surrounded the reactions to his death.
From Hezbollah we heard that the cameraman’s killers had to be punished, even
though the party has no intention of seeing its Syrian allies disciplined. But
Shaaban was a Shiite, so something had to be said. Then there were the reactions
from March 14. The coalition exploited the fact that a Shiite had been gunned
down by Syrians to drive a wedge between Hezbollah and its own community. This
was blatant and indecent, but there you have Lebanese politics today. The regime
of Bashar Assad is anxious about its borders. Shaaban’s killing came on the same
day that Syrian soldiers were ordered to fire into Turkey. The aim is to
blackmail, to warn that if the Syrian conflict becomes a proxy war, it may
spread to Syria’s neighbors.
But there are proxy wars and proxy wars. The Assads have been readily accepting
military instruction and assistance from Iran and Russia. For instance, a leaked
video broadcast on the Al-Arabiya channel last week showed a Syrian Republican
Guard general reassuring officers that additional soldiers were being trained
inside Syria and outside. That could mean only one thing: that they were being
prepared for action in Iran or areas controlled by Iranian allies.
The international community is sticking with the plan of Kofi Annan, the United
Nations-Arab League envoy. There is much hypocrisy in that acceptance, too.
Annan has just visited Iran, after Russia and China, because he feels that
Assad’s benefactors might persuade him to discontinue massacring his population.
They might, once they are assured that the Syrian regime has regained the upper
hand and can manipulate Annan’s scheme to break the opposition’s back.
The Annan plan is a mishmash of incompatible ideas, which all sides have
interpreted as they wish. Russia, Iran and China view it as an instrument to
neutralize the armed struggle and consolidate Assad rule. The Syrian National
Council doesn’t care for the plan and expects it to collapse, but has embraced
it to avert diplomatic isolation. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been equally
mistrustful, and are preparing to increase their assistance to the opposition
once the plan fails. Turkey has a more urgent concern, namely managing the
rising number of Syrian refugees entering the country. That’s why Ankara would
welcome an international green light, and the legitimacy that would accompany
this, to carve out a buffer zone inside Syria. And the United States, while it
has endorsed Annan’s mission, has also approved non-lethal aid to the
opposition, betraying its doubts as to the mission’s success.
Annan has expressed surprise that the criminally long deadline he approved for
implementation of his plan had led to more violence. Who was he kidding? That he
afforded Syria’s security forces valuable time to carry out more murder
discredited his efforts. Annan seems oblivious to the dynamics of the situation.
The Syrian regime is pursuing a strategy of absolute eradication, and will only
go along with his proposals if they advance such a strategy. There are those who
suggest that Annan is well aware that his initiative will go nowhere, but needs
to prove this before moving to stronger medicine. Perhaps, but that means that
every new victim of the carnage in Syria must be put at the envoy’s door. After
all, his approach is merely a reheated version of an Arab League plan from last
November that the Syrian regime undermined time an again. By ordering its troops
to fire across two international borders, the Syrian leadership has only
reconfirmed that it is looking to crush the rebellion. You don’t seal your
borders unless your intention is to ensure that you can regain the upper hand
militarily, while denying that capacity to your enemies. And if Annan is going
to provide cover for Assad to continue along this path, then the envoy must end
his mediation right away, or seriously overhaul it. Going hat in hand to Moscow,
Beijing and Tehran only strengthens Syria’s leadership.
Assad’s problem is that Syria’s borders will remain vulnerable to outside
infiltration. As the Annan project is gradually emptied of all meaning, the
logic of a proxy war in Syria will come back with a vengeance. You can fire at
the Lebanese, but the Lebanon border will stay porous. Because of national
cleavages over Syria, the Lebanese Army’s hands are tied when policing the area,
not least when this is done upon the instructions of Syria’s ambassador.
Geographically, the Turkish border with Syria is far more difficult to cut off.
Quite foolishly, the Syrian regime has recently granted wide latitude to the
Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, to operate in northern districts against Turkey.
This Ankara cannot long tolerate, and Assad’s short-term gain may bring him a
lasting headache if the Turks decide to move their army into Syrian territory.
Until now they have not done so to avoid a confrontation with the Kurds and
Iran. However, by playing the Kurdish card, Assad is hitting against a vital
national interest of his northern neighbor, which may leave Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s government with no choice. The borders with Iraq and Jordan are
also wide open, even if the governments in both countries remain wary of backing
the Syrian uprising. However, if there is no political solution and the Syrian
regime persists in its policy of obliteration, then arms and funding will flow
across as all parties prepare for their stake in a post-Assad Syria. Ali Shaaban
was an unfortunate victim of these perilous border games. Don’t be surprised if
there are more to come.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR. He tweets @BeirutCalling.
Lebanese Army Says Report Claiming 2 Recruits Joined FSA
'Exaggerated'
Naharnet/ 11 April 2012/Two Lebanese army recruits have escaped the military
service and joined the ranks of the rebel Free Syrian Army to fight President
Bashar Assad’s regime, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday.An informed
source told the daily that the military service of the two recruits, who hail
from the Wadi Khaled border region of Akkar, was extended but after they were
granted their leave of absence “they left and never came back.”The army inquired
the families of the two recruits about their whereabouts and after a few days
the officer whom they worked with received a text message from the cell phone of
one of them, saying: “We salute you from the Syrian town of Qusayr… My colleague
and I have joined the Free Syrian Army in its fight against the Syrian regime.”
According to the source, the two men fled on April 1 and the Syrian authorities
were informed about the incident immediately in order to take the necessary
measures to detain them and hand them over to the competent Lebanese
authorities.Later on Wednesday, the Army Command’s Orientation Directorate
issued a statement clarifying that the two “irregular” recruits were “permanent
residents of Syria.”
“They have been absent from their barracks for a while now and their fate has
not been determined to date,” the statement said.
The Army Command called on media outlets “not to exaggerate when publishing any
information related to the military institution,” stressing that “such
individual and limited cases, which happen every now and then, are being
addressed in a strict manner.” “Perpetrators are being instantly held
accountable according to military regulations and applicable laws,” it added.
Al-Akhbar newspaper also reported on Tuesday that the army has exposed soldiers
who breached its security by stealing arms from its warehouses and selling them
to weapons dealers who in their turn smuggled the equipment to the Free Syrian
Army. The report said that over 90 machine guns were missing from the eighth
battalion and a large quantity of ammunition. However, sources told As Safir
that the missing machine guns don’t exceed 20. But the Army Command noted that
the disappearance of the weapons and military equipment happened “long time
ago.”
“Military police investigated the incident back then, reaching decisive results
concerning the location and the individuals in question,” the Army Command
added, noting that “probe results were submitted to the relevant military
judicial authorities, while the severest disciplinary measures were taken
against the culprits.” In March, the army also discovered an al-Qaida- takfiri
network headed by Abu Mohammed Toufic Taha, which planned attacks on its
bases.Taha is reportedly based in Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp.
March 14 Source: Jumblat Most at Risk after Geagea
Naharnet/11 April 2012/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat could be
the second on the list of potential targets against Lebanese politicians
following the assassination attempt on Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, a
high-ranking March 14 source said Wednesday. The source told al-Joumhouria daily
that Jumblat is most at risk after Geagea following a decision to launch “a
campaign of intimidation and physical elimination” against the politicians. Such
a campaign is aimed at guaranteeing a success for the Hizbullah-led March 8
sources in the 2013 parliamentary elections, the sources said without accusing
any party of involvement in Geagea’s murder attempt. Current studies show that
the March 14 forces will prevail in the polls, which led to the decision to
eliminate certain personalities, they added. Geagea escaped sniper fire unharmed
last Wednesday as he was walking in the garden of his fortified residence in
Maarab. The source hinted that the PSP chief brought himself back under the gaze
of assassins after he began to criticize the Syrian regime over its violent
crackdown on protestors since March last year. But Jumblat is hoping that he
stays away from the danger of assassinations through keeping contact with
Hizbullah and vowing not to force the collapse of the current parliamentary
majority and Premier Najib Miqati’s cabinet.
Judiciary Refuses to Hand over Complete Telecom Data to ISF on Geagea Probe
Naharnet/11 April 2012/A competent judicial authority refused to provide the
Internal Security Forces with the complete telecom data to continue their probe
into the assassination attempt on Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. An Nahar
newspaper said that the judicial authority which is tasked with assessing the
possibility of providing the security forces with the telecom data includes Head
of the Audit Bureau Judge Aouni Ramadan, Head of the Shura Council Shukri Sader
and first president of the Court of Cassation Judge Hatem Madi.
Telecommunication Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui denied to al-Joumhouria newspaper
that his ministry is blocking the security authorities from obtaining the
telecom data. “The ministry receives monthly around 300 applications by the
security forces (The General Security, the Internal Security Forces, the State
Security and the Army) and we approve their requests,” Sehnaoui told the
daily.However, he noted that providing the security authorities with “all the
data” requires the approval of the competent judiciary authority. The dispute on
telecom data emerged to the surface after Geagea escaped an assassination
attempt last week.
Sehnaoui revealed that the judicial authority failed to approve in March the
requests to provide the security forces with all the data.
He stressed that the telecom ministry has to “provide the security authorities
with all the required help in order to track down criminals and terrorists to
maintain stability and security” in Lebanon.
Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc condemned during its weekly meeting on Tuesday
the “ongoing telecom data scandal,” urging the cabinet to end this dispute
through enabling the security authorities to constantly be granted access to the
data.” However, Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun lashed out at the
March 14 forces for accusing Sehnaoui of preventing the ISF from obtaining the
telecom data. “There is a legal process that needs to be followed…The committee
of judges is concerned with this issue and not the minister,” he said during the
block’s weekly meeting.
France has no intention to withdraw from UNIFIL, envoy says
April 11, 2012 /French Ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton on Wednesday said
that France will not pull out its troops from UNIFIL, according to a report
carried by the National News Agency (NNA).
“France has confirmed through its officials, particularly Foreign Minister
[Alain Juppe], that it has no intention to withdraw its troops from UNIFIL,”
Pietton told reporters following a meeting with Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel.
Pietton added that the number of French peacekeepers is currently 900 “and this
[means that France has] an effective presence [in UNIFIL].”The report also added
that the French envoy and Gemayel discussed the latest Lebanese and regional
developments.-NOW Lebanon
Israel’s mysterious wall with Lebanon
Alex Rowell, April 11, 2012
The Israeli village of Metula as seen from Kfar Kila. Both the foreground and
the background are in Lebanon. The IDF intends to replace this technical fence
with a wall. (NOW Lebanon)
For the first time in its 64-year history, Israel will build a wall along its
northern border with Lebanon, according to recent press releases from the United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). After a series of tripartite meetings
between UNIFIL, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, it was
announced that a wall will be constructed “to replace the existing Israeli
technical fence along the Blue Line near the town of Kfar Kila.” When contacted
by NOW Lebanon, UNIFIL spokesman Neeraj Singh declined to give precise details
about the wall, but media reports suggest it will be approximately one kilometer
in length, five meters high, and equipped with surveillance technology.
NOW Lebanon travelled to Kfar Kila and found no evidence that construction has
yet begun. The adjacent Israeli village of Metula, surrounded by Lebanese
territory on three sides, continues to be demarcated by the same metal fence
that spans the length of the Blue Line, and there was no building equipment to
be seen at any point in the vicinity. Moreover, UNIFIL troops stationed at the
fence told NOW that they were unaware of any construction activity to date.
Indeed, the larger question appears to be why Israel should build such a wall in
the first place. The official reason stated by UNIFIL both in press releases and
in conversation with NOW is to “enhance security” and “minimize the scope for
sporadic tensions or any misunderstandings that could lead to escalation of the
situation” in “this sensitive area.” Former UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel
agreed, telling NOW that, “This is the weakest point across the fence. It’s very
easy to breach this area because it’s in a gully, and therefore not easily
observable from Israeli positions.” David Schenker, an expert on Arab-Israeli
politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, concurred. “This is
obviously a pretty sensitive area [for Israel], being so close to Metula.
They’re concerned about infiltration. Also, a wall can prevent direct
line-of-sight firing of things like RPGs and mortars.”
On a similar note, in the nearby town of Marjayoun, a journalist, who preferred
not be named, introduced NOW to some Hezbollah members. “The Israelis are
scared,” said one. “They know that if they provoke us again, we will wipe Israel
off the map.” Rhetorical bravado though that doubtless was, it may nevertheless
be true that the IDF is seeking to avoid deploying troops wherever possible. As
Goksel put it, “A wall can cover the area without the need for posting soldiers.
From Israel’s point of view it makes sense.”
However, the area has not in fact been a hazardous or “sensitive” one
historically. “In my experience [of 24 years], there were never any attacks
there because it’s adjacent to a Lebanese village, so any attack there will make
life for the Lebanese very difficult,” Goksel said. “I don’t think anybody has
ever thought of doing anything there. Moreover, even if you cross [into Israel]
there, you’re not going to come across an Israeli position for a long time, so
it doesn’t make sense for anyone to attack from there. What are you going to
attack? There’s no target.” Similarly, at the fence in Kfar Kila, NOW spoke to
UNIFIL troops and a number of local residents, none of whom said they had ever
had security problems in the past.
If not security, then what else may be on Israel’s mind? The journalist Harriet
Sherwood of the London Guardian wrote last month that Metula locals “speak of a
flourishing drug-smuggling trade along this stretch of the border.” Kfar Kila
residents denied this, although it isn’t clear in any case how a wall of merely
one kilometer would prevent such a trade if it did exist.
Alternatively, the wall may be part of a wider, more general Israeli initiative
to bolster its borders. Much has already been written about its 760
kilometer-long wall in the West Bank (which extends beyond its
legally-recognized borders). Much more recently, however, Israel has also
commenced construction of a 240 kilometer-long barrier on its Egyptian border.
Schenker suggests this trend reflects heightened anxieties in Israel about the
broader political transformations in the region. “Israel is building a series of
walls, the most prominent one along the border with Egypt, because the Sinai has
now basically become ungoverned.”
Finally, some are skeptical that the wall will be built at all. “I know the
Israeli mentality very well,” said the journalist in Marjayoun, who lived for
many years under Israeli occupation. “If they want to do something, they do it.
They don’t tell you about it in advance.”
Whether or not he turns out to be correct, Israel’s objective in constructing
the wall will remain a mystery for the time being.
**Luna Safwan contributed reporting for this article.
U.S.: Iran can end its isolation by giving up nuke
program
By Natasha Mozgovaya/Haaretz
Speaking to the press, White House spokesman Jay Carney says Tehran must meet
its international obligations, which include the suspension of all enrichment
activities. Iran can change its current international isolation by relinquishing
its nuclear weapons program, a top U.S. official said on Wednesday, adding that
the world was united in its demand that Tehran suspend all uranium enrichment
activities. The remarks by White House spokesman Jay Carney, coming days before
a planned round of nuclear talks between the Islamic Republic and western
powers, followed comments by the head of Iran's Supreme National Security
Council, Saeed Jalili, according to which Iran could offer new proposals at the
session
"Iran's representatives will participate in the negotiations with new
initiatives and we hope that the P5+1 countries will also enter talks with
constructive approaches," Jalili told English-language news network Press TV.
Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, said it was "ready to hold progressive
and successful talks on cooperation" but that "the language of threat and
pressure against the Iranian nation has never yielded results." Speaking to the
press on Wednesday, Carney addressed upcoming P5+1 talks, saying that there was
an "international consensus about the absolute need for the Iranians to abide by
their obligations, to forsake their nuclear weapons ambitions, to demonstrate
verifiably that they can reassure the world that they do not seek to acquire
nuclear weapons."
"And you know, our bottom line, our position is that Iran must -- lived up to
its international obligations, including the full suspension of uranium
enrichment, as required by multiple UN Security Council resolutions," Carney
added. Reiterating recent remarks by U.S. President Barack Obama regarding the
"closing window" of opportunity to resolve the Iran issue, Carney said that the
"Iranians need to demonstrate that they are serious, that they will engage in
these talks seriously and focus on the issues that need to be resolved. Beyond
that, we'll have to see how they go."
"Well, I'm not going to negotiate from here on behalf of the P-5 plus one, but I
think it's important to note what has been clarified over the past three years,
which is that the international community is united; Iran is isolated; the way
to change that dynamic is for Iran to live up to its international obligations
and to forsake its nuclear weapons ambitions," Carney added.
Referring to the Iranian nuclear issue on Monday, Carney said that, as a first
priority ahead of nuclear talks, the administration of U.S. President Barack
Obama put the cessation of Iran's enrichment of 20 percent grade uranium in its
underground facility in Fordo. However, Carney added, the "bottom line" in
upcoming talks would be to get Tehran to relinquish its nuclear aspirations
altogether, ceasing all enrichment activities in the country."But there is
enough time and enough space at this moment to pursue a diplomatic solution -
that’s why the resumption of these talks is important," the U.S. official said.
What Iran Might Gain from a Nuclear Deal
By Patrick Clawson/The Washington Institute.
April 11, 2012
Given continuing U.S.-Iranian differences on issues such as terrorism and human
rights, the Islamic Republic would receive only limited economic benefits from a
nuclear deal, and Khamenei fears the regime would pay a heavy political price.
If Iran decides to seriously negotiate during upcoming nuclear talks --
currently scheduled to begin this weekend in Istanbul -- what might it expect to
gain from the resultant deal? Probably not much, because even a comprehensive
agreement on nuclear issues would not close the profound geostrategic split
between Washington and Tehran.
ONLY MODEST ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Most of the U.S. sanctions on Iran were enacted for reasons that extend beyond
proliferation, such as state support for terrorism and human rights violations.
When Washington imposed restrictions on Iran's Central Bank in February after
prolonged internal debate, the reasons cited in President Obama's executive
order were not the nuclear program, but instead "the deceptive practices of the
Central Bank of Iran and other Iranian banks to conceal transactions of
sanctioned parties, the deficiencies in Iran's anti-money laundering regime and
the weaknesses in its implementation, and the continuing and unacceptable risk
posed to the international financial system by Iran's activities." None of these
problems would be dispelled by a comprehensive nuclear agreement.
Moreover, the U.S. pattern in other countries has been to relax sanctions in a
phased manner, keeping some restrictions in place until it is clear that the
targeted government's changes are permanent and comprehensive. Congress has been
particularly reluctant to end sanctions it enacted into law. Consider that the
Jackson-Vanik restrictions placed on the Soviet Union because of limits on
Jewish emigration are still on the law books, to Moscow's great annoyance. In
Iran's case, many sanctions that were initially issued as executive orders have
since been codified as laws. Although those laws typically authorize the
president to waive sanctions if national security so requires, issuing a waiver
could be a tough sell politically.
Nor is it clear how much a nuclear deal would affect sanctions by other
countries. The European Union has cited human rights concerns for many of its
sanctions on Iran and Iranian officials. The EU has a long record of imposing
sanctions for such reasons, from Burma to Zimbabwe, and Tehran's human rights
image in European circles is quite poor. As for UN sanctions, the United States
is reluctant to let Security Council resolutions expire because reintroducing
them would be very difficult if Iran failed to fulfill its obligations -- hence
the preference for suspending sanctions for a defined period of time rather than
removing them altogether.
Even if the sanctions were substantially relaxed, private firms may not be eager
to reenter the Iranian market. A number of major international companies that
withdrew from Iran in recent years did so at least in part because of the poor
business climate. Even when sanctions were less of an issue, Iran had a poor
record of attracting international investment. In Colin Powell's rephrasing of
an old saying, "Capital is a coward. It flees from corruption and bad policies,
conflict and unpredictability."
In many ways, the main economic impact of a nuclear deal would be in sparing
Iran from additional sanctions. Major new restrictions are looming at the end of
June, including an EU ban on oil sales and potential U.S. sanctions on foreign
central banks that facilitate Iranian oil exports. Those measures would
presumably be suspended in the event of a deal, whereas the lack of a deal would
likely prod the United States, EU, and like-minded countries to turn up the
pressure even more. Yet avoiding prospective sanctions is not a particularly
tangible incentive for Iranian leaders -- that is, they would have trouble
justifying an agreement to their constituents by simply saying, "It's a bad
deal, but if we did not take it, life would be even worse."
KHAMENEI'S FEARS
In his March 29 meeting with Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei made the revealing statement that he opposes "any
plan created by Americans for the Syrian issue." In an obvious rejoinder to this
comment, former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told an interviewer,
"The United States is a prime power in the world, what difference is there
between Europe, China, and Russia and the United States? If we negotiate with
them, why should we not negotiate with the United States? Negotiations do not
mean surrender. We will negotiate. If they accept our position, or if we accept
their position, the issue is over." He went on to recount how he had once
recommended to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini that Iran negotiate with Washington.
Rafsanjani's comments created a firestorm, with Khamenei's usual backers
complaining loudly that nothing the United States proposes can be accepted.
On the nuclear issue, Khamenei often argues that there is little point in
settling the impasse because the West would simply turn to some other issue,
such as human rights, to keep up its drumbeat against Tehran. He describes the
West's true objective as undermining and then overthrowing the Islamic Republic.
Indeed, he has long warned about the Western plan to achieve "soft overthrow" by
stirring up youths, women, and intellectuals, and he views the 2009 mass
protests as proof he was correct. Khamenei's prolific public record on this
issue suggests that he will view any U.S. nuclear proposal as a potential Trojan
horse, designed to open the country to Western ideas that would devour the
Islamic Republic. This mindset explains why he periodically uses a favorite
Khomeini refrain to dismiss Obama's offers to engage: "Do you call this
negotiation? This is like the relationship between a wolf and a lamb."
In short, giving Khamenei an incentive to settle the nuclear impasse is
difficult because he seems to fear U.S. carrots more than U.S. sticks. For
example, because he (correctly) regards Western cultural invasion as the
regime's principal threat, he is particularly opposed to what many regard as the
most benign and basic confidence-building step, namely, people-to-people
exchanges. Many of his speeches suggest he is more afraid of opening the country
to the outside world than he is of a military attack, which he (incorrectly)
believes would rally people to his revolutionary values.
Khamenei's frequently expressed opposition to making concessions -- which he
sees as a slippery slope -- is another indicator that he would reject a nuclear
deal. Fortunately, while he is the most important player in the Iranian
political system, he is not the only one, and more cautious and business-minded
heads may prevail.
FOR NUCLEAR, IRAN GETS NUCLEAR
Iran's most important benefits from a nuclear deal would most likely lie in the
nuclear sector. The nuclear program has become the regime's signature selling
point, with Tehran incessantly bragging about scientific and technological
advances that have supposedly brought the Islamic Republic into the ranks of the
world's great powers. Gaining international acceptance of the program would be a
real coup for Tehran. The P5+1 (the five permanent members of the Security
Council plus Germany) frequently proclaim their willingness to accept a peaceful
civilian nuclear program in Iran. And during her tenure as secretary of state,
Condoleezza Rice even spoke about U.S. cooperation in constructing nuclear power
plants in the country once the ongoing impasse was resolved -- quite a change
from President Clinton's bitter opposition to the Bushehr plant in the late
1990s, which he made the foremost issue at several summits with Russian leaders.
Although Rice's speculation was quite farfetched, the mere political act of
accepting the program would be a triumph for Iran's leaders, even if they had to
agree to significant limitations. There would be immediate practical benefits
too: a deal would presumably mean the end of sabotage and assassination
campaigns.
Yet no matter how comprehensive a nuclear settlement the parties reach, Iran
will remain profoundly divided from the United States and its allies. The
current troubles in Syria, which have so hurt the Islamic Republic's image
across the Arab world, are but another reason why Washington and others will
continue to regard Tehran with suspicion, if not hostility. If Iran wants more,
it is going to have to give more.
**Patrick Clawson is director of research at The Washington Institute.
Exclusive: Iran’s “new initiatives” place Israel at
center of nuclear talks
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report April 11, 2012/The head of Iran’s National Security
Council Saeed Jalili suggested enigmatically Wednesday, April 11, that its
representatives would present “new initiatives” at the negotiations with six
world powers starting in Istanbul next Saturday. “We hope,” he said, “that the
powers will also enter talks with constructive approaches; the language of
threat and pressure against the Iranian nation has never yielded results.”
Although Jalili, who will lead the Iranian negotiating team, did not divulge the
nature of the new initiatives, debkafile’s Iranian and intelligence sources have
obtained their content:
1. Iran will continue to enrich low-grade 3.5 percent uranium but not consent to
a cap on quantities;
2. The removal of enriched uranium outside Iran’s borders is not open to
discussion and will not be permitted;
3. Iran is prepared for a deal whereby the six powers endorse Iran’s right to
enrich as much high-grade 20-percent enriched uranium as it wishes according to
a three-part fomula:
a) A joint panel of the six powers and Iran will determine the amounts required
to meet the needs of its reactor and the production of isotopes for medical
research; b) Iran will sell the surfeit on the international market and become
the world’s No. 1 exporter of 20-percent enriched uranium; c) Excess quantities
over and above a) and b) will be downgraded by a reverse process from 20 to 3.5
percent.
4. Iran will reject demands to shut down the underground enrichment plant at
Fordow, near Qom, but agree to signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty’s Additional
Protocol - which would permit IAEA inspectors to make spot checks at all suspect
nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow - with one proviso: The six powers must
also require Israel to sign the NPT plus the Additional Protocol. If Israel
doesn’t sign both parts of this treaty, neither will Iran endorse the AP.
5. The “Israeli dossier” tops the tactical agenda set out by Iran’s top
strategic team for the forthcoming nuclear negotiations Istanbul.
Its representatives will be briefed to turn aside every demand the world powers
make of Tehran by twisting it around and pointing it at Israel’s alleged nuclear
program. They will argue that they are acting to promote President Barack
Obama’s avowed vision of a nuclear-free Middle East. By using this stratagem,
the Iranians expect to come away from the negotiating table sitting pretty,
having extracted international permission both for enriching as much high-grade
uranium as they want and for keeping the Fordow facility in full operation.
Death to Churches, Targeting Christian Holidays in the
Islamic World
by Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute
April 11, 2012
http://www.meforum.org/3210/death-to-churches.
Last Sunday, many Christians around the world celebrated Easter, taking it for
granted that they can congregate and worship in peace. Not so; in the Islamic
world, where top religious officials call for the destruction of churches,
Christian holidays celebrated in church are increasingly a time of death and
destruction, a time of terror.
Nigeria, for example, saw some 50 Christians killed "when explosives concealed
in two cars went off near a church during Easter Sunday services in the northern
Nigerian city of Kaduna…. the casualty figure may go up because some injuries
were really critical." The church targeted was "the Assemblies of God's Church
near the centre of the city with a large Christian population and known as a
major cultural and economic centre in Nigeria's north." According to the pastor
holding Easter services at the time, "We were in the Holy Communion service and
I was exhorting my people and all of a sudden, we heard a loud noise that
shattered all our windows and doors, destroyed our fans and some of our
equipment in the church."
There is little doubt that the Islamist group Boko Haram is behind the terror
strike. The group has long been targeting churches—most notoriously, last
December 25, when several churches were bombed in the Muslim majority areas of
Nigeria, in what was described as "Nigeria's blackest Christmas ever": then,
over 40 Christians were slain, "the majority dying on the steps of a Catholic
church [in Madalla near the capital of Abuja] after celebrating Christmas Mass
as blood pooled in dust from a massive explosion." As usual, the charred and
dismembered remains of Christian worshippers were seen scattered in and around
the destroyed church.
While the Christmas—and now Easter—church attacks may be Nigeria's most known,
they are certainly not the only ones. Consider just the last few weeks:
Sunday, March 11: A Boko Haram suicide car bomber attacked a Catholic church,
killing at least 10 people. The bomb detonated as worshippers attended Mass at
St. Finbar's Catholic Church in Jos, a city where thousands of Christians have
died in the last decade as a result of Boko Haram's jihad.
Sunday, February 26: A Boko Haram suicide car bomber killed at least three
people, including a toddler, at another church in Jos. Witnesses said the
jihadist drove his car into the prominent Church of Christ during morning
prayers.
Sunday, February 19: A Boko Haram bomb attack outside a church in Abuja left at
least five people seriously injured and many more hurt, when a parked car filled
with explosives detonated outside the Christ Embassy Church.
While the mainstream media, analysts, government officials, etc. try to portray
these attacks as products of Nigerian poverty—most recently, the U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State for African Affairs insisted that "religion is not driving
extremist violence" in Nigeria—the fact is, wherever in the world there are
significant numbers of Muslims (Nigeria is essentially half Christian, half
Muslim), churches are under siege (see sections dealing with church attacks in
my "Muslim Persecution of Christians" reports for February, January, December,
November, October, September, August, and July).
Some of the more spectacular ones include the Baghdad church attack where 58
Christians were killed; likewise, the New Year's Eve church bombing in Egypt
that saw over 20 Christians killed (when several more churches were bombed and
attacked and thousands of Egyptian Christians demonstrated, they were
slaughtered by their own military); earlier, in 2010, eight Egyptian Christians
were shot dead by drive-by Muslims as they were leaving church on Christmas Eve.
Incidentally, Muslim attacks on churches during the holiest of Christian
holidays are not limited to Nigeria and Egypt, but occur throughout the Muslim
world—for instance, in distant, "moderate" Philippines, where another church was
bombed during Christmas.
Of course, there are some Muslim nations—Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and soon
possibly Kuwait—where one rarely hears of church attacks; but that is because
they have nipped the "church problem" in the bud by not allowing them to exist
in the first place. In other words, the hatred for churches is still there, but
in an unseen form.
Speaking of hatred, while church attacks are efficient ways to ensure the deaths
of maximum numbers of Christians—in that worshippers are tightly gathered in one
spot—intentionally targeting churches during the highest Christian holidays,
Christmas and Easter, is also a reminder of the malevolency that drives such
attacks.
Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and an
Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum.