LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 07/12

Bible Quotation for today/The New Life in Christ
Ephesians 04/17-31: " In the Lord's name, then, I warn you: do not continue to live like the heathen, whose thoughts are worthless and whose minds are in the dark. They have no part in the life that God gives, for they are completely ignorant and stubborn. They have lost all feeling of shame; they give themselves over to vice and do all sorts of indecent things without restraint. That was not what you learned about Christ! You certainly heard about him, and as his followers you were taught the truth that is in Jesus. So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy. No more lying, then! Each of you must tell the truth to the other believer, because we are all members together in the body of Christ. If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. Don't give the Devil a chance. If you used to rob, you must stop robbing and start working, in order to earn an honest living for yourself and to be able to help the poor. Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you. And do not make God's Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God's mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free. Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Is it a fatwa to save Maliki/By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 06/12
Al-Assad: lifelines and hangman's ropes/By Abdullah Al-Otaibi/Asharq Alawsat/June 06/12
No need to conspire/By Emad El Din Adeeb/Asharq Al Awsat/June 06/12

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for June 06/12
Israeli Defence Forces chief denounces Israeli officials’ public statements on Iran as baseless
Saudi FM: Iran atomic programme raises regional threats
Tripoli violence an attempt to spread Syria crisis, Future bloc warns
Dar al-Fatwa slams Kabbara for criticizing mufti
Aoun wants cabinet to fulfill its duties
Soueid criticizes Nasrallah call for “national constituent assembly”
 Kabbara lashes out at Grand Mufti for verbally attacking Hariri
Allouch: Eid’s accusations do not deserve response
Gemayel urges freeze on sale of Lebanese real estate to foreigners
Hariri: Assad wants Lebanon to burn
Sleiman approves appointments to Higher Judicial Council
2 rocket-propelled grenades hit north Lebanon neighborhood

Syria bars diplomats, gunships in action
Luxembourg envoy seeks Lebanon's support for U.N. bid
Lebanon judge issues arrest warrant for gunman with alleged Al-Qaeda ties
Progressive Socialist Party denounces Baghdad attack
Iraqi Sadrist trend leader Moqtada al-Sadr calls on al-Maliki to resign
Deadly clashes in Syria as EU-Russia seek solutions
Syrian rebels lose faith in talks, plan coordinated military front
Syrian refugee crisis threatens Lebanon’s stability: report
Iran rallies to aid of Iraq's embattled leader
Egypt's Brotherhood faces tough popular test
Top al Qaeda strategist may have been killed in Pakistan

 

Gemayel urges freeze on sale of Lebanese real estate to foreigners
June 05, 2012/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Kataeb party MP Sami Gemayel urged the Lebanese state Tuesday to impose a moratorium on the purchase of real estate by foreigners. Gemayel submitted a draft law in this regard to Parliament, pending a new law to regulate foreign ownership. “I have suggested a long-term lease agreement under which the Lebanese would maintain ownership of property and reclaim it at the end of the lease's duration,” Gemayel said. He explained that he decided to draw up the draft law because property sales have reached “unacceptable and unreasonable levels in light of the Lebanese state’s inability to protect the interests of its people.”

Sleiman approves appointments to Higher Judicial Council
June 05, 2012 02:59 PM The Daily Star /BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman signed a decree Tuesday appointing five judges to the Higher Judicial Council (HJC), as the tenure of the current members ends Tuesday. Prime Minister Najib Mikati had signed the decree Monday. Sources at the Prime Minister's office said that this step paves the way for appointing the head of the HJC soon. The appointed judges are Jospeh Samaha, Marie Denise al-Meouchi, Rida Raad, Oussama al-Lahham, and Mirna Bayda. According to the decree, Bayda will hold the position of the Council’s secretary. Last month, Lebanon’s Appeals Courts elected Judges Antoine Daher and Suhair Harakeh with the remaining members to be appointed by the Cabinet. Ministers had failed to agree on who should be appointed to the top post in the Council, which has been vacant for over a year following the retirement of Judge Ghaleb Ghanem. The question of a successor to Ghanem has put President Michel Sleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun at loggerheads as each favors a candidate. The HJC is expected to convene its last meeting on Tuesday afternoon, according to the National News Agency.

Aoun wants cabinet to fulfill its duties
June 5, 2012 /Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday questioned the point of a cabinet unable to carry out its duties. “If the cabinet is incapable [of addressing] security, energy, water and developmental [issues] then why is there a government?” Aoun asked following the bloc’s weekly meeting. He added that the developmental and financial projects approved by the cabinet must be implemented. “[The Change and Reform bloc] launched an initiative to resolve security, political and economic issues. I think it will achieve results.” Aoun also called for the judiciary to investigate the issue of “lost” government funds, adding that “funds had been deposited in Lebanese banks in the name of [cabinet officials].”
“When we asked for their names, [we were] told bank secrecy [prevented the revealing of the perpetrators].”-NOW Lebanon

Soueid criticizes Nasrallah call for “national constituent assembly”
June 5, 2012 /March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soueid on Tuesday criticized Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s call for establishing “a national constituent assembly.”“The Taif Accord still serves as the foundation of the Lebanese [political] system,” Soueid told LBC television station, adding that the national constituent assembly proposal “implies that the Lebanese system is a failure.” The Taif Accord helped bring the bloody Lebanese civil war (1975-1990) to an end. Turning to the issue of national dialogue, Soueid said that the March 14 alliance will emphasis in its memo, to be submitted to President Michel Sleiman, that it abides by the Taif Accord and does not consider that Lebanon’s status quo was due to a political system “crisis.” The March 14 coalition is to hand Sleiman a memorandum related to the June 11 national dialogue session. Last week, the president sent invitations to the members of the national dialogue committee calling on them to convene on June 11 at 11 a.m. at the Baabda Presidential Palace to discuss various issues, including Hezbollah’s arms. However, some members of the Western-backed March 14 coalition said they reject taking part in the national dialogue session unless Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet resigns.-NOW Lebanon

Dar al-Fatwa slams Kabbara for criticizing mufti

June 5, 2012/Dar al-Fatwa on Tuesday responded to Future bloc MP Mohammad Kabbara’s statement that Grant Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani “verbally attacked” Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri in an “unprecedented and inappropriate” way during a Higher Islamic Council meeting. “Kabbara’s statements are not accurate. If Kabbara is fair, he [might as well] count the verbal [attacks] he and other Future Movement MPs and officials made against the mufti,” Dar al-Fatwa said in a statement. “Kabbara is not a mufti nor a scholar in religious affairs able to request Muslims to [ignore the] mufti. [By making such a request] the MP aims to serve [a personal] political aim.”“Everything being said against the mufti are [false] allegations aiming… to pressure him to take certain positions. [However, these attempts] will not [affect] the mufti’s national and Islamic principles,” Dar al-Fatwa added.-NOW Lebanon

Kabbara lashes out at Grand Mufti for verbally attacking Hariri
June 5, 2012 /Future bloc MP Mohammad Kabbara on Tuesday lashed out at Grant Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, who “[verbally] attacked Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri in an unprecedented and inappropriate way during the last Higher Islamic Council meeting.”“Sheikh Qabbani began the meeting with an [inexplicable verbal] attack against Hariri and accused him of false allegations,” Kabbara said in a statement released by his press office. Kabbara also said that the mufti was “assaulting the [Sunni] community instead of defending it.” The Future Movement MP also noted that “although Hariri did his best to conceal the perpetrations of Qabbani and his corrupt son, [Ragheb Qabbani], the mufti was so ungrateful that he [forgot about] his [religious title] and community, who [in turn] rejects his leadership [and refuses] to pray with him because his prayers are invalid.”Kabbara also called on the members of the Higher Islamic Council to “limit the mufti’s suspicious and sick impulses.”-NOW Lebanon

Allouch: Eid’s accusations do not deserve response
June 5, 2012/Future Movement official Mustafa Allouch commented Tuesday on accusations made by Arab Democratic Party Secretary General Rifaat Eid regarding the recent clashes in Tripoli.
“The Syrian regime is [dragging] the region to [its] destruction.” As for Rifaat Eid, he is associated with the Syrian intelligence and [his accusations] do not deserve a response,” Allouch told the Free Lebanon radio station. On Monday, Eid slammed the Future Movement, saying that “they were responsible” for the latest flare-up of violence in the northern Lebanese town.Clashes in Tripoli between two rival neighborhoods, Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh, have left at least 14 people dead and more than 40 people injured since Friday. Bab al-Tabbaneh - a pre-dominantly anti-Syrian regime Sunni neighborhood, and Jabal Mohsen – a mainly Alawite neighborhood supportive of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - have been gripped by frequent fighting, reflecting a split in Lebanon's political scene in which opposition parties back the revolt in Syria while the ruling coalition, led by Hezbollah, supports the Damascus regime. Regarding the March 14 alliance’s stance on President Michel Sleiman’s invitation to attend a national dialogue session on June 11, Allouch said: “March 14 wants the dialogue to [be fruitful] and reassure.” He added that March 14 might attend the national dialogue meeting if there a was confirmation that an agreement will be reached to withdraw non-state arms. “There is a group that does not want to disarm,” Allouch said. Last week, Sleiman sent invitations to the members of the national dialogue committee calling on them to convene on June 11 at 11 a.m. at the Baabda Presidential Palace to discuss various issues, including Hezbollah’s arms. However, some members of the Western-backed March 14 coalition said they reject taking part in the national dialogue session unless Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet resigns.-NOW Lebanon

Syria declares envoys personae non gratae
June 5, 2012/Syria's government declared on Tuesday that the ambassadors and staff of several Western countries as well as Turkey were personae non gratae. "Some states recently informed heads of our diplomatic missions and embassy staff that they are unwelcome," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding Syria was now designating the ambassadors of the United States, Britain, France and Turkey, among others, as personae non gratae. The ambassadors of Canada, Italy and Spain were also named in the statement, as well as various embassy staff members from Belgium, Bulgaria and Germany. The statement concluded by saying that Syria "still believes in the importance of dialogue based on principles of equality and mutual respect" and that diplomacy is a "necessary tool" for countries to resolve disputes. "We hope that those countries which initiated this step will adopt the same principles, allowing for relations to be normalized," it added. A slew of mainly Western countries expelled Syrian diplomats in the wake of the Houla massacre of more than 100 people in late May, one of the worst atrocities in the country since an uprising broke out in March 2011.-AFP/NOW Lebanon

Russia says Assad could go in Syria settlement

June 5, 2012 /Russia said on Tuesday it was prepared to see Syrian President Bashar al-Assad leave power in a negotiated solution to 15 months of bloodshed that has claimed more than 13,000 lives. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said a day after meeting mediator Kofi Annan in Geneva that Moscow would back any peaceful settlement to the crisis as long as it did not involve the use of outside force. "We have never said or insisted that Assad necessarily had to remain in power at the end of the political process," Gatilov told the ITAR-TASS news agency in Switzerland. "This issue has to be settled by the Syrians themselves." The comments represent one of Russia's most explicit declarations of a position first signaled by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a day after a February 7 meeting in Damascus with Assad. Lavrov at the time refused to explicitly back Assad and said the leadership structure of Moscow's Soviet-era ally "should be the result of agreement between the Syrians themselves." Russia has been facing mounting pressure to back Assad's departure as a first step in a settlement that would see his inner circle assume command on an interim basis. The option is modeled on the recent transition in Yemen and has been backed by the US administration. The New York Times has reported that US President Barack Obama plans to raise the option when he meets Vladimir Putin for the first time since his May return to the Russian presidency at next month's G20 summit in Mexico. Gatilov said the Yemeni model could only be relevant if the rebels agreed to lay down their arms and sit down for talks. "When we discuss applying the Yemeni model to the situation in Syria, we have to keep in mind that unfortunately, there is no desire from the opposition to engage in any political talks with the government," Gatilov added. "It would be good to... see a political will from both sides that would allow us to move toward a settlement," he also said.
"And in that case, it would probably be appropriate to talk about the Yemeni model."Gatilov's comments came as another top Russian official announced that a US delegation headed by Washington's Syria crisis pointman Frederic Hof would be travelling to Moscow later this week.-AFP/NOW Lebanon

Israeli Defence Forces chief denounces Israeli officials’ public statements on Iran as baseless
By Jonathan Lis | Jun.05, 2012 /Haaretz
Speaking to the Knesset, Benny Gantz says conflicts in Syria will lead to more activity along Israel-Syria border, requests expansion of defense budget. Israel Defense Forces chief Benny Gantz criticized former Israeli officials on Tuesday for recently speaking out publicly on issues regarding Iran.
“There has been much chatter on Iran in the public discourse,” Gantz said during a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting. “Chatter full of exaggerations. Operationally, it is impossible to know where they’re aiming, or where they’re planning. Only a very few people know anything, what is possible, and what is impossible. Many people are boasting about their knowledge – but only a few really know anything.”
Gantz added that debates over Iran should only be held in the relevant settings. “There are people who used to be in the know, but are no longer,” specified Gantz. “The only ones who can decide to stop building a nuclear reactor are the Iranians. Iran has been striving for, and is still striving for a military nuclear reactor. Iran has yet to decide to cross that line – because of strategic considerations.”
Gantz stressed that isolation within the international community, economic sanctions, and credible military threats have made it clear to the Iranians that now is not the time to cross the boundary that has been set for them. “The chances of war initiated by our enemies are low, although the possibility for tension to deteriorate into war is possible, as it is throughout the Middle East,” added Gantz.
“That tension is like a virus, it spreads throughout the region and every nation deals with it differently. Until now, that tension has not yet managed to reach the arenas most problematic for Israel, which include Iran,” said Gantz.
Gantz also mentioned to the Knesset committee members that the IDF is distressed over the passage of military equipment from Syria to Hezbollah. “This subject distresses us now as much as ever, especially if the Syrian government falls apart. We see a great deal of Iranian and Hezbollah involvement in events taking place in Syria. Instability developing in the Golan Heights is becoming worse and worse because of the conflicts in Syria, including in areas bordering Israel. They have yet to reach the level of destructive actions, but it is yet within reach,” said Gantz.
According to Gantz, every development on the ground in Syria is a loss for Israel. “If Assad falls, indeed there will be a crack in the radical axis, although it will create instability in Syria,” explained Gantz. “If Assad remains in power, he will be weak, and still be in the same, unstable place. There is a price for instability in the region, and I think we will pay it in the form of more activity along the border between Israel and Syria, and smuggling from Syria to Hezbollah,” added Gantz.
Gantz took advantage of the opportunity to request additional funds for the defense budget. “I need to ensure that operational units are not hollow, and can execute any objective,” said Gantz. “Without an increase in the budget, there will be fewer planes. We are not in a similar situation to that of 2006. The majority of our units are in top shape and readiness,” said Gantz.
“Generally speaking however, if I were to make a surprise visit to one of the emergency equipment storage facilities, we’re in a different situation completely. I have a great deal of confidence in our army, and complete faith in our air force and intelligence units. The current budget framework cannot continue without a multi-year plan. The strategic reality is complicated, and it shows a negative trend. We must not continue without a multi-year plan,” added Gantz
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Saudi FM: Iran atomic programme raises regional threats

June 05, 2012/By Asma Al Sharif /Daily Star
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday Iran's nuclear programme has increased threats to the Gulf region and urged Tehran to cooperate with world powers to defuse tension after talks last month failed to achieve a breakthrough. Western nations and Gulf Arab states suspect that the Islamic Republic's nuclear energy programme is a camouflaged attempt to develop the means to produce nuclear weapons. Iran says it is enriching uranium only for civilian purposes. "For sure the Iranian nuclear programme has escalated the threat level in the region... So it is dangerous...," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters in the Red Sea city of Jeddah after a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting. "We hope Iran, with all kinds of threats coming from it, changes its policy to protect a region that is Iran's (as well). I can not imagine Iran becoming the reason for the destruction of this region because it will be the biggest loser." Talks last month between Iran and six world powers over its nuclear ambitions ended without an agreement but the sides decided to reconvene in Moscow on June 18-19 in another effort to bridge the longstanding dispute. "This requires greater cooperation from Iran with the international group," Prince Saud said. "We hope that Iran stops its nuclear programme and reassures the region's states." Tensions have been on the rise between Shi'ite Muslim Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbours, who accuse Tehran of fomenting Shi'ite unrest in Bahrain and in eastern Saudi Arabia. Prince Saud also renewed criticism of Iran over what he called its occupation of three strategic Gulf islands that are also claimed by the United Arab Emirates. "There is a big crisis now in the Gulf caused by Iran's occupation of the UAE islands and ... threats in general," Prince Saud said.
Friction worsened between Iran and the UAE after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Abu Musa, the biggest of the three islands located near key oil shipping lanes at the mouth of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Last week, the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards paid a similar visit to the three islands where he met with military forces stationed there.
Apart from Saudi Arabia, the GCC groups the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

Is it a fatwa to save Maliki?
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
A new Shia fatwa was issued to Iraqis from a Shiite cleric residing in Iran, Ayatollah Kazem al-Husseini al-Haeri, prohibiting them from voting for any secular Iraqi candidate, in any Iraqi governing facility. In other words, the fatwa means that Iraqis must vote for Shiite clergymen only, so what about so-called Iraqi democracy? Even if some say that this fatwa has only been issued to support Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki against all the Iraqi factions seeking to withdraw their confidence from him, or to oust him so that he does not turn into the Shia Saddam Hussein, the fatwa is in fact much more than this. It has serious connotations that reveal the thought process of Khomeinist Iran, and the mentality of the Shiite clerics who operate within its orbit. With this fatwa prohibiting votes for secular Iraqi candidates, one can understand Iran’s position regarding Lebanon’s democracy, or what happened and is happening in Bahrain, or indeed what is happening in Syria, Egypt and Yemen, and all Arab countries hit by the so-called Arab Spring. It is clear that the Shiite authorities affiliated to Iran believe in democracy only when it comes through Shia clergymen. Of course, no one would accept this principle except those whose interests are tied with those of Iran, whether Shiites or Sunnis, such as the Muslim Brotherhood organizations allied with Iran like Hamas ,or many of the Brotherhood members in Egypt and the Gulf of course, not to mention the Houthis in Yemen. Iran, and anyone who revolves in its Khomeinist orbit, believes that democracy is just a means to seize power; not a political approach to serve the community and the state in our region, but rather to serve the spread of Ayatollah Khomeini’s Shiite revolution. We can see this in Iraq today with al-Haeri’s fatwa, and the same also applies to Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, and is also consistent with the Brotherhood movement in Egypt. As for Libya, consider the piece of news that was ignored by the bulk of the Arab media this week, namely the Grand Mufti of Libya’s claim of what he considered to be suspicious Iranian movements in the country! The story is not only about preserving al-Maliki, rather it is a story of preserving Khomeinist Shia influence in Iraq and the region as a whole, and strengthening it with all the forces allied with Iran, intentionally or otherwise, or through financial support, sometimes even adopting the principle of the enemy of my enemy is my friend, as is the case with Iran’s relationship with al-Qaeda! This reinforces the danger of Iran and its role in the region, and of course a fatwa that prohibits voting for any secular candidate in Iraq today requires a response from the Iraqi Shiites themselves, and likewise the Shiites of Bahrain, Lebanon and others in the region. What is required here is a clear response from the wise and rational Shiites, which is what we have called for repeatedly. How can the wise Shiites demand the rights of minorities, reform and political participation, then fall silent when it comes to a fatwa issued by Iran that confines votes to Shia clergymen? The same applies to all of Tehran’s allies in the region, especially the Muslim Brotherhood organizations in Egypt and the Gulf who are demanding political reform and democracy.
All these parties must respond so that we can be sure they are real reformists and not mere Khomeinists, since Khomeinism is no longer confined to the Shiites, but now applies to many of those who call for political reform, whether in Iraq or Bahrain, or the region as a whole. Who will respond?


Iraqi Sadrist trend leader Moqtada al-Sadr calls on al-Maliki to resign
05/06/2012/By Ma'ad Fayad
London, Asharq Al-Awsat –The smaller parliamentary blocs in the Iraqi Council of Representatives will most likely play a significant role in the vote on withdrawing confidence from Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, due to the fact that these parliamentary blocs split from larger blocs. These smaller blocs include the “White Iraqiya” bloc which split from the Iraqiya parliamentary bloc, as well as the “Free Iraqiya bloc”, which split from the “White Iraqiya” bloc, itself a splinter-bloc.
An Iraqi parliamentarian, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, revealed that “the smaller blocs have yet to make up their minds on the issue of withdrawing confidence [from Prime Minister al-Maliki]” adding “these blocs are seeking to make the most of this opportunity, for they are marginalized, on the one hand by the larger blocs that they split from, and the large bloc that is in power on the other…so they now have the opportunity to achieve some personal gains for their members, not to mention electoral gains, if they line up behind the side that will ultimately triumph.”
The MP also informed Asharq Al-Awsat that “these blocs were originally formed by relying on others, and when they reached parliament they split from them, and today they are moving closer to this party or that party to obtain what they view as additional gains that they would otherwise be deprived of.”
The source revealed that “al-Maliki has worked in advance to win the votes of these blocs and independent MPs…by brandishing ministerial positions, funds or other gains.”
For her part, Iraqiya bloc spokesperson Maysoon al-Damluji told Asharq Al-Awsat that “we, along with the Kurdistan Alliance, the Ahrar bloc of the Sadrist trend and other members of the National Alliance, as well as the State of Law coalition itself, are committed to moving forward in the process to withdraw confidence from al-Maliki.”
The Iraqiya bloc also issued an official statement calling on the National Alliance “to find an alternative to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, to spare Iraq further crises.” The statement stressed that “the partners in the National Alliance must quickly find an alternative to al-Maliki, to spare Iraq further crises which would open the scene to the forces of evil, the crime of [foreign] infiltration and cause sedition amongst the Iraqi people.” In this regard, Sadrist trend leader Moqtada al-Sadr called on Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to resign “for the sake of the Iraqi people and the political partners”.
“We say, complete your (good work) and announce your resignation, for the sake of the people…and for the sake of partners” Moqtada al-Sadr said in a statement addressing al-Maliki which was released by his political office on Sunday. The statement added “do yourself a favor and announce your resignation for the sake of the [Iraqi] people who only want a loaf of bread, and for the sake of partners who only want partnership.”  This statement was issued on the eve of al-Sadr’s visit to Tehran to discuss the Iraqi political crisis, according to informed sources. Observers believe that al-Sadr’s visit to Iran represents an indication of Iranian intervention in defense of al-Maliki, particularly as al-Sadr is one of the most prominent figures to call for his resignation.
Al-Sadr’s call for al-Maliki to resign comes at a time when the political crisis in Iraq is intensifying, reaching unprecedented levels since the beginning of the withdrawal of US troops from the country more than six months ago.


Syria bars diplomats, gunships in action
June 05, 2012/By Mariam Karouny , Erika Solomon/Daily Star
BEIRUT: Syria's government banned 17 Western diplomats and its helicopter gunships pounded rebels in a coastal province on Tuesday as President Bashar al-Assad defied international pressure to halt his campaign to crush the uprising against his rule. The declaration that ambassadors from the United States, Canada, Turkey and several European countries were unwelcome was retaliation for the expulsion of Syrian envoys from their capitals last week, following the massacre of more than 100 civilians by suspected Assad loyalists. On the battlefront, rebels fought with government forces backed by helicopter gunships in the heaviest clashes in coastal Latakia province since the revolt broke out 15 months ago. It was the second day of combat since the rebels declared they would no longer abide by an internationally brokered ceasefire, saying that the government had continued the repression in defiance of United Nations peace observers. Rebel fighters said eight of their comrades were killed, while the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 15 to 20 soldiers were killed. Activists also reported heavy fire by government forces on the city of Homs, a focal point of the uprising that endured a bloody siege for weeks earlier this year. The latest developments emphasised the precarious state of a peace plan brokered by Nobel Peace laureate Kofi Annan, who has shuttled between Damascus and other capitals on behalf of the United Nations and Arab League. Foreign governments are still clinging to the plan as the only option for finding a political solution and preventing a wider and bloodier conflict. But with the failure of the ceasefire and Assad's intransigence, it is all but in tatters.In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said Gulf Arab states had begun to lose hope that the peace plan would find a solution.The comments are significant as Sunni-ruled Gulf countries have led international efforts to oust Assad, who is allied to Shi'ite Iran, and have hinted in the past they were willing to arm the rebels. Nevertheless, Russia and China, Assad's principle defenders on the diplomatic front, said on Tuesday that Annan's efforts should not be abandoned.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, meeting in Beijing, urged international support for the plan despite calls from Arab and Western states for a tougher response to the bloodshed. The two countries, permanent members of the U.N. Security Council with the power to veto resolutions, have stymied efforts by Western powers to condemn or call for the removal of Assad.
The United Nations says Assad's forces have killed more than 10,000 people since the uprising against his family's four-decade rule of Syria broke out in March 2011.
Assad says he is fighting to save the country from foreign-backed "terrorists" and will carry out his own reform programme. The government says more than 2,700 soldiers or security personnel have been killed by opposition forces. Opposition fighters appear to have stepped up assassinations of government loyalists in recent months - two army officers were assassinated on Tuesday in northeastern Deir al-Zor province, according to state news agency SANA.
RESPECT
Syria's Foreign Ministry said the move to declare the 17 Western diplomats personae non grata was a response to the coordinated expulsions of Syrian envoys by 10 countries last week over the massacre at Houla. But it was still open to re-establishing ties on a basis of "principles of equality and mutual respect," a ministry statement said. "We waited for so long for the other side to correct their policies and offer the needed support to Annan's plan and the observers' mission. But we regret that we had to take this measure because they do not want this mission to succeed," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Makdad said in Damascus. The diplomats, most of them ambassadors, included envoys from the United States, Canada, Britain, France and Turkey. Most had already left Syria. Turkey is a former Assad ally and now a strong opponent which has provided haven to army defectors, rebels and refugees. A Turkish official said almost 2,700 Syrians had fled to Turkey during the first five days of June, mostly into Hatay, a southeastern province that juts into Syrian territory. That brought the total of Syrians registered in camps to about 2,700. Villagers close to the border told Reuters that in the past few days Syrian soldiers had torched forested areas to destroy cover for armed insurgents suspected of operating there. Videos uploaded by rebels showed clouds of smoke rising from mountainous areas close to Turkey. The clashes in Latakia province were a rare surge of violence in a province outside the usual trail of bloodshed. The head of the British-based Syrian Observatory, Rami Abdelrahman, said the fighting was in mostly Sunni areas in and around the city of Haffeh. Ambulances were seen rushing through the city carrying government casualties. Latakia province is home to several towns inhabited by members of the minority Alawite sect, a Shi'ite offshoot to which Assad himself belongs.

No need to conspire
By Emad El Din Adeeb/Asharq Al Awsat
There are some individuals, rulers or regimes whose enemies and opponents do not need to conspire against, since leaving these geniuses to themselves will lead to better results. I once met with an Arab official who will remain nameless despite the fact that has since left the political scene, who told me with great pride: “By the way brother Emad, I do not listen to the views of my advisors or the tons of written studies that are sent to my desk daily”. Here I asked him naively: “So where do you get your information? From where do you become familiar with the alternatives available to you? How do you differentiate between the choices in front of you?” He looked at me in wonder, and I think, had the situation allowed, he would have proceeded to tell me words that are difficult to repeat in this column! Instead he said “My dear brother, I take my decisions from here”, pointing to his temple with his middle finger, as if to say “I make my decisions from my head”.
It’s worth noting that this man and his regime came to an end, and the genius of his “head” brought death, destruction and disgrace to his people. There are dozens of articles published in Hebrew newspapers that talk about the Arab mismanagement of crises, urging Israeli intelligence services to direct their efforts and funds towards more dangerous and skillful players, such as the Iranians, Turks, Pakistanis and Indians. These articles argue that no matter how different your ideology, or how your interests conflict with these countries, you cannot deny that they know what to do in terms of crisis management, planning for the future and defending their interests, or at least you can say that they avoid making the serious mistakes that indicate a certain ignorance or miscalculation of events.
I feel great sadness when I think of the tons of documents that are sent from many intelligence apparatuses, state security offices or Arab research centers to decision makers, who do not pay attention to them or try to take advantage of them, or even discuss with those who sent them, regardless of the benefit that an official or ruler could derive before issuing his decision or announcing his position.
If we look at some historical figures, such as Churchill, Napoleon, Alexander the Great or Hannibal, they all took great pride in their personal abilities, and in spite of that they did not make a major decision - such as those concerning war or peace - without adequate information and advice from several different sources, so that their final decision was more informed and wise.
There is yet to be a person who knows everything, who is skilled in all matters, and who has a clear vision on all issues. Even the infallible prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) listened, consulted and discussed with his companions on all issues and major decisions. If the infallible prophet did this, then why do those of a greatly lower stature insist on taking decisions unilaterally?

Al-Assad: lifelines and hangman's ropes
By Abdullah Al-Otaibi/Asharq Alawsat
Perhaps an aware and intellectual individual would find it boring to repeat the fact that interests run politics, and that principles and ideologies are only used for this particular purpose. Yet, repeating such a fact is useful for many people who remain unaware of the fundamental truth, like many key figures in public affairs seem to be, let alone the general public. When such people are filled with religious, social or humane emotions because of a catastrophic occurrence, this fundamental fact tends to slip from their minds, as political considerations become more complicated.
The Russian-Chinese persistence in defending the oppressive al-Assad regime in Syria is derived from this fundamental fact, for the two superpowers have nothing to lose by supporting al-Assad, yet in the language of interests, they would lose heavily if they were to abandon him. Regardless of the moral credibility of such a view, the two superpowers use it as a platform to launch from.
Here a question must be raised: Don't major catastrophic incidents such as massacres have any role in influencing politics? The answer is definitely yes, as politicians consciously transform such massacres into events that serve their own visions and interests, as testified by modern and contemporary history. In fact, this is what must be done with al-Assad's continual massacres in Houla, Deir ez-Zor, Homs and elsewhere. There must be some way to transform such massacres into a political account from which the Syrian National Council (SNC), and likewise the Free Syrian Army (FSA), can derive benefit.
The expulsion of Syrian diplomats from dozens of countries around the world is the correct step, even if it has been adopted late, towards isolating the al-Assad regime politically. This, however, should now be succeeded by other measures, starting with UN and Arab peace envoy Kofi Annan’s explicit announcement that his project has proven a failure. It is not acceptable for the international observers’ task to shift from withdrawing the Syrian army from cities and villages and ceasing violence, to merely producing statistics about the number of civilian victims and corpses, which fail to have any political impact.
The al-Assad regime (as reflected by all its manners of conduct) is determined to drag the country into a civil war and complete chaos. Similarly, by persisting with its comprehensive bloody violence, the regime is seeking to create a state of internal conflict whereby it can maintain a small district in Syria - Latakia and the surrounding Alawi mountains - and then garner international support to create a feeble identity under the pretext of “protecting minorities”. This is a term that the regime is aware will have significant impact upon the West, and the world has seen several examples of this in modern history.
In fact, the principle of "protecting minorities" is a modern and noble Western idea, yet this term can by no means apply to the al-Assad regime or present-day Syria. What is going on in Syria can only be described as tyrannical violence committed by a ruling family, in turn being protected by a sectarian minority that is employed to repress the majority. Today, it is necessary that this nation, with all its sects and classes, is protected against the regime's repression, and is enabled to defend itself.
Annan's plan has proven a failure, and going to the Security Council will be of no avail given the current Russian-Chinese veto, so what remains to be done is to take action outside the Security Council to topple the regime; a measure which Susan Rice, the United States Ambassador to the UN, termed "the third scenario". Any further delays towards adopting this third scenario will leave permanent scars in the Syrian memory, and will strongly impact upon the future of Syria as well as the entire region.
Civil trends in Syria, led by the SNC, continue to exert enormous efforts to maintain the civil nature of their confrontation against the Syrian regime. The SNC was right to declare a war of liberation against the regime, a war which the West and other global countries – those eager to maintain peace in the region - should support. Unless the al-Assad regime, which persists in its political, military and sectarian crimes, is overthrown, the chronic Arab problems of sectarianism, ethnicity, tribalism, political Islam and even al-Qaeda will re-emerge, with armed militants representing every side.
Some people do not like to evoke lessons from history at times like this, but I believe that it is beneficial to recall them in order for the decision-makers, along with the international and Arab observers, to be fully aware of any decision they may make.
It is widely known that Iran - which al-Assad considers one of his available lifelines – does not and will not spare any effort to back al-Assad with all the power it has. While Iran is capable of exporting its expertise in repression, by expanding its military and security apparatuses and by undertaking bloody operations to intimidate the Syrian people, it will not be able to transform Syria into another Iran. The differences are numerous and the distance is too large.
Aside from Iran’s history and the depth of its civilization, competence, standing, and the nature of its demographic structure, the Iranians have also adopted major projects such as the war on Iraq, nuclear development and the campaign for regional influence. Iran can always use these as a shelter whenever an internal problem emerges. As for the al-Assad regime, it has none of this, and even if we take into consideration al-Assad’s external project to ensure protection for Israel, the regime cannot rely on this to escape its grave internal crisis.
When al-Assad considers the lifelines available to him, he would find the Russian-Chinese veto internationally, Iran and its allies in Iraq regionally, and the Syrian armed forces domestically. Originally, the Syrian army was molded from a purely sectarian viewpoint, empowering the Alawite minority at the hands of Hafez al-Assad. In fact, Hafez al-Assad was invoking the idea of "building a Near East special force", along the lines of those which the French formed in 1921 using mainly Alawite minorities. In many ways, French military service led to the emergence of the Alawite military tradition, which then became centralized and furthered the rise of the Alawi sect later on.
Politics, even if relies on interests, also deals with firmly established facts and permanent variables that require a deep understanding. Over time only the absolute facts will remain, and then we will see that lifelines can also transform into hangman’s ropes.

Toppling Syria's Assad
June 5, 2012
After the Holocaust and the genocide in Rwanda, the world said: Never again. And there have been interventions to stop the killing — in Bosnia, Kosovo and Libya. But these have been the exception, not the norm. Even now, as horrifying violence unfolds in Syria, the U.S. and its allies find reasons to limit their response to economic sanctions accompanied by strongly worded, but ineffectual, statements of condemnation.
This, despite the fact that the stakes in Syria are higher, from a strategic standpoint, than in Libya. By the time NATO acted against Moammar Kadafi, he was an isolated despot who had given up sponsoring terrorism and building weapons of mass destruction. Not so with Bashar Assad: His regime sponsors Hezbollah and Hamas. It has a large stockpile of chemical weapons and would be on its way to developing nuclear weapons had not Israel bombed its nuclear reactor in 2007. And it has close links to the Iranian regime, which is the No. 1 enemy of the U.S. and its allies in the region.
Moreover, the longer Assad stays in power without being able to stop the uprising against his government — which is now more than a year old — the greater the odds that regional powers will be drawn into the fray and that extremist groups such as Al Qaeda, already responsible for several grisly bombings in Syria, will be able to establish safe havens on Syrian soil.
There are risks in a post-Assad Syria, to be sure, but toppling him as swiftly as possible — something sanctions have shown no sign of achieving — holds out the promise of meeting significant strategic as well as humanitarian objectives.
Those in favor of a go-slow approach will admit much of this but then argue that there are no good options for intervention. It is true that action to topple a regime always carries risks. It is never an operation to be undertaken lightly, as we learned in Afghanistan and Iraq. But no one is proposing sending U.S. ground troops into Syria; the riskiest option of all isn't on the table, nor should it be.
Even less risky options, such as airstrikes, would be harder in Syria than in Libya because the Syrian opposition is less unified than in Libya, and it does not control any cities or discrete territory. Thus it would be harder to strike regime assets without injuring civilians.
But is this an argument for simply sitting by and letting the killing continue? That isn't a "good option" either.
Luckily, as the Syria expert Andrew Tabler, among others, has argued, there are other choices.
First, we should become more closely involved in organizing the Syrian resistance by providing it with communications gear, intelligence and other nonlethal assistance. As CIA and special operations officers develop closer ties with the rebels, they will develop the contacts necessary to funnel weapons into the right hands and to avoid arming jihadist extremists.
U.S. diplomats and intelligence operatives can also work with the opposition to draft plans for a democratic, inclusive, post-Assad government. This would ease qualms among Kurds, Christians and other Syrian minorities — along with businessmen and other stakeholders in the Assad regime — who have so far hesitated to embrace the rebellion.
It would also help if safe zones were established along Syria's borders with Jordan and Turkey, where refugees could escape Assad's oppression. Turkey and Jordan have the military capability to defend such zones from the Syrian army, and there are indications that Turkey, which already hosts the Free Syrian Army, might be willing to do more if it received American support — which hasn't been forthcoming so far.
In addition, the U.S. and our NATO allies could strengthen sanctions on Syria by mounting a naval blockade of the Syrian coastline. This would make it more difficult for Syria's principal supporters, Russia and Iran, to provide arms to the regime.
Airstrikes to protect safe zones or take out key regime targets are a more aggressive option that needs to be considered. The Air Force and Navy have shown the ability to accomplish such goals with few if any losses and relatively little collateral damage.
With Russia blocking action at the United Nations, the most difficult part of any such operation might well be winning international approval. That did not stop President Clinton from intervening in Kosovo, and it need not stop it in Syria, particularly if we can win the backing of NATO and the Arab League.
Max Boot is a contributing editor to Opinion, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of the forthcoming "Invisible Armies: An Epic History of Guerrilla Warfare From Ancient Times to the Present."
Copyright © 2012, Los Angeles Times