LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
March 13/2012
Bible Quotation for today/The Example of Christ's Suffering
01 Peter/18-25: "You servants must submit yourselves
to your masters and show them complete respect, not only to those who are kind
and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. God will bless you for this,
if you endure the pain of undeserved suffering because you are conscious of his
will. For what credit is there if you endure the beatings you deserve for having
done wrong? But if you endure suffering even when you have done right, God will
bless you for it. It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself
suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps.
He committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie come from his lips. When he was
insulted, he did not answer back with an insult; when he suffered, he did not
threaten, but placed his hopes in God, the righteous Judge. Christ himself
carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live
for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed. You were like
sheep that had lost their way, but now you have been brought back to follow the
Shepherd and Keeper of your souls.
Latest analysis,
editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Israeli plans for Iran go back years/By Josef
Federman/March 12/12
Islam's
Tradition of Breaking the Cross/by
Mark Durie/March 12/12
Obama is also a problem/By Tariq
Alhomayed/March 12/12
Russia and the political mafia/By
Hussein Shobokshi/March
12/12
Annan…the new star of the Arab League's charade/By Abdul
Rahman Al-Rashed/March 12/12
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 12/12
Former Mossad chief ,Dagan: Strike on Iran can wait 3
years
Israeli plans for Iran go back years
Gaza truce
delayed. Egypt wants Sinai included. Tehran fuels violence
Egypt negotiating between Israel and Gaza factions for
ceasefire, diplomats say
Gaza rockets strike 40 km south of Tel Aviv, on fourth day
of heavy barrage
US and Russia clash
over Syria at UN
Lieberman: Hamas would cease to exist without Iran's
support
Netanyahu: Israel is prepared to step up fighting against
Gaza if rockets continue
Canada's
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird Statement on Commonwealth Day
International push to end Syria crisis stalls
Dozens of Syrian civilians killed in Homs
Senior Syrian army officers hospitalized in Beirut: report
Arab-Russian plan keeps Assad in post
Dozens of Syrian women and children killed in Homs; state
and opposition trade blame
Syria Opposition Demands 'Urgent' Military Intervention
after Homs Massacre
Taliban vow revenge for Afghans killed by US troop
Oil price volatility in focus at world energy forum
Hariri
laments intl. callousness in face of Syrian suffering
Jumblat Warns Syria’s Druze of Getting Embroiled in
Sectarian Strife
Mikati confirms arrest of subversive cell in Lebanese Army
Phalange: Violence against Student Demos Reminiscent of
Security Apparatus Practices
Hariri: Latest Homs Massacre Condemns International
Community for its Lack of Humanity
Report: Lebanon Refrains from Participating in Tehran
Conference in Support of Syria
UNIFIL Denies Unusual Activity near Kfarkila as Israel
Seeks to Construct Dividing Wall on Border
Rahi Meets Emir of Qatar, Prays for Peace
New STL Prosecutor, Appeals Chamber Judge Sworn in
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - March 12, 2012
Lebanon should not build Syrian refugee camps, says
Hezbollah
Lebanon tourism
to generate $4.3 billion in 2012: WTTC
Sleiman for securing honorable living for young Arabs
Deadly attacks thwart heightened security in Iraq
British naval ship ends 3-day visit to Lebanon
Venus and Jupiter cuddling up in night sky
Israeli plans for Iran go back years
March 12, 2012/By Josef Federman/ ynetnews
JERUSALEM: For more than a decade, Israel has systematically built up its
military specifically for a possible strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. It
has sent its air force on long-distance training missions, procured
American-made "bunker-busting" bombs and bolstered its missile defenses. Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's threats to strike Iran, voiced last week during a
high-profile visit to the White House, were not empty bluster. Although a
unilateral Israeli attack would probably not destroy Iran's nuclear program, it
appears capable, at least for now, of inflicting a serious blow. "If Israel
attacks, the intention is more to send a message of determination, a political
message instead of a tactical move," said Yiftah Shapir, a former Israeli air
force officer who is now a military analyst at the INSS think tank in Tel Aviv.
Israel, along with the United States and other Western countries, believes Iran
has taken key steps toward developing nuclear weapons. The U.N.'s nuclear
watchdog agency has cited this concern in reports, but notes its inspectors have
found no direct evidence that Iran is moving toward an atomic weapon.
Israeli leaders, however, argue that time is quickly running out. They have
grown increasingly vocal in their calls for tough concerted international action
against Iran while stressing they are prepared to act alone if necessary.
Israeli defense officials believe Iran is capable of producing highly enriched
weapons-grade uranium within six months. After that, it would require another
year or two to develop a means of delivering a nuclear bomb, they predict.
But Israel believes the window to act will close much sooner than that.
Officials say in the coming months Iran will have moved enough of its nuclear
facilities underground and out of reach of conventional airpower, and that the
world will be powerless to stop it. Defense Minister Ehud Barak calls this the
"zone of immunity."
Defense officials acknowledge that plans to go after Iran have been in the works
for years, with the air force expected to take the lead in what would be an
extremely complicated operation. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity
because they were discussing sensitive military deliberations.
Israel has a total of 300 warplanes, but about 100 front-line planes would
participate in the mission, officials suggest. They would include attack
aircraft as well as others used to escort, target enemy warplanes and
anti-aircraft batteries and provide support like communications and search and
rescue. The most powerful is the squadron of 24 F15i warplanes, American-made
aircraft capable of carrying heavy payloads that could include 5,000-pound
(2,200 kilogram), laser-guided GBU-28 bombs purchased from the U.S. These
"bunker-busting" bombs would be at the heart of any operation.
In addition, Israel has four squadrons, or about 100, F-16i warplanes. These
planes are more nimble in the air, capable of attacking ground targets but also
ideal for escorting the heavier attacking aircraft. The air force also has
developed long-range unmanned drones that can provide intelligence,
communications and other support in any mission.
Experts believe that some of the Israeli warplanes, even F16s with upgraded fuel
tanks, could not make the round trip without refueling in flight - depending on
the route as well as the weight of their payload. Israel, which has eight tanker
planes, can refuel an airplane in flight in a matter of minutes, though it's
unclear where the task would take place since much of the airspace in the region
is hostile.
There is precedent: Israeli warplanes destroyed an unfinished Iraqi nuclear
reactor in 1981, and did the same thing to a nascent reactor in Syria in 2007.
But an operation in Iran would be far more difficult - complicated by distance,
stronger Iranian defenses and the Iranian strategy of scattering its nuclear
installations in underground locations.
The Israeli air force has carried out a series of long-distance training runs
that could serve as models for striking Iran. In 2008, 100 jets participated in
a drill in Greece. The air force has carried out similar drills more recently
with both Greece and Italy, officials say.
Probable targets in Iran, including the Natanz and Fordo enrichment facilities
south of Tehran, lie some 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from Israel.
Shafir, the former air force officer, said planners would need to choose among
three likely flight paths, all of which carry grave risks.
The shortest, most direct flight would be to cross over neighboring Jordan and
through Iraq.
Neither country has the capability to stop an Israeli warplanes from crossing
through its airspace. But this would deeply embarrass them.
Such an operation would raise the likelihood of a diplomatic spat with Jordan,
Israel's closest ally in the Arab world, and potentially Jordan it to Iranian
retaliation. Jordanian officials refused to comment on how the government would
react if Israel uses its airspace.
A second route would be to fly south and through Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have
no relations with Israel, and while they feel deeply threatened by a nuclear
Iran, any signs of cooperation with the Jewish state would unleash fierce
criticism throughout the Arab world. The Saudis would also be an easy target for
an Iranian counter-strike.
The last possibility would be crossing through Turkey, as Israel illicitly did
in the 2007 airstrike in Syria. But Turkey is believed to have upgraded its
radar systems since then, and Israel's relations with Turkey, once a close ally,
have deteriorated.
A Turkish official said it was "out of the question" for Israel to use Turkish
airspace. He said the jets would be "brought down" if Israel attempted to use
the airspace without permission. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he
was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter.
Once Israeli planes reach Iran, they would come under fire from Iranian
air-defense systems and warplanes. Israeli officials say they take these threats
seriously, but believe Israel's superior firepower and radar-jamming technology
would allow them to perform the mission. Iran's air attack capabilities depend
heavily on domestically modified versions of long-outdated warplanes, including
former Soviet MiGs and American F14A Tomcats from the 1970s. Iran is also
believed to possess retooled versions of Russia's state-of-the-art S-300
anti-aircraft missiles, as well as advanced Chinese radar systems. Russia has
held up an official sale of S-300 defenses for five years, citing technical
glitches. Outside experts say Iranian capabilities, particularly homegrown
technologies, are limited. The biggest challenge to Israel may be the limits of
its firepower. Iran's main uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz is believed to
be about six meters (25 feet) underground and protected by two concrete
walls.This would stretch the capabilities of Israel's arsenal of bunker busters
and explains why the Israelis would much prefer that the U.S. take the lead in
an operation. The U.S. has forces near Iran in the Gulf and possesses bunker
busters even more powerful than Israel's. Iran has also been shifting its
enrichment operations to the far more fortified Fordo site, dug 300 feet (90
meters) into a mountain south of Tehran. Further complicating the task, Israeli
officials say Iran uses special Russian-made nets that conceal the facilities
and distort the detection of Western spycraft. Iran has threatened to retaliate
and has developed sophisticated Shahab missiles capable of striking the Jewish
state. It also could encourage its local proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas
in the Gaza Strip, to unleash their arsenals of tens of thousands of rockets.
Hezbollah has not said what it would do, while Hamas has signaled it does not
want to get dragged into an Israel-Iran war.
Nonetheless, Israel has developed a series of air-defense systems for the
various threats. It has begun testing the third generation of its Arrow system,
designed to shoot down incoming missiles from more distant origins like Iran. It
also has deployed its "Iron Dome" rocket defense system, which has successfully
shot down about 90 percent of incoming rockets from Gaza in a new round of
fighting in recent days. Many experts believe Iran would retaliate against
American targets in the Gulf, as well as U.S. allies like Saudi Arabia for their
perceived support of an Israeli strike.
Any unilateral strike would likely also draw fierce international criticism.
That means an Israeli operation would have to be short-lived, perhaps a one-time
attack, and not a sustained air campaign.
Scott Johnson, an analyst at the IHF Jane's military research firm, said that
given these limitations, Israel would at best set back, but not neutralize, the
Iranian program. Success, he added, would depend on the effectiveness of the
bunker busters. Danny Yatom, a former director of Israel's Mossad spy agency,
said even if Israel cannot destroy Iran's nuclear program altogether, a serious
disruption would be enough."This might delay the appearance of the bomb by many
years," he said.
Gaza truce delayed. Egypt wants Sinai included. Tehran
fuels violence
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report March 12, 2012/The combined Egyptian-Israeli-Hamas
effort to negotiate an early ceasefire in the current round of
Palestinian-Israeli violence struck several major obstacles Monday, March 12:
debkafile’s intelligence sources report a Cairo demand for any truce deal to
embody a Palestinian Hamas and Jihad Islami commitment to withdraw their forces
from Sinai and stop using the peninsula for terrorist operations against Israel.
Egypt’s military rulers are resolved to use this opportunity to chase the
terrorists out and restore their control over Sinai.
However, Palestinian leaders, including Hamas, are playing innocent, claiming to
the Egyptian mediator Intelligence chief Gen. Murad Muwafi that they have no
armed presence in Sinai and would never impair Egyptian sovereignty. Four days
into the Gaza violence, this impasse has brought the mediation effort to a
close.
debkafile’s military sources report that acceding to Cairo’s demand would oblige
the Palestinian terrorist organizations to dismantle the logistic, operational
and military infrastructure they have built in Sinai. Hamas has even transferred
all its weapons manufacturing, including missiles, from the Gaza Strip where it
was vulnerable to Israeli attack to safe locations in northern Sinai, along with
its training facilities.
This tactic has worked: Most of Hamas’ military facilities were out of reach of
Israeli Air Force bombings in the current round of violence because none
remained in the Gaza Strip, except for a forward position. The Egyptian
ultimatum would require Hamas to pull its military machine and weapons
production back into the Gaza Strip and Jihad Islami to evacuate its terrorist
networks which carried out a cross-border attack last August killing 8 Israelis
and were preparing a follow-up. Another obstacle on the road to a ceasefire is
Egypt’s refusal to hold direct, or even indirect, talks with Jihad Islami,
Tehran’s Palestinian surrogate. Gen. Muwafi addressed his mediation effort to
Hamas, a fairly useless exercise since it is the Jihad Islami which has been
shooting the missiles.
The breakdown of negotiations, such as they were, has led Israel to escalate its
military pressure on Gaza and intensify its air strikes, in the hope of forcing
Jihad Islami to stop the missile assaults on its cities. But for now, its
leaders show no sign of being beaten into accepting a truce and are unlikely to
do so, so long as Tehran wants the violence to go on. The Gaza confrontation is
therefore evolving into a military clash between Israel and Iran. Hamas, finding
it increasingly difficult to stay on the sidelines, called on all Palestinian
organizations Monday to unite and close ranks against “Zionist aggression.”
Hamas lined up with the Jihad sine qua non that a truce be conditional on an
Israeli guarantee to discontinue targeted killings of wanted terror chiefs. For
now, the Hamas is still trying to pressure Egypt and Israel into coming to terms
on a ceasefire. Failure would inevitably bring Gaza’s ruling faction into the
battle against Israel. Unless these circumstances undergo a radical shift, the
million Israelis confined to shelters have no reason to look forward to relief
from the missile attacks on their homes and schools – quite the opposite: The
conflict looks like escalating.
Annan…the new star of the Arab League's charade
By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Alawsat
It seems the Arab League has not learned its lesson from the harm it inflicted
upon the Syrian people with its scandalous observer mission headed by Mohammed
Ahmed al-Dabi, a Lieutenant General affiliated to the Sudanese regime. That
observer charade helped to rescue the Syrian regime by presenting false reports
to cover up for its crimes, claiming that the protesters were just as violent as
the government. Those reports also helped Russia's Permanent Representative to
the United Nations (UN) to justify his country’s use of the veto, and gave al-Assad’s
troops the green light to use heavy artillery and murder more Syrian civilians.
Now, the Arab League has returned with an even greater farce. It has given Kofi
Annan, the former Secretary-General of the UN, possibly the only call to action
he has received since leaving his office in New York. He was invited to serve as
a UN envoy to Syria on a high-profile international mediatory mission. It is
common knowledge that Annan's reputation, just like al-Dabi's, has been strongly
questioned due to suspicions about the Oil-for-Food Program established in Iraq
during his tenure as UN Secretary-General, an issue that ultimately prevented
his re-election to the post. Former Palestinian diplomat Nasser al-Kidwa also
came out of retirement to join Annan in his mission.
Unfortunately, the Arab League under Nabil el-Araby has become a Trojan horse
carrying out the wishes of Iran and Russia. These so-called missions or
charades, dreamt up by the Arab League, have only succeeded in covering up the
crimes of the Syrian regime and granting it more time. The whole world now has
the impression that the biggest pan-Arab organization is not sure who is killing
who in Syria. The solution endorsed by Secretary-General el-Araby is the same as
Iran's. It is based upon creating a degree of cooperation between the regime and
the opposition that grants Bashar al-Assad the right to remain as President,
running all security and military apparatuses, in return for the opposition
being provided with a quota of senior government posts. Of course those who know
the Syrian regime are aware that even the post of Prime Minister bears no
significance under al-Assad’s rule.
Practically speaking, the negotiation project and its wider framework which el-Araby
is trying hard to push through are, in the best of cases, something that the
Syrian people would never agree to, because such provisions would keep the
regime's pillars in place. El-Araby’s initiatives have only succeeded in waking
Annan from his slumber and contributing to the further bloodshed of innocent
Syrians. The regime in Damascus must consider the recent steps to be a second
license from el-Araby to continue with its killings, because even if the mission
succeeds in outlining terms six months or more from now, the regime would only
be obliged to relinquish a few ministerial posts such as commerce, agriculture
and transportation.
The Arab League Secretary-General’s continual backstabbing, either of his own
volition or as a result of coercion, is far worse than what the Syrian regime is
perpetrating. This is the bitter and painful truth. By adopting their projects,
el-Araby has enabled Russia and Iran to salvage the al-Assad regime from its
gradual collapse. Furthermore, by doing so, el-Araby has not adopted any
measures to punish the Syrian regime, thereby contradicting what was agreed upon
four months ago by an overwhelming majority, namely that Syria should be
expelled from the Arab League. After the inevitable fall of the regime, el-Araby
and the Arab League will be exposed for performing their shameful roles. He and
his League will have to face the mothers and families of thousands of victims
who know the direct reason behind the prolonged conflict and the deaths of their
endeared children.
What is happening in Syria has nothing to do with conspiracies, regardless of
what is promoted by the regime's circles or what is claimed by the intellectual
Mohamed Hassanein Heikal. We cannot look at these horrific and cold-blooded
massacres away from the fact that the Syrian regime is a criminal entity by
nature, which is deliberately and ruthlessly committing acts of genocide against
innocent civilians. It kills entire families along with their offspring just for
the purpose of revenge or intimidation.
The real conspiracy does not lie in toppling a brutal regime, but in supporting
it.
Russia and the political mafia
By Hussein Shobokshi/Asharq Alawsat
The hostile statement issued by the Russians against Saudi Arabia - accusing it
of supporting terrorism in Syria - is just the latest chapter of Russia’s
continual downfall in the Arab region, and indeed Saudi Arabia’s immediate
response was truly worthy. The response came in light of Russia's bankrupt
policy of defending repressive, despotic and tyrannical regimes, standing up for
them until their last breath, and then failing to learn lessons from its past
experience in other countries.
Today, Russia, with all its power, and military, intelligence and diplomatic
weight, is standing up for the crumbling Bashar al-Assad regime. Time after time
it endeavors to find alternative causes and excuses; trying to say that what is
happening today in Syria must be the result of something other than Bashar al-Assad
being a repressive tyrant and a criminal leader. Sometimes, Russia blames the
West for its greed and plots, and sometimes it places the blame on terrorism,
extremism and armed militias, which is exactly what the Bashar al-Assad regime
and its miserable media outlets are trying to promote.
The Russians, either in their modern, independent guise or under their old
Soviet cloak, have always been a futile, devious support for righteous causes.
The Russians were the first to promptly recognize the state of Israel as it was
established on occupied Arab soil, and nevertheless, they continued for many
years to "sell" the Arabs the idea that they were supporting and advocating
their demands and their wars against Israel. Then a dire catastrophe occurred in
1967 - later on named al-Naksa [the setback] out of politeness. The setback
began when the Russians passed on intelligence information to the Syrians (Hafez
al-Assad was in charge of Syrian defense at that time), revealing that
significant numbers of Israeli troops had amassed at the Golan Heights. The
Syrians immediately told [late Egyptian President] Jamal Abdel Nasser, who
brandished threats of war and confrontation with Israel in the media, although
in fact there were no Israeli military troops in the Golan Heights, nor was
Egypt prepared for such a war. Both Egypt and Syria had accepted the Russian
bait, and Israel subsequently achieved a landslide victory and gained a
tremendous amount of land, promptly managing to double its geographic area.
Everyone is aware of Russia's hesitant and colluding stances when “supporting”
[late Egyptian President] Anwar Sadat as he prepared the Egyptian army before
entering the 1973 war. Sadat frankly declared this later on, and was forced to
expel all Soviet military experts and technicians from Egypt.
The Soviets presence, in the Arab mindset, has always been associated with
supporting tyrannical and repressive governments. The Soviets have only
contributed to the reduction of freedoms, the spread of ignorance and
corruption, and the loss of prestige and respect for the state. Of course, the
Russians and the Soviets were the number-one sponsors of the Nasser, Gaddafi,
al-Assad, Saddam Hussein and the then South Yemen regimes. Of course, everyone
knows what kind of governance these regimes operated with, and their legacies of
poverty, ignorance, corruption, tyranny and darkness that have been left behind.
As for Saudi Arabia, it was always destined to adopt a stance contrary to that
of the Soviet Union. Saudi Arabia adopted the Holy Koran as the basis for its
governance, and therefore the politically secular trend of the Soviets always
had little impact in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia bravely and courageously
withstood the communist trend’s infiltration attempts in the 1950s and 1960s,
and managed to promptly exterminate all dangers stemming from the Soviet
intelligence services.
A great confrontation emerged with the fall of Soviet rule in Afghanistan, and
the fall of the Soviet Union itself, and as a result the relationship between
the Russians and the Saudis was re-evaluated. Yet little has changed, since the
Russian President Vladimir Putin, a graduate of the KGB, seems to govern his
country with the mentality of his intelligence apparatus rather than diplomacy.
He has transformed Russia into a symbol of corruption, where the present-day
state is captive of the capitalist mafia with regards to its economy, and the
political mafia when it comes to diplomacy. This might explain the barbaric
escalation of Russia’s recent discourse towards Saudi Arabia.
Obama is also a problem
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat,
The blame for the situation in Syria does not lie with Russia alone; one of the
biggest problems is also the Obama administration, which has squandered a golden
opportunity to get rid of a significant obstacle to security in the region – and
by extension US national security, Bashar al-Assad. However, it is clear that
Obama is not concerned with the security of the region – even though it impacts
upon international security as a whole, especially with the chaos in Syria
overlooking the Mediterranean – rather Obama is preoccupied with his re-election
bid.
The US administration has directed as much blame, if not more, towards the
Syrian opposition as it has towards al-Assad. What is worse, and indeed a major
scandal, is that the Obama administration has said that there could be an
al-Qaeda presence [among the opposition] in Syria, even though al-Qaeda ran wild
in Iraq under the auspices of the al-Assad regime. When I say this is a scandal,
this is because the American newspaper The Washington Post – quoting US
intelligence agents – reported that the only evidence Washington has of an
al-Qaeda presence in Syria is the style – yes the style – of the bombing that
took place in Damascus, and nothing more! The Obama administration is the one
calling for the Syrian opposition to unify their ranks, yet Washington knows
full well that the unification of the opposition requires international support
and hard work, in any situation, not mere statements. The problem with the
current US administration is that it is notorious for misinterpreting events in
the region. Here it is suffice to consider Obama’s dealings with the Green
Revolution, where instead of supporting it he decided to withdraw from Iraq,
leaving it in the hands of al-Maliki and Tehran. With regards to Syria, the
Obama administration says that the al-Assad regime is still cohesive, but this
is something to be expected for several reasons. Washington knows the extent of
Iranian support for al-Assad, in terms of arms, money, men, equipment and all
manner of resources, via Iraq. This makes it difficult for any Syrian official
to defect. How could they, when they don’t see Obama taking any form of serious
stand, and instead opposing the armament of the Syrian opposition and refusing
to declare that overthrowing the tyrant of Damascus is an issue of national
security? How could a full military division defect when there is no buffer zone
to ensure the protection of the defectors and to help them re-organize their
ranks? Those who defected in Libya went to Benghazi, but where would the Syrian
defectors go? If the Obama administration wants to see significant and rapid
divisions, then it must adopt a firm stance. Let us recall the era of George W.
Bush, when the US administration brandished the stick towards al-Assad after the
assassination of Rafik Hariri, with an international tribunal just around the
corner, at a time when Ghazi Kanaan was rumored to be plotting a coup and was
subsequently assassinated! Where is the stick today, and where is the
international tribunal? Furthermore, from reading recent history we would find
that no one defected from Saddam Hussein’s regime prior to the US invasion, and
even in its early days, because at the time all members were aware that their
families would be targeted. The al-Assad regime is worse than Saddam in that
regard. But first and foremost, how can the Syrians mobilize when they don’t see
a serious stance coming from Washington?So the problem is not Russia alone, but
also the hesitance of President Obama and his administration. Events have been
interpreted in the wrong manner, the Syrians have been left alone to face the
crimes of the al-Assad regime, and the biggest chance to create stability in the
region and curtail Iran’s influence has been lost, so who will tell Obama this?
Former Mossad chief ,Dagan: Strike on Iran can wait 3 years
Yitzhak Benhorin/Ynetnews
Former Mossad chief tells CBS ill-timed strike on Tehran's nuclear facilities
would have 'devastating effects' on Israel . WASHINGTON – Former Mossad Chief
Meir Dagan gave an interview with CBS' "60 minutes," and reiterated his view
that now was not the time to strike Iran's nuclear facilities. Dagan has
voiced his objection to a preemptive Israeli strike on Iran in the past, and on
Sunday night he warned again of what may be the catastrophic result of an
ill-timed attack on the Islamic Republic. An Israeli strike on Iran, he said,
could lead to its retaliating with hundreds, possibly thousands of missiles, in
a way that would have a "devastating impact" on Israel's ability of to continue
its daily life. "Israel will be in a very serious situation for quite a time,"
he said. Dagan told CBS that the West still has "at least three years" to curb
Tehran's nuclear ambitions. "The regime in Iran is very rational. It's not
exactly our rationale, or the western thinking... but I think (Ahmadinejad) is
rational," he said. "There is do doubt that they are considering all the
implications of their actions. They will have to pay dearly."Proof of that
rationale, he said, can be found in the way Iran cunningly stalls international
diplomatic efforts to broker a compromise on its nuclear program. "They are
masters of negotiations," he said. However, "Iran has an interest in driving up
the price of oil. This is the most important source on income for Iran. "If Iran
will be armed with nuclear capabilities, their ability to create instability in
the region and by this, indirectly, increase the price of oil… It will be much
worse than it is now," Dagan said. He reiterated his opinion that the best way
to prevent such a scenario was to support a regime change in Iran. "The issue of
Iran armed with a nuclear capability is not an Israeli problem – it's an
international problem," he said, adding that he believes that, as US President
Barack Obama said, the United States is considering mounting a military campaign
against Iran should diplomacy fail. "The military option is on the table and (Obama)
is not going to let Iran become a nuclear state and from my experience, I
usually trust the president of the United States," he says. Dagan said he
believes a strike on Iran would spark a regional war, "And wars, you know how
they start. You never know how you are ending it."Israel, he said, cannot agree
to a nuclear Iran, since its leaders have repeatedly said that "They want to
destroy Israel." A strike, he added, would be problematic, as it would entail
"dealing with dozens of sites." He also said he agreed with the general western
assessment that a strike on Iran will only delay its nuclear program – not
destroy it completely.
Mikati confirms arrest of subversive cell in Lebanese Army
March 12, 2012/ By Hasan Lakkis /The Daily Star /Prime Minister Najib Mikati
heads a cabinet meeting at the Grand Serail in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, March
7, 2012. (The Daily Star/Mohammad Azakir) BEIRUT: Prime Minister Najib Mikati
confirmed Monday a report that the Lebanese Army recently uncovered a subversive
cell within its ranks that had planned to attack military bases. “A cell in the
Lebanese Army has been uncovered. Judicial authorities have taken care of the
issue and referred the suspects to investigation. Judicial authorities are
following up on the matter,” Mikati told reporters at the Grand Serail.
“The cell exists, has subversive intentions, was active in the north. It has
nothing to do with the situation in Syria and [the group] has branches in
[Palestinian] camps [in Lebanon],” he said, adding that the cell had been
discovered two days ago. Mikati was referring to the six-member cell that had
been charged Friday with forming an armed ring with the aim of carrying out
“terrorist attacks.” Al-Akhbar published an article Monday saying the Lebanese
Army has discovered a Salafist cell in its ranks consisting of two soldiers who
had planned to carry out attacks against the army. According to the paper, the
two, part of a larger group of four Lebanese and one Palestinian, are affiliated
with the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda. Military Prosecutor
Saqr Saqr Friday pressed charges against the six Lebanese suspects “for setting
up an armed gang and conducting training exercises with the aim of carrying out
terrorist acts and operations against the [Lebanese] military establishment.”
Judicial sources told The Daily Star Monday that all six suspects were members
of a “fundamentalist group.” Two of the six are Lebanese Army soldiers.
Statement by Minister Baird on Commonwealth Day
March 12, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following
statement:“Today, Canada celebrates its heritage as a proud member of the
Commonwealth.
“Commonwealth Day is an opportunity to honour our history, to demonstrate our
unwavering allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to mark the peaceful
development of our independent democratic institutions.“This year’s Commonwealth
Day is a special one since it launches the Commonwealth’s celebrations of Her
Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee honouring her 60 year reign as head of the
Commonwealth. “Canada is proud to be a part of the
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and to be a leader in Commonwealth reform,
with the Honourable Senator Hugh Segal as Canada’s special envoy.
“During my visit to the United Kingdom earlier this year, I spoke before
members of the Royal Commonwealth Society, and called on Commonwealth member
states to promote and protect the rights of all people, to defend the vulnerable
and to give voice to the voiceless.“I am pleased to join with Canadians from
coast-to-coast-to-coast and the 2 billion people around the world in reflecting
on our common heritage, and celebrating the theme for this year’s Commonwealth
Day: Connecting Cultures.”
French Documentary Calls Assyrians 'Christian Kurds'
http://www.aina.org/news/20120310203112.htm
Assyrian International News Agency/Stockholm (AINA) -- A French documentary from 2011 about dress codes in various
countries has enraged the Assyrian community in Sweden. The documentary
describes Assyrians as "Christian Kurds" in the episode about dress codes among
the peoples of Northern Iraq. Swedish public service channel SVT aired the
documentary recently but has been forced to withdraw the episode from its
on-demand website after Assyrian protests. Assyrian groups are now looking into
the possibility of pressing charges against SVT at the Swedish ombudsman for the
media.
The documentary was produced by two French media companies, Point du jour and
ARTE France, and has recently aired in other European countries. Assyrian
individuals and groups are planning to stage protests against the two French
companies.
Copyright (C) 2012, Assyrian International News Agency. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use.
Canada Condemns Assad’s Violent Disregard for Human Life
March 10, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following
statement:
“The voices of diplomacy in Syria continue to fall on deaf ears. Assad continues
to show he has no interest in halting his campaign of terror.
“We have been clear: Assad must go.
“Those turning a blind eye to these senseless killings will be on the wrong side
of history. The blood of the Syrian people will stain their hands.
“Canada calls on those backing this illegitimate and irresponsible regime to
reverse their current position and to join in condemning this violent disregard
for human life.”
Today the Syrian regime mounted an assault on Idlib while President Assad met
with UN Special Envoy Kofi Annan.
For information on Canada’s previous actions against the Assad regime, please go
to sanctions against the Assad regime and closing of the embassy.
Syrians Preparing for a Chemical Attack
Farid Ghadry Blog/Reform Party of Syria
On March 16 of 1988, the Iraqi Air Force attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja
with multiple chemical agents that resulted in the ghastly death of over 5,000
men, women, and children. The attack started with MIG jets dropping Napalm
bombs.
Many more died later from medical complications. During surveys conducted by
local doctors, it was discovered that miscarriages increased by 10 times and
Colon Cancer increased by 14 times; in addition to other respiratory illnesses
and skin and eye problems. I am told that towns that have been attacked with
chemical weapons almost never recover from the scars of these attacks.
As the savagery of Saddam unleashed hell upon his people, Syrians are facing
similar circumstances today. The stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
in Syria is of concern not only to the Syrians fighting the regime but also to
the international community fearing Assad may use his chemical weapons to attack
other countries.
Sadly, the Free Syrian Army involved in defending the civilian population has no
access to protective gear, medical expertise, or even the slightest knowledge of
how nerve agents like VX, Sarin, or Tabun kill. These organophosphate gases are
the most commonly used in warfare today. It is believed the Saddam regime
attacked the Kurds using Mustard Gas, Sarin, VX, and Tabun.
This concern has led an innovative, Florida-based American company called Rapid
Pathogen Screening, Inc. (RPS), which specializes in the manufacture of
biochemical warfare agents detection devices called PlasmaTox, to donate its
knowhow to protect Syrians from a possible onslaught in regions most likely to
be attacked by Assad.
The PlasmaTox device provides Syrians with a life-saving opportunity to detect
exposure to chemical agents for maximum protection but it also sends an
important signal to Assad that we are watching him. Concurrently, Assad needs to
know that the world will not allow another brutal dictator to kill at will using
his illegal stockpile of WMD.Speaking on behalf of all Syrians fighting for their freedom, we thank all those
individuals who, behind the scene, helped us with this humanitarian effort.
Syrians won't forget their friends.
Copyrights © Reform Party of Syria (Project Syria, Inc.) 2003-2011
Islam's Tradition of Breaking the Cross
by Mark Durie
Stonegate Institute
http://www.meforum.org/3188/islam-tradition-breaking-cross
March 9, 2012
In the recent destruction of Commonwealth war graves in Benghazi, Libya (YouTube
Video), you can see not just the desecration of graves, but attacks on crosses.
The radical Muslims who are kicking over and smashing headstones marked with
crosses (and one with a Star of David), also took pains to demolish a tall
"Cross of Sacrifice" standing at the edge of the cemetery.
This was no "furious mob" on a "rampage," as a Daily Mail report put it. Nor was
there any evidence in what they were saying that they were angry or reacting to
Koran burning by the US military.
The men are methodically, deliberately, and in an organized fashion, going about
destroying crosses and objects marked with crosses. Their mood seems happy.
Every now and again the cry Allahu Akbar rings out, or a chuckle of joy. They
pass comments on the graves as they kick them over: "Break the cross that
belongs to those," "This is the grave of a Christian," and, "This tomb has a
cross on it: a kaffir [disbeliever]."
An Australian government minister, Craig Emerson, whose father served in Libya
in World War II, commented, "There is nothing in Islam that would warrant this
sort of behavior."But is this true? Or just wishful thinking? Certainly many
Libyans and Muslims of other nationalities have expressed their abhorrence of
these acts. It would be completely wrong to attribute sympathy for such an
attack to Muslims as whole. But all the same, was this attack on war graves
truly senseless and without foundation or precedent in Islam? Regrettably, the
answer is "No."
The phenomenon of cross-destruction goes back to the life and
example of Muhammad. A tradition reported by al-Waqidi said that if ever
Muhammad found an object in his house with the mark of a cross on it, he would
destroy it. (W. Muir, The life of Muhammad. Volume 3, p.61, note 47.)
In the YouTube video, when one of the men says, "Break the cross that belongs to
those dogs," he uses the same classical Arabic phrase – "break the cross' (the
Arabic root is k.s.r 'break') -- which is found in a famous hadith (tradition)
about Jesus — understood in Islam to be a Muslim prophet — who will return to
the earth as a cross-destroying enforcer of Islamic Sharia law:
Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle said, 'By Him in Whose Hands my soul is,
surely [Jesus,] the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge
mankind justly [as a Just Ruler]; he will break the cross and kill the pigs and
there will be no jizya [i.e. no taxation taken from non Muslims: because they
will all be forced to convert to Islam]. …'"
(Sahih al-Bukhari: The Book of the Stories of the Prophets. 4:60:3448.)
This phrase 'break the cross' is religious and ritualistic in its overtones,
invoking the canon of Islam. It is like a Christian saying 'forgive us our
trespasses' in reference to the Lord's Prayer. This is a clear reference to the
words of Muhammad, and invokes his authority for the deed being performed.
To pious Muslims, Muhammad is regarded as the "best example" for Muslims to
follow, so it is hardly surprising if his enmity to the cross is shared by at
least some Muslims today. The following are just some of many examples of cross
destruction which can be culled from media reports of recent years:
Two days before Christmas in 1998, a Catholic church in Faisalabad, Pakistan had
its crucifix pulled down by a Muslim leader.
On March 18, 2004, an Albanian mob attacked and desecrated the church of St
Andrew in Podujevo, Kosovo. Photographs distributed to the international media
show Muslims, who had climbed up onto the roof, breaking off the prominent metal
crosses attached there. There have also been many instances of Muslim mobs
smashing crosses in Christian graveyards across Kosovo.
In April 2007, in the Al-Doura Christian area of Baghdad, Muslim militants
instructed Christians to remove visible crosses from atop their churches, and
issued a fatwa forbidding Christians from wearing crosses.
When Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, some of its militias went on a
cross-destroying rampage. The Rosary Sisters convent and school in Gaza was
ransacked and looted by masked men and crosses were specifically targeted for
destruction. A Christian resident of Gaza also reported having a crucifix ripped
from his neck by someone from the Hamas Executive Force, who said, "That is
forbidden."
On Monday 29 October 2007, in the Malaysian Parliament, a parliamentarian, Tuan
Syed Hood bin Syed Edros complained about the "display of religious symbols' in
front of church schools: 'I, as a responsible person to my religion, race, and
country, I state my views that … these crosses need to be destroyed …'"
Michael Yon has reported on a poster found in Afghanistan ("Destroying the cross
is an Islamic obligation") which instructs Muslims to destroy objects with
crosses on them.
Antipathy to the cross among Muslims is not limited to Islamic societies: In
November 2004, Belmarsh Prison in England was reported to have plans to spend
£1.6 million on a mosque. The facility already maintains a multi-denominational
chapel, but this has been rejected for use by the Muslim inmates, some of whom
had been convicted on terrorism charges, because the chapel contains crosses
which have to be covered up when the Muslims say their prayers.
No less a figure than the former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, was
compelled to remove his pectoral cross when he had to make a forced stop in
Saudi Arabia in 1995. The incident is described by David Skidmore in the
Episcopal News Service:
Carey's flight out of Cairo for Sudan was forced to make an intermediary stop in
Saudi Arabia. On the approach to the Red Sea coastal city of Jidda, Saudi
Arabia, Carey was told to remove all religious insignia, including his clerical
collar and pectoral cross.
There is another pattern at work here, which is the destruction of non-Muslim
(infidel) graves and religious heritage. The Taliban's destruction of Buddhist
sites in Afghanistan is a well-known example, as was the deliberate destruction
of around 38,000 Jewish graves on the Mount of Olives, some of which were over
1,000 years old, during Jordan's occupation of Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967.
It must also be acknowledged that radical Sunni Muslims have a long history of
destroying Muslim graves as well, if they have become sites of pilgrimage or
veneration. The Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia have been known for more than one
hundred years for destroying venerated gravesites, including those of some of
Muhammad's own relatives (see a Shi'ite lament here). In Libya, Salafists have
also been busy destroying graves of Sufi saints. Likewise, in Somalia the al-Shabab
movement has been destroying Sufi graves (as well as war graves of Christians:
see here). In the light of other parallels, the destruction of this cemetery
cannot be regarded as simply a senseless act done by a "rampaging mob." It was a
thoughtful, deliberate act, which conforms to a widely attested pattern, namely
the destruction of crosses, support for which can be found in canonical Islamic
sources and the teaching of Muhammad. It also conforms to a pattern of
destruction of gravesites, of both non-Muslims and Muslims, by radical Muslims
-- not with Koran-burning by the US military.
**Mark Durie is an Anglican vicar in Melbourne, Australia, and an Associate
Fellow at the Middle Eastern Forum.
http://www.meforum.org/3188/islam-tradition-breaking-cross
New
STL Prosecutor, Appeals Chamber Judge Sworn in
by Naharnet /..The new Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Norman
Farrell, and the new Appeals Chamber Judge, Daniel Nsereko, have been sworn in
Monday afternoon, announced the STL in a statement. “It is my devout hope and
expectation that, with both Prosecution and Defense teams in place and the
Chambers now back to full strength, we can together deliver justice in
accordance with the law,” said Judge Sir David Baragwanath, the Tribunal’s
president, in remarks delivered during the swearing in ceremony.
Farrell of Canada will join the tribunal upon the completion of his mandate as
the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia, said the statement.
He takes over the position of prosecutor after his predecessor Judge Daniel
Bellemare stepped down from the post due to health reasons.
A full biography of Farrell is available at:
http://www.stl-tsl.org/en/about-the-stl/key-characters/prosecutor-%E2%80%93-norman-farrell
Judge Daniel Nsereko of Uganda was until recently a judge at the International
Criminal Court.
A biography of Nsereko is available at: