English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 21/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today
To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 13/18-21/:”He said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’ And again he said, ‘To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 20-21/2020

Lebanon Records 605 Virus Cases, 4 Deaths on Lockdown Eve
Hezbollah shipped explosive chemicals to Lebanon prior to Beirut blast: Report
Lebanon Awaits Macron’s Second Visit to 'Stop the Collapse'
UNHCR: Time for Int’l Community to Show Solidarity with the Lebanese
UN: Time for World to Show Solidarity with Lebanese People
Aoun Invites Representatives of Oct 17 Uprising to Partake in New Govt.
Govt. Talks Begin Based on 'French Paper', Hariri Proposals
Geagea Says STL Issued 'Quarter Verdict' Due to Difficulties
Tensions in Nabaa, Khalde and Saadnayel after Separate Incidents
1 Dead, 3 Hurt in Southern Town Shooting, 2 Killed in Jabal Mohsen
Why Do 'Non-Lethal' Weapons Maim and Kill Protesters?
Lebanon Receives Diesel from Iraq, Aid from Oman, Ukraine
Reports: Nissan Failed to Report Income for Ghosn in Japan
Berri meets with Kubis, Fahmy and Arslan
Lemoyne oversees French aid at Beirut's Hippodrome: I see the effectiveness of our movement, and there is complete transparency in the work that we consider exemplary
Lebanon Humanitarian Fund gives $8.5 million to support vulnerable communities affected by Beirut explosions
Third batch of urgent Omani aid arrives in Lebanon
Army Command: Ukrainian aid plane, 31 Iraqi oil tankers arrive in Lebanon
August 18: Justice is the Lebanese People’s Right/Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al Awsat/August 20/2020
Witnessing the rise and fall of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon/Chibli Mallat/The National/August 20/2020
Lebanese Information Centre (LIC) Statement On The Beirut Explosion/USA/August 18, 2020
Hezbollah identified with Lebanon's corruption, faces public anger/The Arab Weekly/August 20/2020
Pressure grows for Hariri’s return as Lebanon leader/Najia Housari/Arab News/August 20/2020
Lebanon’s momentum for change should not be wasted/Elie Al HindyThe Arab Weekly/August 20/2020


Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 20-21/2020

Iran summons Emirati envoy over killing of 2 fishermen
Iran says it detained a UAE ship and its crew on Monday
US to announce snapback of sanctions on Iran
Iran claims it has new cruise missiles and advanced drones - report
Iraq PM to Meet Trump With US Troops on the Agenda
US ‘outraged’ by assassinations of Iraqi activists
Iraq PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi says Turkish interference is unacceptable
US imposes sanctions on six Syrian government officials, military leaders
Dubai’s Emirates waiting for approval to start Israel flights after peace deal: COO
Syrian Constitutional Committee Convenes Next Week in Geneva
Greece Denies Refugee Pushback Claims, Slams Turkey
German ISIS Bride Sells Kalashnikov She Received as Wedding Present in Syria
Hamas Responds to Netanyahu’s Threats: Killing will be Met with Killing
Israeli Tanks Shell Gaza
Sisi Calls on Army to Preserve Highest Levels of Combat Readiness
Libya's Haftar Announces Partial Resumption of Oil Exports to Ease Power Cuts
Germany Issues Travel Warning for Parts of Croatia
China Faces Questions Over 'Vaccinated' Workers Sent Overseas
Young Activists Meet Merkel, Press for Action on Climate Change
Poland's Foreign Minister Announces His Resignation
Migrant Dies After Group Tries to Cross Melilla Fence
Hong Kong Government Slams US Decision to Suspend Treaties
US Pledges Not to Seek Death Penalty Against ISIS 'Beatles'
UN Warns Humanitarian Programs in Yemen Shutting Down
Egypt Opens Mosques for Friday Prayers
Arab Coalition Spokesman Says Houthis are Subservient to Iran Agenda
WHO Seeks More Info About Russia Vaccine
How Will Office Life Be Different in a Pandemic?


Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 20-21/2020

Kuwait's Anti-Israel Rhetoric in Spotlight after UAE Deal/Seth Frantzman/The Jerusalem Post/August 20/2020
Yarmuk: ISIS’s Inspiration and “Most Consequential” Battle between Islam and the West/Raymond Ibrahim/August 20/2020
Apple's Next Trillion Won't Come So Easily/Tae Kim/Bloomberg/August 20/2020
Pardoning Snowden Would Backfire on Trump/Eli Lake/Bloomberg/August 20/20
Outdoor Masking Isn’t Always Needed/Faye Flam/Bloomberg/August 20/20
Apple's Next Trillion Won't Come So Easily/Tae Kim/Bloomberg/August 20/2020
The Abraham Accord is not as unorthodox a deal as Trump thinks/Nick March/The National/August 20/2020
US must back Mustafa Al Kadhimi's vision for Iraq/The National/August 20/2020
Europe must resist Erdogan in eastern Mediterranean/Vicenzino/Al Arabiya/August 20/2020
To defeat Iran, the US must first win the ideological war at home/Reza Parchizadeh/Al Arabiya/Thursday 20 August 2020
Lifting Iran’s arms embargo a threat to regional stability/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/August 20/2020

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 20-21/2020

Lebanon Records 605 Virus Cases, 4 Deaths on Lockdown Eve
Naharnet/August 20/2020
Lebanon recorded 605 new coronavirus cases and four deaths over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Thursday evening. In its daily statement, the Ministry said 597 of the cases were recorded among residents and eight among individuals coming from abroad. Twenty-two of the cases were meanwhile recorded among medical workers. According to the statement, 263 COVID patients were admitted into hospitals over the past 24 hours, among them 72 into intensive care units. The new cases raise the country’s overall tally since February 21 to 10,952 -- including 113 deaths and 3,050 recoveries.
The high number of cases comes on the eve of a two-week general lockdown and nighttime curfew aimed at curbing a spike in infections. The new measures will come into effect on Friday morning but they would not affect the clean-up and aid effort following the devastating August 4 Beirut port blast. A curfew will be imposed from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am. Malls will be closed and restaurants restricted to delivery and takeaway, with curtailed operating hours. Social gatherings will also be banned. The airport will operate normally and ministries will be staffed at half capacity. Lebanon was already seeing rising cases of the novel coronavirus before the Beirut blast but has reported a string of record tallies in recent weeks. A previously planned lockdown was scrapped in the wake of the explosion, which flattened neighborhoods near the port and left thousands homeless. Health Minister Hamad Hassan warned on Monday that hospitals were reaching maximum capacity to treat novel coronavirus patients after the Beirut blast overwhelmed health centers already stretched by the virus. "Public and private hospitals in the capital in particular have a very limited capacity, whether in terms of beds in intensive care units or respirators," he said. "We are on the brink, we don't have the luxury to take our time," he warned.

 

Hezbollah shipped explosive chemicals to Lebanon prior to Beirut blast: Report
Al Arabiya English/Thursday 20 August 2020
Iran’s elite Quds Force shipped ammonium nitrate to Hezbollah in Beirut around the same time a Moldovan-flagged tanker arrived carrying 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate – the same chemical substance that would later cause an enormous explosion and engulf Beirut’s port and surrounding area, German media outlet WELT reported Wednesday. Previous reports have found that Hezbollah had stock of the substance in northwest London and Cyprus, while other reports also indicate that stockpiles were present in Germany and Kuwait, WELT reported. WELT, citing Western security sources, reported that Iran-backed Hezbollah had received large deliveries of ammonium nitrate from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force – a US-designated terror organization. Ammonium nitrate, commonly used in fertilizer, can also be used in weapon production.
On July 16, 2013, a total of 270 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was delivered from Iran to Lebanon, costing roughly 180,000 euros ($213,200, at today’s exchange rate). Months later, on October 23, another 270 tonnes of the chemical were delivered, costing around 141,000 euros, WELT reported. The article added that a third shipment was made, but the amount delivered was uncertain. “A total of one billion Iranian rials was calculated for the delivery on April 4, 2014 (around 61,438 euros). Measured against the values of the other two deliveries, this could have been 90 to 130 tons. In total, the three deliveries are for a quantity of 630 to 670 tons of ammonium nitrate,” the WELT article conjectured. The cargo arriving in October 2013 was transported via plane, presumably on an Iranian airline, such as Mahan Air, which is sanctioned by the United States. The other deliveries were made via land or sea, the article alleged.
The explosion at the Port of Beirut has left at least 178 dead, more than 6,000 injured and destroyed vast swaths of the city. However, there is no evidence that links Hezbollah’s shipments to the ammonium nitrate stored at the port responsible for the explosion. Hezbollah has strongly denied that it was storing arms at the blast site. “We have nothing in the port: not an arms depot, nor a missile depot nor missiles nor rifles nor bombs nor bullets nor ammonium nitrate,” he added. However, it has long been assumed that Hezbollah controls at least some aspects of port operations. “The fact that a massive amount of explosive material was just sitting in the Port of Beirut – long suspected to be exploited by Hezbollah for illicit trade and smuggling – raises troubling questions about whether the Iran-backed terror group, which is the political glue that holds together Lebanon’s current government, had any intentions of deploying that material in an attack,” wrote Jonathan Schanzer, the senior vice president at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
Obtaining ammonium nitrate
WELT places Hezbollah operative Mohammed Qasir as heading the purchasing operation. Qasir was designated by the US Treasury in 2018 for acting as a “critical conduit for financial disbursements” from the Quds Force to Hezbollah.
Qasir, based in Damascus, Syria, worked closely with a Quds Force unit that was under the supervision of Iranian Commander Qassem Soleimani, who himself was assassinated in January 2020, Washington Institute analyst Matthew Levitt wrote in March 2019. Hezbollah has been heavily involved in neighboring Syria’s war, and teaming up with the Quds Force meant that the Lebanon group could “develop integrated and efficient weapons procurement and logistics pipelines through Syria and into Lebanon that can be leveraged to greatly expand Hezbollah’s international weapons procurement capabilities,” Levitt wrote.
There is still no explicit evidence linking Hezbollah to the nitrate stored at the port of Beirut, but many have pointed the finger at the Iran-backed group’s regional behavior and past track record as indication that the group was likely linked to the chemicals stored at the port.

 

Lebanon Awaits Macron’s Second Visit to 'Stop the Collapse'
Beirut - Mohammed Shukair/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher is following up on the ongoing communication between President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanon’s top officials in preparation for his return to Beirut early next month. Well-informed European sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Macron’s upcoming visit should be preceded by actual steps that would prove the Lebanese authorities’ determination to cooperate with the French initiative. Those steps should at least include, according to the sources, Aoun’s call for parliamentary consultations to nominate a prime minister to form the new government. The European sources said that wasting time was not in the interest of the ruling system or the opposition political forces, adding that those were expected to respond to Marcon’s initiative to support Lebanon by meeting him halfway and making concrete decisions in this regard.
The political class is besieged and has no choice but to facilitate Macron’s mission that is supported by the international community, according to the sources. They stressed that Lebanon could not be dragged into a time-splitting game, especially if Tehran wanted to postpone the formation of a rescue government until after the US presidential elections. The sources noted that Iran was unable to disrupt the French move, because it was already facing a severe crisis and has failed to respond to the assassination of Al-Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.
Moreover, Tehran did not respond to the joint US-Iraqi armed campaign against the Popular Mobilization Forces with Mustafa al-Kadhimi assuming the premiership, in addition to its silence over the mobile explosions that targeted Iranian facilities in a number of cities.

UNHCR: Time for Int’l Community to Show Solidarity with the Lebanese
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
The head of the UN refugee agency said it's time for the international community to show solidarity with the Lebanese people by offering assistance to a country that has hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees for decades. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi also said the UNHCR is making its capacity and expertise as a humanitarian agency available to the Lebanese people and is ready to assist the country as part of a broader international response. Lebanon has been going through multiple crises, including widespread corruption, political divisions and economic difficulties, and Grandi said the international community should find long-term interventions to assist. “All of this is a bigger package than the humanitarian package, and this package needs to be addressed by the international community,” he told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday night. Grandi, on his first official mission since March, when lockdowns were imposed in Europe due to the pandemic, is visiting Lebanon two weeks after a catastrophic explosion at the Port of Beirut destroyed a large part of its capital Beirut. The Aug. 4 blast killed at least 180 people, injured about 6,000 and left nearly 300,000 people with major damage to their homes. It was the most destructive single incident in Lebanon’s history, leaving losses worth between $10 and $15 billion. There are 30 still missing after the explosion. Among those killed were 43 Syrians — a reflection of the country being host to the largest number of refugees per capita — and Grandi said some refugees are among those still missing. More than 1 million Syrian refugees are in Lebanon, having fled the war next door. Grandi, who toured the site of the explosion on Wednesday, also said he is very concerned about the impact of Lebanon's worsening economic crisis on Syrian and other refugees in the country. “The time has come to also show the Lebanese when they are in the hour of need that the international community responds,” he said. The tiny country now faces a surge in new coronavirus cases, made worse in the aftermath of the explosion, which knocked several Beirut hospitals out of service, including two who were hosting patients with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Grandi said so far the number of refugees who have tested positive for the virus is relatively small. “Where we are worried, and we are worried in Lebanon as well, is the economic impact, because as we know the lockdowns have created a lot of new poverty among the most vulnerable in society” he said.

 

UN: Time for World to Show Solidarity with Lebanese People
Associated Press/Naharnet/August 20/2020
The head of the U.N. refugee agency says it's time for the international community to show solidarity with the Lebanese people by offering assistance to a country that has hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees for decades. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi also said the UNHCR is making its capacity and expertise as a humanitarian agency available to the Lebanese people and is ready to assist the country as part of a broader international response. Lebanon has been going through multiple crises, including widespread corruption, political divisions and economic difficulties, and Grandi said the international community should find long-term interventions to assist. "All of this is a bigger package than the humanitarian package, and this package needs to be addressed by the international community," he told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday night. Grandi, on his first official mission since March, when lockdowns were imposed in Europe due to the pandemic, is visiting Lebanon two weeks after a catastrophic explosion at the Port of Beirut destroyed a large part of its capital Beirut. The Aug. 4 blast killed a least 180 people, injured about 6,000 and left nearly 300,000 people with major damage to their homes. It was the most destructive single incident in Lebanon's history, leaving losses worth between $10 and $15 billion. There are 30 still missing after the explosion. Among those killed were 43 Syrians — a reflection of the country being host to the largest number of refugees per capita — and Grandi said some refugees are among those still missing. More than 1 million Syrian refugees are in Lebanon, having fled the war next door. Grandi, who toured the site of the explosion on Wednesday, also said he is very concerned about the impact of Lebanon's worsening economic crisis on Syrian and other refugees in the country. "The time has come to also show the Lebanese when they are in the hour of need that the international community responds," he said. The tiny country now faces a surge in new coronavirus cases, made worse in the aftermath of the explosion, which knocked several Beirut hospitals out of service, including two who were hosting patients with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Grandi said so far the number of refugees who have tested positive for the virus is relatively small. "Where we are worried, and we are worried in Lebanon as well, is the economic impact, because as we know the lockdowns have created a lot of new poverty among the most vulnerable in society" he said.

Aoun Invites Representatives of Oct 17 Uprising to Partake in New Govt.
Naharnet/August 20/2020
President Michel Aoun said in a tweet on Thursday that he seeks to include in the new government “competent” figures representing anti-government protesters of the October 17 uprising. “I call and seek to include competencies (individuals) representing the voice of the street in the new government,” he said in a tweet. Efforts are ongoing to form a new government after the resignation of PM Hassan Diab’s cabinet over the August 4 colossal Beirut port explosion, widely blamed on negligence and corruption by the country's ruling class.
Anti-government protesters have also been demanding Aoun to resign, and an overhaul of Lebanon’s sectarian political class. Since Diab’s resignation on August 10, Aoun has not yet called lawmakers for binding parliamentary consultations to name a new premier. The government is in a caretaker capacity, and parties have not yet agreed on the form of the government and its premier. But, Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, drew in a speech a few days ago the form of an upcoming government, demanding a national unity cabinet and rejecting a neutral one much demanded by the Lebanese street.

Govt. Talks Begin Based on 'French Paper', Hariri Proposals
Naharnet/August 20/2020
Consultations to form a new government have kicked off based on a “French paper” and another prepared by ex-PM Saad Hariri, TV networks said on Thursday.
“The talks over the government are based on a French paper that was delivered to a number of Lebanese leaders,” the reports said. “It summarizes the contacts that French President Emmanuel Macron carried out with them and is based on a reform program that would begin with the quick formation of a government dubbed ‘mission government,’” the reports added. The reports also said that Hariri has another paper that “intersects with the French paper, especially over topics such as electricity reform, telecommunications, judiciary, security, financial audit and the International Monetary Fund.”Al-Jadeed TV meanwhile reported that Speaker Nabih Berri has launched an initiative aimed at “agreeing on a unified reform program” for the new government.

Geagea Says STL Issued 'Quarter Verdict' Due to Difficulties
Naharnet/August 20/2020
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday welcomed the verdict issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri while describing it as incomplete. “The LF supported the STL from the very first moment and that’s why we will accept the verdict issued by it as it is, with all due openness and satisfaction,” Geagea said at a press conference that followed a meeting for the LF-led Strong Republic bloc.“But honestly, it is a quarter verdict, not because the tribunal does not enjoy the needed competency nor because its officials are questioned nor because it is politicized, but rather due to the circumstances in which this tribunal operated,” the LF leader added. He cited tampering with the 2005 crime scene by Lebanese authorities, Russian pressure at the U.N. Security Council regarding the tribunal’s statute and restrictions on the movement of international investigators in certain Lebanese regions. “Prior to the issuance of the court’s verdict, some assumed that it was politicized, but after the issuance of its verdict, the rationale contained in it and the method in which the crime was approached, it evidently turned out that the court is not politicized,” Geagea added. He also noted that the verdict “confirmed the direct responsibility of one of Hizbullah’s cadres, Salim Ayyash, in the execution of the assassination as well as the participation of dozens of the party’s members in the preparation phase.”

Tensions in Nabaa, Khalde and Saadnayel after Separate Incidents
Naharnet/August 20/2020
The Beirut eastern suburb of Nabaa, the coastal Khalde area south of Beirut and the Bekaa town of Saadnayel have witnessed tensions following separate incidents over the past hours. The tensions in Nabaa erupted after the torching of a banner related to the Shiite religious occasion of Ashoura and a picture of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, reports said. Geagea’s picture was torn up and torched on Tuesday evening while the Ashoura banner was burned on Wednesday evening. The reports said Hizbullah contacted the LF to inform it that it was not responsible for the incident. The State Security agency also told the LF that a “fifth column” had sought to spark tensions between the two parties. On Wednesday, the Lebanese Forces filed a complaint against unknown individuals with the Bourj Hammoud police station, as LF supporters replaced Geagea’s torched picture with a new one. Contacts between the leaderships of Hizbullah and the LF were also conducted following the banner incident, contributing to pacification efforts, as agents from State Security and the army’s Intelligence Directorate deployed in the area to foil any escalation and contain possible repercussions.
Elsewhere, tensions surged between supporters of Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal Movement in Khalde on Thursday afternoon amid conflicting reports about what sparked the standoff. One report says a clash erupted over an “attempt to hoist Ashoura flags” while another says it broke out over an attempt to place a picture of Salim Ayyash, a Hizbullah member convicted Wednesday by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon of involvement in the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri. The army immediately intervened and managed to contain the situation amid tensions in internal neighborhoods. In Saadnayel, residents blocked the international road in both directions facing the town’s mosque after gunshots were fired at it overnight, the National News Agency said. Saadnayel's mayor meanwhile held a press conference in which he announced the reopening of the road, noting that “gunfire targeted the town’s two mosques and one of its neighborhoods as a hand grenade was hurled into the al-Bhais area, blowing up a power transformer.”Blaming “gangs,” he said gunmen opened fire from “a car raising a flag.”“We call on the state and the security and military agencies to shoulder their responsibilities towards these actions and we will no longer tolerate any harm against Saadnayel’s dignity,” the mayor added. “We have received phone calls of condemnation and they told us that some were seeking strife, mentioning some names,” the mayor went on to say. MP Anwar Jomaa of Hizbullah meanwhile condemned the incident in the name of his party, saying no one should be allowed to “exploit any personal dispute to destroy our societal fabric in the region.”“Our people in central Bekaa, specifically in the dear town of Saadnayel, are facing premeditated harm aimed at pouring oil on fire and aggravating divisions following an ordeal during which the Lebanese showed a high level of awareness,” Jomaa added.

1 Dead, 3 Hurt in Southern Town Shooting, 2 Killed in Jabal Mohsen
Naharnet/August 20/2020
One person was killed and three others were injured as a dispute erupted into gunfire in the southern town of Loubieh, the National News Agency said. The deceased person succumbed to his wounds in hospital, as security forces sought to contain the situation in cooperation with the area’s dignitaries, NNA said.
Social media reports said the slain young man, identified as AMAL Movement supporter Hussein Khalil, was killed in a confrontation with Hizbullah supporters over a dispute related to the hoisting of partisan flags. Separately, two young men were killed as a dispute between several people erupted into gunfire in the al-Mohajireen area in Tripoli’s Jabal Mohsen, NNA said. Army troops immediately arrived on the scene and managed to arrest the shooter, the agency added.

Why Do 'Non-Lethal' Weapons Maim and Kill Protesters?
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 20/2020
Riot police from Beirut and Baghdad to Hong Kong and Minsk often use so-called "non-lethal" weapons for crowd control -- so why do protesters keep dying and being maimed? As street protests worldwide have multiplied, rights groups have sounded the alarm about tear gas, rubber bullets, stun guns and other anti-riot weapons causing serious wounds and fatalities. Law enforcement use them to avoid firing live munitions at violent protesters who may attack them, hurl rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails, start fires or try to blind them with laser pointers. But malicious and excessive use, often but not only in authoritarian states, has long since earned riot control tools the official designation of "less-lethal weapons". The arsenal also includes truncheons, shields and restraints, chemical irritants, electric shock devices, baton rounds, flash-bang grenades, water cannon and high-decibel acoustic devices.
Police forces "have at their disposal a dizzying array of weapons and kit that, while known as 'less-lethal', can cause serious injury or even death", says an Amnesty International report. "Some of the equipment we've surveyed is worthy of a torture chamber and should be banned outright," said the group's specialist Marek Marczynski in a 2015 report on the subject. In Iraq, which has been torn by repeat anti-government protests since last year, dozens of protesters have been killed by tear-gas canisters fired directly at them. They have died of blunt force trauma to their eye sockets, skulls and chests as security forces have shot the grenades in flat, not upward, trajectories and at close range. Amnesty documented that several such deaths were caused by military-grade tear gas and smoke grenades made in Serbia and Iran that are about 10 times heavier than standard-issue canisters. "This has had devastating results, in multiple cases piercing the victims' skulls, resulting in gruesome wounds and death after the grenades embed inside their heads," said Amnesty's Lynn Maalouf.
'Excessive use of force'
Human Rights Watch reported similar severe injuries in the protests that shook Beirut in the aftermath of the massive August 4 explosion that leveled parts of the Lebanese capital and killed more than 180 people. HRW said it observed "security forces fire a tear-gas canister directly at a protester's head, in violation of international standards, severely injuring him." Security forces were also beating demonstrators with clubs and "firing rubber bullets and birdshot pellets indiscriminately," it said in a blog posting. Amnesty said it had "monitored the largely peaceful protests on 8 August where tear gas, rubber bullets and pump-action pellets were fired recklessly into crowds." Deaths have also been caused elsewhere by so-called kinetic impact rounds, such as plastic and rubber bullets, first used by the British army in Northern Ireland 50 years ago. Protesters have lost eyes to them in the French yellow-vest demonstrations, Palestinian anti-Israel protests and in the unrest that followed the George Floyd killing in the United States. The force of such munitions, designed to bounce off the ground and hit people's legs, can break bones, tear vessels and cause internal bleeding when fired directly at them. Lebanese surgeon Mohammed Jawad Khalifeh tweeted that one Beirut hospital had to perform seven eye surgeries and treat "an exploded spleen" after one night of street clashes this month. Amnesty has argued that the indiscriminate use of multiple such projectiles has "no legitimate law enforcement use" and urged a ban on the most dangerous rubber-coated metal bullets. Tear gas, says Amnesty, is also far from harmless when fired in excessive quantities, in enclosed spaces or when it sparks panic and triggers a crowd stampede. While most healthy people recover from the effects of tear gas -- burning skin, streaming eyes and breathing difficulties -- children, pregnant women, asthmatics and the elderly are at far greater risk. The U.N. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials encourages states to develop less-lethal weapons "to enable a graduated response in the use of force."
Amnesty has also acknowledged that less-lethal equipment can reduce the risk of death or injury on all sides when used responsibly by "well-trained and fully accountable" officers. But it warned that in scores of countries "law enforcement officials commit a wide range of human rights violations using such equipment -– including torture and other ill-treatment in custody, as well as excessive, arbitrary and unnecessary use of force against demonstrators."

Lebanon Receives Diesel from Iraq, Aid from Oman, Ukraine
Naharnet/August 20/2020
Lebanon on Thursday received Iraqi, Omani and Ukrainian aid as part of the relief efforts aimed at addressing the repercussions of the devastating Beirut port blast. The Lebanese Army said a Ukrainian plane carrying medical aid landed at Beirut airport as 31 tankers carrying diesel and dispatched by Iraq entered the country via the al-Masnaa border crossing. Two Omani military planes carrying 28 tons of food, medical and humanitarian aid have also landed at the airport.“This assistance comes at the directions of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in support of Lebanon in the face of the repercussions of the disastrous blast at Beirut port,” the army said.

Reports: Nissan Failed to Report Income for Ghosn in Japan
Associated Press/Naharnet/August 20/2020
The case against former Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn may have taken another turn as Japanese media report allegations that the automaker declared as expenses 1.15 billion yen ($10.8 million) in his taxable personal income. Japan's National Tax Agency said Thursday it was aware of the reports but declined comment on an individual case. Nissan Motor Co. confirmed it had received a notice of a tax investigation from Japanese authorities. "Nissan received a reassessment notice from the authorities and will respond appropriately. We will not comment further," the Japanese automaker said in a statement. Ghosn's spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The reports by the nationally circulated Yomiuri newspaper and Kyodo news service say money reported as Nissan expenses was actually used for Ghosn's personal purposes, such as use of a corporate jet and housing in Tokyo and other places. Such expenditures included 1 billion yen ($9.4 million) over five years through March 2019, and 150 million yen ($1.4 million) over three years before that, the reports said. Ghosn was arrested in Japan in 2018, and was awaiting trial on charges of under-reporting future income and breach of trust when he jumped bail and escaped to Lebanon late last year. The Brazilian-born Frenchman has Lebanese citizenship. Ghosn has repeatedly said he is innocent, the money was never decided on or paid, and the payments were legitimate. He says the charges were concocted by those who wanted to block plans for Nissan's merger with alliance partner Renault of France. Ghosn said he fled because he believed he could not get a fair trial in Japan, where the conviction rate in criminal trials is more than 99%. Japan is demanding the extradition of two Americans accused of helping Ghosn escape to Lebanon. Ghosn cannot be as easily extradited because Japan has no extradition treaty with Lebanon. The trial of another former Nissan executive, Greg Kelly, arrested with Ghosn, is scheduled to start next month. Kelly, an American, is out on bail in Japan and has repeatedly insisted on his innocence.

 

Berri meets with Kubis, Fahmy and Arslan
NNA/Thursday 20 August 2020
House Speaker Nabih Berri met today at Ain El-Tineh with the Special Coordinator of the United Nations Secretary-General in Lebanon, Jan Kubis, and his deputy, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs, Najat Rochdi, with whom he broached the general prevailing situation in the country. Afterwards, the Speaker met with Lebanese Democratic Party Head, MP Talal Arslan, who said on emerging that the visit was a chance to review the current conditions at various levels, especially in light of the numerous misfortunes that have befallen Lebanon, from the health situation to the economic and financial situations and the issues of corruption and the necessary reforms. "Of course, we hail the efforts of Speaker Berri and all Lebanese counterparts in working to come up with a serious reform program against corruption that will fix all the evils that have occurred in the country over many years," said Arslan, citing UNESCO's statistics in cautioning that more than 50% of the Lebanese people are now below poverty line. "We have to deal with these issues with great responsibility and seriousness, because the state can no longer bear them," he corroborated.
"Priority now for us, as well as the House Speaker, is to rally around the legitimate authority in the country and what remains of the legitimate authority that represents the unity of the Lebanese...We, as politicians and as a civil society, must rally around each other to accomplish what lies in the interest of all Lebanese under the rooftop of unity," Arslan emphasized. On the future government formation, the MP stressed that it ought to be "strong and capable, with an agreed upon program," adding that "the bet must be on a coordinated program of action between the next government, in its form, components and determination, and the Parliament Council."The House Speaker later conferred in the afternoon with Caretaker Interior and Municipalities Minister Mohamed Fahmy, over the security situation and the measures undertaken by the concerned security authorities to confront the Corona pandemic.

Lemoyne oversees French aid at Beirut's Hippodrome: I see the effectiveness of our movement, and there is complete transparency in the work that we consider exemplary
NNA/Thursday 20 August 2020
French Secretary of State in charge of Tourism, French Abroad and Francophonie at the French Foreign Ministry, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, accompanied by French Ambassador to Lebanon, Bruno Foucher, visited this afternoon the Beirut Hippodrome field where the French aid is being deposited, including medical, medicine and building materials. Lemoyne met with the NGOs that are benefiting from this aid, and spoke to them and to the French distributors and workers in the field of relief, in addition to Lebanese army members, in the presence of René Mouawad Foundation President, former deputy Michel Mouawad, and a number of volunteers, media professionals and French Embassy staff.
Lemoyne explained that his visit comes "as a follow-up to the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, who adheres to fully expressing French solidarity with Lebanon, with strength and effectiveness."
"I see the efficiency of our movement in the port and in schools, where we assist in many works, thanks to our partnerships with about 15 civil society organizations, including the René Mouawad Foundation. Through this Foundation, we will distribute a number of essential needs for the daily life of the Lebanese, such as flour, and materials for home repair," said the French official. "Our challenge lies in the speed of providing assistance to reach effectively where it is needed, and as you notice there is complete transparency in the work that we consider exemplary, and I salute all the crew who have been here for about fifteen days, including the civil defense, civil security, crisis center, and soldiers as well, for carrying out logistical work," Lemoyne went on. He considered that all constituents "are working hard to improve the lives of the Lebanese who were severely affected by the August 4 disaster."
In response to a question about France's help in protecting the cultural heritage that was damaged in the capital of Lebanon, Lemoyne said: "Today I visited a number of heritage homes that embody the historical legacy of Lebanon and Beirut, and we will work to mobilize international institutions to save the city's heritage and provide the required responses. There is a solidarity movement that has emerged among professionals and specialists in unions and among engineers, and we are witnessing many good wills combined, and the role of our ambassador is to coordinate all these efforts and make sure that all this aid goes to the right place.""We are working closely with the Lebanese Army, which is cooperating logistically with the teams here, and with all sides and civil society institutions, and I believe that everyone is mobilizing efforts for the good of Lebanon," he corroborated.
"The Lebanese in France were shocked by what happened, like all the French, and this shock reached all parts of France, to Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Toulouse, due to the intertwined human relations between us...There are about 25 thousand French-Lebanese in Lebanon, and about 200 thousand of the Lebanese community in France...There are strong and close ties," highlighted Lemoyne. For his part, former MP Mouawad expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to France, "which was the first to stand by Lebanon and the Lebanese people since the tragedy occurred, and we felt its devotion," adding, "We need all of Lebanon's friends not only to rebuild Beirut, but for the Lebanese people to live with dignity." "Cooperation with the French embassy is ongoing, and the basis for any coordination is transparency. People want to ensure that aid is delivered transparently, far from corruption channels, and we are proud that we have demonstrated transparency and morality at work, as well as clarity and professionalism," Mouawad asserted.

Lebanon Humanitarian Fund gives $8.5 million to support vulnerable communities affected by Beirut explosions
NNA/Thursday 20 August 2020
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has commenced disbursement of US$8.5 million from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) to provide rapid support to families affected by the devastating Beirut Port explosions, the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Ms. Najat Rochdi, announced today. More than 180,000 people are being reached with critical, life-saving humanitarian assistance, including through funding to NGOs delivering health, food assistance, and protection projects.
“The catastrophic explosions has upended the lives of nearly every person in Lebanon. In an instant it shattered entire neighbourhoods, destroyed hospitals and schools, and tore apart families who lost their loved ones,” said Ms. Rochdi. “This swift disbursement of $8.5 million from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund goes directly to NGOs working on the ground to deliver much-needed assistance to the families and communities who so desperately need our support right now.” The LHF funds support five international and three local NGOs already working in Lebanon to deliver eight projects. This includes assistance to damaged primary health care centers, so that they can continue to provide essential health care, mental health support and manage the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; provision of hot meals, food parcels, hygiene and baby kits to affected families; and emergency cash to the most vulnerable. “Given the scale of this tragedy, it is important we expedited funding to immediately begin the process of rebuilding people’s lives and supporting their recovery. I am further gratified that one hundred per cent (100%) of this funding goes to NGOs in Beirut who are already working closely with vulnerable communities, ensuring assistance reaches the people who need it most,” said Ms. Rochdi. The explosions came as Lebanon faces multiple and interlocking crises. In recent months, economic contraction, increasing poverty and inflation have compounded needs among people living in Lebanon, including refugee communities. At the same time that hospitals and clinics were damaged in the explosions and overwhelmed with the injured, COVID-19 cases are also rising fast. As of 19 August, 10,348 total cases had been recorded, almost doubling in the two weeks since the explosions.
The $8.5 million LHF funding is complemented by an additional $6 million allocation by the Central Emergency Response Fund, announced by UN humanitarian chief Mr. Mark Lowcock on 7 August. The quick release of the combined $14.5 million again demonstrates the value of the UN pooled funds to enable humanitarian partners to deliver timely and life-saving assistance when and where needed.—UNIC

Third batch of urgent Omani aid arrives in Lebanon
NNA/Thursday 20 August 2020
The Sultanate of Oman continued, Thursday, to send urgent relief aid to Lebanon, where two military aircrafts carrying 28 tons of different food supplies arrived shortly at Beirut airport. This aid comes under the directives of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to support Lebanon in facing the repercussions of the Beirut Port disaster.

Army Command: Ukrainian aid plane, 31 Iraqi oil tankers arrive in Lebanon

NNA/Thursday 20 August 2020
Lebanese Army Command - Orientation Directorate issued a communiqué this afternoon, indicating that relief aid continued to arrive from brotherly and friendly countries to Beirut on Thursday. In this context, a Ukrainian plane carrying medical aid landed at Rafic Hariri International Airport between 19/8/2020 noon & 20/8/2020 noon, the communiqué indicated. Additionally, 31 tankers loaded with diesel fuel arrived to the Masnaa border crossing in the Bekaa area today, supplied by the State of Iraq.

August 18: Justice is the Lebanese People’s Right
Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al Awsat/August 20/2020
In a dangerous precedent, Lebanese President Michel Aoun settled the controversy over the August 4 earthquake; getting ahead of the judicial investigator and local and international investigations, he declared that is it “impossible” for the massive blast at the Beirut Port to have been the result of a Hezbollah weapons depot exploding, adding that the party “did not store weapons at the port.”
The laughable aspect here is that his verdict on this sensitive issue came before the missing buried under the rubble of Beirut Port had been found. Its remain a political, not a judicial verdict, as it got ahead of the findings of the French investigators and the FBI, and ignored the crucial facts of the case that have been disclosed, starting from the date at which the shipment of death arrived and leading up to and ending with the destruction of Beirut on August 4, the day a war crime was committed against the capital, its people and its inhabitants, all of them.
Everything we know so far shows that those responsible for all the bloodshed and the destruction and material losses, which are far higher than that of the July war, are liable to far more than administrative-security accountability alone.
Also drolly, the settling of the issue preceded the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s verdict on Rafik Hariri’s assassination, a conclusion that provided an exemplar when it broke with a long period during which blame for major political crimes was restricted to anonymity. The murderers evaded justice. These heinous crimes were invested in to further major political projects that subjugated the country to foreign domination, first that of the Syrian regime and then the Iranian regime.
Much will be said about the Special Tribunal’s verdict, and much will be written. The constant is the consolidation of the tribunal’s legitimacy and the attenuation of the smear campaigns and accusations that it is politicized and not to be relied on. The verdict, with the undeniable evidence that was provided, affirmed that the crime had been committed for political reasons. Political factions with experience in committing acts that fall under the category of terrorism stood behind it. The court left no room for doubt when it found that the Syrian regime and Hezbollah had motives for committing the crime and even ascertained that the decision to physically liquidate was made after the Bristol Conference, which demanded the withdrawal of the Syrian regime’s army from Lebanon.
The tribunal also ascertained the precise role played by each of the accused, from Mustafa Badreddine, a prominent Hezbollah military commander who is said to have been killed in Syria and thus was not charged, to the four others who were accused. Only one of the armed group’s commanders, Salim Ayyash, was found guilty after the court did not find evidence presented against his comrades, Oneissi, Merhi and Sabra, sufficiently compelling, and it is known that the absence of the precisely needed proof does not imply its absence.
For this reason, the tribunal clarified that this operation demanded a great deal of resources and capabilities, thereby ruling out the possibility that it had been perpetrated by a lone wolf. Instead, it ascertained that the operation had required the collaboration of a group of individuals who are members of a fully-fledged, highly capable organization that is not easily penetrable. It goes on to ascertain that Ayyash was not alone and had been assisted by a reliable group, which proves that Hezbollah cadres formed the network that carried out the operation.
The judicial verdict, which took all these years to reach, was justified by evidence that leaves no room for doubt and undeniable proof, not political by analysis.
Whatever has been said, the ruling did require all the time and money that had been spent. This would not have happened had it not been for the total lack of justice in Lebanon, after the judiciary had been subjugated by the corrupt ruling regime. This state remains unchanged to this day, and Baabada Palace’s confiscation of judicial appointments is the latest manifestation. This verdict changed the course of history that had been taken since 1975, wherein the perpetrators of major crimes are left anonymous. The decision affirmed it is better to receive justice late than never, and that the era of plucking out the country’s great men, such as Kamal Jumblatt, Rene Mouwwad, Mufti Hassan Khaled, and others, to impose political directives, is no longer possible.
This is precisely how Lebanon should deal with the genocidal crime that destroyed half of Beirut and had catastrophic repercussions from which Lebanon will not quickly recover.
The tragic event that took only a few minutes to unfold will remain in people’s hearts. Realistically, no one will be capable of going back to their normal lives or even merely continuing to abide by the restrictions imposed by the epidemic! Therefore, there is no alternative to demanding full transparency and serious accountability. This would slightly compensate those who paid the high price, especially since Lebanon is now in the midst of an existential phase characterized by extreme tensions between the majority of the Lebanese and the ruling mafia!
Those who rose furiously in the aftermath of the Beirut blast insisted on justice, rejecting a local investigation and demanding a joint or international probe. This demand stems from the conviction that the Lebanese judiciary, which does not have all of the required investigative tools, has lost its independence, and many in the judiciary fear retaliation. The assassination of judges on court benches more than twenty years ago has not left their memory.
The investigation into this crime against humanity needs to expose the entire scenario of the ship of death, from who is responsible for seizing its cargo to unloading it in warehouse No. 12; It must expose those who were part of the poorly devised cover-up of the presence of a deadly pillow under people’s heads by looking into internal correspondences that were of no effect.
State Security has revealed that since the 3rd of last June, the Prime Minister has known of the details, along with the ministers of defense and labor. Then, on July 20, Aoun and Diab received a detailed memo warning of the danger threatening to destroy Beirut, but no one took action to save the capital and the lives of its residents!
The investigation is called upon to go back to the date of February 21, 2014, the day Colonel Joseph Skaf wrote to the Ministry of Finance’s Smuggling, Inspection and Search Agency demanding that the ship “RHOSUS”, loaded with 2,750 tons of “ammonium nitrate” be removed from the port.
This has cost him his life after he was subsequently treacherously murdered, and his family has been waiting for years to learn the details of the crime! The question was, why wasn’t the shipment returned to its owner, only for it to become clear that there was no known owner... so the real owner kept quiet, but he is being covered! And because the special tribunal has demonstrated its high degree of credibility and ended the era of political crimes going unpunished, it is unacceptable to insist on covering it up with a local investigation, even if Hezbollah is behind it. Just as the court has proven that the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Hariri is a link in the broader chain of control and subjugation, the majority of the Lebanese consider the crime of August 4 to be the most significant link in the plan to tighten the Iranian hegemony of Lebanon. Thus, there is no alternative to adhering to an international investigation because it is the only way to achieve justice for the Lebanese!

 

Witnessing the rise and fall of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
Chibli Mallat/The National/August 20/2020
What began as a quest for justice, 15 years later, became a perversion of it.
The idea of forming a Special Tribunal for Lebanon first emerged on October 1, 2004, when news came of a car bomb severely injuring Marwan Hamadeh, a Lebanese politician and journalist, in Beirut. Terje Rod-Larsen, at the time the UN special co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and I discussed the idea at a meeting that took place later that day in New York.
As a lawyer and activist, I had sought out Mr Rod-Larsen, who was effectively the man in charge of Lebanon issues at the UN, to ask how he intended to implement the recently passed UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which called for free and fair presidential elections in Lebanon, the surrender of weapons by the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia group Hezbollah and the withdrawal of Syrian troops stationed in the country.
It is important to remember at this point that the Lebanese state, its institutions and many of its politicians were being coerced by Syrian President Bashar Al Assad into toeing the line he was imposing on Lebanon.
It was obvious to me that the attack on Mr Hamadeh was meant to serve as a warning to his two primary allies – the Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt and the prime minister Rafik Hariri – because of their stand against Lebanon’s President, Emile Lahoud, and his Syrian backers.
I pointed out to Mr Rod-Larsen the likely emergence of a pattern of assassination attempts with the purpose of punishing the rising anti-Syrian coalition in Lebanon, and the need to anticipate and respond to it.
Sure enough, matters got worse in Lebanon.
Hariri was forced out of office in the second week of October, despite the fact that, under pressure from the Syrian regime, he had voted for Mr Lahoud’s extension. According to a later UN investigative report, President Bashar Al Assad had told Hariri: “I will bring down the whole of Lebanon over your head if you don’t support the extension of Lahoud’s presidency.”
Meanwhile, no arrests were made following the attack on Mr Hamadeh.
After the assassination of Hariri in another car bomb in February, 2005, I suggested to Nick Rostow, the legal adviser to the US delegation to the UN, that an international tribunal be set up immediately.
It is still my view that the assassination should have been treated not as terrorism, but rather as a crime against humanity, which would have qualified it for referral to the International Criminal Court. This would have negated the need to build a tribunal from scratch. At the time, moreover, the ICC had shown more competence in dealing with crimes of this nature and magnitude. Amnesty International also agreed with that categorisation because the attack had claimed 22 lives (including Hariri’s). It did not help matters that the word “terrorism” was – and, in fact, remains – undefined in international law.
It was a missed opportunity.
Instead, an international probe was instituted by the UN a few weeks later, which in turn recommended the establishment of a tribunal. Two excellent investigators were appointed in 2005: Irish deputy police commissioner Peter Fitzgerald and German federal prosecutor Detlev Mehlis. Both proved remarkable in their efforts to push back against the Lebanese-Syrian security complex and force the arrest of four Lebanese generals suspected of covering up the assassination and deflecting the course of justice. Two prominent journalists, Samir Kassir and Gebrane Tueni, were murdered that year – I believe, by this security complex – yet there was progress being made in the investigation.
In January 2006, however, the probe screeched to a halt, with the dynamism of the Cedar Revolution – a chain of nationwide demonstrations seeking truth and justice following Hariri’s assassination – undermined by a new appointee, former Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz.
After his appointment in January, little serious work was done for about two years, during which time he worked as an investigator and then as a prosecutor, botching the enquiry process as well as the legal work.
The four generals arrested on the request of Mr Mehlis were imprisoned without any set court date. Meanwhile, assassinations of those who stood up to the pro-Syrian and pro-Hezbollah forces continued unabated. Mr Lahoud and his allies were adversarial towards the STL and, as corpses piled up, the tribunal became little more than a paper tiger.
The prosecution would only issue the first indictments five years later, after a courageous Lebanese investigator named Wissam Eid conducted a detailed analysis of mobile phone signals on the day of the killing to isolate certain individuals he suspected of being involved. One of the suspicious phone calls was made by Salim Ayyash, a seemingly low-level Hezbollah operative. Ayyash and four others were indicted by the STL. One of the four, Mustafa Badreddine, later died in Syria, and proceedings against him were ended. Eid, though, was assassinated in 2008. It is worth noting that the STL did not mention his name in the public statement.
Nor, since January 2006, has there been a single word mentioned about the openly brutal obstruction of justice by Mr Al Assad, Mr Lahoud and Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah. Journalists, instead, were cited for various insignificant leaks.
Apart from being toothless, the STL was also leaderless for a long time. For a while Antonio Cassese, a distinguished international criminal scholar and judge, presided over the tribunal. From my correspondence with him, I knew he wanted to take the case forward. He was of a different calibre. But luck deserted Lebanon again, as Cassese died of cancer shortly after his resignation in 2011.
I was, therefore, hardly surprised by how timid this week’s judgment turned out to be.
The only person found guilty was Ayyash, who led the assassination cell, but was the smallest fish in the conspiracy. And the STL found no grounds to condemn Nasrallah for his steadfast refusal to surrender Ayyash either, since his indictment in 2010.
The enquiry was botched in so many ways, with manifest errors in law. The most shocking among them was the tribunal’s refusal to investigate those whom it said had the strongest motives in Hariri’s killing. The legal expert in me wonders how will any teacher of criminal law explain to his or her students that motive is not a component of a crime – as it was bewildering to hear the STL president say this week. The streets of a Beirut, recently battered by explosions in its port area, seethed with disappointment and anger.
The line heard on the street aptly summarised the judgment: “The STL found that Salim Ayyash, alone, made a telephone call.”
*Chibli Mallat is an emeritus law professor, international criminal lawyer and, until September, co-ordinator of the Lebanese activist coalition TMT

 

Lebanese Information Centre (LIC) Statement On The Beirut Explosion
USA/August 18, 2020
At around 6:10pm on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, a massive explosion rocked the Lebanese capital, causing catastrophic damage that was unprecedented even for Beirut, which has seen several rounds of war in the last five decades.
The blast, seemingly caused by the storage of some 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate in Warehouse 12 at the Beirut Port, left more than 170 dead and nearly 6,000 injured, in addition to dozens of missing persons. The explosion caused severe damage to residential buildings, factories, shops, and hospitals estimated at up to $30 billion. The destruction spread over miles from the epicenter of the explosion in one of the most densely populated cities on the Mediterranean and has left some 300,000 people without homes. Without a doubt, it has only exacerbated the dire economic crisis gripping Lebanon for the past year.
In view of this calamity, the LIC extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes the wounded a speedy recovery. We are also very appreciative of the swift worldwide response in support of the Lebanese people, especially from the United States, which has generously allocated $18 million to the relief effort and has provided technical support to the blast probe through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, the LIC launched several initiatives to aid and assist the Lebanese people:
The LIC engaged a number of Lebanese political, humanitarian and civil society groups in Lebanon as well as the Lebanese Army command in order to determine the most efficient pathway for aid and relay this information to decision-makers in Washington.
The LIC contacted a number of senior officials in the U.S. State Department, the Pentagon, members of the U.S. Congress, relevant congressional committees and subcommittees, the U.S.-Lebanon Friendship Caucus, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The discussions centered around providing the most possible aid directly to the Lebanese people, especially in medicine, food and other crucial supplies.
The LIC mobilized its chapters around the nation, launched direct fundraising campaigns and collaborated with other U.S.-based charity groups such as the ‘Children of Mary’ to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid to those affected by this tragedy.
In closing, the LIC:
Expresses its sincere appreciation to individuals, organizations, and countries that have contributed to the relief effort, especially the United States.
Demands an independent international commission of inquiry into the cause of the blast and the conditions in which these materials were stored
Condemns the irresponsible manner in which Lebanese authorities stored these hazardous substances and their refusal to accept an international investigation.
Stands with the Lebanese people in demanding a change of power through early parliamentary elections, allowing the country to restore the foundations of a true sovereign state and recover from the hegemony of armed militias, neglect and corruption.
Emphasizes that all assistance should be provided directly to those affected and not to corrupt and irresponsible Lebanese authorities.
Remains steadfast in its commitment to help the Lebanese people in their struggle to reclaim their country and to represent their voice in the United States.

Hezbollah identified with Lebanon's corruption, faces public anger
The Arab Weekly/August 20/2020
BEIRUT--Fifteen years after the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, Hezbollah has risen to become the overarching power in a country that is now collapsing under its feet amid a series of devastating crises.
A UN-backed tribunal on Tuesday convicted a member of the Iranian-backed group of conspiring to kill Hariri in a 2005 bombing and acquitted three others.
The verdict came at a time when Lebanon's economy has collapsed. Institutions from the security services to the presidency, occupied by a Hezbollah ally, have been found wanting, and people are struggling with the aftermath of the massive explosion that shredded central Beirut this month.
Added to this, there is no functioning government and there is a spike in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has denied that the group has ever controlled Lebanese governments or that it has a majority that would allow it to act on its own.
But Lebanon is slipping from Hezbollah's hands, said a political source familiar with the thinking among the group's Christian allies.
"By getting the majority (in parliamentary elections) and a president on their side, they thought they controlled the country, but what happened now with Hezbollah and its allies is that they got power but they lost the country and the people."
Hezbollah has faced growing criticism for its perceived failure to deliver on promised reforms since winning a parliamentary majority with its allies in 2018.
The government - nominated by Hezbollah and its allies after the previous administration led by Saad al-Hariri, son of the slain PM, was toppled by a civic uprising last October - resigned over the Aug. 4 blast.
It had tried to negotiate a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund, but was blocked by the very powerbrokers who appointed it.
"There are so many problems internally apart from the port explosion," says Magnus Ranstorp, a Hezbollah expert. "The country is breaking under their feet."
Fawaz Gerges, Middle East expert at the London School of Economics, adds: "This is one of the most fundamental challenges facing Lebanon since its independence from (France) in 1943 as you have now multiple crises facing Lebanon and Hezbollah." "I fear this (the tribunal verdict) could provide a trigger. The country, which is already divided, will become more polarised along sectarian lines as opposed to political and ideological lines."
Western donors say they will not bail out Lebanon without fundamental reforms to a corrupt system.
At rock bottom
US Undersecretary of State David Hale said on Wednesday there is no more foreign money for a Lebanese leadership that enriches itself and spurns the popular will.
"They (the Lebanese people) see rulers who use the system in order to enrich themselves and to ignore popular demands," Hale said. "That era is over. There is no more money for that. They are at rock bottom and sooner or later, I believe, that the leadership will appreciate the fact that it is time to change."
Asked about Hezbollah's role in any potential government, Hale said: "Reforms are contrary to the interests of all the status quo leaders and that very much includes Hezbollah, which today is perceived as a big part of the problem," he said.
Mohanad Hage Ali, fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center, said Hezbollah had "failed miserably" to keep its election promise to fight corruption. "They literally delivered nothing on this promise. In fact, their anti-corruption campaign is now a popular joke." "As is the case with most of this political class, Hezbollah hasn't been in a weaker position than they are right now," he said.
The militant Shia movement, which has acted as a spearhead for Tehran in Syria's civil war and across the region, is also facing public anger over the explosion in the Beirut port that has traumatised the country.
The detonation of what authorities say was 2,700 tonnes of unsafely stored ammonium nitrate fuelled outrage over government negligence, incompetence and inaction. Hezbollah is not only the predominant power in Lebanon but is seen as protecting a corrupt political class that has driven Lebanon into the ground.
"Losing the narrative"
"What Hezbollah doesn't understand about the port explosion, the outcry, the protests, is that people view it as the latest manifestation of the corrupt elite and they hold Hezbollah responsible for safeguarding this elite," said Gerges. "Hezbollah is losing the narrative inside Lebanon," he said. Many Lebanese, including some Christians who once supported Hezbollah, have turned against the group even though it is not responsible for an economic crisis that had piled up for years under previous governments. The mood changed after Nasrallah gave a televised address denying responsibility for the blast and warning protesters that any more attacks on the system and its leaders would meet a robust response.
"You would have expected him to have reached out to the public by saying he would do anything to find out what has happened, that 'we are with the people'," Gerges said.But Hezbollah's priorities are geo-strategic rather than Lebanon-centric.
It fears change in Lebanon might undermine its ability to influence a political system that allows it to maintain its weapons and fighters, analysts say. As a result, Hezbollah has become bogged down in Lebanon. "They want to maintain their powerful position in the country, they want to maintain their weapons, they want to maintain a veto in the decision-making process while at the same time they want to tell people they are against corruption and they are different from the corrupt ruling elite. These contradictions have caught up with Hezbollah," Gerges said.
Khalil Gebara, Senior Policy Fellow at Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, said: "After the blast, it is clear that the political system is also close to collapse ... Hezbollah's objective today is to extend the life of the Lebanese political system."
Although the court found no evidence of direct involvement by the leadership of Hezbollah, the judges said Hariri's killing was clearly a politically motivated act of terrorism. A Hezbollah operative was also found guilty.
The verdict, analysts say, is likely to exacerbate the difficulties of Hezbollah, already designated by the United States and several others as a terrorist group.
"More and more countries will likely view Hezbollah as a paramilitary terrorist organisation," Gerges said.
Ranstorp says even before the Hariri verdict the mood in Europe and Washington had swung against a Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon, because of the axis of Shia power Iran has built across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
The challenge to Hezbollah comes as it and its forces in Syria are being regularly attacked by Israeli warplanes, and powerful allied militias in Iraq are under pressure.
Most analysts say Hezbollah will sit tight, hoping that time will work in its favour, either through a new US president or a possible new understanding between Tehran and the Trump administration ahead of the November election.
"They want to preserve the (Lebanese) state as it stands today. They don't want a strong state. But they don't want a fragmented weak one because that means more headaches, more challenges for them," Hage Ali said.


Pressure grows for Hariri’s return as Lebanon leader
Najia Housari/Arab News/August 20/2020
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Thursday that he plans to include “competent figures representing the voice of the street” in the new government. Ten days after Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government resigned in the wake of the Beirut port blast, Aoun is yet to set a date for parliamentary consultations to name a leader for the next government. In a tweet on Thursday, he added that it is not clear if talks will take place soon. Diab’s government stepped down amid widespread public anger following the port explosion that devastated Beirut, killing 180 people and causing widespread damage.
Opponents of Diab’s leadership claim it was a “shadow government” dominated by Hezbollah that failed to carry out reforms demanded by the international community. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is fighting to restore Saad Hariri as prime minister.
Hariri’s government of national unity resigned in October, 2019, after violent protests broke out amid claims of growing government corruption. Protesters called for a transitional government to implement reforms demanded by the global community to help Lebanon overcome its economic crisis. Aoun and Berri held a meeting two days ago in which the parliament speaker suggested Hariri return to the leadership. MPs have reported Berri saying that he considers Hariri “the perfect man for the stage.”Berri also claims that he has Hezbollah’s backing for Hariri. Sources say he is insisting on a political government, not a technocratic one, and wants Hariri to provide it with an acceptable cover in light of the political and economic crises facing Lebanon. However, the dispute between Hariri and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) worsened during his time as prime minister, bringing an end to the relationship between the two parties. French President Emmanuel Macron told Lebanese leaders during his visit to Beirut two days after the port explosion that he would return to Lebanon on Sept. 1 to ensure reforms were being carried out.
He called on officials to “assume their responsibilities during the coming weeks, launch reforms and form a national unity government.” Future Movement leader Mustafa Alloush told Arab News: “The conditions for Hariri heading any future government have not changed. What is required is an independent government that convinces the international community of the possibility of helping Lebanon and persuades the Lebanese of its ability to rescue (the country). “The government must enjoy wide and exceptional powers in order to be able to be productive and eliminate the burden of obstruction that parliament poses.” While Berri and Hariri are expected to continue discussions, Alloush could not predict a date for any meeting. “There is a positive endeavor that Berri is undertaking and he has presented a government project to Aoun,” Alloush said.
He said that “the political dispute with the FPM continues. What is required is that the FPM — and not Hariri — changes.”


Lebanon’s momentum for change should not be wasted
Elie Al HindyThe Arab Weekly/August 20/2020
Lebanon is at a crossroad with an opportunity to take the right turn. But the international, regional and local landscape may hinder a positive change.
As I write these words, Beirut is overwhelmed by the visit of high calibre foreign visitors: the French president and ministers of foreign affairs and of armed forces, the US under-secretary of state, the Turkish vice-president, the ministers of foreign affairs of Germany, Egypt, Iran and many others…
This proves anew how much love, respect and support Lebanon and the Lebanese people have from their friends around the world and gives hope that the dire economic situation is not forlorn.
However, this surge in international attention on Lebanon is not necessarily all positive. Lebanon reaches this crossroad amid the movement of political tectonic plates in the region whose main players are often blamed — rightfully — for much of Lebanon’s corrosion in the past, present and probably future.
US policy consistently prioritised Israel’s security. Therefore, facilitating a deal on the Lebanese-Israeli borders might require cutting Hezbollah “some slack” internally and delaying sanctions on the party’s brokers and allies who are squeezing the life out of Lebanon. Also prioritising the “Deal of the Century” that is slowly becoming a reality, although rejected by many, will probably cause aftershocks that will be felt in the streets of Lebanon.
On the other hand, France continues to blow hot and cold reflecting its ambivalent and perplexing policies on Lebanon. The French want to save Lebanon but pursue horse-trading between the US and Iran. They want to replace the Lebanese polity altogether but continue to befriend most of the Lebanese politicians.
Meanwhile, Iran could not care less about Lebanon and considers it as a mere pawn on the broader chess-board. They will not hesitate to sacrifice Lebanon for the survival of the regime or of its strategic assets (i.e. Hezbollah).
On the other side of the Gulf, Lebanon’s experience with the Saudi policy is bitter: They drag their allies into compromises and the Syrian quagmire, only to give up later and decide not to invest any further efforts, finances, or political support, leaving Lebanon to its doom.
With the UAE pushing for its own views, Qatar closely coordinating with both Islamists and Hezbollah, Turkey expanding its presence and influence in northern Lebanon as part of its regional policies, Russia focusing on defeating the US in Lebanon, Egypt striving to resuscitate its regional role, Lebanon finds itself dealing with a conundrum of contradictory policies and clashing interests. Such troubled times usually end up badly for the “weakest link,” a characteristic that has become a synonym for Lebanon.
On the internal level, the picture does not seem any brighter. The main political forces are exploiting the Beirut blast disaster to preserve or improve their benefits. Not only completely delusional, they are also in complete denial that the major changes that occurred in October 17 have been further entrenched with the port explosion. They fail to acknowledge that politics can no longer be “business as usual.” On the other end of the spectrum, the politically immature protest movement continues to hem and haw with the rage of a lion but the muscles of a cat.
Is there a way out?
The humanitarian crisis resulting from the Beirut explosion and the economic crisis that has been hitting Lebanon in the past year are only by-products of the real political crisis that has not been dealt with so far. Thus, responding to humanitarian needs alone will only leave Lebanon under even more significant economic pressures. Solving the bigger economic crisis can only be done through working out the political issues. Political reform must necessarily happen with faithfulness to the “raison d’être” of this country that was initially created to be a land of freedom and refuge to the persecuted, and a bridge between the east and the west. Thus, reform must enshrine internal coexistence and external neutrality, democracy, accountability, human rights and freedom.
While venturing into the uncalculated and unwise suggestion of “system change” is neither relevant nor useful now, building state institutions on solid ground is imperative. This is necessarily at odds with the presence of armed militias as well as corrupt and uncontested leaders of various sects or populist reformists, none of whom can be part of the solution.
At this crossroad, Lebanon needs to take the right path of a credible and legitimate emergency government. It will certainly be met halfway by an international community eager to help. The next government should be impartial and independent with new figures driven by innovative governance paradigms. The top priority of such a government should be to stabilise the situation, organise snap elections and start immediately the long-overdue structural reforms.
In parallel, the international community should not commit the sin of trying to revive a factitious stability through a “national unity government” or try to provide oxygen-funding under the pretext of avoiding collapse, because this will only delay the collapse for a few months and prolong the agony of the Lebanese people.The momentum for taking the right turn for Lebanon is there, like it has been many times before, but unfortunately looking at the international and local scenery, it is very possible that this momentum could be lost and this opportunity for change wasted.
Pity the nation that continues to be a battleground for competing international interests. Pity the nation that continues to be led by leaders who lack basic statesmanship and who are less, much less, than what its people deserve.
Pity the nation whose reformists are as corrupt, incompetent and shortsighted as its establishment.
Pity the nation that is neither able to turn the page nor able to start a new one.
Pity the nation that is unceasingly destined to rise from its own ashes and rebuild itself.
Pity the nation… again!
**Elie Al Hindy (PhD) is an Associate Professor of Government and International Relations and Director of the Middle East Institute for Research & Strategic Studies.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 20-21/2020
Iran summons Emirati envoy over killing of 2 fishermen
NNA/Thursday 20 August 2020
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday it summoned the United Arab Emirates envoy after Emirati Coast Guard vessels shot at several Iranian fishing boats, killing two fishermen. The ministry said in a statement that Iran expressed its anger to the UAE’s charge d’affaires in Tehran on Tuesday, a day after the incident. On Monday, the UAE’s Coast Guard opened fire on some Iranian fishing boats, killing two anglers, and seized one of the vessels and detained the fishermen, according to Iran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry urged the Emirati envoy to release the detained fishermen and lift the seizure of the boat and deliver the bodies of the two killed. It also demanded compensation and that appropriate measures be taken to prevent such incidents in the future. Emirati officials and state media did not immediately acknowledge their diplomat being summoned in Tehran. On Monday, the Emirates’ state-run WAM news agency reported that eight fishing boats illegally entered UAE waters near Sir Bu Nair Island in the Persian Gulf. The WAM report said the boats did not stop when ordered to and “rules of engagement were applied,” without elaborating on what that meant. Meanwhile, Iran on Monday seized an Emirati ship it said was illegally in Iranian waters and detained the crew. --- AP
 

Iran says it detained a UAE ship and its crew on Monday
Reuters/August 20/2020
Tensions have risen between the two countries which face each other across the Gulf since last week's agreement between the UAE and Tehran's arch-foe Israel to normalize ties. Iran seized a United Arab Emirates-registered ship violating its territorial waters this week, Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, adding that UAE coastguards killed two Iranian fishermen on the same day. Tensions have risen between the two oil-rich countries which face each other across the Gulf since last week's agreement between the Gulf state and Tehran's arch-foe Israel to normalize ties. "On Monday, an Emirati ship was seized by Iran's border guards and its crew were detained due to illegal traffic in our country's waters," state TV quoted the statement as saying. "On the same day, UAE guards shot dead two Iranian fishermen and seized a boat." The statement said Iran summoned the UAE charge d'affairs in Tehran over the incident. The UAE foreign ministry declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. State news agency WAM reported on Monday that the Gulf state's coastguards had tried to stop eight fishing boats which violated the state's territorial waters northwest of Sir Bu Nu'Ayr island, without reporting any casualties.
Latest articles from Jpost. "The UAE authorities ... in a note on Wednesday, have expressed their deep regret over the incident and announced their readiness to compensate for all the damage caused," Iran's statement said.

US to announce snapback of sanctions on Iran
Jerusalem Post/August 20/2020
This is what to expect from the diplomatic battle:
Following the Security Council’s rejection of an American proposal to extend the arms embargo on Iran last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said he would notify the Security Council that the US is invoking the “snapback” mechanism, which was a part of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
“Thirty days after Secretary Pompeo’s notification, a range of UN sanctions will be restored, including the requirement that Iran suspends all enrichment-related activities,” the Department of State said in a statement. “This will also extend the 13-year arms embargo on Iran.”
Other members of the Security Council, such as China and Russia, argue that the US could not announce snapback since it is no longer a participant in the agreement. “Even though the United States formally exited the Iran deal, the deal itself was enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution that enables the United States to impose snapback sanctions based on violations or perceived violations by Iran of the terms of the deal,” Dr. Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told The Jerusalem Post.“We know that Iran has advanced its nuclear program in ways that violate the JCPOA, so the United States has the right to invoke snapback,” Schanzer added.
Another option for the US is to convince a current participant of the deal to snap back the sanctions. “The focus right now is on countries like the UK and France who, on the one hand, are allies of the United States and almost certainly understand what’s at stake in terms of Iranian malign activity and proliferation. But on the other hand, have opposed the Trump administration exit of the Iran deal and are ambivalent about snapback. So this is the drama that we are watching now,” said Schanzer.
Mike Pregent, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, told the Post that The US has to take this action “because Russia and China basically vetoed the request to extend the arms embargo. It doesn’t matter that the US left the JCPOA. They still have a vote on a snapback, and the US has a pretty strong position here. It’s definitely the right thing to do.”“This is a power that any country that signed up for the JCOPA has, to snap back sanctions,” he continued. “Other members of the Security Council can’t reverse it. Chapters 11 through 15 of the UN Security Council resolution, talk about the mechanisms that put into place that the US as a permanent member of the Security Council could do it. The US is on solid ground; it’s a tool that the US could use.”
Ned Price, a lecturer at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and former spokesperson of the National Security Council during the Obama administration, told the Post that Pompeo’s attempt to snapback sanction would be “ineffective.”
“This is the consequence of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” strategy, which is equal parts reckless and feckless,” he said. “It’s a strategy that has backfired at every turn: Iran has restarted elements of its nuclear program, its proxies are emboldened and the promised “better deal” has never been more elusive. At every step of the way, we were promised the opposite.”According to Price, “The snapback ploy will be similarly ineffective, as even our closest allies and partners won’t go along with it – and for a good reason. And the Trump administration knows this. But they also have an ulterior motive: at this point, they’re trying to make it as difficult as possible for a Biden administration to revive the JCPOA. This is a move animated more by spite than it is by any genuine effort to restrict Iran’s nuclear program. If the letter were the goal, rejoining the JCPOA would be the most effective approach.”

Iran claims it has new cruise missiles and advanced drones - report

Jerusalem Post/August 20/2020
The new weapons are named for Muhandis and Soleimani, who the US killed in January in Baghdad.
Iran has unveiled new missiles and drones, it claimed this week. A ballistic missile named for former IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani was shown off in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The new exhibit also included drones and a cruise missile named for Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, former head of Kataib Hezbollah. The new weapons are named for the two men the US killed in January in Baghdad. Soleimani and Muhandis, a key Iraqi militia leader and ally of Iran, were architects of Iran’s regional policy. Naming the weapons after them is supposed to honor them and also threaten the US. The new cruise missile has a turbocharged lightweight engine, according to Iranian media. Drones are increasingly important, Rouhani told Fars News. UAVs play a larger role today on the battlefield, he said. Iran has pioneered drones since the 1980s and now has an array of the weapons. Some are copied directly from US platforms, while others are local and innovative. Iran has supplied them to its allies in Yemen and elsewhere. In the field of missiles, Iran has reached real deterrent power, Minister of Defense Amir Hatami said. Iran’s missiles can now reach 2,000 km., and the new Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis missile can reach 1,000 km., he said Iran also says it has a range of up to 1,400 km. with other, solid-fuel missiles. It is not clear if these boasts have been proven, but Iran did use ballistic missiles to target the US in Iraq in January and has targeted ISIS in Syria. And it has clearly increased their precision and range. When Tehran fired them at ISIS, it used drones to monitor the strikes. It did the same thing in 2018 against Kurdish dissidents in Koya.This shows that Iran has reached sophisticated levels of missile and drone production. It also used cruise missiles against Saudi Arabia last year, coordinating the attack with drones, although not all the cruise missiles made it to their targets.

 

Iraq PM to Meet Trump With US Troops on the Agenda
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi will meet US President Donald Trump for the first time in Washington on Thursday, with the presence of American troops in the country at the top of his agenda. The meeting comes as attacks on American targets by pro-Iranian fighters have been on the rise, and with Tehran and Washington competing for influence in Iraq, the gulf between pro-Iranian factions and Baghdad's US-friendly premier is growing. Kadhemi, who took office in May, faces challenges from factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashed al-Shaabi), a coalition of Iraqi Shiite paramilitary groups with close ties to Iran. The PMF is officially integrated into the Iraqi state, and its political representatives have called for the expulsion of the 5,000 US troops deployed in the country as part of anti-militant efforts. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that "armed groups not under the full control of the prime minister have impeded our progress," calling for them to "be replaced by local police as soon as possible."Pompeo -- who was speaking at a press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein -- appeared to be referring to Shiite paramilitary groups, though he did not identify them by name. Asked about the plan for cutting the 5,000 US troops now in Iraq, Pompeo said he had no numbers and urged people "not to focus on that." On the troop issue, a senior administration official said: "There are no hard fast timelines, and there are no hard fast numbers but that certainly would be part of the discussion, as we evaluate what Iraq security requirements are, and what the United States believes it can do." The official described "armed groups" as "a persistent problem that challenges Iraqi security, has threatened US forces' interests in the region, and certainly it's a challenge to Iraq sovereignty."
"We think that Iraq's internal security needs are best met by forces that are, first and foremost, under the sovereign control the government of Iraq," the official said. Pro-Iranian factions were hit hard by Washington's assassination in January of one of their top chiefs, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in a strike that also killed top Iranian commander General Qasem Soleimani. Attacks on the rise  The PMF denies any connection to a recent spate of anti-US attacks, but videos and claims on social media hint at its involvement, through groups operating under other names. Kadhemi has angered armed groups by seizing border posts where they ran lucrative smuggling networks and imposed taxes on traders. Attacks have risen in recent weeks, with the Iraqi army reporting another rocket attack on Tuesday evening targeting Baghdad airport, where US troops are based. The projectile did not cause damage or casualties, the army said. From October to the end of July, Iraqi armed factions carried out 39 rocket attacks against American interests in the country. But after the White House earlier this month confirmed that Trump would meet Kadhemi, the pace intensified. Between August 4 and 18, 14 bomb and rocket attacks targeted Iraqi logistics convoys for the US military, bases housing US soldiers, and the US embassy. While the impact has been limited, the attacks have served as a show of strength. After an attack on a convoy in Iraq's south, a man was arrested in possession of bombs and a PMF military ID card that allowed him to cross checkpoints without a search, an intelligence source told AFP. At the end of June, 14 fighters from the Hezbollah Brigades, a PMF faction, were arrested for attacks on Americans. Three days later, 13 were released on the decision of a PMF military judge. Kadhemi over the weekend hosted Iranian commander Esmail Qaani, Soleimani's replacement, telling him that "no country" could interfere in Iraqi-US relations, a source close to the discussions told AFP. The relationship between Baghdad and Tehran, meanwhile, must be "state-to-state and not via militias," the source quoted him as saying, adding that groups that "draw their strength from Iran" had bombed Iraqi targets and embezzled money.


US ‘outraged’ by assassinations of Iraqi activists
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/Thursday 20 August 2020
The United States said Thursday that it was “outraged by the targeted assassinations” of activists and attacks on protesters in Iraq, one day after unknown gunmen assassinated Iraqi activist Dr. Reham Yacoub in central Basra. Yacoub was one of four activists who were targeted and killed in Basra on Wednesday night while one other activist was assassinated in the capital Baghdad, according to Al Arabiya’s Baghdad correspondent Majid Hamid. “It is unconscionable that the perpetrators of these horrible acts continue to act with impunity,” a senior US official said in a statement. A number of Iraqi protesters and activists have been killed, detained and beaten since anti-government protests started last October. “We strongly support the right of Iraqis to assemble peacefully and express themselves,” US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said, calling on the Iraqi government to hold accountable “the militias, thugs, and criminal gangs attacking Iraqis exercising their right to peaceful protest.” Human rights monitors sounded the alarm over a recent spike in assassinations targeting civil rights activists in Iraq's south on Thursday. “It seems that there is a well-programmed cleansing of activists who were influential in the last protest movement,” said Ali al-Bayati, spokesman for the semi-official Iraqi Independent High Commission for Human Rights.

Iraq PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi says Turkish interference is unacceptable
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/Thursday 20 August 2020
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said Thursday that Turkey’s interference in Iraq was unacceptable, ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington. In June, after separate military operations, Baghdad summoned the Turkish and Iranian ambassadors targetted Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. Iraq said the attacks were an attack on the country’s sovereignty. Nevertheless, Turkey continues its military operations for what it says are security purposes. “We will not accept it ... and Iraq’s constitution states that our lands will not be [open for confrontation],” Kadhimi told reporters ahead of a closed-door meeting with Trump. Kadhimi said Iraq was open to US investments. This comes after Iraq and US companies signed more than $8 billion in deals on Wednesday, including energy and oil agreements. Five American companies signed deals with Iraqi officials in the Oil and Electricity Ministries worth over $8 billion, according to a statement from the US Department of Energy. Among the new agreements is a deal between Iraq and the US’s General Electric worth more than $1 billion. For his part, Trump said Thursday that the US would stand by Iraq’s side and reiterated previous comments of his will to see US troops completely withdraw from Iraq. But the US president said American forces were present to confront any Iranian threats.

US imposes sanctions on six Syrian government officials, military leaders
Reuters, WashingtonThursday 20 August 2020
The US on Thursday blacklisted senior Syrian government officials and leaders of several Syrian military units as Washington continues to impose sanctions aimed at cutting off funds for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
The Treasury said in a statement it imposed sanctions on Luna Al Shibl, Assad’s top press officer, and Mohamad Ammar Saati bin Mohamad Nawzad, a prominent member of the Syrian Baath Party. The US State Department on Thursday also imposed sanctions on the leadership of several Syrian military units, including National Defense Forces commander Fadi Saqr, over their efforts to prevent a ceasefire, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. “The US and its allies are united in continuing to apply pressure on Assad and his enablers until there is peaceful, political solution to the conflict. Assad and his foreign patrons know the clock is ticking for action,” Pompeo said. “The US will continue to impose costs on anyone, anywhere who obstructs a peaceful political solution to the Syrian conflict,” he added. Thursday’s move freezes any US assets of those blacklisted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. A crackdown by Assad on protesters in 2011 led to civil war, with Iran and Russia backing the government and the US supporting the opposition. Millions of people have fled Syria and millions more have been internally displaced.

Dubai’s Emirates waiting for approval to start Israel flights after peace deal: COO
Matthew Amlôt, Al Arabiya English/Thursday 20 August 2020
Dubai’s Emirates airline is waiting for an aviation agreement before flights to Israel can begin following the historic peace deal announced last week between the UAE and Israel, the airline’s COO said. “It’s an agreement between the two governments and definitely there will be many other sectors within business that will be benefiting from such an agreement, obviously aviation will be one of the main sectors. But before we plan any flights to between here Israel or Tel Aviv an agreement needs to be put in place between the two cities,” Adel al-Redha, chief operating officer of Emirates told CNBC Thursday.
Israel and the UAE reached a historic peace deal last week that will lead to a full normalization of diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern nations in an agreement that US President Donald Trump helped broker. Some business and communication agreements have already passed, including collaboration on a coronavirus vaccine and restoration of phone lines between the two nations. Direct flights have yet to be announced, but are part of the overall deal. Israel’s foreign ministry has also told Al Arabiya English that the country will likely not stamp passports of tourists traveling to Israel from the UAE – an important move as Israel stamping a UAE passport would be significant as certain Arab countries, such as Lebanon, place entry restrictions on people with Israeli stamps in their passports. “I think demand will come from both sides of the region, and there will be quite a lot of opportunity for trading and business between the two cities and two countries,” al-Redha added. When reached for comment, an Emirates spokesperson told Al Arabiya English that the opening of any new route requires air traffic rights and government approvals. “Once those are in place, Emirates will review market demand and a range of operational factors before making any decision to start flight services. With regards to new destinations, we have nothing further to announce at this time,” the spokesperson said.

 

Syrian Constitutional Committee Convenes Next Week in Geneva
New York- Ali Barda/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
The Small Body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee will convene next week in Geneva for another round of talks to agree on some principles based on the respect for the UN charter, Security Council resolution 2254, Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity, announced UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen. The Special Envoy was briefing members of the Security Council on the political, social, economic, and security developments in Syria. Pedersen addressed the recent blast in Beirut, saying that many Syrians were among those killed or injured in the tragic explosion, warning that the ramifications for Syria’s humanitarian and economic supply chains and revenue from transit trade will be significant, given the collapsing local economy. The Envoy admitted that holding the meeting is challenging amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, he asserted that, excluding any developments on the pandemic, the meeting will be held on August 24 after agreeing with the co-chairs and receiving positive responses from the committee members. He confirmed that strict health and safety protocols will be implemented to mitigate risks. Pederson recalled that the agreement mandates the committee, within the context of the UN-facilitated Geneva process, to “prepare and draft for popular approval a constitutional reform as a contribution to the political settlement in Syria and the implementation of resolution 2254.”
Millions of Syrians continue to face immense suffering and can’t wait for a political breakthrough, he said, asserting that a complete, immediate nationwide ceasefire, as called for in resolution 2254, is needed to enable an all-out effort to combat the pandemic. He urged Turkey and Russia to contain all escalatory acts, restore stability, and continue cooperation. He also called on all actors to ensure that any actions taken to address “Security Council-listed terrorist groups are effective, targeted, and in line with international humanitarian law, ensuring the protection of civilians.”Pedersen warned that Syria’s sovereignty remains compromised and that the presence of “five foreign armies creates a serious risk of threats to international peace and security.” This is the Committee's first meeting since November when it held its second round of talks and the representatives of both sides failed to agree on the agenda.
The government wanted to discuss national constants such as terrorism and the easing of penalties before discussing constitutional matters, while the opposition asserted that these issues could be addressed within the constitution.
Also, at the session, the US Ambassador, Kelly Craft, said the US is hopeful the meeting "will yield a clear path forward for the political process," stressing that "now is the time for urgency, compromise, and action."Craft expressed hope that the meeting can directly address constitutional reforms and that members are willing to remain in Geneva for weeks and agree to a future round of meetings throughout the fall so progress can be achieved and elections can take place. "The key to achieving a credible, long-lasting political (solution) to the Syrian conflict is a permanent, nationwide ceasefire," she said. "We call upon the Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian enablers to commit to this political process by halting all further attacks."The Council members welcomed the efforts to hold the committee's upcoming meeting, reiterating their support for the international envoy, saying it is a step in the right direction for the political process that “should lead to free and fair elections under the supervision of the UN.”

 

Greece Denies Refugee Pushback Claims, Slams Turkey
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis has denied renewed claims of illegal pushbacks of asylum-seekers at sea and accused Turkey of peddling "misinformation" about his country's border management. "If there's any incident that needs to be explored, if there's any exaggeration at any given point, I'm going to be the first to look into it," Mitsotakis told CNN late Wednesday. "Greece is a country that respects the rule of law, we've granted asylum to tens of thousands of people," the PM said. The New York Times on August 14 said Greece was "abandoning" migrants at sea for the Turkish coastguard to rescue. It said it had interviewed survivors from five such episodes, and cited additional evidence from independent watchdogs, two academic researchers and the Turkish coastguard. Based on its research, the Times said more than 1,000 asylum seekers had been "dropped at sea" since March.
Mitsotakis said the reports "essentially originate from Turkey". "Some of these reporters who do these types of exploratory journalism should be more careful in checking their sources," he said. "These types of reports are also an insult to our coastguard (which) has saved literally tens of thousands of refugees and migrants at sea, and our islands have always provided shelter to those in greater need," Mitsotakis said. Rights groups including the UN refugee agency have repeatedly called on Greece to investigate pushback claims. "Such allegations have increased since March and reports indicate that several groups of people may have been summarily returned after reaching Greek territory," the UNHCR said in June. Greece has repeatedly denied using illegal tactics to guard its borders, and has in turn accused Turkey of sending patrol boats to escort migrant boats into its waters. In March, thousands of migrants flocked to the Greek border after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would no longer stop migrants wishing to get to the EU. Days of chaos ensued at the border as Greek police fired tear gas at migrants and claimed Turkish police were helping them in trying to break through. Ankara in turn accused Athens of beating migrants and firing live rounds at them, alleging that some died of bullet injuries.


German ISIS Bride Sells Kalashnikov She Received as Wedding Present in Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Prosecutors in Germany said a German woman who joined the ISIS terrorist group was obliged to sell her wedding present, an AK47 rifle, under tough financial circumstances. Federal prosecutors said they have indicted the woman on three counts of participating in the activities of a “foreign terrorist organization,” breaching arms control laws and committing a war crime. The suspect is alleged to have traveled to Syria in 2014 to join the terrorist group, The Associated Press reported. According to prosecutors, the woman requested a Kalashnikov rifle as a wedding present from her second husband in 2015, but after several weeks “it had to be sold due to a shortage of money.” She was arrested on her return to Germany in May, where she now faces trial.

 

Hamas Responds to Netanyahu’s Threats: Killing will be Met with Killing
Ramallah- Kifah Zboun/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to assassinate top Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials in the Gaza Strip if the escalations continued, warning that every incendiary balloon is considered a missile. Speaking before the Negev Lobby, Netanyahu announced that he informed the heads of local councils in the area adjacent to the Strip of his absolute “commitment to security.”“We are now relating to every fire – fires are like rockets. We have been hitting and striking at Hamas on a daily basis, for the past eleven nights straight. If necessary, we will do much more. They need to understand that what happened last time will happen to them now twofold, to them and to the Islamic Jihad.”He asserted that Israel is ready to use all means, including targeted counter-measures, if things develop, adding that Hamas has an interest in allowing normal life on its side and Israel will not allow the absence of normal life on its side. “Therefore, this commitment is genuine and I am certain that it will also bear fruit in the coming days.” Netanyahu has previously warned on a return to the policy of assassinations in Gaza during a meeting with the heads of the local council in the area adjacent to the Strip. Hamas responded immediately to his threats saying it was ready to fight. “Our hands are on the trigger, bombing will be met with bombing, missiles will be met with missiles, killing will be met with killing." Senior Hamas Official Khalil al-Haya downplayed Netanyahu's threats. Hamas escalated the situation last week by launching incendiary balloons towards Israel and activating night demonstrations. Israel responded by carrying out raids and imposing punitive measures by preventing the entry of fuel into Gaza, which further deepened the Strip's crisis. In an effort to contain the situation, the Egyptian delegation held intensive talks in Tel Aviv, Ramallah and Gaza. The delegation faced intransigence from Israel and Hamas, after Tel Aviv refused to meet any demands before Hamas ended the escalation, while the movement rejected to stop before its demands were met. On Monday, Hamas met with the Egyptian intelligence officials. The movement informed the envoy about its demands, which include Israel’s approval to implement economic infrastructure projects, permitting imports and exports, increasing work permits to 100,000 for Gazan workers in Israel, expanding the fishing area to 20 nautical miles, and keeping Kerem Shalom commercial crossing opened.
As the situation worsened, Qatar has also intensified its contacts with Israel and Hamas to contain the situation. Qatari envoy Mohammad al-Emadi said on Wednesday that Qatari efforts are being exerted to contain the escalation in the Strip along with its attempts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
He called upon the UN, the international community, and all sides to commit to obligations in providing support to Gazans.

 

Israeli Tanks Shell Gaza
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Israeli tanks shelled Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to continued waves of incendiary balloons across the border, the army said Thursday. "Explosive and arson balloons were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel," a military statement said. "In response... tanks targeted military posts belonging to the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip." Gaza security officials said the fire hit Hamas observation posts near al-Maghazi and Al-Bureij refugee camps in the center of the impoverished enclave, and the town of Khan Yunis, further south.
There were no casualties, they said. The continuing cross-border violence came despite the attempts of Egyptian security to end the flare-up, which has seen two weeks of rocket and fire balloon attacks from Gaza and almost nightly Israeli reprisals.

Sisi Calls on Army to Preserve Highest Levels of Combat Readiness

Cairo - Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called on the armed forces to continue to maintain the highest levels of combat readiness to carry out any tasks entrusted to them to protect the country's national security in light of the current challenges in the region. This came during a meeting held on Wednesday between Sisi and the commander of the Second Field Army, president of the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces, and the head of the Financial Affairs Authority of the Armed Forces. Sisi expressed his praise and appreciation for the efforts of the armed forces and the sacrifices they make to preserve the security and stability of the homeland, according to a statement by Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi. He also commanded the "great capacity that the Egyptian armed forces enjoy in all branches, specializations, and armament systems."Sisi's instructions come as the Egyptian armed forces are preparing for a possible intervention in Libya to combat militias and foreign terrorist groups that directly threaten Egypt's national security. Few weeks ago, Egypt’s parliament gave the green light for military intervention in Libya that's witnessing fierce battles between the Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, supported by Egypt, and the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj.

Libya's Haftar Announces Partial Resumption of Oil Exports to Ease Power Cuts
Cairo - Khalid Mahmoud/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar has authorized a partial lifting of a months-long blockade of oil terminals to help ease power cuts, a military official loyal to him said. The reopening of oil terminals is taking place "on the instructions of... Khalifa Haftar", General Naji al-Moghrabi, head of the Petroleum Facilities Guard, announced late Tuesday, noting that for the time being, the reopening will only involve the use of stored hydrocarbons to supply electricity grids and to "maintain infrastructure, reservoirs and pipelines. This "will allow crude stored at oil terminals to supply electric and gas grids and bring relief to citizens" who are being hit by long power cuts, Moghrabi said. Head of press for the LNA Khalifa al-Obeidi said that Haftar’s decision to discharge oil in storage tankers at ports comes to block the Government of National Accord (GNA) under the leadership of Fayez al-Sarraj from blackmailing Libyans through cutting cash flows and oil supplies for power stations. On January 17, pro-Haftar groups supported by the Petroleum Facilities Guard blockaded key oilfields and export terminals to demand what they called a fair share of hydrocarbon revenues. The country's oil revenues are managed by the National Oil Corporation (NOC) and the central bank, both based in the capital Tripoli, which is also the seat of Libya's GNA. The NOC has not reacted to Moghrabi's announcement, but has repeatedly called for the demilitarization of oil facilities. According to Reuters, Moghrabi said that authorities in eastern Libya will allow limited exports from blockaded oil ports to free up storage space and enable the production of fuel for power stations. Based on a decision by Haftar, only what was stored in tanks at the blockaded ports would be exported, Moghrabi told Reuters.

Germany Issues Travel Warning for Parts of Croatia
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Germany issued a warning against travel to parts of Croatia on Thursday as Europe's largest economy battles to contain a rising number of coronavirus cases during the summer season. The German foreign ministry advised against travel to the regions of Sibenik-Knin and Split Dalmatia, which are popular with tourists, after the public health agency declared them coronavirus risk regions, making tests for returnees mandatory. The number of new cases in Germany has been rising steadily since early July and has accelerated in recent weeks. On Thursday, the number of confirmed cases climbed by 1,707 to 228,621, marking their biggest daily increase since April 26. Imported cases of the coronavirus have risen to 39% of overall new infections in Germany this week, up from around 30% last week, Reuters reported. Croatia is the source of the third-highest number of infections among people returning to Germany, after Kosovo and Turkey, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases. Concern is growing that people may be getting infected while visiting family members in those countries. Statistics from the health ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state and hit relatively hard by the pandemic, found more than a third of returnees who tested positive for coronavirus between July 1 and Aug. 16 came from Kosovo, with Turkey in second place at almost 20%. Those returning from more traditional holiday countries, such as Spain and Greece, made up just 2.5% and 0.5% of positive cases in the state, respectively. Germany also urged people not to travel to the Valcea region of Romania, but removed a warning for the regions of Ialomita, Mehedinti and Timis. It also lifted a travel warning for Luxembourg.

China Faces Questions Over 'Vaccinated' Workers Sent Overseas
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
China faced demands on Thursday to explain why a state-backed firm claimed it had vaccinated dozens of staff against the coronavirus before sending them back to work at a mine in Papua New Guinea. The China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) -- which controls a major nickel mine in the country -- warned local authorities that 48 staff who returned from China this month may test positive for the virus because they had received a vaccine. In response, Papua New Guinea authorities called for "immediate clarification" from Beijing and blocked a charter flight full of Chinese workers that was due to land Thursday. The pandemic has disrupted operations at several lucrative mines in Papua New Guinea, one of the Pacific's poorest nations, AFP reported. While moving its staff into place, MMC's subsidiary firm Ramu NiCo told Papua New Guinea authorities that any positive coronavirus test results were "the normal reaction of the vaccination and not due to infection", according to a Chinese and English-language statement obtained by AFP. The 48 members of staff at its multi-billion-dollar mine had "been vaccinated with SARS-COV-2 vaccine" before their return, it said. China has previously indicated that it would test vaccines on military personnel and staff at state-backed companies, but it is not clear whether these tests were carried out on workers heading overseas. "It takes around seven days to produce antibodies in the vaccine recipient's body after being vaccinated," the statement reads. "If they need to be tested again for COVID-19, it is suggested to be conducted at least seven days after the vaccination date." Papua New Guinea's pandemic tsar David Manning told AFP he wanted answers and had blocked the arrival of a flight with around 150 Chinese workers on board due in Port Moresby on Thursday. "I am demanding an explanation from the Chinese ambassador as to how this has happened," he said. "I have written to the Chinese government through the Chinese ambassador -- to explain how these 48 employees of this state company were vaccinated."
Call for clarity -
There are growing concerns that Ramu NiCo staff may have circumvented arrival quarantine procedures, that the vaccinations may have been administered unlawfully in Papua New Guinea, or that they were tested on Papua New Guinea citizens.
Anyone arriving in Papua New Guinea must receive a coronavirus test before boarding their flight and undergo quarantine on arrival. In a letter from Manning to the Chinese ambassador, also seen by AFP, he demanded "immediate clarification" and stated that Papua New Guinea "does not currently acknowledge a vaccine" for coronavirus and will not until national regulators and the World Health Organisation have given their approval. He also issued a decree banning coronavirus testing, trials and unapproved vaccine treatments in Papua New Guinea.
Chinese ambassador Xue Bing told AFP: "We don't have any comments for the moment. However, one thing is for sure, China is not doing (coronavirus) tests here in PNG." Papua New Guinea -- which has an already under-resourced health sector -- had largely dodged the worst of the virus outbreak until recent weeks. The country saw 12 new cases on Thursday taking its total to 359, with 159 active cases amid low rates of testing. At least three people have died from the virus. Coronavirus clusters recently forced the closure of major mines including the vast Ok Tedi copper and gold mine. China's Ramu NiCo is no stranger to controversy and was temporarily shuttered in late 2019 after spewing slurry into the Bismarck Sea and turning parts of the surrounding coastline ochre red.
Nickel is a highly prized metal widely used in batteries, including for electric cars.

Young Activists Meet Merkel, Press for Action on Climate Change
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Young activists met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to press their demands for tougher action to curb climate change. Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, Luisa Neubauer from Germany and Belgians Anuna de Wever van der Heyden and Adélaïde Charlier arrived at the chancellery for a 90-minute meeting Thursday, the first high-profile talks the youth activists have held with a world leader since the start of the pandemic. The coronavirus outbreak has prevented the Fridays for Future movement that Thunberg inspired from holding its mass rallies in recent months. The activists argue that governments around the world are doing too little to curb emissions of greenhouse gases that are heating up the atmosphere. In a letter sent to world leaders last month, they called for numerous measures including ending financing for oil and gas projects, including all forms of man-made emissions in reduction targets and setting binding carbon budgets, The Associated Press reported. ermany currently holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union. Merkel has in the past lauded the youth activists for putting pressure on politicians to act against global warming.

Poland's Foreign Minister Announces His Resignation
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Poland's foreign minister announced his resignation Thursday in the fourth high-level departure this week from the country's right-wing government. Jacek Czaputowicz had said last month that he was expecting to leave the government as part of a reshuffle following the recent reelection of President Andrzej Duda, who is closely allied with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's government. Czaputowicz said in July that he wasn't under pressure to go. On Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said: “The minister previously stated that after the presidential election is a good time to change the head of Polish diplomacy and expressed the conviction that his successor will continue the current line and foster further strengthening of Poland’s position in the international arena." Czaputowicz's resignation follows the departures this week of the health minister, his deputy and the deputy minister of digitization, The Associated Press reported.
Last weekend, he hosted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Warsaw to sign a deal deepening Polish-American defense cooperation.

Migrant Dies After Group Tries to Cross Melilla Fence
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Spanish authorities said that an African man died and 11 other people sustained minor injuries Thursday when around 300 migrants attempted to jump over a series of fences that separate the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Moroccan territory. The man who died was among the 30 who managed to reach European soil in the early hours of Thursday, a spokesman with the Civil Guard in Melilla said. The man had collapsed shortly after as a consequence of a heart attack and that emergency services on the ground couldn't revive him, he added. The spokesman, who wasn't authorized to be named in media reports, said the death has been blamed on “natural causes.” Eight other migrants were treated for bruises and cuts. Three Civil Guard officers who were at the site with emergency and health services were also treated for minor injuries, the spokesman said. Moroccan law enforcement stopped the rest of the migrants from attempting to cross, he added, The Associated Press reported. Melilla and nearby Ceuta are two tiny territories in northern Africa separated from neighboring Morocco by barbed-wire fences and constant border monitoring. According to Spain's Interior Ministry, at least 1,383 migrants entered the two enclaves by land without authorization in the first half of the year, 1,930 fewer than during the same period in 2019.

Hong Kong Government Slams US Decision to Suspend Treaties
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
The Hong Kong government on Thursday condemned the US´s decision to suspend bilateral extradition and tax exemption treaties with the semi-autonomous Chinese city, saying it was being used as a pawn in geopolitics. On Wednesday, the US suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, becoming the latest country to do so after Canada, Australia, and Britain suspended such agreements. The US also suspended a bilateral agreement with Hong Kong on the reciprocal tax exemptions on income derived from the international operation of ships. "The US´ unilateral decision reflects its disrespect for bilateralism and multilateralism under the current administration and should be condemned by the international community," the statement said. "The HKSAR Government strongly objects to and deplores the US´ action, which is widely seen as a move to create troubles in China-US relationship, using Hong Kong as a pawn." The government said that the bilateral agreements were not preferential treatment given to Hong Kong, but were negotiated in good faith to benefit both parties. Hong Kong has faced mounting international pressure over the implementation of a national security law, approved by Beijing, which has been viewed as an attack on the "one country, two systems" framework under which the city has been governed since its return to China in 1997. Jeffrey Bader, a former U.S. diplomat, said the actions taken so far are unlikely to dissuade China. "Hong Kong is an issue that´s going to be with us for quite some time, and in a frustrating way," said Bader. "It´s part of China and things that are internal to China, even if they have an international dimension, like Hong Kong and Xinjiang, the Chinese have a demonstrated disdain for outside opinion and are inflexible in reaction to it." Separately on Thursday, lawmakers from Hong Kong´s largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party also said they planned to hold a poll and debate to determine whether they will continue serving in the legislature another year, following the postponement of elections due to the coronavirus outbreak. Opinions within the pro-democracy camp differ on whether lawmakers should boycott the extension of their term or stay to have a voice in the legislature. Lawmakers in favor of boycotting say staying sets a precedent to delay elections. "The public opinion is still very divided, we want the solidarity of the people," said James To, a member of the Democratic Party, at a news conference. "We would prepare at least one debate in order ... to have a comprehensive range of arguments and points so that the whole society can decide." The elections were to be held in September but have been postponed a year after the city's virus outbreak grew again. Democratic Party lawmakers did not specify a time frame or details of the public poll. Several pro-democracy lawmakers have already spoken out against serving another year in the legislature. Ray Chan, chairman of the People Power party, said on Twitter he would boycott the "illegitimate" extension and that accepting the appointment would mean accepting the authority of city leader Carrie Lam´s government and would allow Beijing to "arbitrarily change the term" of legislators. "It´ll open the floodgate for all kinds of meddling for years to come," said Chan.

US Pledges Not to Seek Death Penalty Against ISIS 'Beatles'
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
The United States will not pursue the death penalty against two members of a notorious ISIS kidnapping and murder unit dubbed the "Beatles," Attorney General Bill Barr said in a letter released by the Justice Department Wednesday.
In a breakthrough in a two-year impasse between Washington and London, Barr told British Home Secretary Priti Patel that Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, who allegedly took part in grisly videotaped beheadings of Westerners, would be spared execution if placed on trial in the US. Barr made the pledge to be able to secure crucial evidence against the two Britons, now stripped of their citizenship, which has been withheld by the British government due to the chance they would face capital punishment, which is outlawed in Britain. "If imposed, the death penalty will not be carried out," Barr said in the letter dated Tuesday. The letter put the onus on Patel to see if the British system can overcome a tough court challenge by Elsheikh's mother and share the evidence, said to be damning wiretaps, with US authorities. The announcement came on the sixth anniversary of the killing by ISIS of James Foley, a journalist who worked for AFP and other news organizations. "This is a major breakthrough," his mother Diane Foley said, describing Barr's decision as "a huge step which they were not willing to do earlier." The United States wants to try the two for the murder of journalists Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid worker Peter Kassig during a period in 2014-2015 when ISIS used videos of their and others' deaths as propaganda. The four-member unit Kotey and Elsheikh belonged to was dubbed "the Beatles" by their captives due to their British accents. They tortured and killed victims, including by beheading, and ISIS released videos of the deaths for propaganda purposes. Kotey and Elsheikh are being held by US forces in Iraq. Britain has refused to assume responsibility for the pair, despite their victims including British aid workers David Haines and Alan Hennings. But British public resistance due to the US death penalty and a British Supreme Court ruling in a lawsuit by Elsheikh's mother, Maha Elgizouli, to block sharing the evidence have led to a two-year impasse in having them placed on trial in the United States. While the US Justice Department reversal was significant, barriers remain. Barr wrote that Britain had to clear up the legal obstacles and share the evidence it has by October 15, saying it is "not tenable" to continue holding Kotey and Elsheikh for an extended period. If the British cannot meet that deadline, he warned, the US would hand the two over to Iraqi authorities for prosecution. Pressure from the families of the three as well as Kayla Mueller, an American woman who died while being held captive by ISIS, appeared to help move the US Justice Department to reverse its previous hard line against dropping the death penalty option. "We want to see our children's murderers held accountable. These things can happen only if the suspects are put on trial before a jury in an American court of law," they wrote in the Washington Post last month. Diane Foley said Barr's two-month deadline remained a concern. "We really need to wait to see what the home secretary is able to do," she told AFP. "If they cannot receive a fair but tough trial here in the US... there is no deterrent for terrorists at all."

 

UN Warns Humanitarian Programs in Yemen Shutting Down
Aden - Mohammed Nasser/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
The United Nations has warned that most UN major humanitarian programs in Yemen would shut down, including at least 70 percent of schools and 50 percent of water and sanitation services, if funding is not urgently received in the next weeks.
Already, 12 of the UN’s 38 major programs are shut or drastically reduced. Between August and September, 20 programs face further reductions or closure, the UN said in a statement on Wednesday. The warning comes as violations committed by Houth militias against Yemenis, including the delivery of humanitarian aid, are on the rise. “If funding is not urgently received in the next weeks, 50 percent of water and sanitation services will be cut, medicines and essential supplies for 189 hospitals and 2,500 primary healthcare clinics, representing half of the health facilities in the country, will halt,” the Office of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen said. “Thousands of children who are suffering from both malnutrition and disease will probably die and at least 70 percent of schools will likely be shut or only barely able to function when the new school year starts in coming weeks. Tens of thousands of displaced people who have nowhere else to go will be forced to live in inhumane conditions,” it said in a statement. “World Humanitarian Day should be a day of celebration,” said Lise Grande, Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen. “This year in Yemen, it’s the opposite.”
“We have no choice,” the statement quoted Grande as saying. “We have a moral obligation to warn the world that millions of Yemenis will suffer and could die because we don’t have the funding we need to keep going.” Humanitarians in Yemen have saved millions of lives. Since the end of 2018, aid agencies have managed one of the fastest and largest scale-ups of assistance in recent history reaching an unprecedented 14 million people every month with life-saving assistance. “This is an operation with real impact,” said Grande. “Humanitarians have prevented large-scale famine, rolled back the worst cholera epidemic in modern history, and provided help to millions of displaced people.”“No one can say we haven’t made a difference,” she said in an indirect response to critics. “Yemenis have survived this terrible war because of what humanitarians have done and continue to do every single day.”She lamented that the impact of under-funding is “dramatic.” “In April, food rations for more than 8 million people in northern Yemen were halved and humanitarian agencies were forced to stop reproductive health services in 140 facilities.”“Health services were cut or reduced in a further 275 specialized centers for treating people with cholera and other infectious diseases. Allowances to nearly 10,000 front-line health workers were stopped and the supplies needed to treat trauma patients, who will almost certainly die without immediate treatment, were halted.”The statement reiterated that Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with nearly 80 percent of the population requiring some form of humanitarian aid and protection. It said that at the High-Level Pledging Event in Riyadh held in June, donors pledged only $1.35 billion of the $2.41 billion needed to cover essential humanitarian activities until the year end, leaving a gap of more than $1 billion. The Houthi intransigence has compelled many donors, such as the United States, to reconsider humanitarian assistance to militia-run areas.

Egypt Opens Mosques for Friday Prayers
Cairo - Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Egypt has on said that worshipers will soon be able to attend mosque for Friday prayers after a suspension that lasted for nearly five months. The decision came as the daily tally of confirmed new COVID-19 cases fell below 200.
Egypt’s Minister of Religious Endowment Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said that weekly congregational prayers may be held starting Aug. 28. Worshipers are expected to observe social distancing and wear face masks to prevent another viral outbreak, Gomaa said in a statement. He said the Friday sermon, which usually lasts for nearly an hour, will also be reduced to 10 minutes. Starting in August, the number of new cases in Egypt has dropped significantly to less than 200 new cases a day. Overall, Egypt has reported nearly 97,000 confirmed cases, including 5,197 deaths, The Associated Press reported.
On Wednesday, Egypt reported 163 confirmed cases and 13 fatalities. Meanwhile, Egypt will require all visitors to the country to present Polymerase Chain Reaction test results for the virus on arrival from Sept. 1, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced in televised address on Wednesday.

Arab Coalition Spokesman Says Houthis are Subservient to Iran Agenda
London - Badr al-Qahtani/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
Arab Coalition Spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki described Houthi militias in Yemen as subservient and stressed that qualitative threats will not be met with leniency. He also reaffirmed that the Coalition, which backs Yemen’s freely-elected government under President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, will continue to fight for establishing Yemen’s sovereignty and ending the Iran-backed coup spearheaded by Houthis. Al-Maliki also reiterated support for efforts spent by the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths for achieving a comprehensive political solution in the war-torn country. “There is no doubt that Houthi terrorist militias are stripped from an independent will and ability to make their own decisions,” al-Maliki said in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, hinting that the group’s subservience to Iran obstructs regional and international efforts to achieve a sustainable political settlement in Yemen.
“The Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s agenda control decision-making circles within Houthi militias, their loyalty and execution answers to Iranian instructions,” the spokesman added, highlighting that Houthis are ideologically linked to Tehran.
Houthis have recently rolled back their approval for granting accesses to a team of UN experts on board the decaying Safer oil tanker which is anchored off the port of Hodeidah and threatens a major environmental and economic catastrophe.
The militias also used their control over access to the derelict tanker as a pressure card against international efforts to fix the situation at Safer. Houthis demanded rights to the oil on board the vessel in exchange for allowing UN experts to perform maintenance work. “The Houthi militia’s failure to commit with the UN to maintain the floating oil reservoir (FSO Safer) and their presenting of flimsy explanations is part of the Iranian evasive strategy adopted by the militia to procrastinate,” al-Maliki commented on the issue. “Houthis must bear legal responsibility before the international community in the event of an environmental and economic disaster in the southern Red Sea,” he noted.
 

WHO Seeks More Info About Russia Vaccine
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
The World Health Organization’s Europe office said Thursday it has begun discussions with Russia to try to get more information about the coronavirus vaccine that it approved last week before the shot had passed the advanced trials normally required to prove it works. Catherine Smallwood, a senior emergency official at WHO Europe, said “this concern that we have around safety and efficacy is not specifically for the Russia vaccine, it’s for all of the vaccines under development.”She acknowledged WHO was taking an “accelerated approach” to try to speed development of coronavirus vaccines but said “it’s essential we don’t cut corners in safety or efficacy.” Smallwood said WHO has begun “direct discussions” with Russia and that WHO officials have been sharing “the various steps and information that’s going to be required for WHO to take assessments.”The WHO wrote to every country on Tuesday urging them to quickly join its global shared vaccine program -- and spelled out who would get its eventual coronavirus jabs first. The World Health Organization's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that without vaccinating the planet's highest-risk populations simultaneously, it would be impossible to rebuild the global economy. And he said the most exposed 20 percent of each country's population -- including front-line health workers, adults over 65 and those with pre-existing conditions -- would be targeted in the first wave of vaccinations, once the WHO-led COVAX shared facility can roll out a proven safe and effective vaccine.

 

How Will Office Life Be Different in a Pandemic?
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 20 August, 2020
The office you once knew is likely to look vastly different.
Companies are taking a variety of steps to keep people a safe distance apart, such as using staggered shifts or asking people to come in on alternating days. Cubicles may also have higher walls or there may be new partitions between desks for added protection. Kitchens, conference rooms, and other common areas may be closed, and some offices have implemented one-way paths to keep people from passing each other. For essential shared spaces like elevators and bathrooms, face coverings could be required and there may be more frequent cleanings and limits on how many people can enter at one time. That could mean longer waits to use them. Even with such social distancing measures, expect to wear a mask, especially when you´re not at your desk. Your company will also likely ask you to report if you are having any symptoms. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines on keeping offices safe. But the specific measures at your office will vary depending on the company and any local rules. In the latest phase of New York state's reopening plan, for example, office capacity is capped at 50%.
The pandemic may also prompt changes that aren´t directly about safety. At Bergmeyer, a design firm in Boston, the lights were adjusted to make Zoom calls look better.

 

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 20-21/2020

Kuwait's Anti-Israel Rhetoric in Spotlight after UAE Deal
Seth Frantzman/The Jerusalem Post/August 20/2020
In sharp contrast to the reaction of other Arab Gulf states to the recent Israel-UAE accord, Kuwait insists it will be the last country to normalize relations with Israel. On the surface there's no reason why Kuwait, the kingdom at the end of the Persian Gulf, would be a leading critic of Israel.
Not only does it have no historical connection to Israel, either positive or negative, it is also far away from the Jewish state. However, in the wake of the UAE decision to normalize relations with Israel, Kuwait has appeared to be the coldest toward Israel of all states in the Gulf.
Kuwait has indicated it would be the last country to normalize relations with Israel, according to a report on Sunday in the Al-Qabas daily newspaper. Clearly, Kuwait feels pressure to comment after the Abu Dhabi decision. It is known that Oman and Bahrain are more keen on relations with Israel and that Qatar holds discussions with Israel in the context of funding Gaza. This leaves Kuwait as an exception. The explanation for Kuwait's exceptionalism is complex. In the 1960s and 70s, many Palestinians moved to Kuwait, and the country played a formative role in their life. Later when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait the Palestinians supported him, seeing him as the region's most anti-Israel leader. This led Kuwait to expel hundreds of thousands of Palestinians after the country was liberated by the US-led coalition.
One might imagine that Kuwait, with its many US bases and close relations with Saudi Arabia and the West, might be more flexible regarding Israel. Instead, it has been staunch in its pro-Palestinian approach and not wanting to deviate from this more hardline position.
Kuwait's daily newspaper Al-Jarida, for instance, highlights comments by US presidential advisor Jared Kushner that claimed the country's approach was "radical." Kuwait knows that its position between Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran is precarious, and wants to preserve its neutrality on some issues.
That means the West Asian country has not taken a strong stance on the dispute between Riyadh and Doha. In 2017 Saudi Arabia led the UAE and Bahrain to break relations with Qatar. Kuwait was more cautious. It seeks to be more like Jordan in its affairs, a monarchy but one that does not want to have as active a role in the tectonic shifts in the region between Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. However, Kuwait does express support for Saudi Arabia on other issues, such as recent missile attacks by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis are backed by Iran. On the Palestinian issue, Kuwait continues to pay lip service to supporting the Palestinians. It has other issues to worry about – its aging ruler recently underwent surgery. Kuwait's historic role has been to stay out of the spotlight. It also has had to deal with the COVID-19 crisis and unrest in neighboring Iraq's port city of Basra. All this means that the Israel-Palestinian issue is an easy one for it to express a hardline position on, without actually doing much. That has been Kuwait's historic role: trying not to cause any trouble and staying out of the spotlight. The trauma of the 1990 invasion continues to overshadow its foreign policy – and it knows how fragile the affairs of the monarchies can be when facing larger states in the region. Seth Frantzman is a Ginsburg-Milstein Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum and senior Middle East correspondent at The Jerusalem Post.


Yarmuk: ISIS’s Inspiration and “Most Consequential” Battle between Islam and the West
Raymond Ibrahim/August 20/2020
Today in history, on August 20, 636, arguably the single most consequential battle between Islam and the West took place—that of Yarmuk. Occurring just four years after Muslim prophet Muhammad had died, not only did the military engagement decide whether the Arabian creed thrives or dies; it became a chief source of inspiration and instruction for jihadis throughout the centuries, right down to the Islamic State. And yet, very few in the West are even aware of the Battle of Yarmuk’s existence—much less how it motivates contemporary Islamic terrorists.
The contestants were the Eastern Roman Empire, under Emperor Heraclius, and the newly born Arabian caliphate, under the second caliph, Omar. After a couple years of Muslim depredations in then Christian/Roman Syria, the two forces met along the Yarmuk River. The pre-battle exchange between the two generals, the Roman-Armenian Vahan and Khalid bin al-Walid—Islam’s much revered (and near cannibalistic) “Sword of Allah”—is instructive:
The Christian commander began by diplomatically blaming Arabia’s harsh conditions and impoverished economy for giving the Arabs no choice but to raid Roman lands. Accordingly, the empire was pleased to provide them with food and coin on condition that they return home. “It was not hunger that brought us here,” Khalid responded coolly, “but we Arabs are in the habit of drinking blood, and we are told the blood of the Romans is the sweetest of its kind, so we came to shed your blood and drink it.
Vahan’s diplomatic mask instantly dropped and he launched into a tirade against the insolent Arab: “So, we thought you came seeking what your brethren always sought” — plunder, extortion, or mercenary work. “But, alas, we were wrong. You came killing men, enslaving women, plundering wealth, destroying buildings, and seeking to drive us from our own lands.” Better people had tried to do the same but always ended up defeated, added Vahan in reference to the recent Persian Wars, before continuing:
As for you, there is no lower and more despicable people — wretched, impoverished Bedouins. . . . You commit injustices in your own nation and now ours. . . . What havoc you have created! You ride horses not your own and wear clothes not your own. You pleasure yourselves with the young white girls of Rome and enslave them. You eat food not your own, and fill your hands with gold, silver, and valuable goods [not your own]. Now we find you with all our possessions and the plunder you took from our coreligionists — and we leave it all to you, neither asking for its return nor rebuking you. All we ask is that you leave our lands. But if you refuse, we will annihilate you!
The Sword of Allah was not impressed. He began reciting the Koran and talking about one Muhammad. Vahan listened in quiet exasperation. Khalid proceeded to call on the Christian general to proclaim the shahada—that “there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger”—and thereby embrace Islam, in exchange for peace, adding, “You must also pray, pay zakat, perform hajj at the sacred house [in Mecca], wage jihad against those who refuse Allah, … and befriend those who befriend Allah and oppose those who oppose Allah,” a reference to the divisive doctrine of al-wala’ wa al-bara’. “If you refuse, there can only be war between us. . . . And you will face men who love death as you love life.”
“Do what you like,” responded Vahan. “We will never forsake our religion or pay you jizya.” Negotiations were over.
Things came to a head, quite literally, when 8,000 marching Muslims appeared before the Roman camp carrying the severed heads of 4,000 Christians atop their spears. These were the remains of 5,000 reinforcements who had come from Amman to join the Roman army at Yarmuk. The Muslims had ambushed and slaughtered them. Then, as resounding cries of “Allahu akbar” filled the Muslim camp, those Muslims standing behind the remaining 1,000 Christian captives knocked them over and proceeded to carve off their heads before the eyes of their co-religionists, whom Arabic sources describe as looking on in “utter bewilderment.”So it would be war: 30,000 Christian Romans against 24,000 Muslim Arabs along the Yarmuk River in Syria. On the eve of battle, writes historian A. I. Akram, “the Muslims spent the night in prayer and recitation of the Quran, and reminded each other of the two blessings that awaited them: either victory and life or martyrdom and paradise.”No such titillation awaited the Christians. They were fighting for life, family, and faith. During his pre-battle speech, Vahan explained that “these Arabs who stand before you seek to . . . enslave your children and women.” Another general warned the men to fight hard or else the Arabs “shall conquer your lands and ravish your women.” Such fears were not unwarranted. Even as the Romans were kneeling in pre-battle prayer, Arab general Abu Sufyan was prancing on his war steed, waving his spear, and exhorting the Muslims to “jihad in the way of Allah,” so that they might seize the Christians’ “lands and cities, and enslave their children and women.”
The battle took place over the course of six days. On August 20, 636, the sixth and final day, a dust storm — something Arabs were accustomed to, their opponents less so — erupted and caused mass chaos, particularly for the Romans, whose large infantry numbers proved counterproductive. Night fell. Then, according to historian Antonio Santosuosso, [T]he terrain echoed with the terrifying din of Muslim shouts and battle cries. Shadows suddenly changed into blades that penetrated flesh. The wind brought the cries of comrades as the enemy stealthily penetrated the ranks among the infernal noise of cymbals, drums, and battle cries. It must have been even more terrifying because they had not expected the Muslims to attack by dark.
Muslim cavalrymen continued pressing on the crowded and blinded Roman infantry, using the hooves and knees of their steeds to knock down the wearied fighters. Pushed finally to the edge of the ravine, rank after rank of the remaining forces of the imperial army fell down the steep precipices to their death. “The Byzantine army, which Heraclius had spent a year of immense exertion to collect, had entirely ceased to exist,” writes British lieutenant-general and historian John Bagot Glubb. “There was no withdrawal, no rearguard action, no nucleus of survivors. There was nothing left.”
As the moon filled the night sky and the victors stripped the slain, cries of “Allahu akbar!” and “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger” rang throughout the Yarmuk valley, the Arabian chronicler narrated.
Mere decades after Yarmuk, all ancient Christian lands between Syria to the east and Morocco to the west — nearly 4,000 miles — had been conquered by Islam. Put differently: Two-thirds of Christendom’s original, older, and wealthier territory was permanently swallowed up by the scimitar of jihad. (Eventually, and thanks to the later Turks, “Muslim armies conquered three-quarters of the Christian world,” to quote historian Thomas Madden.)
But unlike the Germanic barbarians who invaded and conquered Europe in the preceding centuries, only to assimilate into the religion, culture, and civilization of Christianity, and adopt its languages, Latin and Greek, the Arabs imposed their creed and language onto the conquered peoples so that, whereas the “Arabs” were once limited to the Arabian Peninsula, today the “Arab world” consists of some 22 nations across the Middle East and North Africa.
This would not be the case, and the world would have developed in a radically different way, had the Eastern Roman Empire defeated the invaders and sent them reeling back to Arabia. Little wonder that historians such as Francesco Gabrieli hold that “the battle of the Yarmuk had, without doubt, more important consequences than almost any other in all world history.”
Moreover and as the alert reader may have noticed, the continuity between the words and deeds of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and those of its predecessors from nearly 1,400 years ago are eerily similar. This of course is intentional. When ISIS proclaims that “American blood is best and we will taste it soon,” or “We love death as you love life,” or “We will break your crosses and enslave your women,” they are quoting in verbatim — and thereby placing themselves in the footsteps of — Khalid bin al-Walid and his companions, the original Islamic conquerors of Syria.
Similarly, ISIS’s invocation of the houris, Islam’s celestial sex-slaves promised to martyrs, is based on several anecdotes of Muslims dying by the Yarmuk River and being welcomed into paradise by these immortal concubines. So too is the choreographed ritual slaughter of “infidels,” most infamously of 21 Coptic Christians on the shores of Libya, patterned after the ritual slaughter of 1,000 captured Roman soldiers on the eve of battle.
Here, then, is a reminder that, when it comes to the military history of Islam and the West, the lessons imparted are far from academic and have relevance to this day — at least for the jihadis, whose mindset many in the West still refuse to acknowledge.
Note: The above account was excerpted from Raymond Ibrahim’s Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West. For a more detailed exposition, see his Master’s thesis on Yarmuk, written under the supervision of military historian Victor Davis Hanson. Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.


Apple's Next Trillion Won't Come So Easily

Tae Kim/Bloomberg/August 20/2020
Apple Inc. has done it again. On Wednesday, just two years after becoming the first US company to boast a trillion-dollar market valuation, it became the first to top $2 trillion. Getting to the next trillion may not be such a breeze.
With its shares up roughly 60% this year, Apple is among the Big Tech winners that have benefited from a “safety premium.” Investors have piled in to the iPhone maker’s shares as well as those of other technology darlings — including Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc. and Google parent Alphabet Inc. — betting their business models, robust balance sheets and large cash balances would make them more resilient amid the economic fallout from the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Indeed, Apple did post impressive June quarter financial results last month on the back of strong sales, a perfectly timed lower-cost iPhone launch and a boost from government stimulus. But it faces a more uncertain road ahead. First, Apple’s valuation now embeds elevated future expectations. To illustrate, Wall Street’s current consensus for Apple’s fiscal 2020 sales ending this September is just 3% higher than its revenue two years ago. And yet, the stock price has more than doubled in that time frame, resulting in a heady valuation of about 33 times the next four quarters’ earnings.
Apple’s lofty valuation leaves little room for disappointment, but the success of its upcoming slate of products isn’t a sure thing. In contrast to the cheaper iPhone SE model that boosted its June quarter, the company is going to have to convince consumers to buy higher-priced $1,000 iPhones when it launches new 5G-enabled models this fall. And these more expensive phones may be a tough proposition with tens of millions of Americans facing job insecurity. Further, I’m still skeptical there will be new apps anytime soon that will need the faster fifth-generation wireless speeds, making phone upgrades less compelling. Finally, according to a Bloomberg News report last week, it doesn’t look like there will be much innovation coming from Apple on the services front either — just a new virtual fitness-class subscription and some modest subscription bundles.
On top of all this, Apple is facing increased regulatory scrutiny over its dominant position in the smartphone market. In June, the European Union announced it had opened two formal antitrust investigations into Apple, with one of the probes specifically looking into the requirement guidelines of its in-app purchase system. Last month, CEO Tim Cook also had to defend the company’s App Store policies and high fee structure before a landmark House antitrust hearing as well. Obviously, if either of these global regulators clamp down on Apple’s business practices, it could negatively impact its profitability.
There is no doubt Apple’s stunning ascent to $2 trillion is impressive. The climb to $3 trillion may be even more so, because it will be that much harder.

Pardoning Snowden Would Backfire on Trump
Eli Lake/Bloomberg/August 20/20
Before Donald Trump was president, he often referred to Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who divulged massive secrets to the press about the American surveillance state, as a spy and a traitor. Now Trump is thinking about issuing him a pardon. It is a reckless idea.
Snowden’s initial disclosures were in the public interest. The first stories that appeared in the Guardian and the Washington Post exposed how the US government was collecting and storing all telephone metadata because of a secret legal interpretation of the Patriot Act that authorized the FBI to collect “business records.” In 2015, Congress curtailed much of the government’s collection of bulk phone records as a result of the leak. Even James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, has conceded that the broad outlines at least of the government’s program to collect phone records should not have been shrouded in state secrecy. The problem, though, is that Snowden also stole and disclosed far more than that. In June 2013, while in Hong Kong, he shared with the South China Morning Post documents that identified the exact machines the NSA was hacking in China and Hong Kong, along with details of whether they were still monitored and how they were attacked.
This did not advance American civil liberties. Rather, it exposed US efforts to monitor the cyber threats of a hostile power.
Another problem is that even though the US government has conducted a damage assessment of Snowden’s theft of state secrets and disclosures, there is still much it doesn’t know. The reason for this is that Snowden devised a program to scrape the classified computer networks he was administering as a contractor for the NSA in Hawaii. The US government knows the files that Snowden’s program probed, but it does not know which ones he stole.
Ironically, it was Michael Flynn, then the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, who conducted that review. Flynn acknowledged the debate “about what kinds of information did he touch, what did he take, what do we know,” in a 2014 interview with NPR.
Flynn later said he was concerned that Snowden may have stolen information on defense capabilities, war plans and technical intelligence collection methods. “Does that knowledge then get into the hands of our adversaries — in this case, of course, Russia?” Flynn asked.
For what it’s worth, Snowden has said that when he was stuck inside the airport in Moscow after he arrived there from Hong Kong in 2013, he turned down an offer from Russian intelligence officials to cooperate with them. But this explanation strains credulity. He has been allowed to lead a rich online life from an apartment in Moscow, and eventually his girlfriend (now wife) was allowed to come to Russia and live with him. It seems unlikely that Vladimir Putin’s police state would be so generous with Snowden unless it was getting something in return.
Even if Snowden’s story is correct, there are still good reasons why Trump should not grant him a pardon. As the chairman and ranking members of the House Committee on Armed Services said in a joint statement Monday, “Not only would it mean that Snowden cannot be held accountable for his crimes, but it would send a dangerous message to others who are contemplating espionage and the adversaries who would support them.”
Nonetheless, one can see why Trump and some of his advisers would be keen on rewarding Snowden seven years after his great heist of state secrets. Trump sincerely believes that the national security state that Snowden exposed unfairly spied on his campaign in 2016 and stoked a meritless investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia for the first two and a half years of his presidency. Pardoning Snowden would be a way of settling scores.
Trump is partially correct about the FBI’s leadership at least and some former leaders of the US intelligence community. It is true that the FBI used unverified and later discredited opposition research to obtain a surveillance warrant on one of his campaign advisers. The bureau also kept open the investigation into Flynn, after it had determined he was not a Russian agent or asset. All the while, former senior US. intelligence officials used innuendo to make it appear that Trump was vulnerable to Russian blackmail when they had no such evidence.
But the system is now working toward accountability. An FBI lawyer who falsified a document submitted to the secret surveillance court was indicted last week as part of an investigation into the Trump-Russia probe. The Justice Department’s inspector general in December released a devastating report, exposing the FBI’s gaming of the surveillance court. That court has withdrawn surveillance warrants sought against a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page.
This is the way a republic corrects the abuses of its intelligence community. It’s a process that Snowden ignored. If Trump pardons him, then the president will be helping to destroy institutions his attorney general is trying to reform.

Outdoor Masking Isn’t Always Needed

Faye Flam/Bloomberg/August 20/20
Depending on where you live, you might be seeing masked joggers and cyclists on the streets of your neighborhood. Or you might have gone for a run yourself, mask-free, and been heckled to mask up. At this point, most thoughtful people wear masks indoors in public and outdoors in crowded situations, but wearing a mask when you’re outdoors and alone — or far away from anyone else — has become a frontier of intense debate.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden added to the confusion when he called for a national mask mandate last week. In no uncertain terms, he said it could save 40,000 lives over the next three months if everyone wore a mask “outside.”
But that’s not what the experts say. For one thing, there’s overwhelming evidence that the virus is being transmitted primarily indoors. That’s why Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said he and his wife pull their masks down to their chins when they jog outside — he only pulls it back over his nose and mouth if he has to pass someone.
The Biden-Fauci discrepancy raises an interesting question about risk communication: Is it better to give simple guidance even if it means being more draconian? Or is it best to be more precise — following the best scientific evidence to date about high-risk activities and lower-risk ones? In the case of masks, that amounts to masking indoors in public places and outdoors only when you can’t stay six feet away from others.
Risk communication consultant Peter Sandman says he was puzzled by Biden’s statements. “Did he misspeak, saying ‘outdoors’ when he meant ‘indoors’? Did he misunderstand the briefings he has been getting from experts, who surely told him transmission is at least an order of magnitude likelier indoors than outdoors?”The latest evidence about aerosol transmission points to indoor environments being the primary risk. The aerosol particles that carry the virus hang around longer indoors and disperse very quickly outdoors.
“In terms of actual prevention of transmission, the biggest bang for your buck is when you’re going to be close to people and when you’re in an indoor setting,” says Harvard epidemiologist Julia Marcus.
That would explain a number of contact-tracing studies done mostly in Asia and Europe, which show that most people who get infected don’t transmit the disease to anyone, but a few transmit it to many in so-called superspreading events. These happen primarily indoors — not at the beach, or among people taking walks outdoors. Emphasizing universal outdoor mask-wearing is not good risk communication, says Sandman. How much masks help and in what circumstances is still under some degree of debate. Over the long haul, exaggerating the benefits of mask-wearing could undermine credibility.
Harvard professor and infectious-disease specialist Michael Klompas says the evidence for the benefits of masks come from a variety of extrapolations — a case study of a hair salon where confirmed infections weren’t passed on; studies of mask use inside hospitals; studies of the mechanics of droplets being blocked; even a study involving hamsters. But he agreed the benefit is greatest where the risk is substantial — situations where people are in proximity for some extended duration or indoors. The 40,000 lives Biden referred to might have come from this estimate for the effects of requiring masks for public-facing workers, not people out walking the dog or having a picnic.
It’s possible that making people mask up 24/7 would simplify the rule. There’s evidence that for businesses such as restaurants, simple safety rules are more likely to be followed than complex ones.
But Marcus says taking that approach to public health could backfire. “I understand the instinct to keep things simple, but I think we actually do the public a disservice when we assume people can’t handle nuance ... people are not stupid,” she says.
“People know there isn’t a benefit to wearing a mask when you’re alone in a park or even having a picnic with your family in a park where other families are having picnics and they are all sitting 15 feet away. ... I think when we are overly heavy-handed in our public health recommendations and go beyond what is actually necessary and evidence-based that’s when we start to lose trust.”
The issue of mask-wearing outside has become politicized because it’s so visible. “We focus on what’s visible and we focus on what makes us angry,” says Marcus. Seeing people enjoying themselves “tends to spark moral outrage.”
Shame-based, overly extreme public health recommendations have backfired in other areas. Marcus studied HIV prevention before this new pandemic arose. Safer sex proved more sustainable than total abstinence, she says. “We see when you give people more nuanced information on risk and choices on safer alternatives to high-risk behaviors, rather than just condemning them, you actually have better health outcomes.”
An even more elemental level of human contact is now at stake. To get through this we’ll need the same thoughtful, science-based, compassionate approach that public health experts deployed to get us through the AIDS crisis. Fauci has it right. And while he may have his enemies, there’s no doubt he’s broadly credible and wildly popular. Biden could do worse than follow his lead.

Apple's Next Trillion Won't Come So Easily
Tae Kim/Bloomberg/August 20/2020
Apple Inc. has done it again. On Wednesday, just two years after becoming the first US company to boast a trillion-dollar market valuation, it became the first to top $2 trillion. Getting to the next trillion may not be such a breeze.
With its shares up roughly 60% this year, Apple is among the Big Tech winners that have benefited from a “safety premium.” Investors have piled in to the iPhone maker’s shares as well as those of other technology darlings — including Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc. and Google parent Alphabet Inc. — betting their business models, robust balance sheets and large cash balances would make them more resilient amid the economic fallout from the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Indeed, Apple did post impressive June quarter financial results last month on the back of strong sales, a perfectly timed lower-cost iPhone launch and a boost from government stimulus. But it faces a more uncertain road ahead. First, Apple’s valuation now embeds elevated future expectations. To illustrate, Wall Street’s current consensus for Apple’s fiscal 2020 sales ending this September is just 3% higher than its revenue two years ago. And yet, the stock price has more than doubled in that time frame, resulting in a heady valuation of about 33 times the next four quarters’ earnings.
Apple’s lofty valuation leaves little room for disappointment, but the success of its upcoming slate of products isn’t a sure thing. In contrast to the cheaper iPhone SE model that boosted its June quarter, the company is going to have to convince consumers to buy higher-priced $1,000 iPhones when it launches new 5G-enabled models this fall. And these more expensive phones may be a tough proposition with tens of millions of Americans facing job insecurity. Further, I’m still skeptical there will be new apps anytime soon that will need the faster fifth-generation wireless speeds, making phone upgrades less compelling. Finally, according to a Bloomberg News report last week, it doesn’t look like there will be much innovation coming from Apple on the services front either — just a new virtual fitness-class subscription and some modest subscription bundles.
On top of all this, Apple is facing increased regulatory scrutiny over its dominant position in the smartphone market. In June, the European Union announced it had opened two formal antitrust investigations into Apple, with one of the probes specifically looking into the requirement guidelines of its in-app purchase system. Last month, CEO Tim Cook also had to defend the company’s App Store policies and high fee structure before a landmark House antitrust hearing as well. Obviously, if either of these global regulators clamp down on Apple’s business practices, it could negatively impact its profitability.
There is no doubt Apple’s stunning ascent to $2 trillion is impressive. The climb to $3 trillion may be even more so, because it will be that much harder.

The Abraham Accord is not as unorthodox a deal as Trump thinks
Nick March/The National/August 20/2020
Jared Kushner has emphasised Donald Trump's 'untraditional' statecraft, but the end result is a classic peace agreement
The Democratic National Convention opened on Monday in the US, while on the same day a senior White House official spoke on a conference call to a group of reporters in the Middle East.
While both events considered America’s past and its immediate future, the contrasts between the messages could hardly have been greater, even as one was a virtual gathering that sought to replicate the carefully choreographed hullabaloo of a party convention via videoconferencing, and the other was a discreet discussion designed to contextualise and reinforce the White House’s foreign policy achievements. At the convention, prominent Democrats spoke of the need to “end the chaos” of the past four years of the Trump administration by voting for Joe Biden.
Much of the rhetoric was designed to challenge the administration’s domestic record during the coronavirus crisis and over recent societal schisms, but it was set in the context of the US electorate having clear choices to make for the future of America at home and abroad. To make sure no viewer was in any doubt, former Ohio governor John Kasich stood outdoors at a fork in a real road to say “America is at a crossroads”.
A little earlier, Jared Kushner, White House senior adviser, briefed a group of reporters on the American role in the UAE-Israel accord announced last week and the prospects for energising the broader Palestinian-Israeli peace process. He too talked about choices that could be made to bridge divides and build a better future. When the Abraham Accord was made public last week following a joint call between Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Donald Trump, the US president, and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, Mr Kushner was keen to emphasise how Mr Trump’s “untraditional approach”, a persistent feature of his White House years, had achieved something very significant.
It is the promise of finding a solution to what Mr Kushner referred to starkly as “the cancers of conflict” that is the biggest headline
“You can’t solve problems that remain unsolved by doing it the same way the people before you have tried and failed,” Mr Kushner said at the time.
The accord, which freezes all Israeli plans for annexation of Palestinian territories in exchange for beginning the process of establishing bilateral ties between the UAE and Israel, has been praised in the international community. The European Union described it as “a fundamental step for the stabilisation of the region as a whole”.
Beyond the UAE-Israel trade links and the diplomatic ties that the accord is expected to deliver, it is the promise of finding a solution to what Mr Kushner referred to starkly as “the cancers of conflict” that is the biggest headline.
Intriguingly, this could be seen as a conventional legacy agreement delivered via an orthodox form of statecraft. It is, in fact, diplomacy in its most traditional sense from a non-traditional president.
This was also Mr Trump seeking to return to a brushstroke 2016 campaign promise of replacing “randomness with purpose, ideology with strategy and chaos with peace”. On Monday, Mr Kushner sought to stitch together the contours of the White House’s Middle East thinking, which in his telling is grounded in “aligning people around shared interests, joint opportunities and shared threats, and hopefully this leads to a whole new set of progress that can bring the region forward.”
He said: “We need to take the cancers of conflict – we need to extract them from the region. “But unfortunately, while people still allow some of these leaders and these groups to exploit division, that’s going to continue to hold back the region from achieving its true potential,” he said in reference to Iran and extremist groups.
Mr Kushner also returned to the issue of trust several times, using the word repeatedly, in particular saying of Israel that Mr Trump “trusts them and they trust him and we do not believe they will go forward against the deal that we made”.
Those words could easily be interpreted as a repurposed version of former US president Barack Obama’s notion of “trust, but verification” when he announced the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015. American trust in Tehran evaporated soon afterwards, while the relationship with Israel holds firm. Mr Trump consistently argued that the deal to constrain Iranian nuclear ambitions was a bad one, many in this region agreed with him, and after withdrawing from the accord in 2018 has pursued a vigorous containment strategy against Iran grounded in sanctions.
The White House senior adviser said that Iran was a bad actor that had been playing games for too long, adding that it should “stop trying to export terror and extremism” and start focusing on improving the lives of its citizens.
The way forward for the US, Mr Kushner said, was working with its close allies, creating opportunity and countering extremism. The lens through which to view the world was one of “shared interests and common threats”.
Few would argue against the 2020 accord being a significant agreement that changes the regional dynamic, even if some dislike what it delivers. But it is also a conventional piece of statecraft delivered with a road map that brings immediate results and sets out longer-term goals. It asks some questions and answers others. In the late autumn of his first term and as Mr Trump seeks re-election, the “untraditional” president is following a well-trodden historical path through seeking to bridge divides and negotiate peace.
*Nick March is an assistant editor-in-chief at The National

US must back Mustafa Al Kadhimi's vision for Iraq
The National/August 20/2020
Beyond economic support, Washington must recognise the Prime Minister's efforts towards reform
Today, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi is due to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington. The two leaders are expected to further a US-Iraqi strategic dialogue that began in June and encompasses a number of issues, including diplomatic, trade and business ties, in addition to security co-operation. At a time when international air travel has been largely halted following the outbreak of Covid-19, thereby limiting most diplomatic exchanges to video conference calls, it is significant that Mr Trump has invited Mr Al Kadhimi to the White House.
The visit underlines the importance that the Trump administration accords its ties with Mr Al Kadhimi’s three-month-old government. Mr Al Kadhimi came to power at a time when Iraqis had been calling for reforms to quell corruption, protect Iraq's sovereignty, create economic opportunities for young people and strengthen state institutions. The US is keen to ensure that the Iraqi state is able to govern, which means limiting militia rule and ensuring ISIS does not make a comeback.
Furthermore, the American support to Mr Al Kadhimi comes within its broader efforts to contain and constrain Iran’s expansionist policies across the Middle East, not least inside Iraq. The visit also speaks to the Iraqi Prime Minister’s desire to balance tensions between Washington and Tehran; both capitals exert leverage in Baghdad’s corridors of power, but have become increasingly adversarial towards one another in recent months.
Perhaps most crucially, however, Mr Al Kadhimi’s visit represents a re-calibration in US-Iraqi relations, following a chain of events, including the storming of the US embassy in Baghdad last December by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias and the consequent killing of the Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani and the Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis by a US drone strike in the Iraqi capital in January. These events led to the Iraqi Parliament, dominated by Iranian-aligned political parties, to pass a bill ordering US forces out of the country.
And yet, as much as it will serve to reset relations, it is important that today’s meeting not be limited to a session of grip and grin. In addition to renewed commitments to security co-operation, Iraq is desperately in need of American economic assistance. Baghdad has sought aid to grapple with the fall in oil prices – about 90 per cent of the energy-rich country’s budget comes from oil revenues.
At the same time, a healthy dose of realism is also needed. Mr Al Kadhimi should not expect an impressive American bailout, given that the world at large has fallen on hard times due to the pandemic. The impact has been particularly acute in the US, limiting Washington’s ability to pull its purse strings. Absent of the ability to provide adequate aid, the Trump administration should extend credit lines and facilitate more private American investment in Iraq.
Yesterday, however, the US announced nearly $204 million in additional humanitarian assistance, bringing the total to more than $706m since the beginning of fiscal year 2019. In addition, Washington provided $49.5m in Covid-19 assistance. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, meanwhile, said he was expecting to sign MoUs in various sectors, including education, health, oil and power.
Beyond economic support, it is paramount that Washington throws its support behind Mr Al Kadhimi’s reform agenda, which includes delivering stability, a functioning democracy, government accountability, sovereignty and, eventually, prosperity in Iraq. For years, the US has viewed Iraq through the prisms of counterterrorism and checking Iran’s strategic ambitions. It should do more than that by vociferously endorsing the vision that the Prime Minister has promised to ordinary Iraqis. That the people want change is evident from the months-long demonstrations throughout the country, and it is important for the US to recognise this. With the presidential election just two months away, few expect Mr Trump will have the time or political capital to lead a global campaign to support Iraq. But he should at least call for international support, particularly from Europe and Arab neighbours, and recognise the noteworthy steps Mr Al Kadhimi has taken since May.
An Iraqi demonstrator burns tyres to block the road during a protest over poor public services in Najaf, Iraq. Reuters
He has responded favourably towards the protests by reaching out to the protesters. He has detained government security personnel allegedly responsible for the murder of some demonstrators. He has also moved to repair frayed relations with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil.
Significantly, Mr Al Kadhimi has announced early elections, to be held next year, in the hope that a new, more diverse and independent-minded Parliament will help bring about the reforms the Iraqi people are calling for.
Until that happens, however, the Prime Minister knows his hands are tied by those with vested interests. He does not belong to any political party, nor does he have the backing of any militia group, in a country where militias still wield considerable clout – and pose a serious security threat not just to ordinary Iraqis, including those out on the streets protesting, but also the US forces stationed in the country.
Mr Trump has taken the right step by inviting Mr Al Kadhimi to Washington. But it should be the first of many steps towards a shared goal to rebuild Iraq.


Europe must resist Erdogan in eastern Mediterranean
Vicenzino/Al Arabiya/August 20/2020
The escalating maritime dispute between Turkey and Greece involving the delimitation of their continental shelves can no longer be viewed as a bilateral issue.
It must be interpreted within the broader context of Turkey-European Union relations, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strategic and geopolitical ambitions in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond, as well as in light of violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of a NATO ally and European Union member-state which directly undermines western security interests.
The bottom line is that Erdogan’s aggressive agenda is destabilizing the entire region at a very critical juncture when the COVID-19 pandemic is already wreaking enormous economic havoc globally - and particularly in Europe’s southern flank.
In recent years, Russia’s takeover of Crimea and Chinese expansion into the South China Sea serve as leading examples of major powers disrupting the established international order and emboldening others with territorial claims to take action.
Now the prime example is Erdogan in the Eastern Mediterranean.
At home, Erdogan is confronted with enormous economic challenges. His robust regional agenda - particularly with respect to Cyprus, Greece, and Europe - provides an outlet and distraction from Turkey’s deeper economic malaise and strengthens his nationalist credentials - at home and abroad - as a powerful leader defending Turkish pride and prestige and protecting Turkish interests.
However, Erdogan’s policies over time have led to increasing regional isolation and greater responsibility for the deteriorating status quo.
The EU’s constant reluctance to act and confront Erdogan’s ambitions will only encourage him to further pursue his dangerous game of brinksmanship and further destabilize the region economically and politically.
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel acts as the consummate mediator. However, at times firm decision-making is required when reaching a critical crossroads - particularly when the territorial integrity of a European Union member-state is at stake. The Greek government has been constantly requesting assistance from its fellow EU member-states, and NATO allies, in confronting Erdogan.
Thus far in Europe, only France has been willing to actively assist Greece beyond rhetorical support and threats of sanctions against Erdogan.
France’s leadership fully recognizes the longer-term risks that Erdogan’s agenda poses to the region and the need to confront it sooner rather than later. France’s dispatching of military assets to the Eastern Mediterranean has sent a clear message.
Over the years, Erdogan has generally been able to exploit EU divisions to his advantage. Whether Erdogan has overplayed his hand with Europe in the Eastern Mediterranean remains to be seen. The ball is now in Europe’s court.
For now, the Trump-Erdogan relationship remains cordial and US leadership has been largely silent apart from the diplomatic rhetoric advocating the need for dialogue between all sides.
However, the level of American engagement could shift with the approaching US election - particularly should the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean deteriorate and serious confrontation ensue.
Furthermore, Erdogan may find a less friendly occupant in the White House should there be a change of administration after November 3.
The longer the game of brinkmanship continues in the Eastern Mediterranean, the higher the risks for a miscalculation that could trigger a vicious downward spiral into the abyss. The stakes for Western security are higher than ever. Complacency and hesitancy are no longer options.
*Marco Vicenzino is a geopolitical expert and international business adviser to senior executives operating globally.

To defeat Iran, the US must first win the ideological war at home
Reza Parchizadeh/Al Arabiya/Thursday 20 August 2020
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the US government has spent billions of dollars on diplomacy, intelligence, and military efforts to neutralize the ever-growing threat of the apocalyptic regime in Iran, scoring sporadic success on those fronts. However, there is one apparent arena where the US government has decisively lost the battle: the heart of America. By infiltrating American academia, the Iranian regime has succeeded in getting the upper hand in the ideological war inside the US.
The Iranian regime has greatly invested in shaping the academic discourse in the West, especially in America. Following the former Soviet and contemporary Chinese attempts to infiltrate and influence American academia, the regime has become fully aware of the fact that in the West – and particularly in the US – academia plays a significant role in day-to-day politics as well as long-term political plans. Simply put, in our contemporary world, Western academia is a pillar of politics. Therefore, if the regime can make Western academia sympathetic to its vision, it can practically set up a shield in the very heart of the West to defend itself against its adversaries.
The academic milieu in the West in general and the US in particular automatically favors the Islamic Republic. And this makes sense. The overwhelmingly leftist currents in academia see a strategic – if not totally ideological – ally in the Iranian regime in their fight against the supposed capitalism and imperialism of the Western political establishment. On top of that, the Iranian regime’s security apparatus also consciously manipulates Western academia through funding, shaping curriculum, and planting pro-Tehran professors, researchers and students in American universities and other centers of higher education and research.
The conduct of the Alavi Foundation is a brazen instance of that trend. This institute is the successor to the Pahlavi Foundation, endowed by the late Shah of Iran in 1973 to promote the vision of his regime in America under the guise of cultural activities. The foundation’s ownership was transferred to the Islamist regime after the 1979 revolution in Iran while it still maintained ties with some of its previous well-placed personnel. Today, this institute is an overseas arm of the Mostaz’afan Foundation of the Islamic Revolution, a powerful political and financial conglomerate connected to the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guards.
Since the revolution in Iran, the Alavi Foundation has acted as a front organization for the promotion of pro-regime ideas and activities in North America. One of the favorite methods of the foundation to achieve that goal is to fund Iranian, Islamic, and Middle East Studies departments in some of the most prestigious centers of higher education and other institutions, including think tanks, in North America so that they promote the specific vision of the Iranian regime in those areas. According to a 2017 report by Conservative Review, “The institute has financed and installed Iran-friendly professors and curriculums at 41 universities across the United States.” Some of the universities that have received funding from the foundation are the Ivy League institutes of higher education such as Harvard University, Columbia University, Princeton University, and the University of Pennsylvania.
The report continues, “Alavi has entered into a cost-sharing agreement with many of these universities, facilitating deals that support the hiring of tenure-track professors.”
The centers funded by the Alavi Foundation and similar institutions have a strong tendency to employ professors, fund fellows, and admit students who work along the Iranian regime’s ideological lines. In fact, many of these anti-American doctors and fellows are groomed by the regime and directly dispatched from Tehran to advance the regime’s agenda in the heart of the Great Satan.
Coincidentally, these centers hardly ever promote Iranian dissenting experts who do not toe the line of the Islamist regime. Along the same lines, these centers usually publish research that, while not completely uncritical, never really criticizes the regime on a fundamental level, and most importantly, the research fails to lay bare the necessity to supplant the totalitarian Iranian system with a liberal democracy.
As such, the Alavi Foundation and its sister institutions, by boosting the voice and vision of the Iranian regime on the one hand and silencing dissenting voices on the other, police and shape the academic discourse on Iran, Islam and the Middle East in North America. And they duly reap the benefit of their long-term investment. At least for a while they were able to cast Tehran’s agenda and vision of the Middle East as US foreign policy. By constantly smearing Arabs and Israel as the major regional allies of the United States, these influencers succeeded in coaxing the American public to welcome the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. In addition, they managed to whitewash the regime’s bloody intervention in Syria and its broader imperialist designs on the Middle East.
After almost a decade of legal battles, in June 2017 the Alavi Foundation was finally prosecuted by the US Department of Justice for acting as an instrument of a hostile government, skirting US sanctions against the Iranian regime, and funding pro-Tehran and anti-Israel professors. Prosecutors called the conviction the “largest terrorism-related civil forfeiture in United States history.” In August 2017, the Republican Congressman Dan Donovan from the state of New York asked federal authorities to investigate how the foundation had steered millions of dollars to dozens of American universities. However, no systematic action has followed since to stem the broader tide of the Iranian regime’s influence campaign in the US. As a result, even at the height of the US government’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran, the Iranian regime’s propaganda machine continues to target the US government on American soil with the intent to undermine US policy toward Iran.
When a certain discourse is promoted in the media and academia in a sustained manner over a long period of time, that discourse will become the norm. By that, and by actively excluding from the public arena other discourses that can pose a threat to its dominance, that discourse gets to overwhelm and guide public opinion. As such, the regime’s strong presence in American academia poses a significant security threat to the United States and her allies in the Middle East.
To win the 40-year war in the Middle East, the United States must first win the ideological war at home.


Lifting Iran’s arms embargo a threat to regional stability
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/August 20/2020
Iran’s leaders believe they scored a major political victory against the US, its allies and regional powers when the UN Security Council last week voted down a proposal to extend the 13-year-old arms embargo on Tehran, which is due to expire in October. This means that, not only will the Iranian regime soon be allowed to buy weapons and advance its weapons manufacturing industry, but it will also be able to freely sell and export arms. This will undoubtedly have severe repercussions for regional security and stability, and could potentially trigger an arms race in the Middle East. Iranian politicians and media outlets celebrated the outcome, with the headline of the Iranian newspaper Etemad reading: “US is defeated in home game: Attempts in New York to convince the UNSC member states fail.” The Iranian leaders appeared to know in advance that the US would not garner enough support, as Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif pointed out prior to the vote: “Not even five member states (China, Russia, France, the UK, Germany) would vote for US-drafted resolution.”
Britain, France and Germany, which abstained from the vote, and Russia and China, which vetoed the resolution, defended their decisions by either arguing that the lifting of the arms ban was part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or that such a move was important in order to preserve the nuclear deal.
However, Iran is violating all restrictions of the nuclear agreement, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The ruling mullahs increased their stockpile of low-enriched uranium from 1.1 tons in February 2019 to 1.73 tons as of May 20 this year. This is about eight times more than what the regime was allowed to maintain under the misbegotten JCPOA. Additionally, the Iranian regime is still not allowing the IAEA to inspect its sites — a long-term problem that is now a “serious concern” for the international inspectors. China and Russia likely voted against extending the embargo as they are interested in selling arms to Iran. This would boost their military cooperation with Tehran, increase their influence in the region, and empower an ally that stands against their main rival, the US. Iran and China are reported to be close to signing a 25-year strategic deal that has a military dimension. Iran’s armed forces held a joint naval exercise with Russia and China late last year.
Iran will likely step up its acquisition of advanced weaponry, such as Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighters, Yakovlev Yak-130 training aircraft, T-90 tanks, the S-400 air defense system, and the Bastion coastal defense system. It is also expected to seek to use Russian and Chinese military technology to manufacture more advanced submarines, missiles and warships. The Russians appear more than willing to help, as Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, said in January that Moscow needs to “offer Iran an agreement on military cooperation and urgently sell the most modern weapons so that no one dares throw anything in the direction of Iran.”
While it is evident why Russia and China opposed the US resolution, it is mind-boggling that the European powers also did not support the move to extend the arms embargo, in spite of protests from several Arab states. The lifting of the embargo on the Iranian regime is inimical to the interests of Europe.
The six-country Gulf Cooperation Council submitted a plea to the UN Security Council to extend the Iranian arms embargo. The letter accurately stated that Iran has “not ceased or desisted from armed interventions in neighboring countries, directly and through organizations and movements armed and trained by Iran. As such, it is inappropriate to lift the restrictions on conventional weapons’ movement to and from Iran until it abandons its destabilizing activities in the region and ceases to provide weapons to terrorist and sectarian organizations.”
China and Russia likely voted against extending the embargo as they are interested in selling arms to Iran.
Iranian leaders are attempting to address the concerns of its neighbors with empty words. During a Cabinet meeting last week, President Hassan Rouhani insisted that “Iran’s defense and weapons power is in the interest of the entire region… Iran’s defense power is not a threat to your countries.” But Tehran’s arming of militia groups across the region has, for example, allowed the Houthis to launch missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, contradicting Rouhani’s statement. After one such Houthi attack, Hossein Shariatmadari, the managing editor of the Kayhan newspaper, who was appointed by Khamenei, wrote a report with the provocative headline: “Ansarullah fires missiles on Riyadh. Dubai will be next.” Earlier this year, Iran also threatened that it would attack Dubai if the US retaliated against its strikes on American bases in Iraq.
In short, the lifting of the arms embargo on the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism will further help the Iranian regime advance its military adventurism and arm terror and militia groups with advanced weapons. This is a dangerous threat to regional and global stability, and it will likely trigger a regional arms race.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh