LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 12.2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews19/english.january12.20.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a
great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of
God, you may receive what was promised.
Letter to the Hebrews 10/32-39/:”But recall those earlier days when, after you
had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes
being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners
with those so treated. For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and
you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you
yourselves possessed something better and more lasting. Do not, therefore,
abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need
endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was
promised. For yet ‘in a very little while, the one who is coming will come and
will not delay; but my righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no
pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.’But we are not among those who shrink back
and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorials published on January 11-12/2020
The Cancerous Hezbollah Is The Main Problem In Lebanon/Elias Bejjani/January
11/2020
The Presence Of Iran & It Proxies In The Region Will End Very Soon/Elias Bejjani/January
10/2020
UN slams Lebanon’s failure to form government as ‘irresponsible’
Lebanon ‘regrets’ loss of UN voting privilege
Lebanon 'Regrets' Losing Vote in UN General Assembly
Khalil urges Foreign Ministry to assume responsibility and deal with UN dues'
issue immediately
Aoun Extends Condolences on Death of Sultan Qaboos
Official mourning on the passing of Sultan of Oman
Berri to Call for Ratifying Budget before Deadline
Hariri: With the passing of Sultan Qaboos, a glorious page of the Arabian Gulf
has been turned
Federalism Conference: To declare Lebanon a 'failed state'
Geagea criticizes majority over Lebanon's loss of voting privilege at UN General
Assembly
Jumblatt: There is no way out of country's crisis
Dora Bridge protest march reaches Nejmeh Square
Hundreds protest in Lebanon as crisis deepens
Sami Gemayel visits Abu Fakhr family: Our goal is to fulfill the martyrs' dream
in a beautiful country
Nasrallah’s irresponsible moves harm Lebanon/Khairallah Khairallah/The Arab
Weekly/January 12/2020
Lebanon loses voting right at UN General Assembly/Sally Farhat/Annahar/January
11/2020
Ghosn may embody the Lebanese dream but he must be held accountable/Aya
Iskandarani/The National/January 11/2020
Carlos Ghosn could be bad news for Lebanon/Rashmee Roshan Lall/The Arab
Weekly/January 12/2020
This Month - January 6th was the 108th Birthday of American Lebanese Danny
Thomas, Happy Birthday Patriarch/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital/January
11/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
January 11-12/2020
Trump believes Iran was targeting four US embassies: Fox News
Iran says it ‘unintentionally’ shot down Ukrainian plane due to human error
Canada announces formation of International Coordination and Response Group for
families of victims of PS752
Canada’s Trudeau says he wants full investigation into plane attack
Canada demands ‘accountability’ after Iran plane admission
Protests in Tehran following IRGC admission of Ukrainian plane atrocity
Iranian semi-official news agency reports anti-government protests
Khamenei orders top security body meeting after admission of downing airliner
Khamenei orders military to address 'shortcomings' over downed plane
Iran’s Rrouhani promises to punish those behind plane’s downing: Ukraine
Iran says those responsible for downing plane will be brought to justice
Ukraine says Iran statement confirms its suspicions on plane crash
Ukraine airline says plane had no warning of threat before Iran crash
British PM Johnson says Iran plane crash shows vital to de-escalate tensions
US condemns assassination of two Iraqi journalists
Tehran must ‘learn lessons’ from Ukraine plane disaster: Russia
Iran’s IRGC offer explanation for plane downing: Misidentified as cruise missile
Iranian downing of plane 'catastrophe': Germany
Iranian propaganda video shows actors pretending to kill Trump
Iran says Oman ruler death ‘loss for region,’ hopes ties grow
UN extends cross-border aid to Syria, but scaled back by Moscow
Syrian regime air strikes kill 18 civilians in Syria’s Idlib: Monitor
Iraq PM tells Kurdish leaders he does not seek ‘hostility’ with US
British ambassador to Iran arrested amid protests against Khamenei over plane
downing
Oman Swears in Successor to Sultan Qaboos
Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published on January 11-12/2020
Yale Psychiatrist Issues Diagnosis of "Psychotic" for Defending Constitutional
Rights/Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/January 11/2020
Backed into a corner, Iran should swallow its pride and resume talks with the
US/Raghida Dergham/The National/January 11/2020
Iraqis pay the price for US-Iran confrontation/Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/January
11/2020
How key player Russia came from nowhere/Cornelia Meyer/Arab News/January 11/2020
The rise of the ‘M-factor’/Shant Oknayan/Arab News/January 11/2020
Consolidation of the insurance sector/Basil M.K. Al-Ghalayini/Arab News/January
11/2020
Details Of The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorial published on January 11-12/2020
The Cancerous Hezbollah Is The Main Problem In Lebanon
Elias Bejjani/January 11/2020
No solutions could ever take place in occupied Lebanon before the total
eradication of the cancerous Hezbollah and the burying for ever its two big
devastating lies the so evilly and falsely called resistance and liberation.
The Presence Of Iran & It Proxies In The
Region Will End Very Soon
Elias Bejjani/January 10/2020
Could the So Falsely Called "Resistance and Liberation Axis" Leadership Explain
how they are going to force the American's military out of the region while,
their topnotch figure Sayed Nasrallah is still living underground since 14 years
because of his fear from them?. In Conclusion no one can offer what he does not
own.
UN slams Lebanon’s failure to form government as
‘irresponsible’
Reuters/January 12/2020
The World Bank warned the poverty rate in Lebanon could rise to 50% if economic
conditions worsen.
BEIRUT- Keeping Lebanon without a government is “increasingly irresponsible,” a
senior UN official said in tough criticism of Lebanese leaders as the country
sinks deeper into crisis without a rescue plan. Lebanon has been without a
functioning government since Saad Hariri resigned as prime minister in October
after protests against the political elite over corruption, leaving the country
adrift as a financial and economic crisis deepens. Spiralling regional tensions
since the killing of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani by the United States
and threats made by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah have added to
the risks facing the heavily indebted Lebanon. The Iran-backed Lebanese group
Hezbollah, which is sanctioned by the United States and exercises major sway in
Beirut, has said Iran’s allies must help exact revenge.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed Hezbollah was acting as
the hands and eyes of Lebanon.
“Given the situation and developments in the country and the region it is
increasingly irresponsible to keep Lebanon without an effective and credible
government,” UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis said in a Twitter post
January 8. “I urge the leaders to move without any further delay.”Lebanon’s
worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war has seen the Lebanese pound
slump amid a shortage of dollars and banks tightly controlling access to cash
and blocking transfers abroad. Former Economy Minister Nasser Saidi said
recently that Lebanon needs an international bailout of up to $25 billion to
help avert a potential economic collapse.The World Bank warned in November that
the poverty rate in Lebanon could rise to 50% if economic conditions worsen.
After weeks of disputes over the next government, Hariri bowed out of talks with
adversaries in December, leading Hezbollah and its political allies to designate
Hassan Diab, a former education minister, to form the cabinet. Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri said a new government was needed to reassure the people.
Christian politician Samir Geagea, a staunch Hezbollah critic, said Lebanon
faced “a real catastrophe” and officials had wasted three months.
Diab did not win the support of Geagea or Hariri, who is aligned with Western
and Gulf Arab countries. Analysts said his political backing from Hezbollah
could complicate efforts to secure foreign aid. “There is still a significant
risk that Lebanon gets caught in the cross hairs between the US and its allies
and Iran,” said Jason Tuvey, senior emerging markets economist at Capital
Economics.
Lebanon ‘regrets’ loss of UN voting privilege
AFP, Beirut/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Crisis-hit Lebanon on Saturday said it “regrets” being among seven countries
stripped by the United Nations of voting privileges in the General Assembly for
failing to pay their dues. The UN decision could “harm Lebanon’s interests, its
prestige, and reputation,” the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by
the state-run National News Agency. The ministry which “regrets” the move called
for a solution to be found “as quickly as possible,” saying the situation “could
be corrected.” The finance ministry later said Lebanon’s arrears would be paid
on Monday. It was not immediately clear how much Beirut owed the United Nations.
On Friday the United Nations said seven countries - Lebanon, Yemen, Venezuela,
Central African Republic, Gambia, Lesotho, and Tonga - have fallen behind in
their financial contributions and would not be able to in the 74th session of
the General Assembly. Under Article 19 of the Charter of the United Nations,
member states that are behind on the payment of dues in an amount that equals or
exceeds the contributions due for two preceding years can lose their vote in the
General Assembly. Member states that can show that inability to pay is due to
conditions beyond their control are allowed an exception. The Lebanese foreign
ministry argued that it had “performed all of its duties and completed all
transactions within the deadline” but did not explain who is to blame or why the
funds were not transferred to the UN. The finance ministry hit back saying it
did not receive any request to make the payment. Lebanon is facing its worst
economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. The World Bank estimates that
Lebanon is in recession, and has warned that the number living in poverty could
increase from a third to half the population. The economic downturn coincides
with an anti-government protest movement that has remained mobilized since
October 17. Protesters are demanding the removal of a political class they deem
incompetent and corrupt.
Lebanon 'Regrets' Losing Vote in UN General Assembly
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/January 11/2020
Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry expressed regret Saturday over the UN announcement
that Lebanon is among the countries losing their voting privileges in the
193-member General Assembly for being behind in paying their dues. The Ministry
said it has, on its part, fulfilled all of its duties and completed all
transactions within the legal deadline, and conducted reviews more than once
with related parties to no avail. The UN decision could "harm Lebanon's
interests, its prestige and reputation," the foreign ministry said in a
statement carried by the state-run National News Agency. The ministry which
"regrets" the move called for a solution to be found "as quickly as possible",
saying the situation "could be corrected". It is worth noting that the ministry
attached its statement with a document issued on August 7, 2019, which aims to
pay Lebanon's contribution to the regular UN budget for the year 2019.
The finance ministry later said Lebanon's arrears would be paid on Monday. It
was not immediately clear how much Beirut owed the United Nations. The United
Nations said Friday that seven countries --Lebanon, Venezuela, Central African
Republic, Gambia, Lesotho, Tonga and Yemen-- have lost their voting privilege
for being behind in paying their financial contributions. The finance ministry
hit back saying it did not receive any request to make the payment.Under Article
19 of the Charter of the United Nations, member states that are behind on the
payment of dues in an amount that equals or exceeds the contributions due for
two preceding years can lose their vote in the General Assembly. Member states
that can show that inability to pay is due to conditions beyond their control
are allowed an exception. The World Bank estimates that Lebanon is in recession,
and has warned that the number living in poverty could increase from a third to
half the population. The economic downturn coincides with an anti-government
protest movement that has remained mobilised since October 17. Protesters are
demanding the removal of a political class they deem incompetent and corrupt.
Khalil urges Foreign Ministry to assume responsibility and
deal with UN dues' issue immediately
NNA/January 11/2020
Caretaker Finance Minister, Ali Hassan Khalil, tweeted Saturday over the issue
of Lebanon's contribution dues to the United Nations' General Assembly, saying:
"Let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs read the statement of the Ministry of
Finance and the attached schedules, in order to acknowledge its mistake, take
responsibility and immediately address the matter on Monday."Khalil also called
on the Foreign Ministry to "hold accountable the side responsible for publishing
the meaningless internal correspondence that has nothing to do with the subject
at hand."
Aoun Extends Condolences on Death of Sultan Qaboos
Naharnet/January 11/2020
President Michel Aoun extended his condolences on Saturday over the passing of
Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said. Expressing “sadness at the death of Sultan
Qaboos bin Saeed,” Aoun said: "Sultan Qaboos was a brother and friend of Lebanon
in all stages and the difficult circumstances it passed through supporting its
rightful issues, stability, security and the aspirations of the people."“With
the passing of Sultan Qaboos, the Arab world loses the man of dialogue, wisdom
and peace who has long worked for Arab reunification and the promotion of its
solidarity,” he added. Aoun sent his letter to Oman's culture minister Haitham
bin Tariq who has been sworn in as royal ruler after the death of his cousin
Qaboos. Sultan Qaboos bin Said died Saturday at the age of 79. He was the
Mideast's longest-ruling monarch who seized power in a 1970 palace coup and
pulled his Arabian sultanate into modernity while carefully balancing diplomatic
ties between adversaries Iran and the U.S.
Official mourning on the passing of Sultan of Oman
NNA/January 11/2020
The Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Judge Mahmoud Makiya,
announced Saturday that "Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri has declared
official mourning in Lebanon at the loss of His Majesty, the late Sultan of
Oman, Qaboos bin Said, who passed away today."In this context, Makiya indicated
that "national flags will be lowered to half mast in all official departments,
institutions and municipalities for a period of three days, starting today until
Monday, January 13, 2020 (inclusive), and regular programs in radio and
television stations will be adjusted in accordance with the painful occasion."
Berri to Call for Ratifying Budget before Deadline
Naharnet/January 11/2020
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is scheduled to set a legislative session next
week for discussing the 2020 state budget as soon as caretaker PM Saad Hariri
returns from a trip abroad, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday. According
to information obtained by the daily, copies of the draft budget were given to
lawmakers and Berri is going to call for a 3-day morning and evening sessions
that will be streamed live on local radio TV stations. Berri has reportedly
contacted Hariri who in turn said he will return to Beirut Saturday, added the
daily.The 2020 state budget must be ratified by the constitutional deadline in
January.
Hariri: With the passing of Sultan Qaboos, a glorious page
of the Arabian Gulf has been turned
NNA/January 11/2020
Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri tweeted Saturday on the passing of Sultan
Qaboos, saying: "A glorious page of the Arab Gulf has been folded with the loss
of the late Sultan Qaboos, who devoted his life to serving the Sultanate of Oman
and its people, and was a man of dialogue, moderation and openness who served
the causes of the Arabs calmly and responsibly for fifty years."
Federalism Conference: To declare Lebanon a 'failed state'
NNA/January 11/2020
In an issued statement on Saturday, the Secretary-General of the "Permanent
Conference of Federalism" Alfred Riachi called on the international community to
"declare Lebanon a failed state, given the catastrophic failure of all political
forces in managing the most elementary of affairs, to the extent that some, such
as Hezbollah's Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, have gone to the point of
declaring war on major countries in matters that are not related to Lebanon and
the Lebanese, and which are supposed to fall within the powers of the state; and
to the extent that none of those who present themselves as alternatives are able
to suggest any practical solutions that appeal to Lebanon's pluralistic
environment.""We call for declaring Lebanon a failed state, and resorting to a
general conference away from rhetoric slogans...and adopting a practical system
that simulates the plural fabric of Lebanon, i.e. the federal system," Riachi
said. "We warn that if no fateful decisions are taken, then we are heading
towards further deterioration and collapse that will spare no one," he
underlined.
Geagea criticizes majority over Lebanon's loss of voting
privilege at UN General Assembly
NNA/January 11/2020
"What remains of Lebanon’s image and role after the Lebanese state lost the
right to vote in the United Nations General Assembly?" questioned Lebanese
Forces” Party Chief, Samir Geagea, after the UN stripped Lebanon the previlege
to vote for not paying its necessary dues.
He added: "Lebanon's loss of the right to vote in the General Assembly can seem
to some as just a routine administrative issue, but in reality it carries many
negative meanings."
Finally, Geagea blamed the ruling majority for not being able to run a country!.
Jumblatt: There is no way out of country's crisis
NNA/January 11/2020
Progressive Socialist Party Head, Walid Jumblatt, said in a tweet on Saturday:
"Governance has gone too far in outsmarting people and wasting opportunities."He
added: "As for Aoun's mandate and his main ally, they insisted on arrogance and
showed indifference to the suffering of the people and the state's collapse, and
thus the country is left with no way out.""The civil movement has succeeded
since October 17 in toppling the political class, but it has not submitted any
plan to replace it and seize the power from within,” said Jumblatt.
Dora Bridge protest march reaches Nejmeh Square
NNA/January 11/2020
The march which set out this afternoon from under the Dora Bridge, passing
through Bourj Hammoud, has reached Nejmeh Square in downtown Beirut, after the
participants staged a sit-in outside the "Electricite du Liban" building on
Corniche al-Nahr, and another in front of the headquarters of the Association of
Banks in Gemayzeh, to protest the banks' polices and restrictions on citizens,
NNA correspondent reported.
Hundreds protest in Lebanon as crisis deepens
AFP, Beirut/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Hundreds protested across Lebanon on Saturday to denounce a crippling economic
crisis and the political deadlock that has left the country without a government
for over two months. Chanting anti-government slogans in the capital Beirut, the
northern city of Tripoli and the southern city of Nabatieh, they also denounced
a class of political leaders they deem incompetent and corrupt. In Beirut,
hundreds of protesters marched to parliament, making stops at the state-run
electricity company and the headquarters of the Association of Banks. “All the
reasons that made us take to the streets on October 17 still stand,” said
protester Riad Issa, referring to the date Lebanon’s anti-government protest
movement started. “Nothing has changed and the political establishment is
closing its ears... and shutting its eyes.” Although protests have declined in
size, demonstrations have been ongoing since October, increasingly targeting
banks and state institutions blamed for driving the country toward collapse. The
movement has been fueled by a crippling economic crisis, the worst since
Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. The World Bank has warned of an impeding
recession that may see the proportion of people living in poverty climb from a
third to half the population. To make matters worse, a liquidity crunch has
pushed Lebanese banks to limit dollar withdrawals and transfers since September.
This has forced depositors to deal in the plummeting Lebanese pound, which has
lost nearly two thirds of its black market value against the greenback for the
first time since it was pegged at 1,500 to the dollar in 1997. “The country is
collapsing. We want a government of independents and a rescue plan,” read a
banner carried by demonstrators in Beirut. Lebanon has been without a government
since former Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned on October 29, bowing to
popular pressure. His successor, Hassan Diab, was designated on December 19 but
is yet to form a government in a delay donors say debt-saddled Lebanon can ill
afford. In a statement on Friday, he said he still stands by his pledge to form
a government of independent experts to rescue the country from the brink of
collapse, a key demand of protesters. But he said his efforts were being
challenged. “The pressures, no matter how large, will not change my conviction,”
he said on Twitter. “I will not bow to intimidation.” The delay in forming a
government has drawn the ire of demonstrators. “We are tired of this skirting of
responsibility,” said Rolan Younan, a demonstrator. “We need to reshape the
political class.”
Sami Gemayel visits Abu Fakhr family: Our goal is to
fulfill the martyrs' dream in a beautiful country
NNASaturday 11 January 2020
Kataeb Party Head, MP Sami Gemayel, visited Saturday the residence of Martyr
Alaa Abu Fakhr, where he met with the late's widow, his two sons and brother and
a number of family members. Gemayel stressed that "Martyr Alaa Abu Fakhr is a
model of the Lebanese person who aspires to have a more beautiful country. We
felt that he is a brother to each and every one of us, and that he sacrificed
his life for us...Our visit comes to express our love and respect, and we hope
that this martyrdom will be an opportunity for us to return to being a one
family whose members can depend on each other, and that the future Lebanon would
be in the image of Alaa and his family..." "We hope that through the solidarity
of the Lebanese, we can offer the most beautiful gift to Alaa and Pierre and all
the martyrs who fell in defense of Lebanon, and work to achieve their dreams of
a more beautiful country," he added.
"Our goal is the Lebanese individual, regardless of his sect, history, and
affiliation, and to provide him with a better and more decent life with his
children, in a country where peace and openness are stable," vowed Gemayel.
Nasrallah’s irresponsible moves harm Lebanon
Khairallah Khairallah/The Arab Weekly/January 12/2020
Except for Saad Hariri, the head of the caretaker government, senior Lebanese
officials have not shown any sense of responsibility.
Sunday 12/01/2020
What is more dangerous than Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s call
to kick out US forces from the entire Middle East in retaliation for killing
Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani?
The biggest danger in the situation is the indifference that those in charge of
the Hezbollah era in Lebanon show towards the rapid deterioration of Lebanese
economy.
There doesn’t appear to be a party in Lebanon with the courage of shouldering
the burden of its responsibilities and absorb the meaning of the deep economic
crisis and its repercussions, including Lebanese banks seizing the deposits,
large and small, of Lebanese citizens and foreign nationals.
It is an unprecedented attack on Lebanon, first and foremost, and an outrageous
trampling of people’s rights. This is because banks and the banking system in
Lebanon and people’s trust in them have been one of the pillars that ensure the
country’s survival.
Evidence of the level of the political class’s indifference towards dangers
inherent to the situation in Lebanon is appointing Hassan Diab, who does not
have any qualifications to form a new government.
Perhaps the first thing the new government needs is independent individuals
competent in the field they will be overseeing. Likewise, such a government
needs a president who would provide the political cover for Lebanon, especially
now that it has isolated itself from its Arab environment. This means that any
head of the new government in Lebanon must have a network of Arab and
international relations, in addition to easy access to Washington.
It’s true that Diab was vice-president of the American University in Beirut but
does that qualify him for a position in which he would be officially and
formally welcomed in any Arab or European capital or Washington in a capacity
other than as a participant in an academic conference? If you think it wouldn’t
happen, think of Gebran Bassil’s experience, the son-in-law of Lebanese
President Michel Aoun and minister of foreign affairs in the outgoing cabinet.
The content and tone of Nasrallah’s speech were expected, given the man’s
special bond with Iran and Soleimani and Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon and the
region. Nasrallah did not hide his strong relationship with the commander of al-Quds
Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Likewise, he has never
hidden that he was a “soldier” in the army of the Iranian velayat-e faqih. That
is to say, in Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s army.
This is not new because everybody has known for quite some time that the
Lebanese Hezbollah is nothing but a brigade in the IRGC. When Soleimani
travelled to Beirut or any other part of Lebanon, he was inspecting friendly
forces operating within the same ideological and political framework as al-Quds
Force.
It was not surprising that Nasrallah spoke of his concept of “fair retribution”
in response to the assassination of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the
deputy commander of the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq. Of course,
Nasrallah’s concept, which calls for “removing American forces from the whole of
our region,” is not about Lebanon’s interest. The Lebanese economy and the
livelihoods of the Lebanese people are absolutely of no consequence to
Hezbollah. All that matters is that Hezbollah and its secretary-general carry
out the Iranian agenda.
This agenda must be implemented regardless of the nature of the relationship
between his party’s militia, or shall we say his militia-party, and al-Quds
Force, whether this relationship is limited to mere coordination between two
parties affiliated with Iran and which fight on the same side in the several
wars in the region or represents much more than that.
Except for Saad Hariri, the head of the caretaker government, senior Lebanese
officials have not shown any sense of responsibility, at least with respect to
protecting Lebanon and enabling it to overcome the difficult and crucial stage
it is going through. There was no sense of understanding that it is not in the
interest of the country to appear to be one of Iran’s satellites, especially
within the context of the confrontation between the United States and Iran.
Besides, any Lebanese knows that Iran has done nothing for Lebanon other than
bring in weapons and sectarian strife. For the American side, suffice it to say
that it built the American University in Beirut.
We must ask ourselves who, besides the United States and the international
financial institutions under its influence, can have a significant effect in
helping the Lebanese economy and Lebanese banks so the latter won’t lose their
crucial role if the status quo persists.
Actions of the top-level Lebanese authorities are incompatible with Lebanon’s
interests, given the major collapse the country is facing. Some rightly say that
the collapse has already taken place — starting with the day Lebanese banks
stopped providing Lebanese and foreign currencies to their clients.
This is taking place without anyone asking about all the time wasted to then
come up with a lightweight prime minister with no experience or relations.
Can a government formed by the ruling elite, used to deciding things based on
the same old quota system, take any step that would lead to a change in the US
position on Lebanon or to restoring the bridges with the usual donor Arab
countries?
What are the alternatives to the United States, Europe and the Arab countries
that are able to help Lebanon, provided it returns to its former status as a
true member of the Arab League and not Iran’s voice in the meetings of the Arab
League Council?
In the absence of any convincing answer to this question, except for Hezbollah’s
fantasies about China or the Iraqi market, Lebanon appears on its way to a real
catastrophe.
Lebanon punished itself when senior officials decided to join the axis of
resistance, which meant they exposed Lebanon and jeopardised the future of each
and every Lebanese.
*Khairallah Khairallah is a Lebanese writer.
Lebanon loses voting right at UN General Assembly
Sally Farhat/Annahar/January 11/2020
Lebanon's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had taken all the necessary
measures to settle the payments but stopped short of explaining why the payment
wasn't processed.
BEIRUT: The United Nations announced on Friday that Lebanon was barred from
voting at the General Assembly after failing to pay its dues for the past two
years. This makes Lebanon one of 10 member states that lost their voting right.
“We closed out 2019 with 146 Member States having paid their dues in full for
the 2019 budget,” said the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stéphane
Dujarric. “As of yesterday, 10 Member States were in arrears and fall under the
provisions of Article 19.” Lebanon's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had
taken all the necessary measures to settle the payments but stopped short of
explaining why the payment wasn't processed. “Irrespective of who bears
responsibility, Lebanon and the state’s reputation was damaged," the ministry
said in a statement, adding that it hoped the issue will be soon resolved. In
2018, the Minister of Foreign Affairs asked the Ministry of Finance to pay all
dues in time. "Lebanon's contributions to the General Assembly is annual and
periodic. The delay in paying them reflects negatively on Lebanon's reputation,"
Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said in a letter to the Ministry of Finance.
In response to the letter's publication, the Ministry of Finance issued two
tables showing that it had completed all required payments. "We did not want to
go back in records and reveal who should bear responsibility,” the table’s
associated statement read.
The Ministry of Finance also explained on Saturday that it was not requested to
pay any dues prior to the decision, adding that all contributions are annually
scheduled by the concerned authority. The ministry said that another payment was
only scheduled this morning and the deadline is Monday.
Nonetheless, the UN General Assembly released on January 7 a list of all member
states that have not fulfilled their contributions along with the specific
amount due for each country. Lebanon's due contribution sums up to $459,008.
"The problem is that the Ministry of Finance is always late with payments. The
ministry should carry out its role and pay all dues without awaiting a request
nor the review of periodic transactions," sources from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said, adding that sources from within the Ministry of Finance would
agree and testify to this because they are directly affected by the delay.
In its turn the Ministry of Finance said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
should be held accountable for public issuing of internal correspondence. It
also requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to acknowledge and admit its
mistake and prepare to treat the situation on Monday.
Aside from Lebanon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Gambia, Lesotho, Sao Tome
and Principe, Somalia, Tonga, Venezuela, and Yemen also lost their right to
vote.
Ghosn may embody the Lebanese dream but he must be held
accountable
Aya Iskandarani/The National/January 11/2020
Lebanese people have been protesting against corruption for months and despite
his popularity, it is imperative that Ghosn answer for his four counts of
financial misconduct
In the days since Carlos Ghosn, the former head of Nissan and Renault, arrived
in Beirut, he has been greeted by many of his compatriots as if he were a
national hero. He has, in his words, evaded Japanese “injustice”, only to come
back to the homeland of his forefathers and be met with applause. His arrival in
Lebanon on December 30, was the latest turn in this dramatic story.
At his press conference last week, he declared in Arabic to a room-full of
Lebanese and foreign journalists, who cheered him on: “I am proud to be
Lebanese”. Meanwhile, Japanese media were left to wait outside in the rain.
During the two-hour event, Ghosn provided what he called "evidence" to salvage
his sullied image. Ghosn had a reputation for being the saviour of the Japanese
car industry, a moniker that once earned him the respect of the global business
community. But unanimous global admiration for Ghosn’s life and work came to a
grinding halt in 2018 when news of his arrest broke and photographs appeared of
him in handcuffs.
Ghosn had been charged on four counts of financial misconduct, including
under-reporting his earnings, using Nissan’s funds for personal ends and paying
family members for fictitious jobs.
In the turn of events that led to his fall from grace, the chief
executive-turned-fugitive has lost much of his credibility across the world –
except in Lebanon.
His escape to Beirut comes at a troubled time for the country. Lebanon has
witnessed an uprising against a corrupt political elite, which has led the
nation into an economic crisis of unprecedented proportions. Yet the corruption
allegations brought forth against Ghosn do not seem to hinder his popularity
among his compatriots, many of whom have taken to the streets to protest against
endemic corruption in the country.
Lebanese public opinion is in favour of Ghosn, with many supporting his claim of
a “plot” against him fomented by high-ranking employees at Nissan. Such
narratives are common in a country where conspiracy theories have been known to
abound. It is unlikely that the public will ever find out the truth as Ghosn
escaped from Japan before his trial. Some have even speculated that Ghosn could
be handed a ministerial position in the next government, which protesters have
demanded be headed by unaffiliated, transparent experts.
Ghosn's escape to Beirut comes at a troubled time for the country. Lebanon has
witnessed an uprising against a corrupt political elite, which has led the
nation into an economic crisis of unprecedented proportions
For many Lebanese, Ghosn is more than just a businessman. His success story as a
Brazilian-Lebanese who went on to become the chief executive of not one but
three major car companies embodies the aspirations of a whole country where the
diaspora plays an essential role.
More than twice as many Lebanese live outside than inside the country, many of
whom, much like Ghosn’s grandfather, migrated to the Americas early in the 19th
century. Today, many see migration as their only hope to live a decent life and
provide for their loved ones. Remittances in 2018 contributed to more than 12
per cent of Lebanon’s gross domestic product, the second highest in the Arab
world after Palestine.
“Making it” abroad has become a dream that is all the more significant, as the
economic situation deteriorates and job opportunities in Lebanon become more
scarce. Ghosn embodies that dream, which seems harder to reach with every
passing generation.
He is popular with people across different religious, political and social
backgrounds, despite the fact that he went to Israel in 2008, where he shook
hands with Shimon Peres, the former Israeli prime minister. Lebanon is still
technically at war with Israel, which it does not recognise as a state, and
Lebanese citizens are forbidden from visiting the country, a serious offence
regarded as treason. This has not stopped ministers from meeting with Ghosn, and
defending him publicly. When news broke about his arrest last year, Lebanon’s
then interior minister Nouhad Machnouk compared him to “a Lebanese phoenix” that
would not be “scorched by a Japanese sun.”
This wide-ranging support is, in a way, symptomatic of one of Lebanon’s deepest
woes. Because divisive, sectarian leaders have largely failed their country and
people, the only powerful figures that can unite people and make them proud are
usually successful business people from the diaspora, who are made to carry the
hopes and dreams of a whole nation. When protests broke out in October last
year, many saw a chance for a new era of transparency and good governance to
emerge. A big part of making this project a reality will rely on whether Lebanon
is able to hold its leaders, including business people and even idols, to
account.
Carlos Ghosn could be bad news for Lebanon
Rashmee Roshan Lall/The Arab Weekly/January 12/2020
Beirut has not expressed an opinion about the four serious charges filed against
Ghosn by Tokyo prosecutors.
Sunday 12/01/2020
The world is consumed by events in and about Iran and Iraq, as well as US
President Donald Trump’s fitful pronouncements on foreign policy, but any
leftover attention will surely centre on Carlos Ghosn and, by extension,
Lebanon.
Much of the attention for Ghosn and Lebanon won’t be flattering, especially
after the extraordinary news conference January 8 in Beirut by the man regarded
the world’s most famous fugitive. Over several hours, the former boss of the
Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi automotive alliance ranted against Japan’s allegedly
inhumane system of justice and the Japanese people’s alleged cunning and
secrecy. He insisted that Japanese charges of financial misconduct against him
were a “conspiracy” and accused the Japanese government — but not Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe — of colluding in the alleged plot to remove him as chairman
of the world’s second-biggest carmaker. Ghosn provocatively compared the alleged
plot to the Pearl Harbour attacks. Ghosn called out Brazil and France — whose
citizenship he holds, along with that of Lebanon — for being insufficiently
helpful to him during his legal troubles. However, when he mentioned Lebanon, it
was in warm and appreciative tones. “I am ready to stay a long time in Lebanon,”
Ghosn said about the country his parents left for Brazil. He denied that he had
political ambitions but offered to “put my experience at the service of Lebanon”
if asked.
Might he be asked?
A few years ago, Ghosn was touted in some quarters as a possible president of
Lebanon. Nothing less seemed worthy of the legendary businessman whose image
Lebanon had put on a postage stamp. Even after his arrest in Japan in 2018, the
Lebanese government stood solidly by Ghosn. That has continued, until now. He is
a wanted man with an Interpol Red Notice attached to his name. However, Beirut
has not expressed an opinion about the four serious charges filed against Ghosn
by Tokyo prosecutors. Two are for allegedly understating his pay by more than
$80 million over an 8-year period. He is also alleged to have transferred nearly
$15 million from a Nissan subsidiary account to one held by a Saudi friend’s
company and to have diverted $5 million from Nissan to companies with ties to
him and his family. Ghosn could be a liability for any country that provided him
shelter if any of the charges against him were proved to be true. Even if they
aren’t, Ghosn might be a unique liability for Lebanon.
The country is arguably in its most precarious position since the end of its
civil war 30 years ago. Roiled by instability, Lebanon has been without a
government for months. It faces popular, if somewhat inchoate, public protests
against misgovernance, political cronyism and corruption. The very state itself
could collapse in a massive debt-fuelled crash that would see Beirut default on
$88 billion of public borrowing.
Japan gives Lebanon millions of dollars in aid each year — in 2017 it was at
least $18 million — and it has a vote on the board of the International Monetary
Fund (IMF). Lebanon needs the IMF and Japan. Ghosn probably adds little to
Lebanon’s storied international narrative. He suggests sleazy privilege and
impunity at a time the world seeks overdue political, fiscal and economic
overhaul in Lebanon. Ghosn also appears as a troubling black mark on the
generally shiny story of the Lebanese diaspora, which includes Nassim Nicholas
Taleb, author of “The Black Swan” and “Antifragile,” Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim,
actress Salma Hayek, singer Shakira, the late heart surgeon Michael DeBakey,
fashion designer Elie Saab, former Cal Tech Vice-President Charles Elachi and
Paul Orfalea, who founded the copy-and-print services company Kinko’s. Some
might say Ghosn is giving Lebanon a bad reputation at a time that it cannot
afford it.
This Month - January 6th was the 108th Birthday of American
Lebanese Danny Thomas, Happy Birthday Patriarch!
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital/January 11/2020
Danny was a nightclub comedian and television and film actor and producer. But,
Danny's biggest achievement and his Lifetime Goal was the founding of St. Jude
Children's Research Hospital.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis, Tennessee
The idea for the founding of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which today
is an international beacon of hope for catastrophically sick children, began in
Detroit when struggling Lebanese American actor Danny Thomas was struggling, he
was home, his wife was cooking and he felt the desperate need to pray, so he
left his house and walked down the street and visited a local Catholic church
and prayed to a statue of St. Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of hopeless causes,
for help - he prayed intensely with these words - "St. Jude, Help me find my way
and I will build you a Shrine." To make good on his vow to build a shrine in the
Saint’s honor, Danny, a Michigan native, years later founded the renowned
children’s hospital in Memphis, Tenn., with regional offices throughout the
country.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was founded in 1962.
Background
58 years ago Feb. 4th Danny Thomas Opened St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
with the unveiling of the statue of St. Jude Thaddeus. Today, it continues to
serve children (without any demand for payment) who are terminally ill and their
families.
When the hospital opened 20% of the Children survived - today more than 80%
survive. This speaks volumes of Danny Thomas' dream to help those most in need.
And what better way to honor the Patron Saint of the Hopeless than with a place
where “dying” children, children with “incurable” diseases could come to be
healed?
That, of course, was the beginning of Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
in Memphis. Tennessee. It is the only institution on this earth dedicated solely
to the conquest of catastrophic diseases.
It is open to children of all faiths and races regardless of their parents’
ability to pay. No family ever pays for the services rendered there. They are
free.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital quick facts
- Treatments invented at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have helped push
the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80
percent since it opened 55 years ago.
- Because the majority of St. Jude funding comes from individual contributors,
families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and
food.
- St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, meaning doctors and
scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save more children.
- St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for some of the most aggressive
forms of childhood cancers.
- St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center designated as a
Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
- St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world.
- On average, 7,800 active patients visit the hospital each year, most of whom
are treated on an outpatient basis.
- The daily operating cost for St. Jude is $2 million, which is primarily
covered by individual contributors.
Source: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Read More Comprehensive History here:
http://bit.ly/1JTyEPR
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on January 11-12/2020
Trump believes Iran was targeting four US
embassies: Fox News
Reuters/Saturday, 11 January 2020
President Donald Trump said on Friday Iran probably had targeted the US embassy
in Baghdad and was aiming to attack four US embassies when its top general,
Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a US drone strike. “We will tell you probably it
was going to be the embassy in Baghdad,” Trump said in a clip of an interview on
Fox News. “I can reveal that I believe it would have been four embassies.”
Iran says it ‘unintentionally’ shot down Ukrainian plane
due to human error
Al Arabiya English, The Associated PressSaturday, 11 January 2020
Iran announced Saturday that its military “unintentionally” shot down the
Ukrainian jetliner that crashed earlier this week, killing all 176 aboard, after
the government had repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was
responsible.
The plane was shot down early Wednesday, hours after Iran launched a ballistic
missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq in retaliation
for the killing of Iranian Commander Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike
in Baghdad. No one was wounded in the attack on the bases. A military statement
carried by state media said the plane was mistaken for a “hostile target” after
it turned toward a “sensitive military center” of the Revolutionary Guard. The
military was at its “highest level of readiness," it said, amid the heightened
tensions with the United States. “In such a condition, because of human error
and in an unintentional way, the flight was hit,” the statement said. It
apologized for the disaster and said it would upgrade its systems to prevent
future tragedies. It also said those responsible for the strike on the plane
would be prosecuted. Iran’s acknowledgement of responsibility for the crash was
likely to inflame public sentiment against authorities after Iranians had
rallied around their leaders in the wake of Soleimani’s killing. The general was
seen as a national icon, and hundreds of thousands of Iranians had turned out
for funeral processions across the country. But the vast majority of the plane
victims were Iranians or Iranian-Canadians, and the crash came just weeks after
authorities quashed nationwide protests ignited by a hike in gasoline prices.
After the announcement, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif quoted the
conclusions of the investigation by the Iranian Armed Forces, saying that it is
a sad day “at time of crisis caused by US adventurism.”“The Islamic Republic of
Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
tweeted, offering his condolences and saying that investigations continue to
identify and prosecute this “great tragedy & unforgivable mistake.”The jetliner,
a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the
outskirts of Tehran shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International
Airport. Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft.
But then the US and Canada, citing intelligence, said they believe Iran shot
down the aircraft. The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was
carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including
82 Iranians, at least 63 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians, according to officials.
“This is the right step for the Iranian government to admit responsibility, and
it gives people a step toward closure with this admission," said Payman Parseyan,
a prominent Iranian-Canadian in western Canada who lost a number of friends in
the crash. “I think the investigation would have disclosed it whether they
admitted it or not. This will give them an opportunity to save face,” he added.
Canada announces formation of International Coordination
and Response Group for families of victims of PS752
January 10, 2020 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
Earlier today, the International Coordination and Response Group for families of
victims of Flight PS752, led by Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister
of Foreign Affairs held a call.
The participants were:
Ukraine
Sweden
Afghanistan
The United Kingdom
All participating countries agree on the need for a full and transparent
investigation into the causes of the fatal crash so that families and loved ones
can get the answers they deserve.
In days and weeks to come, they will continue to remain in close contact and
work closely together. They will continue speaking to other international
partners to ensure transparency and accountability following this tragic event.
Canada’s Trudeau says he wants full investigation into
plane attack
Reuters, Ottawa/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, responding to Iran’s statement that a
missile shot down a Ukrainian airliner this week, said on Saturday that his
government sought a full investigation and full cooperation from the Iranian
authorities. All 176 people on board, including 57 Canadians, were killed in
Wednesday’s airplane attrocity after take-off from Tehran. Canada had said for
several days it believed the plane was downed by an Iranian missile, but until
Saturday Iran had denied this. In a statement issued by his office, Trudeau said
that Iran had now acknowledged that the plane was brought down by its own armed
forces. “Our focus remains closure, accountability, transparency, and justice
for the families and loved ones of the victims. This is a national tragedy, and
all Canadians are mourning together,” he said.“We will continue working with our
partners around the world to ensure a complete and thorough investigation, and
the Canadian government expects full cooperation from Iranian authorities.”
Canada demands ‘accountability’ after Iran plane admission
AFP, Ottawa/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday that “closure,
accountability” are needed after Iran admitted it had downed the Ukraine
airliner, killing 176, 57 of whom are Canadians. He also demanded “transparency
and justice for the families and loved ones of the victims.”“This is a national
tragedy, and all Canadians are mourning together,” Trudeau’s office said in a
statement.
Protests in Tehran following IRGC admission of Ukrainian
plane atrocity
Yaghoub Fazeli, Al Arabiya English/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Protests have broken out in the Iranian capital Tehran against the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) following its admission to downing a civilian
airplane near Tehran on Wednesday. “IRGC, have some shame and let go of the
country,” chanted the protesters in Tehran, according to videos shared online.
The protesters, who were gathered in front of Tehran’s Amir Kabir university,
also shouted chants against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The report
said the demonstrators on the street also ripped up pictures of Qassem Soleimani,
the prominent commander of the Guard’s Quds Force who was killed in a US drone
strike.
Iranian semi-official news agency reports anti-government protests
Reuters/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, in a rare report on anti-government
unrest, said protesters in Tehran on Saturday chanted slogans against the
nation’s top authorities, after the powerful Revolutionary Guards admitted
shooting down a passenger plane.
The report said the demonstrators on the street also ripped up pictures of
Qassem Soleimani, the prominent commander of the Guard’s Quds Force who was
killed in a U.S. drone strike. The agency, widely seen as close to the Guards,
carried pictures of the gathering and a torn banner of Soleimani. It said the
protesters numbered about 700 to 1,000 people.
Khamenei orders top security body meeting after admission
of downing airliner
Reuters, Dubai/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the top authority in the Islamic Republic,
was informed about the accidental shooting down of the Ukrainian airliner on
Friday and said information should be publicly announced after a meeting of
Iran’s top security body, the semi-official Fars news agency said in a tweet.
All 176 passengers aboard the plane died in the crash.
Khamenei orders military to address 'shortcomings' over downed plane
AFP, Tehran/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei ordered the country's armed forces to address
“shortcomings” after a Ukrainian passenger jet was mistakenly shot down, his
office said. “I emphatically advise the general headquarters (of the armed
forces) to follow up on shortcomings” to ensure this kind of error does not
happen again, said a statement on his official website, adding he expressed his
"sincere condolences" to the families of the deceased.
Iran’s Rrouhani promises to punish those behind plane’s downing: Ukraine
AgenciesSaturday, 11 January 2020
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has told his Ukrainian counterpart that those
behind the downing of the Ukrainian airliner will be brought to justice, the
Ukrainian presidency said. Rouhani told Volodymyr Zelensky that “all the persons
involved in this air disaster will be brought to justice,” it said, according to
an AFP report. EASA urges airlines to avoid Iranian airspace. In a related
development, the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said on Saturday that european
airlines should avoid Iranian airspace until further notice following Iran’s
admission that its armed forces inadvertently shot down a Ukrainian airliner
earlier in the week. The advice expands on an earlier EASA recommendation that
national authorities bar airlines from overflying Iran below 25,000 feet,
according to Reuters. It was issued “in light of the statement from Iran that
its armed forces accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger aircraft,” EASA
said.
Iran says those responsible for downing plane will be
brought to justice
AFP, Tehran/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Those responsible for shooting down the Ukrainian jet in Tehran this week would
“immediately” be brought before military justice, the general staff of the
Iranian armed forces said Saturday.“We assure you that by pursuing fundamental
reforms in operational processes at the armed forces’ level we will make it
impossible to repeat such errors,” the general staff added in a press release.
Ukraine says Iran statement confirms its suspicions on
plane crash
Reuters, Kiev/Saturday, 11 January 2020
A statement by Iran saying it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane
confirms one of the working theories of the Ukrainian state security service (SBU)
on what caused the crash, SBU chief Ivan Bakanov said on Saturday. Contrary to
what some experts had said initially, the SBU thought Iran’s anti-aircraft
missile system had been operated manually rather than automatically, Bakanov
said in a statement. Iran said it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian plane
killing all 176 aboard and voiced deep regret, after initially denying it
brought down the aircraft in the tense aftermath of Iranian missile strikes on
US targets in Iraq.
Ukraine airline says plane had no warning of threat before
Iran crash
Reuters, Kiev/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Ukraine International Airlines said on Saturday that its plane that was downed
in Iran had received no warning from Tehran airport about a possible threat
before it took off. At a briefing by its president and vice president, the
airline also denied suggestions that the passenger plane had veered off its
normal course, and said that the Iranian authorities should have closed the
airport.The airline’s top officials also called on Iran to take full
responsibility for the crash, which killed all 176 aboard. Ukraine International
Airlines's vice president said the company has changed its routes and no longer
flies over Iran. The chief of the airlines, Yevhenii Dykhne had said earlier
that he never doubted that the airline had not caused the crash of its passenger
plane in Iran. Eleven Ukrainians, including nine crew members, died in the plane
crash on Wednesday, according to Ukrainian government figures. Dykhne wrote a
statement on social media after Iran said it had mistakenly shot down the plane.
“We didn’t doubt for a second that our crew and our plane couldn’t be the cause
for this horrible plane crash,” Dykhne said. “These were our best guys and
girls. The best,” he said.
British PM Johnson says Iran plane crash shows vital to de-escalate tensions
Reuters, London/Saturday, 11 January 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that the accidental
shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger jet in Iran reinforced the importance of
de-escalating tensions in the Middle East. “Iran’s admission that Ukraine
International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by mistake by its own armed
forces is an important first step,” Johnson said in a statement. Four British
nationals were among the 176 people killed in Wednesday’s crash. “We now need a
comprehensive, transparent, and independent international investigation and the
repatriation of those who died. The UK will work closely with Canada, Ukraine,
and our other international partners affected by this accident to ensure this
happens,” Johnson said. “We can all see very clearly that further conflict will
only lead to more loss and tragedy. It is vital that all leaders now pursue a
diplomatic way forward.”Iran said earlier that its military had mistakenly shot
down the plane, saying air defenses were fired in error while on alert in the
tense aftermath of Iranian missile strikes on US targets in Iraq. Iran had
denied for days after the crash that it brought down the plane.
US condemns assassination of two Iraqi journalists
Leen Alfaisal, Al Arabiya English/Saturday, 11 January 2020
The US Embassy in Baghdad denounced on Saturday the “deplorable and cowardly”
assassination of journalist Ahmed Abdel Samad and cameraman Safaa Ghali in Basra
last night. “The ongoing assassinations, kidnappings, harassment, and
intimidation of members of the press, social media activists, and pro-reform
activists in Iraq by armed groups cannot continue to go unpunished,” the
embassy’s statement said. The statement also held the Iraqi government
accountable for upholding the right to freedom of expression, protecting
journalists, and ensuring that peaceful activists can practice their democratic
rights without fear of reprisal. “This can only happen if the perpetrators are
found and brought to justice,” the statement added. Iraqi journalist Ahmed Abdul
Samad was assassinated in the city of Basra by unknown individuals. He
previously appeared several times on the screen of Al Arabiya and Al Hadath in
covering the popular demonstrations in southern Iraq, and he provided the media
outlets with many pictures and videos documenting the popular protests. Safaa
Ghali, a cameraman working for Iraq’s Dijlah TV, was also killed in the same
attack.
Tehran must ‘learn lessons’ from Ukraine plane disaster:
Russia
AFP, Moscow/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Iran, which admitted on Saturday that it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian
airliner killing 176 people, must “learn lessons” from the disaster, the
chairman of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee said. “If
decryption of the black boxes and the work of the investigation do not prove
that the Iranian army did this intentionally, and there are no logical reasons
for this, the incident must be closed. “Hoping that lessons will be learned and
action taken by all parties,” said Konstantin Kosachev, quoted by the Interfax
news agency.
Iran’s IRGC offer explanation for plane downing:
Misidentified as cruise missile
Al Arabiya English, Agencies/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards offered an explanation and apology on Saturday
for the shooting down of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran earlier this week, the
official IRNA news agency reported. Senior commander of the Aerospace Force of
the Revolutionary Guards, Amir Ali Hajizadeh said in a press briefing on
Saturday that the Ukrainian plane was misidentified as a cruise missile by an
air Defense operator. Hajizadeh also said Iranian authorities had been informed
Wednesday that a civilian aircraft had been shot down by accident. He partly
blamed the Ukrainian plane downing on the US for spiking tension with Tehran.
All 176 people aboard the plane died in the crash. Hajizadeh also said that the
IRGC accepts full responsibility for the incident, in which the Ukraine airliner
was shot down by a short-range missile, adding that he wished he “could die”
when he heard about the accident. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said
that his government sought a full investigation and full cooperation from the
Iranian authorities, in response to Iran’s statement that a missile shot down
the Ukrainian airliner which had 57 Canadians on board.
Iranian downing of plane 'catastrophe': Germany
The Associated Press, Dubai/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Germany's foreign minister has called on Iran to take the appropriate measures
following what he said was the “catastrophe” of it inadvertently shooting down
the Ukrainian plane near the Iranian capital. Heiko Maas told Funke Mediengruppe
media on Saturday: “It's important that Iran has brought clarity. Now it should
take the appropriate measures in the further investigation of this horrible
catastrophe so that something like this cannot happen again.”Maas said that, “In
these hours, our thoughts are with the victims and their families in all the
affected nations.”
Iranian propaganda video shows actors pretending to kill Trump
Yaghoub Fazeli, Al Arabiya English/Saturday, 11 January 2020
An Iranian propaganda video made in response to the killing of military
commander Qassem Soleimani shows a group of Iranian forces attacking the US
Capitol building and White House then killing President Donald Trump. The
fictional propaganda video was shared and possibly made by a Telegram channel
affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Telegram is a
hugely popular messaging app in Iran. In the video, a group of Iranians,
presumably IRGC members, are seen discussing how to avenge Soleimani’s death.
The group then comes to an agreement to carry out an attack on Washington and
assassinate Trump. The filmmakers copied a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster
showing the US Capitol building exploding. Then, the Iranian forces kill Trump
after breaking into the White House with firearms.
Iran says Oman ruler death ‘loss for region,’ hopes ties
grow
AFP, Tehran/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Iran’s top diplomat said Saturday the death of Oman’s Sultan Qaboos was a “loss
for the region” and expressed hopes that relations between the two nations will
grow under his successor. “We offer our dear neighbor Oman our condolences...
(and) we congratulate it for its selection of His Majesty Haitham bin Tariq as
sultan, hoping our relations grow as they have before and that the future draws
inspiration from the past,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted in
Arabic.
UN extends cross-border aid to Syria, but scaled back by
Moscow
AFP/Saturday, 11 January 2020
The UN Security Council voted Friday to extend cross border aid to Syria but
under pressure from Russia drastically scaled back the program that has been
helping the war-ravaged country since 2014. The assistance is being prolonged
for six months and deliveries will be made from only from two points along
Syria’s border with Turkey. After a series of concessions by Western countries
since late December, a resolution extending the aid was passed by 11 votes in
favor and four abstentions: Russia, China, the United States, and Britain.Until
now the aid had been extended yearly and deliveries were made from four points
along the border. The existing mandate was to expire Friday.
Syrian regime air strikes kill 18 civilians in Syria’s
Idlib: Monitor
AFP, Beirut/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Regime air strikes on Syria’s last major opposition bastion killed 18 civilians
on Saturday, a war monitor said, one day before a planned ceasefire is due to
take effect. Air strikes on the city of Idlib killed seven civilians, while
separate air strikes on two towns near the provincial capital killed 11 others,
said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Iraq PM tells Kurdish leaders he does not seek ‘hostility’ with US
AFP, Arbil/Saturday, 11 January 2020
Iraq’s caretaker premier told Kurdish leaders on Saturday he did not seek a
hostile relationship with the United States, in his first visit to the
autonomous region since coming to power in 2018.Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi
travelled to Arbil with a delegation of top ministers and his intelligence
chief. The trip came at a time of political turmoil for Iraq, after months of
anti-government rallies that saw Abdel Mahdi resign and worsening ties with the
US as Iraqi lawmakers push for a withdrawal of foreign troops. Abdel Mahdi met
the region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, President Nechirvan Barzani, and
influential powerbroker Masoud Barzani, who heads the ruling Kurdistan
Democratic Party. A statement from Abdel Mahdi’s office said he and the Barzanis
discussed the ongoing anti-government protests, the presence of foreign troops
in Iraq, and broader regional tensions. “We do not want hostility with anyone,
including the United States,” Abdel Mahdi said. He then travelled to the
Kurdistan region’s second city, Sulaymaniyah, to meet leaders of the rival
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party.The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) sees
Abdel Mahdi as a reliable ally and had hoped he would help rebuild ties between
Baghdad and Arbil, which frayed following the KRG’s controversial independence
referendum in 2017. The KRG continued to back him as protests erupted across
Baghdad and Iraq’s Shia-majority south in October, which eventually prompted
Abdel Mahdi to step down. Days before his resignation, the KRG had agreed “in
principle” with Baghdad on a revenue-sharing deal that granted it a share of the
2020 federal budget in exchange for exporting its oil through the national
seller. The KRG saw the terms of the agreement as favorable and feared that
Abdel Mahdi’s replacement would not stick to it, but political factions have not
agreed on a candidate. Kurdish authorities have also been worried by Baghdad’s
insistence that foreign troops leave Iraq, following a vote in the federal
parliament last week. No Kurdish parliamentarians attended the vote and many see
the US-led coalition’s presence as a counterweight to Iran. Some 5,200 US troops
are stationed across Iraq to back local forces preventing ISIS resurgence. They
make up the bulk of the broader coalition including troop
British ambassador to Iran arrested amid protests against
Khamenei over plane downing
Arab News/Januarry 11/2020
TEHRAN: The British ambassador to Iran was arrested on Saturday amid protests
demanding Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei step down after Tehran said its
military had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian plane, killing 176 people.
Robert Macaire was present during demonstrations in front of Tehran’s Amir Kabir
University and was arrested after allegedly "inciting" a crowd, Iran's Tasnim
news agency reported. The 53-year-old was released after several hours.Britain's
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the arrest was without grounds or
explanation and a "flagrant violation of international law."Videos posted on
Twitter showed hundreds of people chanting “Commander-in-chief (Khamenei)
resign, resign” in front of Tehran’s Amir Kabir university. In a message to the
protesters, Donald Trump said the US was following the demonstrations closely
and was "inspired by your courage." "To the brave, long-suffering people of
Iran: I've stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my
Administration will continue to stand with you." he said on Twitter. Iran
announced Saturday that its military “unintentionally” shot down the jetliner,
after the government had repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was
responsible. The plane was shot down early Wednesday, hours after Iran launched
a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq in
retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in an American
airstrike in Baghdad. No one was wounded in the attack on the bases.
Oman Swears in Successor to Sultan Qaboos
Agence France PresseNaharnet/January 11/2020
Oman's culture minister Haitham bin Tariq has been sworn in as royal ruler after
the death of his cousin Sultan Qaboos, who transformed his nation and became a
vital mediator in a turbulent region. Qaboos, who died on Friday at the age of
79 as the longest-serving leader of the modern Arab world, came to power in 1970
when he deposed his father in a palace coup. He had been ill for some time and
was believed to be suffering from colon cancer. Qaboos had left no apparent
heir. He was unmarried, had no children or brothers and his successor was to be
chosen in a meeting of the royal family. Under the Omani constitution, they had
three days to make a decision and if they failed to agree, the person chosen by
the late sultan in a sealed letter would succeed him. State TV said during a
live broadcast of the funeral that the letter had been opened, without
elaborating as to why. "Haitham bin Tariq was sworn in as the new sultan of the
country... after a meeting of the family which decided to appoint the one who
was chosen by the sultan," the government said in a tweet. Many experts had
expected the throne to go to Asad bin Tariq, another cousin, who was appointed
deputy prime minister for international relations and cooperation affairs in
2017 in what was seen as a clear message of support. Haitham, a sports
enthusiast, held the position of undersecretary of the ministry of foreign
affairs for political affairs before becoming the minister of heritage and
culture in the mid-1990s.
He was also the first head of Oman's football federation in the early 1980s.
'Switzerland' of Mideast -
Sultan Qaboos was to be laid to rest on Saturday in ceremonies that saw his
coffin, draped in the Omani flag, driven through the streets of the capital
Muscat before being taken to the main mosque, which is named after him. The
royal court announced a mourning period that will see businesses and government
offices close for three days. Qaboos transformed the Arabian Peninsula nation
from a backwater into a modern state with a thriving tourism industry, thanks to
the country's crystal waters, scenic desert and mountain ranges. But it
was the sultan's policy of neutrality and non-interference that elevated Oman's
standing as a "Switzerland of the Middle East" and made him an important
mediator. Many Western and Arab diplomats see the sultanate, with its moderate
but active foreign policy that includes healthy relations with the United States
as well as with regional powers Iran and Saudi Arabia, as a model of balance. As
the Gulf's discreet go-between, Oman played a role in Iran's 2015 nuclear deal
with world powers while preserving its membership in the Saudi-led Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC). "He was a stable force in the Middle East and a
strong US ally. His Majesty had a vision for a modern, prosperous, and peaceful
Oman, and he willed that vision into reality," former US president George W.
Bush said in a message of condolence. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed
Al-Nahyan said Saturday that Oman and the Arab world have lost a "wise leader
and a (figure) of great historical stature". The sultan's death comes amid
increased tensions between Tehran and Washington, who on Friday piled new
sanctions on the Islamic republic following the killing of a top Iranian
commander in Iraq that raised fears the region was sliding into war.
Discreet mediator -
During the sultan's reign, Western nations repeatedly turned to Muscat to act as
a mediator in resolving thorny regional issues -- from the kidnapping of
Americans and Europeans to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Although it is a member
of the GCC, Oman is the only Gulf country not to have taken part in the
Saudi-led military coalition's fight against Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels.
Unlike other Arab states, Qaboos did not contest Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with
Israel, opening a trade office in Tel Aviv in the mid-1990s -- shuttered in 2000
during a Palestinian uprising. In October 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu held surprise talks with Qaboos in Muscat. It remains to be seen
whether the next Omani ruler will take the same moderate approach in a region
often in turmoil. "It’s almost impossible to imagine Oman without Sultan Qaboos
at the helm," said Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow at Rice University's Baker
Institute in the US. "His wise leadership and regional statesmanship is never
more urgently needed than at the present time," Ulrichsen said on Twitter.
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published on January 11-12/2020
Yale Psychiatrist Issues Diagnosis of "Psychotic" for
Defending Constitutional Rights
Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/January 11/2020
Dr. Bandy Lee is literally claiming that we are mentally ill and our views
should be considered symptoms of our illness, rather than as legitimate ideas.
Publicly offering "professional opinions" or diagnoses in the absence of a
psychiatric examination, is a violation of psychiatric ethics and the rules of
the American Psychiatric Association.
Dr. Lee has a history of such unethical conduct....
Her resort to diagnosis rather than dialogue is a symptom of a much larger
problem that faces our divided nation -- too many Americans are refusing to
engage in reasoned dialogue with people with whom they disagree. Dr. Lee is part
of that problem, not its solution.
Pictured: Professor Alan Dershowitz listens to U.S. President Donald Trump speak
during a Hanukkah Reception in the East Room of the White House on December 11,
2019 in Washington, DC.
A Yale professor of forensic psychiatry has diagnosed guess who -- yours truly
-- as suffering from "psychosis" for expressing legal views that happen to be on
the Constitutional rights of President Donald Trump. Dr. Bandy Lee has never met
me, never examined me, never seen my medical records, and never spoken to anyone
close to me. Yet she is prepared to offer a diagnosis of "psychosis" which she
attributes to my being one of President Trump's "followers." (I voted for
Hillary Clinton and am a liberal Democrat.)
Indeed, Dr. Lee went even further, diagnosing "the severity and spread of
'shared psychosis' among just about all of Donald Trump's followers." Nor does
she seem to be using these psychiatric terms as political metaphors, dangerous
as that would be. She is literally claiming that we are mentally ill and our
views should be considered symptoms of our illness, rather than as legitimate
ideas.
Publicly offering "professional opinions" or diagnoses in the absence of a
psychiatric examination, is a violation of psychiatric ethics and the rules of
the American Psychiatric Association. According to that esteemed organization,
"it is unethical for a psychiatrist to render a professional opinion to the
media about a public figure unless the psychiatrist has examined the person..."
Dr. Lee has a history of such unethical conduct. She previously diagnosed
President Trump as being psychotic. Now she is doubling down accusing me of
having a "shared psychosis" with President Trump, and having "wholly taken on
Trump's symptoms by contagion."
Dr. Lee's absurd conclusions rest on the factual assumption that I am guilty of
sexual misconduct in the Jeffrey Epstein case, despite overwhelming evidence
that I never even met the woman who accused me. My accuser has essentially
admitted never meeting me in a series of emails and a draft manuscript that she
unsuccessfully tried to hide. Her own lawyer, in a recorded conversation, has
admitted that it was impossible for us to have met and that she was "wrong ...
simply wrong" in accusing me. Despite this overwhelming evidence -- all
documented in my book, Guilt by Accusation: The Challenge of Proving Innocence
in the Age of #MeToo, Dr. Lee includes as a factor in her diagnosis, my
unwillingness to show "remorse" for something I did not do. She cites as
additional "proof" of my "psychosis" that I express "delusional level impunity,"
and a "lack of empathy." All this without ever meeting me!
She also believes that my use of the word "perfect" -- the same word used by
Donald Trump in describing his phone call to the Ukrainian President -- is
evidence of a "shared" psychosis. She does not mention that I used the word
"perfect" in the context of rebutting the false accusations against me and
proclaiming, quite truthfully, that I have never had sex with any woman other
than my wife, since the day I met Jeffrey Epstein. I used the word "perfect" in
reference to my fidelity during the period in which I was falsely accused, just
as someone might say she had a "perfect" attendance record. Moreover, Dr. Lee
neglects to mention that the interview during which I used that word took place
months before President Trump used it. I guess she believes he caught the
contagion from me.
It is difficult to imagine anyone ever hiring Dr. Lee as a forensic psychiatrist
to offer an actual diagnosis of a litigant. On cross-examination she would have
to admit that she has diagnosed "just about all of Donald Trump's followers" as
having "shared psychosis." This would likely include jury members and perhaps
the judge, along with millions of voters.
If it is difficult to imagine Dr. Lee as an effective forensic witness, just try
to imagine her as a fair teacher. Even at Yale, some of her students are likely
to be Trump followers. Would she grade them -- or diagnose them? Would she
prescribe anti-psychotic drugs to her students who she believed were Trump
"followers"? Would she refuse to recommend them because of their illness? Would
they be entitled to the protection of the American with Disabilities Act? Does
she teach her students to diagnose their classmates and friends who disagree
with them politically, instead of engaging with them?
Her resort to diagnosis rather than dialogue is a symptom of a much larger
problem that faces our divided nation -- too many Americans are refusing to
engage in reasoned dialogue with people with whom they disagree.
*Dr. Lee is part of that problem, not its solution.
Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard
Law School and author of the forthcoming book, Guilt by Accusation: The
Challenge of Proving Innocence in the Age of #MeToo, Skyhorse publishing,
November 2019.
© 2020 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Backed into a corner, Iran should swallow its pride and
resume talks with the US
Raghida Dergham/The National/January 11/2020
There is no hint of rapprochement yet from the regime but it has few reasons to
keep stirring the pot
No decision has yet been made by Iran to de-escalate and rein in its belligerent
policies despite signs that a direct military standoff with the US – following
the killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani and the Iranian reprisal
through missile strikes on US bases in Iraq – has been contained. The divide in
the ranks of Iran’s leadership follows the reformist-hardliner fault line. One
camp, represented by foreign minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, declared that the
response to Suleimani’s killing is over. The other faction has pledged a massive
operation against US forces throughout the Middle East, which experts reckon
would take the form of a series of simultaneous attacks on several targets in
several countries.
One driver of a potential round of attacks is US President Donald Trump’s
decision to step up sanctions against the country’s leaders and on Iran’s
industries beyond the oil sector. On the other hand, leaders of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps and its expeditionary arm, the Quds Force, has vowed
to exact “a tougher revenge on the enemy”. Speaking at a news conference in
front of the banners of Iran’s multi-national proxies in Iraq, Lebanon,
Palestine, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the
IRGC’s aerospace force, said plans are under way to launch major operations
aiming to “expel US forces from the region”.
US officials take the Iranian threats very seriously. They have developed
military plans alongside fresh sanctions that sources say will target the core
of Iran’s nuclear programme. This is especially since Tehran has announced its
intention to double its uranium enrichment levels and hinted at withdrawing from
the nuclear deal with world’s major powers – as well as the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT. The decision taken in Washington is to prevent
Iran and its proxies from achieving their goal of driving out US forces from the
region and destroying those threatening to "return US troops in coffins", as
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said.
The Trump administration is focused on protecting US embassies in the region,
especially Iraq and Lebanon. This comes after reports indicating that the Quds
Force intends to mobilise its proxies to stage unrest outside of diplomatic
missions and repeat what happened at the US embassy in Tehran in 1979, when the
building was overrun by mobs and its staff held hostage for 444 days.
In short, US military planning is not waiting for events to happen. It is
pre-empting them as part of a new policy of anticipation and deterrence.
According to informed sources, however, part of the US military preparations is
being conducted together with Israel, in anticipation of Iranian escalation in
Lebanon, but also in preparation for joint US-Israeli strikes on nuclear sites
in Iran. This would take place in the event of Iranian attacks on key US bases
in Bahrain and Kuwait, or Iranian escalation on the nuclear level. For this
reason, it is still too early to conclude that the standoff is over, or that
negotiations are around the corner, or that Iranian divisions have been settled
in favour of reform instead of adventurism.
Some hope that it was a wise calculation that led Iran to launch ballistic
missiles at US bases in a way that avoided inflicting casualties and preclude a
crushing US response. Mark Milley, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff,
suggested the Iranian strike on bases housing US soldiers “intended to kill”,
while other officials said casualties were avoided thanks to intelligence and
early warnings. Either way, the death of US soldiers would have escalated the
standoff, given that this is the red line Mr Trump declared from the beginning
and did not back away from after he was accused of weakness for failing to
respond to a previous Iranian downing of a US drone and the unprecedented attack
on Saudi Aramco facilities last year.
The situation looks different now. Military mobilisation continues despite the
end of the first round of confrontations. US military preparations must be taken
seriously, as the it deploys air, land and sea assets, as if to remind everyone
that it is still the world’s sole superpower and that it is not going to allow
its prestige to be challenged. Meanwhile, Mr Trump is feeling increasingly
self-assured after taking out Iran’s second-most important leader. Indeed,
Suleimani’s elimination has meant taking down the strategic and executive head
of Iran’s expansionism in the region. Suleimani was not only an extraordinary
general but an extraordinary politician as well, widely seen as part of the
future succession tapestry of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme
leader. Even in the foreign policy domain, Suleimani came even before President
Hassan Rouhani and Mr Zarif.
The situation suggests that the Quds Force has only two options in front of it:
reform or collapse. Either it realises that with the absence of the top of the
pyramid, things cannot go on as they were – especially in the light of US
military mobilisation – or it does the equivalent of committing suicide.
The Trump administration has decided to proceed with measures that build on the
assassination of Suleimani, namely to eliminate Iran’s project in Iraq, Syria,
Lebanon and Yemen once it is structurally weakened. If Tehran decides to go to
war with the US to preserve its regional project, it will have to conduct its
military calculations carefully. While it has the ability to inflict massive
damage in Arab countries, taking on the US directly is a different matter. And
if reports of US-Israeli coordination are accurate, then logic indicates such a
war would pose an existential threat to Iran.
However, there is another dimension – related to US presidential elections. Iran
has been watching closely, hoping Mr Trump’s impeachment attempts would lower
his re-election chances. Tehran, though, must reconsider its bets because Mr
Trump’s recent actions could go a long way in securing a second term, which
would mean that it would have to deal with him for another four years. Wisdom
requires that delusions be replaced with reality, such as when Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini, the regime’s first supreme leader, declared a ceasefire
following eight years of war with Iraq in the 1980s. Khomeini famously conceded
having to “drink the poisoned cup” for the sake of his country. Perhaps the
current leadership should also think about the interests of its people, who are
paying the price of its stubbornness.
A third dimension concerns the economic situation. This is also the result of
the leadership’s stubbornness, having rejected the European-backed offer from
the US to negotiate on a new deal. If the stubbornness continues, sanctions will
increase and cost more and Iran’s leaders could find themselves tempted by
military actions that would in turn unleash a fatal confrontation.
Finally, the current situation is the outcome of Iran’s failed attempt to cause
a rift across the Atlantic over the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal.
According to informed sources, some Iranian leaders are still threatening the
European capitals of ripping up the deal and walking out of the NPT unless they
pressure the US to back down and activate the financial mechanism that would
remove the sanctions. But this is dangerous thinking as it would trigger US and
Israeli strikes inside Iran, according to the sources.
The wise option would be for Tehran to return to negotiations. Washington will
not agree to negotiations on conditions set by the regime of lifting or
suspending sanctions first. Iran has to agree to new negotiations for a new
deal, especially given that Europe has inched closer to the American position.
It must carefully study the situation on the ground in the wake of Suleimani’s
killing. It must also come to terms with the possibility that Mr Trump will
remain in the White House until 2025 – along with his crippling sanctions and
the mobilisation of the world’s mightiest army.
*Raghida Dergham is the founder and executive chairwoman of the Beirut Institute
Iraqis pay the price for US-Iran confrontation
Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/January 11/2020
The intense and bitter 40-year rivalry between the US and Iran has grown beyond
settling pre-1979 scores into a contest to decide who will dominate affairs in
the Middle East. There is a good chance that Iran’s “de-escalatory” missile
attacks last week on US targets in Iraq will not be the totality of Iranian
retaliation for the US drone missile strike that brought an abrupt end to Gen.
Qassem Soleimani's growing megalomania.
The Quds Force, which the US had hoped to suppress, is likely to have an
expanded role, especially after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pledged an extra
$200 million for its operations and said military options alone were
insufficient retaliation for Soleimani’s death. The elite unit of about 20,000
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel is responsible for expanding
Tehran’s influence in the region via a network of armed sectarian groups; it is
a little hypocritical that Iran should seek to “end the corrupting US presence,”
while ignoring its own.
Of more concern is that Iran’s retaliation timeline can stretch for months, even
years, with attacks on soft targets in places that are difficult to predict and
therefore adequately secure, often carried out by proxies who receive support,
weapons and training from Tehran.
The most recent protests at the US embassy compound in Baghdad were a brazen
escalation by a group that receives its orders from Tehran via Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq,
an armed faction trained and funded by the Quds Force, and now part of the
Popular Mobilization Forces — about 40 Iraqi militia groups of Shi’ites,
Christians, Sunni Arabs, Kurds and Yazidis. Pentagon assessments are that the
PMU could become an integral part of a revived Iraqi national defense apparatus,
provided it rids itself of ties to Tehran; PMU forces are under the direct
command of the Iraqi prime minister, but Iran continues to undermine his
authority with its support for extremist militias more loyal to Tehran than to
Baghdad.
There is no conceivable US exit strategy that would leave Khamenei calling the
shots in Iraq after Washington spent nearly $2 trillion in the Iraq war and
regaining a foothold in a country still struggling to bring about stable
democracy, the rule of law and better internal security. The construction of a
$750 million embassy complex covering 104 acres, the largest in the world, is
indicative of America’s commitment to post-Saddam, post-Daesh Iraq — a prospect
now under threat given a hostile Tehran, paused anti-Daesh operations and the
Iraqi parliament voting for the withdrawal of US troops.
Unfortunately, this stand-off has turned Iraq into a battleground of competing
geopolitical interests, as more US troops head for bases strategically located
in a buffer zone between Erbil and Baghdad.
Nevertheless, Washington has long sought an exit, urging allies and regional
partners alike to absorb more of its self-imposed obligations. For a wary,
paranoid and meddlesome Tehran, a US retreat would deliver an opportunity to
nurture “friendlier” governments, create a buffer zone and circumvent four
decades of sanctions. It would also give the Quds Force more opportunities to
embed itself and promote Iranian interests in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, even at the
cost of domestic priorities such as internal security, stabilization,
reconstruction and recovery. The changing dynamics of modern warfare have
necessitated the creation of spheres of influence via proxies in neighboring
states, maintaining close ties to highly placed individuals there to safeguard
interests, while cozying up to major military powers via weapons purchases and
joint military exercises.
An all-out war would engulf entire regions, endangering allies and dragging the
world into yet another massive conflict that has no winners, only losers. In
addition, the global community remains opposed to another war, and America’s
regional allies have urged calm. Both sides also lack significant domestic
support for an escalation beyond what has already played out; hence the use of
terms such as “preemptive defensive strike” or “de-escalatory precision attack”
to describe the recent exchange of fire between the US and Iran. A few years
ago, such oxymorons would have been widely panned, but they have found room in a
strange lexicon to describe the uncharted territory that Washington and Tehran
have waded into.
Unfortunately, this stand-off has turned Iraq into a battleground of competing
geopolitical interests, as more US troops head for bases strategically located
in a buffer zone between Erbil and Baghdad, while Tehran’s network of proxies
surround those same bases. Amid all this tension, an already overwhelmed Iraqi
government will find it even more difficult to deal with a growing list of
domestic issues, which have already sparked anti-government protests and forced
the prime minister to resign.
• Hafed Al-Ghwell is a non-resident senior fellow with the Foreign Policy
Institute at the John Hopkins University School of Advanced International
Studies. He is also senior adviser at the international economic consultancy
Maxwell Stamp and at the geopolitical risk advisory firm Oxford Analytica, a
member of the Strategic Advisory Solutions International Group in Washington DC
and a former adviser to the board of the World Bank Group. Twitter: @HafedAlGhwell
How key player Russia came from nowhere
Cornelia Meyer/Arab News/January 11/2020
President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey last week went largely unnoticed amid
the growing tensions between the US and Iran, but it underlined Russia’s growing
influence in the Middle East.
Putin visited Istanbul — after a surprise stop in Damascus — to officially open
the 930km TurkStream pipeline, which transports gas from Anapa in southwest
Russia, under the Black Sea to Turkey and farther into southeast Europe,
avoiding Ukraine.
A week before the inauguration of TurkStream, with its annual capacity of 31.5
billion cubic meters of gas, Israel, Greece and Cyprus had signed an agreement
to build their own pipeline to transport gas from the eastern Mediterranean to
Greece and Europe. Unlike TurkStream or the Russo-German Nordstream venture,
both of which are subject to US sanctions, the EastMed pipeline has Washington’s
explicit endorsement. It was therefore an important time for Russia to mark
territory in the eastern Mediterranean.
Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also took the opportunity to
talk about Syria and Libya, where they are on opposite sides.
The need to discuss the former was obvious, with Putin supporting the Assad
regime and Erdogan the opposition. The two presidents agreed on a new cease-fire
in Idlib from Sunday. The regime offensive there, enabled by Russian airpower,
has displaced more then 300,000 civilians who have headed north toward Turkey,
which has already accommodated 3.6 million Syrian refugees and cannot take any
more.
The humanitarian situation in Idlib may well deteriorate further despite the
cease-fire, because last week at the UN Security Council China and Russia vetoed
the extension of the UN’s cross-border aid mission into northeast Syria. A
compromise of sorts was found by halving the border crossings to two and the
duration of the scaled-down mission to six months. This means that close to one
million people in northeast Syria could be cut off from humanitarian aid from
next week.
Russia has emerged from nowhere as a key player on many fronts in the Middle
East — and in the process has acquired a naval base at Tartus and an air base at
Khmeimim.
Erdogan and Putin also agreed on a cease-fire in Libya, where Turkey is arming
and sending troops to the UN-backed government of Fayez Al-Sarraj in Tripoli,
while Russia supports his eastern rival, military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
Putin’s visit to Damascus and Istanbul underscored Russia’s growing political
economic and military influence in the region. Despite their differences over
regional conflicts, Putin is selling not only Russian gas to Erdogan, but also
Russia’s S-400 air defense system, a deal that put a spanner in the works of
Turkey’s relationship with both NATO and the US. It also came at considerable
cost to Turkey’s defense and economy; it was kicked out of the US F-35 fighter
jet program, for which its industries had produced more than 900 parts, and the
Turkish air force will no longer receive the plane.
To export its gas, Russia uses all possible routes to circumvent Ukraine,
whether under the Baltic or under the Black Sea. The latter is important to
southeast Europe, because when Russia and Ukraine squabble over payment and the
gas is cut off, Balkan cities such as Sarajevo literally freeze. Moscow also
co-operates to balance oil markets, leading the 10 non-OPEC allies in the
OPEC+agreement.
In other words, Russia has emerged from nowhere as a key player on many fronts
in the Middle East — and in the process has acquired a naval base at Tartus and
an air base at Khmeimim.
• Cornelia Meyer is a business consultant, macro-economist and energy expert.
Twitter: @MeyerResources
The rise of the ‘M-factor’
Shant Oknayan/Arab News/January 11/2020
With shopping trolleys in one hand and a smartphone in the other, the mobile
phone has evolved from a simple texting and talking device into a constant
companion for shoppers, having an ability to influence people along every step
of their consumer journey. Shopping via mobile devices, personal computers,
tablets and connected devices is now a part of the everyday lives of consumers
globally.
Estimates show that global retail e-commerce sales will be $3.563 trillion in
2019, commanding 13.7 percent of total retail sales, an increase of 21.5 percent
over 2018, excluding travel, according to a report by Dubai Economy and Visa
Middle East.
High digital and social penetration has meant that GCC consumers have jumped
straight to mobile commerce or m-commerce, and are now operating across digital
platforms with ease. Even excluding the crucial B2B and C2C e-commerce, food
delivery, travel, entertainment, services, and automobiles categories, MENA
e-commerce is forecast to reach $28.5 billion by 2019.
With an annual growth rate of 25 percent, MENA is the fastest growing region in
the world for e-commerce. UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are emerging to be key
players — UAE’s e-commerce sales are projected to hit $16 billion in 2019,
followed by KSA, where eCommerce sales are projected to reach $7.7 billion,
according to the report.
In today’s multi-device world, people are discovering on one device, researching
on another and converting on a third. But it’s not only about the mobile
experience for these shoppers; it’s about having a seamless experience across a
variety of channels on the path to purchase.
Mobile and internet serve as an inspiration for buying, but contrary to the
popular perception that online mobile shopping is bringing an end to the
physical shopping experience, it is in fact becoming a bigger complement to
brick-and-mortar stores.
For instance, in beauty, it’s well known that people may try products in stores
but buy on their phones. It’s also true the other way around — mobile can be a
gateway for brands to lead customers to in-store experiences. Even among
mobile-first shoppers, the in-store experience may still be a motivator.
Mobile-first shoppers say they care about store pick-ups more than surveyed
global shoppers, and they are also more likely than global shoppers to make a
purchase on their phones while in the store, according to a Facebook 2016
Holiday Study commissioned in the US.
With more than 5 million businesses actively using the WhatsApp Business app
each month, the rise of the ‘M-factor’ (mobile factor) is changing the path to
purchase and presenting brands with a chance to act — to be bolder, move faster,
be adaptive and build a future-ready business.
While the digital opportunity alone is tremendous, the way digital and physical
environments are intersecting and amplify each other is also promising. Digital
technology and easy access to digital information not only affects sales within
digital channels, but also impacts in-store sales.
While 90 percent of retail still happens in physical stores, “digitally
influenced” retail (eCom + store purchases with a digital touchpoint) may
already account for more than 58 percent of total sales in the US and 45 percent
in EMEA, according to Forrester (2017 estimates).
According to Instagram research, 80 percent of Instagrammers follow a business
and 130 million Instagram accounts tap on a shopping post to learn more about
products every month.
Max Fashion, the Middle East’s leading fashion retailer found that Facebook ads
using store sales optimization was more effective than its typical campaigns,
increasing sales by 5.9 percent in UAE and 8.3 percent in Saudi Arabia.
To make a meaningful comparison of results between store sales optimization and
reach campaigns, Max Fashion worked with Facebook’s measurement team to identify
a testing method to show whether store sales optimization could improve the
impact of its existing campaigns. The test ran during Max Fashion’s “End of
Spring Sale” campaign.
The rise of the ‘M-factor’ (mobile factor) is changing the path to purchase and
presenting brands with a chance to act — to be bolder, move faster, be adaptive
and build a future-ready business.
According to Bala Subramaniam, head of Omni-Channel and Customer Experience, Max
Fashion, Facebook helped them measure the impact of marketing with great degree
of accuracy and with ease. “Store sales optimization is a logical next step in
the right direction and is definitely something we expect to become a part of
our campaign strategy,” he said.
Enhancing mobile adverts to drive in-app sales as we shift to a more visual
language on mobile — one that is made up of photos, emojis, stickers and video —
brands are now rethinking how they present product details in a visually
impactful way that’s clear yet small-screen friendly.
These brands are also focusing on eliminating the barriers that stop people from
buying on mobile, like by making it easy to enter payment information and
offering multiple shipping options. Brands are also using local cultural moments
to test the effectiveness of ads.
For instance, Carrefour Middle East, the local franchisee of the French retailer
measured significant boosts to brand awareness and online sales after running
Facebook and Instagram ads during Ramadan in United Arab Emirates and Saudi
Arabia.
Between May 5–June 5, 2019, their Ramadan-themed advertisements that consisted
of videos focused on making recipes using Carrefour groceries, helped them
achieve 45 percent increase in app installs in Saudi Arabia and 6.2 percent
increase in app installs in the UAE.
Launched with the support of Facebook Client Measurement team, the ads featured
photos and videos and were delivered by automatic placements across Facebook and
Instagram for maximum impact at the lowest cost.
This led to a 15 percent increase in app and web purchases in KSA and 5.4
percent increase in app and web purchases in UAE, helping Carrefour raise
awareness during the countries’ most sensitive and important time of the year —
Ramadan. “The uplift on both performance and brand key performance indicators
was significant, and the results gave us valuable insights on the development of
our media strategy,” said Sonja Abdo, VP Digital Marketing, Majid Al Futtaim
Retail.
As integrated online/offline shopping becomes the new normal, it is important
for retailers to understand the intersection of physical and digital and how it
continues to evolve into an intimate relationship — ultimately, it’s about
making the experience physically or digitally more richer, more dimensional
experience for consumers.
Viewing the path to purchase through separate channels — mobile versus desktop
versus offline — does not reflect the way the world is changing. The rise in
m-commerce presents brands with a chance to rewrite the rules of success by
adapting to change and building a future-ready business.
• Shant Oknayan is regional group commercial director at Facebook.
Consolidation of the insurance sector
Basil M.K. Al-Ghalayini/Arab News/January 11/2020
I have been involved in the Saudi insurance sector since BMG received its CMA’s
license almost 15 years ago. In addition to taking a dozen companies public and
listing them on Tadawul, I have been involved in merger and acquisition
discussions with several companies.
The Kingdom’s insurance market has experienced a certain degree of instability
over the past few years. Saudi-listed insurance companies have accumulated
losses ranging from 5 percent to as much as 174 percent. Due to the instability
of these companies, they started to explore the merger and acquisition route as
a survival solution.
The insurance sector regulator, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA), has
been urging insurance companies to strengthen their financial position and seek
consolidation. Also, SAMA has been studying a new law which will encourage
insurance companies to raise capital. Once it is in force, this new directive
will automatically push small companies to merge in order to meet this
requirement or maybe invite global companies to acquire small local ones.
In the investment banking arena, consolidation in any sector should offer
benefits and a positive impact on the bottom line after mergers. During the
course of last year, we have seen announcements by some insurance companies
including Walaa Cooperative Insurance Co. to merge with MetLife AIG ANB
Cooperative Insurance Co., Aljazira Takaful Taawuni Co. to merge with Solidarity
Saudi Takaful Co., and Gulf Union Cooperative Insurance Co., for the second
time, to merge with Al Ahlia for Cooperative Insurance Co. On the other hand,
Malath Cooperative Insurance and Allied Cooperative Insurance Group announced
they were not continuing with their merger talks.
On a related development, and to provide stability in the insurance sector, SAMA
is preventing the combining of insurance and reinsurance brokerage activities in
one company. SAMA clarified that the decision came out of its responsibility to
consolidate and develop the stability of the insurance sector and raise its
contribution to local economic growth.
The potential growth of the Saudi insurance sector is known to most
stakeholders. The big differential in Saudi Arabia is the demographic factor. It
has a young population and one of the largest ones in the Middle East.
Furthermore, the Saudi insurance market was, and still is, considered to be one
of the lowest penetrated ones with growth potential in the region.
In line with the Vision 2030 reform plan, where the insurance sector is an
important pillar of the financial system in the Kingdom, in my opinion, there is
still a list of investment opportunities in this sector. As a priority,
consolidation tops this list. Once we see the successful consolidation of these
companies listed above, I believe others will follow suit.
*Basil M.K. Al-Ghalayini is the chairman and CEO of BMG Financial Group.