LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 28/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews19/english.july28.19.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Are you discussing among yourselves
what I meant when I said, A little while, and you will no longer see me, and
again a little while, and you will see me
Saint John
16/16-19:"‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little
while, and you will see me.’Then some of his disciples said to one another,
‘What does he mean by saying to us, "A little while, and you will no longer see
me, and again a little while, and you will see me"; and "Because I am going to
the Father"?’They said, ‘What does he mean by this "a little while"? We do not
know what he is talking about.’Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he
said to them, ‘Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, "A
little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you
will see me"?"
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese
& Lebanese Related News published on July 27-28/2019
Machrouh Lyla Band Challenge is A Leftist-Agnostic Riot Against Lebanon’s
Culture & Faith
What is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Report: Hariri ‘Vowed’ to Call for Cabinet Meeting Next Week
LDP Accuses PSP of Sparking Clash, PSP Denies
UNIFIL's Eastern Sector Commander: The Lebanese army is a strategic, tactical
partner
Rahi reviews Qadisha electricity plan with Energy Minister
Sami Gemayel: This country cannot persist as long as there are those who drag us
to wars
Kouyoumjian stresses consistency in state building project, law implementation
Lebanese Army explains circumstances of today's incident in Bsatin, Aley
district
Abu Sleiman vows to pursue implementation of the law, says it cannot be
fragmented
Druze Sheikh Aql calls for Christian-Islamic Summit on Tuesday
Drone found in Lebanese territorial waters in Batroun
Ibrahim Mediates Release of U.S. Citizen Held in Syria
Bassil Warns over 'National Accord, Partnership' after 'Article 80' Controversy
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on July 27-28/2019
Hamas bids urgently for same Iranian BM-21 Grad missiles as the Yemeni Houthis
Tunisia Bids Farewell to Essebsi
Iran missile tests defensive, Fars news agency cites Iranian military source as
saying
6 Iranians Among Dead in Israeli Strike on Southern Syria
15 Killed in Regime, Russia Airstrikes on Idlib
Trump, Johnson Discuss Iran in Phone Call
Iranian military source: Missile tests are defensive, not against any country
India Urges Iran to Release Remaining Members of Oil Tanker Crew
Turkey Says it ‘Neutralized' 34 PKK Fighters in Air Strikes
Erdogan: Turkey May Turn Elsewhere for Jets if US Won’t Sell it F-35s
Israeli Embassy in Helsinki Complains of 15 Attacks in 18 Months
Probe Says 87 People Killed in Sudan Security Forces’ Raid on Protest Camp in
June
Bahrain executes three men over terrorism charges, killing of mosque imam
Trump Seeks to Avoid Slapping Turkey with Sanctions over Missile Deal
Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on July 27-28/2019
Machrouh Lyla Band Challenge is A Leftist-Agnostic Riot Against Lebanon’s
Culture & Faith/Elias Bejjani/July 27/2019
What is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?//Gotquestions.org/July 27/2019
Hamas bids urgently for same Iranian BM-21 Grad missiles as the Yemeni Houthis/DEBKAfile/July
27/2019
The Idle Jockeying of Iranian Diplomacy/David D. Kirkpatrick/The New York
Times/July 27/2019
Johnson will dramatically change the trajectory of Iran crisis/Dr. John C.
Hulsman/Arab News/July 27, 2019
Boris wields his axe … but can he cut it as PM?/Cornelia Meyer/Arab News/July
27, 2019
The irresistible rise and rise of Mike Pence/Andrew Hammond/Arab News/July 27,
2019
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News published
on July 27-28/2019
Machrouh Lyla Band Challenge is A
Leftist-Agnostic Riot Against Lebanon’s Culture & Faith
Elias Bejjani/July 25/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/76977/elias-bejjani-machrouh-lyla-band-challenge-is-a-leftist-agnostic-riot-against-lebanons-culture-faith/
Freedom has nothing to do with the on going leftist-agnostic charade of the
“Machrouh Lyla Band” phenomena at all.
This kind of blatant Freedom is not what the majority of the Lebanese people,
from all religious faiths want, accept or even can keep a blind eye on without
an angry loud and straightforward “NO”.
What is going on is a mere leftist-agnostic media shameless riot against the
actual core and essence of freedom.
What is going on is actually blemishing freedom, because Freedom does not mean
at all to advocate in Lebanon openly for sexual deviations or choices without
any kind of restrictions, limits, or respect for the majority of the Lebanese
peoples’ social norms.
Freedom is not at all a means of instigation of hatred or grudges against
ethical and social norms in our Lebanese deeply, established society norms of
living and worshiping.
Freedom is not a means of humiliating or insulting Christianity or any other
religion and their holy figures.
Freedom is not a means of Free and rude advocacy for LG or any other sexual,
life style or social deviations-choices.
Freedom is not is not by any means a venomous media or art tool for the
destruction of the Lebanese social and human norms and solid faith convictions.
In conclusion, People are free to be odd or to adopt any odd of life style in
any social or faith domains, as long as they do not harm others or break the
laws of the country, but they are not free and must not be allowed to advocate
openly and freely for their odd life choices.
It is worth mentioning that shame is a biological and Godly gift and privilege
that is merely owned and enjoyed only by Human beings.
Accordingly those who kills this godly gift in their lives voluntarily alienate
themselves from all that is human in all domains and fields.
Meanwhile, shame definitely is a grace, and a blessing .. Lucky are those who
appreciate its privileges, values and virtues.
In this regard we thank Almighty God that the shame gift is still vibrant,
active and alive among the majority of our Lebanese multi-cultural and faith
Mosaic communities.
What is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
ما هو التجديف على الروح القدس؟
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/77032/%d9%85%d8%a7-%d9%87%d9%88-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d8%ac%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%ad-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%af%d8%b3%d8%9f-what-is-the-blasphemy-against-the-holy-spiri/
نقلا عن موقع/Gotquestions.org
"What is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?"
Answer: The concept of “blasphemy against the Spirit” is mentioned in Mark
3:22–30 and Matthew 12:22–32. Jesus has just performed a miracle. A
demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus, and the Lord cast the demon out,
healing the man of blindness and muteness. The eyewitnesses to this exorcism
began to wonder if Jesus was indeed the Messiah they had been waiting for. A
group of Pharisees, hearing the talk of the Messiah, quickly quashed any budding
faith in the crowd: “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this
fellow drives out demons,” they said (Matthew 12:24).
Jesus rebuts the Pharisees with some logical arguments for why He is not casting
out demons in the power of Satan (Matthew 12:25–29). Then He speaks of the
blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: “I tell you, every kind of sin and slander
can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone
who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks
against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age
to come” (verses 31–32).
The term blasphemy may be generally defined as “defiant irreverence.” The term
can be applied to such sins as cursing God or willfully degrading things
relating to God. Blasphemy is also attributing some evil to God or denying Him
some good that we should attribute to Him. This particular case of blasphemy,
however, is called “the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” in Matthew 12:31. The
Pharisees, having witnessed irrefutable proof that Jesus was working miracles in
the power of the Holy Spirit, claimed instead that the Lord was possessed by a
demon (Matthew 12:24). Notice in Mark 3:30 Jesus is very specific about what the
Pharisees did to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: “He said this because
they were saying, ‘He has an impure spirit.’”
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has to do with accusing Jesus Christ of being
demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled. This particular type of blasphemy
cannot be duplicated today. The Pharisees were in a unique moment in history:
they had the Law and the Prophets, they had the Holy Spirit stirring their
hearts, they had the Son of God Himself standing right in front of them, and
they saw with their own eyes the miracles He did. Never before in the history of
the world (and never since) had so much divine light been granted to men; if
anyone should have recognized Jesus for who He was, it was the Pharisees. Yet
they chose defiance. They purposely attributed the work of the Spirit to the
devil, even though they knew the truth and had the proof. Jesus declared their
willful blindness to be unpardonable. Their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
was their final rejection of God’s grace. They had set their course, and God was
going to let them sail into perdition unhindered.
Jesus told the crowd that the Pharisees’ blasphemy against the Holy Spirit “will
not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:32). This
is another way of saying that their sin would never be forgiven, ever. Not now,
not in eternity. As Mark 3:29 puts it, “They are guilty of an eternal sin.”
The immediate result of the Pharisees’ public rejection of Christ (and God’s
rejection of them) is seen in the next chapter. Jesus, for the first time, “told
them many things in parables” (Matthew 13:3; cf. Mark 4:2). The disciples were
puzzled at Jesus’ change of teaching method, and Jesus explained His use of
parables: “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has
been given to you, but not to them. . . . Though seeing, they do not see; though
hearing, they do not hear or understand” (Matthew 13:11, 13). Jesus began to
veil the truth with parables and metaphors as a direct result of the Jewish
leaders’ official denunciation of Him.
Again, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot be repeated today, although some
people try. Jesus Christ is not on earth—He is seated at the right hand of God.
No one can personally witness Jesus performing a miracle and then attribute that
power to Satan instead of the Spirit.
The unpardonable sin today is the state of continued unbelief. The Spirit
currently convicts the unsaved world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John
16:8). To resist that conviction and willfully remain unrepentant is to
“blaspheme” the Spirit. There is no pardon, either in this age or in the age to
come, for a person who rejects the Spirit’s promptings to trust in Jesus Christ
and then dies in unbelief. The love of God is evident: “For God so loved the
world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And the choice is clear: “Whoever
believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see
life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).
Report: Hariri ‘Vowed’ to Call for Cabinet Meeting Next
Week
Naharnet/July 27/2019
Prime Minister Saad Hariri has reportedly vowed to call for a Cabinet session
next week to activate the government’s work suspended since July 2 over the
Qabrshmoun incident, the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Saturday. Ministerial
sources told the daily the expected government meeting will address several
items on the agenda in order to resume the work of institutions and activate
them. Referring to the meeting between Hariri and President Michel Aoun on
Friday at Baabda Palace, the sources described it as “positive.” Noting that
Aoun has shown support for Hariri’s position and that he (Aoun) is expected to
reiterate the Premier’s demand to resume the government’s work. “A Cabinet
session will be held no matter what,” the sources said. Controversy over
referring the deadly Qabrshmoun incident to the Judicial Council has suspended
the government meetings since July 2. The incident on June 30 between
Progressive Socialist Party supporters of Jumblat, and the convoy of State
Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib left two of the latter’s guards
dead and a third wounded. Gharib and his Lebanese Democratic Party, of Druze MP
Talal Arslan, have described the incident as an ambush and an assassination
attempt while the PSP has accused the minister’s bodyguards of forcing their way
and firing on protesters. Gharib’s party has insisted that the case should be
referred to the Judicial Council, a demand opposed by the PSP and its allies.
LDP Accuses PSP of Sparking Clash, PSP Denies
Naharnet/July 27/2019
The Lebanese Democratic Party issued a statement on Saturday claiming that one
supporter of the Progressive Socialist Party had tried to trigger a fight with
guards of State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib in al-Bsatin area.
"A pro-socialist activist stormed the house of minister Gharib and tried to
instigate a fight with his guards in front of Lebanese army troops. In response
to this action, the security guards shot fire at the perpetrator injuring him in
the leg," the statement said.
The LDP called on the “judicial and security authorities to take the necessary
measures to put an end to this continuous incitement and repeated attacks that
threaten civil peace and lead to internal division,” according to the statement.
For its part, the PSP replied in a statement denying the “claims.” It said an
“unarmed citizen, Rayan Merhi, was passing near Gharib’s residence heading home
when the guards of Gharib opened gunfire causing him serious injury.”The
statement assured that Merhi does not belong to the PSP nor to any political
party. It the incident was a “flagrant assault against an unarmed citizen.”
UNIFIL's Eastern Sector Commander: The Lebanese army is a
strategic, tactical partner
NNA - Sat 27 Jul 2019
Commander of the Eastern Sector of the UNIFIL peacekeeping forces, Spanish
General Rafael Colomir Martinez, visited Saturday Jabal Amel Municipalities'
Union Head, Ali el-Zein, at the Union headquarters in the Southern town of Taiba.
The encounter was a chance to praise the good relations between UNIFIL and the
people of the region, and to discuss ways to strengthen them.Talks also touched
on laying the foundations for future projects to be implemented in the towns of
the Union, in addition to the projects supported by UNIFIL and the Spanish
contingent, particularly in the fields of health and education. El-Zein
commended the "relationship between the civil society and UNIFIL forces,
especially the Spanish contingent, in serving citizens of the region, as well as
the ongoing coordination with the Lebanese army to protect the border." He also
called on the Spanish General to "introduce traffic safety and environmental
projects, especially the treatment of waste, to the contingent's priorities
within the framework of the UNIFIL projects to be implemented, particularly as
the scope of the Municipalities Union of Jabal Amel covers half the area of
operations of the Spanish contingent."El-Zein noted herein that the Union views
the contributions made by UNIFIL, especially the Spanish contingent, in the
region as being rather little. In turn, Martinez emphasized "constant
cooperation with the Lebanese army, being a strategic and tactical partner,"
adding that "the relationship is in continuous improvement with the Lebanese
military leaderships." "As for certain tensions in the region, namely between
the people and UNIFIL, the peacekeeping forces have been working to minimize as
much as possible any of the factors leading to such tension, for instance the
movement of large vehicles in neighborhoods and narrow streets," he said. At the
end of the meeting, Martinez presented el-Zein with an honor shield as a token
of appreciation.
Rahi reviews Qadisha electricity plan with Energy Minister
NNA - Sat 27 Jul 2019
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, met Saturday with Water
and Energy Minister, Nada Boustani, in the presence of the Lebanese Electricity
Company's General Director, Kamal Hayek, and an accompanying ministerial team.
The meeting was a chance to dwell on the Qadisha electricity plan, whereby
Boustani assured that measures to eliminate all electricity network violations
are ongoing. "Our tour today aimed at eliminating all violations, starting from
Tripoli and passing through Zgharta and Koura, far-reaching the region of
Bcharre. We stopped by al-Diman where we were received by His Beatitude, and we
had the chance to discuss the Qadisha electricity plan and the works carried out
by the Electricity Company to-date," said Boustani. "The Patriarch has given us
his blessings, and we are thankful for his warm reception," she added.
Sami Gemayel: This country cannot persist as long as there
are those who drag us to wars
NNA - Sat 27 Jul 2019
"We cannot live in this country and continue to build a state and a decent,
civilized life for our children in the future as long as there is someone who
decides our future for us," said Kataeb Party Chief, Sami Gemayel. Addressing
partisans during the annual dinner organized by the Party's Tarshish branch on
Friday night, he stressed that "this country cannot thrive as long as there are
those who drag us to wars and can, at any time, threaten the Americans and Arabs
and others; thus the sanctions and threats to cut-off support begin pouring on
us!""This is what actually exposes Lebanon, and not telling the truth," he
corroborated. "Those who are keen on preserving the country would place
themselves under the rooftop of the law and the constitution," deemed Gemayel.
"The Kataeb will not abandon itself in quest of ministerial and parliamentary
seats, and will not accept the country's current condition to go on," he
emphasized. Gemayel considered that "people have to start practicing
accountability, since they have plenty of time to assess everyone's performance,
i.e. within three years of time until the next elections."
Kouyoumjian stresses consistency in state building project,
law implementation
NNA - Sat 27 Jul 2019
NNA - "The Lebanese Forces Party is steadfast in its positions of defending the
sovereignty of Lebanon, in its project to liberate it from occupation and to
establish the state, in supporting the electricity plan and its execution, and
in its consistency towards the implementation of the law," said Social Affairs
Minister, Richard Kouyoumjian. His words came during his inauguration of an
inorganic waste treatment project in the area of Majdel Anjar earlier today,
within the context of the "Host Communities Support Program" backed by the
Social Affairs Ministry, with the cooperation of the Environment Ministry, the
United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees, the United Nations Development
Program and the United Kingdom. Kouyoumjian voiced full support to Environment
Minister Fadi Jreissati "when it comes to implementing a well-studied plan that
is clear and scientific."He commended today's inaugurated project "which
fulfills part of the requirements of Majdel Anjar in the field of the
environment and the treatment of inorganic waste," hoping that it will be
widened to include the Environment Ministry as well. "The solution to our
problems can be achieved mainly through two points, the adoption of expanded
administrative and development decentralization, and today's project today is
best proof," he said, adding, "The second point is privatization in sectors or
partnership between the public and private sectors." "The Ministry of Social
Affairs is a partnership between the state and the civil sector, which assesses
its needs in planning and then implementation is done in cooperation with the
Ministry," he continued to explain. In turn, Environment Minister Jreissati, who
was present at the inaugural event, emphasized the need to "take the initiative
together on the issue of landfill, composting, and environmental and health
treatment.""We ought to have the courage to deal with this issue, and we have to
accept solutions through cooperation with the federations and unions, and
Wednesday we are scheduled to discuss the plan," he added. Jreissati stressed
the inability of Lebanon's infrastructure to carry the growing burdens of the
Syrian displacement any longer.
"The problem of waste treatment in 2019 is like talking about a nuclear weapon,
of which we know nothing, and we no longer accept any justification for
failure," he underlined.
Lebanese Army explains circumstances of today's incident in Bsatin, Aley
district
NNA -Sat 27 Jul 2019
The Lebanese Army issued a statement Saturday clarifying the circumstances of
the incident that occurred in the area of Bsatin-Aley district this morning. In
details, the statement indicated that "while citizen Rayan Merhi, in an apparent
drunken state, attempted to enter the courtyard of the building where Minister
Saleh al-Gharib resides in the area of Bsatin-Aley district, the Army units at
the military checkpoint in charge of the Minister's protection immediately
intercepted Merhi. However, the incident developed into a clash when the
personal body guards of Minister al-Ghairb intervened, causing a state of chaos
and shooting that led to the injury of Merhi, who was rushed to hospital for
treatment."The statement added that the Army units took the necessary measures
in the region following the incident, while the Internal Security Forces
investigated the matter under the supervision of the concerned judiciary.
Abu Sleiman vows to pursue implementation of the law, says
it cannot be fragmented
NNA - Sat 27 Jul 2019
Labor Minister Kamil Abu Sleiman stressed Saturday that he is adamant on
implementing the Lebanese Labor Law, away from any act of fragmentation. In an
interview with 'Voice of Lebanon" Station this morning, Abu Sleiman stated that
he is performing his ministerial duties in a technical, and not in a political
manner, adding, "We must not always think of a settlement. There is a law that
must be implemented in order to regulate the labor force, and to activate the
Lebanese labor force." "The Ministry of Labor's plan shall continue and it is
beginning to be fruitful," he asserted. In response to a question, Abu Sleiman
said that "Prime Minister Saad Hariri is looking for solutions to ease the
Palestinian tension and did not ask him to postpone the implementation of his
Ministry's plan." He added that inspection is ongoing in this respect, noting
that the main target is not Palestinian labor but rather the huge portion of
illegal Syrian labor in the country. The Minister expressed his surprise at the
recent Palestinian uproar which he did not see when America decided to consider
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel! He said: "The current law is a starting
point, but some are lost in the corridors of politics...We have to consider the
Labor Law as our base, and not philosophy. The Labor Law stipulates that those
who are not Lebanese should obtain a work permit, and exceptions are
unacceptable in this respect."On the cabinet's work, Abu Sleiman expressed his
dissatisfaction with the performance of the government, deeming the existing
disruption as "unsound" and calling for "thinking seriously of the 2020 annual
budget starting today." "I hope that we approach the 2020 budget in a different
way and a clear vision through a deficit of not more than 5%," he said, noting
that the Lebanese Forces Party always votes for the interest of sovereign
matters, working conscientiously for the benefit of citizens.
Druze Sheikh Aql calls for Christian-Islamic Summit on Tuesday
NNA - Sat 27 Jul 2019
Druze Sheikh Aql, Naïm Hassan, called for an Islamic-Christian Summit upcoming
Tuesday, at the Council's headquarters in Beirut, to dwell on various national
and spiritual issues. The Summit aims to emphasize the national and
constitutional constants, to resort to the State with all its institutions, and
to control all political differences within the framework of respect for
diversity and stability and preserving civil peace. It will also highlight the
need to activate the government's action to meet the challenges that beset our
Lebanon at various levels.
Drone found in Lebanese territorial waters in Batroun
NNA - Sat 27 Jul 2019
Lebanese Naval Forces detected a pilotless drone this morning in the Lebanese
territorial waters off the plain of Hanoush in the Batroun district, which was
previously lost during the training of US troops at the Hamat Air Base, NNA
correspondent in Batroun reported.
Ibrahim Mediates Release of U.S. Citizen Held in Syria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 27/2019
A 30-year-old American held captive in Syria for two months was attempting to
visit every country in the world, US media reported Friday, after he had been
freed. Sam Goodwin was released by Syrian officials following the mediation of
Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon's internal security, Goodwin's family told
The New York Times and The Washington Post. His disappearance had not been
previously reported and the exact date of his release remained unclear. "We are
grateful to be reunited with our son Sam," Goodwin's parents, Thomas and Ann
Goodwin, said in a statement. "Sam is healthy and with his family.""We are
forever indebted to Lebanese General Abbas Ibrahim and to all others who helped
secure the release of our son," they said. "We will have more to say at a later
date. Right now, we appreciate our privacy as we reconnect with Sam." According
to the Post, Goodwin was last seen on May 25 in the city of Qamishli in
northeast Syria after crossing from Turkey as part of his bid to visit every
country in the world. Several other Americans have gone missing in Syria
including Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who vanished in 2012.
Bassil Warns over 'National Accord, Partnership' after
'Article 80' Controversy
Naharnet/July 27/2019
Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil on Friday
described parliament’s controversial approval of Article 80 of the state budget
as a blow to “national accord” and “partnership.” “What happened with us
regarding Article 80 of the state budget is not something minor in terms of the
violation of balances, understandings and agreements,” Bassil said in a speech
in Zahle. “Article 80 should be dropped and such norms that encroach on the
powers of the president, the prime minister and the minister should not be
established,” he added. “I don’t know where the interest is in awaking
(sectarian) fears that we thought have become behind us,” Bassil decried,
accusing some political parties of disregarding “the requirements of national
accord and partnership.”The article in question preserves the employment right
of those who succeeded in Civil Service Council exams for a period of six years.
The FPM says an agreement had been reached on dropping the article seeing as
there would be no “sectarian balance” should those who passed the exams be
appointed as civil servants. There are conflicting reports on whether or not the
article was officially dropped during parliament’s sessions on the state budget.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
July 27-28/2019
Hamas bids urgently for same Iranian BM-21 Grad missiles as the Yemeni Houthis
DEBKAfile/July 27/2019
A Hamas delegation to Tehran this week, led by deputy leader Salih al-Arouri,
pressed for a supply of BM-21 Grads, the same ballistic missiles consigned by
Iran to the Yemeni Houthi insurgents. This is reported by DEBKAfile’s military
and intelligence sources. The Palestinian visitors from Gaza were secretly
received by top Revolutionary Guards officials and even publicly, as an unusual
honor, by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Hamas delegates explained
that they wanted these Grad missiles – which have a range of 450km – for
attacking Tel Aviv and Israel’s sensitive strategic locations, just as the
Houthis launch cross-border strikes on key sites in Saudi Arabia. Asked for
specifics, the terrorist leaders said they planned to “blanket Tel Aviv with
missiles.”DEBKAfile’s sources disclose that the Hamas delegation did not tell
their hosts the true reason for their urgent request – namely, that their
missile armory was close to collapse. In the course of Hamas’ first major
military exercise in the Gaza Strip, the test-firing of 13 rockets over the
Mediterranean on July 9, for practicing an assault on Israel, instead being the
exercise’s climax, was a shambles. Our sources report that 50pc of the rockets
exploded in places wide of their targets and some of their metal parts had
developed cracks. Hamas keeps its rocket stocks in hidden bunkers deep under the
sand hills of the Gaza Strip. The poor level of maintenance exposed during the
exercise shocked the chiefs of Hamas’ armed Ezz e-din Al-Qassam wing. They
decided that the urgent upgrade needed to restore rocket capabilities would be
answered by the acquisition of Iranian BM-21 Grad ballistic missiles. The answer
the Palestinian terrorists received in Tehran was that their request would be
dealt with in due course after further discussion.
Tunisia Bids Farewell to Essebsi
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
Tunisia bid farewell on Saturday to President Beji Caid Essebsi at a state
funeral that included French President Emmanuel Macron, Algerian President
Abdelkader Ben Saleh, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and King Felipe VI of
Spain and thousands of mourners. Essebsi, who helped guide the North African
country’s transition to democracy after the 2011 revolution, died aged 92 on
Thursday. The late president’s coffin, covered with the red and white Tunisian
flag, was placed on a military truck in the palace of Carthage, about 10
kilometers from the capital. Many roads have been closed and security forces
deployed in most areas of Tunis and near the Al Jallaz cemetery. Tunisians lined
up the streets leading to the Carthage district, waving flags and chanting the
national anthem. Thousands filled the capital’s Habib Bourguiba Avenue, a focal
point of the 2011 revolution that sparked uprisings across the Arab world, known
as the Arab Spring. “It is a sad day for Tunisia,” said a woman named Nabila.
“We lost a great statesman who had a big role after 2011 revolution and helped
unite Tunisians.”Hours after Essebsi’s death, parliament speaker Mohamed
Ennaceur was sworn in as interim president in line with the constitution in a
smooth transition of power. The electoral commission announced a presidential
election for September 15, two months earlier than scheduled. A parliamentary
vote is set for October 6. Essebsi rose to prominence after the overthrow of
veteran leader Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.Drafted in as premier after Ben Ali’s
fall, Essebsi in 2012 founded the secular Nidaa Tounes party, now part of the
governing coalition. Two years later, Essebsi became Tunisia’s first freely
elected head of state.
Iran missile tests defensive, Fars news agency cites
Iranian military source as saying
Reuters/NNA/Sat 27 Jul 2019
DUBAI, July 27 (Reuters) - Iran's missile tests are part of the country's
defensive needs and are not directed against any country, and Tehran does not
need any power's permission, the semi-official news agency Fars on Saturday
quoted an Iranian military source as saying.
A U.S. defence official said on Thursday that Iran tested what appeared to be a
medium-range ballistic missile on Wednesday that travelled about 1,000 km (620
miles). The test did not pose a threat to shipping or any U.S. personnel in the
region, the official said. "An informed source at the armed forces staff said
Iran's missile tests are natural within its defensive needs. This missile
capacity is not against any country, and only aims to respond to possible
aggression," Fars said. "Iran does not need the permission of any power in the
world for its self-defence."
6 Iranians Among Dead in Israeli Strike on Southern Syria
Beirut - London - Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
Six Iranians fighting for the Syrian regime were among those killed in reported
Israeli missile strikes in southern Syria this week, the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights has said. Israeli missiles targeted "military positions and
intelligence facilities belonging to Iran and (pro-Iranian) militias" in the
southern provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, it said. State media also reported
that the "Israeli enemy launched an aggression" against military positions held
by the government and its allies in Daraa province, without mentioning
casualties. The Observatory said Thursday the strikes had killed six Iranians
and three pro-regime Syrian fighters. The area targeted on Wednesday lies close
to part of the Golan Heights that is occupied and annexed by Israel. Israeli
daily Maariv quoted a senior official in Tel Aviv as saying that although the
Israeli army was attacking Iran-backed Hezbollah positions, it refrained from
harming party officers and focused its operations against designated terrorist
bases.
15 Killed in Regime, Russia Airstrikes on Idlib
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
Fifteen people were killed on Saturday in airstrikes by the Syrian regime and
its Russian ally on the northwestern province of Idlib. In the town of Ariha,
seven children were among 11 civilians killed in Syrian airstrikes that targeted
two residential buildings and also wounded 28 other people, said the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights. One of the dead was a small boy who was found
under the rubble by White Helmets rescuers, his face bloodied and his body
covered in white dust, a photographer who works with AFP said from the scene. He
also witnessed rescuers digging through the rubble of a collapsed roof for more
victims, while a member of the White Helmets moved the body of a young man into
the back of a pickup truck. Ariha made headlines after it was pummeled Wednesday
by warplanes that claimed the lives of 10 civilians, according to the
Observatory, when a picture of three sisters struggling for their lives went
viral on social media networks. The picture showed two dust-covered girls
trapped in the rubble and clutching their baby sister by her shirt as she
dangles from a bombed out building. One of the girls later died of her wounds
while the other two are hospitalized and fighting to stay alive, according to
local medics. Russian airstrikes on northern Hama province Saturday that hit an
ambulance killed three rescuers while another child died in regime bombardment
elsewhere in the Idlib region, the Observatory said. Idlib and parts of the
neighboring provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia are under the control of Hayat
Tahrir al-Sham, an extremist group led by Syria's former al-Qaeda affiliate. The
region is supposed to be protected from a massive regime offensive by a
September buffer zone deal, but it has come under increasing bombardment by the
regime and Russia over the past three months. In the Syrian regime airstrike
campaign, backed by Russia, warplanes have targeted medical centers, water
plants and residential areas, in what the UN and rights groups call a deliberate
campaign that amounts to war crimes. Most of the civilians living in the
opposition stronghold have already been displaced by other bouts of violence,
and have chosen not to live in regime-captured areas. The UN human rights chief,
Michelle Bachelet, said Friday that the world's most powerful nations are
failing to show leadership in dealing with the Syrian crisis "resulting in a
tragedy on such a vast scale that we no longer seem to be able to relate to it
at all."According to her office, at least 450 civilians were killed since the
offensive began in April 30, including more than 100 in the last 10 days alone.
More than 440,000 people were displaced inside the crowded enclave to escape the
airstrikes.
Trump, Johnson Discuss Iran in Phone Call
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
US President Donald Trump telephoned on Friday Boris Johnson to congratulate him
on becoming British prime minister. The two leaders discussed a number of
issues, including current tensions with Iran, following the recent seizure of a
British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, said the British government. “They ended
by looking forward to seeing each other at the G7 summit in Biarritz next
month,” the statement said. Earlier, US officials revealed that Iran had
test-launched a medium-range ballistic missile inside its borders, defying Trump
administration demands that it curtail the weapon program and demonstrating its
intent to further push back against US sanctions. The test came amid heightened
tensions between Iran and the West, mainly over the safety of commercial
shipping in the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. A White House spokesman
called the test launch an example of Iran "acting out" as a result of intense
pressure from US economic sanctions. "You've seen their economy teetering on the
verge of collapse for a while now. And when they're backed into a corner,
they're acting out," said spokesman Hogan Gidley, who also said Trump wants to
begin conversations with Iran's leaders. Iran has responded to stepped-up US
economic sanctions with a variety of military moves, and the Shahab-3 missile
test launch could be considered another signal from Tehran that it will not back
down. Tensions have mounted with Iran over a 2015 nuclear accord it reached with
world powers. The deal eased sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear
program. Trump withdrew the United States from the accord last year, reinstating
sanctions on Iran and adding new ones. Iran has openly exceeded the uranium
enrichment levels set in the accord to try to pressure Europe into offsetting
the economic pain of US sanctions. Trump insists that Iran must agree to limits
on its ballistic missile program, but Iran thus far has refused. Nations still
party to the nuclear deal plan to meet in Vienna on Sunday to see to what extent
the agreement can be saved. The European Union said the meeting of officials
from China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany will be chaired by the EU.
Iranian military source: Missile tests are defensive, not
against any country
Reuters/Saturday, 27 July 2019
Iran’s missile tests are part of the country’s defensive needs and are not
directed against any country, and Tehran does not need any power’s permission,
the semi-official news agency Fars on Saturday quoted an Iranian military source
as saying. A US defense official said on Thursday that Iran tested what appeared
to be a medium-range ballistic missile on Wednesday that travelled about 1,000
km. The test did not pose a threat to shipping or any US personnel in the
region, the official said. “An informed source at the armed forces staff said
Iran’s missile tests are natural within its defensive needs. This missile
capacity is not against any country, and only aims to respond to possible
aggression,” Fars said. “Iran does not need the permission of any power in the
world for its self-defense.”
Iran Says IRGC Member Killed in Clashes with ‘Anti-revolutionaries’
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they lost one soldier and killed a
number of "anti-revolutionaries" in clashes Friday near the western border with
Iraq. A Guards border patrol "encountered and fought with an anti-revolutionary
group in Sarvabad," in Kurdistan province, the semi-official Fars news agency
reported. The report said an unspecified number of the "anti-revolutionaries
were killed and wounded and a considerable amount of their weapons and
ammunition was destroyed". One of the Guards was "wounded and died en route to
hospital", the agency added. It did not say whether or not the combatants were
from Kurdish opposition or militant groups.
India Urges Iran to Release Remaining Members of Oil Tanker Crew
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
India appealed on Saturday to Iran to release the three remaining crew members
of a Panama-flagged tanker it seized this month. Tehran has already free nine of
the Indian crew members. Dozens of Indian crew members on ships in the Gulf have
been caught up in rising tensions between Iran and the West. The MT Riah was
detained by the Iranian coastguard on July 13, with 12 Indian crew members on
board, the Indian foreign ministry said. “Nine crew members have been released
and they will be on their way to India soon,” foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh
Kumar said.
“Our mission in Iran has requested the concerned Iranian authorities for the
release of remaining crew members.”No reason was provided as to why the three
were being held. Iranian state TV aired footage of the vessel a few days after
it was seized, saying it had been detained by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards
for smuggling fuel. Indian and Iranian authorities said this week Iran had
granted India consular access to 18 Indian crew seized on another ship, the
British-flagged Stena Impero, that Iran seized in the Strait of Hormuz on July
19.
The seizure of the British tanker in the world’s most important waterway for the
oil trade has deepened a crisis between Iran and the West that was triggered in
May when the United States tightened sanctions, effectively barring all
countries from buying Iranian oil. Iran said it had seized the Stena Impero
because it had collided with a fishing boat. India’s junior foreign minister, V.
Muraleedharan, said India was pushing for the release of the Indian crew on the
British vessel. India has had long-standing political and energy ties with Iran,
but it has cut off all its oil supplies from it because of US sanctions.
Turkey Says it ‘Neutralized' 34 PKK Fighters in Air Strikes
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Saturday it had "neutralized" 34 Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) fighters in northern Iraq in air strikes on July 17-19.
Sixteen militants were "neutralized" in air strikes on northern Iraq's Qandil
region on July 17, and 18 in air strikes on the Karacak region on July 19, it
said. The ministry commonly uses the term "neutralized" to refer to those killed
but it can also refer to those wounded or captured. The PKK, considered a
terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and European Union, has
waged an insurgency for autonomy in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast since
1984. It has fighters based in northern Iraq, mainly in the Qandil region. The
Defense Ministry said it had "neutralized" a total of 255 PKK fighters in
operations in northern Iraq since May 27, when Ankara launched an offensive
there against the PKK. Turkey frequently launches air strikes in the region but
the latest campaign, dubbed "Operation Claw", has included artillery fire and
ground operations.
Erdogan: Turkey May Turn Elsewhere for Jets if US Won’t Sell it F-35s
Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 26 July, 2019
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday Turkey would turn elsewhere for
fighter jets if the United States will not sell it the F-35 jets, adding that
Ankara planned to start using the Russian S-400 missile defense system in April
2020. The United States said last week it was removing NATO ally Turkey from the
F-35 program, as long threatened, after Ankara purchased and received delivery
of the S-400 system that Washington sees as a threat. Washington has also
threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey, though Ankara has dismissed the
warnings. It has instead put its trust in sympathetic comments from US President
Donald Trump, who has said that Turkey was treated "unfairly". However, Trump
has not ruled out sanctions on Turkey. Erdogan, speaking publicly about the
strained US ties for the first time in 11 days, said he hoped US officials would
be "reasonable" on the question of sanctions, adding that Turkey may also
reconsider its purchase of advanced Boeing aircraft from the United States. "Are
you not giving us the F-35s? Okay, then excuse us but we will once again have to
take measures on that matter as well and we will turn elsewhere," Erdogan told
members of his ruling AK Party.
"Even if we're not getting F-35s, we are buying 100 advanced Boeing aircraft,
the agreement is signed... At the moment, one of the Boeing planes has arrived
and we are making the payments, we are good customers," he said. "But, if things
continue like this, we will have to reconsider this."
"In the coming spring, God willing in April 2020, we will be able to start using
this system," he added. "I hope the US will act with good sense regarding the
S-400," Erdogan stated. Russia's Rostec state conglomerate said Russia would be
ready to supply its SU-35 jets to Turkey if Ankara requested them. But, Turkish
officials said on Thursday there were no talks with Moscow on alternatives to
the F-35 jets for now. Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained
over a host of issues. Turkey has also been infuriated with US support for the
Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, a main US ally in the region
that Ankara sees as a terrorist organization. Ankara has warned that it would
launch a military operation in northern Syria to wipe out the YPG if it could
not agree with Washington on the planned safe zone in the region, saying it had
run "out of patience."However, Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey is determined
to destroy the "terror corridor" east of the Euphrates river in Syria no matter
how talks on the safe zone conclude, as Ankara ramped up its threats of an
offensive.
Israeli Embassy in Helsinki Complains of 15 Attacks in 18 Months
Tel Aviv – Asharq Al-Awsat/27 July, 2019
The Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Finnish ambassador to Tel Aviv to
formally complain about repeated attacks against the Israeli embassy in
Helsinki. It said its diplomatic mission was attacked by neo-Nazis 15 times in
the past 18 months. Its complaints to Finnish authorities have failed to contain
the issue. Attackers broke the embassy windows, wrote hostile slogans, painted
the Palestinian flag at the premises and threatened bodily harm to employees.
Israeli Ambassador to Finland Dov Segev-Steinberg had filed official complaints
to authorities after every attack, expressing his grave concern over the safety
of the mission and its workers. The authorities have however, deemed the attacks
as legal under the system of freedom of expression.
Probe Says 87 People Killed in Sudan Security Forces’ Raid on Protest Camp in
June
Asharq Al-Awsat/Saturday, 27 July, 2019
A probe revealed Saturday that 87 people were killed when security forces broke
up a protest camp in the Sudanese capital on June 3. Fath al-Rahman Saeed, the
head of the investigative committee appointed by the public prosecutor, said
members of the security forces fired live ammunition at protesters in Khartoum
who were demanding the military cede power. Saeed told a news conference three
officers had violated orders by moving forces into the sit-in area outside the
Defense Ministry, a focal point during protests that led to the ouster of
long-time President Omar al-Bashir on April 11. Saeed said 17 of the 87 people
killed were in the square occupied by protesters in the worst bout of violence
since Bashir was toppled. He said 168 people were wounded, with 48 of them hit
by bullets. “Some outlaws exploited this gathering and formed another gathering
in what is known as the Columbia area, where negative and illegal practices took
place,” Saeed said, adding one of the three officers involved ordered his forces
to whip protesters. “It became a security threat, forcing the authorities to
make necessary arrangements to clear the area,” Saeed said. The committee’s
findings put the death toll higher than the Health Ministry’s previous estimate
of 61. But opposition medics have said 127 people were killed and 400 people
wounded. “The findings of this committee represent a shock to the Sudanese
street and the regional and international communities,” said Ismail al-Taj, a
leader in the Sudanese Professionals’ Association (SPA), part of the opposition
coalition. “Reality says that there are closer to 130 martyrs,” Taj said, adding
that the committee had relied on Health Ministry records, which he said were
inaccurate. But he said the committee’s assessment would not affect the
political process. The opposition Forces of Freedom and Change is negotiating
with the ruling military council to finalize an agreement for a three-year
transition to elections. The two sides signed a deal on July 17 determining the
transition’s institutions. Negotiators travelled on Saturday to Juba, the
capital of South Sudan which seceded from Sudan in 2011, to work on a
constitutional declaration to determine the role of a new council to run Sudan.
Direct talks are expected on Sunday.
Bahrain executes three men over terrorism charges, killing of mosque imam
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English/Saturday, 27 July 2019
Bahrain executed early on Saturday three people convicted in two separate cases,
one a case of “terrorism” and killing a police officer by an Iran-linked
terrorist group, and the second related to the killing of a mosque imam, the
public prosecution said. Public Prosecutor Ahmed al-Hammadi said two of the
individuals in the terrorism case were also charged with possession of
explosives and firearms for the purpose of terrorism. He stated that, in
coordination with the organization’s leader in Germany, they arranged for the
travel of a number of recruits to Iran and Iraq to train on how to use
explosives and firearms in IRGC camps. The convicts were put to death along with
a third death row prisoner found guilty of murder. The terrorism case was based
on investigations, which uncovered a terrorist organization joined by a dozen
members from abroad in Iran, Iraq, and Germany, and 40 members in Bahrain. The
organization was preparing to commit a number of terrorist crimes inside Bahrain
“for the purpose of disturbing the public order, endangering the safety and
security of the Kingdom, harming national unity and obstructing the public
authorities from carrying out their duties,” Bahrain News Agency reported. The
planned armed attacks included the storming of the kingdom's Jaw prison in
January 2017 that killed a guard and led to the escape of 10 detainees, the
prosecutor said. That attack was followed by two separate fatal attacks on
police officers later the same month, the prosecutor added. The prosecutor said
that the suspects in Iran and Iraq communicated with the organization’s members
in Bahrain, and set out to recruit more members, as well as provide them with
arms that they planned to smuggle into the country. The suspects were arrested
following a raid on their place of residence, where Bahraini authorities say
they found large quantities of explosives, hand grenades, Kalashnikovs and
ammunition.
Imam murder
In a separate case, a Bahrain mosque’s muezzin (the person who recites the call
to prayer) was sentenced to death for killing the mosque’s imam, whose body
parts were found in the desert, according to the public prosecutor. The man was
charged based on witness testimonies as well as forensic reports, security
footage and the results of the forensic laboratory reports. The case was brought
before the High Criminal Court, during which the prosecution presented the
evidence proving the charges, requesting the maximum sentence. The accused had
appealed the death sentence before the Court of Appeal and the Court of
Cassation, which ruled against it.
Trump Seeks to Avoid Slapping Turkey with Sanctions over
Missile Deal
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 27/2019
The warnings were unambiguous, and now so is the retreat: after threatening to
hit Turkey with sanctions for buying a Russian missile defense system, the Trump
administration is looking for a way to avoid doing so. Theoretically the
sanctions were to be automatic, mandated by Congress, if NATO member Turkey
opted to buy the S-400 system from NATO's main adversary Russia. But since
Ankara began taking delivery of the system, designed to protect the country from
air attacks, on July 12, President Donald Trump has signaled he is loath to
punish the US ally economically over the deal. Legislators from both parties
want the US leader to show firmness, after having pressed Turkey hard for two
years not to follow through.But after meeting with Trump this week, Republican
senators were not optimistic. "It was certainly clear that the president is not
in a place right now where he wants to impose sanctions on Turkey," said an
assistant to one of the legislators in the White House meeting, speaking on
condition of anonymity. The billionaire president, who doesn't mask his affinity
for controversial autocrats, says he has a close relationship with President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan. And the Turkish strongman has claimed that this
relationship will permit him to escape sanctions. The S-400 is viewed as threat
to NATO -- it could be used to take aim at US and NATO aircraft. For months
Washington has repeatedly warned of "very serious" sanctions "if it completes
the delivery of the S-400." However the message from Washington has changed
since then. The United States' F-35 fighter jet program "cannot coexist with a
Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to learn about its
advanced capabilities," the White House said last week. But on signing off on
the sanctions, Trump has demurred.
"We're not looking at that right now," he said on July 18. "I've had a good
relationship with President Erdogan," he said. "We're working through it --
we'll see what happens."
Semantic twists
"There is no timetable" in the so-called CAATSA legislation requiring sanctions
for the S-400 purchase, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said
Thursday, stressing that the action taken on the F-35 program was already "very,
very heavy." The 2017 CAATSA legislation requires punitive economic measures
against any country engaging in "a significant transaction" with the Russian
military. But since the delivery took place, Washington has subtly shifted.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has now said that the red line is the
"activation" of the missile defense system. "The activation of the S-400 is
unacceptable," he told Bloomberg TV on Thursday. "There could be more sanctions
to follow, but frankly what we'd really like is the S-400 not to become
operational." And Senator Lindsey Graham, an ally of the president, told the
Defense One publication that he is mediating between the two sides. He said that
he had told Ankara that if they don't activate the S-400, "the sanctions don’t
have to be applied." In exchange, Graham said, he offered to begin free trade
agreement negotiations with Turkey -- an approach Pompeo did not deny. Erdogan
has played along -- he said the S-400 won't be operational until April,
prolonging the poker game between the two countries. Yet some experts say the
system is a threat even when it isn't fully activated. The senator's aide
acknowledged an ongoing debate about what constitutes "a significant
transaction," but said that, ultimately, the Trump administration has a legal
requirement under CAATSA to sanction Turkey. Pressure is still coming from other
parts of Congress, with some lawmakers questioning Turkey's future in the
Atlantic Alliance. "NATO was created as a bulwark against Russian aggression,"
said Senator Rick Scott. "I have serious concerns about allowing Turkey to
continue to enjoy the protections of NATO while cozying up to Moscow."
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials
from miscellaneous sources published
on July 27-28/2019·
The Idle Jockeying of Iranian Diplomacy
David D. Kirkpatrick/The New York Times/July 27/2019
The bewildering jockeying of the Iranian diplomacy makes you wonder where does
this frenzy agitation lead. It is presumably predicated on equivocations which
are meant to procrastinate on the hot issues at stake, pursue the waffling on
nuclear issues, and await the forthcoming elections in the US. The
instrumentalization of the high seas piracy and terrorist attacks on tankers, as
international policy tools, are not only counterproductive but open the door to
security hazards with incalculable consequences. The Russian roulette game is
highly risky and may lead to war, and displays the inner contradictions of a
rudderless political system which fails to make the required transitions, if it
were to address its dire public policy issues ( political, financial, economic,
social, environmental ...
The pointless maneuvering betrays enduring vacillations, and inability to
extricate itself from insoluble aporias and self generated political impasses.
There are no chances to terminate the course of self defeating politics, unless
the Iranian regime decides to open up to the international community, finish off
with his pariah status and engage its ongoing rules. The previous attempts have
failed, even with the finalization of the Vienna accords, undermined by a shady
commitment, a blatant doublespeak and a thoroughgoing course of subversion
politics in the larger Middle East. This political and military brinkmanship is
stalemated because the containment process is closing at both economic and
strategic ends, the internal deterioration is reaching unsustainable heights,
and the regional political volatility increased its momentum.
Otherwise, the misplaced expectations on political change in Washington-DC are
already turning awry, since Tehran is unwilling to bounce its feckless stratagem
of intertwined untruthfulness and subversion. The Iranian regime has to operate
a change in direction, and set a path for normalization and liberalization at
both extremities. My skepticism, in this regard, is unlikely to subside because
the totalitarian dystopia is structured on the crossroads between fossilized
Islamic ideology, sturdy psychotic defenses and working politics of repression.
Therefore, the strengthening of the sanctions regime is mandatory if we were to
oversee a breakthrough, and the creation of a working negotiation platform.
Arrogance and cynicism are counterproductive and have come full circle, it’s
about time to change both, course and state of mind.
Johnson will dramatically change the trajectory of Iran
crisis
Dr. John C. Hulsman/Arab News/July 27, 2019
Elections have consequences. And the recent ascension to power of Boris Johnson
as prime minister of the UK — following his comfortable defeat of former Foreign
Minister Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative leadership contest — has more than
most. Surprisingly, these consequences extend beyond the myopic, obsessive state
of Brexit to much larger foreign policy issues, including even the trajectory of
the looming strategic crisis with Iran.
For, with the elevation of a decidedly more pro-US leader, the UK will
decisively move away from its present diplomatic position as one of the EU-3 in
the region (along with France and Germany) and, over time, gravitate to the more
muscular position of Donald Trump’s America. Without the firm support for the
Iranian nuclear deal that the tired, weak former government of Theresa May
exhibited, the common strategic and diplomatic position of the EU-3 will tumble
down like the house of cards that it is.
While the dramatic miscalculation that was Iran’s brazen seizure of the British
tanker, the Stena Impero, grabs all the present headlines, in the long run the
meaning of Prime Minister Johnson’s ascension to power will prove a more
important fact in the ongoing crisis. Predictably, following the seizure,
then-Foreign Secretary Hunt announced — in line with the May government’s
defeatist, pro-EU stance — that the UK was proposing a joint “European Maritime
Mission” to protect the EU-3’s shipping through the suddenly perilous Strait of
Hormuz.
This amounted to the usual European fondness for gesture politics, rather than
doing anything of substance. For, of the EU-3, only France and the UK actually
have a functioning navy. Pacifist Germany, with defense spending only amounting
to a pitiful 1.24 percent of the gross domestic product in 2018, long ago
succumbed to the fatuous belief that international relations amounts to a
debating society. Its holiday from history means only two of the vaunted EU-3
actually have a navy in place to carry out this dangerous mission.
Second, British shipping executives have wryly noted that Hunt’s plan, even if
enthusiastically acted upon, might take as long as four months to be fully
operational, which in the real world amounts to little help.
The new PM definitively sees the world far differently from the tired,
discredited British establishment.
But then, actually doing something to stop Iranian piracy on the high seas is
not the point. Rather, the goal is to look as if something is being done while
not working with the far more capable (and far more bellicose) Americans to
actually safeguard Western shipping. The danger with such a European course of
action is, of course, that it risks heightening the chances for open conflict
and the definitive end of their precious Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,
something which the EU-3 want to avoid at all costs.
But, in his long-term championing of the Anglosphere, Johnson definitively sees
the world far differently from the tired, discredited British establishment, of
which both May and Hunt are charter members. For Johnson, far from being a relic
of a long ago past, a belief that the English-speaking peoples of the world
still amount to a central British foreign policy bastion is a paramount foreign
policy belief.
In terms of defense alliances, the US and the UK still dominate NATO, while the
Australians, Indians and the US make up three members of the nascent “Quad,”
which is designed to balance China. The “Five Eyes” of the US, UK, Canada,
Australia and New Zealand form the paramount intelligence-sharing grouping in
the world.
Economically, India and the US are two of the fastest-growing major world
economies. For the UK, America remains absolutely central to its economy. As a
single country, the US is the largest export market for British goods. It is
also the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), while the UK is the
second-largest source of FDI for American firms. For all these hard-headed
reasons, Johnson and other believers in the Anglosphere see it as the future,
not the past.
As such, don’t look for Johnson to instinctively side with the EU-3 anymore.
Instead, to further British interests in line with his Anglosphere beliefs, the
PM will drift into the American orbit over a number of foreign policy issues,
including Iran.
In the short run, this may actually mean a toning down of the immediate crisis,
which actually suits both the American and British administrations. Wholly
focusing on delivering Brexit in only 99 days, Johnson wants the immediate
crisis to go away and may well offer a swap of the earlier captured Grace 1
Iranian tanker for the Stena Impero. Paradoxically, this would suit Trump to the
ground, as he remains determined to live up to the promise he made to his
political base to avoid “more stupid wars” in the Middle East.
However, in the medium term, a reckoning is coming. For, in increasingly siding
with America over France and Germany, Johnson will scupper what is left of the
Iranian nuclear deal in practice and will work more closely with the US and its
Arab allies in the region. The net is closing ever tighter around Tehran.
Johnson’s elevation to the premiership is a huge and utterly under-discussed
element in this unfolding drama.
• Dr. John C. Hulsman is the president and managing partner of John C. Hulsman
Enterprises, a prominent global political risk consulting firm. He is also
senior columnist for City AM, the newspaper of the City of London. He can be
contacted via
www.chartwellspeakers.com.
Boris wields his axe … but can he cut it as PM?
Cornelia Meyer/Arab News/July 27, 2019
He came, he saw, he wielded the axe. Events moved quickly after Boris Johnson
was elected leader of Britain’s governing Conservative party. He declared that
his three priorities were to deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat the
Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn. The next day he visited the Queen, who
appointed him prime minister. She is said to have wondered why anyone wanted the
job — an understandable sentiment given that the government has a parliamentary
majority of just two, and even that relies on an agreement with the Democratic
Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland.
Back in Downing Street, Boris wasted no time. He gave a rousing speech promising
that the UK would leave the EU on Oct. 31 come what may — no ifs, no buts. He
also vowed to put 20,000 more police officers on the streets and to repair the
broken social-care system, which is important in light of the country’s ageing
population. Boris showed once more that he is a brilliant orator. He sounded
more like the columnist he was than the prime minister he has become. The speech
was painted with broad brush strokes, but lacked practical detail. He oozed
optimism and positivity, which is what the UK needs after three years of
soul-destroying Brexit debate.
He got to work immediately, replacing three-quarters of the cabinet in a matter
of hours. The carnage surpassed even the infamous “Night of the Long Knives”
reshuffle by his Conservative predecessor Harold Macmillan in 1962. Boris
consigned the Theresa May establishment to the parliamentary backbenches, which
may prove to be his Achilles’ heel when the going gets tough. Even under May
there was a majority of MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit; indeed, in the
tumultuous months leading up to her resignation, it appeared to be the only
issue they could agree on.
Hardline leavers dominate the new government; former Brexit Secretary Dominic
Raab has become foreign secretary and effectively deputy prime minister, Priti
Patel is home secretary and the erudite head of the uber-Brexiteer European
Research Group, Jacob Rees-Mogg, is leader of the House of Commons. The highly
effective former environment secretary Michael Gove has been given a cabinet
seat and a wide-ranging role in charge of preparations for Brexit. Boris asked
all his ministers to pledge that they had bought into delivering Brexit on Oct.
31, with or without a deal. Loyalty seems to be a key currency. There are jobs
for those who showed they were willing to toe the government line under Theresa
May, even if they disagreed with it, such as Gove, work and pensions secretary
Amber Rudd and culture secretary Nicky Morgan.
The appointment of Dominic Cummings as the prime minister’s main adviser is
highly significant. Cummings is a divisive figure but a brilliant strategist who
drove change in the education department under Michael Gove and orchestrated the
win for the Vote Leave campaign in 2016. A reading of the tea leaves suggests a
general election sooner rather than later.
The only foreign leader who appeared delighted was the US president, who called
Boris a British Trump and promised a great new trade deal. Like Boris, however,
he was long on sentiment and short on detail.
What did foreign leaders make of all this? The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, warned
Boris that he was hurtling toward a no-deal Brexit, because the Irish backstop
was non-negotiable. When Britain leaves the EU, the border between Northern
Ireland and the Irish Republic will become the only land border between the UK
and the EU; the backstop is designed to keep that border open while the two
negotiate a trade and customs agreement. Brexiteers, and the DUP in particular,
reject it because in effect it would keep Northern Ireland in the EU
indefinitely. “Never mind the backstop,” Boris declared, “the buck stops with
me.”The EU’s elite has said time and again that the withdrawal agreement between the
EU and the UK was not up for renegotiation. If anything, Boris’s tough talk has
steeled their resolve. He aggravated matters further by threatening to withhold
the £39 billion divorce settlement to which Theresa May had agreed. EU
commission president Jean-Claude Juncker is said to have quipped that Johnson
need not call him unless he changes his approach. Boris told German chancellor
Angela Merkel that the backstop was unacceptable, and French president Emmanuel
Macron that the EU had to compromise to avoid a hard Brexit.
The only foreign leader who appeared delighted was the US president, who called
Boris a British Trump and promised a great new trade deal. Like Boris, however,
he was long on sentiment and short on detail. Many in Britain are worried that a
deal with the US would lead to a sell-out of the treasured national health
service to American interests.
Boris is playing high-stakes poker with the country, the economy and his career.
What if he cannot deliver a new deal with the EU and the UK faces a hard Brexit?
Neither government nor business is ready for that, and it is highly questionable
that the short period until Oct. 31 will suffice to prepare. Currency markets
are always a useful barometer of business sentiment; sterling has reached a
15-year low against the euro.
What if the UK does not leave on Oct. 31, whether because of parliamentary
opposition or because the government realises more time is needed? Will Boris
opt for a general election? The shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer
encapsulated the situation well when he said that sooner or later the Brexit
aspirations of Boris Johnson would collide with reality.
In the meantime, it is important for the new prime minister to meet European
leaders as soon as possible to understand where they are coming from. They are
certainly interested to hear his reasoning, and to understand the details behind
his bold statements.
*Cornelia Meyer is a business consultant, macro-economist and energy expert.
Twitter: @MeyerResources
The irresistible rise and rise of Mike Pence
Andrew Hammond/Arab News/July 27, 2019
Mike Pence visits Ohio on Tuesday on a swing-state tour to build support for the
US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade treaty. In an administration dominated by the
polarizing persona of Donald Trump, Pence has become a key influence, building
on the legacy of three predecessors who made the vice-presidency more
substantive.
In the past few weeks Pence has played a prominent role in a range of Trump
initiatives, including visits to the US southern border to focus on immigration
policy and his current trips around the country to promote USMCA, the
administration’s proposed replacement for the North America Free Trade
Agreement.
Pence has also made several key international trips. In most cases, the former
governor of Indiana, who is not without controversy himself, has reassured
allies and defused Trump’s sometimes raucous rhetoric.
Take Pence’s tour of South America last June. While Venezuela was not on the
itinerary, its political crisis hung over the trip following Trump’s remarks
that he was considering “military options” there, an unfortunate comment given
long memories on the continent of US interventionism.
Not only did Pence calm concerns about the US military position, he also
emphasized the US commitment to economic and political partnerships throughout
the hemisphere, boosting an emerging coalition of countries seeking to isolate
Venezuela.
To be sure, Pence does not (yet at least) enjoy the influence of the most
powerful holders of his office. Dick Cheney, for instance was a predominant
voice in many of George W. Bush’s big decisions, including the US-led invasion
of Iraq, and is widely viewed as the most influential vice-president.
Pence’s power may therefore only grow in a second term of office, especially if
Trump’s health deteriorates or he loses interest in the job. Moreover, there is
a significant chance Pence could eventually get the top job himself,
turbocharging his domestic and international influence.
Nevertheless, the responsibility Pence already has fits a pattern whereby the
last three incumbents of his job — Joe Biden, Cheney, and Al Gore — all enjoyed
sizeable influence compared with some predecessors. Gore, for instance, was a
key influence in the Clinton administration, from climate change and
environmental policy to promoting fiscal discipline.
While this trend toward greater vice-presidential influence therefore dates back
some time, one new factor in this administration is the international disdain
with which Trump is widely regarded by key figures in foreign capitals, who
welcome an interlocutor they perceive as more reassuring. For example, Pence’s
July 2017 trip to Eastern Europe took place in the context of Trump’s uncertain
commitment to NATO, and what is widely seen as an inexplicable bromance with
Vladimir Putin. Pence visited US and Georgian troops taking part in a
NATO-related exercise that also featured soldiers from the UK, Germany, Ukraine,
Armenia and Slovenia. He also participated in the Adriatic Charter Summit in
Montenegro, with leaders from across the Western Balkans.
In international economic policy, Pence has calmed tensions fostered by Trump’s
protectionist language. By leading a new US-Japan Economic Dialogue he
contributed to stronger US-Japan ties after Tokyo was initially shaken by the
abrupt US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trump has indicated that Pence “100 percent” will be his 2020 running mate, and
it appears likely his influence in the administration will therefore only grow.
One relevant factor is that Trump is the oldest person to win the US presidency.
This elevates the possibility that, especially in a second term, Pence may also
be required to assume the presidency upon the incumbent’s unanticipated death or
physical incapacity. At 60, he is a significantly younger running mate who,
while broadly criticized by Democrats, is perceived to be capable enough of
assuming the top job should that be necessary.
Even if Trump survives the full duration of his presidency, all is not lost for
Pence; the vice-presidency has become perhaps the single best transitional
office to the top job in recent decades, and it is likely that Pence could run
for the Oval Office himself in the future, in 2024 and/or 2028.
Since 1960, four sitting vice-presidents (Richard Nixon in 1960, Hubert Humphrey
in 1968, Walter Mondale in 1984, and Gore in 2000) won their partys’
presidential nomination, but then lost the election. Two vice-presidents have
been elected president (Nixon in 1968 and George H.W. Bush in 1988), and Biden
could become the third in 2020.
Pence’s power may therefore only grow in a second term of office, especially if
Trump’s health deteriorates or he loses interest in the job. Moreover, there is
a significant chance Pence could eventually get the top job himself,
turbocharging his domestic and international influence.
*Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics
“قالَ الربُّ يَسوعُ لِتَلاميذِه: «إِذْهَبُوا إِلى العَالَمِ كُلِّهِ، وَٱكْرِزُوا
بِٱلإِنْجِيلِ لِلْخَلِيقَةِ كُلِّها. فَمَنْ آمَنَ وَٱعْتَمَدَ يَخْلُص، وَمَنْ
لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ فَسَوْفَ يُدَان
إنجيل القدّيس مرقس16/من15حتى20/:”قالَ الربُّ يَسوعُ لِتَلاميذِه: «إِذْهَبُوا
إِلى العَالَمِ كُلِّهِ، وَٱكْرِزُوا بِٱلإِنْجِيلِ لِلْخَلِيقَةِ كُلِّها. فَمَنْ
آمَنَ وَٱعْتَمَدَ يَخْلُص، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ فَسَوْفَ يُدَان. وهذِهِ الآيَاتُ
تَتْبَعُ الْمُؤْمِنين: بِٱسْمِي يُخْرِجُونَ الشَّيَاطِين، ويَتَكَلَّمُونَ
بِلُغَاتٍ جَدِيدَة، ويُمْسِكُونَ الْحَيَّات، وَإِنْ شَرِبُوا سُمًّا مُمِيتًا
فَلا يُؤْذِيهِم، ويَضَعُونَ أَيْدِيَهُم عَلى المَرْضَى فَيَتَعَافَوْن».
وبَعْدَمَا كَلَّمَهُمُ ٱلرَّبُّ يَسُوع، رُفِعَ إِلى السَّمَاء، وجَلَسَ عَنْ
يَمِينِ ٱلله. أَمَّا هُم فَخَرَجُوا وَكَرَزُوا في كُلِّ مَكَان، والرَّبُّ
يَعْمَلُ مَعَهُم وَيُؤَيِّدُ الكَلِمَةَ بِمَا يَصْحَبُها مِنَ الآيَات.”
Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one
who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe
will be condemned.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 16/15-20:”‘Go into all the
world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and
is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will
cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in
their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they
will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ So then the Lord
Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the
right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that
accompanied it.