English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese,
Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For October 22/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews19/english.october22.20.htm
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2006
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Bible Quotations For today
If then you have not been faithful with the
dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not
been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 16/01-12/:”The Lord Jesus
said to the disciples: ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were
brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him
and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an account of your
management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.” Then the manager said
to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from
me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what
to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their
homes.” So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How
much do you owe my master?” He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said
to him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.” Then he asked
another, “And how much do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.”
He said to him, “Take your bill and make it eighty.” And his master commended
the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this
age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children
of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest
wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is
dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been
faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And
if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you
what is your own?”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 21-22/2020
President Aoun: I said my word and I will
not walk away, I will assume my responsibilities and stand in the way of those
who prevent reform
Lebanon's President Vows to See through PM Nomination, Face Anyone Blocking
Reforms
Aoun Says ‘Won’t Walk Away’ on Cabinet Formation
Who Will Vote for Hariri in Thursday's Consultations?
Hariri in line to lead next Lebanese government
Saudi Arabia: Kingdom supports Lebanon, Beirut needs reform, impartial govt
Rahi: We Carry People’s Concerns amid Lebanon Crises
Report: Aoun, Ibrahim Hold Telephone Talks
Report: Lavrov Postpones Visit to Lebanon
Overnight Syria Strike Kills 3 Hizbullah-Linked Fighters
Anti- and Pro-Hariri Demos in Beirut on Eve of Consultations
Army Receives Ammunition Donation from Turkey
Fuel Seized in New Raid in Tariq al-Jedideh
Lebanon: Geagea Against Hariri’s Designation
Medicine in Lebanon Sufficient for Three Months
Protesters burn "Fist of Revolution" in Downtown Beirut
Minister of Health tackles with Russian ambassador means to bolster health
cooperation
Ex-Lebanese PM Siniora pays tribute to ‘former roommate and good friend’ Ibrahim
Al Abed
Beirut demonstrations: One rejecting Hariri's designation, other in support of
it
Whirlwind hits port of Beirut stirring dust in its wake
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on October 21-22/2020
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Armenia’s President slams
Turkey in visit to NATO
Macron pays tribute to murdered French school teacher at memorial
Egyptian-Cypriot-Greece summit discusses Turkey’s provocations
Syrian Regime Raises Fuel Prices, Drawing Criticism
US Will Not Change Syria Policy to Win Release of Americans, Says Pompeo
Spain Becomes First EU Nation with One Million Virus Cases
Pompeo Says Syria Not Forthcoming on Missing Americans
Israeli minister predicts a normalization deal with Sudan before US election
Israel Hits Iran-Backed Fighters in Southern Syria
Experts Warn of Turkey Extending its Influence to Palestinian Territories
Congressmen Seek to Obstruct Sudan’s Removal from State Terrorism Sponsors List
Egypt Agrees to Hold Palestinian Talks
Algerian Army Chief Backs Constitutional Amendments
Kadhimi Confirms Iraq Seeks True Partnership With Germany
Pompeo: US Has Begun Process of Removing Sudan from State Terrorism List
Sisi Warns Against 'Inciting People' to Harm Their Country
UN Acting Libya Envoy 'Optimistic' on Talks
Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on October 21-22/2020
Le terrorisme islamiste, la décapitation de la
République et l’épreuve des limites/Charles Elias Chartouni/October 21/2020
L'histoire se répétera-t-elle : De Frangieh à Bassil/Par l'avocat Abdel Hamid
Al-Ahdab/October 21/2020
Israel's Future Depends on Donald Trump's Re-election/Joel B. Pollak/Breitbart/October
21/2020
UN Arms Embargo on Iran Ends (or Not)/Lahav Harkov and Seth Frantzman/The
Jerusalem Post/October 21/2020
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy: Middle Eastern Americans Respond
to Revelations of 'Dark Probe' into Trump Advisor and Egypt/EINPresswire.com/October
21/ 2020
Vatican Fails to Condemn China's Religious Persecution/Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone
Institute/October 21/2020
China Is Killing Americans with Fentanyl - Deliberately/Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone
Institute/October 21/2020
On the Suspended Lives We Lead in Suspense/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/October
21/2020
The Justice Dept.’s Lawsuit Against Google: Too Little, Too Late/Kara
Swisher/The New York Times/October 21/2020
Would Joe Biden Be a Friend to Boris Johnson?/Martin Ivens/Bloomberg/October
21/2020
Saudi-US dialogue seeks to counter Iran threat/Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri/Arab
News/October 21/2020
Iran suffers as the Supreme Leader's house crumbles/Dr. Kamal Azari and Mohsen
Sazegara/Al Arabiya/Wednesday 21 October 2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 21-22/2020
President Aoun: I said my word and I will not walk
away, I will assume my responsibilities and stand in the way of those who
prevent reform
NNA/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
President Michel Aoun affirmed that he had “Said his word and he will not walk
away”, and that he would continue to abide by his covenant and promise ,
considering that the current deteriorating situation couldn’t continue after
today as accumulating and mounting burdens on the shoulders of citizens.
The President asserted that he will assume his responsibilities in assigning and
authoring, and in every constitutional positions and stance, and in the face of
all of those who prevent our people from reforming and building the state,
asking “Will the one who is responsible for commission and composition be
committed to addressing the sources of corruption and launching the reform
workshop?”.
President Aoun also called on MPs to assume their responsibilities in
Parliamentary monitoring and accountability “In the name of the people they
represent, and today you are called upon in the name of the supreme national
interest to arbitrate your national conscience and your sense of responsibility
towards your people and country”. The President also stated the projects of
change and reform that the Lebanese were waiting for without being realized,
after some of those who ruled Lebanon decades ago, and are still ruling by
person or approach, and who raised “Resonant slogans which remained without any
content, and were like anesthetic promises, from which the Lebanese didn’t see
any qualitative achievement that would reassure their present and future.
The President then pointed out that what he can do is alert those who are
concerned, saying “I can neither legislate nor implement, all I can do is direct
and I have done what I have to do in this field, and yet they hold me
responsible”.
In addition, President Aoun considered that “Any silence by any official, and
his lack of cooperation in the forensic audit only indicates that he is a
partner in waste and corruption. This experience, if successful, will apply to
all ministries, councils, funds, bodies, committees, and mixed companies,
without any exception, and will allow identification of responsibilities and the
launch of necessary reforms, leading to the removal of the corrupt, who would
dare to stop it? How can we claim reform and fighting corruption and at the same
time disrupt the most important measure which enables us to uncover the sources
of corruption and its causes, and the corrupt? How can the Lebanese people, MPs,
and media remain silent about that?”.
“Lebanon was within a large system in the Arab league and in unified position.
Today, the main countries in the league have changed their positions on the
basic issues and other countries are joining them. We will gradually become
isolated, and we are the smaller Arab state, so I ask the Lebanese what should
be done?” President Aoun said.
The President’s stances came during a speech he delivered to the Lebanese people
and MPs, today at Baabda Palace, and was broadcasted live by the media.
President’s Speech:
“My fellow Lebanese ladies and gentlemen,
Deputies of the Nation,
Today, driven by my oath, my constitutional responsibility and the symbolism of
my position, I found that it is my duty to address the people of Lebanon and the
deputies of the nation, out of due frankness, especially on the verge of great
deadlines whereas maps are being drawn, agreements are being signed,
expansionist or divisive policies that may change the face of the region are
being implemented.
Our region has known numerous and deep political changes entailed by regional
and international factors; and all the outcomes of these changes have not yet
appeared at many levels, and may turn things upside down.
This gives way to the crucial and inevitable question: where are we, where is
the position of Lebanon, what are the policies that we ought to adopt towards
these major pivotal changes and understandings in order for Lebanon not to be
receptive and passive in what we are witnessing, thus becoming crumbs from the
table of interests and major understandings?
In another context, this frankness urges me to tell you that I am living
people’s pain and I understand their indignation but the truth compels me to
remind that some who have ruled Lebanon for decades, and still do either in
person or by their method, have brandished catchy slogans that remained hollow,
and served as numbing promises from which the Lebanese people have seen no
quality achievement that gives them reassurance about their present and future.
Indeed, reform has remained a mere slogan repeated by officials and politicians
while they meant the exact opposite, advocating it but not delivering any
efficient reform act, rather skillfully and dedicatedly securing their
authoritarian and personal interests, till we reached a point where corruption
in Lebanon has become ultimately institutionalized and organized, deeply rooted
in our authority, institutions and administrations.
When I was still exiled in France, the slogan of reform was reverberating in
Lebanon, of which I haven’t seen any trace of any kind when I returned; so I
have upheld the project of change and reform in an attempt to deliver the nation
from the scourge of factional, personal or authoritarian interests which have
driven us all to where we stand today.
The aggrieved have raised barricades in my face. The pages of the print media
and the stances in the various media still bear witness to a systematic
determination from those to prevent me from achieving any reform project, just
because it stems from my conviction and my approach.
I ask today: What is the social situation of our people in the absence of the
comprehensive social protection system known as the “Old-Age Security”, about
which I had drafted a bill, upon my return from exile, which has not yet found
its way towards adoption?
Where are the comprehensive medical, therapeutic and hospitalization benefits
for our people on whom the noose was tightened in view of the negligence to put
any effective social policy that would spare them the mishaps of time?
Where do we stand from lifting subsidies off our vital products which we mostly
import without controlling that they exclusively benefit our people and no one
else?
Where is economy after its “rent” has eaten up the lifetime savings of the
Lebanese, while we were – and are still - calling for a productive economy?
Where is the economic plan and who has caused its implementation to fail?
Where is the Capital Investment Program and who has turned it into dead letter?
Where are the sectorial development plans put forth by the CEDRE conference and
who has failed to execute them?
Where is the electricity plan which has been lying in the drawers since 2010 and
for which no credit has been approved and no executive framework has been set
although we insisted on it so that the Lebanese would not remain hostages to
darkness and to the cost of the multiple sources of generated energy?
Where is the plan of water dams in terms of collecting Lebanon’s natural wealth
– water - which stems from our underground and goes in vain from our rivers to
the sea?
At the beginning of my presidential term, I awakened the decrees of offshore
exploration and excavation of gas after a deep slumber; and gas is a sizeable
natural resource with a rescue impact on our precarious economic situation,
while skepticism still reigns among some public affairs officials who promote
pessimism.
Where are the other reform projects? What has become of the 14 articles that
were submitted to all heads of blocs and parties during an inclusive meeting at
the Baabda Palace, a large part of which having been adopted but none of which
having been executed? Why did they flee from responsibility and from passing
reform projects? Whose interest does this dereliction serve? And is it possible
to fix what was spoiled by using the same policies?
Where are the proposed reform laws, notably the recovery of looted funds and the
automatic investigation into the financial liability of civil servants and the
special tribunal for financial crimes? Where do we stand from the squandering of
public funds and untraceable accounts at the ministry of Finance and the
projects of account closing?
Where are we from the Relief Council, the Development and Reconstruction Board,
the Displaced Fund, the Fund of the South, and the unproductive public
institutions that we have agreed upon eliminating to put an end to the severe
financial bleeding in them and due to them?
Where are we from the rescue initiative from what has happened to us, whether
economically, socially, monetarily, financially or in terms of reconstruction of
Beirut as a result of the tragic Port blast?
Where are we from the assistance programs, the French rescue economic
initiative, the talks with the International Monetary Fund and the contributions
of the International Support Group for Lebanon in the rescue process?
Where do judges stand from the grip of the influence?
Last but not least, where do we stand from the forensic audit at the Central
Bank, namely a governmental decision aimed at discovering the causes of the
current collapse, and identifying the people responsible for it, whether
perpetrators, accomplices or participants? Some vetoed this pioneering
experience, obstructed it and maneuvered to thwart it.
The silence and non-cooperativeness of any official in the context of forensic
audit show that they are associates in waste and corruption. Should this
experience be meant to succeed, it will apply to ministries, boards, funds,
organs, committees and mixed companies with no exception. It will allow us to
define responsibilities, kick off the necessary reforms and eventually depose
the corrupt; so who dares stop it? And how can we pretend to embrace reform and
fight corruption while obstructing at the same time the most important procedure
that enables us to discover the strongholds, causes and perpetrators of
corruption? Is it possible that the Lebanese people, deputies and media keep
silent about that?
My fellow Lebanese,
I am required today to designate a Prime Minister and then take part in the
formation of a government, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution. Will
those who are entrusted with the nomination and formation address the
strongholds of corruption and launch the reform workshop? This is your
responsibilities, deputies, for you are in charge of parliamentary control and
accountability on behalf of the people that you represent. You are invited
today, in the name of the higher Lebanese interest, to leave the arbitrage to
your national conscience and sense of responsibility towards your people and
your nation, especially that a year has gone by since October 17, along with the
indications it bears about the outrage of the citizens and the “all of them
means all of them” slogan that they raised, which includes the good and the bad
among us.
I said my word but I will not move on. I will rather keep the pledge and the
promise. I hope that you think carefully about the impact of the designation on
the formation, on reform projects and on international rescue initiatives,
because the current bad situation cannot continue, after today, to place
accumulated and growing burdens on the shoulders of the citizens.
I will keep upholding my responsibilities in designation and formation, in every
constitutional stance or position, and in the face of all who are depriving our
people of reforms and keeping them from building the State.
Long live Lebanon!”
Questions & Answers:
Then, a dialogue took place between President Aoun and the accredited
journalists in Baabda Palace, where he answered a question regarding his demand
for a techno-political Government and how to conduct a reform workshop with such
a Government, bearing in mind that the owner of the largest Sunni bloc is the
one who will assume the presidency of this Government, so he said: “I did not
demand any type of government, and I did not specify it, because consultations
are what determine Government form”.
In response to a question about the ratio of the cost of electricity to the
public debt, the President of the Republic answered: “I mentioned something
clear in my speech, that the electricity plan was approved in 2010, and since
that time, no funds have been allocated for its implementation. We were adhering
to this plan, and if we review, reports of the Council of Ministers indicate
whether any amount has been allocated for their implementation or not. And
whoever delayed the matter said at the time that he was proud of doing so”.
President Aoun was then asked about how to face the changes in the region if
there was no agreement on a name in the negotiating delegation in the
demarcation of the southern maritime borders after the “Shiite Duo” objected to
naming the members of the delegation, where he replied: “I have previously
called for a dialogue meeting in the Presidential Palace to address the existing
issues and discuss the changes in the region, and defining our policy towards
it, because almost all things have changed. It is necessary to reconsider how
things have turned out”.
Regarding the framework that he will adopt in the course of authoring and
commissioning to implement the reform ideas he insisted on implementing since
his return to Lebanon, the President affirmed that “The demands are known and
there is the Government program that will be included in the ministerial policy
statement and then implemented, and the representatives must fulfill their
duties in this regard, so we know then if Implementation is committed or not. We
are there if anyone doesn’t fulfill his duties”.
Disruption of financial investigations:
The President was asked about the people’s pain and the deteriorating situation
and what a strong President can do for this people, and he answered: “There have
been many disasters at the current stage, and we are also in a state of
bankruptcy that took place gradually for a long time until it began to appear
since 2016 in financial engineering, and reached its climax. As the matter
continued to worsen, so we call for a forensic audit to know the reasons that
brought us here, as it may be inevitable, and we do not accuse anyone, and
perhaps there was corruption and corrupt people who brought matters here. And so
that the citizens do not continue to point accusations at this or that, nothing
but investigation gives clearance or leads to accusation. We speak in general,
and I ask why the investigation is suspended and stopped, this is what I do not
understand. How should we undertake financial reform and fight corruption if we
do not conduct an investigation to find out the reasons behind what we have
reached, and who was the reason, that is what is important”.
The President of the Republic was asked about the defensive strategy that he did
not mention in his message today, and whether it is possible for us to see its
approval before the end of his Presidential term, where he asserted that, “After
the completion of the formation of the Government, we will hold a meeting in the
Presidential Palace to study all the major issues currently on table or new
ones”.
Confronting falsehood:
Concerning the discussion about an unknown fate after the process of appointing
a new Prime Minister tomorrow, President Aoun asked: “Why is the fate unknown?
When we finish consultations, we see as a result who will be named according to
the votes of the MPs who will choose, and I do not place any “Veto” on anyone. I
would like to clarify to you: I have lost a year and 14 days so far of my term
due to the formation of previous Governments that were headed by Prime Minister
Hariri, and the objection of everyone was on me because I had delayed
consultations by a week, and I told him that there are problems that I am trying
to solve, and now I have listed these problems”.
Regarding the possibility of calling for a national dialogue so that the
political class becomes faced with the reality that the required reforms must be
implemented, the President of the Republic considered that if he delays calling
for consultations, he will be accused and no one will stop at the issue of
ensuring the implementation of reforms. When parliamentary consultations were
delayed by a week to solve some problems, “He accused us of obstruction, and the
person in the relationship knows exactly why we made this decision”.
And in response to a question about his failure to take an initiative to bring
together the largest Christian parliamentary bloc (i.e. the Free Patriotic
Movement) with the largest Sunni parliamentary bloc (the Future Movement) to
save the country and initiate reforms, President Aoun explained that the
initiatives were from mutual friends between the two and “These initiatives did
not stop. From my position, I will become a party if I interfere, and some may
make me a party even if I am a judge”.
Afterwards, President Aoun was asked about his dealings with friends and
opponents who obstructed his reform projects in light of the people’s suffering,
where he replied: “Previously, the method was to reach a settlement to prevent
problems and maintain stability, but today this policy is no longer working, and
we must search for the truth and support it and face falsehood. It is no longer
useful to continue in the same approach, and whoever loves his people and wants
work must change. We will not accept otherwise”.
Respecting the constitution:
Regarding the consolidation of a new custom by delaying consultations and its
reflection on the constitution, President Aoun emphasized that he relies in all
his decisions on the Constitution and its articles, which are not “Popular” at
times, while those who criticize are sometimes unfamiliar with the Constitution.
President Aoun was also asked about what he said at the beginning of his speech
and whether he senses a direct danger to Lebanon, stressing that Lebanon “Was
within a large system in the Arab League and in the context of a unified
position. Today, the main countries in the League have changed their positions
on the basic issues and other countries are joining them, and we will become
gradually isolated, we are the smaller Arab state, so I ask the Lebanese what
should be done”.
In response to a question about the difficulty of the current situation and the
possibility that there is hope to get out of it, President Aoun asserted that
the stage is very harsh. “I spoke about it on May 14, 2019 at the Iftar party
that was held in Baabda Palace, and I warned that if we do not concede some of
the current privileges, we will lose everything. I said that in the presence of
the Parliament Speaker, Prime Minister, Ministers, members of the Government,
representatives and journalists. I added that we will receive the harsh bill
from international references, and we will not be able to bear it. And I said
that the citizen evades paying his obligations to the state because of the
injustice and lack of confidence, as he does not know the fate of the taxes he
pays and where they are going, so the state must restore the citizen to Lebanon
and restore his confidence. What I can do is alert the concerned people, for I
can neither legislate nor implement, but direct and I have done what I could do
in this field, yet they hold me responsible”. -- Presidency Press Office
Lebanon's President Vows to See through PM Nomination,
Face Anyone Blocking Reforms
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Lebanon's President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday he would shoulder his
responsibility in designating a prime minister to form a new government that
must enact reforms to help the country out of financial crisis.
In a televised speech, Aoun blamed other officials for blocking reforms
including a forensic audit of the central bank and an overhaul of the power
sector, but stopped short of naming anyone. He pledged to confront anyone who
seeks to block reform. Foreign donors have made clear there will be no aid
unless the heavily indebted state launches steps to tackle entrenched waste and
graft. "Where are all the reforms? Where are all the clauses that were presented
to the heads of (parliamentary) blocs and parties.... but nothing was
implemented?" he said. "The silence of any official, and lack of cooperation in
the forensic audit (of the central bank), prove he is a partner in corruption
and waste," he added. Aoun is due to hold consultations on Thursday with
parliamentarians to designate a prime minister who will seek to form a new
government and address the country's grave economic crisis.
Aoun Says ‘Won’t Walk Away’ on Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that he will “continue to bear his
responsibilities” as Lebanon gears for a controversial designation of a new
prime minister and the formation of a government widely expected to witness
disputes over shares among political parties.
“I will continue to bear my responsibilities, in the designation and formation
processes and in every constitutional position and stance against all those
preventing our people from reform and from building the state,” said Aoun in a
televised address. The time of Aoun’s speech was announced only Tuesday
astonishing many regarding the timing which comes one day before Aoun’s binding
parliamentary consultations with lawmakers to name a new prime minister. “I
hereby address the people and lawmakers amid major agreements being signed and
expansionary policies being implemented that may change the face of the region.
Where are we today and where does Lebanon stand? What policies do we need to
adopt regarding major pivotal changes and agreements?” he asked. “I feel the
pain of the people but I have to remind that some who ruled Lebanon for decades
have raised unmet vows," Aoun said hinting at earlier governments. "Reform
remained just a slogan that officials and politicians repeat, and they are
completely opposite to it. They believed in their authoritarian and personal
interests with perfection and dedication, until we reached the point that
institutional corruption became organized corruption par excellence,” he added.
The President wondered why several major development projects remain
unaccomplished. He asked: “Where are the dam projects while our water resources
are being drained into rivers and oceans? Where is the rescue initiative to
solve the economic crisis and to salvage Lebanon from the repercussions of the
Beirut port blast? Where is the electricity plan that has been kept in the
drawers since 2010 with no approval or implementation despite our insistence on
it?” However the President stressed that he will continue to bear
responsibility, indirectly urging political parties to facilitate the formation
of a government amid the challenges facing the country. “I said what I had to
say and will not walk my way. I will stay committed to my promise and hope that
everyone thinks well about the designation and formation and their effect on the
reform projects," he concluded.
Who Will Vote for Hariri in Thursday's Consultations?
Naharnet/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
The stances of some parliamentary blocs and independent MPs on the nomination of
ex-PM Saad Hariri for the premier post became known on Wednesday evening.
According to information obtained by LBCI TV, Hizbullah’s Loyalty to Resistance
bloc has decided “not to name anyone” in Thursday's binding parliamentary
consultations that will be held at the Baabda Palace to designate a new premier.
The Social Nationalist Bloc of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party meanwhile
announced that it will not name Hariri in the consultations, following a meeting
for the party’s Higher Council. The bloc comprises three MPs and one of them,
former SSNP chief Asaad Hardan, had received a phone call from Hariri earlier in
the day. In a statement, the party called for “the formation of a salvation
government as soon as possible to stop the collapse and fend off the civil chaos
that is threatening the country.”Independent MP Chamel Roukoz meanwhile told
LBCI that he will not nominate anyone. “I call for the quick formation of a
salvation government that wins the confidence of the Lebanese people and the
international community,” he added. The TV network said MP Jean Talouzian of the
Lebanese Forces-led Strong Republic bloc will take part in the consultations,
defying his bloc's stance. However, it was not immediately known whether or not
he would vote for Hariri. The Strong Lebanon bloc, the Consultative Gathering
bloc and independent MPs Osama Saad, Fouad Makhzoumi and Jamil al-Sayyed have
announced that they will not vote for Hariri. Hariri will meanwhile get the
votes of al-Mustaqbal bloc, the Development and Liberation bloc, the Democratic
Gathering bloc, the National Bloc, the Independent Center bloc and independent
MPs Tammam Salam, Elie Ferzli and Michel Daher. And while the voting direction
of the Armenian MPs bloc and independent MPs Eddy Demerjian, Nouhad al-Mashnouq
and Jihad al-Samad is yet to be known, independent MP Michel Murr will not take
part in the consultations for health reasons. Eight MPs have meanwhile resigned
from the 128-member legislature.
Hariri in line to lead next Lebanese government
Najia Houssari/Arab News/October 21/2020
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Aoun has said parliamentary consultations to
name the country’s next prime minister for the formation of a new government
will take place on Thursday. Aoun previously delayed the meetings for a week
because “some parliamentary blocs had requested the postponement due to the
emergence of issues that must be addressed.” Saad Hariri is overwhelmingly
likely to be named prime minister. Hariri previously said he was nominated
“based on the French initiative, which is the last chance to save the country.”
The Free Patriotic Movement was among the most prominent objectors to his
appointment. Hariri submitted his government’s resignation a year ago in
response to public protests against the Lebanese leadership.
Before deciding on the date, Aoun addressed the Lebanese public, the first time
a president has done so before parliamentary consultations. He said the onus is
on the new prime minister to pull the country out of its financial crisis. In
his speech, Aoun said that he would not resign and vowed to see through the
formation of a new government. “Today I am required to assign the head of the
government and then take part in the formation of the next government in
accordance with the provisions of the constitution. “Many deep political changes
have occurred in the region due to regional and international factors. Things
may turn upside down. “Will the person to be assigned the formation of the
government commit to addressing the corruption and launching the reform
workshop?” Aoun said. Addressing MPs, he warned: “This is your responsibility.
You are responsible for parliamentary oversight and accountability in the name
of the people you represent. You are urged, in the name of Lebanon’s greater
good, to turn to your patriotic conscience and sense of responsibility toward
your people and your country.
“I hope that you will think carefully about the implications of the assignment
on the formation of the government, the reform projects and the international
rescue initiatives, because the deteriorating situation cannot continue after
today,” he said, adding: “Burdens are accumulating and mounting on the
citizens.”
Aoun has faced severe criticism for Lebanon’s failed reforms and the country’s
forensic audit. “I adopted the change and reform project in an attempt to save
the country from the clutches of factional, personal and authoritarian interests
that brought us all to where we are today. But those who are affected stood in
my face,” he said.
The president said the likely outcome of the parliamentary consultations will be
an agreement by 59 MPs to name Hariri as prime minister. Hezbollah has yet to
announce its position despite sources saying the party favors Hariri. The
Lebanese Parliament is missing eight of its usual 128-member roster after
several MPs resigned in response to public pressure following the Beirut port
explosion. Among the parliamentary blocs that will reject Hariri on Thursday are
Lebanese Forces, Talal Arslan’s bloc, Syrian National Social Party, Consultative
Meeting, Free Patriotic Movement and a number of independent MPs.
The Future Movement’s parliamentary bloc refused to comment on Aoun’s speech,
while several MPs criticized it. MP Bilal Abdullah said: “We did not understand
anything from the president’s speech, nor did we get the message he wished to
convey. We will nominate no one but Hariri.”
Hariri said on Oct. 8 that his leadership is required for “a government of
independent technocrats that neutralizes political parties and implements within
six months the reforms laid down by the French initiative.” Meanwhile, the
General Labor Union and the Union Coordination Committee warned in a Wednesday
meeting that the country’s situation could become so dire that “people would
take to the streets due to hunger and illness.” General Secretary of the
Lebanese Economic Organizations Nicolas Chammas said: “France did not exaggerate
when it said that Lebanon, as an entity, might disappear.”
Bechara Asmar, head of the General Labor Union, said: “We are in a state of
great tragedy. We fear that people will take to the streets and block the roads,
and then there would be no going back.”On Wednesday evening tensions erupted in
downtown Beirut between anti-Hariri protesters and supporters of the Future
Movement. Security forces tried to separate the two sides.
Saudi Arabia: Kingdom supports Lebanon, Beirut needs
reform, impartial govt
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/Wednesday 21 October 2020
Lebanon needs serious political and economic reform with a new government that
listens to the people’s demands, a senior Saudi Arabian diplomat said Wednesday.
“The #Kingdom is a strong supporter of Lebanon, but Lebanon is in need of
political and economic reform, it is vital to have a National and impartial
government that works for the interest and prosperity of the Lebanese people,”
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the UN Abdallah al-Mouallimi tweeted. Al-Mouallimi’s
comments came during a meeting on Lebanon convened by the UNDP/Regional Bureau
for Arab States.
Lebanese MPs are set to meet with President Michel Aoun Thursday during
consultations, where they will nominate a new prime minister to form a
government. The country has been without a functioning government since Aug. 10,
when then Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned following the deadly Port of
Beirut explosions six days prior. Three-time Prime Minister Saad Hariri is
widely expected to be nominated again, but he will face the difficult task of
forming a new government. Last October, Hariri also resigned after nationwide
anti-government protests erupted across Lebanon, demanding an end to corruption,
sectarianism, and clientelism. On Wednesday, the Saudi ambassador reiterated his
country’s support for the Lebanese people and the international community’s
efforts to step in and help Beirut. Saudi Arabia will continue to help the
Lebanese people as they cope with an unprecedented economic and financial
crisis, coupled with the coronavirus pandemic and devastating impact of the
Beirut explosions. “The #Kingdom value[s] the #UN efforts to stand with the
people of Lebanon at this time of crisis. Also, appreciate the efforts of the
international community to provide essential humanitarian aid to the Lebanese
people and assist in enabling them to have hope,” al-Mouallimi said.
Rahi: We Carry People’s Concerns amid Lebanon Crises
Naharnet/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi said on Wednesday that the patriarchate
carries the people’s concerns amid a soaring economic and political crises in
Lebanon. “The patriarchate carries the concerns of the Lebanese in the face of
the stifling economic crisis which results from the country’s chronic political
impasse,” said Rahi at the inauguration of the Maronite Bishops’ assembly
meeting in Bkirki. Describing the colossal Beirut port explosion on August 4 as
Lebanon’s “worst crisis,” he said the blast destroyed swathes of the capital and
traumatized thousands of people while the State stood idle “as if nothing
happened.” “The blast destroyed half of the capital, especially regions
inhabited by Christians, not to mention the pain of relatives of 200 victims,
seven missing, and 5,000 wounded, not to forget the massive destruction of
houses, public and private institutions, churches, schools, archdiocese, and
others at the absence of state officials — as if nothing had happened,” he
added. The Patriarch seized the opportunity to thank the countries that rushed
to help those affected by the blast, as well as the humanitarian institutions
and the dioceses in Lebanon and abroad.
“We carry them all in our prayers,” Rahi said.
Report: Aoun, Ibrahim Hold Telephone Talks
Naharnet/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
President Michel Aoun received a telephone call late on Tuesday from General
Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, who met American officials in Boston, and is
currently waiting for his full recovery after retracting COVID-19 virus, al-Joumhouria
daily reported Wednesday. Ibrahim briefed Aoun on the outcome of his meetings
with US officials, and about the information he had regarding the files he had
discussed with them, without any reference to the government formation file,
said the daily. The General Security chief told Aoun that he is in good health
and has not experienced any unusual symptoms as a result of COVID-19. He plans
to return to Beirut tomorrow or the day after at the latest, according to the
daily. “The government file was not on the agenda,” sources told the daily.
Ibrahim had met top security officials and others from the Trump administration
during his several-day visit to the U.S. capital over the weekend. He was
planning to visit France afterwards but contracted the virus.
Report: Lavrov Postpones Visit to Lebanon
Naharnet/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has reportedly delayed a scheduled visit
to Lebanon to an undisclosed date, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.
Lavrov was set to visit Lebanon later in October. A statement issued by the
Russian foreign ministry Tuesday said Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Special
Presidential envoy for the Middle East and Africa and its Deputy Foreign
Minister met with ex-PM Saad Hariri’s special representative in Russia, Georges
Shaaban. It said the talks highlighted the current issues in Lebanon in light of
the developments of the domestic crisis in the political and socioeconomic
fields. Russia emphasized “Moscow’s commitment and keenness on Lebanon’s
sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and the need to speed up the
formation of a capable government, which would represent an important basis for
resolving the issues facing the Lebanese society.”
After the colossal Beirut port explosion on August 4, Lavrov, and several
foreign and Arab leaders, pledged help for crisis-hit Lebanon.
Overnight Syria Strike Kills 3 Hizbullah-Linked Fighters
Agence France Presse/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Three Iran-backed paramilitary fighters were killed in an overnight Israeli
strike that hit Syria's southern province of Quneitra, a war monitor said
Wednesday. The three were from the Syrian Resistance to Liberate the Golan, a
group linked to Lebanon's Hizbullah, said Rami Abdul Rahman, head of the
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The group was formed more
than six years ago to launch attacks in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. At
least one of the killed fighters was Syrian, the Observatory said, but the
nationalities of the other two remained unclear. The official SANA news agency
reported the Israeli strike on a "school" in Quneitra's northern countryside
shortly after midnight, but did not mention casualties. Abdul Rahman said that
Iran-backed fighters were staying inside the facility the night of the attack.
Along with Russia, Israel's nemesis Iran has been a key backer of the Damascus
regime in its nine-year-long civil war. Israel has carried out hundreds of air
and missile strikes on Syria since the civil war broke out in 2011, targeting
Iranian and Lebanese Hizbullah forces as well as government troops. The Israeli
army rarely acknowledges individual strikes. Syria's war has killed more than
380,000 people and displaced millions more since starting in 2011 with the
brutal repression of anti-government protests.
Anti- and Pro-Hariri Demos in Beirut on Eve of
Consultations
Naharnet /Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Rival demos were staged Wednesday evening in downtown Beirut on the eve of the
binding parliamentary consultations to pick a new premier. As anti-government
protesters marched from an area near parliament towards the Center House --
ex-PM Saad Hariri’s residence -- in rejection of his expected return as premier,
backers of al-Mustaqbal Movement staged a rival demo in the area in his support.
Security forces separated between the two sides to prevent any violence, as
activists accused Hariri’s supporters of hurling stones at them. Videos
circulated on social media showed the two sides chanting rival slogans. Hariri's
supporters were later accused of torching the "fist of the revolution" statue at
nearby Martyrs Square. Al-Mustaqbal Movement meanwhile issued a statement
distancing itself from the "condemned" incident and asking security agencies to
"arrest the culprits whoever they may be."Hariri had resigned following the
eruption of the October 2019 anti-government protests and has emerged as the
only PM candidate in the consultations that will be held on Thursday.
Army Receives Ammunition Donation from Turkey
Naharnet/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
The Lebanese Army on Wednesday received a quantity of ammunition donated by
Turkey. The shipment, containing ammunition of various calibers, was delivered
at a ceremony that was held at the army’s Equipment Directorate, in the presence
of the army’s equipment chief Brig. Gen. Ziad Nasr, who represented the army
commander, Turkish Ambassador Hakan Cakil and a number of officers. Stressing
the “importance of cooperation between the Lebanese and Turkish armies,” Cakil
emphasized that his country “will continue to offer military aid to the Lebanese
Army.”
Nasr for his part said that “the light- and medium-caliber ammunition” received
by the army on Wednesday are “important for enhancing the capabilities” of the
military institution.
Fuel Seized in New Raid in Tariq al-Jedideh
Naharnet/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
A new quantity of hazardously stored fuel was confiscated Wednesday in the
Beirut area of Tariq al-Jedideh. “At the instructions of Beirut Governor Marwan
Abboud, the Beirut fire and guard brigades raided a depot in the al-Fakhani
neighborhood in Tariq al-Jedideh,” said a statement issued by Beirut
Municipality’s Public Relations Department. Around 180 jerrycans of diesel and
17 jerrycans of gasoline were seized in the raid, the statement added. The
aforementioned brigades have carried out several raids and seized dangerously
stored flammable material since a gasoline tank explosion earlier this month
killed three people and injured over 50 in a Tariq al-Jedideh residential
neighborhood. A similar raid was also carried out Tuesday in the Beirut
neighborhood of Mar Mikhail.
Lebanon: Geagea Against Hariri’s Designation
Beirut- Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October,
2020 - 08:00
The leader of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, said his parliamentary
bloc would not designate former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to head the new
government, asserting his unwillingness to cooperate with whom he described as
the “ruling trio”, represented by Hezbollah, Amal Movement, and the Free
Patriotic Movement (FPM). The binding parliamentary consultations to nominate a
new prime minister are scheduled to be held on Thursday at the Baabda Palace.
The Future Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), and the Amal party
are pushing for the designation of Hariri, along with other parliamentary blocs
such as the Marada, the Independent Center, and other independent Christian
representatives. This is enough to give Hariri the required number of votes that
would secure his assumption to the premiership for the fourth time since the
assassination of his father, late former Premier Rafik Hariri, in February 2005.
Geagea said his bloc’s decision was based on “our decision not to enter into any
joint initiative with the ruling trio.”“Any government that will be established
today must focus on reforms, reforms, and nothing but reforms; thus, which
reforms will be carried out in the presence of those we named above in the
government?” He asked. President Michel Aoun had postponed the consultations,
which were supposed to be held last week, citing requests raised by Christian
parties. In addition to the LF, the Free Patriotic Movement, led by former
Minister Gebran Bassil, expressed its rejection to Hariri’s designation. Geagea
said that the postponement of the consultations came as the Lebanese president
wanted “Saad Hariri to negotiate with Bassil” before the designation, in order
to meet the latter’s requests in the government lineup. He continued: “When the
Shiite duo [Hezbollah and Amal] declare publicly that their condition for
joining the government is to obtain the Ministry of Finance and then name Shiite
ministers and review the ministerial statement, what is left of the government
in this case?”The LF leader reiterated his insistence on forming a government of
specialists, who do not belong to any political party. “If there is a
possibility of a truly independent government, its effectiveness will be much
higher than a government of politicians,” he remarked. He renewed the call for
“holding early parliamentary elections because they will enable us to remove the
ruling group and bring a new generation of politicians to power.”
Medicine in Lebanon Sufficient for Three Months
Beirut- Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October,
2020
Lebanon’s caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan called on “rationalizing the
distribution of medicine” and warned that the quantity of pharmaceutical drugs
is sufficient for another three months. Last week, Lebanon’s Internal Security
Forces foiled several attempts to smuggle, through the Rafik Hariri
International airport, hundreds of boxes of medicines outside the country. The
operations come as Lebanese people have started to stockpile medicines fearing
they will no longer be available or that prices will increase with the Central
Bank saying it may lift subsidies by the end of October. During a meeting held
Tuesday at the Health Ministry with representatives of pharmaceutical importers
and distributors in Lebanon, Hassan said concerned parties have discussed
efforts to guarantee the availability of subsidized medicines to all patients
residing in the Lebanese territories.
The Minister said that it was unacceptable for medical companies to monopolize
the market and that medicines ought to be distributed fairly to all pharmacies.
“The quantity of medicine available in warehouses is sufficient for two to three
months,” he said, adding that the Ministry would start efforts to provide an
additional amount of medicines sufficient for another three months with the
money that is still available at the Central Bank. Hassan said there is a
difficulty resulting from delayed transactions at the Central Bank, in addition
to a decision by its Gov. Riad Salameh stipulating importers of medicines to pay
in cash. “We call on the Governor to discuss issues related to the medical
sector with the Health Ministry before taking any decisions that would leave a
direct and negative effect on the medical service in the country,” the Minister
added. Last week, Hassan launched an inspection campaign of pharmaceutical
businesses, including drug warehouses and pharmacies in light of reports about
the hoarding of subsidized medicines with the aim of smuggling them out of
Lebanon and selling them at a higher price.
Protesters burn "Fist of Revolution" in Downtown
Beirut
NNA/October 22/2020
A number of protesters in Downtown Beirut burned the "Fist of the Revolution", a
symbolic slogan erected in the area.
Minister of Health tackles with Russian ambassador means to
bolster health cooperation
NNA/October 22/2020
Caretaker Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, received this Wednesday at
the Ministry of Public Health, the newly appointed Russian ambassador to
Lebanon, Alexander Rudakov, on a protocol visit that marks the start of his
duties in Lebanon. Discussions dealt with the importance of activating the
Russian-Lebanese Economic Council, especially in the health field. The pair
focused on strengthening cooperation between the ministries of health in the two
countries, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic, with emphasis on Lebanon's
interest in obtaining the Russian vaccine upon its approval by the World Health
Organization.
Ex-Lebanese PM Siniora pays tribute to ‘former roommate and
good friend’ Ibrahim Al Abed
NNA/October 22/2020
Former Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, is mourning Ibrahim Al Abed, a
prominent Emirati media figure who passed away yesterday at the age of 78. Al
Abed and Siniora were roommates during their studies at the American University
of Beirut, AUB, in the 1970s.
Siniora, 77, who headed his country's government from 2005 to 2009, said that Al
Abed was a "dear friend with high values," stressing that he was "surprised by
the sad news."
In a statement to the Emirates News Agency, WAM, which Al Abed founded in 1977,
Siniora said, "I am from Sidon, and I got to know him there. During our studies
at the American University, we shared a residence in Beirut for about a year,
along with another guy named Marwan."
He added, "I was initially friends with his brother Faisal, and then my
relationship with Ibrahim developed. In addition to being good friends, we were
also members of the Arab Nationalist Movement."
The late Ibrahim Al Abed, who studied political science and business
administration, joined the UAE's Ministry of Information and Culture in 1975, as
head of the department of external relations. In 1977, he established WAM,
managing it until 1989.
From 2016 until his death, Al Abed served as Adviser to the Chairperson of the
National Media Council.
The UAE's political leadership and many from the cultural and media sectors have
offered their condolences to the Al Abed family and his admirers.
The hashtag #IbrahimAlAbed in Arabic was trending on Twitter in the UAE
yesterday. Al Abed had witnessed the development of the UAE before and after the
Union was established 49 years ago. He played a leading role in formulating the
policies and legislations governing the country's media sector.
Siniora said that after the friends parted ways, he was still an avid follower
of Al Abed’s career in the UAE. "I was happy with the successes he was
achieving. Our friendship continued despite the distances."
The former Prime Minister of Lebanon who also worked as his country’s Minister
of Finance from 2000 to 2004 said that he will call Al Abed's brother Faisal to
offer his condolences to the family. -- Emirates News Agency
Beirut demonstrations: One rejecting Hariri's designation,
other in support of it
NNA/October 22/2020
Protesters gathered in Downtown Beirut, some of whom rejecting Prime Minister
Saad Hariri's designation to form a government, and others supporting him. The
army and security forces kept the two groups separated.
Whirlwind hits port of Beirut stirring dust in its wake
NNA/October 22/2020
A whirlwind struck Beirut port this Wednesday, resulting in a massive stirring
of dust and debris in its wake.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on October 21-22/2020
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Armenia’s President slams
Turkey in visit to NATO
AFP/Thursday 22 October 2020
Armenia's President Armen Sarkisian used a visit to NATO headquarters on
Wednesday to accuse alliance member Turkey of intervening in the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh. NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg told his guest that
NATO, a partner of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, was neutral in the conflict and
urged a ceasefire. But Sarkisian complained that Turkey's backing for Azerbaijan
had undermined international efforts to mediate peace.
"It looks like sometimes it's no longer the conflict between Republic of Artsakh,
the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, and Azerbaijan, but there is a third party there
as well," he said. Sarkisian accused Ankara of supporting Azerbaijan
"politically, diplomatically, heavily militarily" and repeated a long-standing
charge that it had facilitated the deployment of Syrian fighters. "And
unfortunately, that third party is a member of NATO and I being here, I could
not speak about that third party -- that third party's Turkey," he said,
standing by Stoltenberg. "So I do believe that if a NATO member country like
Turkey will stop being a part of the conflict and will contribute to the
ceasefire, and to the understanding that there should be a peaceful solution
that we will reach a ceasefire."Stoltenberg did not address the allegations
against Turkey at his appearance with the Armenian leader, and instead urged the
two main combatant parties to show restraint. "Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have
been valued NATO partners for more than 25 years. NATO is deeply concerned by
ongoing violations of the ceasefire which have caused tragic loss of life," he
said. "It is vital that all sides now show restraint, observe the ceasefire and
de-escalate. Any targeting of civilians is unacceptable and must stop all must
now work towards a sustainable political solution."Earlier, Armenia's Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinyan had ruled out a diplomatic solution to the conflict
with Azerbaijan and urged Armenians to volunteer for military service.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in fierce fighting for almost a month
over Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan controlled by Armenian separatists.
Macron pays tribute to murdered French school teacher
at memorial
The National/October 22/2020
Samuel Paty, 43, was beheaded by a radicalised Russian national last week
French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to "quiet hero" Samuel Paty,
the schoolteacher who was beheaded by a terrorist last Friday after showing his
pupils caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. At a national memorial at the
Sorbonne University in central Paris, Mr Macron praised the history teacher as
the “face of the Republic” who “believed in knowledge". Paty, 47, was murdered
by Abdullakh Anzorov, 18, a Russian national of Chechen origin who had become
radicalised. Police killed Anzorov shortly after the attack. “Samuel Paty became
the face of the Republic, of our will to shatter terrorists ... to live like a
community of free citizens in our country,” Mr Macron said. “We will continue.”A
ceremonial military guard carried the Paty’s coffin into the cobblestone
courtyard of the Sorbonne where the memorial took place before his family,
government members and select guests. The stirring ceremony included a poem by
Albert Camus to his own teacher. It came hours after the prosecutor gave details
of how the teenager came to kill Paty, with the suspected help of two young
pupils at the school in the north-west Paris suburb of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.
Jean-Francois Ricard said two pupils, aged 14 and 15, were among seven people
taken before an investigating magistrate, accused of “complicity in murder in
relation with a terrorist undertaking” and “criminal conspiracy". The killer
offered pupils at the school where Paty taught between €300 ($355) and €350 to
help him identify the teacher, Mr Ricard said. “The investigation has
established that the perpetrator knew the name of the teacher, the name of the
school and its address, yet he did not have the means to identify him,” he said.
“That identification has only been possible with the help of students from the
same school.”Mr Ricard said the involvement of the two pupils “appeared to be
conclusive.”Anzorov, a Moscow-born Chechen refugee, claimed responsibility in a
text accompanied by a photograph of the victim, which was found on his phone.
The other suspects include a pupil’s father who posted videos on social media
that called for action against the teacher, and an activist who helped the man
to disseminate the messages, which identified Paty and gave the school’s
address, Mr Ricard said.
Two more men, aged 18 and 19, are accused of accompanying the attacker when he
bought the weapons, including a knife and an airsoft gun, the prosecutor said.
One of them allegedly drove Anzorov, who lived in the Normandy town of Evreux
about 90 kilometres away, near the school about three hours before the killing.
Another suspect, 18, had close contacts with the attacker and endorsed radical
Islam, Mr Ricard said. All three of them, who were friends of Anzorov, allegedly
said “he was "radicalising" for several months, marked by a change of behaviour,
physical appearance, isolation and making comments about ISIS. “Samuel Paty was
the victim of a conspiracy of stupidity, hate, lies … hate of what we profoundly
are,” Mr Macron said.
On Wednesday morning, the French government issued an order to dissolve a
domestic pro-Hamas militant group, the Collective Cheikh Yassine. Government
spokesman Gabriel Attal said the group was “implicated, linked to Friday’s
attack” and was used to promote anti-republican hate speech. Other groups will
be dissolved “in the coming weeks” for similar reasons, Mr Attal said. Named
after a slain leader of Hamas in Palestine, Collective Cheikh Yassine was
founded in the early 2000s by the activist who is among the seven people accused
of being accomplices. Mr Attal said the government ordered a mosque in the
north-east Paris suburb of Pantin to close for six months. The mosque was being
punished for relaying the angry father’s message on social media. Authorities
say its long-term imam followed the the strict Salafist path of Islam. A
national memorial event is scheduled to be held Wednesday evening in the
courtyard of the Sorbonne university.
Egyptian-Cypriot-Greece summit discusses Turkey’s
provocations
Arab News/October 21/2020
CAIRO: A tripartite summit was held on Wednesday in the Cypriot capital Nicosia
between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Cypriot counterpart
Nicos Anastasiades, along with Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis. The
summit, the eighth between the leaders of the three countries, focused on
discussing means of cooperation and coordination regarding issues of concern.
Bassam Rady, the spokesman for the Egyptian presidency, said: “The tripartite
summit was held to evaluate the development of cooperation among the three
countries in various fields, and to follow-up on joint projects currently
implemented as part of the trilateral cooperation mechanism.”Rady added that the
summit also sought to “exchange visions on means of facing the challenges in the
Middle East region.”El-Sisi underlined the need to enhance the tripartite
cooperation mechanism with Greece and Cyprus, saying: “We have decided to
counter acts of provocation and violations in the Middle East.”He indirectly
accused Turkey of committing violations, transferring mercenaries to conflict
zones, and blackmailing Europe with the issue of immigration.“We have signed the
founding charter of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum,” he added. Regarding
the Syrian crisis, the president said: “We reject any foreign existence on
Syrian territories.”Meanwhile, the Cypriot president stressed that Turkey was
causing more tension in the area, jeopardizing regional stability, interfering
in the Syrian crisis, and sending mercenaries to Libya and the Nagorno-Karabakh
region. Anastasiades said: “We underlined the need to take strong measures
against those who support militant and terrorist groups in the region.” He
pointed out that the trilateral relations were not against any state, but rather
aimed to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East.
He also called on Turkey to respect international laws and not to violate
Cypriot sovereignty. “We discussed means of enhancing tripartite cooperation in
various fields especially energy,” he said. “We welcome the establishment of the
Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum,” he added, whilst reiterating the need to stop
the flow of illegal immigration via the Mediterranean. The Cypriot president
also described Turkey’s hunt for gas in Greek waters in the Eastern
Mediterranean as “illegal.”Meanwhile Mitsotakis said that the practices of the
Turkish leadership were unfair to its people. “We don’t want to exclude Turkey
but its practices lead to that action,” he warned. This is the eighth such
tripartite summit between since 2014. It coincides with Greece’s calls on the EU
to consider suspending the Customs Union Agreement with Turkey.Greek Foreign
Minister Nikos Dendias delivered a letter to the European Neighborhood Policy
and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyito, to consider the measure as a
response to Turkey’s repeated violations of the agreement, in addition to its
unilateral measures of gas and oil excavations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Syrian Regime Raises Fuel Prices, Drawing Criticism
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Damascus has sharply increased petrol prices in regime-held areas of Syria,
saying that US sanctions had left it with no alternative. The cost per liter of
the 100-liter ration of subsidized petrol motorists are allowed each month has
risen from 250 to 450 Syrian pounds (36 US cents at the official exchange rate,
20 US cents at the black market one). The cost of unsubsidized petrol also went
up, rising from 296 to 650 pounds a liter, the trade ministry said late Tuesday.
The ministry blamed the price hikes on "the great cost to the government in
securing oil derivatives and the increase in transport costs in light of the
unjust blockade imposed by the US administration". Consumers were quick to
criticize the price hikes, which came a day after the price of industrial fuel
oil shot up from 296 to 650 pounds a liter. "Everything will start costing more
with the fuel prices going up," complained one Facebook user. The head of the
regime, Bashar al-Assad, announced several measures on Wednesday to mitigate the
impact on the most needy, raising the income tax threshold and ordering the
payment of a one-off grant of 50,000 Syrian pounds to all public sector
employees, military or civilian. Heating fuel, petrol and cooking gas have been
in short supply in regime-held areas for years, and motorists have grown used to
long queues to fill up. The United States has imposed several rounds of economic
sanctions on the Syrian government, the most recent in mid-June.
US Will Not Change Syria Policy to Win Release of
Americans, Says Pompeo
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the United States will not
change policy toward Syria to obtain the release of US journalist Austin Tice
and other detained Americans. “Our ask is that the Syrians release Mr. Tice,
tell us what they know. They have chosen not to do that,” Pompeo told a State
Department news conference. “We’ll continue to work for the return not only of
Austin, but for every American that’s held. We’re not going to change American
policy to do that.”Pompeo’s comments follow the disclosure that the top White
House counterterrorism official secretly traveled to Damascus earlier this year
seeking the release of Tice, a freelance journalist who disappeared in 2012, and
Majd Kamalmaz, an American psychotherapist missing since 2017. Pompeo did not
directly address the Damascus visit when he was asked about it and whether the
United States is prepared to withdraw some 600 US troops from Syria in return
for the return of Tice and other Americans. “The president has said clearly we
don’t pay for the return of hostages,” Pompeo responded. “We work to make the
case that they need to get these people returned.”The US troops are deployed in
northern Syria as part of an international coalition fighting the remnants of
ISIS. They also are guarding oil fields in the region.
Spain Becomes First EU Nation with One Million Virus
Cases
Agence France Presse
Spain has become the first European Union nation to surpass a million
coronavirus infections, official data showed Wednesday, as the government mulls
fresh restrictions on public life to curb the spread of the disease.
The country recorded 16,973 confirmed cases of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours,
the health ministry announced Wednesday, taking the total to 1,005,295 since its
first case was diagnosed on January 31 on the remote island of La Gomera in the
Canary Islands. Of this number, 34,366 people have died, after 156 more deaths
were recorded in the previous 24 hours. Spain, which is home to around 47
million people, is only the sixth country in the world to cross this grim
milestone after the United States, India, Brazil, Russia and Argentina,
according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
The new wave of contagion has been less deadly than in late March and April and
the height of health crisis, when fatalities routinely exceeded 800 per day, as
the median age of new infections has dropped.
But with healthcare workers warning the spike could once again overwhelm
hospitals, health minister Salvador Illa said Tuesday the government is
considering several new measures, including nighttime curfews such as those
recently put in place in France and Belgium. "We are facing very tough weeks
ahead, winter is coming, the second wave is no longer a threat, it is a reality
across Europe," he told a news conference, adding the government was "open to
everything" to contain the virus.
- 'Political weapon' -
The health ministry is set to meet Thursday with representatives from Spain's
powerful regional governments, who are in charge of healthcare, to update the
country's plan to respond to the pandemic. Spain was one of the worst-affected
countries when the coronavirus struck Europe early this year before one of the
world's most stringent lockdowns helped reduce the outbreak's spread. But
infections have surged since the lockdown measures were fully removed at the end
of June, with the rise blamed on the rapid return of nightlife and a lack of an
efficient system to track and trace infections.
Messy disagreements between the central and regional governments, and between
political parties, over what measures to take have also hampered the response,
experts say."The pandemic has been used as a political weapon to fight and argue
with your adversaries instead of trying to find a middle ground and the best
solution for everyone," Salvador Macip, an expert in health sciences at
Catalonia's Open University who has written a book called "The Great Modern
Plagues", told AFP.
- 'Tired and angry' -
As infections have picked up, Spanish regional authorities started imposing
fresh restrictions. Madrid and several satellite cities have since early October
been under a partial lockdown, while the wealthy northeastern region of
Catalonia has imposed a 15-day shutdown of all bars and restaurants.
Angela Hernandez Puente, a doctor and the deputy secretary of Madrid's Amtys
medical association, said the situation was very worrying, but not comparable
with the overwhelming pressure the health system came under in March when
intensive care units were full and staff lacked personal protective equipment.
But she said the gains of Spain's tough lockdown were wasted due a lack of
preparation for a second wave of infections, citing as an example the failure to
hire more doctors for public primary care centers, the first line of defense
against the virus as they handle testing and tracing potential cases as well as
treating the sick. "It's as if they thought that since infections lowered over
the summer, 'that's it, it's over,' when in fact it was the moment to prepare,"
Hernandez Puente told AFP. "Health care staff are tired and angry, many doctors
feel that more should have been done in June, July and August to not let the
public health system become overburdened as it is now," she added.
Pompeo Says Syria Not Forthcoming on Missing Americans
Agence France Presse/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that Syria's regime has not
revealed all it knows about two missing Americans despite a rare visit by a U.S.
official. Despite the absence of diplomatic relations, a U.S. official visited
Damascus in August to seek the freedom of journalist Austin Tice and
Syrian-American Majd Kamalmaz, The Wall Street Journal first reported on Sunday.
"Our ask is that the Syrians release Mr. Tice -- they tell us what they know.
They have chosen not to do that so far," Pompeo told reporters when asked about
the mission by the White House official, Kash Patel.
"We are continuing to work for the return not only of Austin but of every
American that's held," Pompeo said. Tice was a freelance photojournalist working
for Agence France-Presse, McClatchy News, The Washington Post, CBS and other
news organizations when he disappeared after being detained at a checkpoint near
Damascus on August 14, 2012. Thirty-one years old at the time he was captured,
Tice appeared blindfolded in the custody of an unidentified group of armed men
in a video a month later. Since then, there has been no official information on
whether he is alive or dead. The renewed U.S. communication with the Syrian
authorities comes despite continued efforts by Washington to sideline President
Bashar al-Assad, who has succeeded in wresting back control of most of the
country after nearly a decade of brutal civil war.
President Donald Trump's administration, with backing from Congress, has pursued
sanctions against Assad's inner circle, saying there can be no normalization
with Damascus without accountability for atrocities. Pompeo vowed to put a top
priority on returning Americans missing overseas but said that the
administration will "compartmentalize" the issue. "We're not going to change
American policy to do that," he said.
Israeli minister predicts a normalization deal with
Sudan before US election
Reuters/Wednesday 21 October 2020
An Israeli official predicted on Wednesday that the United States would announce
another deal establishing ties between Israel and an Arab or Muslim country
before the US election. "I have a reasonable basis to believe that the
announcement will come before Nov. 3 - that, if you'll permit me, is what I
understand from my sources," Regional Cooperation Minister Ofir Akunis told
Israel's Army Radio. In a foreign-policy flourish ahead of his re-election bid,
top aides to President Donald Trump this week escorted Israeli delegates to
Bahrain and UAE delegates to Israel, cementing Israel's new, US-brokered
relations with the Gulf states. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on
Wednesday that the United States had begun the process of removing Sudan from
its list of state sponsors of terrorism and was also working "diligently" to get
Khartoum to recognize Israel. Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen told
Israel's Channel 13 News that he believed Israel was "very close to normalizing
ties with Sudan".Pompeo stopped short of saying Sudan's removal would be linked
to whether it would agree to normalize relations with Israel. Akunis said
several countries were candidates to normalize relations with Israel. He did not
name these, saying that it was "customary" to let the first official word come
from Washington. But US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman did not indicate any
imminent diplomatic breakthrough. "More nations that are in the Arab League will
normalize and make peace with Israel, I have no doubt, it is a certainty. How
many, in what order, I think everyone is just going to have to wait and see," he
told a conference hosted by Israel Hayom newspaper and the Kohelet Policy Forum
think-tank.
Israel Hits Iran-Backed Fighters in Southern Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
An Israeli strike hit on Wednesday the province of Quneitra in southern Syria,
with a war monitor saying the attack targeted a base for pro-Iran militias. A
missile hit a school in a village in Quneitra's northern countryside, state
media reported, without providing additional detail.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israel was "likely"
responsible for the missile attack. It said the assault, which targeted a base
for militias backed by Tehran, left casualties in their ranks.Israel has carried
out hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syria since the civil war broke out
in 2011, targeting Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces as well as regime
troops.
Experts Warn of Turkey Extending its Influence to
Palestinian Territories
Tel Aviv - Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Israeli officials have warned of Turkey’s attempts to extend its influence to
the Palestinian territories and replace Egypt’s leading regional role, with the
help from Qatar and other parties. They considered these attempts harmful not
only to Palestinians and Israelis, but they could deteriorate the situation and
lead to clashes, violence and tension. “Egypt plays a decisive role in providing
calm and stability in the region,” a former pro-peace Israeli minister was
quoted as saying. “It has prevented war on the Gaza Strip several times and has
been trying to rid Palestinians of their basic weakness, which is division, to
be more powerful in negotiations,” he added, stressing that for this very reason
Egypt is being challenged. The official stressed that people in the region will
pay the price for the deteriorating situation, that is, Israel and its
neighbors, while Qatar, Turkey and others watch from afar. He slammed the
Israeli government’s policy in this regard. Palestinians have been resorting to
Ankara and involving themselves in a “radical” camp while the government is
standing idle, he stressed. Zvi Bar'el, the Middle Eastern affairs analyst for
Haaretz Newspaper, shares this opinion and wrote on Tuesday that Israel also
contributes to that.
The Palestinian Authority is concerned about the collapse of the economy in
light of coronavirus pandemic and is seeking sources of funding, he said. “On
one hand, the PA refuses to receive its tax revenues from Israel as long as it
deducts the money paid to the families of the martyrs and the prisoners, and on
the other hands, it suffers cuts in Arab and international aid, and Europe
refuses to offer any alternative aid.” Bar'el pointed out that the Israeli
government refuses to compromise, hoping the financial crisis suffered by the PA
leads to it receiving tax funds again and accepting US President Donald Trump’s
peace plan. However, the PA has resorted to Qatar, which has become a bank for
the Gaza Strip and Hamas movement, while awaiting the results of the upcoming US
elections to settle its issues.
Congressmen Seek to Obstruct Sudan’s Removal from
State Terrorism Sponsors List
Washington - Rana Abtar/Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday,
21 October, 2020
A US administration decision to remove Sudan from a list of state sponsors of
terror has faced obstacles at the Congress, complicating US President Donald
Trump’s promises to Khartoum. Congressional sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on
Tuesday that the US administration did not officially notify congressmen about
its decision to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror as
stipulated by US laws. On Monday Trump tweeted: "GREAT news! New government of
Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to US terror
victims and families." "Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State
Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and
BIG step for Sudan!" The US president has the power to remove a nation from the
list; however, Congress has 45 days to object. The sources believe that no
obstacles are expected as Republicans control the majority of Congress while
several Democrats support the decision. However, Congress needs to pass another
legislation that would extinguish court claims against Sudan related to the 9/11
attacks. Congress has for months worked to advance legislation that would end
claims filed against Khartoum by families of victims of terrorism, including
those of the 9/11 attacks. This legislation is rejected by US Senator Bob
Menendez, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. However,
informed sources said that the Democratic Senator could openly discuss the
matter with the Department of State.
Egypt Agrees to Hold Palestinian Talks
Ramallah- Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
The Secretary-General of the Central Committee of Fatah Movement Jibril Rajoub
confirmed that Egypt has approved hosting Palestinian talks that would bring
together the chiefs of factions after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued
the election decree.
Rajoub's statements dispelled reports about Egypt allegedly refusing to host the
talks because it expressed discontent over the reconciliation meeting taking
place in Istanbul.Egypt and other countries in the region have shown
reservations about Palestinians declaring reconciliation from Turkey especially
after Cairo having, for many years, sponsored countless negotiations and
agreements for Palestinian settlement. Rajoub, however, confirmed that matters
were settled with Egypt hosting upcoming talks. “We went to everyone who blamed
us and explained the situation to them, and the matter was resolved,” Rajoub
told a local radio station in Gaza. He explained that Fatah’s stance remained
consistent with views of Arab and regional countries, reflecting Palestine’s
Arab and Islamic depth. Fatah and Hamas, the two main Palestinian factions, had
agreed last month in Istanbul to hold elections gradually over the span of the
next six months. The leadership in both factions agreed that a broader deal
would be established among Palestinian factions for the issuing of an election
decree. This will be followed by national dialogue to address the mechanisms,
laws, and references used in the fresh elections.
Fatah and Hamas held a number of meetings with Palestinian factions in order to
achieve a general agreement that would include written approvals sent to
President Abbas before issuing the election decree. However, Fatah officials
raised doubts about the issuance of the decree, due to a delay by Hamas. Fatah
Central Committee member Azzam Al-Ahmad confirmed that Hamas was late in sending
a response to the election proposal. Ahmad blamed Hamas for obstructing
reconciliation so far. Other officials have also questioned Hamas’ commitment to
reconciliation and said that the Gaza-based group demanded settling other issues
first, like the dispensing of the salaries of its public servants.
Algerian Army Chief Backs Constitutional Amendments
Algiers - Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October,
2020
The Algerian army chief of staff affirmed on Tuesday that the upcoming
constitutional referendum is a milestone to structure a new Algeria. Achieving
these noble goals is definitely possible by maintaining security and stability,
a Defense Ministry statement quoted Major General Said Chengriha as saying
during his visit to the 3rd Military Region in Bechar. President Abdelmadjid
Tebboune has repeatedly pledged to introduce comprehensive political and
economic reforms and to meet demands raised in demonstrations that toppled
president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April 2019. Tebboune believes the new
constitution is fully in line with the requirements of modern state building and
responds to the demands of the Hirak. In an interview with the New York Times
earlier this month, he stressed that the “old, corrupt regime is gone,”
proclaiming a new day for his country, saying it was now “free and
democratic.”“I’ve decided to go very far in creating a new politics and a new
economy.” On Monday, head of Bina Movement Abdelkader Bengrina called on
Algerians to vote “yes” in the referendum scheduled for November 1. “If we are
unable to convince the people to vote (yes), then we have failed in our mission,
so we will have to step down,” he told local media. “There is no room for
comparison between the 2016 and the 2020 constitution, which defends the general
principles of Algerian society and values the identity of the nation, its
freedom and democracy.” Bengrina stressed that he respects the opinion of all
political components but will continue to fiercely defend his stance and this
constitution for Algeria’s sake. The 2019 presidential candidate said he had
many reservations on the draft constitution, but the authority has responded to
his demands by including several of his proposals. Bengrina hailed the role
played by the civil society in raising awareness to participate in the
referendum. “We value and at the same time demand that the civil society be
given a real role in this process, within an organized framework.” He expected a
massive turnout of 11-12 million to vote “yes” because their “identity is
protected in this constitution.”
Kadhimi Confirms Iraq Seeks True Partnership With
Germany
Berlin- Raghida Bahnam/Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday,
21 October, 2020
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi on Tuesday found great support in
Berlin, the second leg of his visit to Europe. He had arrived in the German
capital from Paris and will leave it to head to London. German Chancellor Angela
Merkel met with Kadhimi and pledged to continue to support Baghdad in its
journey towards stability, security, and economic growth. During a joint press
statement with Kadhimi, Merkel welcomed his government's "will to reform." She
stressed the need for continued international support for preserving Iraq’s
security and to face the challenges of an ISIS reemergence. “ISIS remains a
threat to the region and of course beyond," Merkel said, emphasizing that
Germany would continue to support Iraq both within the framework of the
anti-ISIS coalition and a NATO mission training Iraqi security forces. Merkel
also pledged to help Iraq during the coronavirus pandemic, offering to provide
protective equipment and ventilators as well help training medical personnel.
She also said that Kadhimi's government was pursuing a "very ambitious agenda"
on issues such as fighting corruption, the rule of law, and strengthening state
institutions. That "ambitious agenda" included the announcement of early
elections for June 2021. "Through these measures, the Iraqi people's confidence
in state institutions can be strengthened," she said. For his part, Kadhimi said
that Iraq looks forward to holding a true partnership with Germany. He also
added that his visit to Berlin comes to reaffirm Iraq’s commitment to
establishing close ties with Germany. He added that his government was striving
for increased cooperation with Germany in areas such as refugee policy and
economic policy, particularly in the energy sector. The prime minister confessed
that Iraq is passing through hard times because of the coronavirus, but stressed
that there is an ambitious program in action to restructure and build the Iraqi
economy.
Pompeo: US Has Begun Process of Removing Sudan from
State Terrorism List
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
The Trump administration has begun the process of removing Sudan from the US
list of state sponsors of terrorism while also working to get Khartoum to
recognize Israel, which it hopes will happen quickly, US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo said on Wednesday. Pompeo spoke just two days after President Donald
Trump announced Sudan would be taken off the terrorism list after it transferred
$355 million to compensate US victims and their families. However, Pompeo
stopped short of saying Sudan’s removal would be linked to whether it normalizes
relations with Israel. Sudan’s de-listing could set in motion steps toward
Sudan’s establishment of relations with Israel, US officials have told Reuters,
following similar US-brokered moves by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Rapprochement between Israel and another Arab country would give Trump a new
diplomatic achievement as he seeks re-election on Nov. 3.
Sudan’s terrorism designation dates to its toppled ruler Omar al-Bashir and has
made it difficult for its transitional government to access urgently needed debt
relief and foreign financing. Many in Sudan say the designation, imposed in 1993
because Washington believed Bashir was supporting militant groups, has become
outdated since he was removed last year. Sudan’s central bank governor said on
Tuesday the required funds had been deposited. The money was being placed in a
special account for victims of al-Qaeda attacks on US embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania in 1998. Trump is expected to sign an executive order soon to remove
Sudan from the list, one US official said, according to Reuters. Asked when
Sudan’s de-listing is expected, Pompeo told reporters: “I don’t know the precise
timing but we have begun the process.” Asked whether this was related to Sudan
normalizing ties with Israel, a linkage Sudan’s prime minister opposes, Pompeo
said Washington wanted Sudan and other countries “to recognize Israel.” “We are
working diligently with them to make the case for why that’s in the Sudanese
government’s best interest to make that sovereign decision.” he said. “We hope
that they’ll do that quickly.” Military figures leading Sudan’s transition have
appeared open to normalization, but left-wing and politicians are more
reluctant. Trump’s notification to Congress will give lawmakers 45 days to
review the delisting, though they are unlikely to block it. However, legislation
is needed to shield Sudan from future legal claims over past attacks to ensure
the flow of payments to the embassy bombing victims and their families.
Sisi Warns Against 'Inciting People' to Harm Their
Country
Cairo- Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi warned against “mobilizing people to harm
their country,” calling on the army and police institutions to raise awareness
on these dangers. Addressing the graduation ceremony for a new batch of students
from military colleges and institutes on Tuesday, Sisi urged the Egyptians to be
aware of plots against their country, saying: “No one can attack Egypt as long
as its people are conscious and its army is strong.” The Egyptian president has
reiterated, on various occasions, the call for “awareness against conspiracies”
facing his country. “The Egyptian people always ask why I insist on this matter…
In fact, undermining the awareness of Egyptians is no less dangerous than any
aggressor who might harm or attack the state, and that the goal, in the end, is
to mobilize people to harm their country,” he said. Sisi continued: “Graduates
from military colleges and institutes should work to build the awareness of
recruits who join the ranks of the armed forces to perform military service.”In
remarks last month, the Egyptian president warned of “attempts to destroy the
state and stir sedition,” following some protests in villages on the outskirts
of the capital organized by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. “I thank the
Egyptians; because the evil groups have been seeking during the past days to
ignite sedition, taking advantage of the difficult situation that the country is
going through to question the ability of the state. But the Egyptians have met
these calls with awareness and understanding of the nature of the
circumstances,” he remarked.
UN Acting Libya Envoy 'Optimistic' on Talks
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
The United Nations' acting Libya envoy said on Wednesday she was "quite
optimistic" that ongoing talks between the warring sides would lead to a lasting
ceasefire after they agreed in the negotiations to reopen land and air routes
across front lines. Speaking at a news conference midway through week-long talks
in Geneva this week, Stephanie Williams said the two sides had also agreed to
maintain "the current state of calm on the front lines and avoid any military
escalation". "I am pleased to report that the two sides have reached agreement
on several important issues which directly impact the lives and welfare of the
Libyan people," she added. There was a "real determination to preserve the
country's unity and sovereignty", she continued. Libya has been split since 2014
between the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and Khalifa Haftar's
Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east. This week's meeting between GNA and LNA
military negotiators in Geneva will be followed by a political dialogue in Tunis
from Nov. 9, Williams said, adding that foreign countries involved in the
conflict "need to take their hands off Libya". Libyan oil output resumed in
August after an eight-month blockade by the LNA but state producer National Oil
Corporation (NOC) has warned of risks posed by the Petroleum Facilities Guards (PFG),
made up of local armed groups. Williams said the sides in Geneva had agreed to
delegate PFG commanders from both east and west to work with an NOC
representative to present a proposal to restructure the guards to "ensure the
increase and continuation" of oil flow. She added that they had agreed to make
progress on an exchange of detainees between the warring sides and that the
first flights between Tripoli and the eastern city of Benghazi would resume this
week. Williams added that GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj's announcement that he
intends to step down by the end of this month "should help end the long period
of transition" and move towards a democratically elected government and
institutions.
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on October 21-22/2020
Le terrorisme islamiste, la décapitation de la
République et l’épreuve des limites
Charles Elias Chartouni/October 21/2020
شارل الياس شرتوني: ارهاب الاسلاميين، قطع رأس الجمهورية وتجربة الحدود الفاصلة
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/91537/charles-elias-chartouni-le-terrorisme-islamiste-la-decapitation-de-la-republique-et-lepreuve-des-limites-%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b3-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d8%aa%d9%88/
Le terrorisme islamiste, la décapitation de la République et
l’épreuve des limites La macabre décapitation de Samuel Paty par un islamiste
tchétchène, au statut de réfugié, fait suite à une série d’attentats en tous
genres, où se sont alternées exécution par mitrailleuses, voiture bélier,
égorgement et décapitation, ainsi que 32 attentats déjoués tout au long des cinq
dernières années. On n’est plus dans la violence occasionnelle, dans les faits
divers de la chronique policière et judiciaire, ou devant le déploiement d’une
délinquance ordinaire dans des ghettos de banlieues, on est devant un état de
violence institutionnalisé, récurrent qui représente une menace réelle à la paix
civile, à la sécurité nationale et à l’avenir du contrat républicain et ses
impératifs civiques.
L’assassinat de Samuel Paty, enseignant d’Histoire dans un collège, remet en
question tout un mode de gestion de la violence islamiste et ses répercussions
multiples sur l’avenir de l’État de droit et les enjeux de la sécurité nationale,
à savoir jusqu’où et jusqu’à quand une démocratie libérale peut tolérer, une
idéologie et des modes de vie alternatifs, qui remettent en question ses
fondements et la viabilité de ses institutions.
L’islamisme est une idéologie totalitaire qui s’articule sur la base des échecs
multiples des modernités arabe et islamique, des migrations de masse qu’ils
induisent, des apories de l’islam contemporain et ses instrumentalisations par
les politiques de puissance arabo-musulmane et leurs déclinaisons néo-impériales.
Il s’agit d’une violence éminemment politique qui puise aux sources
scripturaires du corpus islamique, en l’absence d’une lecture critique qui aide
à déconstruire les surdéterminations sémantiques, et démêler les registres
propres du religieux, du socio-politique et de leurs articulations inter-textuelles
et sociologique. Il est grand temps de se départir de la doxa du politiquement
correct qui entend dissocier l’islamisme du référentiel islamique et ses
enseignements, tout en sachant que l’islamisme n’est pas identique à l’islam et
ne peut en épuiser la dimension religieuse.
L’islamisme est une idéologie politico-religieuse qui se nourrit des échecs
patents de la modernité islamique qui instrumentalise le corpus religieux au
profit d’un projet totalitaire et de conquête impériale pilotés par les
monarchies pétrolières d’Arabie, la dictature iranienne du jurisconsulte, et par
les mouvances salafiste et terroriste des frères musulmans et leurs dérivés qui
ont amplement puisées aux référentiels Wahhabite et Khomeyniste et aux liens
généalogiques qui les relient.
Le fait que l’islamisme ait transformé l’islam en opérateur psycho-pathologique,
catalyseur d’archaïsmes faits de ressentiment, de verrouillages psychotiques et
de haine de toutes sortes d’altérité, ne fait que répercuter une haine de soi,
la haine de l’autre n’étant que le revers d’une haine de soi aux avatars
multiples.
L’ordre public dans une démocratie libérale, ne pouvant composer avec autant de
contradictions qui le minent dans ses fondements, est sommé d’arrêter des bornes,
de réaffirmer ses récits fondateurs, de dire les stipulations du contrat social,
et de fixer les modes d’affiliation républicaine.
L’ordre en démocratie libérale n’est plus en mesure de s’accommoder d’autant de
paradoxes, qui en questionnent la légitimité et l’effectivité, comme l’ont
amplement démontrés les attentats terroristes qui ne discontinuent pas, et qui
cherchent à s’imposer comme une fatalité induite. La réaction des autorités
françaises traduisent, quoique tardivement, une exigence de réaffirmation des
valeurs de l’en soi national et républicain, l’intangibilité des normes
républicaines, et l’intransigeance des modèles de sociabilité politique, afin de
se prémunir contre les embardées d’une subversion islamiste ouverte qui n’est
plus à démontrer.
La riposte devrait se structurer à des niveaux multiples de politiques de
restructuration urbaine, de diversification du pool migratoire, de remise en
cause des politiques de recomposition familiale ( polygamie comprise ),
l’encadrement juridique de la notion de licéité ( Halal, حلال ) et de ses
conjugaisons à géométries variables, de la séparation du religieux et du
politique, de l’inscription de l’islam dans les interstices de l’espace privé et
du pluralisme religieux stricto sensu, et de l’interdiction de tout statut
public revendiqué de manière subreptice et ouverte par diverses mouvances de
l’islam institutionnel et sauvage.
La terreur islamiste est un acte de guerre continue, il est déjà temps d’en
prendre acte et la traiter comme telle en lui déclarant la guerre et en
changeant “le camp de la peur”, désormais l’islamisme ne sera plus autorisé
comme une variante au cœur du paysage islamique, les écoles islamistes n’auront
plus droit de cité, des formations comme le Collectif contre l’Islamophobie en
France ( CCIF ) et consorts seront interdits d’opérer sur le sol national, la
déchéance de nationalité et l’expulsion du territoire national feront désormais
partie de la panoplie des mesures de rétorsion contre des formations qui
contestent la paix civile et les valeurs de la République, la mise à terme de
toutes formes d’extraterritorialité juridique et normative et des politiques
d’encadrement fournies par les tutelles étatiques ( Arabie Saoudite, Qatar,
Turquie, Iran… ).
Quant à la gauche indigéniste, il faudrait l’engager, dorénavant, sur la base de
ses entorses délibérées au credo républicain et au récit national auxquels elle
se soustrait et cherche délibérément à subvertir, une démocratie ne pouvant
fonctionner en l’absence de consensus normatifs et des engagements civiques qui
en découlent.
L'histoire se répétera-t-elle : De Frangieh à Bassil
Par l'avocat Abdel Hamid Al-Ahdab/October 21/2020
La question est de savoir si l'histoire change ou ne change pas! Et au cas où
elle change! C’est un sujet qui a suscité une longue controverse.
Au Liban, durant les derniers jours du mandat du président Suleiman Franjieh, la
situation politique s’est détériorée, loin de l’effondrement survenu ces
jours-ci, mais la situation politique exigeait un changement radical de
gouvernement car l’administration de l’État était devenue entre les mains de
Tony Franjieh, et Tony Frangieh la dirigeait ainsi que la municipalité de
Zgharta alors qu’il était encore un adolescent. Ainsi, le pays à l'époque avait
besoin d'un remaniement ministériel pour amener des hommes d'État forts qui
puissent tenir la situation qui ne cesse de se détériorer, et la guerre civile
qui a suivi a prouvé que la situation était dangereuse et devrait être changé.
Ainsi, le gouvernement a démissionné et le président Franjieh a chargé le
président Saeb Salam de former un gouvernement d'hommes capables de changer et
de réformer la situation politique et sociale en détérioration. L’atmosphère
populaire et politique tenait Tony Franjieh, devenu le « président de l'ombre »,
responsable de cette détérioration. Et Saeb Salam a entamé des consultations,
lui qui est connue d’être un homme fort, pour résoudre les crises depuis
l'époque du cheikh Bechara El Khoury.
Les consultations se sont déroulées en tenant compte des conditions dangereuses
dans le pays, ce pays qui bouillonnait à cause du « transfert » du pouvoir du
président Suleiman Franjieh au fils, Tony Franjieh, et de la politique de Tony
Franjieh.
C'est ainsi que Saeb Salam a mis en place un projet de formation gouvernementale
qui exclue Tony Franjieh! L'incident a eu lieu et la crise a éclaté. Le pays se
plaint de Tony Franjieh, de sa politique et de son autorité, et le changement
requis fut préparé par Saeb Salam en excluant Tony Franjieh.
Et la formation du gouvernement a été reportée! Puis elle a été reportée de
nouveau et les médiateurs ont commencé à intervenir pour persuader le président
Franjieh d'accepter la formation du gouvernement de Saeb Beik, mais le président
Franjieh est resté attaché au «fils» et entre le pays et le fils, le président
Suleiman Franjieh a préféré toujours le fils. Saeb Salam est resté têtu, comme
c'est son habitude, s'accrochant à la conviction que l'expulsion de Tony
Franjieh est le début de la résolution de la crise politique qui s'aggrave dans
le pays! Puis, le président Franjieh est resté attaché à Tony Franjieh, et Saeb
Beik est resté déterminé à exclure Tony Franjieh! La crise s'est terminée par
les excuses de Saeb Beik! Le président Franjieh a chargé Rachid El Solh de
former le gouvernement, et il a empiré les choses… puis l'incident de Ain Al-Remmaneh
a eu lieu, et la situation s'est aggravée jusqu'à ce qu'elle atteigne la guerre
civile et la division de l'armée et ... et ... la chose la plus dangereuse qui
s'est produite après cela a été le massacre d'Ehden, dont Tony Franjieh et sa
famille furent victimes.
Et maintenant, l'histoire se répétera-t-elle?
Saad Hariri était censé être chargé de former le gouvernement selon le programme
français parce que la majorité parlementaire est avec cette affectation! Du
coup, la présidence de la République a pris la décision de reporter les
consultations parlementaires qui auraient décidé de mandater Saad Hariri, c'est-à-dire
pas de gouvernement sans Gebran Bassil.
Et dans l'effondrement du pays, Gebran Bassil a semblé dire que tant que Saad
Hariri refait surface, je dois être inclus dans l’équation… sinon il n’y aura
pas de Saad Hariri ni de gouvernement.
Alors allons-nous revenir à l’histoire de Tony Franjieh ?
Si Saad Hariri s'est excusé, malgré le fait que la majorité parlementaire lui a
clairement mandatée, que se passe-t-il?
L'histoire se répétera-t-elle comme avec Tony Franjieh?
Gebran Bassil, son rôle est bien plus grand que celui joué par Tony Franjieh
dans le gaspillage de ce qui reste de la République!
Gebran Bassil est populairement la personnalité la plus détestée du pays comme
l’a indiqué les manifestations populaires, la révolution et la répétition des
paroles des gens! Même que le jour où une manifestation de soutien au président
Franjieh fut organisée, il s'est arrêté pour s'excuser auprès de sa mère à cause
des insultes que les gens entendaient à la télévision, et il lui a dit que la
patrie la protège et qu'elle est victime de la patrie!
Si Saad Hariri s'est excusé et a assigné un homologue à Rashid Solh et que le
pays s'est complètement effondré et n'a plus aucune chance dans le programme
français, alors si le programme français est tombé avec les excuses de Saad
Hariri et que Rachid El Solh fut nommé comme remplaçant, à ce moment-là,
l'histoire se répètera –elle du bus de Ain Al-Remmaneh et de la division de
l'armée et ….
La classe dirigeante vit en fait sur une autre planète, et le Liban est assiégé
sur les niveaux arabe et international par la politique du Hezbollah.
L'histoire se répète, de l'état du Fakhani, qui s'est transformé en un micro-état,
à Tony Franjieh.
Est-ce que le Liban supportera-il la situation ?
Le ministre français des Affaires étrangères a déclaré que si le Liban ne se
précipite pas pour accepter les offres de sauvetage internationales, il risque
de disparaître!
C’est une affaire de jours.
Si Gebran Bassil continue d'insister sur le jeu de la division sectaire et de la
violation de la constitution, et s'impose dans un cabinet sans Saad Hariri, le
Liban périra.
Cette fois, la place des organisations palestiniennes qui étaient pendant la
guerre civile sera combler par l'Etat islamique « Daech » et ce dernier n'est
pas seulement une milice religieuse corrompue et fanatique, mais il est aussi
entre les mains des pays comme la Turquie et qui est contre des pays comme
l'Iran!
Les cloches sonnent et les appels à la prière alertent.
Le Liban n'a jamais été en danger comme il l'est aujourd'hui. Si la révolution
revient et que l'armée la soutienne cette fois, c'est peut-être une solution!
tant que les solutions internationales et arabes ont été rejetées pour les yeux
de Gebran Bass
Israel's Future Depends on Donald Trump's Re-election
Joel B. Pollak/Breitbart/October 21/2020
President Donald Trump saved Israel.
It is no exaggeration to say that if Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 election,
and U.S. policy toward Israel continued in the direction President Barack Obama
and Vice President Joe Biden were leading it, Israel would be facing a growing
terrorist threat on every border, imminent danger of war with Iran, and the
prospect of diplomatic isolation and crippling boycotts by the international
community.
President Trump turned all of that around — dramatically.
Trump visited the Western Wall in 2017, becoming the first sitting U.S.
president to do so, affirming the Jewish connection with Jerusalem after Obama
allowed the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution declaring Israel’s
presence in the Old City to be illegal. (Biden was rumored to have personally
lobbied Ukraine to back the resolution.)
Later that year, Trump began the process of moving the U.S. embassy to
Jerusalem, recognizing what has always been Israel’s capital city.
When the new embassy was formally opened in May 2018, the foreign policy
establishment predicted other embassies would be targeted by terrorists, and the
U.S. would lose diplomatic clout in the region.
None of that happened — and not when Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over
the Golan Heights, either.
Instead, by standing firmly with Israel, Trump demonstrated that the U.S. would
support its regional allies.
Today, Israel enjoys peace and normalized relations with a growing number of
Arab states, notably the UAE and Bahrain.
Trump also reduced the threat of terror against Israel, cutting funds that
supported Palestinian terrorists.
Hamas, which went to war three times against Israel after Obama was elected
(2008, 2012, and 2014), has been relatively quiet. ISIS, which once threatened
Israel in the north, has been wiped out by the U.S. in Syria. And Hezbollah,
which Obama helped by allowing it to launder money through crime, is
increasingly unpopular in Lebanon, following August’s massive Beirut blast.
Most important of all, Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, which would
have allowed Iran to become a nuclear-armed regime after roughly a decade — even
if Iran complied with the terms.
As Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed, using files stolen from
Iranian storage, the regime had continued its nuclear program despite the deal.
Iran also continued to develop nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, and used
billions in assets and cash from the deal to fund its military operations.
In place of the deal, Trump re-imposed tough economic sanctions on Iran, which
have brought the regime to the brink of collapse.
He avoided overreacting to Iranian efforts to goad the U.S. into war, then took
out General Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the terrorist Iranian Revolutionary
Guard Corps and the architect of Iran’s regional ambitions. The Iranian response
— firing missiles at U.S. troops in Iraq — was perfunctory, showing the regime’s
weakness.
Trump also helped American Jews fight antisemitism, notably through an executive
order that allows Jews to enjoy the full protections of civil rights laws —
especially on campus.
Today, Israel stands on the threshold of a new era of peace and prosperity.
If Trump is re-elected, Iran will remain under severe pressure. More Arab states
will make peace with Israel. And Palestinians will have to choose the road of
peace, rather than holding out for an anti-Israel Democratic administration.
If Biden wins, he will bring back the failed policy of “distance” with Israel.
His foreign policy advisers include the same people who brokered the Iran deal;
his transition team includes Democrats who have openly threatened to cut aid to
Israel.
Biden will restore the failed approach of the previous administration, and
squander the potential that President Trump’s policies have created.
With another four years of Trump, Israel can finally enjoy peace. Israel’s
future is on the 2020 ballot.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of
Breitbart News
UN Arms Embargo on Iran Ends (or Not)
Lahav Harkov and Seth Frantzman/The Jerusalem Post/October 21/2020
Originally published under the title "UN Arms Embargo on Iran Ends."
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameini at a military parade with senior
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Army officers.
The UN arms embargo on Iran expired after 13 years on Sunday, as the signatories
of the Iran Deal refused to cooperate with US efforts to extend it.
In light of the US triggering "snapback sanctions" meant to stop the
restrictions on Iran from expiring, "virtually all UN sanctions on Iran
returned, including reimposition of the UN arms embargo," US Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo said on September 19.
However, the other parties to the Iran deal did not accept the American move as
valid.
"Every nation that seeks peace and stability in the Middle East and supports the
fight against terrorism should refrain from any arms transactions with Iran,"
Pompeo said. "Providing arms to Iran will only aggravate tensions in the region,
put more dangerous weapons into the hands of terrorist groups and proxies, and
risk increasing threats to the security of Israel and other peaceful nations."
"Any nation that sells weapons to Iran is impoverishing the Iranian people by
enabling the regime's diversion of funds away from the people and toward the
regime's military aims," he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed the "normalization of
Iran's defense cooperation with the world."
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called it "a momentous day for the
international community, which, in defiance of malign US efforts, has protected"
the Iran deal.
"Today's normalization of Iran's defense cooperation with the world is a win for
the cause of multilateralism and peace and security in our region," he said.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Israel must be "stronger and more determined
than in the past" in light of the embargo ending.
"Iran was never an Israeli problem, but foremost a global and regional problem,"
he said. "As defense minister, I will continue to lead the necessary actions to
prevent Iran's spread and armament with our old and new partners. All the
countries of the world must join this important effort."
Russia has openly eyed arms sales to Iran in recent weeks. Russian Ambassador to
Iran Levan Dzhagaryan last week said Moscow would be willing to sell Iran the
S-400 missile-defense system. Last month, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei
Ryabkov hailed "new opportunities in our cooperation with Iran" to emerge after
the embargo ends.
China and Iran have been holding ongoing negotiations for a 25-year strategic
partnership that would include military cooperation, among many other areas. US
reports have indicated that Iran and North Korea have renewed cooperation on
ballistic missiles, and Turkey also seeks to sell weapons to Iran.
At the same time, Iran may wait until after the US presidential election next
month before deciding how to proceed, in light of divergent policies on the
matter by US President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
Trump has pursued a "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign in an attempt to drive
Iran back to the negotiating table. Biden has called for a return to the 2015
Iran deal negotiated by president Barack Obama's administration, in which he was
vice president, which would grant some sanctions relief for Tehran and then
negotiate to strengthen that agreement.
Shortly before midnight, Iran's Foreign Ministry said "America failed" and that
"as of today, all restrictions on the transfer of arms, related activities and
financial services to and from the Islamic Republic... are all automatically
terminated."
The statement pointed out that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),
as the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers was called,
stipulated that the arms embargo and other restrictions in the future – on
Iran's ballistic–missile program in 2023 and nuclear program in 2025 – would be
automatically lifted. These are called the deal's "sunset clauses."
The JCPOA also allows for "snapback sanctions," which were meant to induce
Iranian compliance with the agreement by threatening that any party to it could
unilaterally block the "sunset" of restrictions on Iran if the regime violates
the agreement's terms.
Iran has repeatedly contravened the JCPOA.
Iran has repeatedly contravened the JCPOA. An International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) report from last month confirmed that Iran breached the restriction on
enriching uranium, the stockpile limit on uranium hexafluoride gas, the limit on
the number of advanced centrifuges and the prohibition on accumulated enriched
uranium, as well as the prohibition of uranium activities at the Fordow
facility.
Tehran has boasted in recent months that it does not need to import arms and is
looking to export its drones, missiles and other technology. In fact, Iran
developed its own ballistic missile and missile-defense capabilities, including
the Qassem precision-guided ballistic missile, with a range of 1,400 km., and
the Abu Mahdi cruise missile, whose range is more than 1,000 km., which were
unveiled in August.
Left: the Qassem Soleimani ballistic missile. Right: the Abu Mahdi cruise
missile.
In January, the "E3" – France, Germany and the UK – invoked the JCPOA's dispute
resolution mechanism in light of Iran's violations, which have continued in the
subsequent months.
Yet, when the US sought to trigger snapback sanctions to block the UN arms
embargo's expiry, the E3 along with the JCPOA's other signatories, the EU,
China, Russia and, of course, Iran, would not cooperate, saying the US had no
right to do so because it left the Iran deal in 2015.
However, the US has pointed out that the snapback sanctions are part of UN
Security Resolution 2231, as opposed to just the JCPOA, and that resolution
specifically lists the US as one of the parties that can reinstate sanctions in
light of Iranian violations.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo initiated the snapback sanctions in August,
and the process allowed other UN Security Council members 30 days to dispute it.
But none did because they did not recognize the validity of the American
declaration.
On September 20, Pompeo said the embargo was reimposed and announced new
sanctions against Iran as part of the US "maximum pressure" plan.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington "expects all UN Member
States to fully comply" with the arms embargo and will "impose consequences" for
violators.
"The United States expects all UN Member States to fully comply with their
obligations to implement these measures," Pompeo said. "In addition to the arms
embargo, this includes restrictions such as the ban on Iran engaging in
enrichment and reprocessing-related activities, the prohibition on
ballistic-missile testing and development by Iran, and sanctions on the transfer
of nuclear- and missile-related technologies to Iran, among others."
"If UN Member States fail to fulfill their obligations to implement these
sanctions, the United States is prepared to use our domestic authorities to
impose consequences for those failures and ensure that Iran does not reap the
benefits of UN-prohibited activity," he said.
The EU arms embargo on Iran will continue through 2023, but none of the other
JCPOA parties has thus far adopted the US position.
Israel has carried out more than 1,000 airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria in
recent years, and Jerusalem has warned about the precision-munitions factories
in Lebanon, including in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the UN
General Assembly last month.
Gulf states, except for Qatar, are concerned about Iran's nuclear ambitions, and
Saudi King Salman dedicated much of his UNGA address to Tehran's malign actions.
Meanwhile, Iran is proud of its indigenous military capabilities, honed through
the crucible of the Iran-Iraq War, which has led to the country expanding its
ballistic-missile, drone and radar capabilities. It has trafficked weapons to
the Houthi rebels in Yemen, ballistic missiles to Iraq and other arms to Syria
and Lebanon.
*Seth Frantzman is a Ginsburg-Milstein Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum
and senior Middle East correspondent at The Jerusalem Post.
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy: Middle
Eastern Americans Respond to Revelations of 'Dark Probe' into Trump Advisor and
Egypt
EINPresswire.com/October 21, 2020
CNN has revealed the existence of a secret parallel investigation into the Trump
campaign on the part of the Mueller team. This probe was allegedly aimed at
determining whether Egypt had "influenced the election by secretly donating
money to the campaign" and whether then Trump foreign policy advisor, Dr. Walid
Phares, was playing a secret role to promote Egypt with a future Trump
Administration. Just like the Russia collusion hoax, this investigation has
closed after having found nothing.
"The parts of the intelligence agencies tasked by the probe were clearly acting
as an arm of the Clinton campaign," said the American Mideast Coalition for
Democracy (AMCD) co-chair Tom Harb. "We know now that Hillary Clinton began the
whole Russia-collusion narrative as the ultimate political dirty trick. It
sounds like the justice department fell for yet another story of foreign
interference in the election, this time involving Egypt, which was just as bogus
as the first one. If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."
"I think it's pretty clear that some of our intelligence agencies were played by
the Muslim Brotherhood," continued AMCD co-chair John Hajjar. "The Brotherhood
has been attacking Walid Phares for years because he has exposed their strategic
plans and explained them to the West. Phares sided with Egyptian civil society
against the Brotherhood and has never wavered from that position, but the
Obama-Biden administration was not happy when their man in the Brotherhood,
former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, was overthrown by General Sisi. I think
they saw an opportunity for revenge against both Sisi and Trump with this bogus
investigation."
"This also goes back to the Iran Deal, Obama's major foreign policy legacy,"
added AMCD vice-chair Hossein Khorram. "The Obama-Biden team were desperate to
save the deal and so wanted to remove the two foreign policy experts who were
strongest against it – General Flynn and Dr Walid Phares. Once they were out of
the way, John Kerry reassured the Iranians that they would get rid of Trump
before he pulled the US out of the deal, and in fact, the deal stayed in place
until May 2018. Had Flynn remained as National Security Advisor, he would have
pulled out much sooner. I remember he put Iran on notice in his first press
conference."
"All the so-called experts warned us that Trump would cause chaos in the Middle
East," said AMCD Executive Director Rebecca Bynum. "And yet, we see ISIS
destroyed, Iran diminished, and peace breaking out between Israel and the Arab
states. President Trump has received four nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize!
The foreign policy establishment could not have been more wrong."
Despite being under constant siege, President Trump has delivered a more stable,
more peaceful and more prosperous Middle East. He deserves four more years in
the Presidency. General Flynn and Dr. Walid Phares both deserve to have their
reputations fully restored after enduring years of investigation, and in Flynn's
case, prosecution, over absolutely nothing. AMCD wants to see the end of the
targeting of political opponents by Administrations weaponizing US intelligence
agencies. It is clear they were forced to abandon their proper apolitical role
under the Obama-Biden Administration. If the republic is to survive, this cannot
happen again.
Rebecca Bynum
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy
+1 615-775-6801
rebecca@americanmideast.com
Vatican Fails to Condemn China's Religious Persecution
Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/October 21, 2020
Perhaps the most stinging criticism in Pompeo's article was his having pointed
out the marked contrast in the Vatican's current position on Communist China
with the Holy See's moral witness which helped liberate Central and Eastern
Europe from communism in the late 20th century.
The pope, according to Cardinal Zen, is being manipulated by his advisors.
Cardinal Charles Maung Bo... is another outspoken opponent of the Vatican's
"opening" to China. Cardinal Bo, who has vilified the Communist Party of China
for its "moral culpability for the COVID Virus pandemic," also has declared that
"the CCP is a threat to the whole world".... U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke... no
doubt added to the Holy See's indigestion.
Possibly the most abrasively received comment came at the close of Pompeo's
article in First Things where he reminded the Vatican of the Apostle John's
counsel that "the truth will set you free."
In the 1980s, the uncompromising condemnation by the sainted Pope John Paul II
and President Reagan of the USSR's "Evil Empire" helped tear down Moscow's "Iron
Curtain." Maybe the victory of the Americans in the Cold War is not to the
liking of Pope Francis. Is it really his intention to "undo all of the good work
that the great John Paul II did in pursuit of human freedom and dignity?"
The most respected voice of opposition to the Vatican's policy of granting the
Communist Party of China a role in the appointment of Catholic bishops is
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the former Archbishop of Hong Kong. The pope,
according to Cardinal Zen, is being manipulated by his advisors.
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo's September 30 - October 1 visit to the
Vatican was a diplomatic profile in courage. Despite the Pope's refusal to meet
the U.S. Secretary of State, Pompeo repeated his warning to the Holy See that if
it goes ahead with plans to renew the 2018 Sino-Vatican Agreement, it will
compromise the Catholic Church's moral authority. Pompeo also urged the Vatican
to live up to its mission of defending human rights in China, where Catholics
churches and shrines are being destroyed and priests imprisoned, and also urged
the Pope to reconsider renewing the secret agreement with Beijing, which permits
the Communist Party of China (CCP) to have a key role in appointing Catholic
Bishops in China.
The Vatican has refrained from any condemnatory comment on the CCP's
persecution, incarceration, torture and forced labor of millions of Uyghur
Muslims in Xinjiang Province, and has remained silent about Beijing's
contravening its pact with Hong Kong to honor "one country, two systems" until
2047. China has violated the civil rights of Hong Kong's citizens.
Pompeo's dose of reality came at a delicate moment for the Vatican. Italy's
Catholics in the diocese of Como in northern Italy were still mourning the
September 15 knifing murder of Father Roberto Malgesini by an illegal Muslim
immigrant from Tunisia. Pope Francis, while eulogizing Malgesini on September
27, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, seemed to absolve the murderer of
responsibility by describing him as a mentally deranged person, (malata di testa).
The Pope has in the past failed clearly and categorically to condemn Koran-based
justification of violated Islamic terrorism
The murder of Malgesini is tragically ironic: the priest was an advocate for
migrants and an apostle to the homeless. It is possible that the murderer,
Mohmoudi Ridha -- quoted as saying, "The priest died like a dog, that was
right." -- was motivated as well by violence-filled verses against "infidels."
Pompeo disclosed his warning at a conference on religious freedom hosted by the
American Embassy to the Vatican. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's
Secretary of State, and Bishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See's Minister of
Relations with States, both disingenuously insisted that the Pope's refusal to
meet Pompeo was normal procedure as the "Pontiff refuses to meet with political
officials prior to an election" -- the U.S. presidential election was about a
month away. The real reason for snubbing Pompeo was more likely the U.S.
Secretary of State's open criticism of the Pope's pursuit of détente with the
Chinese totalitarian regime despite the lack of any ostensible benefit resulting
to or from the Holy See's policy to date.
In mid-September, Pompeo had authored an article in the American Catholic
journal First Things, in which he asserted that the Chinese people need the
Vatican's moral witness and authority to support China's religious believers.
Pompeo bolstered his case by laying out a series of China's policies abhorrent
to Vatican religious beliefs, including forced abortions and involuntary
sterilizations. Pompeo's criticism of the two-year old Sino-Vatican Agreement
included: the Chinese Communist Party's continued persecution of Catholic clergy
and believers in China for refusing to embrace Communist-controlled religious
institutions as well as the imprisonment of prominent Catholic protest leaders
in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students was a driving force
behind the anti-CCP demonstrations in the city. Perhaps the most stinging
criticism in Pompeo's article was his having pointed out the marked contrast in
the Vatican's current position on Communist China with the Holy See's moral
witness which helped liberate Central and Eastern Europe from communism in the
late 20th century.
The highly visible rebuke of the Vatican's inconsistent official commentary on
human rights issues comes at an inopportune time for the Holy See, particularly
as it involves China. The Chinese regime has in recent months accelerated new
directives by CCP Chairman Xi Jinping to brutally suppress the cultural,
linguistic, and religious identities of all of China's principal ethnic
minorities. These policies include: the extinguishing of all educational courses
taught in the native tongue of the Mongols of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous
Region, banning students and government workers from attending religious
festivals in the Tibet Autonomous Region and the forced fusion of underground
Christian churches with regime-controlled "patriotic" affiliations.
Pompeo's moral counsel is likely to energize those high-level clerics and many
within the Catholic faithful who also disapprove of the Pontiff's pursuit of
normalizing ties to Communist China. The most respected voice of opposition to
the Holy See's policy of granting the Communist Party of China a role in the
appointment of Catholic bishops is Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the former
Archbishop of Hong Kong. Zen directly questions the faith of Vatican Secretary
of State Cardinal Parolin and holds that Parolin and Pope Francis are betraying
the faith and flock, by recognizing seven bishops illegitimately appointed by
the Communist Party. The pope, according to Cardinal Zen, is being manipulated
by his advisors.
Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) and President
of the Catholic Asian Bishops Conference, is another outspoken opponent of the
Vatican's "opening" to China. Cardinal Bo, who has vilified the Communist Party
of China for its "moral culpability for the COVID Virus pandemic," also has
declared that "the CCP is a threat to the whole world." The presence of other
prominent critics within the Catholic hierarchy of Vatican policies under
Francis, such as U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke, at the U.S. Embassy event which
served as platform for Pompeo's Vatican remarks, no doubt added to the Holy
See's indigestion. Possibly the most abrasively received comment came at the
close of Pompeo's article in First Things where he reminded the Vatican of the
Apostle John's counsel that "The truth will set you free."
Pompeo's position is reminiscent of an earlier era when Vatican and U.S. policy
were aligned. It was then, in the 1980s, that the uncompromising condemnation by
the sainted Pope John Paul II and President Reagan of the USSR's "Evil Empire"
helped tear down Moscow's "Iron Curtain." Maybe the victory of the Americans in
the Cold War is not to the liking of Pope Francis. Is it really his intention to
"undo all of the good work that the great John Paul II did in pursuit of human
freedom and dignity"?
*Dr. Lawrence A. Franklin was the Iran Desk Officer for Secretary of Defense
Rumsfeld. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army and as a Colonel in
the Air Force Reserve.
© 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.
China Is Killing Americans with Fentanyl - Deliberately
Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/October 21, 2020
For one thing, the Communist Party, through its cells, controls every business
of any consequence.... Beijing tightly controls the banking system and knows of
money transfers instantaneously.... Furthermore, fentanyl cannot leave the
country undetected, as virtually all shipped items are examined before departing
Chinese soil.
Chinese gangs are large and far-flung. In China's near-totalitarian state, it is
not possible for them to operate without the Communist Party's knowledge. And if
the Party somehow does not know of a particular gang, it is because it has
decided not to.
China's postal service has to know that it has become, among other things, the
world's busiest drug mule.
The regime has adopted the doctrine of "Unrestricted Warfare," explained in a
1999 book of the same name by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui. The thesis of the
authors, both Chinese Air Force colonels, is that China should not be bound by
any rules or agreements in its attempt to take down the United States.... The
regime, consequently, is using criminality as an instrument of state policy....
China's officials will stop at nothing to increase the power of their regime.
Fentanyl is often sent to the U.S. by mail, which means the Chinese state,
through the National Postal Service of China, is the distributor. U.S. Customs
and Border Protection learned that 13% of packages from China contain some form
of contraband, including fentanyl and other deadly substances. Pictured: An
officer from Customs and Border Protection works with a dog to check parcels at
John F. Kennedy Airport's US Postal Service facility on June 24, 2019 in New
York.
"I'm not alleging any kind of conspiracy, I suppose, but just the plain facts of
it: fentanyl and Covid both came from China, China's our main rival, they're
benefitting from the deaths of many thousands of Americans," Tucker Carlson
noted on his October 16 show.
China's regime has been pushing fentanyl into the United States for years.
Fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. last year hit a record 70,980, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those deaths, 36,500, were from
synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Cocaine and methamphetamine fatalities were
also up, largely because these substances were mixed with fentanyl.
It is, as Vanda Felbab-Brown of the Brookings Institution states in a July
paper, "the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history."
There is no doubt where this drug comes from. "Since 2013, China has been the
principal source of the fentanyl flooding the U.S. illicit drug market—or of the
precursor agents from which fentanyl is produced, often in Mexico," reports
Felbab-Brown.
A Drug Enforcement Administration Intelligence Report issued in January comes to
the same conclusion as to the source of deadly fentanyl.
In China, gangs work on fentanyl compounds in labs to make the drug more
addictive, a former American national security official told me a few years ago.
Moreover, Chinese technicians constantly change formulas to avoid detection at
the American border.
In short, China's regime is killing Americans with fentanyl. It is doing so
deliberately. Carlson was right to suggest intentionality.
Beijing, at the persistent urging of the Trump administration, announced in
April 2019 a ban on the production, sale, and export of fentanyl-class
substances without authorization.
That ban, of course, was a step in the right direction, but analysts have
pointed out that the new rules are hard to administer. "The enforcement
challenge," the Brookings paper tells us, "is formidable since China's
pharmaceutical and chemical industries involve tens of thousands of firms and
hundreds of thousands of facilities, and China lacks adequate inspection and
monitoring capacity."
The implication is that criminal gangs can operate in the shadows in China. That
proposition is highly debatable.
For one thing, the Communist Party, through its cells, controls every business
of any consequence.
Moreover, the Chinese central government operates what is undoubtedly the
world's most sophisticated set of social controls. Using big data and artificial
intelligence, tens of thousands of government watchers surveil 1.4 billion
people with approximately 626 million surveillance cameras and tens of millions
of neighborhood monitors and Communist Party cadres. Beijing tightly controls
the banking system and knows of money transfers instantaneously.
Chinese gangs are large and far-flung. In China's near-totalitarian state, it is
not possible for them to operate without the Communist Party's knowledge. And if
the Party somehow does not know of a particular gang, it is because it has
decided not to.
Furthermore, fentanyl cannot leave the country undetected, as virtually all
shipped items are examined before departing Chinese soil. Jonathan Bass, CEO of
importer PTM Images, told Gatestone that the authorities inspect and seal every
container leaving China. Fentanyl is often sent to the U.S. by mail, which means
the Chinese state, through the National Postal Service of China, is the
distributor. The volume of fentanyl postal traffic is large.
How large? U.S. Customs and Border Protection, based on data from its Operation
Mega Flex "blitz" inspections, learned that 13% of packages from China contain
some form of contraband, including fentanyl and other deadly substances. China's
postal service has to know that it has become, among other things, the world's
busiest drug mule.
Running drugs, Chinese officials believe, is a small price to pay for achieving
national greatness. As Cleo Paskal of the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for
Defense of Democracies tells this author, they are obsessed with "comprehensive
national power" (CNP). They meticulously measure it, thoroughly study it, and
constantly compare rankings of China to other countries, especially the United
States.
China's officials will stop at nothing to increase the relative power of their
regime. There are two ways to do that Paskal notes: Increase China's CNP and
decrease the CNP of other countries. China is, with malice, trying to reduce
America's comprehensive national power with fentanyl. There can be no other
explanation for Beijing letting criminal organizations operate unimpeded.
The regime, consequently, is using criminality as an instrument of state policy.
"Nobody I know in the law enforcement community doubts for one moment that the
Chinese services know exactly what is going on, given their total internal
control," the former security official told me. "The working assumption is that
Beijing knows about it, approves it, and profits from it."
The regime has adopted the doctrine of "Unrestricted Warfare," explained in a
1999 book of the same name by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui. The thesis of the
authors, both Chinese Air Force colonels, is that China should not be bound by
any rules or agreements in its attempt to take down the United States.
The Chinese regime has always been characterized by viciousness. Mao Zedong, who
founded the People's Republic of China, created a kill-or-be-killed society, and
its values are inhumane.
The combination of China's relentless desire to increase its relative strength
and the belief that no tactic is out of bounds means Beijing sees fentanyl as a
weapon.
At the end of 2017, a friend in Maryland's Anne Arundel County stood outside a
church in Severna Park. There, he watched teenage girls and boys, all dressed in
black, walk down the front steps of the local funeral home, the girls all in
tears, hanging onto each other, and the boys, staring blankly away. Then came
the parents, still in shock.
"You know and I know what it was," he said "Somebody was burying their child and
somebody else—somebody in China—was counting money."
The good people of Anne Arundel -- and all other Americans -- are under attack.
The attackers are from China, their sword is fentanyl, and deaths are the result
of maliciousness in the Chinese capital.
My friend recently left a message. "There are," he wrote, "a few old heroin
addicts, but I don't know of any old fentanyl addicts."
*Gordon G. Chang is the author of The Coming Collapse of China, a Gatestone
Institute Distinguished Senior Fellow, and member of its Advisory Board.
© 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.
On the Suspended Lives We Lead in Suspense
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/October 21/2020
Suspension and the postponement within it seems to be the hallmarks of millions’
lives today. COVID-19, when it confined these millions to their homes, suspended
many things, some of which await resolution and others that await follow up and
completion. All await clarity. It might be accurate to say that everything that
moves on the earth’s surface has been affected by COVID, from work to love,
travel etc… No relation will be as it was before the coronavirus. This applies
to here as much as it does there.
In suspension and the long wait for what comes next, suspense heightens, and the
link between the two words, at least in English, is indicated by their
linguistic similarity.
The fact is that the world’s face today resembles that of its people, whom the
coronavirus has left wearing masks: as we stare at this face, we are unsure of
what we are seeing and what may come out of the scene. Is that really him?
The global economy in crisis leaves us in extreme suspense. We are undergoing
the gravest recession in world history, while more than a third of the world’s
population are lodged in their homes.
Globalism’s fate hangs in the balance, and all potential outcomes, positive and
negative, are plausible.
The decisions that will be taken to bring about some form of economic recovery
are all contingent upon COVID’s evolution, and COVID, as we now know, is
extremely mutative. The same suspense applies to the economy’s implications for
politics and political choices, especially in democratic countries where the
people’s will shapes government. What, then, about revolutions and mass
mobilizations in light of COVID?
Education also faces many novel and difficult tests: Will the world shift to
online learning after more than 1.2 billion students in 186 countries suddenly
moved from classrooms to their homes? What does this mean for a whole series of
variables, like the expansion of gaps between rich and poor nations and the
upper and lower classes within the same country? There is a large array of
questions about our relationships with homes, maintaining or discarding
university campuses, the new ties between parents and children stuck at home,
the concept of friendship, which is customarily closely tied with school and
finally, the ties between teachers and pupils. There are also questions about
universities and academia and the implications this will have on research,
conferences and other activities after their financial capacities declined. It
also raises questions academics, who might end up more isolated and aloof,
themselves.
Cultural production, in turn, is also in limbo: what culture will be produced
tomorrow? What will be published? What will heroes and anti-heroes be like?
Cinema is devastated, exhibitions as well; as are non-cultural sectors like
sports of all sorts, and so are tourism, services, restaurants and cafes. What
about cities and their links to suburbs and the periphery in the next phase?
Will the maps of residence change, and what social ramifications would that
entail? What about public transportation, which was often blamed for the
pandemic and its spread? What about the inequality of men and women’s presence
in the workplace, which is likely to exacerbate further? What kind of feminism
will emerge after domestic violence rates increased? What new ideas and values
will come out of these transformations?
Nonetheless, COVID is not the only factor behind our lives' suspension and the
suspense we are living in. Some are linked to the weakness of international
intervention and resolve, especially that of the US, and the ensuing
proliferation of conflicts, most recently seen in Nagorno-Karabakh. Another
factor is the fertile ground for conflict, which is becoming increasingly
fertile, between Turkey and Greece, and behind it the European Union, and that
between India and Pakistan... These fronts and others raise questions about the
new shape these disputed areas, and thus their countries, will take in the
future. Moreover, countries have been split by conflicts, revolutions,
counter-revolutions, and occupations such that it is no longer easy to assess
what they will become. This is especially true for Libya, Yemen, and Syria.
As for the wave of immigration that launched before the most recent crisis, it,
in turn, remains subject to much speculation and uncertainty: to what extent
will the immigrant youths integrate? What culture? What are populism’s limits?
The dangers of racism etc…
No doubt, finding a vaccine for COVID and the US presidential elections are the
two most crucial keys to escaping the suspension and state of suspense we find
ourselves in. But, in the end, things don’t work like magic, and the
transformation process is always slower than anticipated, especially when those
anticipating are despondent, hopeless and inclined to cling to magic, as is the
case for the vast majority today.
The only thing we know for sure is that the “normalcy” we wish would return to
is not what we will be going back to. What is coming will be very different. It
will demonstrate that, in the final instance, there is no such thing as natural.
We could end up facing a different state of affairs which, after a while, we
will come to call “normal” and believe it is.
The Justice Dept.’s Lawsuit Against Google: Too Little, Too
Late
Kara Swisher/The New York Times/October 21/2020
It might seem a Silicon Valley cliché, but it was a garage — a pretty dumpy one
for those who got to visit it just over two decades ago — that served as the
birthplace of what the US government today is calling a crippler of competition,
a reducer of consumer choice and a stifler of innovation.
Big allegations, all aimed at Google, the multicolored wonder of the digital age
that has managed to grow from those modest beginnings as just another search
engine in a nascent industry to the linchpin of a trillion-dollar conglomerate
called Alphabet.
“For the sake of American consumers, advertisers, and all companies now reliant
on the internet economy,” the Justice Department said on Tuesday in an antitrust
lawsuit it is waging along with 11 states, “the time has come to stop Google’s
anticompetitive conduct and restore competition.”
Actually, the time to do anything substantive about the overwhelming power of
the giant tech companies was very long ago. Instead, state and federal
governments — on both sides of the partisan divide — charged with protecting
small businesses and encouraging innovation did squat.
The action taken on Tuesday is akin to closing the proverbial barn door not only
after the horses have left, but also after those now billionaire horses have
trampled over key parts of the economy and society.
Still, for all the huffing and puffing by Attorney General William Barr — whose
actions always seem slick with the oily sheen of dirty tricks and who has shoved
this case forward faster than many prosecutors had thought prudent, weeks before
the election — I give him kudos for at least finally stating the obvious and
taking concrete action to do something about it. It’s refreshing to hear the
government acknowledge that the unlimited money and influence of the major tech
companies need some guardrails.
It was so much easier when the Justice Department filed United States v.
Microsoft Corp. in 1998 — as with Google, just over 20 years after the software
company was founded. Back then, Microsoft was the only Darth Vader character,
able to crush small companies with a single glance through the ubiquitous power
of its Windows operating system. The government won its case years later, and it
made for a neat and simple narrative that kneecapping a tech giant was critical
to the flowering of the start-ups that followed.
Maybe — the real impact of that legal action is still up for debate. But what
followed undoubtedly had a lot to do with the power of a new technology — in
this case, the internet — which fueled the cheap creation and drastic escalation
of a series of major companies. Like Google in search. And Amazon in commerce.
And Facebook in social media. And too, the revived Apple, which seized the next
major tech trend — the mobile phone explosion — and rode that to its impressive
$2 trillion valuation.
That is trillion with a T, and it is those five companies that now top the list
of the most valuable companies in the United States. And since these are all
founder-based companies, the executives in charge of these companies are among
the richest people in the history of the planet, too.
I have nothing against the creation of wealth through ingenuity — and I never
could have imagined Google’s future when I visited that garage back in 1998. But
I stood by for years in astonishment as each of these companies grabbed more and
more power without a peep from regulators and often with the assistance of
salutary legislation, like the much misunderstood Section 230 of the 1996
Communications Decency Act.
That law — which among other things gives broad immunity to internet companies
for what travels over their platforms — has also become a piñata in Washington.
Abolition of Section 230, as it’s known, is thought to be the silver bullet to
solve the problems with Big Tech.
But here’s the trouble: There’s no such thing as a single entity called Big
Tech, and just saying it exists will not cut it. The challenges plaguing the
tech industry are so complex that it is impossible to take action against one
without understanding the entire ecosystem, which hinges on many monster
companies, with many big problems, each of which requires a different remedy.
Certainly reforming Section 230 could help. But other tools may be needed, like
significant fines, as well as new state and federal laws, enforcement of
existing regulations and increased funding for agencies like the Federal Trade
Commission, along with more aggressive consumer action and media scrutiny.
Apple’s control over the App Store and its developers? Perhaps some fairer rules
over how to operate when it comes to fees and approvals, since separating the
apps from the phones is a near impossible task.
Amazon’s problem with owning a critical marketplace platform where it sells its
own goods alongside third-party retailers? Simply put, should Amazon be allowed
to sell its own batteries if it also controls the store for a lot of batteries?
It sounds like separating Amazon retail products from the store itself might be
a possible solution, as well as establishing much less porous walls between the
various Amazon businesses.
Facebook and its damning “land grab” and its “neutralize” emails (referring to
squelching rivals), as well as its worrisome domination of the online discourse
and news distribution across much of the world? This one is harder, but some
breakup of its units, say a cleaving of Instagram and WhatsApp, might be a step
in the right direction, along with figuring out a way to make its controversial
editorial decisions more transparent and systemic rather than the more random
Whatever Mark Zuckerberg Says This Week they have become.
And Google, of course, which is now for the first time ever in a real fight with
the United States government? It was in early 2013 that the F.T.C. commissioners
decided unanimously to scuttle the agency’s investigation of Google after
getting the company to make some voluntary changes to the way it conducted its
business. This despite a harsher determination by its own staff in a 160-page
report, which came to light in 2015, that Google had done a lot of the things
that the Justice Department is now alleging, including that its search and
advertising dominance violated federal antitrust laws.
Which is to say, the government knew then and did nothing. Now it is finally
taking action, but the question has to be asked: What does it know about all the
others?
Would Joe Biden Be a Friend to Boris Johnson?
Martin Ivens/Bloomberg/October 21/2020
The US election is weeks away and the doomsayers for the UK’s relationship with
a post-Trump America are out in force. Joe Biden is “an Irish-American with no
particular love for Boris Johnson or Brexit Britain,” thundered a Times of
London column last week. Other Conservative voices predict that a Democrat
victory would be disastrous for the Brits and would end the special
relationship.
It’s fashionable to caricature Johnson as a populist mini-Trump, but Biden’s
experienced foreign policy team will — fortunately — have a more sophisticated
view. The prospects for a continuing partnership between the two old allies are
bright enough, although an olive branch needs to come from London.
If Americans choose President Biden on Nov. 3, the British must engage actively
with a Democrat White House. There would be pluses in dealing with an
administration that repledges its support to the “alphabet” organizations such
as NATO, the UN, the WHO and, yes, the EU. And there would be negatives, too.
The most likely damage would be to hopes for a quick US-UK trade agreement — the
centerpiece of Johnson’s foreign trade policy. A Democrat negotiating team would
have different priorities. Labor standards and environmental issues would loom
much larger.
But do not underestimate the allure of a return to diplomatic business across
the Atlantic after the sulks and bust-ups of the past four years (which cost the
UK an ambassador to Washington when Kim Darroch had to resign after the leak of
a cable pillorying Trump).
The course of a truly special relationship never did run smooth and the view of
Johnson and Trump as conjoined populists is far from the whole story. Though
he’s an avowed admirer of the UK (at least when it comes to Queen Elizabeth II
and Scottish golf courses), Trump clashed with London over Iran and browbeat his
ally about trade with China. A US representative recently warned the Brits
against tearing up Brexit agreements on the Irish border, too. I know of more
than one Tory cabinet minister who wouldn’t mourn a Trump defeat.
Of course, Biden would have preferred the UK to stay inside the European Union
as a natural “hinge” between the two giant economic blocs on either side of the
Atlantic. He’s bound to be warmer toward Brussels. If a victorious Biden met
Angela Merkel or Emmanuel Macron before Johnson, it would be seen as a snub. But
London has cards to play in a longer game.
There was similar angst when George Bush Senior seemed to make German Chancellor
Helmut Kohl his preferred European partner rather than Prime Minister John
Major. Even under surefooted Merkel, Germany has drifted away from outright
loyalty to NATO. The relationship between the US, France and the UK has become
militarily more significant than at any time since the Cold War.
Ireland and the status of the post-Brexit border with Northern Ireland is
admittedly a potential stumbling block. Biden makes much of his Irish ancestry
on his mother’s side. A Democrat administration, according to the pessimists,
would defer to the Irish lobby in Congress on the border disputes. Even this is
time-limited, however. “At the end of the day the UK is more important to
America than Ireland,” says Lewis Lukens, a former senior US diplomat in London.
But the responsibility falls on the Brits to make the relationship flourish. The
Covid-19 crisis will preoccupy the president and the White House will have
limited bandwidth for foreign liaisons. The strong ties between the two
countries’ intelligence, military and diplomatic bureaucracies will help. The
chiefs of staff stay in close personal contact.
Karin von Hippel, the American head of Britain’s Royal United Services
Institute, reckons the Biden team “will show a bit of humility post-Trump after
the disrespect shown to [Justin] Trudeau, Merkel and [Theresa] May. They believe
in partnership and getting global order back. Britain has always had an
opportunity to influence that.”
Britain’s permanent position on the UN Security Council, military assets and
foreign-aid network give it heft. Aligning with a new president’s favored
projects can also be fruitful. The UK next year hosts a delayed international
conference on climate change. A Biden administration would probably reverse
Trump’s hostility to the Paris Agreement, so Johnson should trumpet his green
credentials. His government inherits a strong environmental agenda from former
Prime Minister David Cameron.
The UK also assumes the presidency of the G7 in 2021 and the threat from Moscow
still looms large. May, another Johnson predecessor, successfully sought allied
support after the Russian poisoning of Sergei Skripal on British soil. Sanctions
have been placed on Vladimir Putin’s circle in concert with America. Johnson
should work with any Biden administration to stiffen the spines of Nato allies.
Saudi-US dialogue seeks to counter Iran threat
Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri/Arab News/October 21/2020
A few weeks before the US presidential election contest between Donald Trump and
his Democratic rival Joe Biden, which will determine the country’s future
foreign policy direction, the first sessions of the US-Saudi Strategic Dialogue
took place. Last week’s sessions attested to the depth and importance of the
relations between the two nations.
Normally, Saudi-US ties are not affected by the results of American elections,
but making this visit at such an important time is a reminder of the role that
the Kingdom plays with regard to US foreign policy. There is no doubt that
today’s American voter will be aware of this visit and the media will write
about it, discussing and analyzing its content. American decision-makers, in
addition to politicians and those interested in this field, will not miss the
follow-up to this dialogue, its output and its effects on the US’ decisions.
We saw the emphasis of the two countries’ senior ministers — US Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan — in the
joint press conference held in Washington last Wednesday. The press conference
occurred after the strategic dialogue began. It dealt with the importance of the
relations between Saudi Arabia and the US, which began 75 years ago with King
Abdul Aziz and President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy in the Red
Sea. Both men recognized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations to
support regional and global peace and stability, as well as expanding
cooperation between the two countries in all areas.
There is no doubt that US-Saudi bilateral cooperation takes place on several
levels, including security, economics, and military. Thus, we saw the
confirmation of both sides’ mutual commitment to confronting whatever threatens
the region’s security. Threats destabilize the situation and target the security
interests of the two countries. They are aware of Iran’s malign activities, as
well as its development of a nuclear program and ballistic missiles. Both of
these constitute a critical threat to the security and prosperity of the region
and also to the security and interests of the US. In fact, the danger extends to
the terrorist groups and militias that follow Tehran, and which Tehran has never
been hesitant to help. It always supplies them with weapons, especially the
Houthi militia, which was the first to possess ballistic missiles — most of them
Iranian-made — and also drones that Iran uses to carry out its criminal acts
through its agents in the region. The importance of the dialogue was seen as it
also coincided with the US’ maximum pressure campaign on Iran. The purpose of
this campaign is to isolate Tehran economically and force it to change its
behavior. It includes the imposition of sanctions on 18 Iranian banks, as well
as on a number of officials and entities involved in the Iranian nuclear
program.
The world must not forget the attacks and acts of sabotage carried out by Tehran
in the region and around the world, especially the terrorist attacks on Saudi
oil facilities last year, which negatively affected the global oil markets.
There have also been warnings about the Safer oil tanker that has been stalled
in the Red Sea since 2014. The Houthis have refused to allow UN experts to
inspect the ship, which threatens an environmental disaster on the Yemeni coast,
affecting all marine life in the region. It is important to discuss this urgent
matter, find ways to prevent a catastrophe, and hold Tehran accountable.
Iran’s militias have carried out heinous acts, and thus it is not strange for
the US to support the leadership role the Kingdom is playing in the region in
order to confront and deter Iran’s destabilizing behavior. Iran continues to
provide financial and logistical support to terrorist groups in Yemen, which has
led to the Kingdom being targeted with more than 300 ballistic missiles and
hundreds of drones. US-Saudi cooperation in curbing Iranian terrorism has saved
the world from Tehran’s barbarism. The great danger is that Iran is the
principal country that supports and funds terrorism all over the world, and it
is a source of terrorism in thought and preparation.
The Iranian militias’ presence in and exploitation of several countries comes at
the expense of the security and safety of the people in those countries. The
Yemeni crisis is one example that must be resolved in order to end the bloodshed
of the Yemeni people, who suffer daily from the hijacking of their state by the
Houthis. This requires finding a political solution to end the deteriorating
humanitarian situation there.
We saw the confirmation of both sides’ mutual commitment to confronting whatever
threatens the region’s security.
The convergence of Saudi and US views on Iran is a source of comfort, especially
since Riyadh and Washington are among those who refuse to lift the arms embargo
on Tehran. Unfortunately, there are many other countries whose willingness to
lift the arms embargo is foolish because that will unleash Iran, enabling it to
expand its terrorism by importing more weapons. Tehran also talks about its
attempts to sell the weapons it manufactures. Despite the presence of sanctions,
Tehran will find a way to supply its militias in an overt manner, selling them
arms and transferring expertise. This is what the US-Saudi cooperation aims to
strike in particular. Washington and Riyadh have decades of experience in facing
malicious projects and they have succeeded in curbing projects that are larger
than Tehran’s — even the former Soviet project, particularly in the Middle East,
as well as in regard to the oil market.
A constructive and fruitful deal between countries such as the US and Saudi
Arabia would guarantee security and stability and frustrate the projects that
Iran and its allies follow in order to achieve their goals. Iran will use its
militias to inflict damage on both the US and its allies, such as Saudi Arabia,
so cooperation and strength are needed at all levels. What is required is for
the countries that seek peace and fight terrorism, such as Saudi Arabia and the
US, to thwart all these projects and thwart everyone who seeks to make use of
Iran’s brand of terrorism.
*Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri is a political analyst and international relations
scholar. Twitter: @drhamsher7
Iran suffers as the Supreme Leader's house crumbles
Dr. Kamal Azari and Mohsen Sazegara/Al Arabiya/Wednesday 21
October 2020
While some may argue that Iran is a democracy, it is, in fact, a nation
controlled within the Bayt, or house of the Ayatollah. A house that is
crumbling.
At the core of the Ayatollah’s empire is a small group of leaders who have
planned for and created a Shia theocracy for the past thirty years. The Bayt
followed a straightforward but dynamic course. It elevated the Ayatollah to a
mythical character with supernatural powers. It accumulated as much wealth as
possible to buy and support street thugs in Iran and neighboring countries. It
took credit for any victory and blamed elected officials for any defeat. In
contrast, the elected officials had to balance the books and face the music.
Now, this house of cards is collapsing. The empire is lost, and the Zionist
archenemy is 21 miles from the border. The coronavirus has ravaged the nation.
The economy is in shambles. Corruption is rampant, and the disgruntled
population is in the majority. Strikes have spread across several economic
sectors. Financial market crises are adding more fuel to discontent, and massive
unemployment creates survival problems for many. Environmental disaster, in the
form of air and water pollution, degradation of farmland, and increasing climate
change, looms overall.
In such dire circumstances, the old trick of dodging responsibility no longer
works. The mounting problems are eroding the core of the theocracy. Some of the
Ayatollah’s more daring associates see that the emperor has no clothes even if
they don’t acknowledge it publicly. Still, the daily inertia of decision making
at the Bayt has created a political vacuum that elected officials cannot fill.
The demoralized and discouraged elected president has lost all his capabilities.
He faces an empty treasury, the scorn of the public, and a demoralized working
class.
These realities have forced Bayt to find a way out. As expected, the solution is
more of the same familiar approaches and none has the potential to elevate Iran
from its current condition.
Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, the Ayatollah’s son and heir apparent,
represents one attempt at preservation. His radical tendencies promise a return
to the original revolutionary zeal and the bloody fundamentalist principles of
the Revolution. In an effort to solidify control and address growing corruption,
Mojtaba developed and began to implement a plan to replace some 8,000 aging and
corrupt leaders in the judiciary, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, its
intelligence, military and national radio and television.
Such Bayt housekeeping attempts have caused pushback from the institutions’
senior leaders. This group of leaders represents the second power center at the
top closest to the supreme leader. Perhaps fearing for their own careers, these
senior officials also include General Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme
National Security Council of Iran and many high ranking officials. This group
advises a slower course of reform, insisting any change should be gradual and
not generational.
A third group, which possesses a good deal less power and influence, advocates
reconciliation with past reformers, the rehabilitation of former president
Mohammad Khatami, and ending the house arrest of Mir- Hossein Moussavi and Medhi
Karoubi. Their proposals seem to have little chance.In fact, none of the
proposed solutions represents the magic bullet Iran needs to rescue itself from
complete collapse. Here, the reality of dictatorial power reveals itself;
commands alone are not enough to save a corrupt and wounded nation. If they
were, many of history’s great empires would still stand. This predicament has
left the regime in a precarious position, one from which it has no way to
extricate itself.
On August 30, disgruntled leaders expressed their concerns in a secure video
conference with the Ayatollah, who came out in full support of his son, adding
more to the confusion and dismay of his leaders. It seems that the only solution
has been to incite fear among the population by increasing punishments for
active protests or demands for political reform. But long jail sentences and
executions of many innocent young people will not solve Iran’s fundamental
social problems. These actions will cause the regime to lose even more of its
legitimacy. Like all other totalitarian regimes, somehow, they have managed to
paint themselves into a corner. An end to the regime is the only escape, and it
will come sooner than later.
* Kamal Azari and Mohsen Sazegara are Founding Board Members of the Iran
Transition Council, an alliance of Iranians of different ethnic and religious
backgrounds launched last year as an alternative voice to the government in
Iran. Azari directs the ITC in the United States. Sazegara directs the ITC Civil
Resistance group and was one of the founders of the Revolutionary Guards in
Iran.