LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 16/17

Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For Today
Rejoice! Christ Has Risen/Easter Sunday
They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’When they looked up, they saw that the stone, had already been rolled back.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 16/01-08/:"When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.
First Letter to the Corinthians 15/12-26/:"If Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Question: "What is Holy Saturday?"
Answer: Holy Saturday is the name given to the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Some Christians recognize Holy Saturday, the seventh day of Holy Week, as the day on which Jesus “rested” from His work of providing salvation. As Jesus died, He called out, “It is finished!” There was no further price to pay; sin had been atoned for.After His crucifixion, Jesus was laid in a nearby tomb, and His body remained there the entirety of Holy Saturday (Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53-54; John 19:39-42). Churches that celebrate Holy Saturday traditionally do so by observing a day of somber reflection as they contemplate the world of darkness that would exist without the hope of Christ’s resurrection. Indeed, without the resurrection of Christ, we would be in dire straits. If Christ had never been raised, “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The disciples had scattered when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:50), and they spent the first Holy Saturday hiding for fear of also being arrested (John 20:19). The day between Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection would have been a time of grief and shock as the stunned disciples tried to understand the murder of Jesus, the betrayal of Judas, and the dashing of their hopes. The only biblical reference to what happened on Holy Saturday is found in Matthew 27:62-66. After sundown on Friday—the day of Preparation—the chief priests and Pharisees visited Pontius Pilate. This visit was on the Sabbath, since the Jews reckoned a day as starting at sundown. They asked Pilate for a guard for Jesus’ tomb. They remembered Jesus saying that He would rise again in three days (John 2:19-21) and wanted to do everything they could to prevent that. As we know, the Roman guards were inadequate to prevent the resurrection, and the women who returned to the tomb Sunday morning found it empty. The Lord had risen.

Question: "What is Easter Sunday?"
Answer: There is a lot of confusion regarding what Easter Sunday is all about. For some, Easter Sunday is about the Easter Bunny, colorfully decorated Easter eggs, and Easter egg hunts. Most people understand that Easter Sunday has something to do with the resurrection of Jesus, but are confused as to how the resurrection is related to the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny. Biblically speaking, there is absolutely no connection between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the common modern traditions related to Easter Sunday. As a background, please read our article on the origins of Easter. Essentially, what occurred is that in order to make Christianity more attractive to non-Christians, the ancient Roman Catholic Church mixed the celebration of Jesus' resurrection with celebrations that involved spring fertility rituals. These spring fertility rituals are the source of the egg and bunny traditions. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week, Sunday (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2,9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1,19). Jesus' resurrection is most worthy of being celebrated (see 1 Corinthians 15). While it is appropriate for Jesus' resurrection to be celebrated on a Sunday, the day on which Jesus' resurrection is celebrated should not be referred to as Easter. Easter has nothing to do with Jesus' resurrection on a Sunday. As a result, many Christians feel strongly that the day on which we celebrate Jesus' resurrection should not be referred to as "Easter Sunday." Rather, something like "Resurrection Sunday" would be far more appropriate and biblical. For the Christian, it is unthinkable that we would allow the silliness of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny to be the focus of the day instead of Jesus' resurrection. By all means, celebrate Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday. Christ's resurrection is something that should be celebrated every day, not just once a year. At the same time, if we choose to celebrate Easter Sunday, we should not allow the fun and games to distract our attention from what the day should truly be all about—the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that His resurrection demonstrates that we can indeed be promised an eternal home in Heaven by receiving Jesus as our Savior.

Question: "What is Easter Monday?"
Answer: Easter Monday, also known as Bright Monday, Renewal Monday, Wet Monday, and Dyngus Day, is the Monday immediately after Easter Sunday. It is observed by many Christian groups, but primarily by the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions. It marks the beginning of Easter Week (Roman Catholic) / Bright Week (Eastern Orthodox). Different cultures observe Easter Monday very differently. For some, Easter Monday is a solemn remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection marked by an outdoor procession. For others, there are Easter egg-rolling competitions. For still others, siblings and/or spouses wake each other up by pouring buckets of water on each other (hence the name “Wet Monday”). And others celebrate with a large gathering and a polka festival (Dingus Day). Some of these observances have more Christian symbolism in them than others, but none of them are explicitly biblical. The Bible does not say anything about what happened on Easter Monday, the day after Jesus’ resurrection. The Bible does not instruct followers of Jesus Christ to observe Easter Monday, so there is no obligation to celebrate it. As with many holidays, there is nothing wrong with observing some cultural traditions, but it is important to not allow traditions to detract from the message of the gospel.

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 15-16/17
Resurrection: Life, Faith And Death/Elias Bejjani/April 16/17
How to end Iran’s occupation of Syria/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arabnews/April 14/17
Norway: Threat of Jihad/Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/April 15, 2017
Tillerson's Moscow Meeting Is a Reminder of How Dangerous Russia Is/James F. Jeffrey/Fortune/April 15/17
Assad in Deep Water/Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 15/17
Trump Got Syria and China Right Last Week. That’s a Start./David Ignatius/The Washington Post/April 15/17
Is Russia Testing Trump/Michael J. Morell and Evelyn Farkas/The New York Times/April 15/17
5 Things We’re About to Learn About Syria, Putin and Trump/Hal Brands/Bloomberg/April 15/17
Trump’s strike, the end of Obama’s ‘evil plan/Fahad Suleiman Shoqiran/Al Arabiya/April 15/17
I’ll embrace cultural appropriation, but on my terms/Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/April 15/17
An attack on the Iraqi Communist Party/Adnan Hussein/Al Arabiya/April 15/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on April 15-16/17
Resurrection: Life, Faith And Death
Al-Rahi Calls on Officials in Easter Mass to Relinquish Personal Interests
Fillon's Advisor visits alRahi: We wish France a worthy President, rendering it distinguished in its Middle East policies
Hariri, alMachnouk visit General Security headquarters: To spare Lebanon any incident similar to the bombings of Egypt
Report: PSP Says Mountains' Coexistence More Important than Parliament Seats
Lebanon could be a global dialogue center: Aoun
Aoun Meets Fillon's Adviser: Lebanon Respects Will of French People to Choose their President
Berri convenes with Chartier
Chartier visits Mufti Deryan
Report: Security Concerns Prompt Upped Measures at Churches
Al Shabb: semi agreement on proportionality, medium electoral circles
Jumblatt, Erslan convene in Clemenceau

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 15-16/17
Worshippers spread ‘Holy Fire’ in Church of Holy Sepulchre
Egyptian family carry cross in Easter ritual as pope deplores global unrest
Pope Blasts Migrant Suffering in Easter Prayer
Egypt Copts Ready for Easter Mass Despite Attacks
Blast Hits Syrian Bus Convoy near Aleppo
US-Backed Forces on Doorstep of IS-Held Syria Town
Syrian Air Force Carries Out Strikes against IS
Egypt Sentences Ex-Interior Minister Adly to 7 Years
Syrian Army Moves to 'Tame Rebellious' Damascus Districts
Syria's Divisions Crystallize with Latest Evacuations
UN chief Guterres warns that Libya risks a return to widespread conflict
Berlin Christmas market attacker got order directly from ISIS
ISIS death toll hits 90 from huge US bomb in Afghanistan
N.Korea's Kim Stages Giant Show of Military Strength

Latest Lebanese Related News published on April 15-16/17
Resurrection: Life, Faith And Death
Elias Bejjani/April 16/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=38553
Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here (Mark 16/05)
Easter Sunday is a holy feast of love, humility, forgiveness, brotherhood, tolerance and repentance. Religiously and consciously we are not supposed to participate by any means in any of the feast prayers or make any offerings or receive the Holy Communion unless we are genuinely replace hatred with love, grudges with forgiveness, rejection of others with tolerance, arrogance with humility, greed with contentment, deception with transparency, and evil with righteousness.
Do not be afraid, “Don’t be amazed", with these reassuring and soothing words The Angel spoke to Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. They had came to the tomb on Sunday morning to mummify and anoint Jesus' Body as the Jewish tradition required. They thought death had defeated Jesus and ended His life as it does to every human being. On their way, they were sadly thinking and wondering who will roll for them the stone away from the tomb's entrance so they can get in and perform the mummifying and anointing process. While halfway from the tomb, they saw that the enormous stone had been rolled away. When they entered the tomb they found that Jesus' body was not there. They found only the shrouds that His body was wrapped with on His burial after the crucifixion.
Saint Mark's (16/01-13) Gospel describes thoroughly what has happened with these three loyal and faithful women: "When the Sabbath was, past Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 16:2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’” They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid. Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either."
Lord Jesus who died on the cross, had risen from the dead on the third day just as He has said while proclaiming His message. He triumphed over death, defeated the forces of darkness, overcame pain, abolished anguish and brought despair to an end. He rose from the tomb to be constantly with those faithful to Him throughout their lives, and to never abandon them. He shall empower forever those who believe in His message and observe His commandments with the spirit of truth, knowledge, wisdom and solidarity with His Father, Almighty God.
Christ is the Way, Christ is the Truth, and Christ is the actual eternal life that we long for. We strongly believe with full conviction that Christ dwells in His Holy Church, and exists in its Mysteries (Sacraments). He is always present in the Holy Eucharist that we receive during every mass. Christ at all times is ready, willing and delighted to help us in our burdens when we call on Him and ask for His mercy. “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew11:28)
The miracle of resurrection is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. This pivotal liturgical fact was strongly stressed by Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians, (15/12-26): " Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain. Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up, if it is so that the dead are not raised. For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming. Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death".
Through Crucifixion and resurrection, Christ has overcome death, broke its thorn, and granted us His eternal forgiveness from the original sin. With His death and resurrection, death in its traditional earthly human concept has been abolished forever and Sin since then has become the actual death that leads the sinners to Gahanna into the unquenchable fire.
When our bodies die, we sleep in the hope of resurrection. On Jesus' return on the Day of Judgment, the dead will be the first to rise and escort Him. "Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed", (Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15 / 51-52).
Easter Sunday is a holy feast of love, humility, forgiveness, brotherhood, tolerance and repentance. Religiously and consciously we are not supposed to participate by any means in any of the feast prayers or make any offerings or receive the Holy Communion unless we are genuinly replace hatred with love, grudges with forgiveness, rejection of others with tolerance, arrogance with humility, greed with contentment, deception with transparency, and evil with righteousness.
If we do not learn how to tame our selfishness, anger, hatred and forgive others for whatever evil deeds they commit against us and reconcile with them, than we do not qualify to be called Jesus' followers. Our prayers will not be heard or responded to, if we do not practice the grace of forgiveness as did He who was crucified for our salvation.
“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift". (Matthew 5/23-24).
Meanwhile our true faith in Jesus and in His Sacrifices won't be complete unless we adopt in our thinking, deeds and language the pure components of sacrifice, honesty, truth, self respect, meekness and decency. "Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4/29-32)
For our prayers to be looked upon and heard by Almighty God, we are required to reconcile with ourselves and with all others on whom we have inflicted pain and injustice, and treated with an evil manner. To please the Lord we are required to genuinely, heartily and overtly perform all required acts of repentance for all our mischievous conducts and wrongdoings. Mark 11/24-26: "Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions"
Almighty God has endowed us with His love talent, (minas) and expects us to faithfully invest it in helping others who are in need. He expect us to observe all the teaching of His Bible so that He will reward us on the Day of Judgment and put us on His Right Side.
On this Holy Day of Resurrection, we are ought to be aware that Jesus' Holy blood was shed on the Cross for our sake. Remembrance of His death and resurrection is a Godly consignment that we are entrusted with. It’s up to us either to honour this trust or betray it. In regards to what is committed to us, Saint Paul conveyed to his disciple Timothy the following advice (6/20-21): "Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called; which some professing have erred concerning the faith".
Halleluiah! Jesus has risen! Indeed He has risen.

Al-Rahi Calls on Officials in Easter Mass to Relinquish Personal Interests
Naharnet/April 15/17/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi urged the political authority in Lebanon to stop obstructing the political process in the country for their own personal gains, as he assured that the Christian community does not stand in a weak position.
“The political authority can't keep on dividing (state) posts and obstructing everything under the pretext of achieving consensus, while disregarding the damage it inflicts on public institutions,” said al-Rahi during the Easter mass at Bkirki. He urged the political class to put efforts in “understanding the national pact and coexistence” instead of focusing on “narrow interests and seeking personal gains.” The Patriarch stressed saying that the Christians are not weak, “they are a valuable cultural civilization and an indispensable necessity.”He called on the international community to stop countries providing cover, aid and weapons to terrorist organizations. The Patriarch called on Muslims to adopt “joint positions and actual initiative to reserve the positive image of Islam amid the repeated terror attacks against Christians.” Al-Rahi condemned the “blatant and repeated persecution of Christians in Egypt.”

Fillon's Advisor visits alRahi: We wish France a worthy President, rendering it distinguished in its Middle East policies
Sat 15 Apr 2017/NNA - Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bshara Butros al-Rahi hoped that "France would have a worthy President, who would render it distinguished in its Middle Eastern policies, namely through telling the truth and testifying to it."Al-Rahi's words came during his meeting with Jerome Chartier, Special Advisor to the French Presidential Candidate Francois Fillon, who visited him in Bkirki on Saturday, accompanied by French Deputy of Lebanese origin, Elie Abboud. Chartier valued the deep relation between France and the Lebanese Maronite Patriarchate and Lebanon, as a whole. He relayed to the Patriarch Fillon's greetings of appreciation and respect, vowing to remain besides Lebanon and preserve the historic friendly ties between both countries, if he wins in the French presidential elections. Furthermore, Chartier indicated that his visit to Lebanon came upon Fillon's request since he was unable to attend for personal reasons, especially that Fillon accords great importance to his visit to Lebanon before the end of the first round of the presidential elections in France.

Hariri, alMachnouk visit General Security headquarters: To spare Lebanon any incident similar to the bombings of Egypt
Sat 15 Apr 2017/NNA - Prime Minister Saad Hariri visited on Saturday, accompanied by Interior and Municipalities Minister, Nuhad al-Machnouk, the General Security Directorate headquarters, where they were welcomed by General Security Director-General,, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, and a number of senior officers. In a word of praise to the officers and their military men, Hariri commended their relentless efforts to "maintain security in Lebanon, especially during this sacred holiday period," stressing on the need to "spare Lebanon any incident similar to the bombings of Egypt.""The enemies of Lebanon are many and we trust and rely on God and you," he added. Hariri then toured with al-Machnouk and Ibrahim the Biometric Passport Issuance Center, where he was briefed on the progress of work thus far.

Report: PSP Says Mountains' Coexistence More Important than Parliament Seats
Naharnet/April 15/17/Progressive Socialist Party renewed rejection of the so-called qualification electoral system saying it harms coexistence between different sects in the Mountains region, the pan Arab al-Hayat daily reported on Saturday. PSP sources said a sectarian qualification voting system “blasts everything achieved in the Mountain's diversity between various sects. It harms reconciliation, consolidation, coexistence and partnership between different families. This is more important to us than having more or less seats at the parliament.” The sources added saying that Speaker Nabih Berri understands their position well. Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil announced lately that the political parties have reached a “preliminary agreement” over a new electoral law. The system had been initially proposed by Speaker Nabih Berri several months ago before being eventually endorsed by Bassil. In the first round, voting takes place in the current 26 districts and voters are not allowed to vote for candidates from other sects. Two candidates for each sectarian seat qualify for the second round during which voting would take place in 10 newly-defined electoral districts and according to a non-sectarian proportional representation polling system. The second round's ten districts are Akkar, North, Baalbek-Hermel, Zahle-West Bekaa, Northern Mount Lebanon (Jbeil, Keserwan, Metn, Baabda), Southern Mount Lebanon (Chouf and Aley), Beirut 1 (Ashrafieh, Rmeil, Medawwar, Marfa, Saifi, Bashoura), Beirut 2 (Ras Beirut, Dar el-Mreisseh, Mina el-Hosn, Zoqaq el-Blat, Mazraa, Mousaitbeh), South (Sidon, Tyre, Zahrani, Jezzine), and Nabatiyeh (Nabatiyeh, Bint Jbeil, Marjeyoun, Hasbaya).

Lebanon could be a global dialogue center: Aoun
The Daily Star/ April 15, 2017/BEIRUT: Lebanon has the potential to be a global center for the dialogue of religions and civilizations, said President Michel Aoun on Saturday. "We should lobby to [convince] everyone of that, in order to obtain the United Nations approval on the matter," Aoun said in an interview with SAT-7 Arabic Christian satellite television. Aoun said that the Lebanese want their country "to become an official international center for dialogue." He added that despite the differences between the Lebanese, the rift isn't between Christians and Muslims. "We are seeking to explain to the world that we are civilized in terms of our freedom of belief and the right to have differences," he said Asked about the conditions of Christians in the region, Aoun said that "the situation of Christians began deteriorating but it (extremism) hasn’t only impacted them ... Takfiri ideology had an impact on Muslims too."Aoun added that his regional tours aimed at restoring normality to ties between Lebanon and Arab countries.

Aoun Meets Fillon's Adviser: Lebanon Respects Will of French People to Choose their President
President Michel Aoun met on Saturday with Jerome Chartier, the special adviser of French candidate Francois Fillon, at Baabda Palace, the National News Agency reported on Saturday. Jerome conveyed Fillon's greetings and apologies for not being able to visit Lebanon as it was planned earlier, NNA said. Chartier expressed Fillon's keenness on boosting the Lebanese-French ties assuring that Lebanon would always be at the forefront of his concerns. For his part, Aoun conveyed his gratitude for Fillon's “supportive positions of Lebanon,” and stressed that “Lebanon will always respect the will of the French people to choose their president.” He affirmed that Lebanon will cooperate with the future president of France based on the traditional relations between the two counties. During their talks, discussions reportedly featured high on the situation in Lebanon, Syria and developments in the region.

Berri convenes with Chartier
Sat 15 Apr 2017 /NNA - House Speaker Nabih Berri met on Saturday in Ayn Teeneh with French MP, Jerome Chartier, who came along an accompanying delegation. Chartier, who is the personal consultant of French presidential candidate François Fillon, told the press that he relayed to Berri Fillon's regards and confirmed the solid relation between France and Lebanon, a country which was "dear to Fillon's heart." "Tonight, there will be a general assembly for the support of candidate Fillon, especially that there is a large Lebanese community partaking in the French elections."
Separately, Berri met with Lebanese singer Majida Al Roumi.

Chartier visits Mufti Deryan
Sat 15 Apr 2017/Talks featured high on bolstering bilateral ties between France and Lebanon. Deryan wished the best of luck to the French people on their upcoming presidential elections.

Report: Security Concerns Prompt Upped Measures at Churches
Naharnet/April 15/17/High security measures were taken in various Lebanese regions, especially around churches, on the occasion of Good Friday and Easter, the pan Arab al-Anbaa daily reported on Saturday. Army units in civilian clothes have deployed among the people and walked with crowds and spread inside the churches like other faithfuls, while other unit forces deployed at specific distances to monitor the movements around the assembly areas, added the daily. Meanwhile, troops in uniform deployed in specific regions, ready to intervene at any emergency, it said. The terrorist bombings that targeted the churches of Egypt were a security concern in Lebanon. Scores of people were killed in Egypt in twin attacks that targeted Coptic Christian Palm Sunday services in two cities north of Cairo. The IS group claimed the Sunday attacks, which killed 45 people and followed a December 11 suicide bombing that killed 29 in a Cairo church. Easter, which along with Christmas is one of Christianity's most important events, marks the resurrection of Christ three days after followers believe he was crucified.

Al Shabb: semi agreement on proportionality, medium electoral circles
Sat 15 Apr 2017/NNA - "Future" parliamentary bloc member, MP Bassem Al-Shabb, said on Saturday that his bloc would agree to the electoral formula that all parties agree on, saying "there is semi-agreement on proportionality, and medium electoral circles."
Al-Shabb told "Voice of Lebanon" radio that the "Future" movement stance goes in harmony with the latest developments, adding "all parties have changed their positions because the political developments have changed. The relations among the various parties are not the same as they were a year ago."Al-Shabb pointed out to the presence of dialogue between "Future" movement and "Hizbullah" as well as the presence of understanding between "Free Patriotic Movement" and "Lebanese Forces". Al-Shabb praised the President's decision to suspend the Parliament's works for a month, hoping by that time a new electoral law would be accomplished.

Jumblatt, Erslan convene in Clemenceau
Sat 15 Apr 2017 /NNA - Democratic Gathering Head, MP Walid Jumblatt, met on Saturday with Lebanese Democratic Party Head, Talal Erlsan, who visited him at his Clemenceau residence, with latest developments topping their discussions.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 15-16/17
Worshippers spread ‘Holy Fire’ in Church of Holy Sepulchre
Reuters/Ynet/April 15/17/The annual ceremony in Jerusalem in celebration of Holy Saturday, when a sunbeam is believed to ignite a lamp placed in the tomb of Jesus. Thousands of Christian worshippers attended the ceremony of Easter's Holy Fire on Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and lit their candles with holy fire from what is believed to be Jesus' tomb.The Holy Fire is considered a miracle occurring every year on Holy Saturday, the day preceding Orthodox Easter Sunday. At exactly 2pm every year, a sunbeam is believed to shine through the window in the ceiling of the church and light a lamp placed in the tomb. Seconds after the Orthodox patriarch reveals the Holy Fire, it spreads throughout the church as worshippers light each other's candles. Traditionally, an olive lamp lit by the Holy Fire is transferred soon after the ceremony to the West Bank town of Bethlehem, revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Those who arrived early watched as the key-holder to the sacred site arrived to unlock the church doors. As control of the church is divided between different Christian denominations, the keys are held by a Muslim man whose family has been considered neutral by all parties for several generations. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City is believed to have been built where Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected. The Israel Police deployed hundreds of officers in Jerusalem's Old City earlier on Saturday to ensure security for the celebration. Security was also present in the church courtyard as local Christians and pilgrims from around the world arrived for the annual ceremony.

Egyptian family carry cross in Easter ritual as pope deplores global unrest
AFP, Rome Saturday, 15 April 2017/Pope Francis deplored the suffering of migrants, victims of racism and persecuted Christians as some 20,000 worshippers gathered at Rome’s Colosseum to hear his Good Friday prayer. This year an Egyptian couple and their three young daughters carried a large cross for part of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession, descending through the Colosseum and then outside into the crowd. “Christ, our only savior, we turn towards you this year with eyes lowered in shame,” the pope told the crowds outside the former gladiators’ battleground, their faces lit by candlelight. “Shame for all the images of devastation, destruction and shipwrecks which have become ordinary in our lives,” Francis said in an apparent reference to Mediterranean migrant disasters that have left at least 590 people feared people dead this year.
A cross is illuminated at the Colosseum prior the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) torchlight procession on Good Friday, on April 14, 2017 in Rome. (AFP)
The pope also spoke of the child abuse scandals that have rocked Catholicism in recent years, expressing “shame for all the times when bishops, priests and the religious have scandalized and hurt” the Church. “Shame for the innocent blood, spilt daily, of women, children, migrants, people persecuted for the color of their skin or for their social or ethnic group -- or for their faith in you,” he said. The Easter holy week commemorating the last days of Jesus’s life had a bloody beginning last Sunday with attacks claimed by the Islamic State group on two Coptic churches in Egypt that left 45 people dead.
Egyptian Copts observed a solemn Good Friday with prayers and fasting, as the community reeled from the bombings. Despite concerns over security, Francis is planning to go ahead with a visit to the country later this month. In Rome, security was tight for the night-time ceremony, with road blocks and metal detectors in place as worshippers gathered to hear the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. Three thousand officers were deployed to protect the Colosseum. A man carries a cross during the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) torchlight procession presided by Pope Francis on Good Friday, on April 14, 2017 in Rome. (AFP). Worshippers from Portugal and Colombia -- two countries the pontiff is set to visit in May and September respectively -- also took part in the procession, taking turns to carry the cross along with two Chinese Christians. Francis, 80, sat under his traditional red canopy next to a large cross lit with torchlight for the ceremony, which for the first time included a meditation written by a secular woman, French professor Anne-Marie Pelletier. Good Friday is the second of four important days in the Christian calendar beginning with Maundy Thursday and culminating in Easter Sunday, which commemorates Christ’s resurrection. On Saturday, the pontiff will take part in an evening Easter vigil in St Peter’s Basilica, before celebrating Easter mass on Sunday and pronouncing the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to Rome and the world.

Pope Blasts Migrant Suffering in Easter Prayer
Sat 15 Apr 2017/AFP/NNA - Pope Francis deplored the suffering of migrants, victims of racism and persecuted Christians as some 20,000 worshippers gathered at Rome's Colosseum to hear his Good Friday prayer. "Christ, our only saviour, we turn towards you this year with eyes lowered in shame," the pope told the crowds outside the former gladiators' battleground, their faces lit by candlelight. "Shame for all the images of devastation, destruction and shipwrecks which have become ordinary in our lives," Francis said in an apparent reference to Mediterranean migrant disasters that have left at least 590 people feared people dead this year. The pope also spoke of the child abuse scandals that have rocked Catholicism in recent years, expressing "shame for all the times when bishops, priests and the religious have scandalised and hurt" the Church. "Shame for the innocent blood, spilt daily, of women, children, migrants, people persecuted for the colour of their skin or for their social or ethnic group -- or for their faith in you," he said. The Easter holy week commemorating the last days of Jesus's life had a bloody beginning last Sunday with attacks claimed by the Islamic State group on two Coptic churches in Egypt that left 45 people dead. Egyptian Copts observed a solemn Good Friday with prayers and fasting, as the community reeled from the bombings. Despite concerns over security, Francis is planning to go ahead with a visit to the country later this month. In Rome, security was tight for the night-time ceremony, with road blocks and metal detectors in place as worshippers gathered to hear the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. Three thousand officers were deployed to protect the Colosseum. This year an Egyptian couple and their three young daughters carried a large cross for part of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession, descending through the Colosseum and then outside into the crowd. Worshippers from Portugal and Colombia -- two countries the pontiff is set to visit in May and September respectively -- also took part in the procession, taking turns to carry the cross along with two Chinese Christians.
A small group of believers carry a cross between 14 "stations" evoking the hours in the run-up to Jesus's crucifixion during the Via Crucis procession. Francis, 80, sat under his traditional red canopy next to a large cross lit with torchlight for the ceremony, which for the first time included a meditation written by a secular woman, French professor Anne-Marie Pelletier. Good Friday is the second of four important days in the Christian calendar beginning with Maundy Thursday and culminating in Easter Sunday, which commemorates Christ's resurrection. On Saturday, the pontiff will take part in an evening Easter vigil in St Peter's Basilica, before celebrating Easter mass on Sunday and pronouncing the traditional "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to Rome and the world.

Egypt Copts Ready for Easter Mass Despite Attacks
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 15/17/Egyptian Copts will celebrate Easter mass on Saturday, marking one of Christianity's most joyous occasions just days after the deadliest attacks in living memory against the country's religious minority.
The faithful will spend a large part of Easter eve going through arduous security checks outside places of worship, after twin Palm Sunday bombings killed 45 people in two cities north of Cairo. The government has declared a state of emergency and called in the army to protect "vital" installations following the suicide bombings in Tanta and Alexandria, which were claimed by the Islamic State group. "Security has indeed improved so much as it seems the situation needed to be tightened up a lot," said Coptic Church spokesman Boulos Halim. Coptic Pope Tawadros II will lead Easter mass in Cairo's Saint Mark's Cathedral, while the church said celebrations this year would be scaled back."Tanta and Alexandria created a big shock, for all of Egypt," Halim said. Easter, which along with Christmas is one of Christianity's most important events, marks the resurrection of Christ three days after followers believe he was crucified. In Egypt, Copts break a 55-day fast abstaining from all animal products following Saturday's mass.The Sunday bombings were the latest in a series of attacks against Egypt's Copts, which make up around 10 percent of the population. In December, an IS suicide bomber struck a Cairo church, killing 29 people.Halim said the church will forgo Sunday morning's traditional celebrations, and instead members will visit the families of "martyrs" as well as those wounded in the blasts, including police officers. "Even if we are in pain over them parting their bodies... the happiness of resurrection helps us overcome feelings of pain," said Halim.
- Further attacks feared -IS, which has waged an insurgency in the north of the Sinai Peninsula that has seen scores of attacks on security forces, has issued repeated calls for atrocities against Copts. One Copt who gave his name only as John said he will attend Easter mass despite the heightened security risk. He plans to go to a church in the relative safety of the capital, but admitted "if I were somewhere else outside of Cairo, like a village, I would not want my relatives to go and I would be worried about attending". In a village south of Cairo, some Christians were reportedly prevented from holding Good Friday prayers, and police deployed to prevent further unrest. Christians in Koum el-Loufy were attacked by Muslims after they tried to pray in an abandoned home on Thursday, after which a mob set fire to four homes nearby, according to police officials. While the village boasts several mosques, Christians there have been prevented from building a church, Ishak Ibrahim, a researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights told AFP. "Probably they won't be able to pray on Saturday either," said Ibrahim. "There is a general climate where Copts are being persecuted and unfortunately the state just tries to stop violence from spreading, they don't solve the root cause of the problem."

Blast Hits Syrian Bus Convoy near Aleppo
Asharq Al-Awsat English/April 15/17/An explosion near a bus convoy waiting to enter the Syrian city of Aleppo killed or wounded several people on Saturday, pro-regime media outlets, pro-opposition activists and a monitor reported. Pro-regime media said a suicide attacker had detonated a car bomb near the convoy. Photos carried by regime media showed what appeared to be the aftermath of the explosion, with bodies lying on the ground and fires belching out thick black plumes of smoke. Buses were blackened by the blast with their windows blown out. The blast hit the Rashidin area on Aleppo’s outskirts, where dozens of buses carrying residents of two villages that are being evacuated in a deal between warring sides were waiting to enter the city. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 16 people killed in the blast, saying the explosion appeared to be caused by a bomb. The buses had been waiting since late on Friday outside the city while the evacuation deal halted.

US-Backed Forces on Doorstep of IS-Held Syria Town
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 15/17/US-backed fighters have advanced to the edge of a key jihadist-held town in northern Syria, a monitor said Saturday. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an Arab-Kurdish alliance supported by US-led coalition air strikes and special forces advisers, surrounded Tabqa in early April. The town and nearby major dam are considered a key prize in a broader offensive for Raqa, the de facto Syrian capital of IS's self-proclaimed "caliphate", about 55 kilometres (34 miles) to the east. SDF fighters "are now hundreds of metres (yards) from Tabqa", said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group. The alliance was reported to have advanced overnight after driving the jihadists from two areas just southeast and southwest of the town. "Heavy fighting is taking place in the vicinity of the two suburbs," Abdel Rahman said. "IS is trying to counter-attack."IS is under pressure on several fronts, with government forces attacking it elsewhere in Syria and a US-backed offensive targeting its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul. The SDF launched its campaign for Raqa in November and has since captured most of the surrounding province.

Syrian Air Force Carries Out Strikes against IS
Associated Press/Naharnet/April 15/17/An Iraqi military statement says the Syrian air force has carried out a series of airstrikes against Islamic State group militants inside Syria, with one killing the group's leader in Raqqa, the IS de facto capital. Saturday's statement doesn't say when the airstrikes happened, but described the targets as "the biggest positions for senior terrorists."The statement says the strikes targeted IS positions in Raqqa and the town of al-Bukamal and village of al-Dishaisha near the Iraqi border. Abu Bakir al-Habeeb al-Hakim used to work with al-Qaida and then the al-Nusra Front in Syria, the statement said. Another strike hit a gathering of suicide attackers who were planning to enter Iraq, according to the statement. Activists and residents say thousands of Syrians evacuated from their besieged towns have spent the night on buses at an exchange point as a much criticized population transfer deal stalls. Ahmed Afandar, a resident evacuated from his hometown near Madaya, says dozens of buses carrying children, women and men are not allowed to proceed toward rebel-held Idlib as planned. He said it is not clear what hinders the completion of the evacuation. Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says the Syrian government and rebels who negotiated the deal have differed over the evacuation of gunmen from the towns.
A resident of Zabadani, another rebel-held town to be evacuated, Amer Burhan says no evacuation has taken place from there.

Egypt Sentences Ex-Interior Minister Adly to 7 Years
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 15/17/An Egyptian court sentenced former interior minister Habib al-Adly to seven years in prison for corruption Saturday, in one of the last cases against Hosni Mubarak-era officials following his 2011 overthrow. Adly, who was seen as a brutal enforcer for the ousted strongman Mubarak, can appeal the verdict. The sentencing came less than a month after Mubarak himself was freed from detention, following his acquittal over charges of involvement in protester deaths during the 18-day revolt that unseated him. Adly and other police commanders had also been acquitted of those charges. But the court on Saturday found him and 10 other interior ministry officials guilty of embezzling more than two billion pounds (about $110 million) while Adly was interior minister. Two other defendants also received seven-years sentences, while the court sentenced six others to six years in prison each and two to three years. Adly had been placed under house arrest since November.

Syrian Army Moves to 'Tame Rebellious' Damascus Districts
Associated Press/Naharnet/April 15/17/Backed by Russian air power and allied militiamen on the ground, Syrian troops have recaptured entire cities from rebels and Islamic State group extremists in the past year, including the key cities of Aleppo, Homs and Palmyra. Yet for the past three years, President Bashar Assad's forces have been unable to free opposition-held neighborhoods of the capital Damascus, where rebel fighters have built a labyrinth of secret underground tunnels, beyond the reach of airstrikes and connected to opposition-held suburbs farther out. A weeks-long push to expand the security belt around Assad's seat of power, however, shows a new determination to retake the three areas north and northeast of the capital partially held by rebels — a long-festering thorn in the government's side. The offensive is the strongest in years, with warplanes reportedly conducting more than 70 airstrikes in one day and using surface-to-surface missiles in some of the deadliest attacks in weeks. "The regime is pushing with all the powers it has," said Ahmad Mahmoud, an opposition activist based in a rebel-held eastern suburb of Damascus. The Damascus neighborhoods of Barzeh, Qaboun, and Jobar form a semi arc from the northern to eastern edge of Damascus. They are partially held by rebels and are often used to fire mortar shells into the metropolis and stage hit-and-run attacks, a constant threat and reminder that rebels can disrupt life in the city that has escaped much of the destruction and violence of other areas.
Qaboun and Barzeh had witnessed relative calm since 2014 thanks to a reconciliation deal between rebels and the government. During that period, vegetables and daily products were allowed out of the neighborhoods into Damascus and in return the government allowed food and other products into the neighborhoods. That allowed government troops to turn their attention elsewhere and in December government forces and their allies captured rebel-held eastern neighborhoods of the northern city of Aleppo, marking Assad's biggest victory of the six-year war. Aleppo is Syria's largest city and once commercial center. In March, rebels began evacuating al-Waer, the last rebel-held neighborhood in the Homs, the country's third-largest city, and more recently they evicted rebels from the Wadi Barada region northwest of Damascus. In August last year, rebels evacuated the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Daraya after years of siege. The victories have freed thousands of troops and pro-government fighters who are now marching in northern, central and southern Syria against rebels and members of the Islamic State group.
Opposition activists say that some of these troops will be used in the battle to capture the Damascus neighborhoods and eastern Ghouta in what would boost the security belt around Damascus and ease pressure on the capital. "They are dealing with the eastern Ghouta enclave last, because it is much larger than all the other enclaves," said Aron Lund, a fellow at The Century Foundation. "It is bigger, more populated, and better defended than Eastern Aleppo was."Lund, a Syria analyst, said Qaboun and Barzeh have supplied the eastern Ghouta rebels with arms, fuel, and other goods through smuggling tunnels, "so taking these areas would probably be the first step toward retaking the Eastern Ghouta."
It will not be an easy battle.
"They have their own world underground," said Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists around the country. He was referring to the elaborate underground tunnels that the fighters use to move from one place to another, smuggle food, or launch attacks against government forces before disappearing underground again. Anas al-Dimashqi, an opposition activist based in eastern Ghouta, said that many of the tunnels have been destroyed by the government recently, collapsing under the pressure of airstrikes, or come under control of troops in previous incursions that would eventually turn the balance of power in favor of the government. Having surrounded the areas from all sides, coupled with the unravelling of a truce that lasted years, it will be easier for the government to eventually get these areas under its control. Earlier this year clashes broke out in Damascus and on March 1, rebels killed Brig. Gen. Bilal Ibrahim Mubarak who was commanding the operations in Jobar and Qaboun. In mid-March, government forces launched a wide offensive, pushing deep into the so-called al-Darb al-Tawileh road cutting Barzeh and Qaboun from eastern Ghouta. The retaliation came days later as insurgents, including fighters linked with al-Qaida, launched suicide attacks and captured some areas from the government — in their deepest incursion into Damascus since 2012 — only to lose them days later.On April 3, government forces launched an offensive in Damascus capturing the Hafez road, a strategic artery, and sieged Barzeh in what would eventually facilitate its capture. Opposition activists say government forces have now gained experience of how to slowly take control of areas after besieging them by starving the population and targeting hospitals and clinics in order to force them to accept a deal that would lead to an evacuation — a process that has occurred across other parts of the country. Marwan al-Omawi, a media activist in eastern Ghouta, said that if the neighborhoods and eastern Ghouta face an all-out attack, rebels are only few kilometers (miles) from the capital and can retaliate by shelling it to pressure the government. He said powerful groups are present in the neighborhoods and eastern Ghouta, including the Army of Islam, Failaq al-Rahman, the al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee, the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham and the Fajr al-Umma group, illustrating that the battle will not be easy for the government. Osama Abu Zeid, a Syria-based activist said these areas will resist a government attack but eventually "these pockets have no supply lines and no lines to evacuate the wounded."Mahmoud, the Ghouta-based activist, says the government will have to carpet bomb the area to force opposition rebels to surrender. "We know that the regime can fire 10,000 shells on an area. The regime might be able to advance but only after destroying whole districts with airstrikes and surface-to-surface missiles," he said.

Syria's Divisions Crystallize with Latest Evacuations
Associated Press/Naharnet/April 15/17/Thousands of Syrians were bused out of their towns on Friday in the first stage of a widely criticized population transfer that reflects the relentless segregation of Syrian society along political and sectarian lines. The coordinated evacuations delivered war-weary fighters and residents from two years of siege and hunger, but moved the country closer to a division of its national population by loyalty and sect.As diplomacy in Moscow focused on the U.S. airstrikes targeting Syria, more than 2,350 people were bused out of the twin rebel-held towns of Madaya and Zabadani near Damascus, and another 5,000 from the pro-government towns of Foua and Kfraya in the country's north. "There was no heating, no food, nothing to sustain our lives. We left so that God willing (the siege) may ease on those who remain," said Ahmad Afandar, a 19-year-old evacuee from Madaya whose parents stayed behind. Madaya and Zabadani, once summer resorts to Damascus, have been shattered under the cruelty of government siege. The two towns rebelled against Damascus' authority in 2011 when demonstrations swept through the country demanding the end of President Bashar Assad's rule. Residents were reduced to hunting rodents and eating the leaves off trees. Photos of children gaunt with hunger shocked the world and gave new urgency to U.N. relief operations in Syria. Foua and Kfraya, besieged by the rebels, lived under a steady hail of rockets and mortars. They were supplied with food and medical supplies through military airdrops. In a video posted on Facebook from one of the buses departing Madaya, a man identified as Hossam said: "We were forced to leave. We left our land, our parents, our memories, our childhood — everything."Critics say the string of evacuations, which could see some 30,000 people moved across battle lines over the next 60 days, amounts to forced displacement along political and sectarian lines. The United Nations is not supervising the evacuations.
The predominantly Shiite towns of Foua and Kfraya have remained loyal to the Syrian government while surrounding Idlib province has come under hard-line Sunni rebel rule. Their populations will now find security under the government's outwardly secular authority. Madaya and Zabadani, on the other hand, are believed to now be wholly inhabited by Sunnis, the consequence of six years of deft political maneuvering by Assad to steer what started as a broad movement against his authority into a choice between him and Sunni Islamist rule. Playing on fears of al-Qaida rule, Assad's government showed leniency to the country's Christian, Shiite and Alawite minorities while bringing the weight of its military against majority Sunni areas — especially Sunni pockets in demographically mixed areas, such as along the Lebanese border, where Madaya and Zabadani lie, and along the Mediterranean coast. "They of course wanted to beat the Sunni rebels into submission," said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. "This has had the effect of driving them out."Since 2011, 5 million Syrians have been made refugees and another 7 million have been displaced within the country's borders.
"The amount of population rearrangement has been tremendous in Syria," said Landis. The latest evacuations are "a drop in the bucket."Madaya and Zabadani are the latest in a constellation of towns once held by the opposition around Damascus to submit to government rule. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said government forces entered Madaya after the evacuation Friday. Rebel gunmen were expected to leave Zabadani on Saturday. Of the estimated 40,000 inhabitants of Madaya, some 2,000 elected to take the buses to rebel-held Idlib province rather than be subjected to the notorious government security services. They include former fighters, activists and medical workers, who have been targeted by the government with detention, torture and bombardment throughout the conflict. "Honestly, when we left Madaya, I felt sadness, anger and sorrow. But now, on the road, I don't feel anything. I feel cold as ice," said Muhammad Darwish, a 27-year-old medical worker. Zabadani, however, is to be depopulated. The town's last 160 hold outs — all believed to be fighters or medical workers— will evacuate to Idlib on Saturday.The fates of Fuoua and Kfraya are less clear. Most of the towns' combined population of 26,000 will leave or have already left for Aleppo, Syria's largest city and a government stronghold. But there were conflicting accounts of what will happen next. According to Abdul Hakim Baghdadi, an interlocutor who helped negotiate the evacuations, government conscripts will stay and defend the towns. However, Yasser Abdelatif, a media official for the ultraconservative rebel group Ahrar al-Sham, said the two towns will be depopulated completely. Friday's evacuations were notable because they were reciprocal — seldom during the war has there been an organized population swap between rebels and the government. But there have been other cases of expulsion of the government's opponents to the country's contested northern provinces. The government maintains it is offering its opponents amnesty and the right to stay in their homes, but its brutal military campaigns have already pushed tens of thousands of people into Idlib and Aleppo provinces.
In the last year alone, the government has uprooted residents and gunmen from the towns of Moadamiyeh, Hameh, Qudsaya, Darayya and the Barada Valley around the capital, as well as once rebellious neighborhoods of Aleppo and Homs, Syria's largest and third-largest cities, respectively.
Most of eastern Aleppo was depopulated through force, as well. A U.N. inquiry said the evacuation of east Aleppo amounted to a war crime because it was coerced through the joint Russian and Syrian government campaign against the city's civilian infrastructure. More than 20,000 people were bused out of Aleppo at the end of last year, to rebel-held provinces in the northwest. For the displaced, the war goes on. They face daily bombardment at the hands of the government's air force in Idlib province. "I have conviction that we will be back," Hossam, the man from Madaya, said in the video. Amer Burhan, the director of Zabadani's field hospital, said he expects the gunmen among the evacuees to resume fighting government forces in northern Syria. In Moscow, the foreign ministers of Russia, Syria and Iran strongly warned the United States against launching new strikes on Syria, after it targeted an air base with a volley of missiles last week. The attack was in response to a chemical weapons attack on April 4 on a northern Syrian town that Washington blamed on Damascus. Almost 90 people were killed, including 27 children, according to the U.N.'s children's agency, UNICEF.

UN chief Guterres warns that Libya risks a return to widespread conflict
The Associated Press, United Nations Saturday, 15 April 2017/Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is warning that Libya risks a return to widespread conflict, citing the volatile security situation in Tripoli and fighting in the eastern oil crescent and elsewhere.
The UN chief expressed alarm in a report to the UN Security Council at the renewed military escalation and ongoing political stalemate in the country. Guterres said that ISIS no longer controls territory in Libya, but its operatives have been sighted, it has been blamed for a number of attacks in different areas, and the international community in the country remains a target. He said in the report released Thursday that the potential for an escalating conflict remains due mainly to unaddressed political issues "and the multiplicity of armed actors on the ground with conflicting agendas."
The overthrow of longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011 has spawned chaos in Libya. The power and security vacuum turned the country into a breeding ground for militias and militants, including ISIS extremists and al-Qaida affiliates. It has also made Libya a gateway for thousands of migrants from Africa and elsewhere seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Italy. Since 2014, Libya has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias, tribes and political factions. A UN-brokered deal in December 2015 to create a unity government has failed because the UN-backed government now in Tripoli has been unable to win the endorsement of Libya's internationally recognized Parliament in eastern Tobruk, which is a prerequisite to assume power.
Guterres said the UN-backed Presidency Council and government remain "constrained in their ability to govern effectively and to provide much needed basic services and security to the population."He said the 2015 political agreement continues to be supported by the majority of Libyans and interested countries "as the only political framework to lead the country forward."An emerging consensus on the need for limited amendments to the agreement "represents an opportunity to overcome the current political stalemate and move the transition forward," he said. Guterres urged all parties in Libya to address the key issues blocking implementation of the agreement including the composition of various institutions, especially the executive authority and military command.
The secretary-general said he remains "deeply alarmed" by the human rights situation in the country where violations of international law continue to be perpetrated by all parties to the conflict. "Armed groups from all sides continued to abduct, torture and kill civilians," he said. "In addition, ordinary crime was endemic, mainly owing to the state of general lawlessness and the weakness of judicial institutions."
Between Dec. 1 and Feb. 17, Guterres said the UN political mission in Libya documented 24 deaths and 24 injuries of civilians, mainly by gunfire, airstrikes, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices. Migrants and refugees in Libya also "continue to suffer horrific abusers and risk death while transiting the country and across the Mediterranean Sea," he said. While forces allied to the UN-backed government routed ISIS from its stronghold in Sirte in December, Guterres said remnants are still active "in the hinterland" of the city. They also maintain a presence in the desert and mountainous areas south of Bani Walid and areas further south and west, and there are reports of ISIS sleeper cells in western coastal areas and the greater Tripoli area, he said.
Guterres also expressed grave concern at the deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
He said 1.3 million people need humanitarian aid, the health care system "is on the brink of collapse" and the UN has received only $9 million of the $151 million it appealed for to help 900,000 people.

Berlin Christmas market attacker got order directly from ISIS
By Reuters, Berlin Saturday, 15 April 2017/The Tunisian who killed 12 people by driving a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin received his orders directly from ISIS, a German magazine reported on Saturday. The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack on Dec. 19, but it was unclear whether it had planned and executed it, or just inspired the attacker with its calls on supporters to hit targets in enemy countries. Der Spiegel cited information provided to German security authorities from the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 8 that said Anis Amri, the failed asylum seeker who drove the truck into the crowd, had received an order from a squad within ISIS.
The squad is known to German authorities from other proceedings against suspected ISIS militants disguised as refugees, the magazine said. Amri, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, was shot dead by Italian police in Milan four days after the Berlin attack. ISIS said the attack had been perpetrated by an ISIS “soldier ... in response to calls to target nationals of the coalition countries”. The federal public prosecutor’s office and the BKA federal police are looking into the information provided by the UAE, the magazine said, adding that German authorities considered the source to be reliable.
When asked for comment, the BKA said the federal public prosecutor’s office was responsible for providing information on the Amri case. The prosecutor’s office declined to comment. On Wednesday, the prosecutor’s office said it had no evidence that other people based in Germany were involved in preparing or carrying out the attack and an evaluation of Amri’s mobile phone showed he had communicated with an ISIS member abroad before and during the attack.

ISIS death toll hits 90 from huge US bomb in Afghanistan
AFP, Jalalabad, Afghanistan Friday, 14 April 2017/The death toll from the American military's largest non-nuclear bomb nearly tripled Saturday, with Afghan officials saying at least 90 ISIS fighters were killed, as US-led forces conducted clean-up operations over the rugged terrain. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb -- dubbed the "Mother Of All Bombs" -- was unleashed in combat for the first time, hitting ISIS positions in eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday. The bombing triggered shock waves in Afghanistan, with some condemning the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group that is not considered a threat as big as the resurgent Taliban. "At least 92 Daesh (ISIS) fighters were killed in the bombing," Achin district governor Esmail Shinwari told AFP on Saturday. Nangarhar provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani gave a toll of 90. Afghan officials had earlier said the bombing had killed 36 IS fighters. The bomb smashed the ISIS's remote mountain hideouts, a tunnel-and-cave complex that had been mined against conventional ground attacks, engulfing the remote area in a huge mushroom cloud and towering flames.
Shinwari insisted there were "no military and civilian casualties at all". Security experts say ISIS had built their redoubts close to civilian homes, but the government said thousands of local families had already fled the area in recent months of fighting. The massive bomb was dropped after fighting intensified over the past week and US-backed ground forces struggled to advance on the area. An American special forces soldier was killed last Saturday in Nangarhar while conducting anti-ISIS operations. President Ashraf Ghani threw his support behind the bombardment, saying it was "designed to support the efforts of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and US forces conducting clearance operations in the region." But some analysts called the action "disproportionate". "The Trump administration made a lot of noise with this bomb, but the general state of play on the ground remains the same: The Taliban continues to wage a formidable and ferocious insurgency. ISIS, by comparison, is a sideshow," Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington told AFP, using an alternative acronym for ISIS. "Still, from a strategic standpoint, there is an unsettling takeaway here: The US pulled off a huge shock and awe mission against an enemy that isn't even the top threat to the US in Afghanistan. The Taliban continues to sit pretty." ISIS, notorious for its reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has made inroads into Afghanistan in recent years, attracting disaffected members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban as well as Uzbek Islamists. But the group has been steadily losing ground in the face of heavy pressure both from US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces.

N.Korea's Kim Stages Giant Show of Military Strength
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/April 15/17/North Korea's weapons of war rolled through Pyongyang streets Saturday and it promised "nuclear justice" in response to any atomic attack as leader Kim Jong-Un mounted a spectacular show of strength. Tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions are stretched to the limit, with US President Donald Trump deploying an aircraft carrier battle group to the region. After a 21-gun salute, tens of thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen goose-stepped through Kim Il-Sung Square turning their eyes towards the high balcony from where Kim watched, flanked by officers and officials. Some detachments carried assault rifles or rocket-propelled grenades, others were equipped with night-vision goggles and daubed in face paint. One troupe was made up of sword-wielding women. Tanks came next through the square -- named after Kim's grandfather, the North's founder -- followed by the objects of world concern. A total of 56 missiles of 10 different types were displayed, culminating in enormous rockets on articulated trailers and on 16-wheeler vehicles. The nuclear-armed North is under United Nations sanctions over its weapons programmes, and has ambitions to build a rocket capable of delivering a warhead to the US mainland -– something Trump has vowed "won't happen". Ostensibly Saturday's event was to mark the 105th anniversary of Kim Il-Sung's birth -- a date known as the "Day of the Sun" in the North -- and a squadron of warplanes flew overhead forming the number. But it was also intended to send an unmistakable message to Washington about the isolated country's military might.
Kim's close aide Choe Ryong-Hae declared that the North was a "powerful nuclear-armed state in the Orient and Asia's leader in rocketry". It could "beat down enemies with the power of nuclear justice", he said, and was "prepared to respond to an all-out war with an all-out war. "We are ready to hit back with nuclear attacks of our own style against any nuclear attacks," he said. - Fever pitch -The 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty and Pyongyang says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against a possible US invasion. It has carried out five nuclear tests –- two of them last year -– and multiple missile launches, one of which saw several rockets come down in waters provocatively close to Japan last month. Speculation that it could conduct a sixth blast in the coming days to coincide with the anniversary has reached fever pitch, with specialist US website 38North describing its Punggye-ri test site as "primed and ready" and White House officials saying military options were "already being assessed". After dispatching the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and an accompanying battle group to the Korean peninsula Trump told the Fox Business Network: "We are sending an armada.""He is doing the wrong thing," he added of Kim. "He's making a big mistake." China, the North's sole major ally, and Russia have both urged restraint, with Beijing's Foreign Minister Wang Yi warning Friday that "conflict could break out at any moment". The North is aiming its message at China as well as the US, analysts say.
Beijing's priority remains preventing any instability on its doorstep, and it has been unnerved by the sabre-rattling. But diplomats in Pyongyang point out that the North raises its rhetoric every spring, when Washington and Seoul hold annual joint military exercises that it views as preparations for invasion.
It has not previously held a nuclear test in the month of April.
- Testing times -Military specialists keep a close eye on Pyongyang's parades for clues about developments in its capabilities. The hardware displayed Saturday included what appeared to be new ICBMs or prototypes, and the Pukkuksong submarine-launched ballistic missile, which Pyongyang successfully test-fired last August, reports and analysts said. The rockets carried on articulated trailers appeared to be longer than the North's existing KN-08 or KN-14 missiles, analysts said. Chad O'Carroll, managing director of specialist service NK News, told AFP they could be a liquid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile, or an early version of one, even though Pyongyang has yet to formally announce it has an operational ICBM. "It will be a big game-changer once it is deployed in service but they have got a long testing schedule ahead," he said. "We'll probably see more engine tests or component tests building up eventually to an actual test of the full unit."
- 'Long live!' -Pyongyang could use the parade as a show of strength in preference to a nuclear test, analysts said.
It wanted to send "a tough message to the United States in response to the Trump administration's recent rhetoric and the military steps the United States has taken", said Evans Revere of the Brookings Institution in Washington. Another missile launch or nuclear test "can't be ruled out", he said, but the recent US cruise missile strike on Syria and Washington's tough stance "may give Pyongyang some pause". "A parade is a highly visible but non-kinetic way of showing off capabilities," he told AFP. Kim did not address the rally himself on Saturday, instead waving and smiling as ecstatic crowds of flag- and flower-bearing civilians -- men in suits, women in traditional hanbok dresses -- filed past him behind the military display.
"Long live!" they chanted, some in tears.

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 15-16/17
How to end Iran’s occupation of Syria?
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arabnews/April 14/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=54381
When it comes to the Syrian war, Iran is in the driver seat, not Syrian President Bashar Assad. For Tehran, Syria is a core pillar of its hegemonic strategy. Iran has penetrated every Syrian governmental organization, including its security and military infrastructures. It boasts about orchestrating battles and having thousands of fighters on the ground across Syria. Iran is the most important guarantor and supporter of Assad.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its elite Qud Force, which operates beyond Iran’s borders, are key elements behind the continuation and escalation of Syria’s civil war. Iran also relies on its paramilitary groups and Shiite militia proxies such as Hezbollah to fight for Assad.
As such, one of the most effective ways to resolve the war is to eliminate or cut down Iran’s intervention. A multilateral approach is required: Economic, political, humanitarian, military and diplomatic.
The most important dimension is economic. Iran is hemorrhaging billions of dollars on Assad’s forces, and paying foreigners to fight in Syria. Tehran’s financial assistance to Assad is among the most critical factors in prolonging the civil war, so cutting this lifeline is vital.
In 2014, Iran was in a difficult situation financially due to the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) four rounds of sanctions. The pressure on Tehran was reflected in speeches by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who anxiously called on Assad to control the situation in Syria. Iran showed signs of willingness to abandon Assad, but not his Alawite state.
Unfortunately, the nuclear deal changed things. Billions of dollars poured into Iran’s treasury, providing significant relief. Financial and military support for Assad increased, and Tehran publicly acknowledged having forces on the ground in Syria.
One way to cut the financial lifeline to Assad is to re-impose sanctions on Tehran. These sanctions can be unilateral, multilateral, coalition-based or passed by the UNSC. Tehran has already violated the nuclear deal several times. It should be closely watched for other violations of the agreement and held accountable.
Establishing a no-fly zone near the Syrian border is crucial. This can be carried out in unison by the US, EU and regional powers. A no-fly zone will put significant pressure on Tehran’s aerial operations in Syria.
Significant pressure will be felt if a coalition of regional powers cuts economic ties with Iran. This will result in Western powers avoiding trade with it. Sanctioning Iranian organizations and figures, including the IRGC, is also vital.
If governments, particularly regional and Islamic, begin cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, it will be pressured to rethink its role in Syria. Tehran’s legitimacy will be damaged, and it will be unable to effectively project itself as the leader of the Muslim world. Such diplomatic pressure will resonate worldwide.
Establishing a no-fly zone near the Syrian border is crucial. This can be carried out in unison by the US, EU and regional powers. A no-fly zone will put significant pressure on Tehran’s aerial operations in Syria, and restrict Assad’s aerial support of Iranian fighters on the ground. This will be a critical boost to Syrian opposition groups.
Cases should be pursued to bring to justice Iranian leaders and organizations engaged in crimes against humanity in Syria. The International Criminal Court (ICC), Amnesty International, the UN and human rights organizations can be used to achieve this. Also, the international community needs to draw more attention to human rights abuses in Iran.
Implementing this multilateral approach will diminish its support of Assad and its intervention in Syria. This could significantly change the regional balance of power and the direction of the war in Syria, as well as put an end to atrocities there.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated, Iranian-American political scientist. He is a leading expert on Iran and US foreign policy, a businessman and president of the International American Council. He serves on the boards of the Harvard International Review, the Harvard International Relations Council and the US-Middle East Chamber for Commerce and Business. He can be reached on Twitter @Dr_Rafizadeh.

Norway: Threat of Jihad
Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/April 15, 2017
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10192/norway-jihad
Norway seems to be making the same poorly thought-out choices as Britain.
It has apparently not occurred to these authorities that encouraging Muslims in prison to study the Quran and hadiths, with their exhortations to jihad against the "infidels", may in itself serve to radicalize the inmates.
The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) just published in February its yearly threat assessment. It concluded -- as did its threat assessment for 2016 -- that Norway might experience an Islamic terrorist attack from Islamic State (ISIS) sympathizers acting upon ISIS's call to carry out independent attacks. The PST explains:
"These calls to action are one reason why we have seen an increase over the last few years in the number of lone terrorist attacks in the West. The likeliest scenario for a terrorist attack in a Western country is an ISIL-/AQ-inspired attack carried out with a simple weapon against a target with little or no protection".
"Lone wolf" attacks are rightly described as an actual terrorist strategy, rather than what the media likes to describe as random "mental illness". In addition, this threat assessment now fits all of Europe.
The PST goes on to warn:
"Immigration to Europe will influence the terrorist threat in various ways in the coming year. One of the problems we expect to face is the radicalization of asylum-seekers, migrants and illegal immigrants in Norway. Attempts may be made to radicalize members of these groups by other migrants at reception centers or by visitors. As in previous years, individuals who support and sympathize with extreme Islamist organizations will arrive in Norway in 2017".
The security risks inherent in unvetted migration are clearly spelled out by the PST. Migration to Norway in 2016 was at a record low of 3,460 asylum seekers -- the lowest since 1997. The reason, according to Norway's Directorate of Immigration, is that "... border and ID checks in Europe have had a decisive effect on numbers of arrivals in Norway". Even so, the Directorate of Immigration estimates that double that number, or around 7,000 asylum seekers, will arrive in Norway in both 2017 and 2018.
The PST mentions another source of future jihadist attacks:
"Radicalization in prisons is a phenomenon that will become more common in Norway in 2017. There are a number of individuals currently in prison as a result of national investigations of travelers to Syria, and in 2017 more of them will be prosecuted for violation of the terror provisions in Norwegian law. This means that there will be an increasing number of prisoners in Norway who have played a role in extreme Islamist groups here and who also have operational experience gained abroad. It is likely that extreme Islamists will retain their convictions in prison and attempt to radicalize others. Attempts have already been made to radicalize other prisoners, including individuals sentenced for gross violence".
Radicalization happens on a large scale in prisons, amply illustrated by experience in British prisons. The most recent example was Khalid Masood, who targeted the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge, murdering four people and injuring at least 50 others in a stabbing- and car-ramming attack. Masood is thought to have been radicalized while serving time in prison. This trend is likely in Norwegian prisons as well.
The PST, however, perhaps out of a lack of experience with imams in Norwegian prisons, appears to overlook an important source of radicalization. The British government review of extremism in British prisons, for example, revealed that Muslim chaplains, who are appointed by the Ministry of Justice, were distributing radicalizing literature -- misogynistic and anti-gay pamphlets and tracts endorsing the killing of apostates -- to inmates. The author of the review, Ian Acheson, said that he found staff lacked the training to confront and deter Islamist extremist ideology, and were often fearful that if they did, they would be accused of racism.
Norway, nevertheless, seems to be making the same poorly thought-out choices as Britain. In 2015, Ringerike prison said it planned to introduce imams into the prison. "We are now about to enter into a partnership with an imam who will conduct seminars for Muslims," prison governor Håkon Melvold told VG newspaper. "In addition, we will create philosophy groups with participation from various faiths."
Terje Auli, prison chaplain at Oslo prison, said that prisons should help Muslims to practice their religion. "It is obvious that we counteract extremism when we facilitate the practice of religion in prison," he said. It has apparently not occurred to these authorities that encouraging Muslims in prison to study the Quran and hadiths, with their exhortations to jihad against the "infidels", may in itself serve to radicalize the inmates. Why should Islam play any role in prisons to begin with?
Norway recently appointed a Pakistani-educated imam, Najeeb ur Rehman Naz, to be the first Muslim chaplain of the Norwegian military. Before the appointment, Norwegian military chaplains were exclusively Christian. In 2012, the military itself suggested the introduction of chaplains representing "other religions and life philosophies". There was a small uproar when it came to light that a year earlier, Najeeb ur Rehman Naz had given online advice to a woman in a forced marriage to the effect that although he considered forced marriage wrong, once she was in the marriage it was her obligation to respect the duties and responsibilities of the marriage. He backed up this view with a reference to the Quran -- which, oddly, some Norwegian politicians found to be surprising. Why should an imam educated in Pakistan not cite the Quran when giving advice? Moreover, the idea that imams might tell women to stay with their husbands, regardless of whether or not their marriages were forced, should not startle anyone who has even the most rudimentary knowledge of women's subjugated position within Islam.
Najeeb ur Rehman Naz, recently appointed the first Muslim chaplain of the Norwegian military, gave advice to a woman in a forced marriage that it was her obligation to respect the duties and responsibilities of the marriage. Pictured: Head military chaplain Brigadier Alf Petter Hagesæther (left) congratulates Naz (right) on his appointment as military chaplain, March 1, 2017. (Image source: Norwegian Armed Forces/Torbjørn Kjosvold)
Repeatedly, Western societies seem "surprised" by their own willful blindness when it comes to Islam. In the case of Norway, the Police Security Service has laid out clearly the dangers of radicalization and the extant risks of jihadist terror against Norway. But is anybody listening?
**Judith Bergman is a writer, columnist, lawyer and political analyst.
© 2017 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.

Tillerson's Moscow Meeting Is a Reminder of How Dangerous Russia Is
James F. Jeffrey/Fortune/April 15/17
Offering Putin tough but reasonable sanctions deals on Syria and other regional issues may be the best way of easing persistent bilateral tensions.
After meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson echoed what the world already knows: There's a low level of trust between the two nations. Just last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin -- who Tillerson also met with -- criticized the U.S. for its missile strike on Syria and referred to the U.S. relationship as "degraded" since President Trump took office. It's not surprising that there were no real breakthroughs during Tillerson's Moscow visit, but if the two nations are to make any progress, the U.S. first needs to keep in mind how dangerous Russia really is.
Russia and the U.S. view the world in fundamentally different ways. Back in 2013, American historian Walter Russell Mead argued in The American Interest that near-peer competitors China and Russia were now deliberately challenging the U.S.-led global order. His argument still holds true. While China is the more serious challenge, Russia is more dangerous. It has challenged Western norms and global security with Crimean annexation, civil war in Eastern Ukraine, provocative behavior toward American and other NATO forces on NATO's borders and in international airspace, intervention in Syria, carpet bombing of Aleppo's civilian population, toleration of Syria's use of chemical weapons, and, finally, attempted destabilization of national elections in NATO states, including the U.S.
To be sure, unlike China, Putin has few economic or cultural tools to deploy for national glory, nor is Russia, in contrast to China, a major beneficiary of the world economic system. Its export industries and investment opportunities beyond energy are simply too modest.
Yet Putin is determined to challenge the U.S.-led international order, signaling exactly that in 2007 by publicly bemoaning the end of the USSR as the greatest tragedy of the 20th century. Putin's strategy sees the world in 19th-century terms. Great powers such as Russia vie for power amongst themselves, leaving other states as little more than pawns. Thus, a Crimea can be annexed, a Chechnya turned into rubble, and Assad backed to the hilt. International law, humanitarian values, and global order do not matter -- only the amoral accretion of power.
This is worrisome, as such a worldview provoked both world wars and could engender a third, this time in a world with tens of thousands of nuclear warheads and potent cyber capabilities. Since 1940, the U.S. has been the leader and major beneficiary of a law-based international collective security order, and sees itself directly challenged by Putin's "19th century" Russia more than by China, somewhat more committed to the global order.
Trump often questioned this order, arguing that, from an "America First" perspective, the U.S. wasn't getting its money's worth. This led to demands that our allies do more, and put the whole U.S. role in world affairs in doubt. But then Trump had an epiphany, seen in his affirmation of NATO, his growing ties to world leaders lobbying for American leadership, and his strong reaction to that order's breakdown with Syria's horrific Sarin gas attack, despite a UN prohibition "guaranteed" by Russia.
It is this larger background that shaped Tillerson's Moscow talks. The U.S. must convince Russia that it seeks not war with or domination over Russia, but rather cessation of Russia's relentless attacks on that international order.
The "stick" Tillerson brings is readiness to contain Russia across the board, mobilizing America's greater military and economic power, and its international support, as seen in the near-universal endorsement of the U.S. Syrian strike. Such a strategy would include strengthening sanctions on Moscow, which Tillerson said the U.S. was open to implementing, establishing safe zones in Syria, and arming rebels. His "carrot" would be gradually lifting those sanctions, along with compromises on both Ukraine and Syria. And it appears reasonable: Russia is in dire economic straits, partly caused by its Syria and Ukraine actions, and such an offer would leave both Russia and the U.S. with "half a loaf." Here's what that would look like.
Ukraine
On Ukraine, Russia would back a ceasefire, halt support for separatists, and allow armed international monitors to enforce the ceasefire along the Russian-Ukrainian border. In return, NATO states would commit to not accepting Ukraine into NATO, not stationing NATO forces on Ukrainian territory, and gradually lifting most economic sanctions, apart from some tied to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.
Syria
On Syria, Russia would receive assurances that the U.S. would not push for regime change, and would consider Russia's two bases there sacrosanct. In return, Russia would block Assad's brutal effort to recapture much of Syria from a population that fears and detests him. Russia would also support negotiations brokered by the UN in Geneva toward a ceasefire, and then a compromise settlement endorsed by all neighbors and polic
ISIS
Such a ceasefire-peacekeepers package would require advanced destruction of ISIS and al Qaeda in Syria. That is often touted as an area of joint U.S.-Russian cooperation, but there is less than meets the eye. Russia's interest in destroying ISIS is subordinated to that of backing Syria and Iran. But an Iran-backed Assad is what created ISIS in the first place in 2013 when he used chemical weapons against his own people. He'll do the same again if he gains control of all of Syria. Thus, destroying ISIS will have to remain a job largely for the U.S. coalition.
Such "controlled" competition between a Russia motivated by 19th-century power politics and a U.S.-led international community supporting a global security order has a precedent: Most of the Cold War was conducted that way, with each side carefully evaluating the other's military capabilities and intentions before acting. The problem is that Putin's judgment of U.S. intentions has been shaped by President Obama's reluctance to defend that order militarily, and Trump's earlier questioning of the global order itself.
But in Syria, Putin appears to be "going for broke," despite limited military capabilities, apparently because he assumed no effective U.S. response. There was a precedent for this as well in the Cold War -- Soviet moves from Afghanistan to Central America to Europe in 1978-1983 on the assumption the U.S. lacked the will to respond. That was a dangerous period, and we might be entering anoter one now.
**James Jeffrey is the Philip Solondz Visiting Fellow at The Washington Institute and former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Iraq, and Albania. This article originally appeared on the Forbes website.

Assad in Deep Water!
Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 15/17
In his latest interview with Agence France-Presse, Syria’s longtime despot Bashar al-Assad could not hide away how worn out and exhausted he had become. However, what is more important is not how wearied Assad looked but rather the content of that interview.
Assad showed that his strategy remained the same and that he still believed that lies were part and parcel of politics and diplomacy. Insincerity has been practiced by Assad ever since he took reins over Syria in year 2000.
Throughout Syria’s modern political history, whether it be when Iraq-Syria relations were suspended, when Lebanon’s prime minister Rafic Hariri was assassinated, or when leaving Arab-Syrian relations in disarray, Assad can be spotted being to some extent twisting the truth. The same goes for any statement he has given during the six-year fight against Syrians.
Assad said that the alleged poison gas attack blamed on his regime in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib province was “100 percent fabrication” used to justify a US air strike.
“Our impression is that the West, mainly the United States, is hand-in-glove with the terrorists,” Assad said in the interview.
The Damascus-based miscreant continued casting doubts over his regime’s culpability, adding that if there was any substance to the allegations of the sarin gassing then “who committed the attack?” “No order was issued for any attack,” he argued.
“Syria’s military had given up all its chemical weapons in 2013 after an agreement made at the time, and would not have used them anyway,” Assad was quoted as saying.
Whoever believes any of Assad’s statements is most certainly delusional with no grasp of reality, or a regime ally who sees the Syria crisis a matter of life or death.
A question worth asking is why did Assad hand over his chemical arsenal in 2013, heeding Russian demands?
First of all, Assad’s regime definitely did not relinquish its chemical weapons– It is rather simple and clear, Assad used those weapons against the Syrians in 2013, and had nothing to stop him from using them again.
The bloodthirsty dictator’s lie has been exposed, sinking his number one backer, Russia –Assad’s international guarantor – an inch deeper into the Syria muddle.
It is obvious that Assad couldn’t care less about what the Russians think of him, they too believe that deceit comes with the job of politics. Russian President Vladimir Putin had said a few days earlier that he received information on provocative activity south of Damascus, and linked it to the US newfangled interference. Assad rode Putin’s wave, using a derivative of his statements to promote his side of the story. What Assad failed to understand was that Putin was referring to recent attacks and not the Khan Sheikhoun US response with 59 tomahawk missiles targeting the same airbase from which the chemical attack was allegedly launched. Matter of fact is that Assad not only is detached from reality, but also is in inescapable trouble. He now senses how dangerous the situation has become—out of breath, Assad runs back and forth to endorse and spread unbelievable lies. All it took was 59 Tomahawk missiles to leave Assad mind boggled in a catch 22.

Trump Got Syria and China Right Last Week. That’s a Start.
David Ignatius/The Washington Post/April 15/17
The Trump administration’s foreign policy has been a dizzying spectacle of mixed messages and policy reversals during its first three months. But in last week’s crucial tests, President Trump made good decisions about Syria, Russia and China — moving his erratic administration a bit closer toward the pillars of traditional US policy.
The decision to strike a Syrian air base was a confidence builder for an inexperienced and sometimes fractious White House, a senior official said. Trump couldn’t be sure when he launched the attack that a Russian wouldn’t be killed, or that some other freak mishap wouldn’t arise. The military option he chose had two virtues: It was quick, surprising Russians who hadn’t expected such prompt retaliation; and it was measured, sending a calibrated message rather than beginning an open-ended military intervention.
Trump famously likes to win, and he can probably claim a win here after weeks of chaotic setbacks. As a result, the Syria operation, generally praised at home and abroad, has consolidated the power of Trump’s core foreign policy team, in ways that may alter the political balance of this White House.
Here’s the consensus among top Republican and Democratic former officials I spoke with: National security adviser HR McMaster ran a tight interagency process; Defense Secretary Jim Mattis offered the president clear, manageable options. Trump mostly stayed off Twitter, encouraging his team members to do the work rather than disrupting them. Perhaps the most visible beneficiary is Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has found his voice after an agonizingly slow start. Tillerson clearly has gained Trump’s confidence and has also forged an alliance with the decisive backstage operator in this White House, senior adviser (and Trump’s son-in-law) Jared Kushner.
The knives are out for Stephen K. Bannon, who bid to be Trump’s key strategist but is now branded by some close to Trump as a divisive, self-promoting personality whose days are numbered. What seems to have angered Trump and his inner circle is the bid for supremacy by “someone who came on board 72 days before the election,” as one aide put it. “People are tired of games” from Bannon, he said.
Trump has also tilted toward China and away from Russia in the triangular game of nations played by this administration, much as it was by then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Kushner’s apparent mentor. That rebalancing is the opposite of what Trump seemed to favor during the campaign, when he blasted China and wooed Russian President Vladimir Putin at every opportunity. But it’s a more sensible and sustainable course. “I’m very supportive of the action on Syria,” says Tom Donilon, national security adviser for President Barack Obama. But he notes: “On Russia, China and Syria, there have been almost whiplash-like changes in policy.”
Last week’s trickiest maneuver was simultaneously bombing Syria and meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump has basically done a 180 on China: After challenging the fundamentals of the relationship before he took office, Trump has now reverted to Kissingerian language of cooperation. The goal of the summit, officials say, was for the two self-styled “big men” to get to know each other. They spent nearly four hours in one-on-one conversation, explaining how they look at issues such as North Korea and global trade.
The White House described a “textured” conversation, with Trump at one point offering Xi a backhanded compliment: “We had a long discussion already. So far, I have gotten nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Trump’s impulsive, unpredictable style has confounded the Chinese, who like to plan every detail, but officials say their overall satisfaction was conveyed by their lack of criticism in a communique after the summit.
Tillerson is taking Trump’s message to Moscow this week. He is expected to tell top Russian officials that their alliance with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a loser, and that the United States will work with Moscow on a political transition to replace Assad with another figure acceptable to Russia. “We want them to have to make choices,” explains one official. “We can work together or against each other.”
The Trump team feels that after last week’s strike on Syria to enforce the chemical weapons ban, the United States has regained the strategic initiative from Putin. “Russia is catching as opposed to pitching for a change,” says one senior official. “They are on the back foot, surprised by Trump.”Rebuffing Putin is a worthy goal, if an unlikely one for Trump. Former defense secretary Bob Gates offers the crucial caveat: “There’s merit in getting Russia off balance politically, but being militarily unpredictable when Russian forces are directly involved is a very risky business.”

Is Russia Testing Trump?
Michael J. Morell and Evelyn Farkas/The New York Times/April 15/17
This week Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is making his first diplomatic visit to Russia, where he’s likely to press Moscow on its handling of Syria, which he has called “incompetent.”
But Mr. Tillerson should recognize that Russia’s involvement in Syria is only one example of the increasingly active, and disruptive, role that President Vladimir Putin has been playing on the world stage since Donald Trump’s inauguration.
In January, Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, most likely at the direction of Mr. Putin, ramped up their fight against Ukrainian government forces, bringing the violence there to its highest level in a year and a half. This is a direct challenge to the Minsk Agreements — signed by Russia and Ukraine, engineered by Germany and France, and backed by the United States — designed to freeze the war and pave the way to restoring peace.
In mid-February, Mr. Putin decreed that Russia would recognize the passports issued by two separatist governments in eastern Ukraine. Later that month, in a move approved or at least condoned by Mr. Putin, the breakaway territory of Luhansk in Ukraine announced that the Russian ruble would become its official currency. Both actions are examples of the creeping assertion of Russian sovereignty over parts of eastern Ukraine.
Again in January, Russia moved troops near the border with Belarus, designed to pressure Belarus to accept an increased Russian military presence on its territory. And in March, the Kremlin ordered the incorporation of the armed forces in South Ossetia, one of two breakaway territories in Georgia, into the Russian military.
Meanwhile, last month Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, the top American general in Europe, told Congress that Russia and the Afghan Taliban are growing increasingly close, suggesting that the Kremlin is supplying the insurgent group with weapons. Matériel support would be a significant escalation of Russia’s involvement with the Taliban, and it would undercut American efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. It would also put the 9,000 American and 5,000 NATO troops there at increased risk.
Two weeks ago, the commander of American forces in Africa, Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, observed that Russia’s role in Libya is deepening, with its special forces on the ground in Egypt just over the border with Libya. He noted Russian support for the powerful Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, who is resisting the United Nations-recognized government in Tripoli.
And of course, last week Russia denied that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used sarin gas against his own people. This is the latest in Russia’s broad and deep diplomatic and military support for the Syrian dictator, who has killed some 200,000 of his people and displaced half his population.
All of these steps have a common thread. Mr. Putin, who wants political control over neighboring countries and to be seen as a great global power, is testing President Trump. He wants to see how far he can go until we say “enough.” While Mr. Putin must realize the Trump administration is unlikely to be able to roll back Western sanctions on Russia, as Mr. Putin originally hoped, he may think Mr. Trump’s still unexplained infatuation with him will allow him to move aggressively, without American resistance.
What has the Trump administration done to respond to all of the above? There have been strong words from Vice President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary James Mattis, and particularly from the American ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley. But so far there has been no condemnation from Mr. Trump and, most important, no action.
The administration needs to set out a clear policy toward Russia. It must communicate clearly what is unacceptable and strengthen its deterrence, and in that way establish its negotiating position, so that it can effectively and realistically explore areas for cooperation.
The signaling needs to start with the president. He must deliver a speech asserting American interest in trans-Atlantic security and speak resolutely on the right of states to choose democracy, a free-market economy and membership in NATO or the European Union. America’s Russia policy must include continued funding for troop presence and exercises on NATO territory, and training and equipment for non-NATO partners at risk from Moscow. At the same time, it should restart discussions with Russia on nuclear, conventional and now cyber-arms control to lower the temperature in areas of potential danger. The president must also condemn Russia’s continued support for Mr. Assad and the deliberate Russian bombing of civilians in Syria, and press for Russia to support a transition in Syria. Bombing an airfield isn’t enough.
And of course, the administration must denounce Russia’s interference in American elections and make clear that such behavior will not be tolerated again. Whether the president likes it or not, Mr. Putin’s Russia views the United States as its adversary, and it is working to undermine America around the world. Mr. Putin has accomplished a great deal in only a few weeks. President Trump needs to say “enough.” He can start by having his secretary of state deliver that message when he visits Moscow this week.

5 Things We’re About to Learn About Syria, Putin and Trump
Hal Brands/Bloomberg/April 15/17
As a result of the US airstrikes against the Syrian regime forces last week, we are all about to learn a great deal. It is, surely, too soon to know precisely what impact the strikes ordered by President Donald Trump will have on the regime and where the Syrian civil war is heading. This is largely because key players including the head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, Russia, Iran and the Syrian opposition — not to mention the US — are still plotting their next moves.
But it seems certain that the events of the coming weeks will help answer five crucial questions about the civil war and the various actors that are now struggling to shape the outcome of that conflict.
First, how much of a gambler is Vladimir Putin? The Russian president has gained a reputation over the past three years as a shrewd risk-taker, able to outmaneuver his opponents with the well-timed coup de main.
Now, the Trump administration has demonstrated that it is willing to use force against Putin’s ally in Damascus, and that it is prepared to risk significantly higher tensions with Moscow. During the Barack Obama presidency, in other words, Putin confronted a US that was predictably — if perhaps understandably — prudent. Now he faces a president whose risk calculus is far harder to discern.
So how will Putin respond? Will he double down on support for Assad — perhaps by helping the Syrian regime harass or target US aircraft — in hopes that he can still out-escalate the Americans? Or will he seek to reduce tensions — perhaps by shoving Assad toward renewed negotiations with the opposition — in hopes of avoiding a sharper showdown with Washington?
Second, how crafty is Assad? The Syrian leader was once seen as the mild-mannered ophthalmologist and a would-be reformer; now he is perhaps the greatest butcher of the young 21st century. Yet brutality aside, Assad’s strategic acumen has so far remained difficult to discern. He has proven a far more skillful survivor than nearly anyone would have predicted in 2011, but his heavy-handedness also helped turn what were at first peaceful protests into a zero-sum civil war; and he has now managed, through ghastly chemical attacks, to turn the initially friendly Trump administration against his remaining in power. So is Assad a shrewd if morally abhorrent statesman, or simply another dictator who substitutes savagery for strategy?
What he does next will tell us a great deal. If Assad confines himself to a symbolic and non-escalatory response, if he desists from using chemical weapons, if he at least feigns a willingness to negotiate with the opposition, he may be able to escape the noose once again — and perhaps even return to the less spectacular forms of murder that the international community has proven willing to tolerate for more than six years. If, however, he lashes out, whether by continuing to use chemical weapons or by seeking to extract revenge on the US, he may succeed in eliciting the decisive international intervention the has so far managed to avoid.
The answers to these first two questions will also bear heavily on the answer to a third: How slippery is the slope? The Obama administration’s go-to argument against military intervention was always that the options that could be executed at a tolerable cost were unlikely to alter the trajectory of the civil war in any meaningful way — and that a first step was thus likely to lead inexorably to pressures to take a second step and then a third.
Proponents of military intervention, in contrast, argued that a bold but limited American stroke could dramatically shift the psychology of the conflict and put Assad and his patrons on the defensive. No second or third step would be necessary, this argument went, because the first step — if executed with sufficient skill and resolve — would be sufficient.
We are about to find out which thesis is correct. Perhaps even the very limited American intervention undertaken to date will force Russia to rethink its support for Assad, or force Assad to accept that he cannot use the only weapons — his chemical arsenal — that might allow him to reconquer remaining rebel-held territories. Perhaps Trump’s limited engagement will thereby create a new strategic equilibrium more favorable to an acceptable political settlement or some other tolerable outcome.
Alternatively, perhaps the psychological impact of the strikes will be equivalent to their military impact — which is to say, not much. Perhaps the strikes will even cause Russia and Iran to redouble their own efforts to checkmate US intervention. In that case, Trump would soon be confronted with the question of whether to double down or risk looking the paper tiger, and the slope may come to seem slippery indeed. The first scenario would make Obama’s caution from 2011 through 2016 look excessive in retrospect; the latter would make it seem fairly wise after all.
These questions, in turn, relate to a fourth key issue: Is a negotiated settlement even possible? Over the past six years, myriad diplomatic and political processes have been launched in hopes of bringing about an end to the civil war. Every single one has failed. In the weeks preceding Assad’s latest chemical weapons attack, it did seem that the conflict was perhaps reaching a new equilibrium, with the regime largely having consolidated control over the western spine of the country, and various opposition forces controlling their own chunks of territory in other areas. But with Assad still determined — at least rhetorically — to retake the entire country, and with many opposition groups still vehemently opposed to his remaining in power, the prospects for turning that equilibrium into a sustainable settlement remain uncertain at best.
The question now is whether the strategic shock of US strike can create a new diplomatic context in which the parties — particularly the regime — are more amenable to compromise. Or, alternatively, will the aims of Assad and the opposition — not to mention the outside parties supporting them — remain so divergent and intractable that no negotiated settlement is possible?
Finally, as these issues come into sharper focus, we will also learn more about a fifth crucial question: Is the Trump administration capable of effective strategy?
Crises can be clarifying moments. They can cast new light on the contours of an ongoing conflict; they can lay bare the characteristics — and competence — of the parties involved. The Syria crisis is the acid test of the Trump administration: We are about to find out whether the president and his advisers can make the grade. Given the outsized role that the US plays not just in Syria but around the world, this may well be the most important question that the Syria crisis will help us answer.

Trump’s strike, the end of Obama’s ‘evil plan’
Fahad Suleiman Shoqiran/Al Arabiya/April 15/17
US President Donald Trump recently ordered a strike on Syria’s Shayrat air base. The move is a sarcastic reminder of former President Barack Obama’s speeches and decisions. Obama observed the developments of the Syrian crisis in cold blood. He specified red lines and the end of the Syrian president’s jurisdictions, held plenty of meetings, made countless statements and devised several plans; however he did not do anything at all to address the Syrian crisis. At some point, he even mocked statements saying it was America’s responsibility to intervene and said a military operation in Syria will resemble ending an arbitrary conflict in Africa’s jungles. Prominent American figures voiced surprise of this decline and withdrawal from the Middle East and leaving the region for Russia, Iran and their bloody terrorist militias. America’s intervention was thus limited to specific logistical support in Libya. The US was no longer “an indispensable nation,” as former President Bill Clinton once said. During Obama’s term, the US became “a dispensable nation” as Vali Nasr put it while analyzing Obama’s policies in his book “American Foreign Policy in Retreat.” However will this policy remain in place following Trump’s strategic strike?
The political doctrine – as expressed by the current administration’s rhetoric – prioritizes restoring influence over vital pillars in the Middle East, getting closer to protecting the interests of allies, especially the Gulf countries, curbing Iran’s expansion, and cooperating with moderate countries to fight terrorism and improve economic cooperation. These are the major results from America’s convergence with its allies amid unprecedented disturbances which are mainly due to neglecting the Syrian crisis and to the state of inhibition which has been produced by America’s foreign policy. However, all this was before brave and strong president Donald Trump intervened to put an end to the Syrian regime’ unprecedented brutal atrocities. The Syrian regime wants to test the patience of the new administration and is about to dig its own grave.
The strike’s major result was stirring panic at the heart of the Assad regime. In an article entitled Fearful Assad faces a new life in secret underground bunker published in the British Times daily, Michael Evans wrote: “Impunity has ended for Bashar al-Assad and the family that has ruled Syria with an iron fist since 1970. After the US Tomahawk missile attack, the Syrian leader knows that his life could now be under threat from the Americans, and in Europe prosecutors rounded up tens of millions of pounds of assets belonging to his uncle, Rifaat.” This is the case despite Assad’s stubbornness and attempts to resist the strike by killing innocent civilians and resuming his brutality.
What the world needs from Trump is to be the complete opposite of Obama on all fronts.
Handing the region to Iran
Late scholar and writer Fouad Ajami described Obama as the master “of the evil plan” to hand the region to Iran. Obama said the symbols of the Iranian regime are “men with a strategic approach and they are not impulsive. They have a vision and care about their interests and respond to costs and benefits. This does not mean it’s not a religious state that believes in all the ideas which I detest but it’s not North Korea. It’s a big and strong state that considers itself important in the international arena. I don’t think it has a suicidal aim and it can respond to incentives.” Trump and his administration are the opposite of Obama and they think the Iranian regime is the sponsor of terrorism across the world and that it’s the basis of al-Qaeda and the passage of Osama bin Laden and ISIS secretary general.
The strike’s major result was stirring panic at the heart of the Assad regime
Ajami thinks Obama made a lot of threats and did not carry out any military decision he intended to execute. He believed Obama would say something at night but back down in the morning thus “allowing American authority and the country’s reputation to be mocked especially when he threatened the Syrian regime of dangerous consequences as punishment for using chemical weapons but he backed down and proposed taking the matter to Congress to authorize military activity against Syria.” Trump only threatened a little. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson did not even propose the military option during the press conference he held before the strike on the Syrian air base. However, few hours later, American missiles struck al-Shayrat air base. This turned back the clock as the region before the strike will not be the same after the strike. Russia’s and Iran’s recent statements reflect the extent of worry as America, the indispensable nation, is back to what it was. It’s the strongest superpower.
America is not just a cinematic town but it’s the homeland of the gist of western values. Without its roles, global order is incomplete. When it isolates itself, the world regresses and becomes troubled. It’s America’s historical and universal destiny to balance all events. All other powers retreat when it deeply gets involved in developments. Veteran politician Henry Kissinger understood the Russians well and deplored Obama for granting them the chance to completely tamper with the security of Syria and the region.
Arabs and Muslims favor America, with its civilization and values that are the “eras’ values,” over other civilizations that are mafia-like and aggressive and that do not have any values worth exporting.
It’s another era and a remarkable transformation for overcoming “the years of isolation.”

I’ll embrace cultural appropriation, but on my terms
Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/April 15/17
Retailers capitalizing on cultural symbols are nothing new – major retail brands such as Asos, Topshop, and even high-end retailer Givenchy have been caught out in the ‘trend’. Many natives of the cultures being appropriated are offended by retailers making money off their history and struggle – while I see where their anger is coming from, it’s almost time for the fashion community and activists to force retailers to conform to their expectations of cultural appropriation, rather than be angry whenever there is familiarity between a product and their history.
If the public sets its own terms and conditions to cultural appropriation, then they regain control and give back to their culture, history, and people. More importantly, the history of the product becomes the spotlight of the product, making history and struggle rise back to the surface, thus educating the general public.
This month, British-fashion retailer Topshop decided it was an appropriate to turn the scarf into a playsuit and market the playsuit as ‘festival appropriate’. The playsuit retailed for £40 for approximately 18 hours before it was redacted from their website after a series of furious reactions on Twitter.
If a retailer or a product wants to appropriate my culture for financial gain and give some of the proceeds to a charity that supports my cultural, my people, and preserving my heritage: that’s fine with me.
I enjoy festivals, and in fact, I’ve worn my Kuffiyeh to festivals in the past. As an example of how retailers like Topshop can react to this public relations storm is to use the proceeds from the (overpriced) Kuffiya playsuit sale to support a program that promotes cross-cultural communication. The Kuffiya in itself is misunderstood, as some relate it to a symbol of ‘violence’ rather than ‘resistance’. The truth is that when the Palestinian Exodus happened in 1948, over 700,000 people were forced to flee their homes.
Many fled through the sandy deserts across the border with a Kuffiyeh wrapped around their neck, head and face to shield them from the heat and the dust. Sixty years later, the Kuffiyeh has become a symbol of resistance and serves as a reminder of the struggle and the blood spilled. If anything, Topshop cold have used its power as a major fashion retailer to explain the history of the Kuffiya rather than simply pulling it off the shelves.
If a retailer or a product wants to appropriate my culture for financial gain and give some of the proceeds to a charity that supports my cultural, my people, and preserving my heritage: that’s fine with me.
The activist community must learn to adapt and become pragmatic in their approach – publicity gets the people talking. One of the greatest pitfalls that plague the misunderstanding of the Palestinian issue is the lack of understanding of the history of the cause, which is due to a lack of communication fueled by the fear of being politically incorrect. Asking the ‘wrong’ question can be seen as insulting to Palestinians or as anti-Semitic to others.
The stigma that is associated with political correctness is instilling fear and getting in the way of progression. As people, we cannot progress or get anywhere unless we talk about our history, our feelings, where we are today and where we want to go. If an item of clothing instigates this conversation, then by all means let the clothing go on sale.
Retailers that are accused of capitalizing on cultural appropriation often insult ‘minorities’ – the native Americans, the Palestinians, the Arabs. Why is it that when Dolce and Gabbana produced a line of Abayas (the black dress that some Muslim women choose to wear) they weren’t accused of cultural appropriation? Instead, the line of Abayas was used as an example of ‘diversification’.
There are hundreds of Kuffiya-printed products made by local designers that are currently on sale on numerous Internet websites such as Etsy. While I understand that there is significant history associated with how ‘cultural’ prints are produced, if they are mass-produced by local designers, then it is culturally acceptable. As such, if large high-street retailers produce them in association with cultural designers, as well as giving some of the proceeds to charities and programs that support the cause, then it can no longer be referred to as cultural appropriation.
As an individual of an ethnic minority that lives in Europe, I’ll embrace clothes that are seemingly ‘appropriating’ my culture so long as they are produced in conjunction with local designers who understand the heritage and history, and so long as proceeds from the sales are used to promote positive conversation.

An attack on the Iraqi Communist Party
Adnan Hussein/Al Arabiya/April 15/17
Assailants attacked the headquarters of the Iraqi Communist Party in Al-Diwaniyah on Monday at midnight. The attack is, first and foremost, neither brave nor heroic. It’s rather the work of cowardly gangs which only work in the dark.
The attack is also an aggression against the Iraqi state, its authorities, prestige, dignity and sovereignty. It violates the law of the state. These operations harm the state a lot more than they harm those targeted.
The attack disrespects Iraqi national principles which are currently being tested during this holy war against the terrorist ISIS organization and the remnants of Saddam Hussein’s regime. The masterminds and the perpetrators of the attack have objectively put themselves in the same category as ISIS and its allies and have put themselves at the latter’s services for free.
Even people with small minds cannot but link between the attack on the headquarters of the Iraqi Communist Party and what happened few hours earlier at the University of Al-Qadisiyah when hundreds of students protested because armed members violated the campus’ sanctity. The Iraqi law frankly prohibits such armed presence on campus. The communist party was dragged into this dispute despite the lack of evidence.
It’s also not possible to separate between what happened at the communist party’s headquarters and the escalating campaign of some influential parties – specifically Islamic ones – against the community party due to its vigorous contribution in the popular activity which has been on for more than 20 months now. This activity has made urgent demands for political reform, combating administrative and financial corruption, providing general services and improving citizens’ livelihood conditions as unemployment is on the rise and many are below poverty line.
This popular activity, which the Sadrsit Movement, a significant Shiite Islamic movement, is a part of, embarrasses the influential political class which is mostly made up of Shiite parties and groups and upsets its balance especially given the countdown for the parliamentary and local elections. There is only one Shiite leader who recently complained about that. Although the campaign which opposes this activity has only made implicit hints at the Sadrist Movement, some influential leaders have not hesitated to make statements in the name of communists and civilians in general. As part of this campaign, communists and seculars are being accused of infidelity just like the former regime used to do. This is happening now although Baathist leaders publicly confessed that following the July 14, 1958 revolution, they and the Nasserists used to carry out acts that oppose religious traditions and beliefs and then falsely accuse communists of them.
For 80 years, many governments and several parties fought Iraqi communists and planned horrific massacres against them. They all shamefully went to the dustbin of history, beginning with Bahjat Al-Attiyah, Saeed al-Qazaz, Ali Salih as-Sa’di, Ammar Alloush, Khaled Tabra, Nazem al-Qazaz and ending with Saddam Hussein and Fadel al-Barrak. Unlike the political Islam parties which govern today, the communist party has remained a colorful national icon whose hands are white and not stained with administrative and financial corruption or Iraqi blood.