LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 06/17
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For Today
Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 09/01-07/:"And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’

When one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom
Second Letter to the Corinthians 03/07-17/:"If the ministry of death, chiselled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory! Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Question: "Why did Jesus teach in parables?"
GotQuestions.org/Answer: It has been said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The Lord Jesus frequently used parables as a means of illustrating profound, divine truths. Stories such as these are easily remembered, the characters bold, and the symbolism rich in meaning. Parables were a common form of teaching in Judaism. Before a certain point in His ministry, Jesus had employed many graphic analogies using common things that would be familiar to everyone (salt, bread, sheep, etc.) and their meaning was fairly clear in the context of His teaching. Parables required more explanation, and at one point in His ministry, Jesus began to teach using parables exclusively.
The question is why Jesus would let most people wonder about the meaning of His parables. The first instance of this is in His telling the parable of the seed and the soils. Before He interpreted this parable, He drew His disciples away from the crowd. They said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:10-17).
From this point on in Jesus’ ministry, when He spoke in parables, He explained them only to His disciples. But those who had continually rejected His message were left in their spiritual blindness to wonder as to His meaning. He made a clear distinction between those who had been given “ears to hear” and those who persisted in unbelief—ever hearing, but never actually perceiving and “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). The disciples had been given the gift of spiritual discernment by which things of the spirit were made clear to them. Because they accepted truth from Jesus, they were given more and more truth. The same is true today of believers who have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth (John 16:13). He has opened our eyes to the light of truth and our ears to the sweet words of eternal life.
Our Lord Jesus understood that truth is not sweet music to all ears. Simply put, there are those who have neither interest nor regard in the deep things of God. So why, then, did He speak in parables? To those with a genuine hunger for God, the parable is both an effective and memorable vehicle for the conveyance of divine truths. Our Lord’s parables contain great volumes of truth in very few words—and His parables, rich in imagery, are not easily forgotten. So, then, the parable is a blessing to those with willing ears. But to those with dull hearts and ears that are slow to hear, the parable is also an instrument of both judgment and mercy.

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 05-06/17
Who obstruct US support to Lebanon/Dr.Walid Phares DC/Face Book/August 05/17
Casting Doubts over Kuwait’s Liberation/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/August 05/17
Anti-Semitic Academics: Where is the Outrage Against Turkey/A.J. Caschetta/Gatestone Institute/August 05/17
Challenges facing NATO in its fight against ISIS/Dr. Ibrahim Al-Othaimin/Al Arabiya/August 05/17
Qatar and the opposing Arab quartet: Why the standoff will prolong/Ahmad al-Farraj/Al Arabiya/August 05/17

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on August 05-06/17
Who obstruct US support to Lebanon
Lebanon: No coordination with Syrian army in the war against ISIS
US Special Forces Deploy To Support Lebanese Army's Operations Against ISIS
Geagea: ‘Hezbollah’ is Usurping Lebanon’s Decision-Making Power
Berri Confident in Lebanese Army’s Ability to Fight ISIS as Military Denies Working with Syria
36 Hours Behind ‘Closed Windows’ from Arsal to ‘Unknown Fate’ in Idlib
Berri Meets Larijani, Hopes Lebanon Marks Victory against IS
Lebanese army Renews Shelling at IS Militants in Ras Baalbek, al-Qaa Outskirts
Lebanese army targets ISIS positions on border with Syria
General Security Arrests Syrian over IS Links, Recruiting in Favor of Group
Lebanese Army targets Daesh positions in Ras Baalbek, casualties reported
Berri partakes in Iranian President's oath ceremony in Tehran
Riachy says rejection of corruption, political feudalism shall continue despite many battles
Mahfoud to Nasrallah: You Negotiated Enemies, Why Not Negotiate Your Assad Ally on Refugees Crisis

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 05-06/17
Egypt tells UN Security Council: Qatar is involved in financing terrorism
Washington to form ‘national army’ for the battle of Deir al-Zor
2,000 ISIS militants still in Syria’s Raqqa and ‘they will likely die there’
Local Forces Control 45 Percent of Syria's Raqa, US Envoy Says
Iran's Rouhani Starts New Term Facing Reform Criticism
Trump, Macron Discuss Increasing Cooperation in Syria and Iraq
Israeli Police to 'Examine' Fatal Jordan Shooting
Sadr Calls Authorities to Place ‘Hashd Al-Shaabi’ Under Command Of State
Australia Accuses ISIS of a Foiled Aircraft Attack Plot
Jordanian Monarch to Visit Palestinian Authority Leader in Ramallah
Former Netanyahu Aide Becomes State Witness in Israeli PM’s Bribery Probe
Russia Attached to ‘Political Partnership’ In Syria
New Assembly Dividing Venezuela Begins Work

Latest Lebanese Related News published on August 05-06/17
Who obstruct US support to Lebanon
Dr.Walid Phares DC/Face Book/August 05/17
US special forces to support Lebanese Army against ISIS in eastern Lebanon; Hezbollah and Assad regime oppose the deployment so "no US assistance can remain on Lebanese Syrian borders." Another evidence of Iran's obstruction to US support to the Lebanese Army. American and Coalition support to the campaign against ISIS in Lebanon must take place despite Iranian-Hezbollah obstruction.

Lebanon: No coordination with Syrian army in the war against ISIS
ReutersSaturday, 5 August 2017/The Lebanese army will not coordinate with the Syrian army to fight against ISIS in the Lebanese-Syrian border zone, a military source told Reuters on Saturday, rejecting a local media report of direct military cooperation between the two. The source said the Lebanese army had the military capability to confront and defeat the group without any regional or international support. The presence of ISIS and Nusra Front militants in pockets on Lebanon's border is the biggest military spillover into the country from Syria's civil war. An offensive launched last month by Lebanon's Hezbollah - a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - forced Nusra Front militants to leave for a rebel-held area in northwest Syria under an evacuation deal. The Lebanese army did not take part in that offensive, but has been widely expected to lead an attack against the ISIS pocket.  On Friday Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said an assault on ISIS militants in the border zone would begin in a few days. He said the Lebanese army would attack ISIS from the Lebanese side of the border while Hezbollah and the Syrian army would simultaneously attack from the Syrian side. Hezbollah has been fighting alongside the Syrian army against rebels including hardline Sunni Islamists in Syria. On Saturday Lebanese newspaper al-Joumhouria reported from sources that direct military coordination had occurred between the Syrian and Lebanese armies regarding the upcoming offensive against ISIS. The military source said the Lebanese army had been attacking ISIS for some time, by preventing it spreading further and cutting supply routes. Lebanese state news agency NNA and a Hezbollah media unit said on Saturday the Lebanese army had shelled ISIS positions in the Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa areas of northeast Lebanon.

US Special Forces Deploy To Support Lebanese Army's Operations Against ISIS
South Front/August 04/17/The US-based Arabic TV channel Alhurra claimed that dozens of US soldiers have been deployed in Lebanon to support the Lebanese Army in its upcoming operation against ISIS at the Syrian-Lebanese border. Alhurra claimed that 70 servicemen from US Special Operations Forces are currently in Lebanon but did not reveal the tasks of these soldiers or how they will support the Lebanese Army. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Al-Jumhoria newspaper claimed that the Lebanese government may ask the US-led coalition to provide an air support for the Lebanese Army during its operation against ISIS in the border area. According to the report, Lebanese officials may have contacted Russia and asked them to pressure Syria and Iran to allow US-led coalition warplanes to operate at the Syrian-Lebanese border. However, it appears that Syria is opposing this idea that might lead to establishing of the US-led coalition foothold at the Syrian-Lebanese border. Back in 2014, ISIS fighters captured Jorud Ras Baalbek and Jorud Ras al-Qaa in northeastern Lebanon and Jorud Qara and Grijer in Western Qalamoun inside Syria at the Syrian-Lebanese border. Major General Abbas Ibrahim General director of the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security said that the Lebanese authorities are ready to negotiate with ISIS fighters in Ras Baalbek area if they agree to withdraw like HTS, or they will face a military operation. According to the recent reports, the Lebanese Army will be the main force in the military operation against ISIS in the area. Hezbollah may participate in the operation from the Syrian side. According to Lebanese sources, the operation was delayed because the Lebanese Army had not finished preparations for the effort.

Geagea: ‘Hezbollah’ is Usurping Lebanon’s Decision-Making Power
Asharq Al-Awsat/August 05/17/Beirut – Head of the Lebanese Forces (LF) Samir Geagea noted on Friday that Lebanon is facing two central problems, the first being the “Hezbollah” group and the second being the mismanagement of the state. He said during an annual LF diaspora conference that “Hezbollah” is “obstructing Lebanon in several areas,” accusing it of “usurping its decision-making power.” He explained that the party takes decisions to wage battles whenever it wants and without consulting official authorities. It also criticizes “friendly Arab states, such as those in the Gulf”, which ultimately harms Lebanon’s ties with them, said Geagea. The mismanagement of the state “is no less dangerous” than the “Hezbollah” threat, he remarked. “Corruption has wormed its way into the highest and lowest authorities in Lebanon. The LF is waging a daily battle to combat this mentality,” he stressed. He also addressed next year’s parliamentary elections, saying that the electoral law that MPs struggled for years to adopt, “was the best law that could have been ratified during this phase.”“The Lebanese voter holds the key to salvation in his hands,” he remarked. He urged the people to “fully and comprehensively mobilize” to prepare for next year’s polls, especially since the new electoral law will pave the way for the formation of a new political class, noted the LF chief. He assured expatriates that Lebanon is “not a hopeless case, given the resources it has, especially the human one.”“You are the best example of the success of the Lebanese people abroad, so why shouldn’t this success be translated in Lebanon itself?” he asked.

Berri Confident in Lebanese Army’s Ability to Fight ISIS as Military Denies Working with Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat/August 05/17/Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri voiced on Friday his confidence in the ability of the army in “completing the battle to cleanse the outskirts of Arsal from terrorism, especially since the remaining areas are still under ISIS control.”He told reporters while visiting Tehran: “Our army is among the best in the region and it has demonstrated high fighting competence in its battle against terror.”The timing of this battle lies however in the hands of the military, which knows when to launch it, he added. The “victory” against the al-Nusra Front extremists in the northeastern region of Arsal is not new to the resistance group “Hezbollah,” he said, “but it had struck a victory against the Israeli enemy in July 2006.”“The development is a major turning point on the national level that is equal and even expands on the 2006 victory,” Berri declared. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yaacoub al-Sarraf urged against “getting embroiled into military and security analyses and speculation that are based on inaccurate information.” He stressed that the military has the sole authority in determining the time and place of any duty that is tasked to it. On Saturday, a military source told Reuters that the army will not coordinate with the Syrian regime forces to fight ISIS in Arsal, rejecting a local media report of direct military cooperation between the two. The source said the army had the military capability to confront and defeat the terrorist group without any regional or international support. The presence of ISIS and Nusra militants in pockets on Lebanon’s border is the biggest military spillover into the country from Syria’s civil war. An offensive launched last month by “Hezbollah” forced Nusra extremists to leave for a rebel-held area in northwest Syria under an evacuation deal. The Lebanese army did not take part in that offensive, but has been widely expected to lead an attack against the ISIS pocket. On Friday “Hezbollah” leader Hassan Nasrallah said an assault on ISIS in the border zone would begin in a few days. He said the Lebanese army would attack ISIS from the Lebanese side of the border, while “Hezbollah” and the Syrian regime forces would simultaneously attack from the Syrian side. On Saturday, Lebanese newspaper al-Joumhouria reported from sources that direct military coordination had occurred between the Syrian forces and Lebanese army regarding the upcoming offensive against ISIS.The military source said the Lebanese army had been attacking ISIS for some time, by preventing it spreading further and cutting supply routes.

36 Hours Behind ‘Closed Windows’ from Arsal to ‘Unknown Fate’ in Idlib
Asharq Al-Awsat/August 05/17/Beirut- Thousands of civilians arrived to Idlib from Lebanon on Friday, ending up, once more, as refugees inside local camps, with no hope to move again to Euphrates Shield-controlled areas in the north of Aleppo, or even to Turkey. “The trip from Lebanon to Idlib took 36 hours, and had begun on Wednesday morning by assembling at the outskirts of Asral before proceeding in the afternoon to the Lebanese-Syrian borders in the presence of the Lebanese Red Cross,” one refugee told Asharq Al-Awsat. He said that on its way, the convoy stopped at a Syrian regime checkpoint in the Syrian town of Flita. According to the refugee, “Hezbollah” members had ordered the closure of the buses’ windows to “prevent any disputes.”The buses carrying civilians were weapons free, while al-Nusra militants were placed in special buses with their arms and families, he said. “Civilians face a difficult situation and an unknown fate: the road between Idlib and the Euphrates Shield areas is still impassable whereas the border with Turkey is closed,” the refugee said. A convoy of 113 busses carrying around five thousand militants and civilians has departed from Arsal on Wednesday, heading towards northern Syria through the region of Flita. Twenty ambulances escorted the convoy, amidst measures by the army and the General Security. Their departure is part of a swap deal between “Hezbollah” and “al-Nusra Front,” after the release of “Hezbollah” prisoners in exchange for “al-Nusra” militants detained by the Lebanese security forces. The next phase of the deal would allow militants and civilians to leave for the town of Al-Rahiba in eastern Qalamoun, while the third phase of evacuation will include civilians wishing to return to their villages in western Qalamoun. The refugee said that after arriving to Flita, civilians were divided between two refugee camps in the countryside of Idlib: Sa’ed and al-Qariya al-Tiniya in Maarat al-Ikhwan near Maarat Masreen. He said buses carrying al-Nusra militants were sent to the city of Idlib.

Berri Meets Larijani, Hopes Lebanon Marks Victory against IS
Naharnet/August 05/17/Speaker Nabih Berri met in Tehran on Saturday with President of the Iranian Shura Council Ali Larijani where talks focused on the relations between the two countries, and the latest developments in the region, the state-run National News Agency reported. The meeting was held in the presence of a number of members of the Iranian Council and the ambassadors of the two countries Fadi al-Haj Ali and Mohammed Fathali. The Lebanese delegation led by Berri is in Tehran to take part in the oath-taking ceremony of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Larijani “congratulated Lebanon on the victory over terrorism in the outskirts of Arsal,” stated NNA. For his part, Berri stressed saying that Lebanon is enjoying a stable security situation compared to other countries in the Arab Levant and Europe. "I would not be exaggerating if I say that it is the safest country not in the Arab Levant but also better than many other countries in Europe," he said. The Speaker touched on the situation in the outskirts of Lebanon where the Islamic State group lingers, he said: “The area is about 200 square kilometers, about 60 percent of which is Syrian territory. It is normal for the Syrian Arab army to take part in the battle on Syrian soil. This needs to be coordinated in one way or another with the Lebanese army to avoid any mistakes.” Praising the Lebanese army's efforts and role in maintaining Lebanon's stability and confronting terrorism, he said "I hope that the day Israel was defeated in Lebanon would mark victory against the IS," in reference to the army's ongoing battle against the group on the eastern border towns of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek. Hizbullah fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006. The Lebanon-Israel conflict started on 12 July 2006, and continued until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect in the morning on 14 August 2006. Pointing to the refugees crisis, the Speaker said “it leaves a heavy burden at more than one level on Lebanon."“Lebanon hosts around 1.5 million displaced Syrians. The number of Syrian births in Lebanon has exceeded hundreds of thousands,” he said, adding “there is mutual diplomatic representation and agreements between the two countries. But Lebanon is not talking to Syria about the displaced, and I can say that if we did, we would be able to bring back hundreds of thousands of displaced people to Syria through coordination between the two countries."

Lebanese army Renews Shelling at IS Militants in Ras Baalbek, al-Qaa Outskirts
Naharnet/August 05/17/The army renewed firing artillery on Saturday at posts and vehicles of the terrorist Islamic State group on the outskirts of the eastern border town of Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa, the National News Agency reported. “The War Media outlet said the army was able to inflict casualties among the IS ranks killing and wounding several in al-Mkhayrmeh neighborhood of Ras Baalbek outskirts,” LBCI reported later on Saturday. The army has been intermittently shelling the IS posts over the past days. The troops shelled outskirts of Ras Baalbek and the neighboring town of al-Qaa on Friday inflicting casualties and destroying a number of sites. OnThursday, army units continued their deployment in the outskirts of the nearby border town of Arsal, seizing control of posts abandoned by the jihadist al-Nusra Front group. Al-Nusra was ousted from the region in a Hizbullah offensive that ended with an evacuation deal. The army is reportedly preparing a major operation aimed at eradicating IS militants from the outskirts of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek.

Lebanese army targets ISIS positions on border with Syria
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 5 August 2017/The Lebanese army launched intensive artillery bombardment, Saturday, directed at the bases of ISIS organization in the eastern town of Al-Qaa on the border with Syria, reported Al Arabiya.
The Lebanese army used artillery and mortars, in addition to Special Forces sent to areas adjacent to the mountains, where ISIS militants dwell in Al- Qaa groves and Ras Baalbek.ISIS militants lodge in areas at the far north-east of the Lebanese-Syrian border.

General Security Arrests Syrian over IS Links, Recruiting in Favor of Group
Naharnet/August 05/17/The General Security announced the arrest of a Syrian individual over his involvement with the Islamic State group and who had been recruiting members in Lebanon in favor of the organization, the National News Agency reported on Saturday. “In the context of following up on the activities of terrorist groups and dormant cells, the Lebanese General Security arrested a Syrian man, identified with the initials (H.M.A) for links to the IS terrorist organization,” the General Security Directorate General said in a communiqué. The detained had admitted during interrogations that he was traveling across the country using a forged Iraqi identity card, and promoting support and recruiting members in favor of the group on social media platforms. After the conclusion of investigations, the detained Lebanese was referred to the concerned judiciary.

Lebanese Army targets Daesh positions in Ras Baalbek, casualties reported
Sat 05 Aug 2017/NNA - Army units continued Saturday to target terrorist organizations in the area of Ras Baalbek, firing rocket and heavy artillery shells, destroying a number of fortifications and vehicles and causing definite casualties among terrorists," an issued communiqué by the Army Command indicated.

Berri partakes in Iranian President's oath ceremony in Tehran
Sat 05 Aug 2017/NNA - Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, attended Saturday the oath-taking ceremony of Iranian President, Sheikh Hassan Rouhani, which took place this afternoon at the Shoura Council in the Iranian capital of Tehran. Presidents, parliament heads, cabinet ministers and official delegations of around 100 countries representing the East and West were present during the ceremony. In his oath speech, Rouhani outlined Iran's great accomplishments, including "strengthening its military capabilities and its position in the international system." He also enumerated various domestic achievements at the economic and development levels.

Riachy says rejection of corruption, political feudalism shall continue despite many battles
Sat 05 Aug 2017/NNA - Information Minister Melhem Riachy vowed Saturday that the Lebanese Forces shall pursue its entrusted march against corruption and political feudalism in the country despite facing many battles, noting that "the state we are trying to build is for all of us and not for one team against another." "We will build our state together. There is great hope that we will reach the state of state despite all risks, dangers, and negative indications around us," he added. Riachy's words came during a dialogue session organized by the Lebanese Forces' Beirut branch on the influence of political alliances on upcoming parliamentary elections. He described the new electoral law as "good and fair, as it restores the rights of Christians and will allow all sects to be represented." However, he considered that citizens should improve their choice of representatives in Parliament. "Lebanon has endured and continues to shoulder the burdens of over two million displaced Syrians on its land because it is authentic. Lebanon, the role model for the East, is the one that exists today. Lebanon is a model that all countries in the region are trying to resemble," highlighted Riachy. "Today, Lebanon has become a sign of coexistence between Christians and Muslims, a sign of protection by the decision of the state, and the state, despite the impurities we live in, has become a milestone for victory in the future," he underscored.

Mahfoud to Nasrallah: You Negotiated Enemies, Why Not Negotiate Your Assad Ally on Refugees Crisis
Naharnet/August 05/17/Head of the Change Movement Elie Mahfoud said on Saturday that Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah can negotiate the Syrian refugees crisis with his “ally” Syrian President Bashar Assad, just like he negotiated with his enemies over the release of Hizbullah captives. “Nasrallah's suggestion to coordinate talks with the Syrian regime in order to solve the Syrian refugees crisis is an incomplete proposal,” said Mahfoud. “Hizbullah has repeatedly taken over the negotiation file with his enemies, the latest was with al-Nusra Front group,” he added. “Nasrallah has negotiated the Israelis through a mediator, and negotiated with the Islamic State group and so did he with al-Nusra Front. He is an ally of Assad, working to protect him and fighting in defense of his regime, so why doesn't he talk to him directly about the Syrian refugee crisis?” asked Mahfoud.Mahfoud's remarks came after Nasrallah's Friday speech that called on the Lebanese government to “negotiate” with Damascus over the return of Syrian refugees to their country. His remarks came following the evacuation operation that saw the transfer of thousands of refugees and Nusra militants from northeast Lebanon to central and north Syria. The agreement followed days of clashes in the outskirts of the Lebanese border town of Arsal and the Syrian town of Flita that saw Hizbullah fighters and Syrian troops besiege Nusra's militants in a small pocket of territory. The negotiations involved the release of eight Hizbullah fighters who were in Nusra's captivity and the handover of a number of bodies.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 05-06/17
Egypt tells UN Security Council: Qatar is involved in financing terrorism
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 5 August 2017/Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Amr Abul Atta responded to Qatar’s statement in which it accused Cairo of misusing its chairmanship of the Counter-Terrorism Committee for political purposes and settling old feuds. Egypt responded with an official document to the Security Council explaining that it sought through its leadership of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to expose Doha's financial and ideological support of terrorist groups throughout the world. The Egyptian response stated that the Qatari practices was aimed at destabilizing not only the four countries - Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain - but the entire region, adding that the Qatari complaint is utterly false. The Egyptian mission accused Qatar of adopting a policy focused on supporting terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of regional and international states. Egypt stressed that many countries suffered directly and indirectly from Doha’s policies. The four countries, therefore, had to take collective countermeasures in accordance with the provisions of international law.

Washington to form ‘national army’ for the battle of Deir al-Zor
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 5 August 2017 /The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained information from varied sources that the International coalition and the US forces are setting meetings with “Maghaweer Al-Thawra” militia which is backed up by the coalition forces. The meetings aim to form a "national army" in the Al-Shadadi area in the southern countryside of Al-Hasakeh city. The new armed force is set to be labeled "The National Liberation Army” with “Maghaweer Al-Thawra” forces at the core of its formation, allowing it to be the only authorized army to head to Deir al-Zor and confront ISIS militants. ALSO READ: 2,000 ISIS militants still in Syria’s Raqqa and ‘they will likely die there’ Brett McGurk, US Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, said that 2,000 ISIS fighters still remain in the Syrian city of Raqqa and are fighting to survive attacks by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces since June.

2,000 ISIS militants still in Syria’s Raqqa and ‘they will likely die there’
AFP, WashingtonSaturday, 5 August 2017/The Kurdish-Syrian alliance battling to recapture Raqqa from ISIS has now seized about 45 percent of the militants' Syria stronghold, a top US official said Friday. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces militia (SDF) began a campaign to capture Raqqa from ISIS last year, slowly encircling the city before breaking into it for the first time in June. "As of today, the SDF has seized about 45 percent," of Raqqa, said Brett McGurk, the senior US envoy to the international coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The recapture of Raqqa would mark a major milestone in the three-year effort to defeat ISIS. The militants were ousted from their main Iraqi bastion of Mosul last month. Still, the Raqqa battle is far from over, with thousands of ISIS militants remaining. "I'm always hesitant to give numbers like that because this is an inexact science, but we think there's about 2,000 fighters left in Raqqa -- and they most likely will die in Raqqa," McGurk said. The United Nations estimates between 20,000 to 50,000 civilians may still be in the city, though other estimates are lower.

Local Forces Control 45 Percent of Syria's Raqa, US Envoy Says
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 05/17/The Kurdish-Syrian alliance battling to recapture Raqa from the Islamic State group has now seized about 45 percent of the jihadists' Syria stronghold, a top US official said. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces militia (SDF) began a campaign to capture Raqa from IS last year, slowly encircling the city before breaking into it for the first time in June. "As of today, the SDF has seized about 45 percent," of Raqa, said Brett McGurk, the senior US envoy to the international coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria.The recapture of Raqa would mark a major milestone in the three-year effort to defeat IS. The jihadists were ousted from their main Iraqi bastion of Mosul last month. Still, the Raqa battle is far from over, with thousands of IS fighters remaining. "I'm always hesitant to give numbers like that because this is an inexact science, but we think there's about 2,000 fighters left in Raqa -- and they most likely will die in Raqa," McGurk said. The United Nations estimates between 20,000 to 50,000 civilians may still be in the city, though other estimates are lower.

Iran's Rouhani Starts New Term Facing Reform Criticism
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 05/17/Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was set to be inaugurated in front of foreign guests on Saturday, but already faces criticism for reportedly bowing to conservatives in forming a new government. Rouhani, a 68-year-old cleric considered a political moderate, began his second term on Thursday when he was sworn in by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But Saturday's ceremony in parliament is the glitzier affair, with guests including EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who has vowed to continue building ties with Iran despite mounting pressure from the United States to keep the Islamic republic isolated. Some of Iran's older friends also arrived in Tehran, including Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. The emir of Qatar, which has fallen out with its Gulf allies in part over ties to Iran, was notably absent despite attending Rouhani's last inauguration in 2013.
But among Iranians, the real attention was on who would be named to Rouhani's new cabinet. He has already been barraged with criticism over indications that women would again be entirely absent and that his reformist allies would barely be represented. His last government had three women among a large cohort of vice-presidents, but they lacked ministerial roles that would require approval by parliament. "It was the reformists that allowed him to win the elections in 2013 and 2017... he must listen to those who supported him," Rassoul Montajabnia, of the reformist National Confidence party, told the Arman newspaper. Rouhani won a convincing victory over hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi in the May presidential election, vowing to continue rebuilding ties with the West and easing social restrictions at home. That helped win over the reformists -- whose candidates dropped out of the last two elections to ensure his victory. "Rouhani created a lot of expectation and now there is a sense that he is retreating from his promises," Ali Shakourirad, head of the reformist People's Unity Party. The absence of women was down to pressure from religious conservatives behind the scenes, Shakourirad added. "Rouhani didn't want to make his task any more complicated than it already is," he told AFP. The final line-up is due to be announced in the coming days, and must then be approved by parliament. - Backroom bargaining -Despite the furore, the reshuffle is not expected to touch big names such as Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Oil Minister Bijan Namadar Zanganeh. "The main ministers are very likely to stay in place," said Henry Smith, Iran analyst with consultancy Control Risks. "Rouhani will have a fairly smooth time getting parliament to approve his appointees. He's been doing back and forth consultations with the necessary power centres -- the parliament speaker, supreme leader, the Revolutionary Guards -- and I don't think you'll see a significant change in economic or indeed social policy," he added. Despite his efforts to build backroom consensus, hardliners have given Rouhani a rough ride since his election, perhaps worried at the growing strength of the reformists. The arrest of his brother on corruption charges was interpreted by some as a shot across the bow by the hardline judiciary. Rouhani also triggered a war of words with the Revolutionary Guards after criticising their outsized role in the economy, although analysts say this is part of a cautious realignment of Iran's policies to balance its security priorities with the need to attract investment. "Rouhani has no interest in pushing the Revolutionary Guards totally out of the economy. It's about creating enough space so Iran can get the foreign investment and technology it needs," said Smith. Investment has belatedly started to arrive in the wake of the 2015 nuclear deal that eased sanctions, notably through last month's billion-dollar gas deal with France's Total and China's CNPC. Billions more are needed to jumpstart the stagnant economy and tackle a jobless rate of 12.7 percent. But with Washington imposing yet more sanctions this week, Iran's re-engagement with the world remains largely stalled. "The problem is Iran feels the need to react to these moves by the US, which just gives the US fuel," said Smith. "What cooler heads would suggest is not to respond in kind and try to present themselves as the more rational party, but politically that is very difficult to do."

Trump, Macron Discuss Increasing Cooperation in Syria and Iraq
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 05/17/US President Donald Trump discussed increasing cooperation in the ongoing crises in Syria and Iraq in a telephone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Friday. The two leaders also spoke about "countering Iranian malign influence," according to a readout of the call provided by the White House. On the issue of Venezuela, Trump and Macron agreed that the regime of President Nicolas Maduro must "restore the rights of the Venezuelan people," the statement added. Venezuela's controversial new constituent assembly, packed with allies of the unpopular Maduro, held its inaugural session on Friday amid widespread international criticism of its legitimacy. Trump and Macron also discussed matters of mutual interest on North Korea, and "reaffirmed the importance of all sides implementing the Minsk agreements to reach a peaceful settlement in Ukraine," the statement said.

Israeli Police to 'Examine' Fatal Jordan Shooting
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 05/17/Israeli police will conduct an "examination" into the fatal shooting of two Jordanians by an embassy guard that led to ties between the two states worsening, officials said on Friday. On July 23, a security guard for the Israeli embassy in Amman shot dead a Jordanian worker who had come to an apartment to install furniture and who stabbed him in the back with a screwdriver, according to the Israeli foreign ministry. A second Jordanian, the apartment landlord, was also killed -- apparently by accident. "The State Attorney's Office, with the approval of the Attorney General, has requested the head of investigations and intelligence division of the Israeli police to conduct a police examination into the shooting incident in Jordan," a justice ministry statement relayed by the foreign ministry said on Friday. Jordanian authorities might also be contacted "in order to request the transfer to the police of additional materials," it said. The guard was briefly questioned by investigators in Jordan before returning to Israel along with the rest of the embassy staff, where he received a hero's welcome from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A Jordanian police report on the incident said an argument had broken out, with the Israeli complaining that the Jordanians were late in delivering the furniture.Jordan said last week it would not allow the return of Israeli ambassador Einat Shlein and her staff until a "thorough investigation has been opened", with the Israeli foreign ministry saying in response it had launched a "verification procedure" into the shooting. Friday's decision did not amount to an investigation, an Israeli justice ministry official told AFP. The shootings took place as tensions in the region were high after Israel introduced new security measures at the highly sensitive al-Aqsa mosque compound in east Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, following an attack that killed two policemen. The measures, including metal detectors and security cameras, were eventually removed. Jordan is the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.
Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab governments to have signed a peace treaty with Israel and established full diplomatic relations.

Sadr Calls Authorities to Place ‘Hashd Al-Shaabi’ Under Command Of State
Asharq Al-Awsat/August 05/17/Baghdad- Head of the Sadrist Movement, Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on the authorities Friday to seize the arsenals of all armed groups, adding that the government is the sole entity assigned to maintain security and possess arms. In a speech broadcasted on huge screens, Sadr urged Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to dismantle Hashd al-Shaabi and “integrate into the army the disciplined members” of the paramilitary force, an AFP reporter said. “The Hashd al-Shaabi should function under the command of the state. And weapons should be in the hands of the state too,” he said. Al-Sadr added that “al-Abadi is bound to continue the steady and positive trend to remove the ghost of terrorism.” Last December, Iraq’s president signed into law a bill that was passed by the parliament in November recognizing the Shi’ite paramilitary as an official force with similar rights as the regular army. Many Iraqi Sunni MPs and leaders oppose the existence of the Hashd group and say it is replacing the Iraqi army. The influential Iraqi Shi’ite cleric also called on amending the electoral law and elections’ commissions in a way that secures the rights of all political parties operating in the country. He said the Iraqi people should stand up to corrupt parties. The cleric also called on the prime minister to respect the election date in all governorates, even the liberated ones, without differentiating between the Shi’ite and the Sunni areas. Sadr also said minorities should be given a chance in the next elections. Earlier, Sadr had threatened to boycott next year’s elections in case the law is not changed. Sadr’s speech in Baghdad came after his visit over the weekend to Saudi Arabia, where he met with the Saudi crown prince.

Australia Accuses ISIS of a Foiled Aircraft Attack Plot
Asharq Al-Awsat/August 05/17/Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan (R) and New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson speak at a press conference related to arrests in a foiled aircraft attack plot at the Australian Federal Police (AFP) headquarters in Sydney, Australia, August 4, 2017. Sydney, London- Australian Federal Police said a senior ISIS commander sent parts to construct an improvised explosive device (IED) for the two men arrested for their attempt to bring down Etihad Airways flight coming from Sydney Airport. According to CNN, the two suspects are: Khaled Khayat and Mahmoud Khayat. “This is one of the most sophisticated plots that have ever been attempted on Australian soil,” Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan said. “We’ll be alleging that the person who was to carry the IED on the plane had no idea he was going to be carrying an IED,” Phelan said. “I want to make it quite clear – it never got near screening. I don’t want anyone to suggest that it penetrated airport security layers because it did not,” Phelan added. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said on Friday it was helping Australian Federal Police with an investigation, that the police began, into a plot to bring down a plane, resulting in stricter security screening at Australian airports. Four men were arrested in several suburbs in Sydney Saturday on charges of planning for the attack inside the airplane. US officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said a foreign intelligence service had intercepted communications between the plotters in Sydney and members of the ISIS in Syria – the officials declined to identify the foreign intelligence service. Another US official said the target appeared to have been a commercial flight from Sydney to the Gulf. Australia is an ally of US and has dispatched forces to Afghanistan and Iraq – it has been in a state of alert since 2014 following attacks by extremists returning from the Middle East.

Jordanian Monarch to Visit Palestinian Authority Leader in Ramallah
Asharq Al-Awsat/August 05/17/Tel Aviv- Israeli diplomatic sources on Friday said that recent developments show evidence of a clear escalation with Jordan’s capital Amman, as Jordanian King Abdullah II announced paying a rare visit Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah. The visit scheduled to take place on Monday, during which King Abdullah will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas, and discussed ways of continuing coordination and cooperation between the two authorities, following the most recent Israeli transgression against Islam’s third holiest site, Al-Aqsa Mosque. Sources added that King Abdullah will be boarding his helicopter, explaining that his visit will brief, a few hours at most. He will then return to Amman without meeting with Israeli officials. Israeli political sources considered the visit as disturbing, in which the Jordanian monarch expresses anger with the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Al-Aqsa crisis.A former Israeli ambassador to Jordan said that “Israel is now paying the price of the childish and provocative behavior that Netanyahu did when he received the security officer at the embassy with laughter and joke, even though he killed Jordanian citizens in cold blood.” Other sources added that Israel had received hints from Amman that King Abdullah was expecting a strong and meaningful action by Israel to correct the situation. The Palestinian Authority received Jordanian and Arab positions positively during the Al-Aqsa crisis, but warned that Israel had not halted its plots for Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa. Jerusalem has been transformed into military barracks, as Israeli forces incessantly pile up restrictions on Muslim prayers and continue to control Palestinian properties. On the advancing of Israeli settlements in predominantly Palestinian neighborhoods, sources revealed that Israeli authorities were planning to demolish a large part of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, while continuing their push o in Silwan, Ras al-Amud, and other areas.

Former Netanyahu Aide Becomes State Witness in Israeli PM’s Bribery Probe
Asharq Al Awsat/August 05/17/A former chief of staff of Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to turn into a state witness in a probe that is investigating corruption charges against the Israeli prime minister, an official said on Friday. Ari Harow and the prosecution have been placed under a gag order by a court, with an Israeli official only confirming to AFP that a deal has indeed been sealed. Harow has been under investigation for more than two years on suspicion of bribery, breach of trust, conflict of interest and fraud, media reports said. It was not clear if under the state witness agreement, which would secure Harow a lighter punishment if he is convicted of the alleged crimes, the former chief of staff would testify against Netanyahu himself. Under the deal, Harow agreed to confess to fraud and breach of trust, the court injunction said. He will be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, commuted to community service, and a fine of 700,000 shekels ($194,000). Harow, a US-born Israeli immigrant, worked for Netanyahu from 2009-10 and 2014-15, when he stepped down over allegations of corruption. According to reports, Harow has already been supplying investigators with information regarding two of the ongoing investigations into Netanyahu. One is based on suspicions that the premier unlawfully received gifts from wealthy supporters, including Australian billionaire James Packer and Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan. Also being probed is a suspicion that Netanyahu sought a secret deal with the publisher of top-selling daily Yediot Aharonot. The proposed deal, which is not believed to have been finalized, would have seen Netanyahu receive positive coverage in return for him helping scale down the operations of Israel Hayom, Yediot’s main competitor. Netanyahu has been questioned about both the cases. Even if eventually indicted, the premier would not be obliged by law to resign. His opponents have called on him to do so. Meanwhile, authorities were investigating another affair involving alleged corruption around a deal to buy submarines from Germany’s ThyssenKrupp. Netanyahu himself is not a suspect in the case, but his second cousin and family lawyer David Shimron represented ThyssenKrupp and was arrested for questioning last month before being released. The investigations have stirred Israeli politics and led to speculation over whether Netanyahu will eventually be forced to step down, which he is not formally obliged to do even if testimony is given against him. Netanyahu has rejected any allegations of misconduct in all the affairs, saying repeatedly that he is the target of a campaign by political opponents. The 67-year-old has been prime minister since 2009 after a first term in the years 1996-1999, and has seen legal troubles over similar issues in earlier years. The four-term premier has denied any wrongdoing. His family spokesman said Netanyahu would withstand what he described as a “witch-hunt” designed to force him from office. In 2000, prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to indict Netanyahu and his wife Sara following an investigation. The probe then looked at whether they unlawfully kept gifts presented to Netanyahu during his first term as premier between 1996 and 1999. It also investigated whether the Netanyahus had promised a Jerusalem contractor that he would be paid out of the public purse for work done on their private residence. In a short video posted on his Facebook page on Friday, Netanyahu discussed a number of issues from the last week, offering a fleeting reference to the latest legal developments and saying he would not comment on “background noises”. “I’m continuing my work for you,” he told viewers.

Russia Attached to ‘Political Partnership’ In Syria
Asharq Al Awsat/August 05/17/London- Moscow is peacefully and steadily moving to solve the crisis in Syria in the form of a political partnership, and would exert pressure on Damascus at the right time to accept such a solution and implement UNSC Resolution 2254, sources informed by the Russian decision-making told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday. “The Russian side acts peacefully and wisely in Syria: Moscow signed the Astana deal with Iran and Turkey, and achieved with the Americans and Jordanians the de-escalation agreement southwestern Syria, in addition to an agreement with Egypt over the Damascus’ Ghouta and the countryside of Homs, leaving the fate of the fourth zone, Idlib, to international agreements that might involve the US in the fight against al-Nusra Front,” the sources said. Following a meeting of Turkish and Iranian officials in Ankara on Friday to discuss the “de-escalation” deal, a tripartite technical meeting is expected on August 8 in Tehran ahead of the high-level meeting scheduled in the Kazakh capital at the end of this month. The upcoming meeting in Astana aims to evaluate the results of the “de-escalation zones” in the four Syrian areas before calling on UN envoy Staffan de Mistura to kick off a new round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva early next month. According to the sources, Moscow was keen to present the de-escalation zones differently from the enforced agreements executed by the Syrian regime in opposition-held areas. The sources said that when Russia suggested the “de-escalation zones,” it accepted the presence of local opposition councils in the Russian-controlled areas and the delivery of humanitarian aid, in addition to the deployment of Russian military police, the symbolic presence of regime forces and the limitation of the Iranian role, pushing “Hezbollah” and other Iranian members away from Jordan and the Golan. The sources added that Russia also approved the principle of “decentralization” with providing broader authorities to the local councils and those areas liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces from ISIS militants. “Russia was keen to protect the unity of Syria in preparation for local, parliamentary and presidential elections based on Resolution 2254,” the sources said.

New Assembly Dividing Venezuela Begins Work
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 05/17/A new assembly packed with allies of unpopular President Nicolas Maduro and with sweeping powers was to begin work on Saturday, deepening divisions in a crisis-wracked Venezuela. The Constituent Assembly, headed by a former foreign minister, Delcy Rodriguez, is tasked with rewriting the 1999 constitution into a charter Maduro has promised will end the turmoil rocking his impoverished yet oil-rich nation. On Friday, the body took over an ornate chamber under a golden dome in the Legislative Palace in Caracas -- at the far end of a building shared with the opposition-run legislature, the National Assembly. Elected a week ago amid bloody protests and international objections, the Constituent Assembly has powers to override every branch of government, and can dissolve the legislature. Its detractors say the 545 loyalist members -- among them the president's wife and son -- amount to a rubber-stamp entity extending Maduro's "dictator"-like grip on power.  - International condemnation -The United States, the European Union, the Vatican and major Latin American nations including Mexico, Argentina and Chile have all condemned the new body, saying it undermines democracy and stokes tensions in Venezuela. Mercosur, a South American trading bloc, was meeting on Saturday in Brazil to decide whether Venezuelan should be suspended from it for "breaching democratic order." The legitimacy of the Constituent Assembly has been thrown into question by claims of fraud, most notably by a British-based firm, Smartmartic, which was involved in supplying the technology for the July 30 vote. Smartmatic said the official turnout figure had been "tampered with" and exaggerated by at least one million voters. The opposition has vowed to maintain street protests against the assembly, despite being increasingly sidelined and despondent. Maduro's security forces have stepped up pressure on dissenters. The Vatican has urged them to show restraint after a death toll from four months of unrest of 125. A prominent opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez, was thrown back in military prison after the intelligence service roughly ended a brief spell of house arrest granted last month. Another leader, Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma, was released back into home detention on Friday after being hauled away the same day as Lopez. - 'Interference' rejected -Maduro has rejected the criticism lobbed at him, saying the revised constitution issued by the Constituent Assembly would be put to a referendum. He also accused the United States of "imperialism" after it hit him with direct sanctions and threatened to do the same with all of the assembly's members. And he lashed out at fellow Latin American leaders for being vassals of America. Rodriguez on Friday said: "The international community should not make a mistake over Venezuela. The message is clear, very clear: we Venezuelans will resolve our conflict, our crisis without any form of foreign interference."That conflict runs deep however, and Maduro counts on no more than 20 percent public support, according to surveys by the Datanalisis polling firm. His authority relies on backing from the military and judicial and electoral authorities. Their actions in past months against those raising their voices against Maduro prompted the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on Friday to order Venezuela to protect Venezuela's attorney general, Luisa Ortega. The commission said it believed Ortega's life was at risk after breaking with Maduro months ago and launching an investigation into the legality of the Constituent Assembly. There are also concerns Venezuela's dire economic straits -- seen in lines for scarce food and essentials, and desperate searches for rare medicine -- could soon get even worse. The currency, the bolivar, lost around a third of its value this week, accelerating a long slide. Inflation forecasts for this year are soaring above 700 percent. And the country has dwindling reserves with which to pay its debt, big bills of which come due in October and November. Maduro has dismissed the problems as part of an "economic war" waged against him by the opposition in collaboration with the United States. His main sources of support from abroad are Cuba, whose socialist model he admires, and Russia, which holds billions in Venezuelan debt.

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 05-06/17
Casting Doubts over Kuwait’s Liberation
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/August 05/17
People’s memory may be short-lived, but the invasion of Kuwait too big of an event that touched on everyone’s lives, not just Kuwaitis. Despite 27 years passing since, the fallout endures till this very day. Kuwait today hosts an open platform for political and intellectual differences and debate, which would have been helpful had all partaking panels uphold principals of good faith. Instead, pro-Muslim Brotherhood inciters and Iran backers have taken the to the podium allegations questioning whether Gulf and coalition countries, namely Saudi Arabia, have truly contributed to liberating Kuwait from the Iraq-led invasion in the 90’s. It is nonsensical to believe that an army of 250,000 Iraqi troops can be defeated by a single power—the US has spent 16 years so far in Afghanistan, yet with no comprehensive victory. Similarly, American troops took on an eight-year conquest to remove the Saddam regime. Despite the downfall of long-time dictator Saddam Hussein, US forces still failed to install a fully-functioning authority in Baghdad.
On the other hand, Gulf efforts, in the short window of six months, managed to clear out Kuwait and fully restore the country’s political institutions. Kuwaitis returned to the safety of their homes. Speaking from a personal perspective, Kuwait’s liberation, in its speed, magnitude and conduct, stands to be a unique and huge success.
Everyone loves to claim credit in that victory, and rightfully so. Freeing Kuwait demanded a huge multi-role to be played on political, diplomatic, legal, media and humanitarian levels. Kuwait’s invasion left a worldwide impact, and not just a regional one. Zooming back in time, eight months ahead of Kuwaiti borders collapsing, the eastern wall of Berlin fell followed by Yugoslavia’s federal lines dissolved.Three months before Iraqi forces entered Kuwait, Lithuania’s announced its independence from the Soviet Union. More so, the Soviet Union lost another vital confederate, Ukraine, only a month ahead of Saddam Hussein went into Kuwait. Two months into the Kuwait invasion after Saddam claiming historical right over the gulf state, western Germany spread its influence over the east in the name of unity and historical right.
Reviewing chaos caused by abrupt and earthshattering regime changes in Eastern European countries and the Soviet republics in Asia, we can understand why Saddam did what he did. The fifth Iraqi president believed he was a part of the new historical movement. While recognizing the roles and efforts of other contributors, it remains without saying that it was Saudi Arabia’s role which brought Saddam’s plans to a halt. I say this because I consider myself a political history scholar, looking beyond one event without getting involved in conspiracy theories. To say the least, what happened in Kuwait could have ended in differently. Contrary to some beliefs, Saddam was not a rival to the United States. He actually had a good relationship with them strengthened by military and intelligence cooperation in the war against Iran.
With that in mind, it was not unlikely that Washington, acting on personal interest, would allow for a partial settlement such as recognizing a puppet Kuwaiti government there or tolerate the occupation especially if it did not threaten its strategic interests. For long, Saddam tried to push such a proposal to the Bush administration. He even sought to persuade the Saudis into the matter. Saddam mediators, most notably the late Jordanian monarch, who was close to Washington, called for a political solution. Fortunately for Kuwait, the Saudi monarch, King Fahd, may his soul rest in peace, decided to stand up to Saddam and risk everything. Stars aligned even further with Prince Bandar bin Sultan, an extraordinary diplomat, being then the Saudi ambassador to Washington. There was a race between Saddam’s allies and Kuwait’s allies, all of whom tried to persuade the US government. The Saudi diplomat then pressed British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on the matter. Thatcher then told Bush: “George, this is not the time to be soft.”
Political conflict between the two Arab groups in batted back and forth in Washington for five months– the US left the door open for a political solution. By the time it was January 12th, 1991 –with no avail or signs of a settlement–Bush asked Congress to approve the war. Even then, only a small majority voted yes. Liberation was one of the many alternative scenarios that could have taken course in Kuwait, most notably the possibility of Washington abstaining from war if Saddam persuaded it not to compromise its interests. Saddam could have made a strong case in convincing the US with a partial solution or postponed the issue of Kuwait for years. The Americans were already preoccupied with the Soviet Union . The Soviets at the Helsinki meeting tried to convince Bush of a political solution, as did France. Two days before the January 17th attack, Saddam announced his willingness to retreat but under certain conditions. Iraq’s later deposed leader did not recognize the true threat of war until he saw it announced on CNN. Undoubtedly, it was Saudi pressure that made the war possible, which facilitated all that came after.

Anti-Semitic Academics: Where is the Outrage Against Turkey?
A.J. Caschetta/Gatestone Institute/August 05/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10753/antisemitic-academics-turkey
In the last 12 months alone, Turkish President Erdogan has closed at least 15 universities and confiscated their property. Invoking Article 301 of the Turkish penal code -- which amorphously criminalizes insults to "Turkishness," the Turkish government or the Turkish military -- he has also closed down numerous publishing houses. He has forced Turkish journals to remove from their editorial boards scholars who criticize him. Hundreds have been fired and blacklisted. Unable to work in Turkey and, with their passports confiscated, unable to leave, they represent the worst-case scenario of every comfortable Western academic who has ever bemoaned the "chilling effect" of Republican presidents and congresses, or who have proclaimed as "McCarthyism" any criticism of their own work.
Real suppression, however, making their persecution fantasies seem absurd, is mostly met with silence. Where is the moral indignation? Yet, there is no shortage of howls of "injustice" and BDS movements criticizing even the slightest perceived infringement of human rights in Israel, a country that ensures human rights and equality under the law to all its citizens.
But when it comes to Turkey -- sssshhhhhh... Right now, the silence of these organizations tells more about them and their real motives than about the object of their unjustified indignation: Israel.
In Turkey, academics are currently at the mercy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who demands their compliance and threatens dissenters. After last July's failed coup (for which Erdogan blamed an American scholar), a series of emergency decrees have specifically targeted Turkish academia. One would think this assault would raise ire from the ivory towers, but as Turkey slides deeper into totalitarianism, academia yawns. The failure of many professors to stand up vigorously and publicly for what they profess is especially notable in those whose careers are focused on the demonization of Israel through various attempts to destroy Israel by suffocating it economically.
All right, it is summer break and everyone is off doing research, writing novels and looking for grant money. But Erdogan's crackdown is not new. Most of it was ignored until January 2016 when he targeted a group of Turkish scholars who called themselves "Academics for Peace" for producing a petition demanding that the Turkish government "end the massacre of the Kurdish people."
The 1128 original signatories of a petition, written in Turkey in January 2016, that demanded the Turkish government "end the massacre of the Kurdish people," were subjected to sustained attacks and threats from the government and nationalist groups. Pictured: Some of the signatories of the "Academics for Peace" petition pose in front of a banner reading, "We will not be a party to this crime."
Since the failed coup, Erdogan has increasingly behaved like a paranoid dictator flexing his muscles. In the last 12 months alone, he has closed at least 15 universities and confiscated their property. Invoking Article 301 of the Turkish penal code – which amorphously criminalizes insults to "Turkishness," the Turkish government or the Turkish military – he has also closed down numerous publishing houses. He has forced Turkish journals to remove from their editorial boards scholars who criticize him. Hundreds have been fired and blacklisted. Unable to work in Turkey and, with their passports confiscated, unable to leave, they represent the worst-case scenario of every comfortable Western academic who has ever bemoaned the "chilling effect" of Republican presidents and congresses, or who have proclaimed as "McCarthyism" any criticism of their own work. Real suppression, however, making their persecution fantasies seem absurd, is mostly met with silence. Where is the moral indignation? Yet, there is no shortage of howls of "injustice" and BDS movements criticizing even the slightest perceived infringement of human rights in Israel, a country that ensures human rights and equality under the law to all its citizens.
A letter condemning the Erdogan regime and supporting the persecuted academics is the bare minimum one might expect from an easily-piqued group of people who write for a living. Escalations in severity might include organized protests, media events and other kinds of activism to reach audiences beyond readers of The Chronicle of Higher Education and InsideHigherEd. Enlisting the help of celebrities comes next, followed by attempts at isolation in one of the few ways possible to an academic institution, such as cancelling conferences and sporting events convened in the offending state or country. Next come boycotts, calls for divesture of university-controlled funds and sanctioning various individuals.
So how has the academic industrial complex reacted to Turkey? While their Turkish colleagues in the US are intimidated into silence by threats to their families back in Turkey, most of academia seems still traumatized by the defeat of Hillary Clinton in November 2016. Aside from the proverbial "strongly-worded letters," academia's wheels of outrage seem stuck in neutral. If half of the opprobrium consistently leveled at democratic Israel were applied to autocratic Turkey, it might bolster the anti-Semitic claims Israel is not being treating differently than every other country on the planet.
The Middle East Studies Association (MESA), which clearly supports the attempts to smother Israel through economic means, has been the most active of all academic groups in its condemnation of Erdogan. Many of the facts of Erdogan's crackdown are accurately described in the dozens of letters MESA has sent to Erdogan, Ahmet Davutoglu and Binali Yildirim. But there are no apparent signs of protests or other forms of activism usually deployed by MESA's leadership. Its website suggests that today MESA is far more focused on the Trump administration than on the Middle East.
The National Women's Studies Association overwhelmingly supports attempts to crush Israel economically, but has managed only one tepid letter about the situation in Turkey. That letter, expressing alarm over the "increased vulnerabilities posed for women and gender nonconforming individuals," is dated December 21, 2016, almost a full year after release of the "peace petition." No subsequent statements are listed.
Another great supporter of obliterating Israel through economic demands is California's Local 2865. The union represents over 13,000 graduate students at the University of California. It sent a feeble one paragraph letter on January 26, 2016 to Ambassador Serdar Kilic accusing Erdogan of "stoking a climate of resentment of academics."
In spite of the American Anthropological Association's narrow vote not to endorse economic sanctions against Israel, it regularly takes action in support of those goals. But not so much when it comes to Turkey: one letter on January 17, 2016 to Davutoglu cautioning against persecuting anthropologists who signed the peace letter, and another on March 7, 2017 to Yildirim requesting the release of an anthropologist whose work "seeks to educate the public about Islamophobia." These two letters represent a small fraction of the countless letters and advocacy actions that the AAA has taken against Israel in the same period.
While the MLA is historically no friend of Israel, it recently voted not to endorse economic sanctions against the Jewish state. The MLA Members for Justice in Palestine (MLAMJP), which calls itself "a group within the MLA Commons that was established in 2014," exists for the sole purpose of anti-Israel advocacy. As of this writing its website does not address the vote against official MLA endorsement. (Nor has it done anything to remove phony names on the list, such as "Grabir Boobi" from Oberlin College).
Regarding Turkey, the MLAMJP is silent, and the MLA itself has managed but a single perfunctory one-paragraph statement in January 2016 (before the purge of academics) and nothing since then. Where is the outrage? Why are there no "MLA Members for Justice in Turkey"?
How about Librarians? A group calling itself the Librarians and Archivists with Palestine (LAP) has been advocating sanctions against Israel since 2013, and another group distributed a letter in 2014 calling for Middle East Studies Scholars and Librarians to Boycott Israel. But when it comes to Turkey -- sssshhhhhh.
The Association for Asian American Studies approved a boycott of Israeli universities in 2013. But enter the word "Turkey" in its website search and you will find nothing. Likewise at the website of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Council, another supporter of destroying Israel through economic force.
The thickest ironies are found at the American Studies Association which voted in 2013 to boycott Israel. It too has issued a boilerplate statement in support of academic freedom in Turkey, but no protests, boycotts or sanctions are suggested. One of its "advocacy campaigns," called "Scholars Under Attack" does not even mention Turkey. Its subsidiary, the American Studies Association Turkey (ASAT) will convene its annual conference (another Erdogan-approved affair) this November at Hacettepe University in Ankara on "Manifestations of Love and Hate in American Culture and Literature."
No one can deny what Turkey has become under Erdogan. By successfully commandeering a complex electoral process he has assumed the powers of a dictator. Like a little Putin who dreams of reviving the Soviet Union, Erdogan dreams of reviving the Ottoman Empire. He is everything academia and the Left profess to hate: a power-hungry, megalomaniacal thug.
Perhaps when the new academic year opens this Fall, some MLAMJP-ers will find Turkish parallels to George Orwell's 1984 and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Historians might explore 20th-century precedents to Erdogan's rise to power via democracy and subsequent efforts to wipe out democracy. Social justice warriors, humanists and feminists might find common cause in their outrage over Erdogan's suppression of academic and other freedoms. Perhaps academia will actually transcend its pro-forma committeespeak solidarity with Turkish scholars.
Right now, however, the silence of these organizations tells more about them and their real motives than about the object of their unjustified indignation: Israel.
**A.J. Caschetta is a senior lecturer at the Rochester Institute of Technology and a fellow at Campus Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum, where he is a Shillman-Ginsburg fellow.
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Challenges facing NATO in its fight against ISIS
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Othaimin/Al Arabiya/August 05/17
As I was returning home from a visit to NATO headquarters, the streets of Brussels were packed with protestors against President Trump’s arrival to attend the NATO summit on May 25, as he had called Brussels a “hellhole” during his campaign. The crowd was marching from the northern railway station to Bourse Square, carrying banners proclaiming: “Stay away from our hellhole”, “Stop Trump”, “Keep your little hands away from my rights” and “Global warming is not a lie”. The protests continued for three hours amid intensified security and I barely made it home. President Trump’s first NATO summit focused on two major issues: combatting the terrorist organization ISIS and increasing military spending by NATO members. NATO’s increased effectiveness in the fight against terrorism gained particular substance during the summit as it coincided with the Manchester attack that had taken place a few days before. Hence, NATO member states decided to formally join the Global Coalition against ISIS. This decision came in response to continuous pressure on the part of Washington, the leader of the coalition. Although it is restricted to logistic support, intelligence, training and arming with no participation in military operations, joining the Global Coalition per se sends a strong political message to ISIS and its supporters and financers. Although it is restricted to logistic support, intelligence, training and arming with no participation in military operations, joining the Global Coalition per se sends a strong political message to ISIS and its supporters and financers, that the international community is united against terrorism and leaves no room for complacency in the fight.
The Global Coalition against ISIS includes most of the European countries that are part of NATO and carry political weight, effectiveness and influence in the international system. Thus, the geographical area of countries involved in combatting terrorism will expand to constrict and throttle countries that support and finance terrorism. The summit also focused on increasing military spending by NATO members, which was a major call of President Trump during his campaign. He said that only five of the 28 NATO members are paying their fair share, and called on the allies to bear their share of the burden of security with Washington. In 2014, during a NATO summit held in Wales, member states pledged to raise military spending to two percent of their GDP. Hence, the Brussels summit did not call for any increase in spending, rather it discussed commitment to the previous pledge, i.e. two percent of GDP. So, Washington is trying to put pressure on its allies to increase military spending by increasing their purchase of arms and military equipment, a large part of which is made in the United States. The new US administration, led by President Trump, has made terrorism and the combat against ISIS a priority. Forming 70 percent of its force, the United States leads the Global Coalition against ISIS that NATO has recently joined. Moreover, its coordination with the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Alliance, led by Saudi Arabia, was confirmed during the Arab Islamic summit held in Riyadh. Such regional and international alliances demonstrate Washington’s determination to make terrorism one of its priorities.

Qatar and the opposing Arab quartet: Why the standoff will prolong
Ahmad al-Farraj/Al Arabiya/August 05/17
The meeting of the foreign ministers of the anti-terror quartet countries — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt — in Manama was decisive. Their readiness to start talks with Doha if it accepts their condition is related to details and does not mean they backed down. It actually proves to some western countries that Qatar is still confused and contradictory and conveys to these countries that their soft positions regarding boycotting Qatar will not resolve the problem of Qatar’s support of terrorism. Qatar is actually exploiting these countries’ stances, which cannot be understood.
These countries have spoken for years about their willingness to combat terrorism which they suffered from during the past years. Despite that, they did not make up their mind about standing by the anti-terror quartet, which has solid evidence that convicts Qatar of supporting terrorist and extremist entities and individuals. The anti-terror quartet foreign ministers did not just call on Qatar to hold talks but also sent a message via the UAE’s foreign minister who said escalatory measures will be taken against Qatar if it does not give up its intransigence and if it refuses to accept the alliance’s conditions. This means that the anti-terror quartet prefers to end the crisis but it will not give up on any of its conditions and will actually escalate the matter. When Western interests clash with the interests of Saudi Arabia and its allies, our interests simply come first. We will not submit to any blackmail no matter what the circumstance are.
It seems we’re headed towards escalation as Qatar continues to be arrogant and seeks to escalate the crisis by causing problems and fighting a fierce war through the media, through either Al Jazeera or social media platforms or Western media outlets and writers such as David Hearst who has been alleged to live off Qatari money for years.
Qatar knows its crimes?
I’ve written many articles stating that Qatar’s rulers know the magnitude of the crimes they’ve committed against the countries of the so-called Arab Spring and know that their support of terrorism will not go unpunished and that the punishment will be severe if they accept the alliance’s conditions. Therefore, they want to complicate matters and prolong the crisis as they think it will provide them with a lifeline in the end. However, they are delusional here because the alliance’s countries did not decide to boycott Qatar and then simply retreat and they cannot just retreat under the pressure of influential parties whom Qatar empowers itself through. The alliance’s politicians made it very clear that they will not back down. Western countries saw how the Saudi kingdom made decisions that oppose western interests – such as late King Abdullah’s stance when he stood in Barack Obama’s face and took his historical decision to support Egypt’s army and its people against the Muslim Brotherhood. When Western interests clash with the interests of Saudi Arabia and its allies, our interests simply come first. We will not submit to any blackmail no matter what the circumstance are. So will Qatar back off? Or resume this rhetoric thus forcing the quartet countries to escalate? It’s clear that Doha will continue to be arrogant; the crisis will thus prolong and Doha will lose out in the end.