LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 15/17
Compiled &
Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the
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Bible Quotations
No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and
love the other
Saint Luke 16/13-17: "No slave
can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other,
or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
wealth.’The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they
ridiculed him.So he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves in the
sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings
is an abomination in the sight of God. ‘The law and the prophets were in effect
until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed,
and everyone tries to enter it by force. But it is easier for heaven and earth
to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped."
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published on November
14-15/17
First Church to open in Saudi Arabia/Walid Phares/Face
Book/November 14/17
Der Spiegel suggests a disturbing scenario/Roger Bejjani/Face Book/November
14/17
The Reasons for the Resignation Were Not Political/Ahmad El-Assaad/November
14/17
A Look at Hizbullah's Sources of Power and Regional Role/Associated Press/Naharnet/November
14/17/
Lebanon's Fall Would Be Iran's Gain/John R. Bolton//Gatestone Institute/November
14/17
Lebanon’s Sunni community 'shocked' by Hariri’s resignation/Sunniva Rose/Al
Monitor/November 14/17
The Real Victims of "Islamophobia"/Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/November
14/17
Putin's Trolling of the West Is Not Just a Tactic/Leonid Bershidsky/Asharq Al
Awsat/November 14/17
Media Ownership Rules Must Adjust to the Digital Era/Ajit Pai/The New York
Times/November 14/17
African Economic Growth Rides on Wireless Rails/Matthew Winkler/Bloomberg
/November 14/17
America Is Importing Corruption. Here’s How to Stop It./Casey Michel/The
Washington Post/November 14/17
The Clash of Social Visions/David Brooks/The New York Times/November 14/17
Trump, Iran, and a Fast-Changing Middle East/Daniel Pipes/L'Informale (Italy)
/November 14/17
Titles For Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on
November
14-15/17
Der Spiegel suggests a disturbing scenario
First Church to open in Saudi Arabia
Saudi King Salman Receives Lebanese Patriarch Rahi
Al-Rahi Meets Saudi Leaders and Hariri in Riyadh
Bassil Begins Europe Tour, Says Lebanon Won't Discuss Any File before PM Return
Hariri Hits Back after Velayati Remarks on Their Meeting
Hariri Says 'Doing Very Well', Will Return within Days
Merkel Tells Aoun Berlin Exerting Efforts to Resolve Lebanon Crisis
Saudi Embassy in Beirut Reportedly Receives Kidnap Threats
France Says Hariri Should be Free to Go Home
Mustaqbal Says 'Priority' is Hariri's Return, Urges No Interference in Arab
Nations
The Reasons for the Resignation Were Not Political
Macron to Meet UN Chief to Discuss Lebanese Crisis
Hariri’s Return Might Open Door to Discussing Expansion of 'Hezbollah’s' Weapons
Growing Fears on Assassinations Making a Return in Lebanon
Lebanon president lauds PM's pledge to return home 'soon'
Kuwait tells Aoun it supports Lebanese sovereignty
A Look at Hizbullah's Sources of Power and Regional Role
Lebanon's Fall Would Be Iran's Gain
Lebanon’s Sunni community 'shocked' by Hariri’s resignation
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on November
14-15/17
Egypt's Foreign Minister Concludes Gulf Tour
Erdogan Demands Russia, US to Withdraw their Forces from Syria
Bahraini Cabinet: Pipeline Terror Attack Is Dangerous Escalation
Iraq's Kurdistan to Respect Court Ruling Banning Secession
Several Killed, Wounded in Suicide Attack in Yemen’s Aden
Anbar Tribes Seek Vengeance against Iraqi ISIS Members
Israeli Forces Arrest Jihad Top Commander
Palestinian Foreign Ministry Holds UNSC Responsible for Silence over Ethnic
Cleansing Operations
Death Toll in Air Strikes on Syria’s Atareb Rises to 61
Saudi Arabia: Hosting of Syrian Opposition Meeting Aimed at Achieving Peace
U.S. Says Won't Walk Away from Syria War until Talks Progress
Trump Hails Asian Tour, but Ends It Abruptly
Latest Lebanese Related News published on November
14-15/17
Der Spiegel suggests a disturbing scenario
Roger Bejjani/Face Book/November
14/17
I have no doubt that Saad Hariri is profoundly a very good person who wants good
for Lebanon and Lebanese.
When still a rookie in politics he was dragged to the sin sin and was compelled
by the Saudis to a humiliating visit to Bachar.
Things have changed since, especially after the Iranian attempt to control Bab
el Mandeb.
Unfortunately Saad overstretched himself between Saudi Arabia, a genuine and
crucial support to Lebanon, and Hezbollah. In other words he did put himself in
an untenable position.
With the Iranian threat becoming pressing, playing neutral was not an option
anymore for KSA.
An article imputed to Der Spiegel suggests a disturbing scenario that sounds
consistent and credible. If it is à Der Spiegel article (controlling it), its
credibility will be difficult to challenge.
The logical conclusion to the Saad/KSA recent saga will most probably consist of
the following:
1. Saad will officially resign in Lebanon.
2. Saad will be naming most probably Siniora as PM.
3. Baha'a joining later is a possibility as the charismatic Hariri name.
4. Rifi will be joining Mustaqbal, while Machnouk and few others will be put
aside.
5. Saad will probably retire from politics and will select to reside in France.
First Church to open in Saudi Arabia
Walid Phares/Face
Book/November 14/17
First Church to open in Saudi Arabia, a gift to Maronite Patriarch
According to a report from Saudi Arabia, to be officially confirmed, a 900 years
old church unearthed recently, will be renovated and opened in honor of Maronite
Patriarch Rai who is visiting the Kingdom. If confirmed, this move by Prince
Mohamed Bin Salman would create a historic precedent. The cascade of reforms
taking place in the Kingdom is yielding domestic changes. But the opening of a
historic church will be an unparalleled benchmark
Saudi King Salman Receives Lebanese Patriarch Rahi
Asharq Al Awsat/November
14/17/Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
received Tuesday at Al-Yamamah palace Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rahi,
in an historic visit to the Muslim kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The
landmark meeting tackled fraternal relations between the Kingdom and Lebanon and
confirmed the importance of the role of different religions and cultures in
promoting tolerance, renouncing violence, extremism and terrorism and achieving
security and peace for the peoples of the region and the world.
The reception was attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz,
Minister of Interior; Minister of State and Cabinet Member Dr. Musa ed bin
Mohammed Al-Aiban; Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and
Minister of State for Arab Gulf Affairs Thamer bin Sabhan Al-Sabhan.
Rahi began his visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday, being the second Christian
patriarch to visit the Kingdom, after another such trip in 1975. Rahi also
met during his visit with Saad al-Hariri, who announced his resignation as
Lebanon's prime minister from Riyadh on Nov. 4.
Hariri announced his resignation in a television broadcast, saying he believed
there was an assassination plot against him and accusing Iran and its Lebanese
ally Hezbollah of sowing strife in the Arab world.
Al-Rahi Meets Saudi Leaders and Hariri in Riyadh
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 14/17/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi
held separate talks Tuesday in in Riyadh with Saudi King Salman, Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri as part of a historic visit
to the kingdom. The visit comes amid tensions between the two countries after
Hariri's shock resignation. The patriarch and the king "reviewed fraternal
relations between the kingdom and Lebanon and confirmed the importance of the
role of different religions and cultures in promoting tolerance, renouncing
violence, extremism and terrorism," the state-run Saudi Press Agency
said.Al-Rahi later met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Hariri.
Hariri's Future TV said the Rahi-Hariri meeting was "excellent" and that it
tackled "the latest local developments." LBCI television said Hariri did not
inform al-Rahi of a date for his return to Lebanon. The TV network however
reported that Hariri is expected to return to Lebanon this week or at the
beginning of next week. Hariri stepped down during a televised address on
November 4 from Riyadh, where he is rumored to be under de facto house arrest,
despite his insistence that he was "free."Al-Rahi's trip symbolizes a rare
inter-religious exchange in the ultra-conservative kingdom, which is home to the
holiest sights in Islam. "Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's... visit stresses the
kingdom's approach for peaceful coexistence, closeness and openness for all
sections of Arabic people," Saudi Gulf affairs minister Thamer al-Sabhan said on
Twitter. Upon his arrival, the patriarch met with members of the Lebanese
community. "We will maintain a strong friendship between Saudi Arabia and
Lebanon," he said. "This is our history even if we have had stormy relations
sometimes. (There) is a history of friendship with this dear kingdom."Hariri's
resignation, which has thrown Lebanon into crisis, came against the backdrop of
mounting tensions between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back
opposing sides in power struggles in hotspots such as Syria and Yemen. French
Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said France was "worried by the
situation in Lebanon" and wanted to see the government there "stabilize as
quickly as possible." He is set to visit the Saudi capital on Thursday. France
joined Germany and the European Union on Monday in calling for an end to
external interference in Lebanon.
Bassil Begins Europe Tour, Says Lebanon Won't
Discuss Any File before PM Return
Associated Press/Naharnet/November 14/17/Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil has
flown to Brussels on the first leg of a European tour that aims to rally support
for Lebanon's stability following Prime Minister Saad Hariri's contentious
resignation from Saudi Arabia. “Lebanon is still addressing the problem with
Saudi Arabia within the framework of brotherly bilateral ties and the tour is to
urge the kingdom to realize that what's happening is unacceptable,” Bassil said
after arriving in Brussels. “Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation did not
meet the legal requirements... and we will not discuss any issue until Hariri
returns” from Saudi Arabia, Bassil added. He warned that “threats of
governmental and political vacuum and sanctions against Lebanon will not only
affect the Lebanese but also two million refugees and displaced people, who will
become a problem for Lebanon's neighbors and Europe.”As for the Arab League's
upcoming meeting in Cairo, Bassil said “Lebanese authorities will take a stance
ahead of the meeting in light of (this week's) developments.” The meeting of the
Arab foreign ministers will be held Sunday in Cairo. Bassil later held talks in
Brussels with EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini. According to Lebanon's
National News Agency, Mogherini stressed the European Union's support for
Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasizing that no foreign
state should interfere in its domestic affairs. Mogherini also underscored the
need for the return of Hariri and his family to Lebanon in the coming days in
order to fortify internal stability and national unity in Lebanon, NNA said. A
statement from Mogherini's office said "close contacts will continue also with
prime minister Hariri, through the EU’s diplomatic channels: High
Representative/Vice-President Mogherini expects him and his family to return to
Lebanon in the coming days."President Aoun has refused to accept Hariri's Nov. 4
resignation, which came abruptly and under mysterious circumstances from the
Saudi capital, Riyadh, until Hariri returns to the country. Lebanese officials
have insisted the resignation was forced by Hariri's Saudi patrons and that he
is being kept in the kingdom against his will. Hariri said Tuesday that he'll
return to Lebanon within days.Bassil will visit Paris after his talks in
Brussels. The visit aims to rally diplomatic support and explain Lebanon's
predicament following Hariri's move.
Hariri Hits Back after Velayati Remarks on Their
Meeting
Naharnet/November 14/17/Prime Minister Saad Hariri snapped back Tuesday at a
senior Iranian official over remarks about their recent meeting in Beirut.
“Hariri's latest statements were Saudi diktats,” said Ali Akbar Velayati, chief
foreign policy adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, referring to
Hariri's TV interview on Sunday. “Hariri did not at all say during our latest
meeting that Iran should not interfere in Lebanon's affairs,” Velayati added.
“Hariri did not talk about Iranian interference in Lebanon's affairs... and our
talks were neither bitter nor characterized by threats and confrontation. His
remarks (on Sunday) were dictated by the Saudis, who are not ready to allow
Lebanon to enjoy security and stability or to witness friendship between the
Iranian and Lebanese peoples,” the Iranian official added.“We did not threaten
Hariri and we rather discussed the current issues in the region. He somehow
wanted to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia and we said that we do not have
a problem with Saudi Arabia,” Velayati said. “We said that the Saudis'
bombardment of Yemen for more than two years, besieging it and causing 700,000
cholera infections are issues that have nothing to do with politics. We said
that they should negotiate with the Yemenis over this humanitarian issues,”
Velayati added. Hariri issued a swift response to the Iranian official's
remarks. “Prime Minister Hariri did not offer to mediate between any country and
another. He rather expressed to Velayati his point of view, which is the need to
stop Iran’s intervention in Yemen as a first step and a precondition to any
improvement of the relations between Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,”
Hariri's press office said in a statement issued Tuesday. “Premier Hariri
reiterated insistently that this is his personal point of view,” it added. “When
Velayati replied that he sees dialogue on the Yemeni crisis as a good starting
point for dialogue between Iran and the kingdom, Prime Minister Hariri answered
him: 'No, Yemen comes before dialogue. I think that solving the problem in Yemen
is the only way to start any dialogue between you and the kingdom,'” Hariri's
office said.
In his first TV interview since he announced his surprise resignation on
November 4 from Riyadh, Hariri said Sunday he will return to Lebanon from Saudi
Arabia "within days" to seek a settlement with President Michel Aoun and
Iran-backed Hizbullah. Hariri repeated several times that he resigned to create
a "positive shock" and draw attention to the danger of siding with Iran in
regional conflicts. Hariri sounded less belligerent in Sunday's interview than
he did during the resignation announcement. A political crisis has gripped
Lebanon since Hariri read his televised resignation in which he accused Iran of
meddling in Lebanon in a vicious tirade that was uncharacteristic of the usually
soft-spoken premier.
Hariri Says 'Doing Very Well', Will Return
within Days
Naharnet/November 14/17/Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Tuesday that he is
“doing very well” and that he will return from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon within
days. “Folks, I'm doing very well, and God willing I will return within days, so
let's be patient,” Hariri tweeted in Lebanese dialect, in his first tweet since
November 6. “My family are in their home in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the
kingdom of goodness,” Hariri added. It was not immediately clear if Hariri was
responding to remarks voiced earlier in the day by EU diplomatic chief Federica
Mogherini. According to Lebanon's National News Agency, Mogherini said during a
meeting with Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil in Brussels that there is a need for
the return of “Hariri and his family” to Lebanon in the coming days in order to
fortify internal stability and national unity in Lebanon. In his first TV
interview since he announced a surprise resignation from Riyadh on November 4,
Hariri said Sunday he will return to Lebanon to seek a new settlement with
President Michel Aoun and Iran-backed Hizbullah. Hariri, looking downcast and
tired, denied he was being held against his will in the kingdom and said he was
compelled to resign to save Lebanon from imminent dangers, which he didn't
specify. He held back tears at one point and repeated several times that he
resigned to create a "positive shock" and draw attention to the danger of siding
with Iran in regional conflicts. Hariri sounded less belligerent in Sunday's
interview than he did during the resignation announcement. A political crisis
has gripped Lebanon since Hariri read his televised resignation from Saudi
Arabia in which he accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon in a vicious tirade that
was uncharacteristic of the usually soft-spoken premier. Aoun and other Lebanese
officials have refused to accept Hariri's resignation until he returns to the
country. Lebanese officials have insisted the resignation was forced by Hariri's
Saudi patrons and that he is being kept in the kingdom against his will. Hariri
denied this on Sunday, stressing that he is “free.”
Merkel Tells Aoun Berlin Exerting Efforts to
Resolve Lebanon Crisis
Naharnet/November 14/17/German Chancellor Angela Merkel held phone talks Tuesday
with President Michel Aoun, reassuring him that her country is exerting efforts
to resolve the crisis sparked by Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation, the
Lebanese Presidency said. Merkel told Aoun that she is following up on the
developments in Lebanon, lauding “the role that President Aoun is playing to
find a solution to this situation,” the Presidency added. The German leader also
stressed Berlin's “support for Lebanon,” noting that Germany is “carrying out
contacts with the European nations to resolve this crisis out of keenness on
Lebanon's sovereignty and independence and rejection of interference in its
internal affairs.”Hariri announced Tuesday that he will return to Lebanon within
days. In his first TV interview since his shock resignation, the premier
announced Sunday from the Saudi capital that he will return to Lebanon to seek a
settlement with Aoun and Iran-backed Hizbullah. Hariri repeated several times
that he resigned to create a "positive shock" and draw attention to the danger
of siding with Iran in regional conflicts. Hariri sounded less belligerent in
Sunday's interview than he did during the resignation announcement. A political
crisis has gripped Lebanon since Hariri read his televised resignation in which
he accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon in a vicious tirade that was
uncharacteristic of the usually soft-spoken premier.
Saudi Embassy in Beirut Reportedly Receives
Kidnap Threats
Naharnet/November 14/17/The Saudi Embassy in Beirut has received threats that an
unknown group will kidnap 15 Saudi citizens in Lebanon, media reports published
Tuesday said.
“The embassy received three phone calls in which unknown individuals calling
themselves 'Mulathamoun' (Masked) threatened to abduct fifteen Saudi citizens in
Lebanon,” London-based Saudi daily al-Hayat reported. An embassy official told
al-Hayat that “the embassy immediately informed the competent security
authorities” and that “efforts are underway to verify whether the threat is
linked to the group that had abducted Saudi citizen Ali al-Bashrawi on
Friday.”The abductors had demanded a $1.5 million ransom to release the man.“The
embassy in Beirut is also checking whether any of the Saudi citizens who might
have remained in Lebanon has been kidnapped,” the embassy official added, noting
that the embassy “is dealing seriously with the threats because it is not
possible to downplay any threatening phone call amid these critical and delicate
situations.”Saudi charge d'affaires in Beirut Walid al-Bukhari meanwhile denied
to al-Hayat the presence of any threat against the embassy's diplomats. He
categorically denied the kidnap of “any diplomat or embassy
official.”Al-Bashrawi had been kidnapped Friday in the Keserwan region. “After
dropping his wife off at their house in Adma on Thursday evening, Saudi citizen
Ali Abdul Nabi al-Bashrawi parked his Saudi-plate, white BMW at the Tabarja
roundabout before being kidnapped at the hands of unknown individuals from a
nearby area,” LBCI television reported. The TV network said Bashrawi, 34,
“belongs to the Shiite sect and is married to a Syrian woman.”“He called his
wife on Friday, saying that the captors are demanding $1.5 million in return for
goods that he had bought from them,” LBCI added. Quoting probe sources, the TV
network said the case is likely linked to drug trade. The incident came on the
same day that Saudi Arabia ordered its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately
amid skyrocketing tensions with Iran and Hizbullah and warnings to the Lebanese
government. Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq has issued a statement saying
“the safety and security of resident and visiting Saudi citizens, as well as all
Arab and foreign residents, is a priority for all Lebanese authorities.”
France Says Hariri Should be Free to Go Home
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 14/17/French Prime Minister Edouard
Philippe said Tuesday that Prime Minister Saad Hariri must be able to return to
Lebanon from Saudi Arabia to end uncertainty caused by his shock resignation.
"What's at stake is Mr. Hariri being able to return home freely to clarify his
situation in line with the Lebanese constitution," Philippe told French
parliament, saying his resignation, announced in Saudi Arabia, had caused "a
period of uncertainty." Hariri tweeted earlier on Tuesday that he is “doing very
well” and that he will return from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon within days. In his
first TV interview since he announced a surprise resignation from Riyadh on
November 4, Hariri said Sunday he will return to Lebanon to seek a new
settlement with President Michel Aoun and Iran-backed Hizbullah. Hariri, looking
downcast and tired, denied he was being held against his will in the kingdom and
said he was compelled to resign to save Lebanon from imminent dangers, which he
didn't specify.He held back tears at one point and repeated several times that
he resigned to create a "positive shock" and draw attention to the danger of
siding with Iran in regional conflicts. Hariri sounded less belligerent in
Sunday's interview than he did during the resignation announcement. A political
crisis has gripped Lebanon since Hariri read his televised resignation from
Saudi Arabia in which he accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon in a vicious tirade
that was uncharacteristic of the usually soft-spoken premier. Aoun and other
Lebanese officials have refused to accept Hariri's resignation until he returns
to the country. Lebanese officials have insisted the resignation was forced by
Hariri's Saudi patrons and that he is being kept in the kingdom against his
will. Hariri denied this on Sunday, stressing that he is “free.”
Mustaqbal Says 'Priority' is Hariri's Return,
Urges No Interference in Arab Nations
Naharnet/November 14/17/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc stressed Tuesday that
its “priority” is the return of Prime Minister Saad Hariri to Lebanon, as it
urged an end to “interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries.”“The
priority in the bloc's discussions and meetings is the return of PM Saad Hariri
to Lebanon,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting. “The
bloc and the Lebanese people are waiting for him to contribute to regularizing
things in Lebanon and restoring balance at the internal and external levels, and
so that he can achieve a new beginning towards promising horizons that achieve
the interest of all Lebanese,” Mustaqbal added. Moreover, the bloc underlined
“the importance of restoring consideration and respect for the Constitution, the
Taef Accord and the ministerial Policy Statement that stipulated dissociating
Lebanon from the region's conflicts and which also calls for refraining from
interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries.” Mustaqbal also
emphasized that the Lebanese state “should extend its authority over its entire
territory,” underscoring the need to “abide by U.N. resolutions, topped by
Resolution 1701, whose all stipulations should be implemented.”
“The state and its legitimate security forces should have the exclusive
authority and right to protect the Lebanese and preserve their security and
safety,” the bloc added. Hariri tweeted earlier on Tuesday that he is “doing
very well” and that he will return from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon within days.
In his first TV interview since he announced a surprise resignation from Riyadh
on November 4, Hariri said Sunday he will return to Lebanon to seek a new
settlement with President Michel Aoun and Iran-backed Hizbullah. Hariri, looking
downcast and tired, denied he was being held against his will in the kingdom and
said he was compelled to resign to save Lebanon from imminent dangers, which he
didn't specify. He held back tears at one point and repeated several times that
he resigned to create a "positive shock" and draw attention to the danger of
siding with Iran in regional conflicts. Hariri sounded less belligerent in
Sunday's interview than he did during the resignation announcement. A political
crisis has gripped Lebanon since Hariri read his televised resignation from
Saudi Arabia in which he accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon in a vicious tirade
that was uncharacteristic of the usually soft-spoken premier.
Aoun and other Lebanese officials have refused to accept Hariri's resignation
until he returns to the country. Lebanese officials have insisted the
resignation was forced by Hariri's Saudi patrons and that he is being kept in
the kingdom against his will. Hariri denied this on Sunday, stressing that he is
“free.”
The Reasons for the Resignation Were Not Political
Ahmad El-Assaad November 10, 2017/
There is no doubt that the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri came as a
shock to the Lebanese people, and the world, since no one had expected it. Some
have even linked it to an imminent war between Hezbollah and Israel.
In any case, the picture is still unclear, and quite mysterious. All we are
getting, day after day, are bits and pieces of the bigger picture – but the
canvas is still far from being complete.
Although we would prefer to wait until the facts become clearer before we give
our opinion regarding the abrupt resignation; all we could say for the moment,
however, is that this resignation has absolutely nothing to do with the reasons
provided by PM Hariri in his press conference in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
What is clear to everyone is that there are no factors that have forced PM
Hariri say what he said in that press conference, and those factors are the
furthest possible from the motives he gave for his resignation.
In political logic, no one is capable of changing their position by 180°
overnight, regarding any given subject – unless some new data comes up.
Such data is not present on the Lebanese political scene, and there were no
developments that would push Hariri to change, so radically and so suddenly, his
views on the so-called “settlement”.
As a matter of fact, this “settlement” is nothing more than a continuation of a
defeat that had started many years ago, and to a downward path drawn by
repetitive concessions made. The performance of this Cabinet came to confirm
that it falls in this very context, since it has accumulated, during one year, a
series of practices that are harmful to the sovereignty of Lebanon and the
notion of government in it.
This took us back to a time prior to 2005, and contributed in freeing the Syrian
regime from its isolation, bringing it back to political life in Lebanon – thus
throwing Lebanon in the furnace of regional conflicts.
Amidst this picture of defeatism, PM Hariri announced his resignation without
any introductions, and despite the fact that nothing changed in the political
scene. Therefore, it is clear that the political factors are not what’s behind
his change of vision, but the reason is probably completely different – it might
be personal, or some kind of pressure from the KSA.
In any case, when all the facts become known and certain, the Lebanese people
will be able to judge on what happened, and we will be able to give our
definitive opinion.
Macron to Meet UN Chief to Discuss Lebanese
Crisis
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/s in order to clarify the status of resigned
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is residing in Saudi Arabia.To that
end, President Emmanuel Macron held talks recently with Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, in the
Kingdom last week. He also met in the United Arab Emirates with Abu Dhabi Crown
Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. The French leader is expected to continue
these efforts on Lebanon by holding talks on Wednesday with United Nations chief
Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the Bonn Climate Change Conference in
Germany. Sources from the Elysee Palace refused to comment on what options are
available to Marcon, adding however that they are banking on upcoming
developments in wake of Hariri’s televised appearance on Sunday. The PM had
declared that he has “freedom to move” and that he may return to Lebanon “in the
next two days.”His remarks had eased the tensions in Lebanon and Paris believes
that the UN is the natural arena to discuss the Lebanese file, continued the
sources. Macron is scheduled on Tuesday to receive Lebanese Foreign Minister
Jebran Bassil, who was dispatched by President Michel Aoun to address the
Lebanese crisis in various world capitals. The Elysee sources stressed that
Paris is most concerned with “preserving Lebanon’s stability, security and
safety in an environment that is rife with great dangers.” French Foreign
Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had expressed on Monday his country’s concern over
the developments in Lebanon in wake of Hariri’s resignation over a week ago. He
underlined Paris’ keenness on Lebanon’s stability and need to respect the
constitution, as well as the importance of keeping it away from foreign
meddling. Le Drian is set to visit the Saudi capital Riyadh on Thursday where he
will address regional affairs, including Iran’s interference in Arab affairs.
Hariri’s Return Might Open Door to Discussing Expansion
of 'Hezbollah’s' Weapons
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/Comments delivered
by Lebanese resigned Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in an interview from Riyadh
with his party’s Future TV on Sunday, were met in Beirut Monday with comfort in
the Lebanese arena. Visitors of President Michel Aoun quoted him as saying that
Hariri’s statements show that the political settlement still stands and that the
issue of reconsidering the prime minister’s resignation is still within his
probable options. Sources close to Aoun told Asharq Al-Awsat that the discussion
of any settlement in Lebanon is “first linked to the return of Hariri.” The
sources also asserted that prior to Hariri’s return to Beirut, “there is no
place for any kind of discussions, neither a dialogue table nor other issues.”On
Sunday, Hariri said he may rescind his resignation if Lebanon fully commits to
the disassociation policy and if interferences in regional affairs stop. His
comments open the doors to discussing a political deal that keeps Lebanon away
from regional crises and places “Hezbollah’s” weapons on the table of an
internal dialogue hosted by President Aoun. Member of the Future Movement
parliamentary bloc MP Okab Sakr told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday that contrary to
what the situation was before, it is now impossible to coexist with the issue of
weapons. “There is a message to Hezbollah stipulating that the party should stop
meddling in the security of Arab states and that Hezbollah should explain to
Iran that the party’s weapons used for threatening the Arab national security
has an ended expiry date,” Sakr said. Meanwhile, Lebanese Maronite Patriarch
Bechara Rai kicked off on Monday a historic visit to Riyadh. Rai is expected to
meet with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman. At King Salman Air Base, the patriarch was received
by Minister of State for Arabian Gulf Affairs Thamer Al-Sabhan, Lebanese
Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abdulsattar Issa, representative of the Royal
Protocol and other senior, civil and military officials.
Growing Fears on Assassinations Making a Return in
Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/The chances of the
wave of assassinations hitting Lebanon once again left politicians with
ever-growing fear amidst a fragile security state in the Middle East republic.
Despite security alertness and cooperation being raised to praiseworthy levels,
the disrupted political reality weakens reassurances made by security bodies and
the overwhelming support world states gave to ensure Lebanon’s stability. Local
media reported that security forces have arrested on November 9 an Israeli spy
in Sidon who admitted to being tasked with assassinating MP Bahia Hariri. It is
worth noting that only a few days before making the arrest, security forces had
announced thwarting an assassination attempt on November 5. On the other hand,
Lebanon’s interior ministry refuted claims around making an arrest against a
plotter tracking down Hariri’s convoy. Instead, the ministry said that
circulating false news might give rise to unnecessary tensions that inch in the
country closer to civilian strife. In a move to consolidate civil peace, the
interior ministry addressed media outlets demanding that sources for published
material be restricted to official statements issued by concerned authorities.
Lebanese Future Movement politician and a former MP Mustapha Allouch believes
that assassinations usually carried out in correlation to personal gains by
conspirers. “Political strain and the current atmosphere do not indicate whether
an assassination would serve the perpetrating party or not,” Allouch told Asharq
Al Awsat. Allouch reaffirmed that no physical evidence or intelligence indicate
to a threat of the sort for the time being. “We fear the return of
assassinations but have no hard evidence or intelligence as to whether another
wave will sweep over,” added Allouch. Security and military Sources told Asharq
Al-Awsat that the Lebanese national army hand-in-hand with security divisions
are working relentlessly to advance needed measures, regardless of how demanding
they get. All of which falls under a full-fledged guarantee of fighting against
any exploitation of current events to shake up national stability.
Lebanon president lauds PM's pledge to return home 'soon'
The Nation/November 14, 2017 /BEIRUT - Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on
Monday he was happy to hear resigned prime minister Saad Hariri would be
returning to Beirut from Saudi Arabia "soon."
Hariri stepped down from his post during a televised address more than a week
ago from Riyadh and has remained there, sparking rumours he was under de facto
house arrest. But he pledged during a television interview on Sunday night that
he would be home within days, a development welcomed by Aoun. "I was happy with
Prime Minister Hariri's announcement that he would return to Lebanon soon," Aoun
said on Twitter. "I am awaiting this return to discuss with the prime minister
the issue of the resignation, the reasons for it and the circumstances, issues,
and concerns that need to be resolved," he added in an emailed statement. Aoun
had said on Sunday that Hariri appeared to be "restricted" in his movements and
demanded Riyadh clarify why he had not returned to Beirut. In Sunday's interview
with his party's Future TV, Hariri, 47, said he was free to travel and would
return to Lebanon in "two or three days".
"I will return to Lebanon very soon to initiate the necessary constitutional
procedures," he said with reference to his resignation. Aoun has yet to formally
accept the premier's resignation, and it remains unclear who could replace him.
Lebanese fear that a new power vacuum in their country could put it in the
crosshairs of rising regional tensions between Riyadh and Tehran. A fragile
balance has ruled over Lebanon since a complex political deal a year ago brought
Aoun to the presidency and Hariri to the premiership. "It will still be possible
to save this political settlement if the government truly and practically
commits to the disassociation policy," said Samir Geagea, a Christian ally of
Hariri, on Monday. "Especially when it comes to Hezbollah's withdrawal from
Syria and the crises of the region," Geagea wrote on Twitter. The
"disassociation policy" refers to an agreement among political factions that
Lebanon would not get involved in regional conflicts. Hariri has blasted Iran
and its Shiite ally Hezbollah - an ally of Aoun and a member of the Lebanese
government - for intervening militarily in Syria and Yemen.He met on Monday in
Riyadh the German and British ambassadors to the kingdom. On Monday, the head of
Lebanon 's minority Druze community Walid Jumblatt lauded Hariri as "a man of
dialogue, a statesman". And France's Foreign Minister on Monday said his country
was "worried by the situation in Lebanon " and wanted to see the government
there "stabilise as quickly as possible".
Kuwait tells Aoun it supports Lebanese
sovereignty
BEIRUT (Reuters)/November 14/17/ - Kuwait’s ambassador to Lebanon told President
Michel Aoun the Gulf monarchy supports his efforts to overcome the “delicate
situation” and stands by Lebanese sovereignty, Aoun said in a tweet on
Tuesday.Lebanon’s Saudi-allied Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri declared his
resignation on Nov. 4 in a broadcast from Riyadh, throwing Lebanon into
political crisis. Saudi Arabia, an ally of Kuwait, has accused Lebanon of
declaring war on it because of the influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah, and has
advised Saudi citizens to leave Lebanon.
A Look at Hizbullah's Sources of Power and Regional Role
Associated Press/Naharnet/November 14/17/
Hizbullah is at the center of the recent crisis that has gripped Lebanon and
rattled a region already rife with conflict. When Saudi-backed Prime Minister
Saad Hariri declared his resignation in a surprise announcement from the Saudi
capital, Riyadh, he blamed Hizbullah for imposing itself on the country and
doing the bidding of its main backer, Iran, in Lebanon and elsewhere in the
region. The one-time local Shiite guerrilla army that rallied Lebanon's Shiites
and battled Israel — even earning admiration from the region's Sunnis — has
turned into a powerful, well-armed group caught up in the Iran-Saudi rivalry
that is shaping the Middle East. Saudi Arabia singled Hizbullah out, accusing it
of declaring war on the kingdom, just as the U.S. ratcheted up its pressure on
Iran and imposed new sanctions on Hizbullah, which it considers a "terrorist"
group.
Here is a look at the 35-year old militant group, its sources of power and
regional role.
BEGINNINGS and LEADERS
Hizbullah was formed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to fight
Israel's invasion of Beirut. Under the leadership of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,
who took over in 1992 after his predecessor, Abbas Moussawi, was killed in an
Israeli airstrike, the group moved from seeking to implement an Iranian-style
Islamic republic in Lebanon to focusing on fighting Israel and integration into
Lebanon's sectarian-based politics. Nasrallah, now 57, has played a key role in
ending a feud among Shiites, focusing attention toward fighting Israel and later
expanding the group's regional reach.
WARS WITH ISRAEL
Hizbullah became the main resistance group opposing Israel and the buffer zone
it established in southern Lebanon in 1985. In 1996, Israel launched an
offensive to end the guerrilla attacks, striking Lebanese power stations and
killing more than 100 Lebanese civilians sheltering in a U.N. base. A year
later, 12 Israeli soldiers were killed in a commando raid in the south. Israel's
withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 was hailed as a victory for Hizbullah.
In the same year, Hizbullah captured three Israeli soldiers and a businessman in
cross border raids, and later negotiated a swap in 2004, releasing hundreds of
prisoners and fighters. Then in 2006, Hizbullah captured two Israeli soldiers in
a cross-border raid, sparking a 34-day war that killed 159 Israelis and more
than 1,000 Lebanese.
A U.N.-brokered cease-fire brought thousands of international peacekeeping
troops to police the Israeli-Lebanese border.
HIZBULLAH AT HOME
Hizbullah's popularity at home didn't only stem from its opposition to Israel.
With a weak Lebanese state, the Iranian-sponsored group, like most other sects,
provided a vast array of social services for its supporters, through education,
health and social networks. But as the militant group sought more executive and
legislative powers following Israel's 2000 withdrawal, it worked to funnel some
of its support through state institutions to reach the broader public. Another
turning point came in 2008, when heavily armed Hizbullah fighters seized control
of vast parts of Beirut, flexing its power domestically for the first time. The
show of force followed attempts by Lebanon's Western-backed government to curb
the militants' influence by dismantling its telecommunication network. Hizbullah
has been the most powerful player in Lebanon's politics ever since. Saudi Arabia
and Iran, which backed opposite sides inside Lebanon, ended a two-year deadlock
over electing a president by tacitly approving a power-sharing deal that
effectively enshrined Hizbullah's new powerful role. With that, Hariri, a Sunni,
headed a unity government and Michel Aoun, a Hizbullah ally, became president.
REGIONAL FOOTPRINT
Hizbullah sent its gunmen to fight alongside the forces of Syrian President
Bashar Assad in 2012, providing a significant boost to the overstretched
military, and turning the tide of the war. It was also crucial to safeguarding
the Shiite militant group's access to Syria, the land corridor through which it
is believed to get its weapons from Iran. Citing estimates based on diplomatic
reports and open-source data, Thanassis Cambanis, a fellow at the Century
Foundation, said some 20,000 to 30,000 armed men, including 4,000 core fighters
as well as local militiamen and tribesmen are under Hizbullah's command in the
fighting in Syria and Lebanon. This war has allowed Hizbullah's fighters to
improve their interoperability, working closely with the Russian military and
other Iranian-backed militias from Iraq or Afghanistan. Hizbullah is also
believed to have increased its military facilities in Syria's Qalamoun mountains
and in the Golan Heights, as well as throughout Lebanon. It is believed to have
built munitions factories there and Israeli officials estimate it has an arsenal
of 150,000 missiles. "It has crossed a military threshold," Cambanis said. "Hizbullah
today possesses a credible deterrent against pre-emptive war by its opponents."
Hizbullah backing for Yemen's Huthi rebels has been harder to prove, though the
structure and rhetoric of the Shiite Yemeni group mirrors that of Hizbullah.
Saudi Arabia accuses Hizbullah and Iran of providing the Huthis with training
and financial support in the stalemated war that is causing a humanitarian
disaster.
Saudi authorities said a recently intercepted missile near Riyadh airport, the
longest-range yet used by the Huthis, had Iranian markings, confirmed by the
Americans. In addition, small arms shipments allegedly from Iran were
confiscated before reaching Yemen. And Saudi TV networks have aired what they
say was evidence of Hizbullah fighters training the Huthis.
Lebanon's Fall Would Be Iran's Gain
John R. Bolton//Gatestone
Institute/November 14/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11368/lebanon-iran
Almost unnoticed in the coverage of President Trump's Asia trip, Lebanon is
slipping under Iran's control. On November 3, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad
Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, resigned, citing fears of assassination by Hezbollah,
the Shia Muslim terrorist group funded and controlled by Iran. No one can say
Hariri's fears are unjustified since his father, former Prime Minister Rafic
Hariri, was murdered in 2005 — almost certainly at Syrian or Iranian direction.
While the full ramifications of Saad Hariri's resignation remain to be seen,
Tehran's ayatollahs have now significantly extended their malign reach in the
Middle East. This is bad for the people of Lebanon; bad for Israel, with which
Lebanon shares a common border and a contentious history; bad for Arab states
like Jordan and the oil-producing Arabian Peninsula monarchies; and bad for
America and its vital national interests in this critical region.
Sadly, Iran's progress was foreseeable from the inception of Barack Obama's
strategy of using Iraqi military forces and Shia militia units as critical
elements in the campaign to eradicate the ISIS caliphate in Syria and Iraq. The
Baghdad government is effectively Iran's satellite. Accordingly, Obama's
decision to provide that regime with military assistance and advice strengthened
Iran's hand even further and materially contributed to its efforts to establish
dominance in Iraq's Shia regions.
Moreover, Iran itself, supported by Russian forces in Syria, aided and directed
the Bashar Assad regime in fighting against both ISIS and the Syrian opposition.
Iran also ordered Hezbollah to deploy from Lebanon into Syria, thus effectively
creating a Shia-dominated arc of control from Iran itself to the Mediterranean.
Apparently, neither the Pentagon, nor the State Department, nor the National
Security Council advised the new Trump administration of the implications of
facilitating Iran's Middle East grand strategy. Obama's approach is, ironically,
easier to understand, given his determination to secure his "legacy" by
conceding vital U.S. national interests to nail down the Iran nuclear deal.
Seeing Iran enhance its hegemonic aspirations throughout the region was, in his
view, just another small price to pay to grease the way for the nuclear deal.
Trump's advisers have no such excuse.
Hariri's resignation shows the inevitable consequences of blindly following
Obama's approach. Very little now stands in the way of Hezbollah's total
domination of the Lebanese government, thereby posing an immediate threat to
Israel. In recent years, Tehran continued supplying the Assad regime and
Hezbollah with weapons systems dangerous to Israel. Even more Israeli self-defense
strikes are now likely, as Iran's conventional threat on Israel's borders grows.
Nearby Arab states also see the potential dangers of an unbroken Shia military
arc of control on their northern periphery. The Middle East thus faces an
advancing Syria, backed by Iran's imminent nuclear-weapons capability,
deliverable throughout the region — and likely able to reach America in short
order.
The Trump administration cannot continue idly watching Iran advance without
opposition. Washington and its regional allies need a comprehensive strategy to
deal with Iran, not a series of ad hoc responses to regional developments. Time
is fast running out.
**John R. Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is Chairman of
Gatestone Institute, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and
author of "Surrender Is Not an Option: Defending America at the United Nations
and Abroad".
**This article first appeared in Pittsburgh Tribune Review and is reprinted here
with the kind permission of the author.
© 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.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11368/lebanon-iran
Lebanon’s Sunni community 'shocked' by Hariri’s resignation
Sunniva Rose/Al Monitor/November 14/17
REUTERS/Hasan ShaabanLebanese former Prime Minister Saad Hariri addresses his
supporters during the 11th anniversary of the assassination of his father, Rafik
Hariri, Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 14, 2016. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s
surprise resignation Nov. 4 while in Saudi Arabia left Lebanon reeling in shock.
The fact that Hariri has not yet returned has led Lebanese authorities to
believe that he might be under house arrest. But in his much-awaited first
interview since his resignation, Hariri said Nov. 12 that he is a free man and
would return to Lebanon within days. He hinted at possibly rescinding his
resignation, should Hezbollah agree to stay out of regional conflicts. However,
his tired appearance left many believing that he was still speaking under tight
control of Saudi Arabia. At one point during the interview, his eyes welled up
with tears and he gave an angry look to someone who appeared for a short moment
in the background. "Did you notice that? There’s no way he was speaking freely,"
Beiruti taxi driver Yasser Abdel Sater told Al-Monitor. "I am happy to hear Saad
Hariri’s announcement regarding his imminent return to Lebanon," tweeted
Lebanese President Michel Aoun Nov. 13. “We will then be briefed on all the
circumstances, issues and concerns that need to be addressed." Aoun has
previously said that he would not accept Hariri’s resignation as long as they
cannot meet in person in Lebanon.
These developments have left Lebanon's Sunni community, which is traditionally
backed by Saudi Arabia, particularly uneasy.
Lebanon’s second-largest city, Tripoli, is 80% Sunni. The city’s walls are
usually covered with giant posters of local politicians, sometimes standing next
to Saudi rulers such as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "It’s a city where
people like to show proximity with Saudi leaders. Our community feels that it
has its back covered by Saudi Arabia, the biggest Sunni country in the region.
They have the power of money. Now Iran is trying to play on their field, which
is why they are fighting each other," Ahmad Kamareddine, the mayor of Tripoli,
told Al-Monitor.
In his resignation speech, Hariri slammed Hezbollah and Iran, accusing them of
sowing strife against the Arab world. On Nov. 6, the kingdom announced that
Lebanon had declared war against it because of aggression by the Iran-backed
Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah. The declaration came two days after the Saudi
military intercepted a missile fired from Yemen over Riyadh’s international
airport. Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of backing Yemen’s rebel Houthi group, which
the kingdom has been fighting for over two years.
The escalating regional tensions and Saudi Arabia’s increasingly aggressive
rhetoric have direct and dangerous implications for Lebanon. Mustafa Alloush, a
former member of parliament from Tripoli and a member of the political bureau of
Hariri’s party, the Future Movement, is pessimistic. "The only way to get out of
the situation is through a major clash. If there is enough money funneled into
Lebanon from abroad, a civil war can happen again," he told Al-Monitor. Foreign
powers, such as Syria and Israel, had a major influence on Lebanon’s civil war
(1975-1990). But in the streets of Tripoli, no one wants to hear this. Until a
few years ago, the city was marred by sporadic deadly fighting. Now that peace
has returned, Tripoli has been revamping its infrastructure to attract foreign
investors and position itself as a gateway to Syria, once the war is over and
reconstructions work starts. Openly criticizing Saudi Arabia is taboo, even
though many recognize how dangerous the kingdom’s recent declarations can be for
Lebanon’s stability. "We do not want a new war," Mohamed Harb, a money-changer,
told Al-Monitor. "We are not like the Shiites. We do not send our children to
fight," he added, in reference to Hezbollah sending fighters to support
President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. Sunnis are not armed in Lebanon.
Much of the blame for Hariri’s resignation is laid on Hezbollah for having put
too much pressure on the prime minister. Recently, Hezbollah and its allies,
which are part of Hariri’s government, were pressing him to normalize relations
with Syria, even though the Lebanese state officially distanced itself from the
conflict in 2012. "The people of Tripoli were not happy with the consensus that
was established between Hezbollah, Saad Hariri and President Aoun [to form a
government together]," Tripoli’s mufti, Malek al-Chaar, told Al-Monitor. "The
next government needs to be firmer with Hezbollah." According to him, the
international community should increase "diplomatic and economic sanctions"
against Iran, instead of going down the military route. Nobody in Tripoli was
convinced by the call for calm issued by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah Nov.
5, the day after Hariri’s resignation. "It’s purely decorative," argued Alloush.
"Nasrallah cannot call for calm and stay armed. Instead, he should hand over his
weapons to the Lebanese army."With Hariri’s resignation, Sunni leaders with a
hawkish stance against Hezbollah are trying to fill the void, such as Ashraf
Rifi, who won Tripoli’s local elections in May 2016 against a list backed by
Hariri. He resigned as justice minister a few months prior to the elections, in
protest at what he described as the dominant role occupied by Hezbollah.
In a souk, posters of Rifi were being put up last week by local furniture shop
owner Abu Yassine Sharaf Eddine. Some more recent ones feature Prince Mohammed.
"I supported Ashraf Rifi during the last elections’ campaign," he told
Al-Monitor. For Sharaf Eddine, Rifi is the only Sunni leader with a strong
enough position against Hezbollah and Iran. By Nov. 12, all political posters
were banned in Tripoli, after a poster of Prince Mohammed was burned over the
weekend.But for most of Tripoli’s residents, politics are not a pressing matter
in comparison with everyday worries. The city is considered to be the poorest in
Lebanon. According to Alloush, one-third of its men are unemployed and only 40%
of the population votes. In the main square, dozens of taxis stand in line
waiting for customers. "I never vote," taxi driver Mohammad Badra told
Al-Monitor, adding that he does not make more than 20,000 Lebanese pounds a day
($13). "I would only vote for a politician who offers new job opportunities, and
no one has done that recently." For jeweler Omar Namel, the political scene in
Lebanon is an "embarrassment." He has a scar on his leg caused by a grenade
exploding next to him in 2012 during sectarian clashes. "I want to offer my
4-year-old daughter education opportunities like politicians’ children who can
go abroad. But unfortunately, I cannot. Lebanon deserves better than politicians
like Saad Hariri, or anyone else," he told Al-Monitor.
**Sunniva Rose is a journalist based in Beirut. She works for local and
international media outlets such as Deutsche Welle, Middle East Eye, Executive
Magazine and L’Orient-Le Jour. She studied journalism at Sciences Po in Paris
and speaks English, French and Arabic.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on November
14-15/17
Egypt's Foreign Minister Concludes Gulf Tour
Asharq Al Awsat/November
14/17/Egypt Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry concludes his Gulf tour
with his visit on Tuesday to Saudi Arabia. He is expected to deliver a message
to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz from Sisi on
Arabs unity in facing mounting challenges. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources
affirmed that the foreign ministers meeting next Sunday will focus mainly on
Iranian interventions. Earlier, Shoukry delivered similar messages to leaders of
Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and Oman. During his visit to Kuwait, he hailed
Arab efforts exerted to consolidate Arab solidarity and accord. In UAE, Shaikh
Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, underlined the importance
of consultation and coordination in containing and addressing crises through
inter-Arab collaboration and solidarity, during his meeting with Shoukry. UAE
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash described the meeting as
an excellent one. Shoukry embarked on an Arab tour on Jordan, UAE, Kuwait,
Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia to discuss bilateral ties and consult regarding
developments in the region. Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid
stated that the FM tour falls under permanent consultation between Egypt and
Arab states on bilateral ties and conditions in the region. Egypt shows concerns
over latest developments: Houthis missile attack on Riyadh, blowing up Bahraini
oil pipeline and political developments in Lebanon. This pushes toward
intensifying coordination to maintain Arab national security and rid the region
from tension and instability reasons. Shoukry delivered a message from Sisi to
Qaboos bin Said on bilateral ties and the conditions in the region – at a time
when security-related challenges in the region are increasing, therefore
compelling intensive consultation and coordination among Arab states. He also
conveyed Egypt’s vision and assessment of ways to deal with these challenges,
stressing Egypt’s firm and fixed policy that always urges political solutions
for crises.
Erdogan Demands Russia, US to Withdraw their Forces from Syria
Asharq Al Awsat/November
14/17/In a surprise declaration, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called
on Monday each of Russia and the United States to withdraw their forces from
Syria. He stated that a military solution was not possible in Syria, condemning
the ongoing deaths at the hands of the Syrian regime.He made his remarks during
a press conference in Istanbul prior to his departure to Russia where he is
scheduled to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi. “Russia
and the US must withdraw their forces if the military solution was indeed not on
the table,” he added.
“Those who do not believe in this solutions should withdraw their troops,” he
demanded. “While talk of an absence of a military solution continues, people are
still being killed in various means,” Erdogan said. He stated that the Syrian
regime has killed some one million people. On his trip to Russia, he revealed
that he will discuss with Putin the political solution to the Syria crisis and
joint Turkish-Russian action in its Afrin region, which is under the control of
the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party. Ankara is seeking to isolate the
party in order to prevent its linking up with other Kurdish regions in northern
Syria.
Bahraini Cabinet: Pipeline Terror Attack Is Dangerous
Escalation
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/Bahraini cabinet described the explosion at one
of the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco)’s oil pipelines near Buri area as a
dangerous terrorist escalation, unveiling Iran's role in destabilizing and
threatening the security of the region. In its session, chaired by Prime
Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the cabinet strongly condemned
the terrorist attack which caused the explosion, resulting in damages to vital
and economic interests as well as to property of individuals and enterprises.
The cabinet asserted that the terrorist attack also put individuals’ safety at
risk and spread panic among them. According to a statement, the session
described the oil pipeline explosion as an escalation in terrorist acts aimed at
targeting vital interests and jeopardizing the citizens’ safety. The cabinet
added that the terrorist blast is a dangerous aggression revealing the role
played by the Iranian regime in many acts of sabotage that affect security and
stability of Bahrain and the region. Iran's meddling in the region has escalated
recently through the hostile aggressive attacks by the Tehran-supported Houthi
militias, that targeted Riyadh with an Iran-made ballistic missile from Yemen,
in addition to the explosion of an oil pipeline, according to the statement. The
session stressed that terrorist elements involved in such a heinous crime will
be brought to justice firmly and severely by the force of the law. "The
government will spare no effort for the sake of maintaining security and
ensuring public safety," the session said. Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah
Al Khalifa briefed the cabinet about the circumstances of the Buri pipeline
terrorist crime and measures taken by security authorities to deal with it.
Meanwhile, Saudi Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources expressed
full support to Bahrain's energy sector in the face of an aggressive action
targeting Buri, resulting in the suspension of pumping oil to the Kingdom of
Bahrain. The Energy Ministry denounced this utterly cowardly action, while
praising the authorities' abilities in containing the situation in a record
time. Bahraini Minister of Oil and Gas Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Khalifa
described the attack as a terrorist act, denouncing it and condemning the
parties behind it. The minister explained that the security forces will proceed
with the needed investigations to reveal the details. He confirmed that
production levels were back to normal soon after the incident.
Iraq's Kurdistan to Respect Court Ruling Banning Secession
Asharq Al Awsat/November
14/17/Kurdish authorities said on Tuesday they respect the Iraqi Federal Supreme
Court's recent interpretation of Article 1 of the constitution regarding
secession in Iraq, signaling a new phase in efforts to restart stalled
negotiations over its future.
Iraq’s Kurds voted overwhelmingly for independence in a referendum in September,
defying the central government in Baghdad -- which had ruled the ballot illegal
-- as well as neighboring Turkey and Iran which have their own Kurdish
minorities.The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq issued a decision on Nov. 6 stating
that no region or province could unilaterally secede. The ruling responded to a
request from the Iraqi government in Baghdad to put an end to any
“misinterpretation” of the constitution and to “assert the unity of Iraq,” a
court spokesman said last week. The Kurdish government also called on launching
a peaceful dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad to address their differences. “We
believe that this Decision must become a basis for starting an inclusive
national dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve all disputes through
implementation of all constitutional articles and in a way that guarantees all
rights, authorities and status mentioned in the Constitution, since this is the
only way to secure the unity of Iraq, as Article 1 stated,” the KRG said in a
statement. Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi had previously urged the northern
semi-autonomous Kurdish region to abide by the court’s decision. The court is
responsible for settling disputes between Iraq’s central government and the
country’s regions and provinces. Its decisions cannot be appealed, though it has
no mechanism to enforce its ruling in the Kurdish region.
Several Killed, Wounded in Suicide Attack in Yemen’s Aden
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/Ten civilians and members of the police were
killed on Tuesday in a suicide bombing in the southern Yemeni city of Aden, said
police sources. ISIS’ affiliate in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack
that took place at a building in the Sheikh Othman district in the central part
of the city. Residents several kilometers (miles) away heard a large explosion
and saw thick black smoke rising from the area. The attack caused panic in this
densely populated area, which is busy with schools, markets and street vendors.
Ambulances rushed to the site, where the building was badly damaged, and debris
and body parts littered the area. According to medical officials, six soldiers
were killed but officials believe the death toll will rise. They spoke on
condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the press.
ISIS claimed responsibility in an online statement, hours after the attack. It
named the suicide bomber as Abu Hagar al-Adani, which indicates the attacker
hailed from Aden.The security building is an operations center for the UAE-trained
Security Belt, a parallel body to the government's forces.
Anbar Tribes Seek Vengeance against Iraqi ISIS Members
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/In the unforgiving deserts of Iraq, there is just
one way to deal with defeated members of the ISISI terrorist group who try to
come home -- tribal justice. No pardons are possible among tribes which have
agreed among themselves to treat with the utmost severity those members who
became jihadists. As for the families of ISIS members, many have already fled,
fearing reprisals, reported Agence France Presse on Monday. The former army
commander for operations in the western province of Anbar, where ISIS once held
sway after a sweeping offensive across Syria and Iraq in 2014, told AFP
returning members face short shrift. "The Bumahal and the other tribes have
agreed to adopt a common stance" on the issue, said General Ismail Mehlawi,
himself a Bumahal. In the vast region where tribal law prevails, the tribes have
addressed the thorny question of what to do about any relatives who pledged
allegiance to the self-proclaimed ISIS "caliphate". "They've all fled to
neighboring Syria," say residents of Al-Obeidi village in the heart of what was
the last ISIS bastion in Iraq, which has just been retaken by Iraqi forces. But
if any return or are discovered in the area, they "will be treated with
severity", Mehlawi said. "No pardon will be possible," said the mustachioed
Iraqi whose home was dynamited by members of his own tribe who had joined ISIS.
"We will punish them as prescribed by God so justice is done to the tribesmen
who have been wronged" during the ISIS occupation. The cycle of revenge has
already begun in Al-Obeidi, said a security official in the Al-Qaim region whose
150,000 inhabitants belong to around half a dozen tribes. "A week ago, Busharji
fighters blew up the house of a member of their tribe who had joined ISIS" and
who was himself accused of blowing up homes in Al-Obeidi, the official said,
speaking on condition of anonymity. Before destroying his home, the tribe
shunned him, leaving the former ISIS man unprotected in a country where tribal
law often takes precedence over the law and the courts.
Mohammed al-Mohammedi heads the municipal council in Hit near the Anbar
provincial capital of Ramadi. He told AFP that several months ago, he was
approached by families demanding "the expulsion of relatives of ISIS members".
Despite the authorities being aware of what was happening, this has not
prevented acts of vengeance from taking place, said the AFP report. "One
member’s house was destroyed by explosives, another was burned down and stun
grenades have been thrown at the homes of other families whose relatives joined
ISIS," Mohammedi said. The perpetrators of the attacks were never identified.
But afterwards, several families moved out in a scenario mirrored in other
places including Iraq's second city Mosul which ISIS also occupied before it was
retaken. "The families of ISIS members can't live here because it creates
tensions," said Mohammedi. Another senior tribal official in the Ramadi region,
Sheikh Awad al-Dalma of the Budalma, has drawn up a list of more than 250 names.
These are of "267 terrorists from the Budalma, Bushaaban, Budhiab and Janabin
tribes" he said were guilty of "murders or destruction of houses". As for the
Bumahal tribe, Sheikh Mohammed Sattam said "just two members joined ISIS in
2014. One was killed and the other fled and is now being sought." "We will keep
fighting whoever joined ISIS," he added, wearing the military uniform of a
tribal combatant. Several Anbar province tribes boast of having a long history
of battling extremists. When another extremist group, Al-Qaeda, staged bloody
attacks in Iraq in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, tribal
fighters took up arms. A number of their members also hold senior positions
within the Iraqi armed forces. When ISIS proclaimed its "caliphate" across Syria
and Iraq in 2014, several Iraqi Sunnis -- in a country that is two thirds
Shi’ite -- decided to pledge allegiance to the group. But Bumahal fighters,
along with members of other tribes, formed Sunni units within the Popular
Mobilization Forces a motley coalition of Shi’ite militias and local fighters
determined to drive ISIS out of Iraq. Such was the case with Faisal Rafie,
Kalashnikov assault rifle in hand. Behind him in a swirling sandstorm are piles
of rubble -- what is left of houses ISIS blew up in Al-Obeidi. Today, those who
lost their homes are demanding justice. "The ISIS terrorists destroyed our
houses and stole everything from us because we were fighting against injustice
and terrorism," Rafie said. "Everything we owned, we sacrificed everything for
the people of Iraq."
Israeli Forces Arrest Jihad Top Commander
Asharq Al Awsat/November
14/17/Israeli forces arrested a top commander of the Palestinian Islamic
movement in the West Bank, a day after exchanged threats between the group and
Israel amid possible clashes in the strip. Israel's security service (Shin Bet)
confirmed that commander Tariq Qaadan had been detained by Israeli forces in
Arrabeh, southwest of Jenin, in the northern West Bank. A Shin Bet official
stated that Qaadan was arrested since he is "a senior officer in the terrorist
group’s West Bank wing."Qaadan was arrested along with 13 other Palestinians
during night raids in the West Bank,. The arrests came two days after Israel
accused Jihad movement of planning an attack in retaliation to the demolition of
one of its attack tunnels in Gaza which killed 12 Hamas and Jihad members.
Israel warned Jihad against any attacks or plans to target its facilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Tel Aviv will respond
harshly if Jihad attacked Israel. “We will take a very strong hand against
anyone who tries to attack us from any sector," Netanyahu said in the weekly
cabinet meeting. Netanyahu's statement came few hours after Defense Ministry’s
chief liaison office with the Palestinians Maj-Gen Yoav Mordechai recorded a
video in Arabic addressing Jihad leaders Ramadan Shalah and his deputy Ziad
Nakhlah warning that Israel knew of their plans and was prepared to respond to
them.
Mordechai said that in case of a Jihad attack against Israel, both Shalah and
Nakhlah will be held responsible. Jihad considered Mordechai's statements a
direct threat against group and considered it “an act of war” vowing to confront
them. Amid the exchanged threats, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East
Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov described Hamas and Jihad's threats as
"reckless" saying they could lead to dangerous escalations. "The reckless
actions and statements of militants in Gaza risk a dangerous escalation.
Palestinians have embarked on a course to solve the humanitarian crisis in the
Strip and bring back the legitimate authorities. They should not be distracted
by extremists,” Mladenov said. Jihad Hamas condemned a UN envoy's statement for
holding Palestinian groups accountable for every tension with Israel, saying he
is casting a blind eye towards Zionist threats and aggression. "We strongly
condemn the remarks of Mladenov which ignore the crimes of invaders, the threats
against our people, and their right of self-defense," Hamas said in a written
statement. "We will not weaken the the leadership of our people and of our land.
The threat by the enemy to harm the leadership is on the border of a declaration
of war and we will deal with them,” the organization said in a statement. Hamas
spokesperson Hazem Kassim said they had hoped Mladenov criticized Israel for
creating tense situations. He added that Israeli occupation is responsible for
the escalation when it attacked the "freedom tunnel" and admitted to killing
anyone inside it. Kassim confirmed that Palestinian factions have the right to
respond to the occupation's crimes, adding that international community should
pressure the occupation for besieging Gaza. It is not clear whether Qaadan had
been arrested to pressure the movement or Israel had information reporting
Jihad's movement in West Bank.Jihad commander Sheikh Khodr Adnan said that the
detention of Qaadan is another aggression against the movement and Israeli
people, especially following Netanyahu and the so-called "chief liaison
office's" threats against Jihad's leaders. “We reaffirm our right to respond to
any aggression, including our right to respond to the crime of aggression on the
resistance tunnel,” Jihad's statement said. “This unjust arrest of the leader
Qaadan is a part of the occupation’s latest escalation against Islamic Jihad and
our people,” the statement added. The movement called upon rights groups and
international community to respond to this unjust arrest especially that Qaadan
is ill due to repeated arrests.
Palestinian Foreign Ministry Holds UNSC Responsible for
Silence over Ethnic Cleansing Operations
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Expatriates announced on Monday that it held the United Nations Security Council
fully responsible for consequences of keeping silence on ethnic cleansing
Palestinian valleys. In a statement, the Palestinian Authority foreign ministry
condemned the comprehensive war carried out against Palestinians present in the
Jordan Valley and said that Israeli occupation authorities intend to commit
further mass deportation. The wave of displacement affects over 300
Palestinian citizens who would be uprooted from their homes, in the villages of
Ein al-Hilweh and Umm Jamal. Israeli authorities are basing the evictions of
claims of Palestinians inhabiting 'unauthorized property', the statement added.
Israeli occupation forces also seized more than 550,000 meters of Palestinian
land in occupied Jordan Valley and later allocated it to Zionist settlements and
its facilities, the statement reported. Furthermore, it added that the ministry
considers that act as a crime of ethnic cleansing that flagrantly violated
international law, international humanitarian law and Geneva Conventions.
Death Toll in Air Strikes on Syria’s Atareb Rises to 61
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/The death toll in the air strikes against a
market in the Syrian rebel-held town of Atareb rose to 61 on Tuesday, said the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, adding that the majority were
civilians.Head of the monitor Rami Abdul Rahman said that a number of people
died from injuries they sustained during Monday’s strikes, bringing the toll to
61, including five children. Three members of the local police were among the
victims. Three strikes hit the northern town of Atareb despite a "de-escalation
zone" in place there. The Britain-based monitor said it was not clear whether
the bombing raids had been carried out by Syrian regime warplanes, or those of
its ally Russia. The Observatory expected the toll to rise as more victims are
retrieved from under the rubble. A photographer contributing to AFP saw massive
destruction at the scene on Monday, with rubble from damaged buildings covering
the street and panicked civilians carrying away the wounded. Atareb is in the
west of Aleppo province, in an area that is part of a "de-escalation zone"
agreed under a deal reached earlier this year between Syria's allies Russia and
Iran, and rebel-backer Turkey. The zone mostly covers neighboring Idlib
province. Despite the regime’s recapture of Aleppo city late last year, rebel
groups maintain a presence in the west of the province.
Saudi Arabia: Hosting of Syrian Opposition
Meeting Aimed at Achieving Peace
Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17/Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin
Abdulaziz chaired on Tuesday a cabinet meeting that underlined the importance of
Riyadh’s hosting of an upcoming Syrian opposition meeting, reported the Saudi
Press Agency. Information Minister Dr. Awad bin Saleh al-Awad said that meeting
is aimed at bridging gaps between members of the opposition and unifying their
ranks ahead of resuming direct negotiations in Geneva under the supervision of
the United Nations. Riyadh’s hosting of the meeting stems from the Kingdom’s
policy of backing peace efforts and combating terrorism, continued the minister
after the cabinet meeting that was held at the Yamamah Palace in the Saudi
capital. The gatherers then discussed the latest regional and international
developments, strongly condemning the bombing that led to a fire in an oil
pipeline near the village of Buri in Bahrain. They stressed that they stand by
Bahrain against all attempts aimed at destabilizing it and the security of its
people. King Salman also briefed the ministers on the talks he held with
visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and later Lebanese Maronite
Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.
U.S. Says Won't Walk Away from Syria War until Talks Progress
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 14/17/A U.S.-led coalition will forge
ahead in its fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq until a
U.N. peace process makes further headway, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said.
"We're not just going to walk away right now until the Geneva Process has
traction," he told reporters. "You need to do something about this mess now, not
just fight the military part of it and then say good luck on the rest."The
former marine general added that the coalition's goal had always been to fight
IS while finding a diplomatic solution to end the Syrian civil war.
"We are going to make sure we set the conditions for a diplomatic solution," he
said. His comments come after the U.S. and Russia issued a joint statement
Saturday saying there was "no military solution" to the Syrian conflict. "The
presidents affirmed their commitment to Syria's sovereignty, unity,
independence, territorial integrity and non-sectarian character," it said, while
calling on all parties to participate in U.N.-led talks in Geneva. A new round
of negotiations is scheduled to take place from November 28, a process headed by
the U.N. special envoy on Syria, Staffan de Mistura. Seven previous sessions
between the Syrian regime and the opposition failed to overcome the main
obstacle -- the fate of President Bashar al-Assad. More than 330,000 people have
been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government
protests.
Trump Hails Asian Tour, but Ends It Abruptly
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
14/17/Donald Trump hailed a "tremendously successful" five-nation tour of Asia
in which he made a lot of friends, as he ended it abruptly Tuesday by skipping
most of a Philippine summit. The U.S. president, who began his journey in Japan
12 days ago, said his trip had seen progress in his goal of narrowing America's
yawning trade deficits. "I've made a lot of friends at the highest levels,"
Trump told reporters shortly before boarding Air Force One in Manila, adding the
trip was "tremendously successful.""I think the fruits... are going to be
incredible," he said. "We've explained that the United States is open for trade,
but reciprocal trade." Trump made the comments after briefly gathering with 18
other world leaders ahead of the start of the East Asia Summit, the final set
piece of his trip in Asia. Trump had initially planned to skip the summit, then
backtracked after criticism he was turning his back on the region. But he did
not stay for the official start of the summit on Tuesday afternoon, also missing
the preceding group photo with his fellow leaders. Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson sat in for him at the summit, which was scheduled to run into the
evening. The summit groups the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
with Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Russia, as
well as the United States. In a trip that was dominated by the North Korean
nuclear crisis, Trump was treated to pomp and pageantry in Japan and South
Korea, where he repeatedly blasted the regime of Kim Jong-Un. In China, where
President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for a "state visit plus" -- a
welcome Trump declared "people really have never seen anything like" -- the
White House trumpeted more than $250 billion of trade deals. Analysts say the
headline figure hides a paucity of deliverables, with lots of the agreements
being non-binding memorandums of understanding. Many will take years to yield
results and some will never materialize. At a regional summit in Vietnam, Trump
returned to the topic of North Korea in what aides said was part of a strategy
of forging a global front to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its weapons program.
But the issue of alleged Russian interference in his 2016 election reared its
head again when Trump appeared to endorse President Vladimir Putin's assertion
that there had been no plot by Moscow. In the Philippines, Trump sparked
headlines with his pally relationship with President Rodrigo Duterte, a man who
has boasted of personally killing people and whose drug war has claimed
thousands of lives.
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published on November
14-15/17
The Real Victims of "Islamophobia"
Judith Bergman/Gatestone
Institute/November 14/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11367/islamophobia-victims
Local authorities, police, teachers and MPs have all been working with MEND even
though the organization "meets the government's own definition of extremism" and
"has regularly hosted illiberal, intolerant and extremist Islamist speakers...
has openly sought to undermine counter-terrorism legislation and
counter-extremism efforts, in addition to having its own links to extremists..."
Despite meeting the government's definition of an extremist group, MEND is
nevertheless organizing a number of events for "Islamophobia Awareness Month" at
British universities.
One can think of other issues that are more deserving of an "awareness month" in
the UK, especially because many of the people affected by those issues have
suffered the consequences of the British obsession with "Islamophobia".
In Britain, Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, along with Liberal Democrats leader
Vince Cable, are the poster boys for this year's "Islamophobia Awareness Month"
a yearly campaign, which has been running under the leadership of Islamist group
Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND), since 2012.
"We have to drive out racism in any form in our society," said Corbyn – whose
own Labour party has never been more anti-Semitic and who considers Hamas and
Hezbollah terrorists his "friends". The message came wrapped in a propaganda
video he stars in for the campaign. "Islamophobia," he continued, "is a terrible
thing, causes terrible hurt and terrible pain".
"I greatly welcome the contribution that MEND is making to raise awareness of
this issue and mobilise people in the political world and elsewhere to fight
Islamophobia", Cable adds in the video.
Here are two leaders of British political opposition parties, virtually
genuflecting to MEND, a group that was recently described, as "Islamists
masquerading as civil libertarians".
Corbyn and Cable are not, however, the only ones to eager for the company of
Islamic supremacists. Local authorities, police, teachers and MPs have all been
working with MEND even though the organization "meets the government's own
definition of extremism" ("Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British
values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual
respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.") and "has regularly
hosted illiberal, intolerant and extremist Islamist speakers... has openly
sought to undermine counter-terrorism legislation and counter-extremism efforts,
in addition to having its own links to extremists..."
In addition: "Several of the organisation's employees and volunteers, including
senior figures, have publicly expressed a range of disturbing views on terrorism
and anti-Semitism. This has included expressing support for terrorists overseas,
dismissing recent terror attacks in the UK, promoting anti-Semitic conspiracies
and even calling on British Mosques to hold prayers for 'the Mujahedeen'".
Despite meeting the government's definition of an extremist group, MEND is
nevertheless organizing a number of events for "Islamophobia Awareness Month" at
British universities. It will feature its "Islamophobia Exhibition', which
"celebrates positive contributions of British Muslims, dispose of common myths
about British Muslims and highlights the media's role in perpetuating
anti-Muslim prejudice" at Brunel University, SOAS, The London School of
Economics and Political Science, and King's College, among others. There will
also be talks, such as "Causes and Cures of Islamophobia".
Last year, the Bedford police force joined the "Islamophobia Awareness Month"
campaign, but then withdrew after using the campaign's logo, which is similar to
the hand gesture used by ISIS jihadists. One year later, the campaign still uses
the same one-finger logo, unconvincingly claiming that it stands for "I" as in "Islamophobia".
The UK appears almost clinically obsessed with "Islamophobia" awareness
campaigns. Only a few weeks ago, London police teamed up with Transport for
London authorities to encourage people to report hate crimes during "National
Hate Crime Awareness Week", which ran from October 14-21. The events were mainly
targeted at Muslims, with officers visiting the East London Mosque to encourage
reporting hate crimes.
One can think of other issues that are more deserving of an "awareness month" in
the UK, especially because many of the people affected by those issues have
suffered the consequences of the British obsession with "Islamophobia".
British authorities, especially police and social workers, criminally turned
their backs on thousands of girls, who were groomed and raped "on an industrial
scale" by Muslim rape gangs, especially in the city of Rotherham. Officials let
down these children in the most horrific manner exactly because they had become
conditioned to think along the lines of "Islamophobia". They grossly neglected
their duties to protect the public, because they cared more about being labeled
an "Islamophobe" or a "racist" than they did about the many young innocent lives
that were being destroyed. Why is there no ongoing, nationwide awareness
campaign for the detection of such grooming activity, including a campaign for
officials to put their professional and ethical obligations ahead of what others
might think of them?
British police and social workers criminally turned their backs on thousands of
girls, who were groomed and raped "on an industrial scale" by Muslim rape gangs,
especially in the city of Rotherham (pictured). Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty
Images.
Victims of so-called honor crimes -- violence against women by their families in
order to save the family's "honor", including honor killings -- are also badly
in need of an urgent awareness campaign. Recent figures show that only 5% of
honor-crime cases reported to the police were referred to the Crown Prosecution
Service in 2016-17, despite a large increase in the number of cases being
detected. More than 5,000 honor crimes were reported to the police in 2016-17.
In fact, police often send battered women right back to the problems they came
from, telling them to go home -- which might mean these women will likely become
victims not only of violence but of an actual honor killing.
Victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) could also use an awareness campaign.
In 2016-17, more than 9,000 instances of FGM were identified -- only slightly
less than the previous year.
The UK also needs an awareness campaign on anti-Semitism, which has risen
dramatically in the UK in the past three years, yet which the judiciary largely
continues to ignore. In 2016/17, the Crown Prosecution Service litigated 14,480
hate crimes, yet, according to the Campaign Against Antisemitism:
"we have yet to see a single year in which more than a couple of dozen
anti-Semitic hate crimes were prosecuted. So far in 2017, we are aware of... 21
prosecutions, in 2016 there were 20, and in 2015 there were just 12. So serious
are the failures by the CPS to take action that we have had to privately
prosecute alleged anti-Semites ourselves and challenge the CPS through judicial
review, the first of which we won in March. Last year only 1.9% of hate crime
against Jews was prosecuted, signaling to police forces that their effort in
investigating hate crimes against Jews might be wasted, and sending the strong
message to anti-Semites that they need not fear the law... Each year since 2014
has been a record-breaking year for anti-Semitic crime: between 2014 and 2016,
anti-Semitic crime surged by 45%" .
The government's own counter-terrorism campaign, "Make Nothing Happen" -- a
national public awareness advertising campaign launched in March 2017, urging
citizens to contact police about suspicious activity -- risks being upended by
the continued preoccupation with "Islamophobia". The risk is that people will
hesitate and not report suspicious activity for fear of being labelled "racist"
or an "Islamophobe". In the US, before the San Bernardino terrorist attack, a
neighbor of the attackers, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik,
apparently did not report suspicious activity he witnessed outside their
apartment precisely because of that fear.
This fear of being called an Islamophobe or a racist seems to have become deeply
ingrained in the Western psyche. No one presumably condones disparaging anyone
based on an ethnicity or religion, or defaming any group with a broad,
indiscriminate brush. People even go to exorbitant lengths to avoid unjustly
criticizing anyone or any group, even if criticism might be merited, as with
England's Rotherham grooming gangs. The accusations of racism or Islamophobia
seem meant to stop people from pointing out abuses even before they are
committed so that the abusers can keep on freely committing them. The other
question that is virtually never asked, is: If Muslims are upset about
Islamophobia, how come so many of them, compared to other religious groups, keep
providing "ammunition" that only supports and reinforces such a view --
especially when other Muslims remain silent, fail to condemn attacks by name, or
seem to be doing nothing to try to prevent them? In addition, there is also the
question of reciprocity: How come there seems to be no compunction about
constantly defaming Jews as descendants of apes and pigs; saying that Jews are
"filthy" and should be "annihilated" or even recommending genocide? These are
real questions, asked in all honesty.
In New York, the deputy police commissioner told Americans that the deadliest
attack in New York since 9/11 -- the car ramming attack perpetrated by jihadist
Sayfullo Saipov -- had "nothing to do with Islam". People who dared react to his
jihadist murders by committing (undefined) "bias incidents" or "hate crimes"
would be "prosecuted to the full extent of the law".
Authorities in Britain, Europe and the United States are not fostering an
atmosphere conducive to effective public safety, police work or
counter-terrorism. Quite the contrary. Do they even realize that?
**Judith Bergman is a 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.
Putin's Trolling of the West Is Not Just a
Tactic
Leonid Bershidsky/Asharq Al Awsat/November 14/17
The White House snubbed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday by announcing
that President Donald Trump wouldn't formally meet with him at the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum in Vietnam -- even though the Kremlin had said
repeatedly that a meeting would take place. It's clear that the dialogue between
the US and Russia is broken to a greater extent than the Kremlin is comfortable
with.
Could it be that Putin made a strategic mistake by openly trolling the US and
other Western democracies as they held critical elections in 2016 and 2017?
Smart people are saying he did.
"Tactically, great job," former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves told a
conference on Thursday. "Strategically, what they have done is a failure. They
managed to alienate many of the biggest countries in the West, the same
countries that they launder their money to."
In a recent piece for the Guardian, Mark Galeotti, one of the most insightful
Western academics writing on Russia today, made a similar point.
If Putin ever deluded himself that his campaign of hacks, disinformation, covert
political donations and other gambits was going to allow him to shape the
western political agenda, he ought now to be having second thoughts. Putin’s
self-harming passion for subversion seems to be the toxic product of a KGB
background, a nationalist’s anger at the decline of the superpower and a lack of
other, more acceptable, ways of advancing Russia’s agenda. As Putin pushes his
spies, trolls, diplomats and lobbyists to take every opportunity to divide,
distract and disrupt the west, whatever the long-term cost, he risks making his
country into a pariah state.
Western experts on Russia have been arguing for years about what Putin's forte
is: Is it strategy or is it tactics? If one believes that the campaigns to sow
chaos and, in some countries, to promote populist candidates in elections have
backfired for Russia, Putin is a tactician who can't help playing a short-term
game at the expense of a longer one.
I've been watching Putin since before he came to power, and I'm not so sure
about that. The Russian leader attempted to play two different long games in his
first eight years of power.
During his first presidential term, he tried to follow the rules of Pax
Americana, striving for economic efficiency, forcing his government to pursue
the doubling of economic output and aim for top spots in international rankings
such as the World Bank's Doing Business. He even talked about the possibility of
Russian membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Even if his
domestic policy wasn't liberal even then, the first-term Putin was little
different from, say, Hungary's Viktor Orban, Poland's Jaroslaw Kaczynski or
Italy's Silvio Berlusconi.
Second-term Putin was getting fed up with Western rules and was trying to put
Russia on an equal footing in talks with the US and European powers. In those
years, Russia received a huge windfall from rising oil prices, and Russian
wealth spread internationally, adding to Putin's confidence. It culminated in
Putin's 2007 speech to the Munich Conference on Security Policy, in which he
accused the US of being too eager to use force in international relations. That
Putin, however, was still into an arm's-length partnership with the West, which
included Russia's participation in the G8 and a joint war on terror.
As he sat out four years as president from 2008 and 2012, he clearly developed a
conviction that neither partnership-based strategy worked. That explains his
bitter and public argument with stand-in President Dmitri Medvedev over the
Western intervention in Libya in 2011. As Russians protested a rigged election,
and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton openly supported the protesters, Putin's
second long game, which Medvedev had continued playing, was over.
Putin didn't act chaotically or unpredictably for most of his reign. He was
probably more strategic than any Western leader of his era, if only because he
didn't care as much about winning elections. So it's unlikely that he suddenly
turned into an opportunistic tactician during his third term. It's just that his
current game is a grim journey into the unknown, and it appears to scare his
underlings -- and perhaps Putin himself -- from time to time.
It's tempting to describe everything he had done since the 2014 Crimea invasion
as a series of reactive, opportunistic, ultimately mistaken moves. He grabbed
Crimea because he could; instigated a war of secession in eastern Ukraine
because it was easy; went into Syria because there was a vacuum there; ran
propaganda and "active measures" campaigns in the UK, the US and other Western
nations because they were unprepared for it; and had his underlings befriend and
support far-right politicians throughout Europe because they needed friends and,
in the case of France's Marine Le Pen, money. He influenced people and outcomes
but didn't gain any friends -- in fact, he appeared to make enemies at every
step.
That, unfortunately, is likely Putin's third long game. He doesn't believe
there's any upside to cooperating with the West. It has been his refrain in
recent years that sanctions against Russia won't be lifted no matter what it
does. So he's out to prove that the West, and above all the US, is so shaky that
the slightest push could throw it off balance. The demonstration is intended for
the rest of the developing world. It's supposed to embolden Asian, Middle
Eastern and Latin American nations to challenge US hegemony -- to treat the West
as a colossus with feet of clay. It can work: In the Philippines, President
Rodrigo Duterte is a Putin admirer. Putin's demonstration of Western weakness
may even be working on China, which increasingly appears to have abandoned any
intention to continue liberalizing.
The path of the global troll, the global joker, the eternal challenger is a
lonely one, though it fits the Russian character and its love of winning as an
underdog. Putin appears to get phantom pains where G8 meetings, high-level
diplomacy and soulful conversations with Western leaders used to be.
His circle is by now resigned that any Western assets they might own are
threatened, but, as Russia settles into its new role, the billionaires and
managers who remember Putin's previous long game get uncomfortable tinges when
sanctions are stepped up and old business partners no longer want to drink
together. These twinges of regret, as well as the Kremlin's feverish attempts to
maintain a semblance of diplomatic contact, may look to Westerners as signs of
remorse and attempts to find a face-saving way out.
They probably aren't: The evolution of Putin's views is irreversible, and
Russia's capacity to take pain is constantly underestimated. Putin clearly
believes it's higher than his Western adversaries think, and it's not clear at
this point who's right.
The best Western response to Putin's game is to prove that democratic
institutions still work, that they still reflect what people want from
government, that the West can still be an example and a moral compass to the
developing world and eventually to Russians. So far, the US and the UK are
failing this test. Continental Europe is doing better, although its weaknesses
are also there for the world to see. Putin's strategy is to frame the divisions
and failures as an existential crisis, and he's not necessarily losing -- yet.
Media Ownership Rules Must Adjust to the Digital
Era
Ajit Pai/The New York Times/November 14/17
Do you check your Twitter feed to get the latest news? Monitor trending topics
on your Facebook page to see what’s making headlines? Set news alerts on Google
News? Read blogs analyzing the latest at the White House? Watch breaking news on
cable networks or YouTube channels?
No doubt most of you do some or all of these things. But none of these
information sources exist in the regulatory world of the Federal Communications
Commission, where core media ownership rules presume the marketplace for news is
defined entirely by pulp, rabbit ears and transistor radios. In this archaic
world, Americans get their news only from newspapers and broadcast television
and radio stations, and the internet doesn’t exist.
For over four decades, the F.C.C. has restricted the ability of broadcast media
outlets to also own newspapers, and vice versa, in the same market, under what
is known as the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule.
This rule was established in 1975 with the stated purpose of preserving and
promoting a diversity of viewpoints. Arguably, it made sense at the time. But
with the internet now dominating the news landscape, the rule is no longer
needed, and may actually be undermining the diversity of viewpoints it was
intended to foster. The print newspaper business is dying, and for some papers,
this rule has probably hastened their demise. Roughly one-quarter of American
newspapers have gone out of business since 1975, and many of those that remain
are struggling. Today, only 18 percent of Americans read print newspapers
regularly. Less than 10 percent under the age of 50 do. By a large margin,
people instead turn to the internet for news.
For newspapers to continue to play an important role in civic engagement, they
need more access to capital. Their decline has created a real threat to
independent reporting at the state and local level. A broadcaster’s investment
in a newspaper could go a long way toward keeping citizens informed. (Indeed,
the number of TV and radio stations has doubled over the past half-century, even
as newspapers have been vanishing.)
There’s ample evidence that the cross-ownership rule has led to less local
reporting. When the F.C.C. adopted the rule, some newspaper-broadcast
combinations were allowed to continue. Multiple studies have found that, on
average, a cross-owned TV station produces more local news than comparable
non-cross-owned stations. And a cross-owned radio station is four to five times
more likely to have a news format. This makes sense, because a company that owns
both a newspaper and broadcast outlet is able to gather the news and distribute
it more cost-effectively across its multiple platforms.
Simple fairness is another reason to change the rule. We need to create a level
regulatory playing field. It makes no sense for internet giants like Google,
Facebook and Twitter to be allowed to buy newspapers while a small AM radio
station is prohibited from purchasing its local paper. Those companies
increasingly dominate advertising, the major revenue source for news outlets;
Google and Facebook have claimed 100 percent of recent online advertising
growth, and their digital ad revenue this year alone will be more than twice the
entire 2016 revenue of the radio industry. This rule thus singles out struggling
news outlets for stringent regulation while leaving the biggest players
untouched.
Critics of this proposal have expressed concern that eliminating the rule will
lead to additional media consolidation. I understand that point of view and
recognize that some limits are needed. That’s why, for example, F.C.C. rules
will continue to prohibit any company from owning more than two television
stations in any market. But as with any issue, it is important to go beyond the
slogans and look at the specifics. And whether we look at the history of
grandfathered newspaper-broadcast combinations in bigger cities like Chicago or
smaller ones like Scranton, Pa., experience does not show that the residents in
those communities have been harmed or their news marketplaces have been
monopolized. Rather, we generally see news outlets that have been able to better
serve the public.
For these reasons, the F.C.C. is scheduled to vote at its meeting next Thursday
to repeal the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule. This common-sense move
is not only long overdue, it also has support that crosses partisan lines. For
example, Reed Hundt, President Bill Clinton’s first F.C.C. chairman, argued in a
speech in 2013 that “the rule is perverse.” And this year, Greg Walden of
Oregon, the Republican chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee,
joined with Representative John Yarmuth, a Democrat from Kentucky, to co-sponsor
legislation that would repeal this rule. But we don’t need Congress to act; the
F.C.C. can get rid of the rule itself.
In 2003, this newspaper noted on its editorial page that “making the argument
that the current rules are outdated is easy.” The case is even stronger today.
Few regulations are more disconnected from today’s realities than the F.C.C.’s
media ownership rules.
African Economic Growth Rides on Wireless Rails
Matthew Winkler/Bloomberg /November 14/17
In Kenya, hundreds of thousands of people are rising out of poverty as
mobile-money services turn subsistence farmers into businesspeople. A similar
dynamic drives Ethiopia, the fastest-growing economy in Africa, where the gross
domestic product is forecast to climb 8 percent in 2019. Borrowing costs in
Ghana plummeted almost 2.5 percentage points during the past 12 months amid an
unprecedented gain in GDP that's been led by the growth of the telecom industry.
From the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, hand-held phones are letting people
become their own ATMs, increasing economic activity by enabling payments for
food, travel, school and business. Wireless communication is driving economic
growth in sub-Saharan Africa much as the railroad did in the 19th-century U.S.,
accounting for almost a tenth of global mobile subscribers and a growth rate
that's beating the world.
The transformation is reflected in the more than 1,300 publicly-traded companies
that make up corporate Africa. The value of communications firms increased
during the past five years to 25 percent of the total market capitalization of
African companies, up from 16 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Materials and energy, the natural-resources benchmarks that defined the region
since its colonial days, diminished to a combined 18 percent from 27 percent
during the same period.
Nowhere is the trend more pronounced than in Ghana, where the value of products
and services produced by the information and communication sector surged 239
percent since 2012, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, by far the fastest
growth of any economic sector. Such explosive growth helped Ghana improve its
creditworthiness and lower the average cost of public and private borrowing to
6.7 percent from 9.1 percent during the past 12 months. The economy continued to
expand at a rate of 6 percent, and economists surveyed by Bloomberg say it will
grow another 6.7 percent next year, almost double its 3.5 percent rate in 2016.
Both the region and the industry are benefiting. Kenya-based Safaricom isn't the
biggest of the world's telecommunications giants -- its annual sales are about 3
percent of the average of the world's 60 largest carriers. But its products and
services are changing Africa, boosting its bottom line and attracting global
investors. Analysts say that Safaricom's revenues will rise 10 percent next
year, more than triple the average of those 60 telecommunications giants, after
a sales increase of 13 percent in 2016.
The company is more profitable than most of its 60 global peers, turning $100 of
revenue into $23 of net income in 2016, twice the average. While its shares have
gained 104 percent since 2014 -- more than 4 times the group average --
Safaricom still trades at a 33 percent discount to its global rivals on a
price-to-earnings basis, according to Bloomberg data.
Safaricom's mobile-money transfer service, M-Pesa, launched in 2007, now has
more than 25 million users in Kenya, a country where 80 percent of the
population lives beyond the reach of the electric grid. A 2016 study credited M-Pesa
with increasing daily per capita consumption levels of about 2 percent of Kenyan
households that had been subsisting on less than $1.25 per day.
The study, by Tanveet Suri, an associate professor at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology's Sloan School of Management and William Jack, an economist at
Georgetown University, shows that mobile-money services relieve extreme poverty
by enabling men and women to produce and sell goods and services in
self-designed markets beyond the boundaries of their subsistence farms. The
development is especially useful for women seeking financial independence in
male-headed households, according to Suri.
Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2016 had 420 million unique mobile subscribers,
equivalent to a 43 percent penetration rate in the world's fastest-growing
region, according to the London-based GSMA trade association of 800 mobile
operators. Less than a fifth of individuals younger than 16 (who account for
more than 40 percent of the population across the continent) have a mobile
subscription, GSMA says. That's why investors anticipate escalating earnings.
Mobile technologies and services generated $110 billion in sub-Saharan Africa,
equivalent to 7.7 percent of GDP, and supported 3.5 million jobs last year.
Nowhere is the demography more favorable to mobile money. Ethiopia, Ghana,
Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa include 420 million people, or 41 percent of
sub-Saharan Africa and 6 percent of the world. The total GDP of these countries
is $936 billion, or 66 percent of the region. The population younger than 15 in
these five countries ranges from 28 percent to 44 percent, compared to 25
percent for the world, 19 percent for the U.S. and 17 percent for China.
Visa Inc., the world's largest payments network, said this year that it is
planning to expand its mobile-phone application, mVisa, with lenders in 10
sub-Saharan markets, Bloomberg reported. At the same time, Shenzhen-based Huawei
Technologies Co., said it is working with London-based WorldRemit Ltd, the
money-transfer operator, to enable African expatriates to send cash home to more
than 100 million users of the Chinese company's mobile-money service platform.
At a point when mobile phone penetration is 65 percent for the world,
sub-Saharan Africa's 43 percent rate is why telecom investors are making the
region their favorite.
America Is Importing Corruption. Here’s How to
Stop It.
Casey Michel/The Washington Post/November 14/17
Over the past few weeks, Americans have acquired unprecedented insight into how
corrupt leaders use the United States to protect and expand their ill-gotten
wealth.
This week, a consortium of journalists from around the world unveiled the
so-called Paradise Papers, an extraordinary trove of leaked documents revealing
the secret financial details of billionaires, celebrities and officials. The
findings have turned a spotlight on ties between the Trump administration and
the post-Soviet space. The most dramatic revelation involves the secret
financial relationship between Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s family. Documents revealed that Ross owned shares in
a shipping company that in recent years earned nearly $70 million in revenue
directly from a Russian company that happened to be co-owned by, of all people,
Putin’s son-in-law. (Note: There is no indication that Ross did anything
illegal, but the news certainly raises the possibility of a serious conflict of
interest.)
All this comes in the wake of the indictment of ex-Trump campaign manager Paul
Manafort on charges of money laundering and tax evasion (among others). He and
his colleague Rick Gates allegedly used shell companies and offshore accounts to
channel the funds they earned from their work as political consultants to the
blatantly corrupt Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. The details of the
government’s case make for illuminating reading. Manafort was even tied to the
same Belize shell company that served as a conduit for illicit funds from
corrupt leaders in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan.
While Manafort is looking at a lengthy prison sentence, Ross has somehow managed
to hang on to his job. Yet all these revelations highlight the pressing need for
Washington lawmakers to start erecting defenses against the influx of grand
corruption — while we still can. Admittedly, there’s not much we can do about
overseas havens in the short term. But there’s plenty we can do right here at
home.
The government could start by giving new life to the Foreign Agents Registration
Act (FARA), which special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has now used to snare
Manafort. For nearly 80 years, FARA has served as an important tool for
identifying lobbyists, consultants and operatives shilling for dictators from
Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe. That was the theory, at least. As scholar Jahad Atieh
writes, the Act has been “essentially self-policed” — rarely enforced with any
real enthusiasm by the authorities.
But Manafort’s case — and President Trump’s administration as a whole — may help
jolt new life into FARA. Suddenly, thanks to the president’s men, a new specter
is stalking Washington: transparency.
It’s also time for the US government to crack down on American states that have
effectively transformed themselves into offshore havens for dirty money. As
Martin Kenney, a lawyer specializing in shell companies, writes: “It’s not
entirely beyond the realms of possibility that ISIS could be operating companies
and trust funds domiciled in Delaware.” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may not live across
the street from Joe Biden, but there’s little preventing him from opening his
company just down the block — with the rest of us none the wiser.
And no matter how much it may grate upon the president, Congress — and
legislators in California, Florida, Texas and New York — should pass laws
ensuring transparency in high-end real estate purchases. For years, corrupt
actors overseas have poured their cash into luxury pads in Manhattan, McMansions
in San Antonio, waterfront properties in Seattle. Dictators and oligarchs have
used US property as a haven for their money, skirting sanctions and letting the
properties sit vacant, all while driving up costs for the rest of us. Until
recently, no one had ever had to reveal the details of these transactions — what
the source of the funds was, who was fronting the cash and which dictator’s
daughter was moving into the neighborhood.
Real estate agents, of course, don’t care. But the Treasury Department — one of
the lone bright spots in Washington these days — increasingly does. With the
success of the department’s recent “Geographic Targeting Orders” (GTOs), which
have pried into real estate purchases in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, the
Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network announced this year that it
would be expanding its writ, adding Honolulu as another metropolitan area where
it will be pulling back the curtains on luxury sales.
But there’s no reason to stop there. Let’s expand the GTOs to all 50 states and
to all high-end property purchases. Think of it as a know-your-neighbor law.
You’d want to know if the apartment across the hall, or the brownstone on your
corner, was a shield for protecting dictators’ dollars, right?
These are the easiest steps, which amount to enforcing and expanding laws
already on the books. Such measures will hit the shady Americans — the
consultants, the lawyers, the real estate agents — doing business with odious
regimes abroad. The kleptocrats who have used the United States as the safest
store for their money will have to look elsewhere. To be sure, there’s no reason
to think that the revelations about the financial machinations of those
surrounding Trump will end anytime soon. Nor is there any reason to think that a
president so keen on undercutting existing anti-corruption regulations would be
interested in combating sleaze. But we don’t need Trump. We have legislation on
the books, and officials who – as the Treasury Department shows – are willing to
act. It’s time for this country to stop acting as an accomplice of the oligarchs
and autocrats who are plundering their own populations. This is one case where
we can’t leave policy to the president.
The Clash of Social Visions
David Brooks/The New
York Times/November 14/17
Every tax plan is a social vision and a statement of values. The social vision
embedded in the House Republican tax plan is straightforward: to take money away
from affluent professionals in blue states and to pump up corporations as the
engine for broad economic growth.
The plan raises taxes on affluent professionals in blue states in several ways.
First, it caps the mortgage interest deduction at loan principal of $500,000
instead of $1 million. According to an analysis by Christopher Ingraham at The
Washington Post, only about 2.5 percent of Americans are paying off mortgages on
homes valued over $500,000. These are mostly in places like California, New
York, Boston and Washington, D.C.
Second, the Republican plan cuts the deduction for state and local taxes. In
2014, according to The Economist, nearly 90 percent of the benefit from this
deduction flowed to those making more than $100,000 a year. Once again, this tax
hike hits mostly those in high-tax blue states.
Third, the bill taxes investment income earned by private universities with at
least 500 students and assets not directly tied to educational objectives of
more than $100,000 per student. It imposes a 20 percent excise tax on nonprofit
executives who make more than $1 million.
This is the beginning of the full-bore Republican assault on the private
universities, which are seen as the power centers of blue America — rich,
money-hoarding institutions that widen inequality and house radical left-wing
ideologies.
Fourth, the bill preserves high top marginal tax rates on individual income and
even raises rates in some cases on the very rich. Over the past few decades when
Republicans have talked about tax reform, they have generally talked about
sharply cutting the top marginal rate to 25 percent or even 15 percent. But this
plan keeps the top rate at 39.6 percent. And then it throws in some
peculiarities. As The Wall Street Journal noted, under the plan a married couple
would face a 45.6 percent top rate on earnings between $1.2 million and $1.6
million.
These changes could leave the rich paying an astonishingly high percentage of
their income in taxes. Scott Sumner of EconLog calculates that when you throw in
state and local taxes, rich Californians would face a tax rate of 62.7 percent.
The intellectual case for general corporate tax reform is strong. Countries
across the world have been cutting corporate rates. The United States now has
the highest corporate rates in the O.E.C.D. and the third-highest rates in the
world. Cutting those rates would attract investment, unlock money trapped abroad
and increase wages for many families. Economists vary widely in their estimates,
but Larry Kotlikoff of Boston University estimates, on the high end, that a
lower corporate tax rate could increase working-household income by roughly
$3,500 annually.
The Republicans have a social vision. The Republican vision is that the
corporate sector is more important to a healthy America than the professional
and nonprofit sector.
What, by contrast, is the Democratic vision? Are Democrats going to spend the
next few months defending the mortgage interest deduction and other tax breaks
for their own rich?
It could be that economic policy is becoming tribal just like everything else in
our politics.
Trump, Iran, and a Fast-Changing Middle East
Daniel Pipes/L'Informale (Italy)
/November 13, 2017
http://www.danielpipes.org/18024/trump-iran-and-a-fast-changing-middle-east
L'Informale's English-language title is "A new scenario in the Middle East: An
Interview with Daniel Pipes." The Italian original can be found at ""Il nuovo
scenario mediorientale : Un'intervista con Daniel Pipes."
Daniel Pipes recently visited Italy and L'Informale asked the American historian
and political commentator, one of the leading international experts of the
Middle East, some questions about the scene that is changing before our very
eyes.
Donald Trump decertified the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with
Iran, leaving it up to the U.S. Congress whether to sanction Tehran or not. Do
you agree with John Bolton, Martin Sherman, and others that it is futile to
"fix" the deal and necessary to "nix" it?
Yes, I emphatically agree with them. Trump took just half a step to dismantle
the JCPOA when a full step is needed. His action does not fundamentally change
American policy but puts the burden on the Senate. This represents a compromise
between Trump's original intention and the views of those in his administration
who oppose such a fundamental change.
The U.S. government declares Iran the foremost terrorist state but does little
or nothing in Syria to curb Iranian entrenchment. How do you explain this
inconsistency?
The Middle East is a complicated place where consistency may be impossible to
achieve. Opponents in one theater are often allies in another. That said, I wish
Washington were more fundamentally hostile towards the Islamic Republic of Iran
to the point of seeking to change the regime, but that has never been the case
in the almost forty years of Khomeinist government.
The American abandonment of Kirkuk by favoring the Baghdad government backed by
Shiite militias against the Kurds is another example of favoring Iran, is it
not?
That's unfair; Washington did not abandon the Kurds. They took an extremely
unwise step in holding a referendum in late September and they are now paying
the price for that mistake. You cannot blame the Trump administration for a
referendum it clearly and consistently opposed. You cannot call the Americans
not coming in and saving the Kurds from their mistake "abandonment."
Kirkuk: The Kurds lost it due to their own mistakes, not American perfidy.
Iran's aggression across the Middle East seems unstoppable given American
passivity and Russian cooperation. Does this mean a looming war for Israel?
Yes, a confrontation does seem likely, probably in Lebanon or Syria. As Iranian
power expands, Hezbollah is pulling its forces from Syria and directing them
against Israel. The likelihood of a Hezbollah-Israel war grows with time.
Speaking to the American Congress in 2015, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said: "Iran's regime poses a great threat not only to Israel but also
to the peace in the entire world." In an interview with me, the German political
scientist Matthias Küntzel emphasized the chiliastic nature of Iran's foreign
policy, pointing to Ali Khamenei describing the Islamic revolution of 1979 as
the "turning point in modern world history" and saying his movement aims to
create a "new civilization." How seriously should we take this outlook and how
should we respond to it?
Iran's leadership undoubtedly sees itself at the vanguard of a revolution as
earlier the Communist, Fascist, and Nazi leaderships did; this is not in
dispute. But all these regimes over time lose the support of their subject
populations, something again taking place in Iran. Almost forty years after the
Islamic Revolution, only a small minority of Iranians enthusiastically support
it.
This confronts the leadership with a problem: it wants to act aggressively but
it understands its own fragility. Any day now, there will be a bakery that has
no bread or a gas station without fuel. The result could be a riot that spreads
across the country and overthrows the government. I see that coming but, of
course, cannot predict when. We who are on the outside should take steps to
bring that day closer.
Is not the Iranian regime stronger than ever, after the ending of sanctions,
billions of dollars in cash pouring in, and lucrative contracts with the EU
pending? It has enough to improve the wellbeing of the population and become
even more aggressive internationally.
Your calculus overestimates Tehran's economic competence and underestimates the
Iranian population's expectations. From what we hear, there is massive
disappointment with the JCPOA, leaving the regime yet more vulnerable.
As this "Porsche Center Iran" suggests, Iranians have a keen taste for luxury.
How do you evaluate the resignation in Lebanon of Prime Minister, Saad Hariri
and his allegations about Iranian interference?
This is part of the immense drama surround Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of
Saudi Arabia. It's hard at this early date to sort out what exactly Hariri's
surprise and irregular resignation means. I suspect MbS was found him weak and
wants to replace him as political leader of Lebanon's Sunnis.
What is your assessment of the Trump administration's Middle East policy up to
now? In the campaign, Trump talked about making major changes to U.S. foreign
policy in general and toward the Middle East especially. Nine months later,
however, it appears policy has returned more or less to where it was. Troops are
returning to Afghanistan, the American embassy remains in Tel Aviv, the
Palestinian-Israeli "peace process" is revived, the JCPOA with Iran continues,
Erdoğan is praised, funds are denied to Egypt's government as a punishment, and
Islamism is no longer explicitly named.
Why this reversion to the conventional? Because Donald Trump lacks both the
philosophical foundation and the specific knowledge to implement his radical
vision. He ended up relying on the same people he had criticized because they
are the experts.
We see in Syria right an alliance of the nasties: Assad, Putin, Rouhani, Erdoğan.
Is the Western world, and especially Israel, confronting a new axis of evil?
As you indicate, the forces in the Middle East are now much more malign than
when George W. Bush coined the term "axis of evil" in 2002. From Israel's point
of view, the situation is more dangerous, what with a weaker United States, a
stronger Russia and Iran, plus a hostile Turkey. But Israel also gains from this
circumstance, because a weaker United States and a stronger Iran means that
other neighbors, in particular the Saudis and the Egyptians, are open to working
with it in a way that has never been the case.
Your recent article in the Washington Times, "Saving NATO from Turkey" argues
that NATO's main goals today are to contain and defat Russia and Islamism. This
reminds me of Bernard Lewis' seminal 1954 article drawing a parallel between
Communism and Islam. Could you ponder this similarity?
Bernard Lewis, "Communism and Islam," International Affairs, January 1954, pp.
1–12.
Good question. But I would say this is more of a coincidence than a parallel.
Putin is not a Communist but a Russian nationalist. He doesn't have an ideology
to impose around the world; rather, he is expanding Russian power at a time when
the Russian population and energy resources are diminishing. So, it is a
defensive action, not comparable to Communist aggression sixty years ago.
Further, Islam Islamism was a weak force in 1954 and a very powerful one today.