LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
October 26/17
Compiled &
Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the
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Bible Quotations
I will tell the reapers, Collect the
weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my
barn
Saint Matthew
13/24-30/:"Jesus put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be
compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was
asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So
when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the
slaves of the householder came and said to him, "Master, did you not sow good
seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?" He answered, "An
enemy has done this." The slaves said to him, "Then do you want us to go and
gather them?" But he replied, "No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot
the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and
at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them
in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."
I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to
promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord
First Letter to the
Corinthians 07/25-35/:"Concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I
give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. I think that, in
view of the impending crisis, it is well for you to remain as you are. Are you
bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a
wife. But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a virgin marries, she does not
sin. Yet those who marry will experience distress in this life, and I would
spare you that. I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown
short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none,
and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as
though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no
possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings
with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. I want you to be
free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord,
how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the
world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried
woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may
be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs
of the world, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to
put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to
the Lord."
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources
published on October 25-26/17
Geagea's LF ministers are a mere cover in the government for the sinful
deal/Elias Bejjani/October 25/17
Hariri-Geagea's Harvest of Succumbing To Hezbollah/Elias Bejjani/October 25/17
Israel unmasks new Hezbollah leader on Syria border/Jerusalem Post/October 25/17
Change is not Exclusive to Saudi Arabia/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/October
25/17
When Wall Street Looks Pricey, the Rest of the US Thrives/Conor Sen/Bloomberg
View/October 25/17
Europe: Journalists Against Free Speech/Judith Bergman/Gatestone
Institute/October 25/17
The EU Lectures Journalists about PC Reporting/Bruce Bawer/Gatestone
Institute/October 25/17
Rohingya Refugee Crisis: The Role of Islamist Terrorists/Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone
Institute/October 25/17
Saudi Arabia: The immense outreach of soft power/Faisal Al-Shammeri/Al Arabiya/October
25/17
Titles For Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on
October 25-26/17
Geagea's LF ministers are a mere cover in the government
for the sinful deal
Hariri-Geagea's Harvest of Succumbing To Hezbollah
A Year Under Aoun’s Tenure…Threatened Settlement, Incomplete Achievements
Aoun says relieved over Saudi decision to cooperate with Lebanon in education,
housing
Hariri discusses military and economic cooperation with Russian Ambassador
Mashnouq follows up with his Iraqi counterpart Lebanese abductees' case
Frangieh compares Bassil with Ghazi Kanaan
Lazzarini conducts tour in Akkar, visits several centers
Riachy calls media not to broach case of Lebanese abducted in Iraq
Ayman Zbib performs at 'Miss Summer 2017' pageant in Turkish Cyprus
2 killed at Grambling State University in Louisiana; shooter at large
EU ambassadors' delegation visits UNIFIL headquarters, affirms commitment to
Lebanon integrity
Finance Minister launches real estate electronic services
Israel unmasks new Hezbollah leader on Syria border
Lebanon Inquiring about Fate of Three Lebanese Abducted in Iraq
Ibrahim Tackles Kidnapped File in Syria, Says Ready for Coordination Mission on
Refugees
Rare Public Anger at Hizbullah after Crackdown on Street Vendors
U.S. Treasury Secretary Vows 'Deterrent' Measures against Hizbullah
Gen. Aoun Meets Head of US Central Command in Washington
Bassil Says Mashnouq 'Impeding' Elections as Panel Holds Futile Meeting
EU Ambassadors Visit UNIFIL, Voice Support for Army, Lebanese AuthoritiesWoman
Wanted over Spying for Israel Arrested
Military, Security Delegations in Moscow to Seal 'Quality Arms' Agreements
Police Remove Illegal Stands in Beirut Southern Suburb, Owners Burn Tires in
Protest
Australia Grants UNICEF $23 Million for Lebanon Education
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on October 25-26/17
Russia Prevents Extending Mandate of Investigation into Syria’s Chemical
Attack
Iraqi Kurdistan Offers to 'Freeze' Results of Independence Vote
US to Resume Refugee Admissions; 11 Countries Blocked
U.S. Drone Strike Kills 13 'IS Fighters' in Yemen
Iraqi PM Abadi Arrives in Turkey for Talks
Iran Reopens Border Crossing with Iraqi Kurdistan
Iranian Parliament Reviews Ahmadinejad-Linked Corruption
Saudi FM Jubeir on future of Gulf rift: ‘The matter is up to Qatar’
Saudi Arabia lists two entities and eleven names supporting al-Qaeda, ISIS
Jubeir: We Support Trump Position on Tehran, Qatar Crisis a ‘Non-Issue’
Emir of Kuwait: Our Mediation in Qatar Crisis Aims to Protect GCC from Rift
Suspected Militant Arrested, Weapons Seized in Berlin Raid
ISIS demands Reuters and BBC to publish names of alleged victims of Wahat
terrorist crime
Trump speaks to Xi Jinping after Chinese leader tightens grip on power
Catalan separatist leader turns down chance to talk to Spanish Senate
Latest Lebanese Related News published on October 24-25/17
Geagea's LF ministers are a mere cover in the government
for the sinful deal
Elias Bejjani/October 25/17/Geagea's LF three ministers are a
cover for the sinful governing deal, and a mere decorative in a government that
Hezbollah has in it the upper hand and the last say. The LF ministers are
accordingly hindering and blocking all hopes in the reclaiming of independence,
sovereignty and free decision making process.
Hariri-Geagea's Harvest of Succumbing To Hezbollah
Elias Bejjani/October 24/17/Hariri's & Geagea's shameful succumbing to Hezbollah's sinful governing deal,
their dismantling of 14th of March coalition, as well as their hunger and lustre
for power encouraged the Iranian Mullahs to confiscate, abuse and marginalize
Lebanon's sovereignty, constitution and independence
A Year Under Aoun’s Tenure…Threatened Settlement,
Incomplete Achievements
Beirut - Caroline Akoum/ASharq Al Awsat/October 25/17/Next week will mark the
first anniversary of Lebanese President Michel Aoun’s presidential tenure. Aoun
was elected at the end of October 2016 as a result of a political settlement
that also included Saad al-Hariri, who was appointed as the head of the
“government of restoring confidence”. The era that began two and a half years
after a presidential vacuum has somehow succeeded in reactivating state
institutions, without addressing the Lebanese system, which is characterized by
corruption and political and sectarian sharing.
However, local disagreements have started lately to emerge in light of the
government’s internal and foreign policies, including a dispute between the
president of the Free Patriotic Movement, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on one
side, and the Future Movement and the Lebanese Forces party on the other, due to
Bassil’s recent visit to Damascus where he met with his Syrian counterpart Walid
al-Muallem. Senior Researcher at Information International Mohammed Shamseddine
said that the main feature of this presidential term was the re-launching of the
work of institutions and the implementation of some “incomplete” achievements,
at a time when some issues still needed to be addressed, mainly corruption. In
remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Shamseddine said: “It was remarkable from
the beginning and as a result of political understandings, the rapid formation
of the government, 46 days after the appointment of Saad al-Hariri, while the
government of the former Prime Minister Tamam Salam took 315 days to be
completed and the government of Najib Miqati took 140 days.” “Since its
formation, Hariri’s cabinet held 42 meetings, in which it approved 1620 decrees,
while meetings of previous governments were often disrupted by political
differences,” he added. Other achievements, according to Shamseddine, include
the adoption of the State Budget, diplomatic and judicial appointments and the
victory achieved by the Lebanese Army over terrorist groups in the outskirts of
Arsal. Former Minister and prominent member of the Phalanges Patry Salim Sayegh
said that achievements claimed by the FPM under Aoun’s tenure were nothing but
“presumptions”, accusing the current authority of “establishing national
deception and paving the way for the country to be handed over to Hezbollah.”
FPM MP Alain Aoun, for his part, did not deny that these “achievements” were not
always complete due to the Lebanese reality, but refused to belittle their
importance, accusing some people of spreading negative slogans. “We don’t have a
magic wand and the change will come successively,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Aoun says relieved over Saudi decision to cooperate with Lebanon in education,
housing
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - President of the republic, Michel Aoun, on Wednesday hoped
that the crises jolting the Arab world would end soon and that the Arab states
would be open to each other. "We in Lebanon consider that the Arab countries are
a vital extension to us and that the current war in Syria has isolated our lands
from this extension," Aoun said. He also emphasized on the cooperation among all
the Arab countries, voicing relief over the two decisions made by Saudi Arabia
to collaborate with Lebanon in the fields on education and housing. Moreover,
Aoun welcomed the regional and international conferences taking place in
Lebanon. His remarks came during his meeting at Baabda palace today with the
participants in the 15th International Operations and Maintenance Conference in
the Arab Countries, OMAINTEC, which was recently held in Beirut. Separately,
Aoun met today with governor of Lebanon's Central Bank, Riyad Salame, who
informed him of the outcome of his fresh visit to the US and participation in
the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's meetings.
The President later welcomed Eparch of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Jbeil,
bishop Michel Aoun. He also met with a delegation of relatives of abused women,
to whom he highlighted the necessity to bridging the legal gap between men and
women.
Hariri discusses military and economic cooperation with
Russian Ambassador
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - The President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri
received today at the Grand Serail the Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander
Zasypkin, in the presence of his advisor for Russian affairs George Chaaban.
During the meeting discussions focused on the importance of equipping the
Lebanese Army and security forces through the assistance that Russia will
provide to Lebanon. Talks also tackled the bilateral cooperation in the
economic, agricultural and cultural fields, facilitating the entry of Lebanese
products to the Russian markets and facilitating Russian visa to the Lebanese.
After the meeting, Ambassador Zasypkin said: "The meeting with Prime Minister
Hariri comes within the framework of following up the agreements signed during
his recent visit to Moscow and his meetings with President Vladimir Putin and
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. We are working on economic, military and
cultural issues to implement these agreements as soon as possible." Prime
Minister Hariri also received the Minister of the Displaced Talal Arslan and
discussed with him the situation and issues related to the ministry of the
displaced. He also met with the President of the Court of Cessation at the
Military Court Judge Sakr Sakr and discussed with him issues related to the
judiciary situation. During the meeting, Hariri commended the efforts exerted by
Sakr in the judicial practice, praising his professional performance to preserve
the independence of the judiciary and the implementation of law. Hariri also
chaired a meeting of the ministerial committee for the implementation of the
electoral law. The meeting was attended by ministers Nohad Machnouk, Ali Hassan
Khalil, Gebran Bassil, Mohammad Fneish, Ali Kanso, Talal Arslan, Youssef
Fenianos, and Pierre Bou Assi, and the Secretary General of the Council of
Ministers Fouad Fleifel. - PRESS RELEASE
Mashnouq follows up with his Iraqi counterpart Lebanese
abductees' case
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - Interior and Municipalities Minister, Nuhad Mashnouq, on
Wednesday contacted his Iraqi counterpart, Qassem Al-Araji, to follow up on the
case of the three Lebanese abducted in Iraq last Sunday. In a statement by the
Interior Ministry's Media Bureau, it affirmed that the Ministry, with its
various apparatuses, has been following up on the case since the first hours of
the abduction last Sunday night. A security delegation from the Ministry was
dispatched to Iraq to follow up on developments on the ground, statement said.
"The main concern of the Lebanese government, the Interior Ministry and the
abductees' families is to ensure the safety of the three abductees and to ensure
their speedy return to Lebanon through exerting every possible effort in this
regard," statement said. The statement urged all Lebanese and Arab media outlets
to excercise utmost degrees of professional responsibility taking into account
the abductees' families feelings. The statement called on media outlets not to
broach the case of the Lebanese abducted for their own safety.
Frangieh compares Bassil with Ghazi Kanaan
The Daily Star/October 25/17/BEIRUT: MP Sleiman Frangieh said he
would meet with longtime foe Samir Geagea before President Michel Aoun because
of Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil’s actions. “The behavior of Minister Gebran
Bassil goes beyond [what would happen] during the days of Ghazi Kanaan,”
Frangieh, a former presidential candidate, said in an interview with Al-Ittihad
newspaper released Wednesday. Kanaan was Syria’s top intelligence official in
Lebanon from 1982 until 2002 and he was responsible for a number of kidnappings,
tortures, deaths and assassinations of Lebanese politicians and residents.
However, Frangieh struck a changed tone towards Aoun saying, “In politics, he is
the Michel Aoun we know.”He added that he and his Marada Movement agreed with
the Free Patriotic Movement on some political stances, such as supporting
Hezbollah. But the Zgharta MP was quick to voice his surprise with some outcomes
of Aoun’s first year in office. Judicial, administrative and ambassadorial
appointments have been made during Aoun's term, but not without controversy.
Reports emerged that the LF and Marada were sidelined with little to no
loyalists appointed. “It’s as if the malicious appointments that expelled any
Christian employee connected to Sleiman Frangieh or Samir Geagea and appointing
someone else was to correct Christian representation,” Frangieh said, in a
veiled response to the appointments and Bassil’s recent motto of restoring
Christians’ rights. Turning to the controversial comments made by Bsharri MP
Strida Geagea in Australia earlier this week, Frangieh was quick to downplay any
attempts at driving a wedge between Marada and Lebanese Forces. The two parties
have stepped up efforts recently to ease years-long tensions. “It’s the first
time we clearly hear words from [Geagea or MP Geagea] ... assuring that there
isn’t an LF attempt to reopen old wounds,” Frangieh said. “From here, the LF
chief attempted to correct what happened at all cost and I understood the case,”
he added. MP Geagea appeared in a video talking about her late father and how
she met her husband and current LF leader Samir Geagea. She said her father had
described him by saying, “This boy is one of a kind because he is a true Bsharri
man who went and stomped on the residents of Zgharta.” However, she was quick to
say her remarks had been misinterpreted and that “We are keen to accomplish the
reconciliation [with the Marada Movement] soon, and forget about the painful
past.”Samir Geagea was accused of killing Marada MP Sleiman Frangieh’s father
Tony Frangieh in the Ehden massacre on June 13, 1978.
Lazzarini conducts tour in Akkar, visits several centers
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - The UN Representative and Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator
in Lebanon, Philippe Lazzarini, on Wednesday conducted a tour in the province of
Akkar, accompanied by OCHA Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs, Nayla Hajjar,
and UNDP North District Director, Alan Shatri. Lazzarini's first stop over has
been at the government Halba Serail, where he met with Akkar Commissioner, Imad
Labaki. Discussions reportedly touched on general public affairs, notably in
terms of the impact of the Syrian displacement crisis on Akkar district and on
the socio-economic situation. Means of upgrading aids to the local communities
in this regard were also discussed. The UN official said he was working to
multiply efforts to deal with the refugee crisis, expressing appreciation for
Lebanon's efforts at all levels in the context of the crisis.
Riachy calls media not to broach case of Lebanese abducted
in Iraq
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - Minister of Information, Melhem Riachy, on Wednesday
called upon all media means not to broach the case of the Lebanese abducted in
Iraq "for their own safety." Riachy indicated in a statement that his call came
following the abductees' relatives' request.
Ayman Zbib performs at 'Miss Summer 2017' pageant in
Turkish Cyprus
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - The Lebanese artist Ayman Zbib gleefully performed during
the Miss Summer 2017" Pageant at the banquet hall of the "Merit Royal" and
"Premium" Hotels in Turkish Cyprus. Fourteen contestants from 14 countries
partook in the beauty pageant, namely from Belarus, Croatia, Estonia, Guinea,
Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Siberia,
Slovakia and Ukraine.The jury comprised of the Lebanese figures Charle Douaibes,
Emma Jmarino, Edmond Abi Nasr, Nabil Shouman and Paul Abi Najem. Winning the
title "Miss Summer 2017" has been the Latvian contestant, Kaupuza Adelaida. The
Lithuanian Anastasia Simitova reaped the First runner-up title, whereas the
Macedonian Sandra Stephanowski, was designated as Second runner-up. The third
runner-up was the Guinean Jassman Sejorg Sidibe.
2 killed at Grambling State University in Louisiana;
shooter at large
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - Two men were fatally shot on a university campus in
northern Louisiana early Wednesday. The shooter is believed to be at large. The
incident occurred at Grambling State University about 40 miles west of Monroe,
La. Both of the deceased were from Farmerville in Union Parish. One was a
student and one was not. A student called Police Chief Gene Caviness on his
cellphone to report the disturbance, Grambling spokesman Will Sutton said.
Officers found two men dead in a courtyard between two dormitories. Both were
shot, Sutton said. The incident took place after an altercation in a dorm room
spilled over to a courtyard on campus, said Stephen Williams, spokesman for the
Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office. The Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office is working
the scene, but no suspect has been identified or arrested. Students have been
told to remain in their dorms.
Sutton named the dead men as Earl Andrews and Monquiarious Caldwell, both 23.
Andrews was a senior at the university. It wasn't immediately known why Caldwell
was on campus or his connection to Andrews. "Our prayers go out to the victims
and their families," Sutton said. "Violence has no place on our campus. We will
fully cooperate with the police investigation." The incident occurred as the
university, a historically black college with about 4,500 students, celebrates
its Homecoming this week. ---USA Today
EU ambassadors' delegation visits UNIFIL headquarters,
affirms commitment to Lebanon integrity
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - A delegation of EU ambassadors on Wednesday visited UNIFIL
headquarters in Naqoura, where they met with UNIFIL Commander, General Michael
Beary. Discussions majorly touched on UNIFIL's activities in the zone of its
operations after the renewal of its mission. The delegation also visited a UN
post on the Blue Line, where they were briefed on the security situation in the
sector. The delegation included ambassadors and representatives of the European
Union, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy,
the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. The EU
representatives hailed UNIFIL's positive role in maintaining peace and stability
in southern Lebanon, renewing the European Union and member states' full support
for UNIFIL. The visiting delegation also met with the Lebanese army's South
Litani Sector Commander, Brigadier General Robert Al-Alam, who briefed them on
the activities of the army in the zone of its operations. The delegation hailed
the existing cooperation between the army and UNIFIL, voicing full support for
the efforts exerted by the Lebanese authorities, army and security apparatuses
in combating terrorism and preventing extremism. They welcomed cooperation
between the EU and Lebanon in this regard. Head of the EU Mission in Lebanon,
Ambassador Christina Lassen, said the European Union and the member states fully
support the work of UNIFIL, the army and the Lebanese authorities in maintaining
peace, security and stability throughout Lebanon. Ambassador Lassen reaffirmed
the EU's commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial
integrity of Lebanon.
Finance Minister launches real estate electronic services
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - Minister of Finance, Ali Hassan Khalil, on Wednesday
launched new electronic services at the real-estate's public department, in
presence of a panel of general directors, representatives of public
institutions, and diplomats.
In his word, Minister Khalil called for the modification of the state action,
through the application of reforms and the e-government.
Israel unmasks new Hezbollah leader on Syria border
Jerusalem Post/October 25/17
As the war of words between Israel and Hezbollah continues, the Israeli security
establishment is raising the lid over the identity of the Shi'ite terror group's
new top commander in Syria's Golan Heights.
According to Israeli media reports, the IDF’s military intelligence has
identified Hezbollah’s strongman on the Syrian side of the Golan as Munir Ali
Naim Shaiti, also known as Hajj Hasham. The 50-year-old father of four from
south Lebanon spends most of his time in Syria, where he is in charge of
security and directing all Hezbollah operations in the war-torn country. Shaiti
is believed to have been the deputy chief of Hezbollah’s Bader Brigades, which
handled terror operations north of the Litani river in Lebanon, before he became
the head of Hezbollah’s operations in Syria in June 2016 and replaced Samir
Quntar who was killed the previous year.
According to intelligence sources quoted by Israeli press, while his main role
in Syria is to assist the Syrian army in their fight against the rebel groups in
the area, he gets his orders from the influential and powerful Qassem Soleimani,
the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds force. Shaiti is also in
charge of preparing Hezbollah’s military infrastructure for a future
confrontation with Israel, which the Jewish State believes will not be confined
to one front but will see conflict with both Syria and Lebanon.
While the primary threat posed by Hezbollah remains its missile arsenal which
has been rebuilt with the help of Iran since the 2006 Second Lebanon War, the
IDF believes that the next war will see the group trying to bring the fight into
the homefront by infiltrating into Israeli communities to inflict significant
civilian and military casualties. The identity of Hezbollah’s main man on the
Golan has not been revealed until now, and Arabic-language press seem to have
been taken off guard, replicating what has been printed in Hebrew press.
According to Aymenn Tamimi, research fellow at the Middle East Forum, while it
is likely that what Israeli intelligence has on Shaiti is true, “it's hard to
verify as Hezbollah tends not to say much about where exactly its commanders are
stationed.”
The strategic importance of the Golan and the Iranian entrenchment there has
Israel concerned, and Israel is believed to have carried out hundreds of strikes
targeting Hezbollah militants, weapons convoys and infrastructure in Syria since
January 2013, preventing what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says would be
“game-changing weaponry” falling into the hands of the militant group. Israel is
believed to have carried out airstrikes inside Syria against senior Iranian and
Hezbollah commanders such as against Jihad Munigyeh, the son of the late
Hezbollah military chief Imad Munigyeh, near the city of Quenitra in January
2015, and prominent Hezbollah leader Samir Quntar in December 2015.
Both Munigyeh and Kuntar are believed to have been in the process of
establishing military infrastructure on the Golan Heights for future attacks
against Israel when they were killed, so it can be assumed that with Shaiti’s
unmasking, military intelligence is warning the Shi'ite terror group that he may
be next.
Hezbollah has been fighting in Syria assisting the regime of Bashar al-Assad and
in mid-September the group’s secretary general Hassan Nasrallah claimed that the
Syrian regime had won the civil war. According to Arabic press, Hezbollah
announced that their soldiers would fully withdraw from Syria by 2018.
But Tamimi thinks it is doubtful that the group will fully pull out of Syria by
next year.
“We are talking of a long-term presence in those border areas and having local
Syrian affiliates as a way to get around any meaningful insistence of no
Iranian-backed (foreign) militias on the border,” he said, explaining that
Hezbollah has been recruiting new fighters from the Druze village of Hadr in
south Syria near Israel’s Hermon. “Hezbollah wants local affiliates who could
move about in those border areas and perhaps act as a tool of harassment and
Hadr is one close border place from which you could recruit.”“I think in the
long-run when there's an insistence there should be no Iranian-backed foreign
militias on that border area, the international pressure may be such that
Hezbollah can't keep its own Lebanese operatives and commanders there. But if
you have local Syrian affiliates that's a way to get around it,” he explained.
Lebanon Inquiring about Fate of Three Lebanese Abducted in
Iraq
Naharnet/October 25/17/Lebanon's Foreign Ministry said the abduction incident of
three Lebanese nationals in Iraq's Baghdad is being followed up closely in a
manner that suits the safety of the abductees, the National News Agency reported
on Wednesday.Three Lebanese businessmen identified as Imad Khatib, Nader Hamadeh
and George Batrouni, were kidnapped on Sunday shortly after arriving in Baghdad,
said NNA. “The Ministry is following up on the matter in a manner that suits the
safety of the kidnapped and that ensures their safe release,” a statement
released by the ministry said. It added urging “media outlets to adhere to
professional standards in a manner consistent with the accuracy of the
incident.” Later on Wednesday, Lebanon's Interior Ministry said it had been
following up on the kidnap incident since Sunday night. "A security delegation
from the ministry headed to Iraq to follow up on the developments on the
ground," the ministry said. "The main concern for the Lebanese government, the
Interior Ministry and the families is the safety of the three abductees and
securing their speedy return to Lebanon through exerting all the possible
efforts in this regard," the ministry added.
Ibrahim Tackles Kidnapped File in Syria, Says Ready for
Coordination Mission on Refugees
Naharnet/October 25/17/General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim will
reportedly head to Syria on Wednesday to discuss a number of “pending” files
between the two countries, expressing readiness to carry out any “coordination
mission” with Damascus mandated to him by the Lebanese cabinet as for the
displaced issue, al-Joumhouria daily reported. Ibrahim is expected to “meet with
Syrian officials and conduct a comprehensive review with them on all pending
issues between the two countries, especially the security files related to the
kidnapped and the extradition of Lebanese detained by Syrian authorities,” said
the daily. Another file related to the killing crime of Majid al-Hasehm, a
Lebanese national from al-Aqoura area, will be brought up during Abbas' talks,
seeing as the suspect is in the captivity of Syrian authorities, it added. As
for the controversial coordination between Lebanon and Syria on the return of
displaced Syrians, Ibrahim told the daily that he is “ready to carry out any
coordination mission between the two countries mandated by the Cabinet to follow
up with the relevant authorities in Syria.”
Rare Public Anger at Hizbullah after Crackdown on Street
Vendors
Associated Press/Naharnet/October 25/17/A police raid against unlicensed street
vendors in Beirut's southern suburbs has caused a rare public expression of
anger in a stronghold of Hizbullah. The raid early Wednesday in the Hay el-Sellom
neighborhood was carried out by the Internal Security Forces, which used
bulldozers to take down shacks where vendors mainly sold coffee and mobile
phones. Dozens of angry residents poured into the streets, burning tires and
blocking some roads to prevent the police from approaching their properties. The
protest turned against Hizbullah, which had promoted the campaign against
violators. In an usual move, some took their grievances to live TV, demanding
compensation from Hizbullah and even cursing the group's leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah. Public displays of anger against Hizbullah in Lebanon are rare,
especially in the group's strongholds.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Vows 'Deterrent' Measures against
Hizbullah
Naharnet/October 25/17/U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced
Wednesday that Washington will take “deterrent” measures against Hizbullah.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Mnuchin said
the United States and its allies in the region will discuss a host of measures
in the coming period. Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives
had revealed on October 21 that the House would vote on new sanctions against
Iran and Hizbullah within a few days. The expected measures are part of U.S.
President Donald Trump's latest anti-Tehran drive.
Gen. Aoun Meets Head of US Central Command in Washington
Naharnet/October 25/17/Army Commander General Joseph Aoun held talks in
Washington with the US Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of US Central Command in the
presence of senior military and civil officials, the National News Agency
reported on Wednesday. Votel congratulated General Aoun on the huge victory
achieved by the Lebanese army during the Dawn of the Outskirts offensive that
led to ousting the Islamic State militants from the area, NNA added. Moreover,
discussions focused on the bilateral ties and the means to bolster cooperation
to support the Lebanese army in its national task, it added. Conferees also
dwelt on the US military aid program for Lebanon's military, whereby Votel
confirmed that more assistance would be provided in the upcoming stage. Votel
has also praised the Lebanese army command's decision to heighten the deployment
of troops in the south of the Litani river sector.
Bassil Says Mashnouq 'Impeding' Elections as Panel Holds Futile Meeting
Naharnet/October 25/17/Foreign Minister and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran
Bassil on Wednesday accused Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq of “impeding”
the upcoming parliamentary elections, as a ministerial panel tasked with
studying the implementation of the complex electoral law held a futile meeting.
“Three forces are obstructing the electoral law: the one who is impeding the
organization of the elections, or the interior minister, those who are accusing
us of corruption, theft and shady deals over the issue of voting cards, and
those who are demanding the pre-registration of voters,” Bassil said after the
ministerial committee's meeting at the Grand Serail. Bassil said calls for the
pre-registration of voters who wish to cast ballots in their places of residency
are “targeted against the freedom of these voters.” Mashnouq had announced
before the meeting that “the pre-registration of voters has become
inevitable.”Minister of the Displaced Talal Arslan meanwhile lamented that there
is an “acute political dispute” over the electoral mechanisms, noting that the
panel has not achieved any progress. Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil for his
part said that the only point that the parties have agreed on is that the
elections “will be held on time.” The polls will be held under a complex
proportional representation law for the first time in Lebanon's history. The
electoral law was reached after years of political wrangling and three
extensions of parliament's term.
EU Ambassadors Visit UNIFIL, Voice Support for Army, Lebanese Authorities
Naharnet/October 25/17/A delegation of European Union ambassadors on Wednesday
visited the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The delegation was
composed of the ambassadors and representatives of the European Union and
Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, the
Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. The EU delegation was
welcomed at UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura by the Force Commander General
Michael Beary. Discussions focused on UNIFIL’s activities in its area of
operation following the recent renewal of the mission’s mandate. The delegation
also visited a UNIFIL position along the Blue Line where it took stock of the
security situation in the sector. The EU representatives commended “the positive
role of UNIFIL in maintaining peace and stability in southern Lebanon,” a
statement issued by the Delegation of the European Union in Lebanon said. They
reaffirmed the EU and Member States' “full support to UNIFIL, including its
maritime component, whose deployment alongside the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)
they considered crucial to maintaining stability and security in southern
Lebanon and along the Lebanese shores.”They also recalled “the importance for
UNIFIL to be provided with the necessary means and equipment to guarantee its
full operational capability to which several EU Member States are making
significant contributions.”The EU representatives met with the Lebanese Army
Commander of the South Litani sector, Brig. Gen. Robert Alam, who briefed them
on the army's activities in its area of operation. They welcomed “the LAF's
cooperation with UNIFIL and its deployment across southern Lebanon,” calling for
“a sustained assistance to the LAF to allow it to continue performing its
mandate.”The ambassadors further expressed “the EU's full support to the efforts
of the Lebanese authorities, the LAF and the security agencies in the fight
against terrorism and the prevention of radicalization,” welcoming the
cooperation between the EU and Lebanon in this regard. Ambassador Lassen, Head
of the Delegation of the European Union, said: "The EU and its Member States
fully support the work of UNIFIL, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Lebanese
authorities in maintaining peace, security and stability all across Lebanon."
Reaffirming the EU's “commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and
territorial integrity of Lebanon,” Ambassador Lassen stressed the importance of
Lebanon's “continued commitment to the full implementation of its international
obligations, in particular UNSC Resolution 1701.”
Woman Wanted over Spying for Israel Arrested
Naharnet/October 25/17/A Lebanese woman wanted over spying for Israel was
arrested on Wednesday, the National News Agency said. “The General Directorate
of State Security has managed to arrest Lebanese woman J.Y. in the Metn area of
Sed el-Bauchrieh,” NNA said. The fugitive woman had been sentenced to ten years
in jail on charges of “collaborating with the Israeli enemy,” the agency added.
During interrogation, she confessed to “carrying out an act of sabotage in
Lebanon on behalf of the Israeli enemy and to entering the occupied Palestinian
territories several times in the past,” NNA said.
Military, Security Delegations in Moscow to Seal 'Quality
Arms' Agreements
Naharnet/October 25/17/Lebanese delegations are expected to travel to Russia
next week as part of talks initiated by Prime Minister Saad Hariri with the
Russian leadership to provide Lebanon's military with “quality weapons”, al-Mustaqbal
daily reported on Wednesday. Russian diplomatic sources told the daily “Russian
authorities are preparing to receive a Lebanese security delegation from the
ministry of interior, followed by a military delegation from the ministry of
defense to start talks on 'quality weapons' that Lebanon needs within the
framework of an agreement between Hariri and the Russian leadership.”Noting that
this agreement was concluded with Moscow in 2010 before the government of Hariri
with the aim of strengthening the army's capabilities, but the overthrow of that
government hampered its implementation, the sources pointed out that “Hariri has
revived this agreement during his visit to Russia in September.”According to the
deal Moscow will “finance the process of arming the military with quality
weapons and equipment worth one billion dollars. The Russian state is to
reimburse the arms manufacturers after which the Lebanese state is to install
the payments over a 12-year period at an interest close to 0%,” they told the
daily. The security and military delegations to Moscow are set to focus on
reviewing the Russian weapons' programs to select what the army and security
forces require, they added.
Police Remove Illegal Stands in Beirut Southern Suburb,
Owners Burn Tires in Protest
Naharnet/October 25/17/Angry owners of illegal coffee vending vehicles and
kiosks in the southern suburb of Hay el-Sellom burned tires on Wednesday
protesting the state's removal of their unauthorized structures, the State-run
National News Agency reported on Wednesday.m the Internal Security Forces have
removed at 4:00 a.m. a number of illegal and unauthorized coffee vending
vehicles and kiosks from a parking lot in Hay al-Sellom. Owners of the stalls
have protested the move and gathered at the location at 7:00 a.m. setting car
tires on fire in objection, NNA added.
NNA added that some armed presence was reported in the area and that the
security forces together with the municipal police managed to peacefully
disburse the protestors.
Australia Grants UNICEF $23 Million for Lebanon Education
Associated Press/Naharnet/October 25/17/The U.N. children's agency said Tue that
Australia has granted it 30 million Australian dollars, or about $23 million, to
boost access to education for vulnerable children in Lebanon over the next three
years. A UNICEF statement said the announcement was made during Australian
Governor-General Peter Cosgrove's visit to a Lebanese public school. More than 1
million Syrian refugees have fled war in their country to neighboring Lebanon,
straining local resources. Tens of thousands of Syrian children now attend
Lebanese public schools. Cosgrove lauded the Lebanese government's efforts in
hosting Syrian refugees and said at the school, flanked by Education Minister
Marwan Hamade, that "what we see here today is the best proof of this
support."Tanya Chapuisat, UNICEF's representative in Lebanon, said it's only
through education that societies can end intergenerational cycles of poverty and
discrimination.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on October 25-26/17
Russia Prevents Extending Mandate of Investigation into
Syria’s Chemical Attack
Asharq Al Awsat/October 25/17/Russia used its veto power on the United Nations
Security Council Tuesday, preventing the renewal of the mandate for a mission
that investigates the use of chemical weapons in Syria. It was the ninth time
that Russia has used its veto to stop international action on Syria. The
investigation by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons – known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism – was established
by the 15-member UN Security Council in 2015. Its mandate was renewed in 2016
for another year and is due to expire in mid-November. The JIM is expected to
issue its report by Oct. 26 on the party responsible for an attack on April 4 on
the town of Khan Sheikhoun, where 87 people, including 30 children, were killed
due to Sarin gaz. In a separate report, the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed that Sarin gas, or a similar material, was
used in Khan Sheikhoun, but without specifying the party responsible for the
attack, since this issues falls within the authority of the JIM. Russia says the
Sarin gas found in Khan Sheikhoun was not caused by a raid by the Syrian air
force, but probably by terrorists exploding a bomb. However, western countries
stress that the Syrian regime was responsible for using Sarin in Idlib. The
United States, Britain and other countries condemned Moscow’s veto decision,
describing it as an attempt to protect the perpetrators of the Khan Sheikhoun
massacre.
Iraqi Kurdistan Offers to 'Freeze' Results of Independence
Vote
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/October 25/17/Iraqi Kurdish leaders
offered Wednesday to freeze the outcome of last month's vote for independence,
taking a step back in a major crisis after Baghdad delivered a body blow by
seizing swathes of disputed territory. The proposal came as world powers
scrambled to avert any further escalation of the conflict between the key allies
in the fight against the Islamic State group that has seen more than 30
combatants killed. Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi did not respond to the
proposal during a visit to Ankara but once again slammed the Kurdish authorities
for pushing on with the referendum "unilaterally and without any consideration
for the rest of Iraq."Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization) force,
whose mainly Iran-trained Shiite paramilitaries played a major role in the
operation against the Kurds, said a freeze did not go far enough and demanded
the outright annulment of the independence referendum. Washington, Moscow and
the United Nations have all pressed Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani to open
talks with Baghdad on a way out of the crisis sparked by the fateful September
25 vote that he called. The Kurdistan Regional Government, led by Barzani, said
it would propose to the federal government "the freezing of the results of the
referendum... and the start of an open dialogue" on the basis of the
constitution. It also called for "an immediate ceasefire and cessation of
military operations in Kurdistan." Since early last week, Iraqi federal troops
and allied militia have retaken virtually all of the territory held by the Kurds
outside their longstanding three-province autonomous region in the north. There
were clashes on Tuesday between government and Kurdish forces close to the
frontier with Turkey as Baghdad made a push to reclaim control of key border
crossings around the region.
Vote must be annulled
The Hashed al-Shaabi, which has taken a hard line in the dispute with the Kurds,
demanded that they annul the independence vote as a precondition for any
dialogue. "The Kurdish proposal is worthless because freezing the referendum
means recognizing it and the position of the Iraqi government is clear -- the
referendum must be annulled," Hashed spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi told AFP. The
independence referendum deeply divided Iraqi Kurdish leaders and many commanders
ordered their forces to pull back without resisting. The loss of so much
territory, including the major city of Kirkuk and lucrative oil fields, dealt a
huge blow to Kurdish dreams of economic self-sufficiency and eventual
independence. "Today nobody is with us except for God," lamented Mohammed Ali,
59, a trader in the Kurdish capital Arbil. Barzani's longtime political rival,
the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, had opposed the independence vote and backed a
U.N. plan for negotiations on wider Kurdish autonomy. The Iraqi constitution
adopted during the U.S.-led occupation of 2003-11 provides for plebiscites in
the disputed areas on their possible incorporation in the autonomous Kurdish
region. Washington has made clear that while it will not take sides in the
conflict between its Iraq allies, it does not regard Baghdad's reoccupation of
the disputed areas as a fait accompli. "The reassertion of federal authority
over disputed areas in no way changes their status -- they remain disputed until
their status is resolved in accordance with the Iraqi constitution," State
Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Friday.
UN bids for talks
The United Nations said on Tuesday that it stands ready to broker talks. U.N.
envoy Jan Kubis "expressed confidence that despite the recent tensions, Iraq
will be able to ride this crisis." "Both sides publicly expressed their
willingness to engage in dialogue and negotiations on the basis of the
Constitution. The U.N. is ready to assist, if requested," he said. Abadi, whose
domestic prestige has been sharply boosted by the return of the disputed
territories to federal control, has been on a tour of regional countries which
share his hostility to Kurdish moves towards secession. He also held talks in
Baghdad on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. During his visit
to Turkey, which is fiercely opposed to Kurdish independence, he was expected to
push his demand for the federal government to retake control of border
crossings. As Abadi was looking to press his advantage against the Kurds, Iran
-- another neighbor opposed to the vote -- reopened one of its three border
crossings with Kurdistan. Iran closed the crossings in response to the
referendum and, like other governments around the world, last month halted
flights to Iraqi Kurdish airports at the request of the Baghdad government.
US to Resume Refugee Admissions; 11 Countries Blocked
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/October 25/17/The United States will resume
accepting refugees after a 120-day ban, but arrivals from 11 "high-risk"
countries, most of them home to Muslim majorities, will still be blocked,
officials announced Tuesday. The temporary ban, which President Donald Trump
fought to implement since January and finally proceeded with in late June after
a Supreme Court decision, allowed officials to review security procedures and
set tougher screening procedures. Jennifer Higgins, associate director for
refugees at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency, said applicants
will face "enhanced" vetting as a result of the review, including more in-depth
checks of their social media presence and connections. "The security of the
American people is our highest priority," she told journalists in a briefing.
Trump issued a new executive order on refugees late Tuesday that replaced the
expiring one, which was a part of his controversial travel ban that evoked a
series of court challenges on the grounds it targeted Muslims. The new order
will accompany a sharp cutback on refugee admissions under Trump.
President Barack Obama set the refugee cap, for the fiscal year that ended on
September 30, 2017, at 110,000. But after becoming president, Trump slashed that
to 53,000 even as he fought to put in place a full ban. For fiscal year 2018,
Trump has cut the maximum number to 45,000.
Officials declined to list the 11 countries, but said they are the same as on a
2015 list for tougher screening, requiring a "Security Advisory Opinion."They
are now subject to another 90-day security and intelligence review, but the
officials would not say what could happen then. Refugee agencies pointed to the
affected countries as Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia,
South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. All but North Korea are mainly Muslim
populations, and in the past have been the source of the largest portion of US
refugee admissions. They represent close to half of all the refugees entering
the United States. In fiscal 2017, out of 53,716 refugees the US accepted,
22,150 came from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Somalia. The officials said the
government would still review certain special cases from the 11 countries,
without describing what would qualify them. Kathleen Newland, a senior fellow of
the Migration Policy Institute, said there is significant backup of refugees
already with approval waiting to get into the United States. But the net effect
over the longer term will be that the top United Nations refugee official will
not be able to lean on the United States to accept as many people as in the
past. "I expect they just won't be referring as many cases for US resettlement,"
Newland said.
U.S. Drone Strike Kills 13 'IS Fighters' in Yemen
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/October 25/17/A U.S. drone strike has killed 13
suspected Islamic State group militants in central Yemen, security sources said
Wednesday. The strike in Bayda province would be the second known U.S. strike
against IS in Yemen. The first came just over a week ago, when the U.S. military
said it had killed dozens of jihadists at IS training camps in the same
province. The United States is the only country known to operate armed drones
over Yemen, but its previous known strikes have targeted al-Qaida. IS has
however risen to prominence in the country's civil war, targeting both
government forces and Shiite Huthi rebels, which it considers heretics.
Washington has intensified its drone war against Yemen-based jihadists since
U.S. President Donald Trump took power in January. A Saudi-led coalition, which
entered Yemen's conflict in March 2015 to prop up the government of President
Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi against the Iran-backed Huthis, has also turned its
firepower on Sunni jihadists. The Yemen war has killed 8,673 people and wounded
58,636 since 2015, including many civilians, according to the United Nations.
Another 2,100 have died of cholera this year. The top U.N. aid official arrived
in Yemen Tuesday on a five-day trip aimed at drawing attention to what his
organization has called the world's top humanitarian crisis.
Iraqi PM Abadi Arrives in Turkey for Talks
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/October 25/17/Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi
arrived Wednesday in Ankara to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as
ties between Ankara and Baghdad become warmer in opposition to the Kurdish
independence referendum.Abadi arrived in Ankara late morning and went to the
presidential palace, state broadcaster TRT reported. He was due to meet with
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim afterwards. The visit comes after
relations between the neighboring countries were strained last year over
Turkey's presence at a military base in northern Iraq.
Ankara maintained an estimated 2,000 troops in Iraq, around 500 of them were in
the northern Bashiqa camp training local fighters last year ahead of the
successful bid to free Mosul from the grip of the Islamic State extremist group.
But since the non-binding independence vote and the countries' mutual vehement
opposition to it, Turkey has given its support to Baghdad by threatening to
close its border with the Kurdistan Regional Government and apply economic
sanctions. Ankara had particularly criticized the inclusion of Kirkuk in the
independence vote, stressing the province's multi-ethnic character, where Kurds,
Arabs and Turkmens live. Abadi's visit comes as Iraqi Kurdistan proposed
Wednesday to "freeze" the results of its independence referendum and the "start
of an open dialogue between the government of Kurdistan and the central
government on the basis of the constitution."
Iran Reopens Border Crossing with Iraqi Kurdistan
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/October 25/17/Iran on Wednesday reopened one of
its three border crossings with Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, which it
closed in response to last month's vote for independence, its director said.
"Today, the Bashmagh border crossing was reopened," its director Jahangir
Bakhshi told state broadcaster IRIB. "No decision has been taken by authorities
regarding the Haji Omran and Parvizkhan border posts," he added. The Bashmagh
crossing lies on the road to the city of Sulaimaniyah in the south of the
autonomous region, a bastion of opposition to Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud
Barzani, who called the September 25 independence referendum. The vote
antagonized not only Baghdad but also neighboring Iran and Turkey, which are
fearful of anything that might stoke separatist sentiment among their own large
Kurdish minorities. Iran, like other governments around the world, last month
halted flights to Iraqi Kurdish airports at the request of the Baghdad
government. On October 15, Baghdad announced that Tehran had agreed to close its
land border with Iraqi Kurdistan too. Baghdad has also sent in troops and allied
militia to wrest back control of swathes of disputed territory long claimed by
the Kurds, leaving the autonomous Kurdish region's finances in disarray. On
Wednesday, Iraqi Kurdish leaders offered to freeze the outcome of last month's
vote, taking a step back in the crisis. There was was no immediate response from
Baghdad.
Iranian Parliament Reviews Ahmadinejad-Linked Corruption
Asharq Al Awsat/October 25/17/Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Plan and
Budget Commission Golamriza Tacgerdun revealed on Tuesday that mounting
suspicions against ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are enough to take to court.
A state audit department report published earlier ensures Ahmadinejad’s
involvement in “financial violation”.Tacgerdun said Ahmadinejad had committed
“serious violations” during his presidency, according to a report by the Iranian
Audit Bureau, the body which oversees budget spending. “The Audit Court has the
capacity to make a case, it is natural that the judiciary investigates the case,
but we have not reached that stage yet,” Tacgerdun explained, according to the
Iranian labor news agency (Ilna). The Iranian MP's comments came a week after
the parliament published a report of the Prosecutor General of the Iranian Court
of Auditors, accusing Ahmadinejad of "violations" involving over 4,600 billion
Iranian Tomans. The report demands that Ahmadinejad makes a financial
compensation. Ahmadinejad was president for eight years serving between 2005 and
2013, after being re-elected in July 2009. He sparked protests by the reformist
Green Movement after candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi rejected
Ahmadinejad’s win, accusing the authorities of rigging election
results.According to ICANA news agency, the report said the violation occurred
during Ahmadinejad's term when his office wired money obtained from oil revenues
and transferred them to the state treasury. There were also irregularities in
oil imports, it said. The agency stated that the irregularities were found
during a parliamentary budget audit of 2016. Ahmadinejad’s former vice president
and close aide, Hamid Baghaei, was sent to prison in 2015 on unidentified
charges. He was again behind bars over corruption allegations from July 9 of
this year until his release on bail on July 26. More so, Tacgerdun said
Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani had ignored the revealing reports which make a
strong case against Ahmadinejad.
Saudi FM Jubeir on future of Gulf rift: ‘The matter is up
to Qatar’
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishWednesday, 25 October 2017/Saudi Foreign
Minister Adel Al-Jubeir affirmed that the kingdom supports the position of US
President Donald Trump on Iran, saying that the nuclear agreement contains
several shortcomings.
This came during his participation on Tuesday in a panel discussion organized by
the British Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House) on "the
future turbulence in the world." Asked about the latest developments in the
Qatar crisis and the lack of commitment of Doha to implement the demands of
countries calling for the fight against terrorism, Jubeir said the matter is up
to Qatar.“We reject terrorism and extremism and harboring the wanted. We refuse
to publish discourses of incitement and hatred and interfere in the affairs of
other countries. We do not accept that suicide bombings are justified in the
media by extremist religious figures hosted by Qatar,” he said. He added,
"Qatar's boycott resulted in the signing of a memorandum of understanding with
the United States of America to combat the financing of terrorism, and the
Qatari authorities allowed officials of the US Treasury Department to be in
Qatari banks, in addition to Qatar's amendments to the regulations on combating
terrorism, pointing out that these steps were rejected by the Qatari authorities
before the boycott. In his speech during the conference, he said that Tehran's
policy of supporting terrorism is not acceptable at all, and its consequences
will be dire. The new sanctions would be welcome, he said, stressing that the
international community must support these sanctions in order to send a strong
message to Iran that its conduct and its shameful activities have
consequences.Regarding Iraq, the Foreign Minister said that the relations
between the Kingdom and Iraq are historic and the two countries have social,
economic and geographical ties. He said that the establishment of the
Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council will contribute to enhancing bilateral
relations and supporting the security and stability of Iraq and the region. He
added that the interest of the Kingdom in Iraq is a reflection of its desire to
restore Iraq's advancement away from ethnic and sectarian conflicts, for a
unified, stable and secure Iraq, contrary to what Iran seeks to try to control
Iraq, as an extension of its expansion plans. (With SPA)
Saudi Arabia lists two entities and eleven names supporting
al-Qaeda, ISIS
Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishWednesday, 25 October 2017ظAs part of the
efforts targeting terrorism, Saudi State Security has listed two entities and 11
names of leaders, financiers and supporters of Al Qaeda and ISIS organization.
The Saudi State Security listing targeted financiers and facilitators for the
terrorist organizations and al-Qaeda group in Yemen. This action was taken with
the participation of the United States of America, the Co-Chair of the
International Center for Combating Terrorism, and the participating member
states. These measures are the first to be taken by the center since the signing
of the agreement on 21 May 2017. The establishment of the center was an
expression of the strong will and determination of the member states to
cooperate constructively in the fight against terrorism and it’s financing.
The measures reaffirm the keenness of Saudi Arabia and the member States to
deepen the partnership with the United States to stop financing of terrorist
groups that pose a threat to the security, such as al-Qaeda and ISIS
organizations in Yemen.
Based on Saudi laws against terrorist crimes and its financing and in accordance
with Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001), sanctions will be imposed on those
names, including the freezing of any of their assets within the Kingdom.
Member States of the International Center for Combating Terrorism also imposed
similar sanctions on the classified individuals and entities in accordance with
their national regulations.
This is done by expanding and strengthening cooperation to combat the financing
of terrorism, facilitating coordination and information sharing, and building
the capacity of member states to target terrorist financing networks and
activities, which pose a threat to the national security of the States of the
Presidency and the member States of the Center.
Citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia are prohibited from engaging in any
transactions with those names and designated entities.
Terror list
The names of the persons and entities classified are as follows:
1 - Nayef Saleh Salem Al-Qaisi: Yemeni Nationality
2 - Abdul Wahab Mohammed Abdul Wahab Al-Hamikani: Yemeni nationality
3 - Hashem Mohsen Eidros: Yemeni nationality
4 - Nashwan al-Adani: Yemeni nationality
5 - Khalid Abdullah Saleh Al-Marfidi: Yemeni nationality
6 - Saif al-Rab Salem Al-Hishi: Yemeni nationality
7 - Adel Abdu Fari Osman Al-Zahbani: Yemeni Nationality
8 - Radwan Qanan (Radwan Mohammed Hussein Qanan): Yemeni nationality
9 - Wali Nashwan Yafei: Yemeni nationality
10 - Khaled Saeed Ghabesh Al-Obeidi: Yemeni nationality
11 - Bilal Ali Al-Wafi: Yemeni nationality
12 - Al Rahma Charitable Association: Yemen
13 - Al Khair Supermarket: Yemen
Jubeir: We Support Trump Position on Tehran, Qatar Crisis a
‘Non-Issue’
Asharq Al Awsat/October 25/17/Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir
said on Tuesday that the Iran nuclear deal had shortcomings and that Riyadh
backs US President Donald Trump’s position on Tehran. Speaking at a conference
organized by Chatham House in London, he said that Saudi Arabia supports any
deal that prevents Tehran from acquiring nuclear abilities, assures strict
inspection and includes sanctions in case of any Iranian breach. He also
highlighted the kingdom’s approach to building a strategic relationship with
Iraq. Relations between the Kingdom and Iraq are historic and the two
oil-exporting countries have social, economic and geographical ties, Jubeir
stressed before an audience that included prominent politicians, journalists and
academics. He attributed previous tension between them to the political regime
in Iraq that was not friendly to Saudi Arabia in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The
situation changed after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and US invasion of Iraq. He
added that Riyadh-Baghdad ties go beyond politics. In wake of the recent
Saudi-Iraqi rapprochement, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman decided to adopt an
open approach towards Baghdad, kicking off a series of high-level mutual visits
that culminated in the establishment over the weekend of the Saudi Iraqi
Coordination Council. Turning to Qatar, Jubeir described the current crisis with
Doha as a “non-issue” when compared to fighting terrorism and restoring
stability in the region. “Qatar's boycott resulted in the signing of a
memorandum of understanding with the US to combat the financing of terrorism,
and the Qatari authorities have allowed officials of the US Treasury Department
to enter Qatari banks,” he added. Furthermore, he stressed keenness to maintain
Syrian territorial unity, preserve state institutions and support Syria in
reaching a better stable future. The international community agrees on these
goals, but the real challenge lies in fulfilling them, he noted.
Emir of Kuwait: Our Mediation in Qatar Crisis Aims to
Protect GCC from Rift
Asharq Al Awsat/October 25/17/Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber
Al-Sabah stressed on Tuesday, as he opened the legislative term of the
parliament, that Kuwait is not a third party, and that its sole goal is to
reconcile the two sides, to restore the Gulf home, and make moves to protect it
from rifts and collapse. Kuwait has been actively mediating for a settlement of
the crisis that erupted in the open on June 5 between Bahrain, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt and the UAE from one side and Qatar from the other. Sheikh Sabah added,
“Therefore, everyone must know the mediation of Kuwait, a country that is aware
of the possibility of expansion of this crisis, is not just a traditional
mediation by a third party between two different parties. We are one party with
the brothers on the two sides.” He continued, “I am the one who protects the
constitution and will not allow it to be prejudiced because it is the basic
guarantee after God Almighty,” adding that Kuwait is facing economic challenges
that make reforms a pressuring need. Sheikh Sabah considered that the economic
reform program must diversify income sources, reinforce non-oil revenues,
develop Kuwaiti human resources, rationalize public expenditure and improve
government performance to build a promising future for Kuwait. National Assembly
Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim described the GCC as the greatest historic achievement
and tackled economic challenges of Kuwait. Further, Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber
Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah called on Ghanim to open a new page of serious
cooperation. PM affirmed that the government is determined to perform its tasks
in nontraditional ways along with developing its performance in which
administrative routine complications that disrupt interests and transactions are
overcome.
Suspected Militant Arrested, Weapons Seized in Berlin Raid
Asharq Al Awsat/October 25/17/Berlin police said Wednesday they have arrested a
German man suspected of being connected to extremists and seized a cache of
weapons and ammunition during raids but found no evidence of an imminent attack.
The suspect, an unnamed 40-year-old, will come before a judge, the police and
the public prosecutor said in a joint statement. The Tuesday evening sweep of
four sites in the German capital allowed police to "seize arms, weapon parts and
large quantities of ammunition," according to the statement, which did not give
details about the type of guns found. "Due to concerns they could be used for
attacks, Berlin prosecutors took over the investigation," the authorities said.
"After it was determined that (the suspect) displayed an increased willingness
to use violence, it was decided to arrest him. The suspicion of weapon
possession was confirmed, without any evidence so far of a concrete attack
plan." The suspect came to their attention in the course of another criminal
probe that started in June with the arrest of a drug dealer, they added. German
police have been on high alert to the threat of attacks, particularly after a
truck rampage claimed by ISIS killed 12 people at a Christmas market in Berlin
last December. A report published last month found that Berlin authorities had
missed several opportunities to arrest and deport the driver, Tunisian asylum
seeker Anis Amri. Officials admitted a series of security failures that allowed
Amri to register under multiple identities and evade authorities while he was in
contact with militants. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has warned of
further attacks by radicalized people given growing numbers of foreign militants
returning from war zones in Syria and Iraq.
ISIS demands Reuters and BBC to publish names of alleged
victims of Wahat terrorist crime
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - As a follow-up to the statement issued by the State
Information Service (SIS) on Saturday 21 October denouncing the media coverage
by both Reuters News Agency and the BBC Network of the Wahat terrorist incident,
and as the SIS is seeking a full commitment to accurate media coverage, SIS
Chairman Diaa Rashwan has sent two letters to the two media organizations'
bureau chiefs in Cairo. The letters reiterated the SIS' demands as stated in its
previous statement, calling upon Reuters and BBC to either: " Retract reports
they had published regarding the number of victims that contradict with official
figures, and issue an apology for the inaccuracy of these reports and their
sources; or " Prove the accuracy of their reports, which we assure are
inaccurate, by publishing the names of all the victims that they allege died in
this incident. The SIS assured in the two letters that Egyptian laws guarantee
mediamen all professional requirements deemed necessary to ensuring that both
Reuters News Agency and the BBC Network can confirm the accuracy of the number
of policemen killed and wounded in the Wahat terrorist incident as announced by
the Egyptian Interior Ministry. The two letters also highlighted the steps the
two outlets can take to reveal the identity of any alleged victims not mentioned
in the official statement by the Interior Ministry:
- Reporters and correspondents affiliated with the offices of the two
foundations in Egypt, who are counted in the dozens, can conduct a field search
for the alleged victims in all Egyptian governorates in accordance with the
measures set by the SIS for the work of foreign correspondents in Egypt.
- Both Reuters News Agency and the BBC Network can obtain information from the
Ministry of Health offices in charge of issuing death certificates and burial
permits, which are available nationwide and are the only official authorities in
charge of these matters.
- The two media outlets can verify and professionally investigate the names of
those allegedly killed and wounded as reported by some media outlets and on
social media pages before the Interior Ministry issued its statement, to make
sure whether the statement failed to mention any of them.
- And lastly which may be slightly exaggerated, Reuters News Agency and the BBC
Network can publish via their available outlets an appeal to any next of kin or
acquaintance of alleged victims not mentioned in the official statement by the
Interior Ministry to contact them and provide information on the matter.
The SIS concluded its two letters with affirming its keenness to ensuring the
highest levels of freedom and the availability of timely information to all
Egyptian and foreign media outlets operating in Egypt. The SIS also affirmed its
keenness to cooperate with media outlets to empower them to work in Egypt in
accordance with the internationally recognized rules of professionalism with the
aim of reaching the truth.
Trump speaks to Xi Jinping after Chinese leader tightens
grip on power
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - President Donald Trump spoke to his counterpart Xi Jinping,
the White House said on Wednesday (Oct 25), after the Chinese leader solidified
his grip on power at a landmark Communist Party Congress.A senior administration
official told AFP the pair had spoken by telephone after Xi was formally handed
a second term.--AFP
Catalan separatist leader turns down chance to talk to
Spanish Senate
Wed 25 Oct 2017/NNA - Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont has turned
down an invitation to address Spain’s Senate on Catalonia’s bid for independence
on Thursday, a spokesman for the regional government said. Earlier on Wednesday,
aides had indicated that Puigdemont, who is the region’s president, would attend
the session in Madrid. But a spokesman for Puigdemont said later the Catalan
leader would not do so because the Spanish government had already announced its
intention to impose direct control on the autonomous region to counter its
independence drive.--Reuters
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published on October
24-25/17
Change is not Exclusive to Saudi Arabia
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/October 25/17
Even though the speaker is the Saudi Crown Prince and his speech is about the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its society, the idea of countering extremism and
returning to moderate Islam is supposed to be the project of all countries in
the region along with the international community. Prince Mohammed bin Salman is
speaking about building the future as the best method to leave the past behind
us. He believes that evolution requires change, and to achieve that, one must
admit to the problem and have the courage to deal with it. On Tuesday, Prince
Mohammed bin Salman was honest, bold, and clear in addressing the world. He
spoke about returning to the Saudi community that was once governed by its
ancestors: A religious and tolerant society free of extremism. It is true that
currently there is a problem inherited from the near past. The Prince addressed
the issue openly without any embarrassment or deliberation. He said that
extremists imposed their ideologies on the society after 1979, precisely
following the revolution of Ayatullah Khomeini which opened the door to
extremism. Prince Mohammed pledged that it is about time to counter extreme
ideologies and destroy them. The Prince's speech resonated all over the Kingdom
and not just in the conference hall. He chose an important occasion to deliver
his speech while presenting one of Saudi Arabia's futuristic projects to the
investors and the world, explaining his development plan for future generations.
With this courageous statement, Saudi Arabia is leading a new current in the
region and the Islamic world - a trend we can pin hope on in order to emerge
from the extremist era that threatens the world. The Saudi Crown Prince proved
that he keeps his word. He made many promises and proposed several openness
initiatives that proved to the Saudi people, and the whole world, that he meant
it and that his country is leading a campaign against extreme ideologies and
extremists. Decisions were issued and laws were amended for that purpose. The
dispute with its neighboring country Qatar is only part of that policy. Saudi
Arabia adopted a clear stance that it refuses to have relations with the Qatari
regime if it continues to fund extremist groups on its territories, support them
through the media, and host fugitives.
There is zero tolerance in the Kingdom's speech against extremism. It will no
longer be lenient with individuals, officials or private institutions that
disseminate radical Islam socially and politically.The Saudi government has
adopted dozens of openness programs that surprised us. We had previously thought
they were tough or even impossible decisions, under the current political
circumstances.
The importance of the Crown Prince's statement comes from the importance of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a leading country for over one billion Muslims around
the world. Prince Mohammed bin Salman holds the legitimacy, vision, and courage
that enable him to lead the wave of change and salvage Islamic communities
around the world from the ideological destruction that has been inflicting it
since 1979. After all, Saudi Arabia is the spiritual reference for Muslims. The
purpose is not only to rid people of extremists and extremism, but also build a
promising future for the younger generation. Positive change sets the stage,
(such as the announcement of building a giant area northwest of the country that
links all continents together), opens the door for modern industry,
international trade, and tourism, and relies on high-end technologies.At the
Riyadh conference, the discussions were about life and not death, about the
future and not the past, and that’s why we hope the kingdom would become
everyone's threshold for change.
When Wall Street Looks Pricey, the Rest of the US Thrives
Conor Sen/Bloomberg View/October 25/17
In the glory days of the early 1980s, stocks and bonds were cheap and Wall
Street became the center of the American economy. But those cheap asset prices
did a lot of structural damage to US society, some of which is still becoming
clear. The pricey stock market and skinny bond yields of 2017, by contrast, may
pay unexpected dividends in the future. Asset prices tend to have an inverse
relationship with the strength of the labor market. When unemployment is low,
like it is now and like it was in the late 1990s, stocks tend to be expensive.
This is because investors and business owners have a choice with how to allocate
their dollars. If stocks are cheap and bond yields are high, businesses will
tend to buy financial assets or pay down debt. Conversely, when stocks are
expensive and yields are low, financial assets aren’t as tempting, so those with
capital are more inclined to expand a business or start a new one -- which means
hiring people and paying higher wages. What made the early 1980s so unusual was
that both stocks and bonds were "generationally cheap." This created an
environment where it was much, much more attractive to buy financial assets and
work in financial markets rather than be a worker or hire workers. Not
surprisingly, wages stagnated and inequality widened.
The problem, as we've seen over the past several years, is that while labor is
an economic input just like land or energy, labor is also people -- parents,
voters, members of society. If oil gets too expensive or cheap and companies
adjust their business activities accordingly, the economy will eventually adjust
and life will go on. If labor is at a structural disadvantage for years, on the
other hand, families can fall apart, communities can deteriorate, and the
political environment can become toxic. Sound familiar? The country got some bad
habits from the past few decades, when financial assets were seen as more
attractive than workers. We've forgotten how to train workers, because for
decades there were always plenty available to hire. Tax and fiscal policy became
too heavily tilted toward managers of capital rather than workers. And because
markets were seen as a relatively easy path to power and riches, young
status-seekers flocked to Wall Street rather than trying to make their market
somewhere else in society.
We're unlikely to see generationally cheap assets anytime soon, and instead, we
may see a period of generationally expensive asset prices. This may have
long-term benefits for American society. As expensive asset prices help to
support the labor market, we're starting to see employers and governments put
more energy into workforce training to ensure an adequate supply of labor. This
would help workers get better, higher-paying jobs, and it would lead to a more
productive workforce. A stronger job market with more robust wage growth can
help young people forming households and give young families a firmer economic
foundation -- good news for their communities and future children. As a worker
shortage rather than a capital shortage becomes entrenched in the US economy,
perhaps tax policy can change to draw more people into the workforce and
increase the labor-force-participation rate.
And if Wall Street is seen as an ordinary white-collar job like law or medicine,
rather than a path to becoming a billionaire and owner of a sports team, perhaps
young people will seek out a different route to fame and status. Over the past
several years there's been talk of young people flocking to Silicon Valley
rather than Wall Street, but over time tech may not be seen with such wonder.
(It almost inevitably must decentralize, because it can’t pay enough people
enough wages to all live in the ever-more-expensive Silicon Valley.) Our
political leadership is relatively old and will need to be replaced over the
next several years, so perhaps a greater number of young people will find
elected office a more attractive career path than either finance or tech. The
bottom line is that a bad environment for Wall Street means good news for
workers and society at large. You just have to look beyond the yield on your
portfolio to see it.
Europe: Journalists Against Free Speech
Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/October 25/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11214/europe-journalists-free-speech
Gone is all pretense that journalism is about reporting the facts. These are the
aims of a political actor.
Being bought and paid for by the EU apparently counts as "press freedom" these
days.
According to the guidelines, journalists should, among other things, "Provide an
appropriate range of opinions, including those belonging to migrants and members
of minorities, but... not... extremist perspectives just to 'show the other
side'.... Don't allow extremists' claims about acting 'in the name of Islam' to
stand unchallenged.... where it is necessary and newsworthy to report hateful
comments against Muslims, mediate the information."
The European Federation of Journalists (EJF), "the largest organization of
journalists in Europe, represents over 320,000 journalists in 71 journalists'
organizations across 43 countries," according to its website. The EJF, a
powerful player, also leads a Europe-wide campaign called "Media against Hate."
The "Media against Hate" campaign aims to:
"counter hate speech[1] and discrimination in the media, both on and offline...
media and journalists play a crucial role in informing...policy ... regarding
migration and refugees. As hate speech and stereotypes targeting migrants
proliferate across Europe... #MediaAgainstHate campaign aims to: improve media
coverage related to migration, refugees, religion and marginalised groups...
counter hate speech, intolerance, racism and discrimination... improve
implementation of legal frameworks regulating hate speech and freedom of
speech..."
Gone is all pretense that journalism is about reporting the facts. These are the
aims of a political actor.
A very large political actor is, in fact, involved in the "Media against Hate"
campaign. The campaign is one of several media programs supported by the EU
under its Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (REC). In the REC program
for 2017, the EU Commission, the EU's executive body, writes:
"DG Justice and Consumers [the EU Commission's justice department] will address
the worrying increase of hate crime and hate speech by allocating funding to
actions aiming at preventing and combating racism, xenophobia and other forms of
intolerance... including dedicated work in the area of countering online hate
speech (implementation of the Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech
online)... DG Justice also funds civil society organisations combatting racism,
xenophobia and other forms of intolerance".
This political player, the EU, the biggest in Europe, works openly at
influencing the "free press" with its own political agendas. One of these
agendas is the issue of migration into Europe from Africa and the Middle East.
In his September State of the Union address, the president of the EU Commission,
Jean-Claude Juncker, made it clear that whatever Europeans may think -- polls
repeatedly show that the majority of Europeans do not want any more migrants --
the EU has no intention of putting a stop to migration. "Europe," Juncker said,
"contrary to what some say, is not a fortress and must never become one. Europe
is and must remain the continent of solidarity where those fleeing persecution
can find refuge".
The EU, the biggest political player Europe, works openly at influencing the
"free press" with its own political agendas. In September, EU Commission
President Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured) made it clear that whatever Europeans
may think -- polls repeatedly show that the majority of Europeans do not want
any more migrants -- the EU has no intention of putting a stop to migration.
(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
The European Union's REC Program also recently financed the publication of a
handbook with guidelines for journalists on how to write about migrants and
migration. The guidelines form part of the RESPECT WORDS project -- also
EU-financed -- which "aims to promote quality reporting on migrants and ethnic
and religious minorities as an indispensable tool in the fight against hate".
The new guidelines are "aimed at strengthening quality media coverage of
migrants and ethnic and religious minorities". The handbook was launched on
October 12 by the International Press Institute (IPI) -- an association of media
professionals" representing leading digital, print and broadcast news outlets in
more than 120 countries. IPI boasts that it has been "defending press freedom
since 1950". (Being bought and paid for by the EU apparently counts as "press
freedom" these days.) Seven other European media outlets and civil society
groups based in Europe participated in the project and presented it at an event
at the European Parliament in Brussels attended by MEPs and civil society
experts. According to the press release, the guidelines are "supplementary to
standards already in place at news outlets".
The guidelines state that, "journalism cannot and should not 'solve' the problem
of hate speech on its own" but that it can help to prevent its "normalisation".
However, "meeting this challenge requires the involvement of many actors, in
particular the European Union, which must reinforce existing mechanisms and
support new tools designed to combat hate speech..."
Why do journalists, who claim to fight for the freedom of the press, now appeal
to the EU to help bring an end to freedom of speech in Europe?
According to the guidelines, journalists should, among other things:
"Provide an appropriate range of opinions, including those belonging to migrants
and members of minorities, but... not... extremist perspectives just to 'show
the other side'... Avoid directly reproducing hate speech; when it is newsworthy
to do so, mediate it by...challenging such speech, and exposing any false
premises it relies on. Remember that sensitive information (eg race and
ethnicity, religious or philosophical beliefs, party affiliation or union
affiliation, health and sexual information) should only be mentioned when it is
necessary for the public's understanding of the news".
Is that why news reports always refer to perpetrators of rape or terrorism
simply as "men"?
Specifically, with regard to Muslims, the guidelines recommend:
"Challenge existing anti-Muslim stereotypes that have become pervasive in public
discourse... Increase the visibility of Muslim men and women in your general
reporting... Take care not to further stigmatise terms such as 'Muslim' or
'Islam' by associating them with particular acts... Don't allow extremists'
claims about acting 'in the name of Islam' to stand unchallenged. Highlight...
the diversity of Muslim communities... where it is necessary and newsworthy to
report hateful comments against Muslims, mediate the information. Challenge any
false premises on which such comments rely".
Not even Orwell could have made that up.
**Judith Bergman is a columnist, lawyer and political analyst.
[1] Notably, the Media against Hate campaign does not define what it means by
"hate speech". The closest one gets to a definition of what the campaign means
by the term, comes from a chapter on hate speech from the report, "Ethics in the
News" by the European Journalism Network (EJN) -- a British organization that
claims to be "an independent, international, non-profit institute dedicated to
the highest standards in journalism -- that the 'Media against Hate' has
reproduced on its website. EJN defined hate speech as "...any expression that
vilifies an identifiable group — a race, religious community, or sexual
minority, for example — and thus prompts harm to members', e.g. "incitement
to... negative discrimination and violence" and "expressions that hurt a
community's feeling, including by insulting beliefs". While incitement to
violence is punishable by law, hurting a community's feelings is not, but
according to EJN, "legal limits should not determine the boundaries of
professional conduct... journalists need to develop their ethical capacities to
respond to the real risk of serious harm being promoted".
© 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.
The EU Lectures Journalists about PC Reporting
Bruce Bawer/Gatestone Institute/October 25/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11210/europe-journalists-political-correctness
Nor, we are told, should we associate "terms such as 'Muslim' or 'Islam'... with
particular acts," because to do that is to "stigmatize." What exactly does this
mean? That when a man shouts "Allahu Akbar" after having gunned down, run over
with a truck, or blown to bits dozens of innocent pedestrians or concertgoers,
we are supposed to ignore that little detail?
But that is what this document is all about: advising reporters just how to
misrepresent reality in EU-approved fashion.
It is interesting to note that while many people fulminate over President
Trump's complaints about "fake news," they are silent when an instrument of the
EU superstate presumes to tell the media exactly what kind of language should
and should not be used when reporting on the most important issue of the day.
"Respect Words: Ethical Journalism Against Hate Speech" is a collaborative
project that has been undertaken by media organizations in eight European
countries – Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, and
Spain. Supported by the Rights and Citizenship Programme of the European Union,
it seeks, according to its website, to help journalists, in this era of growing
"Islamophobia," to "rethink" the way they address "issues related to migratory
processes, ethnic and religious minorities." It sounds benign enough: "rethink."
But do not kid yourself: when these EU-funded activists call for "rethinking,"
what they are really doing is endorsing self-censorship.
In September, "Respect Words" issued a 39-page document entitled Reporting on
Migration & Minorities: Approach and Guidelines. Media outlets, it instructs,
"should not give time or space to extremist views simply for the sake of
'showing the other side.'" But which views count as "extremist"? The report does
not say – not explicitly, anyway. "Sensationalist or overly simplistic reporting
on migration," we read, "can enflame existing societal prejudices" and thus
"endanger migrants' safety." Again, what counts as "sensationalist" or "overly
simplistic"? That is not spelled out, either. Nor, we are told, should we
associate "terms such as 'Muslim' or 'Islam'... with particular acts," because
to do that is to "stigmatize." What exactly does this mean? That when a man
shouts "Allahu Akbar" after having gunned down, run over with a truck, or blown
to bits dozens of innocent pedestrians or concertgoers, we are supposed to
ignore that little detail?
Or perhaps we should entirely avoid covering such actions? After all, the
document exhorts us not to write too much about "sensationalist incidents
involving migrants," as "[v]iolent individuals are found within every large
group of people." If, however, we do feel compelled to cover such incidents, we
must never cease to recall that the "root causes" of these incidents "often have
nothing to do with a person's ethnicity or religious affiliation." What, then,
are those root causes? The report advises us that they include "colonialism,
racism, [and] general social inequality." Do not forget, as well, that there is
"no structural connection between migration and terrorism."
When the EU-funded activists behind the document "Reporting on Migration &
Minorities" call for "rethinking," what they are really doing is endorsing
self-censorship.
At least the report's authors do not have the audacity to maintain that there is
no connection between Islam and terrorism. But they do urge us to remember that
Islam is "diverse." The notion that it is inherently violent is -- what else? --
a "stereotype." So is depicting Islam as "grounded in a different reality and
lacking common value with other cultures" or portraying Muslim immigrants as
being "fundamentally different from the citizens of the host country." And it is
just plain wrong, needless to say, to encourage "the widespread perception that
there is a 'cultural clash' between Islam and the West with religion at the
heart of the 'problem.'" (On the contrary: Islam is, the report tells us, "a
belief system that can exist alongside others.") And do not dare to suggest that
Islamic culture is in any way "inferior to Western culture." Or that Muslim men
are "highly patriarchal." (Repeat after me: "Many societies around the world
remain highly patriarchal, independent of religion.") And do not pay too much
attention to Muslim women's "clothing styles." Why? Because doing so tends to
"homogenise" them. (Banish from your mind the thought that it is the clothing
itself that homogenizes them.)
During the last couple of years, many countries in Europe have experienced a
veritable tsunami of Islamic migration. But responsible journalists, according
to "Respect Words," must never, ever put it that way: "When describing
migration, don't use "phrases such as 'tide,' 'wave' and 'flood'" (or, the
authors later add, "horde" or "influx") because such language can "evoke the
sense of a 'mass invasion.'" It "dehumanises migrants," you see, and "constructs
a false sense among the audience of being 'under siege' by an 'enemy' that must
be repelled." Of course, much of Europe is "under siege"; this fact is becoming
clearer by the day; to use milder terms when discussing this topic is to do
nothing less than misrepresent reality. But that is what this document is all
about: advising reporters just how to misrepresent reality in EU-approved
fashion.
"Inform your audience," the report urges journalists, "about the reasons why
people feel compelled to leave their homelands, and investigate what connections
there may be to policies and practices of European states." Possibly, however, a
massive percentage of the Muslims pouring into certain European states are doing
so because of those states' "policies and practices" -- namely, their readiness
to start handing immigrant families large sums of cash the minute they arrive,
to set them up with free housing, furnishings, etc., and to allow them to stay
on the dole for the rest of their lives. Many of those countries are more
generous to Muslim newcomers than they are to their own citizens who have fallen
on hard times; immigrants often go to the front of the line, while elderly
citizens of some of these countries – people who have worked hard and paid into
the welfare system since the world was young – have been turned out of their
homes in order to accommodate newly-arrived Muslim families.
But these obviously are not the "policies and practices" to which the "Respect
Words" document is referring. Quite the opposite. The transparent implication
here is that Muslim refugees and asylum seekers are fleeing conditions for which
they and others in their countries of origin hold no responsibility whatsoever
and that can, in fact, ultimately be traced back to Western wrongdoing, whether
in the last generation or centuries ago. Never mind that Muslims took over
Persia, the Byzantine Empire, all of North Africa and the Middle East, Greece,
Northern Cyprus, much of Eastern Europe, and Southern Spain. Ultimately,
everything that is wrong with the Muslim world is seemingly the fault of the
West, so Europeans owe all incomers a new life -- and perhaps even a new country
-- peaceably handed over to them so that they can import sharia law?
No, the report does not quite go so far as to make this argument. But the report
does caution that even to touch on the question of "whether asylum seekers'
claims are genuine" or "whether migrants have a right to be in the country" is
thoroughly inappropriate: it places the focus on "law and order" rather than on
such things as "the fundamental right of asylum." Yes, you read that correctly:
"the fundamental right of asylum." Never mind that under international law not
everyone is entitled to asylum -- and that a huge proportion of self-styled
asylum seekers in Europe today have no legitimate grounds for such a claim but
are, like many of us, seeking better economic opportunities.
But such facts are inimical to the authors of the "Respect Words" document. In
their view, no human being can be "illegal"; therefore, the word "illegal," they
admonish, should be used to describe actions, not people.
The only surprising thing about this document is that it actually includes a
brief section on anti-Semitism, in which it suggests -- believe it or not --
that equating Israel and Nazi Germany may not be a good idea. For the most part,
however, the report is one long taxpayer-funded catalog of politically correct
protocols which -- if adhered to by everyone in Europe who is professionally
involved in reporting on events concerning Islam and immigration -- would
guarantee a full-scale whitewash of the alarming developments currently underway
on this unfortunate continent. It is interesting to note that while many people
fulminate over President Trump's complaints about "fake news," they are silent
when an instrument of the EU superstate presumes to tell the media exactly what
kind of language should and should not be used when reporting on the most
important issue of the day.
**Bruce Bawer is the author of the new novel The Alhambra (Swamp Fox Editions).
His book While Europe Slept (2006) was a New York Times bestseller and National
Book Critics Circle Award finalist.
© 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.
Rohingya Refugee Crisis: The Role of Islamist Terrorists
Lawrence A. Franklin/Gatestone Institute/October 25/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11213/myanmar-islamists-terrorists
Although no one is recommending the horrors of murder or mass-expulsions, little
attention has been paid to Rohingya ties to international Islamic terrorism.
The Muslim world's condemnation of Myanmar should give the West pause before it
joins in the widespread criticism of Myanmar. Al-Qaeda's call "upon all
Mujahidin in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines to set out for
Burma to help their Muslim brothers" is accompanied with a threat that the
Myanmar government "shall be made to taste what our Muslim brothers have
tasted."
In addition to fighting atrocities against innocent people, it is critical to
protect the Free World, which, until the Rohingya crisis, Myanmar had made great
progress toward joining.
Although the media has extensively covered the Burmese Army's expulsion of
Muslim Rohingya people from Rakhine Province in Myanmar -- and although no one
is recommending the horrors of murder or mass expulsions -- little attention has
been paid to Rohingya ties to international Islamic terrorism.
Aided by foreign terrorist networks in Pakistan and support from Rohingya exiles
in Arab Gulf States, Myanmar's Islamists and their foreign backers ultimately
may want to establish a sharia state in Rakhine.
Approximately 1.1 million Rohingya live in Rakhine, a coastal province in
Myanmar (Burma). Almost all are Muslim; their language closely resembles
Bengali, the tongue of Bangladesh, to their north. Some Rohingya have lived in
Rakhine since the 15th century. Most, however, trace their residency in Myanmar
to the late 19th century, as descendants of Muslim Bengalis who were moved there
by British colonial decree.
On August 25, 2017, the Burmese military launched what human rights
organizations have called an "ethnic cleansing" campaign -- something Myanmar
leader Aung San Suu Kyi has denied -- against Rohingya Muslims in northern
Rakhine, a week after Muslim rebels attacked a military base, police barracks,
and border guard posts, killing at least 71 people. The attackers were members
of the Islamist Arakan Rohingya Salvation Group (ARSA). Some of these operatives
likely received training in terrorist camps in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has denied allegations that the country's
security forces launched an "ethnic cleansing" campaign. Pictured: Then U.S.
President Barack Obama with Aung San Suu Kyi, in Rangoon, Myanmar, on November
14, 2014. (Image source: U.S. State Department)
According to the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, the Rohingya
diaspora in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is also providing financial assistance to
their religious cousins in Myanmar. Additionally, many of the more than 50,000
Rohingya émigrés in the United Arab Emirates send back money to their ethnic
relations in Myanmar. The Emir of Sharjah in the UAE, Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi,
also financially supports Myanmar's Rohingya.
Arab Gulf States, too, grant sanctuary to Islamists from the ethnic Rohingya
diaspora. For instance, Ata Ullah, ARSA's founder, was born to Rohingya exiles
in Karachi, Pakistan, before immigrating to Saudi Arabia. There, he created ARSA
in 2012, after a series of clashes between the Rohingya and government security
forces in Myanmar. But this tension between Rohingya and ethnic Burmese did not
originate in contemporary times.
This animosity dates to 1886, when what is today's Rakhine State was detached
from the rest of Burmese territory and incorporated into the British Crown
Colony of India. This was the price Britain exacted from Burma after losing two
wars against the British Empire.
After the integration of northernmost Burma into India, the British colonial
government organized a mass migration of Muslims from the Bengali-dominated
region of the sub-continent (today's Bangladesh) to what is now Myanmar's
Rakhine State. Britain's decision greatly offended the Burmese, as Myanmar
(Burma) had been an overwhelmingly Buddhist state. The migration sparked
immediate inter-religious tensions, and subsequent periods of religious warfare.
Today, these Buddhist-Muslim tensions continue. Buddhists accuse the Muslim
Rohingya of raping and murdering Buddhist women -- a theme that surfaced in a
high-profile trial of three Rohingya Muslims in 2012.
Non-Muslim ethnic minorities who live in the Muslim-majority Rakhine State also
accuse Rohingya of attacking their villages, burning their homes and raping
women. Myanmar claimed that Rohingya Muslims are guilty of the mass murder of
Hindus who also live in Rakhine State. Myanmar's authorities have, for instance,
unearthed a mass grave of Hindu victims. Reportedly, about 20 refugees are under
arrest by Bangladesh as suspects in the massacre of these Hindus.
After these attacks by Muslim Rohingya militants, Mohan Bhagwat, a Hindu leader
in India, expressed concern over the infiltration of India by Rohingya, claiming
that they are "a threat to national security," with "links to jihadists."
Additionally, Pakistan's Islamic terrorist networks are transforming
Saudi-educated ethnic Rohingya émigrés into jihadi warriors. At least three
well-known Pakistan-based terrorist organizations have aided the Rohingya
jihadis. They include: the Harakat ul-Jihad Islami (HUJI), Lashkar-e-Taiba,
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and Jaish-e-Muhammad. Some of these militants receive
training across the border from Myanmar in the Chittagong region of Bangladesh.
Cooperation between Rohingya guerillas and Pakistani terrorist groups continues
to develop. One report claims that Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives train Rohingya
jihadi terrorists in explosive techniques in Pakistani terrorist camps. The same
report also relates that two members of a four-man terrorist cell, all of whom
were killed while planting an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Rakhine
village of Buthidaung in May 2017, were actually Pakistanis.
Myanmar's hostility to its Rohingya minority once even drew Osama bin Laden's
attention. In 1996, he mentioned their persecution in his Declaration of Jihad
against the West. Now that the Rohingya plight is a front-page item, Al-Qaeda
has called upon jihadists to aid their fellow Muslims and to punish Myanmar.
The Rohingya issue may serve to revive the fortunes of Al-Qaeda's Southeast
Asian derivative, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). Once eviscerated by counter-terrorist
strikes on its leadership and the foiling of planned terrorist operations, JI
may seize upon the Rohingya crisis to revive its operational strength. The
Islamic State and Afghanistan's Taliban have issued similar calls for jihad
against Myanmar.
Foreign government support may indeed be strengthening terrorists in Myanmar.
Established governments of Muslim majority states, such as Malaysia and
Indonesia, are echoing calls for Muslims to defend the Rohingya. In January
2017, Malaysia hosted an emergency session of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) about the Rohingya refugee crisis. Malaysia appears to be a
leading force in Southeast Asia agitating for the OIC to maintain pressure on
Myanmar. Sunni Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Shia Iran's supreme
leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also appear to be beating war drums.
Perhaps the West should heed the counsel of Myanmar expert Sumantra Maitra, who
wrote that the best course of action for the West is to do nothing, as
involvement will only empower the Rohingya to transform their resistance
movement into a full-fledged Islamic terrorist movement.
The Muslim world's condemnation of Myanmar should give the West pause before it
joins in the widespread criticism of Myanmar. Al-Qaeda's call "upon all
Mujahidin in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines to set out for
Burma to help their Muslim brothers" is accompanied with a threat that the
Myanmar government "shall be made to taste what our Muslim brothers have
tasted."
In fact, Shami Ur Rahman (a.k.a. Suban Haq), a Bangladeshi al-Qaeda operative as
well as a British citizen, was arrested in mid-September in New Delhi, India for
helping to radicalize Rohingya diaspora in Bangladesh.
In addition to fighting atrocities against innocent people, it is critical to
protect the Free World, which, until the Rohingya crisis, Myanmar had made great
progress toward joining.
**Dr. Lawrence A. Franklin was the Iran Desk Officer for Secretary of Defense
Rumsfeld. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army and as a Colonel in
the Air Force Reserve, where he was a Military Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in
Israel.
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or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Saudi Arabia: The immense outreach of soft power
Faisal Al-Shammeri/Al Arabiya/October 25/17
Nations project power in multifarious ways. Today, the United States is not only
the largest economy in the world; its dollar enjoys the world’s reserve currency
status. In addition, the enormous capabilities and wealth generated by its
military industrial complex allows it to do things which no other nation in
history could accomplish. The US can choose the place and time for securing its
interests and reserves the right to determine the measure of its decisiveness.
As formidable as Washington is, in the immensity and scope of the power it
wields, this unparalleled reach extends even to its soft power. Irrespective of
the concerns expressed by its detractors, the supposed decline in its fortunes
and the misgivings harbored by its opponents, the presence of the United States
in every nook and corner of the world remains undeniable and inescapable to this
day.
US industry and Hollywood
For instance, the products manufactured by its company Proctor & Gamble is
estimated to be consumed by over 90% of households in the Middle East. The
clotheslines of its famous brands are considered worthy of emulation by many
across the world. American movies and its entertainment industry have extended
their sway across the four corners of the globe. While the US continues to
improve its soccer, the rest of the world is gradually becoming better at the
US’ favorite game, basketball. The iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Microsoft, Intel,
Adobe, Ford, Boeing, GE, and many other American brands are commonplace and
integral part of contemporary life. In addition to its aircraft carriers, its
special forces and its famed Air Force, it is the US’ soft power that makes it
unique in the world. Until the time any country matches this soft power of the
US, it will be hard to replace it as the sole global superpower. So what
precedents have been set by the US, which can serve as a basis for others to
follow? Even more audacious than this line of enquiry is the question whether
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has similar resources and capabilities at its
command.
Our religious heritage
Let’s start with the obvious. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is at the center of
the Muslim World and is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Coupled with this
is the fact that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) treaded on the sands of
Arabia, which is something we should never forget as it is the greatest asset we
possess for being the true font of humanity. The world’s Muslims face in the
direction of Mecca and Medina for prayer and they plan to visit the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetimes. What better means
does one need to reach out to the global populace than this! It is our identity
and our heritage. The fundamental premise of Vision 2030 is that it is not just
a goal to be reached, but a daily practice for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
itself. It is pointless to discuss vast amounts of hydrocarbon reserves lying
within the borders of the country. However, what is the potential for investment
of the wealth generated from it on a global scale? The King Salman Foundation
has very quietly been working from Africa to Asia, in the Middle East and even
in the Americas. With the emergence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as one
of the youngest leaders in the world, our students abroad are also following his
example. The students of Saudi Arabia are engaging in local community projects
such as hurricane relief efforts, aid distribution, working in food shelters,
local community outreach initiatives, etc. There is a story worth recounting. It
is the story of an emerging power, which holds an important place on the global
stage in many arenas. This is not only indicative of its hard-earned prosperity,
which one our forefathers could’ve scarcely imagined, it is also a story wherein
the blessings were used to develop a strong, modern nation, which attained
global recognition. It is a nation that has still not realized its full
potential to attain its rightful place. The strength of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia lies in its people and their multi-talented prowess. Its strength lies in
the positive impact its citizens make every day.