LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 11/17
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/newselias/english.september11.17.htm 

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Bible Quotations For Today
The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea", and it would obey you.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 17/05-10/:"The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea", and it would obey you. ‘Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field, "Come here at once and take your place at the table"? Would you not rather say to him, "Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink"? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, "We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!" ’"

The doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord."
If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you
Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy,because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance
Letter of James 01/01-08/:"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance;and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 10-11/17
Ingratitude & Vindictiveness/Elias Bejjani/September 10/17
Report: Hezbollah Claims It Uncovered An Israeli Spying Device In Southern Lebanon/Jerusalem Post/September 10/17
Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization versus the Armies of Lebanon and Iraq/September 10/2017
The Challenge: Who Guarantees Qatar/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/September 10/17
Towards A Definition Of Islam And Islamism/Tufail Ahmad/MEMRI/September 10/17
The Way to Make North Korea Back Down/Sung-Yoon Lee/The New York Times/September 10/17
Victimizing Women: Islamic Laws vs. Multiculturalism/Khadija Khan/Gatestone Institute/September 10/17
Trump Can’t Solve North Korea by Just Making a Deal/Meghan O'Sullivan/Bloomberg View/September 10/17

Titles For Latest LCCC Lebanese Related News published on September 10-11/17
Ingratitude & Vindictiveness
Report: Hezbollah Claims It Uncovered An Israeli Spying Device In Southern Lebanon
Lebanese President to Visit Iran in October: Report
Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization versus the Armies of Lebanon and Iraq
Aoun Says Obstruction of Slain Troops Probe Encourages 'Revenge Killings'
Aoun Reportedly Says Arsal Probe Won't Target Salam, Politicians
Lebanon to File U.N. Security Council Complaint against Israel
Hariri begins an official visit to Russia
Kanaan: President views Geagea's positions with great importance, Mehrab Understanding steadfast
Geagea Says Probe Must Involve Hizbullah-Led Deal that Led to IS 'Escape'
Hariri Pays Solidarity Visit to Salam after Accusations
Israeli Warplanes Break Sound Barrier over Sidon
Moussawi Urges Govt. for 'Balance in Stances' on Saudi, Syria
Bassil: Unilateralism has no place in Lebanon
Rahi: Lebanon needs real 'Men of State

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 10-11/17
Syria Army Breaks IS Siege on Deir Ezzor Air Base
Rohingya Militants Declare One-Month Ceasefire
Russian-French Talks in Geneva to Find ‘Common Syrian Grounds’
Arab League Chief Visits Baghdad, Erbil in Search of ‘Compromise’ over Referendum Rift
Experts: Qatar’s Statement Indicates Unwillingness to Resolve Crisis
$3.8 Billion in Arms Sales to Bahrain
Former US Diplomat Says Yemen’s Ousted President Lost His Legitimacy before International Community
Role of International Humanitarian Organizations in Yemen Put to Question
Hamas’ Haniyeh Arrives in Egypt to Negotiate Easing Gaza Siege

Latest Lebanese Related News published on September 10-11/17
Ingratitude & Vindictiveness
Elias Bejjani/September 10/17
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=58587
Acts and conducts of ingratitude show that those individuals who harbour them inside their hearts and minds are very vindictive, selfish, hostile and lack self confidence. Accordingly should not be trusted or entrusted to govern or lead.. Meanwhile he who allows the ingratitude weakness to run his life and dictate his relationships with all others is a person who knows no love.. and ignores the fact that God is love.

Report: Hezbollah Claims It Uncovered An Israeli Spying Device In Southern Lebanon
Jerusalem Post/September 10/17
http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Report-Hezbollah-claims-it-uncovered-an-Israeli-spying-device-in-southern-Lebanon-504651
The Shi'ite terror organization made a similar accusation last month, claiming that the "Israeli enemy" is trying to spy on the group and is stashing such devices near populated areas.
Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based Shi'ite terror organization, claimed on Saturday night that it had spotted an Israeli device used for espionage in southern Lebanon. The organization released an announcement on the Al-Manar television channel that is strongly affiliated with the terror group, stating that "resistance fighters seized an Israeli spying contraption, with a thermal camera for night vision, which was hidden in a rock in Kfar Shebba, east of Shebba Farms in south Lebanon." The report also made note of the ongoing military drill the IDF is currently holding along the border with Lebanon to prepare for a possible future conflict with Hezbollah. "The uncovering of the Israeli spying contraption comes amid the big drill the enemy is holding in the north of occupied Palestine," the Al-Manar report said. This new claim by Hezbollah comes a month after the organization charged on August 13 that it had spotted a different Israeli spying contraption on Mount Jabal el-Barouk, which is situated in the western valley not far from Lake Qaraoun. In the message released by Hezbollah at the time, the terror organization charged that "an eavesdropping device of the Israeli enemy was uncovered in one of the high strategic hills on Mount el-Barouk in the western valley, facing... Lake Qaraoun."The organization also claimed that "the device was blown up from afar a while ago, for fear it would be discovered, and its parts have scattered all over, including a special electric cable, batteries, and solar energy contraptions that were used to operate the device."
The report also alleged that "the device was hidden in a fiberglass, rock-like material, and was plastered onto one of the big rocks in front of western valley villages, including the international route that leads to the eastern Lebanon Mountains." Israel usually declines to comment on foreign reports, but security officials as well as IDF commanders have warned this week as the large military drill in the north commenced that Hezbollah is likely to spread any number of false accusations and threats, flexing its muscles as Israel proceeds to carry out the exercise. The military drill simulates a scenario of war with Hezbollah along Israel's northern border, and soldiers from all units of the army are joining forces to test their preparedness in case a conflict will erupt. On Monday, Al-Manar quoted a Hezbollah official who threatened Israel shortly after the drill started, saying that "We [Hezbollah] are fully alert and ready at any time for any possible scenario. The Israelis won't succeed in surprising us, because Israel knows full well [what] Hezbollah’s capabilities are after the loss it suffered in 2006 [in the Second Lebanon War], which deterred the IDF.”The unnamed official taunted the Jewish state, saying that Hezbollah was ready "for any attack or act of Israeli stupidity."

Lebanese President to Visit Iran in October: Report
September, 10, 2017/TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Lebanese President Michel Aoun plans to pay an official visit to Iran in October as part of efforts to deepen Tehran-Beirut relations in all fields, local media reports said on Sunday.
The Arabic-language Ad-Diyar newspaper said that Aoun is expected to discuss mutual ties as well as regional and international developments with the Iranian officials. Heading a high-ranking delegation, President Aoun will pay a trip to Tehran in the near future at the official invitation of the Islamic Republic, the Arabic-language Al Mayadeen TV had reported in August. The Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil announced the visit in June and said that Lebanon welcomes development of political, economic and parliamentary ties with Iran.Bassil then highlighted the key role that Iran plays in resolution of regional problems and praised its contribution to peace and stability.

Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization versus the Armies of Lebanon and Iraq
Raghida Dergham/Founder and Executive Chairman at Beirut Institute
Published on September 10, 2017
Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization versus the Armies of Lebanon and Iraq0Comment0ShareShare Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization versus the Armies of Lebanon and Iraq
In recent times, there have been two interesting developments in the efforts of the commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps in Iraq and Lebanon. Both events fall within the scope of the bid to impose the model produced by the Iranian Revolution, of creating a parallel military structure alongside the regular army, whereas the Popular Mobilization Units in Iraq operate in parallel with the Iraqi army, and Hezbollah in parallel with the Lebanese army, just like the IRGC operates in parallel with the army in Iran. This project has faced resistance and it is worth considering its implications, not just for those behind it, but also for the future of Iraq and Lebanon. In Iraq, there is Shia resistance to the effort to legitimize the Iranian model and the PMUs at the expense of the Iraqi army. In Lebanon, there is a governmental and popular resistance to Hezbollah’s insistence on imposing its legitimacy at the expense of the Lebanese army, not just from Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri but also President Michel Aoun, who has emphasized the Lebanese army as the leading legitimate protector of Lebanon. Tehran in the meantime fears that Iraqi-Gulf rapprochement could undermine its project, while it sees Lebanon as a necessary bridge to rehabilitate Syria in the Arab world and then internationally.
In this regard, US-Russian partnership in Syria and Iraq is key. In Lebanon, there is an international decision to prevent a security collapse and to empower the army to play its conventional role without partnership with Hezbollah in any legitimacy. Instead, there is a bid to head off any attempt by Hezbollah to replicate the Iranian model in Lebanon.
In Iraq, there is US-Russian accord to resist the perpetuation of the IRGC model through the PMUs. The Gulf element in this accord has emerged in the rapprochement with Iraq’s Shia leaders, which has prompted Iran to dispatch high-level delegates to Baghdad on an urgent mission. It has also emerged in a recent Saudi decision to resume interest in Lebanon’s developments. Despite all the one-upmanship and rhetoric regarding who liberated Lebanese territory from ISIS in the barrens of Arsal, al-Qaa, and Ras Baalbeck, what happened was that the Lebanese army has gained unprecedented legitimacy, because for the first time it acted proactively rather than reactively. One senior Lebanese official said this legitimacy is now realistic not emotional. He said that Hezbollah, despite all its insistence, has not obtained legitimacy because “the president has a distinguished, profound, emotional, and practical relationship with the army.” “His face lights up when the army is mentioned, and nothing will dissuade him from giving priority to the army,” he added. “The army is strong and has national legitimacy as a result of the battle it fought in Ras Baalbeck and al-Qaa”.
Washington has a keen interest in the Lebanese army and wants it safeguarded without the kind of partnership Hezbollah is desperate to impose. Hezbollah has failed to get what it wants despite all its lobbying and media machinery going into overdrive. The army has never and will never say that Hezbollah shares its legitimacy. This denies Hezbollah from replicating the IRGC model in Lebanon, and from becoming the Lebanese IRGC.
The other key prong of Hezbollah’s strategy is facilitating a ‘reunion’ between the government of Syria and Lebanon, not just through secret visits like the ones its leaders have undertaken in the past years as fully fledged allies, but through an official and public ‘marriage’ that would rehabilitate Damascus’s Arab legitimacy through the Lebanese gateway.
Saudi Arabia reentered the Lebanese arena recently to prevent this, according to one well-informed official. Riyadh has judged that the prime minister in Lebanon is the necessary spearhead in preventing this sought-after union. For this reason, Saudi Arabia has decided to return minister Thamer al-Sabhan to Beirut, preceded by escalatory tweets against Hezbollah calling on Lebanon to make a choice, either to stand against or fall behind Hezbollah and cautioning of the implications for the Lebanese over this choice.
Some say that Riyadh is resolved to prevent the Beirut-Damascus reunion even if that took “sabotaging Lebanon”, though politically and not through security means, including by toppling the Lebanese government headed by Hariri in favor of a technocratic government, out of insistence on having a government with a more coherent position vis-à-vis Hezbollah. Others completely discount this scenario, saying removing Hariri’s government would bring an alternative that is not favorable to Saudi’s stance against Hezbollah’s dominance in Lebanon and political decision making in Beirut. The proponents of the first view say Thabhan’s remarks indicate Saudi Arabia is fed up of the “negative and weak performance of the Lebanese government,” and that the upcoming legislative elections in Lebanon will be an occasion for Saudi Arabia to seriously counter Hezbollah’s projects. If that requires “a shock for the government, then it will not hesitate,” they say.
The US and Saudi Arabia are in agreement over refusing Hezbollah’s bid to impose its legitimacy at the expense of the Lebanese army. They make the distinction between a de-facto partnership with Hezbollah in the war against ISIS in Syria, and Hezbollah’s quest for legitimacy as a parallel IRGC-like entity. Washington is determined for the Lebanese state to deliver on its pledge that there would be no partnership between the army and Hezbollah. US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley adopted a firm position regarding the mandate of the UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in South Lebanon and the implementation to the letter of resolution 1701, affirming the total separation between the legitimacy of the Lebanese army and Hezbollah’s peculiar status.
The Trump administration has had a vague policy on Syria in terms of its silent consent to Iranian expansion in IS-held territory, part of the geography of its arc, corridor, or crescent linking Tehran to Lebanon via Iraq and Syria. This stance could be temporary tactics, imposed by the long-term grand strategy, or it could be a result of the US confusion that has long benefited Tehran. It is premature to determine this at this juncture.
Clearly, however, Iran remains part of the “continuation of unrest in the Middle East rather than stability in the region,” as one veteran political analyst put it. The proponents of this view say that the Americans will not allow Iran to gain a legitimate foothold on the Mediterranean. Therefore, Iran will remain a source of instability and Lebanon will remain forbidden ammunition. These voices say that US-Russian accord on removing militias from Syria will be executed within a year or two, after which Hezbollah will return to Lebanon with many question marks surrounding its role there. They say Iran does not intend to open the south Lebanese front with Israel, which has found itself relieved by the Syrian war with its border its hold on the Golan secured. Either this will be translated through some kind of truce that will spare Lebanon or it could lead Hezbollah to compensate for its resistance against Israel credentials by imposing its agenda on the Lebanese home front.
Things are different on many levels in Iraq. Iraq is more important in the Iranian-Gulf balance of power than Lebanon is in the Iranian-Israeli balance of power, which has been suspended with the consent of both sides as well as the US and Russia. Iraq today is in the eye of the storm of partition, which Washington and Moscow claim they oppose. Both agree on the priority of the regular army over the Iranian-sponsored PMUs. More importantly, however, is the decision of Iraq’s Shia Arabs who do not accept the idea of the Iranian model dominating their lives. This camp is behind a project for restoring Iraq’s central position in the Arab bloc and vice versa.
Tehran is concerned by this. This is why it has sought to contain the damage caused by the practices and projects of the IRGC, dispatching to Baghdad this week the head of the Chairman of Expediency Discernment Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi – an Iraqi by birth – and his deputy Mohsen Rezai to repair the Shia alliance in Baghdad. Iran is also equally concerned by the rapprochement between Iraqi Shia leaders such as Prime Minister Haider Abadi and cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and Saudi Arabia.
The Iranian side has often boasted of being a reliable partner and ally, unlike the inconsistent form of partnership and alliance between the US and the Gulf, as it sees it. Iran is betting on some kind of weakness afflicting the new Gulf push to open a new page with Iraq, and the recent enthusiasm shown for influencing Lebanon to contain Hezbollah. There is a history that supports Iran’s bets and boasts, in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. If Gulf diplomacy decides to contain the damage resulting from the impression that it is impatient and late to act, it must invest in a strategy to counter Iran’s claims and thwart the bet that the Gulf push in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon will eventually cool down. Partnerships are difficult, but there is a dire need for new kinds of partnerships different from the ones that have given out the impression they were unbalanced and transient.
Preempting the attempts to create surrogates for conventional Arab armies in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria is of paramount importance, because if successful, these attempts will mean the exportation of the Iranian Revolution and regime in Tehran to the Arab world.

Aoun Says Obstruction of Slain Troops Probe Encourages 'Revenge Killings'
Naharnet/September 10/17/President Michel Aoun warned Sunday that “revenge killings” would be the result of any obstruction of a probe he has ordered into the 2014 kidnap and consequent execution of a number of Lebanese servicemen at the hands of jihadist groups. “Do those seeking to obstruct the investigation, through words or deeds, realize that they are encouraging individual vendettas and revenge killings?” Aoun said in a tweet. “Choose between the state and the judiciary’s justice or the clans and tribal justice,” the president warned.

Aoun Reportedly Says Arsal Probe Won't Target Salam, Politicians
Naharnet/September 10/17/President Michel Aoun has told his visitors that the probe he has ordered into the 2014 kidnap and consequent execution of a number of troops and policemen will not target politicians, a media report said on Sunday. “It is a purely military investigation and it does not concern ex-PM Tammam Salam or politicians,” al-Mustaqbal newspaper quoted Aoun as saying. The visitors clarified that Aoun “has never mentioned ex-PM Salam or any politician in his stances on this issue,” the daily said. “The probe in question is merely a normal and expected measure that comes after the end of any battle. It aims to identify the flaws that marred the battle without any political or personal motives,” the president was quoted as saying. Salam had issued a statement on Friday in response to remarks by Aoun. “Our stance in the government of national interest... was not ambiguous at all and was rather clear as the sun on the need to exert efforts to liberate the captive servicemen with all available means, while showing keenness on the lives of the residents of the dear town of Arsal, in order to preserve stability and protect civil peace – in the Bekaa in particular and in Lebanon in general,” Salam said.
Aoun’s call for a probe came after Lebanon recovered the bodies of nine troops who were kidnapped by the Islamic State group in 2014 before being eventually executed. The fate of the soldiers was unveiled as part of a Hizbullah-led ceasefire agreement with IS that followed separate but simultaneous offensives by the Lebanese army and Hizbullah and the Syrian army on both sides of the Lebanon-Syria border. Hizbullah, the Free Patriotic Movement and some of their allies have pinned the blame for the abduction of the servicemen on Tammam Salam's 2014 government, former army chief General Jean Qahwaji and al-Mustaqbal Movement, accusing them of preventing the army from continuing a military operation against IS and al-Nusra Front.

Lebanon to File U.N. Security Council Complaint against Israel
Associated Press/Naharnet/September 10/17/Lebanon will file an "urgent complaint" against Israel with the United Nations Security Council, the Foreign Ministry said. The ministry said in a statement that Israel violated Lebanon's airspace when it conducted an airstrike against a Syrian government installation on Thursday. Israeli jets struck an installation that former Israeli military and intelligence officials said was producing weapons possibly bound for Lebanon's Hizbullah. The Syrian army said at the time that two soldiers were killed. Hizbullah is part of the Lebanese government, though Lebanon officially remains neutral over the neighboring Syrian civil war.

Hariri begins an official visit to Russia
Sun 10 Sep 2017/NNA - Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived in Moscow on Sunday evening, starting a two-day official visit to Russia during which he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Talks will center on regional developments and ways of boosting bilateral Lebanese-Russian relations Accompanying the Prime Minister on his official visit is a delegation comprised of: Cabinet Ministers Ghassan Hasbani, Nuhad al-Mashnouq, Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghattas Khoury, Yousef Fanianos, Raed Khoury and Melhem Riachi, as well as PM Hariri's Bureau Director Nader Hariri.

Kanaan: President views Geagea's positions with great importance, Mehrab Understanding steadfast
Sun 10 Sep 2017/NNA - "The President of the Republic sees great importance in Lebanese Forces Chief Samir Geagea's positions in support of the State's march," said MP Ibrahim Kanaan in an interview to "Radio Free Lebanon" Channel on Sunday. Referring to the Understanding of Mehrab, Kanaan described it as "unwavering and irreversible." Kanaan hoped that "this national convergence reflected in President Aoun's election would continue," stressing on "the necessity of gathering blessings from the huge sacrifices of our sons and youthful generation."

Geagea Says Probe Must Involve Hizbullah-Led Deal that Led to IS 'Escape'
Naharnet/September 10/17/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed Sunday that a probe into the 2014 kidnap and consequent execution of Lebanese servicemen should also involve a Hizbullah-led deal that resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of Islamic State jihadists following the army's last month border offensive.“We support any probe but the investigation should also target those who exerted efforts to allow IS militants to escape and be spared prosecution,” said Geagea during the LF's annual rally in commemoration of the “Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance.”“Some parties were dismayed that the army was about to achieve a complete victory, so they sought to deprive it and deprive the Lebanese of the fruits of this victory,” Geagea added, referring to Hizbullah. President Michel Aoun has ordered a probe into the 2014 abduction of the troops and policemen. His move came after Lebanon recovered the bodies of ten slain servicemen as part of Hizbullah's agreement with the IS group. Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has argued that the deal with IS was the “only way” to unveil the fate of the hostages.Separately, Geagea rejected calls by Hizbullah and its allies for restoring full political and economic relations with Damascus. “Before some parties try to sign agreements with Bashar al-Assad's regime, let them return our captives and those who went missing in Syrian prisons, topped by Butros Khawand,” Geagea said.“Let the Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination Treaty which was approved under Syrian occupation of Lebanon be annulled, let the unconstitutional Higher Lebanese-Syrian Council be abolished, and let those convicted in the case of the blasts that targeted al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques be handed over, topped by Ali al-Mamlouk,” he added. “Let the border with Syria be demarcated and let the Lebanese identity of the Shebaa Farms be acknowledged,” Geagea went on to say.

Hariri Pays Solidarity Visit to Salam after Accusations
Naharnet/September 10/17/Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Sunday paid a solidarity visit to ex-PM Tammam Salam, who has been accused by some parties of alleged misconduct that led to the 2014 kidnap and consequent execution of a number of Lebanese troops and policemen. “The overbidding that is taking place regarding the probe into the abduction of the servicemen is unacceptable and the approach of some parties is aimed at creating a rift in the country,” Hariri warned after meeting Salam at his Mousaitbeh residence. “Back then, PM Tammam Salam had to take decisions to protect Lebanon, despite the divides among the ranks of the then political leadership, and several attempts occurred to resolve the case of the servicemen,” Hariri added. “We will not allow the sowing of discord between Sunnis and Shiites and we agree on some issues with Hizbullah, such as Lebanon's stability and security,” the PM went on to say.
As for the probe that President Michel Aoun has ordered into the kidnap of the soldiers and the circumstances of the 2014 clashes with jihadists, Hariri said: “When necessary, we would agree to lift everyone's impunity for the sake of the investigation, including that of the media outlets that have poured oil on fire.”He also noted that “Arsal's residents were the ones who fought terrorism and suffered a lot.”Salam for his part said: “We stand together against all enemies, and we stand by PM Hariri the same as he has stood by us. We must preserve the country instead of scoring points against each other and instead of populist stances.”
“The issue is clear: we wanted to preserve Lebanon and Arsal,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Aoun warned that “revenge killings” would be the result of any obstruction of the probe into the kidnap of the servicemen. Al-Mustaqbal newspaper has quoted Aoun as saying the investigation “will not target Salam or any politician.” Salam had issued a statement on Friday in response to previous remarks by Aoun. “Our stance in the government of national interest... was not ambiguous at all and was rather clear as the sun on the need to exert efforts to liberate the captive servicemen with all available means, while showing keenness on the lives of the residents of the dear town of Arsal, in order to preserve stability and protect civil peace – in the Bekaa in particular and in Lebanon in general,” Salam said. Aoun’s call for a probe came after Lebanon recovered the bodies of nine troops who were kidnapped by the Islamic State group in 2014 before being eventually executed. The fate of the soldiers was unveiled as part of a Hizbullah-led ceasefire agreement with IS that followed separate but simultaneous offensives by the Lebanese army and Hizbullah and the Syrian army on both sides of the Lebanon-Syria border. Hizbullah, the Free Patriotic Movement and some of their allies have pinned the blame for the abduction of the servicemen on Tammam Salam's 2014 government, former army chief General Jean Qahwaji and al-Mustaqbal Movement, accusing them of preventing the army from continuing a military operation against IS and al-Nusra Front.

Israeli Warplanes Break Sound Barrier over Sidon
Naharnet/September 10/17/Israeli warplanes flying at low altitude on Sunday broke the sound barrier over the city of Sidon and the neighboring areas, TV networks said. According to MTV, the sonic boom shattered the glass windows of some buildings.The National News Agency said the blast sound sparked panic among residents and that a woman had fainted in Sidon's souks. The development comes amid Israeli military exercises near Lebanon’s border. It also comes days after Israeli warplanes bombed a military site in Syria from Lebanon’s airspace. The Foreign Ministry has said that Lebanon will file an "urgent complaint" against Israel with the U.N. Security Council over that violation.

Moussawi Urges Govt. for 'Balance in Stances' on Saudi, Syria
Naharnet/September 10/17/MP Nawwaf al-Moussawi of Hizbullah's Loyalty to Resistance bloc on Sunday urged the government to show “balance in the stances it takes on Saudi Arabia and Syria,” amid a row on whether ministers should be visiting Damascus in their personal or official capacity. “Normally, we have conflicting points of view on Syria and Saudi Arabia,” Moussawi said. “That's why we call on the government to show balance in the stances it takes on Saudi Arabia and Syria,” he added. “The same as we have not raised our voices to object against the ties with the Saudi regime, it is not normal in return to hear voices objecting against the relations that are being established with Syria,” the lawmaker went on to say. Moussawi's remarks come after a fresh tweet against Hizbullah by Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan.“Iran and its eldest child, Hizbul Shaitan (Party of Satan), are the cradle of terrorism and extremism in the world. The same as the world has dealt with Daesh (Islamic State group), it should also deal with its cradle. Our peoples need peace and security,” Sabhan said in his tweet.

Bassil: Unilateralism has no place in Lebanon
Sun 10 Sep 2017/NNA - Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said Sunday that there is no room for monopolization in the country and no party is in a position to cancel the other. Speaking at a luncheon banquet held in his honor in Bcharré during his North Lebanon tour, Bassil paid tribute to the town and its martyrs, considering that it is on the right path of bolstering its diversity since Lebanon's value lies in its rejection of unilateralism. Touching on the upcoming parliamentary elections, Bassil deemed that "the electoral law based on proportional representation was approved in favor of all of Lebanon." "In order for Bcharré to win in the electoral polls, we have sacrificed our rights in the regions of Metn and Jbeil, focusing our attention on ensuring that the minorities receive their proper share," he went on. "We need to be vigilant about our unity. We cannot play with fate, for it is what keeps us in this land," Bassil concluded.

Rahi: Lebanon needs real 'Men of State'
Sun 10 Sep 2017/NNA - Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Beshara Boutros al-Rahi, said that Lebanon is in dire need of real "men of state" to serve the country with loyalty. "Lebanon needs real statesmen that serve Lebanon with devotion and dedication," Patriarch Rahi said during Sunday Mass at Saint Daniel Church in Hadath el-Jebbeh, in presence of Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil. Rahi deemed that Lebanon would not rise from its political, economic and social crises unless if real politicians ruled the country, putting aside their narrow interests for the country's sake. "It is then that public funds will be preserved and citizens will obtain their basic rights to a decent life," Rahi concluded.

Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 10-11/17
Syria Army Breaks IS Siege on Deir Ezzor Air Base
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 10/17/Syrian troops have broken the Islamic State group's siege of the eastern Deir Ezzor military airport, state media reported, days after ending another siege on residential districts of the city. State news agency SANA said the breach came "after the forces advancing from the cemetery southwest of the city linked up with the forces holding the airbase." The troops had launched a new push on Friday towards the besieged military airport, as part of its multi-pronged offensive to retake the whole eastern city from the jihadists. Since 2014, IS has held swathes of Deir Ezzor province, which borders Iraq, and about 60 percent of the provincial capital. Jihadists had encircled two regime-held enclaves in the western half of Deir Ezzor city, and the army on Tuesday broke through one of the besieged pockets. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also confirmed troops had breached the siege. "By breaking the siege on the military airport regime forces have been able to link up all the neighborhoods they hold in western parts of Deir Ezzor city," the Britain-based monitor said.

Rohingya Militants Declare One-Month Ceasefire
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/September 10/17/Rohingya militants, whose August 25 raids in Myanmar's Rakhine State sparked an army crackdown that has seen nearly 300,000 of the Muslim minority flee to Bangladesh, on Sunday declared a unilateral one-month ceasefire. "The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) hereby declares a temporary cessation of offensive military operations," it said in a statement on its Twitter handle @ARSA_Official, adding it was to allow for humanitarian aid to reach the battered region.

Russian-French Talks in Geneva to Find ‘Common Syrian Grounds’
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/Moscow – Russian and French diplomats and military officials held a round of consultations in Geneva on Saturday, during which they discussed prospects for a settlement in Syria and the possibility to find common ground between Russia and France. Talks have also touched on a French proposal to form an international working group on the Syrian crisis, that would include the Security Council permanent members and regional forces involved in the Syrian conflict. UN Permanent Representative at the UN Alexey Borodavkin and officials from the Russian defense ministry attended the meeting, along with French President Emmanuel Macron’s deputy political advisor, Aurelien Lechevallier and representatives from the French defense ministry. In remarks following the consultations, Borodavkin said the two sides highly praised the recent military success in countering ISIS in Syria, referring to the lifting of the siege on Deir al-Zor and the ongoing military operations there against the terrorist organization. The Russian diplomat added that participants have valued the calm situation in the de-escalation zones, which would pave the way for a political settlement in the country, describing what is happening in Syria as a “civil war”. The Russian-French consultations were held following talks in Moscow on Friday between French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. The two officials reviewed Syrian settlement efforts, as the French minister presented some aspects of Macron’s initiative to form an international working group for the Syrian conflict.While Moscow did not clarify its position towards the French initiative, Lavrov stressed during his joint press conference with Le Drian on the importance of adhering to the previously established mechanisms such as the International Support Group for Syria and its subcommittees, implying a Russian rejection to the launching of new initiatives.

Arab League Chief Visits Baghdad, Erbil in Search of ‘Compromise’ over Referendum Rift
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/Cairo, Erbil- The referendum on independence scheduled for September 25 in Iraq’s Kurdistan region was the main topic of discussion at the talks held by Arab League Chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Baghdad and Erbil on Saturday. Aboul Gheit spokesman said that the visit to Iraq is in search of a “compromise” between Baghdad and Erbil. On the other hand, a consultant in the presidency of the Kurdistan region said that the referendum will not be postponed without international guarantees. Mahmoud Afifi, Spokesman for the Secretary-General of the League, said that Aboul Gheit’s visit was part of his diplomatic efforts to preserve the territorial integrity of the Arab League member state. Afifi added that Aboul Gheit’s message to Baghdad and Erbil is the need to show the spirit of “compromise” and calm approach, and to adopt the principles of dialogue and adherence to the constitution. Kurdistan’s leadership answers to all questions and advice of Aboul Gheit, stressing that the referendum will not be postponed unless there are “international guarantees written and signed by Baghdad and the United States and perhaps other parties,” Kurdistan presidency media adviser Kifah Mahmoud told Asharq Al-Awsat. President Masoud Barzani told the visiting Arab League chief that it is not the decision of an individual to delay the referendum in response to a request from the head of the pan-Arab group for Kurdistan to postpone the vote “for a period of time” while talks are held between Erbil and Baghdad under the watch of the international community. Barzani said the decision to hold the independence referendum belongs to the people and political parties of Kurdistan. Barzani met with Aboul Gheit in the company of members of the High Referendum Council. Aboul-Gheit arrived in Baghdad and met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to confirm AL’s keenness to preserve Iraq’s unity and revive dialogue between Baghdad and the Kurdistan region ahead of the latter’s independence referendum. The AL chief urged Iraqi leaders to focus on “completing the liberation of Iraq’s territory and resorting to dialogue, as well as to abiding by the Iraqi constitution to resolve any problems,” according to a statement issued by Abadi’s office. On June 7, Barzani announced his intention to hold a referendum on the independence of the Kurdish region from Iraq on Sept. 25, a step which has been criticized by Baghdad as “unconstitutional and illegal.”

Experts: Qatar’s Statement Indicates Unwillingness to Resolve Crisis
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/Riyadh- Qatar News Agency distortion of the phone call content between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani is a continuity of the Qatari policies, experts said. Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday suspending any dialogue with Qatar until it issues a clear statement on its stance, noting that what has been published by Qatar News Agency has nothing to do with the truth. Dr. Ibrahim al-Nahas, member of Shura Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that the Qatari distortion of the phone call content with Mohammed bin Salman that pushed Saudi Arabia to suspend dialogue or any communication with Qatari authorities represents the continuity of Qatar’s policies in practicing political offenses. During a phonecall with Asharq Al-Awsat, Nahas declared that the Qatari emir initiative is to alleviate international pressure on Qatar as well as the internal forces impatience over those controlling the Qatari policy, which is supportive to terrorism and instability in states. Nahas noted that these practices aim to deceive the international community through claiming willingness to resolve the crisis—yet he stressed that this is a desperate attempt that affected the Qatari policy negatively. Saudi political analyst Dr. Ali al-Tawati said that the Qatari regime faced huge pressure from US President Donald Trump to call the Saudi crown prince, but other parties in the authority were uncontent with ending the crisis so they intended to distort facts. Tawati said that what happened shows the absence of willingness to resolve the crisis with the boycott countries, adding that there is a real struggle among ruling parties in Qatar.

$3.8 Billion in Arms Sales to Bahrain
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/Washington- The US State Department has approved arms sales packages worth more than $3.8 billion to Bahrain including F-16 jets, upgrades, missiles and patrol boats, the Pentagon said on Friday. The proposed sales include 19 F-16V jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp which could have a value of up to $2.7 billion, the Pentagon said as Reuters reported. Other potential sales approved Friday include two 35 meter (114 feet) patrol boats with machine guns, 221 anti-tank missiles made by Raytheon Co and $1.8 billion worth of upgrades to Bahrain’s existing fleet of F-16 jets, the Pentagon said in separate statements. The approvals coincide with the State Department’s notification to Congress, which had held up a similar arms deal last year. But a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the proposed sales were cleared by the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees through the regular “tiered review process” which precedes this formal notification. In May, US President Donald Trump said Washington’s relations with Bahrain would improve, after meeting with the king of the Gulf Arab state during a visit to Saudi Arabia.

Former US Diplomat Says Yemen’s Ousted President Lost His Legitimacy before International Community
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/Washington- A former US diplomat in Yemen confirmed that the Gulf initiative presented at the beginning of the outbreak of the crisis in Yemen stands as the only way out of the current three-year crisis. He stressed that the international community should push this solution and join forces to save the Yemeni people. Ousted Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has completely lost his legitimacy among the international community and has no interest in Saudi Arabia and its allies at all, former US ambassador to Yemen Gerald M. Feierstein said at a symposium by the Carnegie Center for Research and Research in Washington. He pointed out that the Gulf initiative and the efforts of the United Nations being carried out by its envoy Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed is a vital lifeline for what is happening in Yemen. “Without these efforts and initiative will not resolve the Yemeni crisis and the political transition that is supposed to be done will be delayed,” he added. “The humanitarian issue in Yemen is of great concern to the international community, and the Yemeni parties to exploit this sympathy as Houthi contribute to the blocking of delivery of food aid to those in need through ports they control.”The former ambassador stressed that the international community has the responsibility to pressure Iran-backed Houthi militias to cooperate with humanitarian efforts and assistance, facilitate the government’s procedures to return to Sana’a, and the work of the Central Bank for the development of the economy and development of the country.

Role of International Humanitarian Organizations in Yemen Put to Question
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/London- Humanitarian questions arose on Hodeidah not receiving any aid, despite it being closest to a main seaport. On the contrary, images capturing the situation there continued to spread showing dire cases of famine. “We have told them (aid agencies) that you cannot play the role of the government, and the months went by and the issue became clear,” said Al-Bara Sheiban, a Yemeni political researcher who says the UN organizations working in Yemen have tried to play a bigger role, believing they will be able to cover the role of the government. Sheiban, like many other analysts, doubts the effectiveness of the role played by the UN organizations in Yemen. There are two billion dollars, according to a press release issued by Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Iryani, spent on humanitarian aid, but with no evident results.Any aid effort pales in comparison to documented field scenes released showing Yemenis in suffering. Asharq Al-Awsat spoke to analysts about the role of humanitarian organizations in Yemen and sent questions to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “It must be recognized that most organizations have formed their political identity during the Cold War, so their approach is based on the use of their political relations with the international community,” said Abdullah al-Junaid, a Bahraini political writer. “In Yemen, aid organizations pressure the Yemeni constitutionally-elected government through continued targeting of its regional backers, namely Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as media campaigns in the United States and the United Kingdom are being carried out with preconceptions about what Saudi Arabia and the UAE are doing in Yemen,” said al-Junaid. “Relief and rights international organizations seemingly operate according to criteria that are important human rights, but the propaganda establishment obscures the reality of these organizations and influences the reality of their interests.”

Hamas’ Haniyeh Arrives in Egypt to Negotiate Easing Gaza Siege
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 10/17/Ramallah- Head of the political bureau of the Hamas movement Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo on Saturday for his first foreign visit after being elected as head of the movement last May. Hamas said that Haniyeh arrived heading a delegation composed of senior movement officials to meet with Egyptian officials and discuss many important issues, especially bilateral relations with Egypt and ways to develop them and enhance understandings with Cairo. Other topics of interest to the parties were also addressed. The delegation will also discuss the latest national issue and ways to restore the unity of the Palestinian people and achieve national reconciliation. Haniyeh along with other diplomats would discuss ways to strengthen previous understandings to ensure direct Egyptian intervention to ease pressure on Gaza, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. Gaza has been put under siege and subject to stringent measures taken by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas against the movement in ruling the Strip. Haniyeh is accompanied by the head of the movement in the Gaza Strip Yahya al-Sinawar and member of the Political Bureau Khalil al-Hayya. The delegation also includes one of the prominent leaders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in an indication that the meetings will discuss issues of a security nature as well as political understandings. Al-Qassam Brigade is the chief reason Egypt has taken national security to extra lengths at. Reports over the summer said that a Hamas delegation had traveled to Cairo for third party talks with Israel over a prisoner exchange deal that would see the release of four to five Israelis held captive by Hamas, however neither side suggested it would be on the agenda during this visit. Haniyeh will try to convince Egypt to end its crippling blockade on Hamas-controlled Gaza. Egypt joined Israel in its siege on Gaza in 2013, following the overthrow of President Mohamad Morsi from the Muslim Brotherhood. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has accused Hamas of aiding Muslim Brotherhood militants in Egypt and enforced a blockade on the Palestinian territory. Hamas issued a statement saying Haniyeh would discuss “mechanisms to ease the siege on Gaza and other issues of mutual concern” with Egyptian officials.

Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 09-10/17
The Challenge: Who Guarantees Qatar?
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/September 10/17
The problem of the four Arab states that decided to confront Qatar is not represented in obliging Doha to meet their 13 demands, but, it’s in Qatar’s credibility and guaranteeing what it says, signs and pledges.
We do not know of a single agreement that Qatar signed and complied with. Even with the mediation of someone as significant and influential as the US president, it will be no surprise if Qatar later violates what it pledges in ending its interferences in its neighbors’ affairs and its support of extremist and armed groups. Doha’s policy is based on violating pledges and moving around them — it thinks this is a smart move to evade pressures and direct confrontations. An example of that is what happened in 2013 when it went to Riyadh and signed an agreement with guarantees from the mediator at the time, Kuwait’s emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Qatar only wanted to calm the anger of Saudi King Abdullah, may he rest in peace, after complaints over its interferences. Doha signed the agreement and made pledges but few months later, Saudi authorities found out that Qatar has not stopped supporting the groups that target it and has not ended domestic incitement against it.
After evidence was put forward to the Qatari negotiators, the latter claimed that the agreement did not include these details and things then worsened. Kuwait’s emir mediated with Qatar’s emir who reiterated his stance in the presence of Gulf leaders in November 2014.
According to the secret document leaked by CNN, Qatar’s emir pledged not to support the opposition in Gulf countries, not to shelter the opposition or grant its members Qatari nationalities and to stop funding armed terrorist groups in Syria and Yemen, i.e. ISIS and Nusra Front, because they target Gulf countries as well. Qatar also pledged to keep Muslim Brotherhood members away from Qatar, close training institutions, known as the Academy of Change which trains youths from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries on opposition work, and stop its channel Al-Jazeera from inciting against Gulf countries.
Qatar did not respect part of its pledges but it did prevent Al Jazeera channel from targeting Gulf countries and it did in fact silence the opposition on the channel; however, this was a deceitful move as it established and funded alternative media platforms for the opposition.
Qatar did not only deceive Gulf countries — it previously pledged to the US government and Israel to stop supporting Hamas officials but it continued to fund them outside Qatar. As for Bahrain, Qatar was used to lying about its role there in supporting the opposition despite the multiple evidence against it.
Do not be fooled by these stances which may seem dogmatic or political since Qatar used its guests when it needed to. Three months ago, it handed Saudi Arabia one of the opposition figures in an attempt to calm the situation.
Before that, it handed Russia the murderers of the Chechen leader who was an asylum seeker and who was assassinated in Doha’s streets. Doha was afraid after the murderers were tried and it quickly released them and sent them to Moscow.
Although Doha is committed to supporting fascist, national and Islamic groups, Qatar itself is a regime that does not have any morals or principles or an ideology. It uses other groups to strengthen its political value in the region – a value resulting from its greatness illusion.
How can one trust a regime that harbors all these contradictions? It hosts an American base, the Muslim Brotherhood, extremist Salafist groups, an Israeli office and leaders of extremist Iraqi and Palestinian groups. It uses its official media outlets to call for jihad against the Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan and at the same time, US jets fly from its territories to fight those meeting the calls of jihad.
It’s normal for a regime that harbors these contradictions to adopt deceit as a policy and sign pledges and then violate them. It’s also normal for no one to trust it. This is the upcoming challenge as how can we guarantee what Doha’s authorities pledge, especially that immediately following US President Donald Trump’s mediation, it began to distort facts related to the negotiations over an agreement?

Towards A Definition Of Islam And Islamism
Tufail Ahmad/MEMRI/September 10/17
Introduction
https://www.memri.org/reports/towards-definition-islam-and-islamism
Throughout 1,400-plus years of Islam, numerous Islamic scholars, teachers, and others have attempted to comprehend Islam. Each of them makes their own assessment of what Islam is. Islamic scholars view Islam as a complete way of life – as a system of ideas governing all spheres of the individual lives and collective life of Muslims. Academics, journalists, and others comprehend Islam differently. Some view it as a religion, while others think Islam is also politics. In view of the jihadi killings in Islamic and non-Islamic countries, it is pertinent to arrive at a definition of Islam.
Insofar as ideas have consequences, an understanding of Islam must account for all myths, beliefs, ideas, and practices that impact the lives of Muslims, whether or not they are approved of by some analysts. If an idea is consequential, it cannot be excluded from an understanding of Islam. For example, the Pakistan-based jihadi organization Jaish-e-Muhammad quotes the Prophet Muhammad as saying: "Jihad is obligatory upon you under every emir [leader], whether he be pious or fasiq [sinner]."[1] Even if this quote were inauthentic, it still aids in terrorist training and is therefore consequential, especially in the anti-India jihadi war in Kashmir. My necessary argument is this: Any myth, belief, idea, or fact held in the name of Islam, even if false, has consequences.
Islam – A Movement Of Ideas
Consequentially, Islam is a corpus of all ideas held by Muslims. This corpus includes: the Quranic verses, the hadiths (sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad), different interpretations of the verses and the hadiths, the books of hadiths, works of Islamic jurisprudence, all practices enforced by Islamic clerics among the followers of different sects of Islam, a range of ideas held by each Muslim across the world, and all prevailing practices. A question can be raised: Why arrive at a whole view of Islam when its followers are different in their practices? An answer can be: All the followers hold a global view of Islam, considering themselves members of a single Muslim ummah (nation). Also, a focus on differences among Muslims does not explain why jihadi attacks take place from Sydney to Paris, or Mumbai to Mombasa.
Therefore, we arrive at a view of Islam as a movement of ideas, as a system of ideas, as a narrative in which Islam is both religion in its spiritual form and also a corpus of economics, politics, gender studies, or war. Just as the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 gave birth to a communist movement of ideas, radicalizing youths on university campuses across the world to take up arms and join guerrilla wars, the world today is experiencing Islam as a movement of ideas. The only difference is this: In present times, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Telegram have replaced the university campuses – and complement mosques and madrassas (Islamic seminaries).
At a lecture delivered in the Indian city of Hyderabad in 2016, I explained: As a movement of ideas, Islam began in the seventh century in Mecca, as a consequence of which there are no Jews in Saudi Arabia today and no synagogues or churches.[2] Later, it travelled to Iran, as a result of which there are no Zoroastrians left, barring a few, in Iran. This movement of ideas arrived on the Indian Subcontinent in the eighth century, as a result of which there are no Hindus in Baluchistan, no Hindus in Afghanistan, and no Hindus in Pakistan – and no Sikhs in Lahore, originally a Sikh metropolis. In the 1990s, Hindus were expelled from Indian Kashmir.
Islamism – The Peaceful Methodology Of Islam
Once we have a view of Islam as a movement of ideas, the issue is the methodology by which it travels and impacts the life of Muslims and their relations with non-Muslims. I argued: "Islamism is the methodology by which Islam achieves its goals. And jihadism is the weaponized version of Islamism."[3] Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden once compared America to an octopus, saying that it has grabbed the world in its tentacles. So, let me first apologize to the inhabitants of the animal world and say that Islamism is an amoeba that reproduces itself by replicating itself.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines Islamism thus: "1. An Islamic revivalist movement, often characterized by moral conservatism, literalism, and the attempt to implement Islamic values in all spheres of life. 2. The religious faith, principles, or cause of Islam."[4] Merriam-Webster defines Islamism as: "1: the faith, doctrine, or cause of Islam. 2: a popular reform movement advocating the reordering of government and society in accordance with laws prescribed by Islam."[5] As per these definitions, Islamism emerges as an "attempt" at "reordering" "all spheres" of societies to suit Islamic laws.
In such a conception of Islam and Islamism, every act performed by Muslims is consequential. Such acts could include: praying five times a day; marking festivals like Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha; celebrating the birthday of the Prophet, known as Eid Milad; fasting all day during Ramadan; visiting shrines and mosques; performing the Hajj; mourning the killing of the Prophet's grandson Imam Hussein at Karbala; marrying a non-Muslim after they convert to Islam; attending the three- to 40-day training tours of Tablighi Jamaat; the holding of numerous seminars by Islamic organizations; and the like. Such actions – all of which are essentially peaceful – constitute the methodology of Islam. This peaceful version of Islam's methodology is Islamism.
The view that such acts performed by Muslims constitute the methodology of Islam is advocated by Muslims themselves. For example, the Mumbai-based daily Roznama Urdu Times wrote an editorial on the significance of Eid Al-Adha (the three-day Feast of Sacrifice): "Beware, any festival of Islam is not merely a festival like other religions have festivals. A festival means fun, spectacles, and pastimes. If you see it, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, which we mostly view as festivals, are in fact tenets, the tenets of Islam – not festivals. These are the tenets that come once a year for our training."[6] On the subject of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the Pakistani daily Roznama Dunya published an article arguing that Hajj is "the means for the training of the Muslim ummah."[7]
Jihadism – The Violent Form Of Islamism
Then, if Islamism is the peaceful methodology, jihadism is the weaponized version of Islamism, the difference being only in the voluntary versus the forcible implementation of Islam. According to a report in the Urdu daily Roznama Siasat, Muhammad Masood Khan and Farooq Haider Khan, respectively the president and the prime minister of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, expressed the view that the jihadi war in Kashmir is the sunnah (tradition) of the Prophet Abraham.[8] Their view was included in a message on Eid Al-Adha, which marks Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in the fulfilment of God's will. As per the report, the two leaders said: "Kashmiris are offering incomparable sacrifices by following the sunnah of Abraham."[9]
While Islamism can be called the enforcement of Islam by voluntary and non-violent means, jihadism is centered on the forcible implementation. To illustrate the point, take the example of the single belief concerning blasphemy. In order to implement this one belief, Shi'ite cleric Imam Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran called for the beheading of Salman Rushdie; Said and Cherif Kouachi of Al-Qaeda shot dead the editors of Charlie Hebdo magazine; Muslims in the Indian state of Kerala chopped off the hand of a professor over an exam question deemed to blaspheme against the Prophet Muhammad; and so on. These violent enforcements of Islam are approved by all sects of Islam – Shi'ites or Sunnis, or the Sufi-Barelvis and Deobandis among the Sunnis.[10]
Violent attempts at the enforcement of Islam at the level of geopolitics – as illustrated by the jihadi attacks in cities across the world – are rooted in the idea of the global unity of Muslims. Quran verse 3:110 states: "You are the best nation produced (as an example) for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah."[11] How should the members of this nation enforce Islam? The Prophet Muhammad said: "Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith."[12] Islamic clerics routinely explain this hadith of the Prophet – as recorded by an Indian mufti (one who is qualified to issue fatwas, or decrees) – in such words:
"1. If you [are] capable, then stop the evil with your hand. Use your power, influence, status, or force to stop bad things from happening. 2. If you are incapable of stopping evil with your hand, then at least speak out against it. 3. Even if that is not possible for you to do, then at least detest it in your heart, telling yourself that such an evil is happening in front of my eyes and I am not able to do anything to stop it. Feeling bad at heart is the weakest form of Faith. Those who do not have this 'weakest form of Faith' – that is, those who are not at all bothered about the evil happening – do not have Faith in the true sense."[13] This explanation of the hadith means that those who use force – such as jihadis who use weapons – have the strongest form of faith. So, jihadism is the preferred version of Islam's methodology, while Islamism is the least preferred version of the methodology.
______________________
* Tufail Ahmad is Senior Fellow for the MEMRI Islamism and Counter-Radicalization Initiative.
[1] See MEMRI JTTM report Contrary To Pakistan's Claim, Jihadi Group Jaish-e-Muhammad Carries Out Activities Across Pakistan, Quotes Prophet Muhammad: 'Jihad Is Obligatory Upon You Under Every Emir Whether He Be Pious Or Sinner', September 6, 2017.
[2] Firstpost.com/world/the-tufail-ahmad-lecture-islam-as-a-language-of-separatism-and-as-a-methodology-2958228.html, August 22, 2016.
[3] See preceding endnote.
[4] Ahdictionary.com, accessed September 3, 2017.
[5] Merriam-webster.com, accessed September 3, 2017.
[6] Roznama Urdu Times (India), September 2, 2017.
[7] Roznama Dunya (Pakistan), August 31, 2017.
[8] Roznama Siasat (Pakistan), September 1, 2017.
[9] Roznama Siasat (Pakistan), September 1, 2017.
[10] For a discussion of how all sects of Islam are willing to behead anyone for blasphemy, please see MEMRI Daily Brief No. 86, Pakistan's Execution Of Malik Mumtaz Qadri – The Ideology Of Blasphemy In Islam, March 31, 2016.
[11] Quran.com/3/110, accessed September 3, 2017.
[12] Sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/1/184, accessed September 3, 2017.
[13] yassarnalquran.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/amr-bil-maroof-wa-nahi-anil-munkar/, accessed September 3, 2017.

The Way to Make North Korea Back Down
Sung-Yoon Lee/The New York Times/September 10/17
After Sunday’s nuclear test, the most powerful yet, and two successful intercontinental missile tests in July, North Korea can credibly threaten to nuke a major United States city and kill millions of Americans. To date, the Trump administration, frustrated by its misplaced hopes of Chinese cooperation to restrain Pyongyang, has been reduced to empty bluster, while others, including a senior official in the previous administration, are resigned to living with a nuclear-armed regime on the Korean Peninsula.
But a nuclear North Korea is unlike a nuclear China or Russia. During the Cold War, neither Beijing nor Moscow faced an existential threat in the form of an alternate Chinese or Russian state. Pyongyang, on the other hand, has had to live with a far more prosperous and legitimate Korean state across its southern border. This internal dynamic of the Korean Peninsula compels Pyongyang to continue to threaten war and perfect its weapons of mass destruction. The regime’s logic is that the more advanced its nuclear capability, the less likely the United States will be to defend South Korea at the risk of sacrificing millions of American lives at home. Hence, for the North, menacing the United States is a nonnegotiable means of isolating and exercising dominance over Seoul. This is how the regime of Kim Jong-un seeks to ensure its long-term survival
This latest nuclear blast, during America’s Labor Day weekend, shows that Pyongyang is less interested in reaping concessions from the international community than in sticking to its playbook of strategic provocations. It seeks maximum political impact by conducting carefully timed weapons tests. The pattern of the United States’ tepid response to these affronts has been to apply incremental sanctions to get Pyongyang to back off a bit and then to defuse tension.
Pyongyang’s provocations, which have been followed by disingenuous talks about denuclearization, have often also won generous blandishments from its adversaries, including at least $10 billion from Seoul and $1.3 billion from Washington over the past 20 years or so. With good reason, Pyongyang sees itself as wielding both a carrot and a stick. Even now, despite solid American support for the South, North Korea is able to pressure Seoul into selective censorship. Whether North Korea can induce Washington to abandon Seoul or embrace a nuclear North Korea, the security of the rich, risk-averse South will be increasingly compromised either way. The only nonmilitary means of forestalling this ominous trajectory of events is for the United States to enforce both American and United Nations sanctions against the North Korean regime and its enablers, the foremost of which remains China. Thanks to the strength of the dollar, Washington has the means to create severe financial hardship for Pyongyang. For far too long, the United States has shied away from shutting off the Kim regime’s sources of money and matériel, let alone sanctioning its Chinese partners. This has been out of concern that Pyongyang might escalate its aggression or that Beijing would adopt retaliatory economic measures. These fears are unfounded: North Korea escalates tension according to its own timetable, while China shows restraint in the face of legitimate financial measures.
There is therefore a compelling case to isolate Pyongyang economically. This would include levying hefty fines on the Chinese banks that, unwittingly or otherwise, launder money for Pyongyang and facilitate dollar transactions on behalf of North Korean entities. A useful ripple effect from such action can be expected. In the past, China’s biggest financial institutions have voluntarily ceased transfers with banks, both North Korean and Chinese, that have been designated by the United States as involved in money laundering. In June, the United States identified the Bank of Dandong as a money-laundering concern. Deprived of plausible deniability, Beijing has neither protested vociferously nor retaliated. The same was true when the United States charged four Chinese nationals affiliated with the Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Company last year with money laundering; Beijing responded by arresting the head of the company and several other executives. The test for President Donald Trump will be to refrain from any impulse to relax sanctions prematurely when faced with the next major provocation by Pyongyang. And it will come. North Korea sees itself as a revolutionary state that cannot live as the permanently inferior Korean nation. Since the Kim regime is governed by the need to dominate South Korea by threatening the region with nuclear annihilation, its willingness to use its lethal powers will only grow unless it is confronted by the specter of bankruptcy and the consequent destabilization of its rule. While reassuring American allies South Korea and Japan of the United States’ steadfast commitment to their defense, the Trump administration should also persuade Seoul and Tokyo not to fall for the same trap of settling for an illusory peace in the face of Pyongyang’s intimidation.
Rather than issuing empty threats or blaming others, the Trump administration should work on becoming a credible financial threat to the Kim regime. Only then will the United States be in a position to negotiate from a position of strength, an entirely feasible feat that has nevertheless eluded every administration to date. Only then will the Trump administration have offset the futility of American diplomacy over the past quarter-century by the kind of resolute action that will save lives.

Victimizing Women: Islamic Laws vs. Multiculturalism
Khadija Khan/Gatestone Institute/September 10/17
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10968/women-islamic-law-multiculturalism
The majority of the judges nevertheless determined that "triple talaq" was actually "against the basic tenets of the Holy Quran," and "what is bad in theology is bad in law as well." According to the decision, the practice was in violation of Article 14 of India's constitution, which guarantees the right to equality.
In Britain, abusive practices against Muslim women are still undertaken by Sharia Councils with impunity. In the West, the supposed dangers of multiculturalism are still regarded as more important than human rights. All Britain would need to do is enforce its own laws.
What supporters of this form of multiculturalism fail to realize -- or refuse to acknowledge -- is that the very existence of Sharia-compliant tribunals is not only a threat to modern justice, but necessarily abets the abuse of Muslim women, lack of equality, and the total lack of equal justice under law. In truth, justice is denied.
In a recent landmark ruling, India's Supreme Court followed the lead of 22 Muslim countries -- including Pakistan and Bangladesh -- by outlawing the Islamic practice according to which a husband is able to divorce his wife instantly by uttering the word talaq (Arabic for "divorce") three times -- including by text or voice mail. The decision was not unanimous. A minority of the judges argued that banning "triple talaq" would be a violation of the Indian constitution, which protects religious freedom.
The majority of the judges nevertheless determined that "triple talaq" was actually "against the basic tenets of the Holy Quran," and "what is bad in theology is bad in law as well." According to the decision, the practice was in violation of Article 14 of India's constitution, which guarantees the right to equality.
The verdict was the result of a petition filed by five Muslim women whose "triple talaq" divorces left them destitute, all because of undue powers bestowed upon their husbands by radical clerics. The verdict was an enormous relief to them, and other women like them across India. Its broader message, however, needs to serve as a road map. And a warning. In the West, the supposed dangers of multiculturalism are still regarded as more important than human rights.
In Britain, abusive practices against Muslim women are still undertaken by Sharia Councils with impunity. These practices include "triple talaq," halala (a ritual enabling a divorced Muslim woman to remarry her husband only by first wedding someone else, consummating the union, and then being divorced by him) and iddah, a mandatory waiting period of three menstrual cycles before a divorced woman is allowed to remarry.
These Sharia Councils in the U.K. have been running unofficial parallel justice systems "everywhere in the country," performing weddings and decreeing divorces according to the strictest interpretation of Islam.
In spite a liberal marriage contract issued in 2008 by the Muslim Institute, guaranteeing equal rights to British Muslim women (including the banning of forced marriages) -- which was endorsed by the Muslim Council of Britain, the Islamic Sharia Council and other prominent Islamic groups -- virtually nothing has changed. Britain's Forced Marriage Unit reported 1,428 cases of forced marriages in 2016 alone. All Britain would need to do is enforce its own laws.
Haitham al-Haddad is a British Sharia Council judge, and sits on the board of advisors for the Islamic Sharia Council. Regarding the handling of domestic violence cases, he stated in an interview, "A man should not be questioned why he hit his wife, because this is something between them. Leave them alone. They can sort their matters among themselves." (Image source: Channel 4 News video screenshot)
The U.K. is not the only Western country afflicted by and succumbing to such practices. In Australia, for instance, a self-appointed arbitration group called Sharia Mediation has been handling family disputes on issues covered by Australian law. In other words, as in Britain, Australia has a parallel Islamic legal system operating under its nose.
In the United States, as well, a body was established in 2015 in Dallas, Texas to arbitrate disputes among the area's growing Muslim population. Although this Islamic "tribunal" is said to issue nonbinding decisions -- and is being likened to Jewish rabbinical courts and Catholic tribunals -- its opponents fear it will mimic Sharia courts in the Middle Eastern countries.
In Canada, the practice has been going on for more than a decade. In 2004, the province of Ontario authorized the use of Sharia arbitration in matters of "property, marriage, divorce, custody and inheritance." The law enabling this -- the Arbitration Act -- was passed in 1991, to ease the "overloaded court system."What supporters of this form of multiculturalism fail to realize -- or refuse to acknowledge -- is that the very existence of Sharia-compliant tribunals is not only a threat to modern justice, but necessarily abets the abuse of Muslim women, lack of equality, and the total lack of equal justice under law.
It is crucial for Western democracies to outlaw archaic practices that rob women and others of their rights, and to cease enabling these laws in the name of "religious freedom." In truth, justice is denied. India just took a stand in the right direction. Britain, Australia, the U.S. and Canada can and should follow.
**Khadija Khan is a Pakistani journalist and commentator, currently based in Germany.
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Trump Can’t Solve North Korea by Just Making a Deal
Meghan O'Sullivan/Bloomberg View/September 10/17
President Donald Trump’s tweet last weekend that the US might terminate all tradewith countries doing business with North Korea was widely derided on the grounds of realism. Given that 90 percent of North Korea’s trade is with China, the tweet was little more than a veiled threat to terminate all US trade with Beijing, ending a bilateral trade relationship valued at $650 billion a year. It would, as many correctly pointed out, mean economic disaster for North Korea — and also for the US.
The “realism” argument — as well as its companion criticism that such statements call into question US credibility — is well founded. But my bigger issue with the president’s tweet lies elsewhere. Trump’s threat — particularly when viewed alongside his reported preparation to withdraw from the free trade agreement with South Korea — shows that he is willing and inclined to take on would-be allies in the hopes that the pressure he creates will force them to address a common problem on his terms.
By threatening to curtail US trade with South Korea and China, Trump seems to be trying to create some leverage, some bargaining power, over Beijing and Seoul that he can then use to get them to be tougher on North Korea. As he said back in April on “Face the Nation”: “I think that, frankly, North Korea is maybe more important than trade.” He also mused that securing China’s help in dealing with North Korea could be “worth making not as good a trade deal for the United States.”
We have known for some time that the president views all negotiations through such a transactional lens. And perhaps, in some circumstance, such a transactional approach can bear fruit in the realm of foreign policy, although I am hard pressed to point to one. Some US administrations have tried to deal with Russia in this way; Moscow generally saw any concession as a sign of weakness, rather than as part of an explicit bargain.
Taking this approach with allies such as South Korea or potential partners such as China (at least in regard to North Korea) is even more problematic. In these instances, the possibilities should be greater, based on the assumption that the relationship is bigger than a cost-benefit analysis. The arrangements that make sense in a context of some trust may otherwise fall flat in a context only of short-term gain.
But what is so surprising and unsettling about the president’s statements of the last couple of days — particularly in the aftermath of North Korea’s most powerful nuclear test yet — is that Trump seems to think this transactional approach is appropriate even in a crisis that could be existential to some of the parties. Trump appears to believe he can tweak the balance sheet of these relationships in a way that both China and South Korea see no choice but to approach the North Korea problems as he would like them to do.
This is highly risky. Finding a solution to — or, more likely, the sustainable management of — a problem as high-stakes and complex as North Korea demands an entirely different approach. In the past, when collective action was required to combat a looming threat, each actor was often required to take what was sometimes an enormous leap of faith, and commit to pledges and take risks dramatically outside its comfort zone. Such leaps were possible in the context of trust and common values and purpose — such as NATO members uniting behind the idea that an attack against one is an attack against all.
Sometimes this coming together was less noble and unconditional — such as when the US and China started their rapprochement in the 1970s. But this was done against the backdrop of perceived and real common interests in an alignment against the Soviet Union, and was broad-based enough to survive some disappointments on both sides. It was bigger than the outgrowth of a series of short-term quantifiable calculations, weighed against one another on an Excel spreadsheet.
I have real sympathy for those in the Trump administration charged with addressing the threat from North Korea. It is a policy problem of enormous proportions, with no obvious right answer. There are, however, obviously wrong strategies, and adopting a hard-core transactional approach toward allies and necessary partners is among them. To the extent it is possible to imagine a positive outcome to this crisis, it involves the US, China, South Korea and others working together — and almost certainly putting some element of trust and confidence in each other to uphold promises and commitments that cannot be externally guaranteed. A transactional approach stands no chance of getting us that far.