LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 11/2018
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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The emigrant, the deception and the trap
Ghassan Charbel/Al Arabiya/August 10/18
Retirement age is approaching. He must choose. Does he continue to reside in the country that gave him a nationality and a meaning to his life, or shall he return to the land of his ancestors? Previously, he was quick to answer.
He used to say that he would return immediately upon receiving his pension. His brothers rejoiced in his promise as they believed that everyone who is far from his roots was definitely lost. It is no secret that the idea of return came to his mind when he encountered living difficulties, which were many. The idea of return is a magical charm to heal a sense of alienation that is present every time you see yourself lost in another culture and a distant dictionary. He laughs today as he remembers some episodes of his journey. In the beginning, he had feelings of hostility. He almost felt that he came to a hostile country. He smelled hate hidden behind the quick smiles and brief greetings. But a doctor named Time began treating his wounds and bruises.
He found work and got a monthly salary. The factory has a union, rights and rules. Fatigue is present but abuse is prohibited. He heard the word “law” frequently and with respect. The law does not allow. The law does not accept. The law does not permit. He understood that injustice was not inevitable.
It is necessary to pass through the circles of influence, whether through the channels of security, the political party or the confession
He understood that you can object and protest, and you can resort to the court; and that the judge can stand against the strong even if they have the ability to climb to this position or that. He knew that officials avoid contacting a judge or obstruct the process of justice to avoid scandals and punishments.
He had a strange feeling. He sensed his dignity. This is not his native country, and yet, it treated him better than his country. Here, soldiers cannot knock on your door at night and take you to an unknown location. A sick serviceman cannot pour on you all the frustrations of his life and the complexes of his superiors. Here, they cannot rip out your nails or limit the number of your fingers. All the arts of torture that our countries have donated are no longer allowed here. The prisoner has rights even if he is convicted of a horrific crime.
Sanctified resemblance
Living amid disparities was not easy at the beginning. We are communities of sanctified resemblance. The citizen is a replica of his neighbor, his grandfather and every citizen residing in any part of the map. Similarity is the golden rule. Similarity in belonging. One source. One color. One so-called “mawwal” in Arabic. Every difference opens the door to corruption. Every question spoils tranquility and joy. The family has given us conclusive answers to the most difficult questions we would prefer not to repeat or elaborate. Here the world is different. They have escaped the spell of halos that cannot be touched or approached.
Everything is under scrutiny and examination. Everything is subject to analysis and revision. He felt very scared at first. Final convictions protect you from the anxiety of exposure to questions. Final convictions give you a degree of immunity and a reassuring roof on your head and a cushion. They help you close the door to the winds of uncertainty and questioning and the legacy test. He had to practice living with people who did not belong to the same river. People who read in other books. People with different values and a different way of answering questions of both the universe and every day’s life.
Their values are different. So are their view of society and the rules governing the dealings between its members, their view of the state, the constitution, the individual and his rights, the judiciary, education and freedom.
It was never an easy matter. Some of his comrades did not pass the test. They either packed and returned home or stayed after turning themselves into strangers or a time bomb.
In his new country, he got married and sent his children to school. The children have deepened their belonging to the new country. They consolidated their proficiency in its language, customs and values. Fearing that they would totally lose the features of their ancestral country, he was keen to spend holidays with them in the land where he was born. But he noticed over time that his children were becoming more immersed in the hosting world, its logic, symbols and ways of thinking.
Days passed. The children graduated and joined the labor market. The companies treated them as full citizens. Competence is a standard. Children got opportunities that are commensurate with their abilities. He knew deep in his heart that this was not possible in his homeland. Diplomas are not enough to get a job.It is necessary to pass through the circles of influence, whether through the channels of security, the political party or the confession. So employment becomes a form of partisan recruitment, because you become indebted to those who allowed you to obtain the job.
The ‘Arab Spring’
When the “Arab Spring” swept through his country, he thought that it would compensate for years of absence from global development. He thought that it would accelerate progress and that the citizens have learned the lesson.
But when the elections were held, he was greatly disappointed. It is not enough to open the ballot boxes in societies that used to be run by a strong man, not with the constitution or the institutions. The forces of the past reemerged, sweeping away dreams and turning every elections into a confrontation project. He visited his country several times in an attempt to convince himself that the doors of return were open once he reached the retirement age.
He originally came to trim garden trees in the quiet French city. When he knew that the resident was Arab, the conversation began. Since I loved stories, I asked him about his. But what he said struck me. He told me he had visited his homeland and was not reassured.
He sensed that there were no real roots for stability… and that the country remains threatened by the birth of an oppressive man or tyrannical thought. He told me that he did not want his children or grandchildren to be exposed to civil or regional wars or to the adventures of the small malicious armies. He told me about the new politicians in his country… about the corrupt, the adventurous, the fanatic, the liberal and the moderate. The daily breakdowns, the deterioration of services and the fragility of institutions… about citizens’ concern about their bread, their life and their future.
The decision is no longer difficult. He will remain in his new country. He concluded his conversation by saying: “Our countries are frightening and difficult to handover to our children. I will not put them in the original trap from which I fled.”

Reconciliation in the Horn of Africa under Emirati patronage
Abdullah bin Bijad Al-Otaibi/Al Arabiya/August 10/18
For several years, the strategic security of the Arab Gulf States has been in full swing in a way that is different than what it used to be. It is now characterized by effectiveness, initiative and inclusiveness, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Its most striking aspects is confronting the Iranian influence and its allies in the region and the world, in Africa and in the Horn of Africa particularly. The most recent results of this confrontation is the historic reconciliation under the auspices of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, between Ethiopia and Eritrea.Thanks to full Saudi-Emirati coordination, there are multiple developments taking place on an Arab, regional and international level. Results are accumulating and accomplishments are being achieved, one victory after the other.
Supporting, spreading and strengthening “the stability of the states” are the major principles that lead the declared strategy of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, along with the full rejection of the “stability of chaos” led by Iran, Turkey and Qatar
Today’s success is due to the decisions of yesterday. The present victory is the outcome of the strategies of the past, and this will also be the case in the future. The results of every decision and strategy drawn today will appear in the near and distant future.
Historical reconciliation
Let us put aside the ancient history of the old conflict between the two countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, during the 1960s, and the grinding war between 1998 and 2000, which paved the way for the surrounding countries, namely fundamentalist Sudan at the time and Somalia, which was brimful of terrorism at the time as well, to influence the conflict of the two countries.
The result today is impressive. This historic reconciliation between the two countries overcomes the past and its conflicts and heads to build a better future that puts an end to losses and strengthens the stability of the region that is full of conflicts and clashes. The two countries will thus not fall, like Somalia did, into extremism and terrorism.
Supporting, spreading and strengthening “the stability of the states” are the major principles that lead the declared strategy of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, along with the full rejection of the “stability of chaos” led by Iran, Turkey and Qatar. These are the pillars of their strategy in the Horn of Africa and in Sudan after it divided and after it participated in the Decisive Storm Operation, which is an advanced position had it not been for some uncomfortable decisions towards the balances of power in the region and Turkish attempts to penetrate Sudan and Somalia. Weakening the Iranian regime and everything the latter believes to be a means of survival and weakening its rhetoric, ideology and future are one of the most important means to effectively and efficiently confront it. The Emirati role, which has been growing and bolstering in recent years, is an important indicator of what countries can achieve through effective leadership, successful alliances and progressive visions.
Triumphant alliance
This Saudi-Emirati alliance saved the Arab world from the tragedies and calamities of the fundamentalist terrorist "spring" which some called the Arab Spring. It rescued Bahrain and Egypt decisively along with other Arab countries through generous support, a clear vision and a strong strategy. A number of Arab countries are still grateful to the UAE and Saudi Arabia for what happened during those awful years in the near past.
The UAE’s major role in Libya to bury the hatchet and support the Libyan people and state is known and acknowledged by everyone. The UAE’s purpose is to support the stability of the Libyan state and reconcile between the different Libyan parties away from all the fundamentalist and terrorist forces supported by hostile axes in the region.
These axes perceive Libya as an area to expand their support for fundamentalism and terrorism and to harm the stability of Egypt and Tunisia and other Arab countries if they achieve their goal of completely taking control of Libya.
Such political, economic and strategic roles are not built overnight, but they are rather built through wisdom, calmness and insight. Slow and steady wins the race as the English proverb says. The UAE and Saudi blood that mixed up in Yemen is the most prominent example of the triumphant alliance led by the two countries. These triumphant successes are the best proof that the strength of political will and decisions are capable of changing international and regional equations in an effective clear way. It’s enough to compare how the situation used to be three years ago against how it is now.
Finally, the UAE’s support of the stability of countries in the region and its progressive insight constitute its leadership and pioneering in all files and crises. Sponsoring the historical reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea is the best example.

The new Syria amidst conflicting regional, international interests
Shehab Al-Makahleh/Al Arabiya/August 10/18
On August 2, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman told reporters: “From our perspective, the situation is returning to how it was before the civil war, meaning there is a real address, someone responsible, and central rule.” This is rather noteworthy at this time that the Syrian front will be calmer. In other words, Israel prefers to see Syria return to pre-war status when the central government in Damascus was in full control before March 2011.Such a statement is not void and is of utmost importance as it demonstrates that the plans or schemes to divide Syria into various provinces or federal states had gone with the wind. What Lieberman said and the Jordanian armed forces’ assistance to the Syrian Army in the Yarmouk Basin against Khaled bin Al-Walid, an ISIS affiliate, reveal a fact that both Jordan and Israel are back to pre-Syrian war era in terms of cooperation with the Syrian government regarding securing borders. However, the issue at stake is Idlib, a predicament to the Syrian government, Russia, Iran and China on one hand and Turkey and the militants in Idlib province on the other.
Turkey is hostile to the Syrian regime. Ankara has ethnic and regional aspirations in Syria. At present, the Turkish government is at odds with the West. The Turks have never forgotten that once they were part of the Byzantine Empire, the first Christian State, and the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Thus, the coming era for Turkey will be an existential war. Therefore, the clash of the Turkish civilization with others is in parity with existentialism which is inevitable. This justifies why Ankara is pragmatic, depending on situational contradictions in Syria on one hand and American-Western interests on the other.
The formation of the “National Liberation Front” in Idlib, a group of opposition factions, formed by the Free Syrian Army backed by Turkey, aimed to fortify the Turkish stance because the number of fighters reached 100,000. This figure would create a major dilemma for the Syrian Army and its allies to free Idlib as plans have been set up to start the operation in September. Thus, the battle of Idlib will be the last in the Syrian conflict that determines the future not only for Syria, but also for Turkey as a new ally will join the battle: China, which has Uyghur fighters amongst those militants in Idlib.
The Chinese ambassador to Syria, Qi Qianjin, told a Syrian Arabic daily, few days ago that China will allegedly assist the Syrian Army in their upcoming battle in southwestern Idlib, and that the Chinese military is prepared to somehow take part in the upcoming Idlib offensive, especially because of the large presence of Uyghur fighters near Jisr Al-Shughour. The Chinese ambassador to Syria, Qi Qianjin, told a Syrian Arabic daily, few days ago that China will allegedly assist the Syrian Army in their upcoming battle in southwestern Idlib, and that the Chinese military is prepared to somehow take part in the upcoming Idlib offensive, especially because of the large presence of Uyghur fighters near Jisr Al-Shughour
The ambassador elucidated: “The Chinese military has played an imperative role in protecting sovereignty, security and stability of China. At the same time, it (China) is seeking to take part in peacekeeping operations later on. At present, there is ongoing cooperation between Syria and China in combating terrorism. We also know that the war on terror is not only for the benefit of the Syrian people, but also for the Chinese people and the people of the world.”
That is an indication on the coming battle of Idlib where the Chinese army will be involved as China will not allow them back to their homeland as they are a high risk to Chinese national security.
Chinese presence in Mideast via Syria
The vigorous military interposition of the Chinese forces in Syria would be a major step forward towards a more ample participation of China in the Middle East and the world as a whole. China has refrained from taking part in military operations beyond its borders. Therefore, a military operation in Syria could open the door to more Chinese military engagements around the world. What Beijing fears most is the return of those Uyghur militants, members of the Turkestan Islamic Party, who are now in Idlib province to China where they can launch attacks against the Chinese government, seeking an independent state.
The Chinese ambassador’s statement demonstrates that China is paving the ground to send Chinese special operations forces (SOF) to actively take part in the forthcoming battle of Idlib to liquidate the Uyghur fighters amongst others. This Chinese bid will be of due concern to Turkey as the Turkish army cannot counter pressure from both Russia and China which both have huge economic and business transactions with Ankara. The Turkish President Recep Tayyep Erdogan cannot lose them for a number of militants.
The Middle East has become the new playground for China strategically. With SOF arrival to the port of Tartous on the Syrian coast in order to participate in the coming battle in Idlib, such Chinese participation in Syria could lead to more competition between Washington and Beijing. The reason is that China has been deeply concerned about the large number of Chinese-born militants known as the “Turkmen” or “Uyghurs” movement who have joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
Today, with the arrival of two units of the Chinese (SOF), known as the Siberian and the Night Tigers, to fight the terrorist factions in the province, which is adjacent to Turkey, Beijing is seeking to fight those outside its territory for fear of their return to the region which is located in the territory known as Xinjiang as those pose an existential threat to the territorial integrity of China.
The number of Chinese militants fighting alongside terrorist groups in Syria is estimated at 5,000. Therefore, China’s participation in military operations against these militants is due to China’s own interests in Syria, not to mention the economic, political and security interests. The return of these Chinese fighters from Syria to China with their extremist and terrorist ideology means a great security and military threat to the Chinese economy and society. Moreover, China’s participation in the coming campaign against terrorists aims to protect its economic interests in Syria as China has invested more than $40 million in Syria’s infrastructure.
Few days ago, Ankara has prepared a document to discuss with the Russians and Chinese regarding the future of Idlib without going to war, fearing the spillover and the refugee influx to Turkey. The terms were not satisfactory to both Moscow and Beijing. This is conducive to the scenario of war which would end the dreams of Erdogan in Syria.

Who among Arabs is betting on Iran?
Mashari Althaydi/Al Arabiya/August 10/18
What do Iran, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon currently have in common?
On top of being countries that suffer from the poisonous Iranian harm, or actually because of it, they have popular anger and explosive whines from the burdening and costly economic expenses. Protests that do not end, sometimes to demand the removal of garbage, sometimes due to power cuts and water contamination, and sometimes to protest against economic hardship, like what’s happening in Lebanon, Iraq and Iran.
The anger’s essence is poured onto the political category itself or rather on the regime and the entire political contract so is it a coincidence that all of these countries are all influenced in one way or another by apparent and secret Iranian influence?
If Iran, which wants to impose its influence on these countries, is itself sipping from this cup of economic bitterness, how can it be a model that can be trusted and relied on?
Declining economy
In Iraq, people attacked the headquarters of the parties that support the Iranian camp, like Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and the Badr militia. In Lebanon and despite the strong Shiite bilateral alliance – at least until now – there are angry manifestations at the political sectarian “system” that harmed the country’s interests, as for instance the tourism season was harmed in addition to damages to the local banking sector.
As for Yemen, activists in Sanaa called for a “revolt of the hungry” against the Houthi militias as it is primarily responsible for the ailing conditions that the Yemeni people have reached, ever since their coup against legitimacy at the end of 2014. Meanwhile, the Yemeni currency, the rial, continued to decline yesterday against foreign currencies.
It reached an unprecedented decline despite the measures adopted by the legitimate government and the Central Bank in Aden to restore a stable currency exchange rate and put an end to the manipulation of the banking market.
If Iran, which wants to impose its influence on these countries, is itself sipping from this cup of economic bitterness, how can it be a model that can be trusted and relied on?
The public’s wise men said: “He who is next to a happy man, is happy!”