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Bible Quotations For Today
The Miraculous Healing Of the Bleeding Women
"Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 08/40-56: "When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.’ When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’ While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.’ When Jesus heard this, he replied, ‘Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.’ When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, ‘Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.’And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, ‘Child, get up!’Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat.
Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened."

Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death
Second Letter to the Corinthians 07/04-11: "I often boast about you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with consolation; I am overjoyed in all our affliction. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way disputes without and fears within. But God, who consoles the downcast, consoled us by the arrival of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was consoled about you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it (though I did regret it, for I see that I grieved you with that letter, though only briefly). Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance; for you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on February 21/16
The Bleeding Women: Faith & Hope/Elias Bejjani/February 21/16
“‘Islam Can’t Be Modernised’ Says World’s ‘Greatest Arabic Poet, Adunis Asbar/Chris Tomlinson, Breitbart, February 19, 2016
'Israeli captive Ron Arad died in 1988 after torture'/Roi Kais/Ynetnews/February 20/16
Syria’s seventh circle of hell/Hisham Melhem/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
Heikal the journalist and 'propagandist' - Part II/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
What are our priorities and issues in Saudi Arabia/Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
How will the youth of today fare in 2030/Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
Terror Attack in Ankara: A New Era of Kurdish Politics for Turkey/Soner Cagaptay/CNN/February 18, 2016

Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on February 21/16
The Bleeding Women: Faith & Hope
Saudi Donation cancellation: Strategic setback for Lebanon
GCC Supports Riyadh on Halt to Lebanon Deals, Foreign Ministry Defends Decision
Army Arrests al-Saadiyet Clashes Suspects
Hariri: Hizbullah-FPM are to Blame for Saudi Aid Suspension
ISF Arrests Car Theft, Armed Robbery Gang in Baalbek
Geagea: Government Must Order Hizbullah to Stop Verbal Attacks against Saudi Arabia
Committee Tasked with Trash Crisis Meets, Reviving Landfills Focus of Discussions
Turkey Willing to Provide $1.1 Million Military Aid to Lebanon
Report: UAE Deports Twenty Lebanese Following Saudi Aid Halt

The Bleeding Women: Faith & Hope
Elias Bejjani
(John 6:68): “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life"
Whenever we are in real trouble encountering devastating and harsh conditions either physically or materially, we unconsciously react with sadness, anger, confusion, helplessness and feel abandoned. When in a big mess, we expect our family members and friends to automatically run to our rescue. But in the majority of such difficult situations, we discover with great disappointment that in reality our heartfelt expectations do not unfold as we wish.
What is frustrating and shocking is that very few of our family members and friends would stand beside us during hardships and endeavour to genuinely offer the needed help. Those who have already walked through these rocky life paths and adversities definitely know very well the bitter taste of disappointment. They know exactly the real meaning of the well-know saying, "a friend in need is a friend indeed".
Sadly our weak human nature is driven by inborn instincts that often make us side with the rich, powerful, healthy and strong over the poor, weak, needy and sick. Those who have no faith in Almighty God find it very difficult to cope in a real mess.
Meanwhile, those whose faith is solid stand up with courage, refuse to give up hope, and call on their Almighty Father for help through praying and worshiping. They know for sure that our Great Father is loving and passionate. He will not abandon any one of us when calling on Him for mercy and help because He said and promised so. Matthew 11/28-30: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
One might ask, 'Why should I pray?' And, 'Do I have to ask God for help, can't He help me without praying to Him?' The answer is 'no'. We need to pray and when we do so with faith and confidence God listens and responds (Mark 11/:24): "Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them"
Yes, we have to make the effort and be adamant and persistent. We have to ask and knock in a bid to show our mere submission to Him and He with no doubt shall provide. (Matthew 7/7 & 8): "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened".
On this second Sunday of Lent in our Catholic Church's Eastern Maronite rite, we cite and recall the miraculous cure of the bleeding woman in Matthew 9/20-22, Mark 5/25-34, and Luke 8/43-48. As we learn from the Holy Gospel, the bleeding woman's great faith made her believe without a shred of doubt that her twelve years of chronic bleeding would stop immediately if she touched Jesus' garment. She knew deeply in her heart that Jesus would cure her even without asking him. Her faith cured the bleeding and made her well. Her prayers were heard and responded to.
Luke 8/:43-49: "A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any, came behind him (Jesus), and touched the fringe of his cloak, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped. Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 8:46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.” When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
The woman's faith cured her chronic bleeding and put her back in the society as a normal and acceptable citizen. During that era women with uterus bleeding were looked upon as sinners, defiled and totally banned from entering synagogues for praying. Meanwhile, because of her sickness she was physically unable to be a mother and bear children. Sadly she was socially and religiously abandoned, humiliated and alienated. But her faith and hope empowered her with the needed strength and perseverance and enabled her to cope successfully against all odds.
Hallelujah! Faith can do miracles. Yes indeed. (Luke17/5 & 6): " The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you". How badly do we today need to have a faith like that of this women?
Let us all on this second Lent Sunday pray with solid faith.
Let us ask Almighty God who cured the bleeding women, and who was crucified on the cross to absolve our original sin, that He would endow His Holy graces of peace, tranquility, and love all over the world. And that He would strengthen the faith, patience and hope of all those persecuted, imprisoned, and deprived for courageously witnessing the Gospel's message and truth.

Saudi Donation cancellation: Strategic setback for Lebanon
Walid Phares/February 20/16/The cancellation of the Saudi financial donation to the Lebanese Army is -whatever are the reasons- a strategic setback for Lebanon, at a time a large Arab coalition is rising and widening. In our assessment and as our US and Saudi sources have reported, the cancellation was caused by several factors. One was the general control by Hezbollah of the national security apparatus in the country. Two was the alignment of the Government diplomacy with Tehran against Riyadh and the Gulf. Three, which was according to our sources, the triggering point for the decision, was the last Presidential election fiasco as March 14 leaders selected politicians from the pro-Hezbollah March 8 axis, for the Presidency of Lebanon. This last double move, regardless of how Lebanese politicians argue about it, cannot be accepted by the Arab coalition. A source in Washington told me "how can Arab Gulf send billions to a country which could be ruled by a pro-Iranian President. It is not going to happen."According to our sources, the matter is not internal to the Saudi Government. Just the opposite, there is a solid consensus behind it in the Kingdom. The move is not directed at the Lebanese Army but it is a message addressed to politicians. An ally to Tehran in Baabda will not get billions from Riyadh. Pretty simple. But the good news is that this and other donations would be redirected to the Lebanese Army again if a new move would reshuffle the current politics and an emerging leadership would stir the country in a different direction. It is hard to see it but there the window is there...

GCC Supports Riyadh on Halt to Lebanon Deals, Foreign Ministry Defends Decision
Associated Press/Naharnet/February 20/16/Gulf Cooperation Council states announced on Saturday their support for Saudi Arabia’s decision to stop its military aid to Lebanon. Saudi Arabia announced on Friday it is halting deals worth $4 billion aimed at equipping and supporting the Lebanese army and security forces. One deal involves a four-year, $3 billion Saudi pledge to buy French arms for the Lebanese military, which already has seen the country receive modern anti-tank guided Milan missiles last year. The other involves a $1 billion support deal for the police. The decision came after Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil declined to support Saudi resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers. Bassil heads the Free Patriotic Movement, which is one of the strongest allies of the Iran-backed Hizbullah. But the Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Saturday saying Bassil’s stance came in accordance to the ministerial statement and in coordination with Prime Minister Tammam Salam. It described ties between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia as “historic,” saying the foreign ministry led by Bassil was the first to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. “The ministry will continue to express the stances of the Lebanese government and the interests of the Lebanese,” it added. Saudi Arabia long has been suspicious of Iran, which also supports Syria's embattled President Bashar Assad. Relations took a turn for the worse at the start of the year, when Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shiite cleric and protesters stormed Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran. That prompted Riyadh to cut diplomatic relations with Tehran. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner, speaking to reporters in Washington, would not comment on the Saudi move but reiterated American support for the Lebanese military. "We're going to continue our support to the Lebanese armed forces and security services with one objective in mind, which is to ensure that the army continues its role as a legitimate protector of Lebanon's borders, people, including from extremist threats," Toner said. "We've given some $1.4 billion since 2005, and that support will continue."

Army Arrests al-Saadiyet Clashes Suspects
Naharnet/February 20/16/The Lebanese army arrested on Saturday several suspects involved in gunbattles that took place a day earlier in the coastal town of al-Saadiyet that lies south of Beirut. “An army unit raided several areas this morning, arresting 10 nationals, two Syrians and a Palestinian,” said a communique issued by the military command. The troops seized arms, ammunition, military gear and telecommunications equipment during the raids, it said. The suspects were referred to the appropriate authorities as the army continued to track the remaining suspects, the communique added. According to the military, a dispute between “people affiliated to certain (political) parties” turned into a gunbattle on Friday night. The army did not say which parties were involved in the fighting. But media reports revealed that the clashes took place between the Hizbullah-affiliated Resistance Brigades and members of the al-Asaad family. This is not the first such incident in the al-Saadiyat area. On January 12, a prayer hall came under gunfire during the presence of a local Hizbullah official in it. The area had witnessed heavy clashes between supporters of al-Mustaqbal and members of the Resistance Brigades in July 2015 during which scores of people were injured.

Hariri: Hizbullah-FPM are to Blame for Saudi Aid Suspension
Naharnet/February 20/16/Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief MP Saad Hariri held Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement responsible for the Saudi military aid halt, reiterating that fiery rhetoric targeting Saudi Arabia is totally rejected and does not represent Lebanon's policy. “Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement are to blame for the suspension in Saudi aid,” said Hariri after a meeting he held with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Deryan at Dar el-Fatwa on Saturday. “Lebanon must put its position straight regarding the attacks that targeted the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran. Fiery statements offending the Kingdom are rejected and do not represent the policy of Lebanon,” he added. “Khameni himself has apologized for the assault while (Foreign Minister Jebran) Bassil distanced himself,” Hariri pointed out. Saudi Arabia said Friday it has halted a $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest against Hizbullah's policies and recent diplomatic stances by the Lebanese foreign ministry. In light of positions taken by Hizbullah the kingdom proceeded to “a total evaluation of its relations with the Lebanese republic," an unnamed official told the Saudi Press Agency yesterday. Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran last month after demonstrators stormed its embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric and activist, Nimr al-Nimr. The official cited by Saudi Press Agency said Lebanon had not joined condemnation of the attacks on Saudi Arabia's diplomatic missions in Iran, neither at the Arab League nor at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. He also deplored the "political and media campaigns inspired by Hizbullah against Saudi Arabia," as well as what he called the group's "terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations."

ISF Arrests Car Theft, Armed Robbery Gang in Baalbek
Naharnet/February 20/16/Police said on Saturday that they have arrested a three-member armed robbery and car theft gang in the eastern city of Baalbek. An Internal Security Forces communique said police arrested three Lebanese men during a raid they carried out in Baalbek. The suspects admitted to investigators of forming a gang that steals cars and kidnaps individuals at gunpoint along with two other accomplices. They also confirmed that they have stolen more than 15 cars – the latest of which was a Honda CRV - in less than month for the purpose of transporting them to the town of Brital and selling them there. Furthermore, the three men said that they have carried out armed robberies and have stolen motorcycles in areas near Baalbek. The communique issued by the ISF said that the suspects are drug dealers.

Geagea: Government Must Order Hizbullah to Stop Verbal Attacks against Saudi Arabia
Naharnet/February 20/16/Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geaega stressed on Saturday that the government must demand Hizbullah to stop making fiery statements against Saudi Arabia following the Kingdom's decision that halted aid to the country's army. “The Lebanese government must convene and draw a formal request for Hizbullah to stop its attacks against Saudi Arabia,” said Geagea in a press conference. “A high level delegation must be formed to visit Saudi Arabia to put things in order so that it resumes its aid for Lebanon,” he added. Saudi Arabia said on Friday that it has halted a $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest against Hizbullah's policies and recent diplomatic stances by the Lebanese foreign ministry. “Relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have been impeccable since the civil war in the country until they tumbled recently,” Geagea pointed out. Highlighting Hizbullah's campaign of verbal attacks against the Kingdom, Geagea said: “Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront in backing President Bashir Gemayel to reach the presidency and has offered generous aid during the 2006 Israeli war. The relations have been tainted recently for two reasons. “A political party in Lebanon launched constant verbal attacks against the SA. It is a pity how the Lebanese government did not intervene,” the LF leader said.
“Secondly, is when the Saudi Embassy and consulate were attacked in Iran. Governments around the world, even Iran, denounced the attack while the Lebanese government decided to dissociate itself.”

Committee Tasked with Trash Crisis Meets, Reviving Landfills Focus of Discussions
Naharnet/February 20/16/The ministerial committee tasked with following up on the months long trash management file kicked off a meeting at the Grand Serail on Saturday after the export plan failed to rid the country of its piling garbage. "Discussions are to focus on reviving the plan to establish landfills in several areas in Lebanon," Education Minister Elias Abou Saab said before he joined the interlocutors. “We will go back to the plan that was set before, and everyone must become convinced of the role of the municipalities and the necessity to supply them with the necessary funds.”Minister Nabil De Freije stated: “We are back to the solution of establishing landfills.”Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq told LBCI: "We will specify the locations of the landfills before we ask for legal support."
The committee's meeting ended at noon and another session was scheduled for Monday. A plan to export Lebanon's garbage has been abandoned early this week when a scandal broke out revealing that Britain’s Chinook Urban Mining company, which was selected by the government in December to manage the export scheme, may have fabricated its permits. The ministerial committee headed by Prime Minister Tammam Salam is said to discuss the areas where landfills would be established to receive the trash of Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The trash crisis erupted in July 2015 when the Naameh landfill, which opened in 1997 in a verdant valley outside Beirut, was closed. Garbage quickly piled up on Beirut and Mount Lebanon streets and municipalities dumped the trash in forests, on riverbanks and populated areas.
Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb drew a plan to rely on sanitary landfills but the government abandoned it in November after municipalities and local officials refused to accommodate more landfilling.

Turkey Willing to Provide $1.1 Million Military Aid to Lebanon
Naharnet/February 20/16/Following the halt of a Saudi program to fund aid to the Lebanese army, Turkey expressed willingness to provide Lebanon with military aid worth $1.1 million, the National News Agency said. Turkish ambassador to Lebanon Cagatay Erciyes told Defense Minister Samir Moqbel that his country is ready to “continue to support Lebanon and its army,” NNA said.“The Turkish government has decided to provide military aid worth $ 1.1 million to meet the needs of the Lebanese army, and to include Lebanon within a program to provide military aid to foreign militaries,” the ambassador pointed. On Friday, Saudi Arabia halted a $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest against Hizbullah's policies and recent diplomatic stances by the Lebanese foreign ministry.
In light of positions taken by Hizbullah the kingdom proceeded to "a total evaluation of its relations with the Lebanese republic," a Saudi official statement said. It added that the remainder of a $1 billion financing package for Lebanese security forces had been suspended, in a separate decision. The $3 billion program financed military equipment provided by France.

Report: UAE Deports Twenty Lebanese Following Saudi Aid Halt
Naharnet/February 20/16/The United Arab Emirates will deport more than twenty Lebanese nationals residing on its territory giving them a 48-hour notice to leave the country, As Safir daily reported on Saturday. Related authorities in Lebanon were informed of the decision in the past few hours, sources close to Foreign Minster Jebran Bassil told the daily on condition of anonymity. They added that it came in parallel with a Saudi Arabian decision that halted a program for military supplies to Lebanon. On Friday, Saudi Arabia said that it has halted a $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest against Hizbullah's policies and recent diplomatic stances by the Lebanese foreign ministry. UAE announced full support for the “Kingdom's decision to conduct a comprehensive review of its relations with Lebanon and halt its arms deals.”According to obtained information, the list of deported individuals includes 20 Lebanese mostly from the Awada family who hail from the town of Khiam in the district of Marjeyoun. The list includes another Awada family hailing from the city of Baalbek .Since 2009, more than 1000 Lebanese mostly Shiites from south Lebanon have been deported from the UAE, the daily added. The Lebanese embassy in the UAE is following up on the file.

“‘Islam Can’t Be Modernised’ Says World’s ‘Greatest Arabic Poet, Adunis Asbar’”
Chris Tomlinson, Breitbart, February 19, 2016
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/02/islam-cant-be-modernized-says-worlds-greatest-arabic-poet
The writer regarded as the greatest Arabic language poet alive today has said Islam cannot be modernised. Adunis Asbar, known by his pen name Adonis, is a Syrian-born writer often considered one of the greatest living poets of the Arabic language. He has come under criticism for comments he made recently about Islam before receiving the Erich Maria Remarque Peace Prize, named after the famous pacifist and author of the classic World War One novel ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’.
In an interview with Die Welt he talked about one of the most pressing issues in Germany since the migrant crisis began, the idea of being able to integrate migrants from predominately Muslim countries into European societies.
Being raised a Muslim himself and having one of the greatest understandings of the language of the Quran, Adonis said: “You can not reform a religion. If they are reformed, [the original meaning] is separated from it. Therefore, modern Muslims and a modern Islam is already impossible. If there is no separation between religion and state, there will be no democracy especially without equality for women. Then we will keep a theocratic system. So it will end.”
Laying down a heavy critique of the Islamic world, he added: “Arabs have no more creative force. Islam does not contribute to intellectual life, it suggests no discussion. It is no longer thought. It produces no thinking, no art, no science, no vision that could change the world. This repetition is the sign of its end. The Arabs will continue to exist, but they will not make the world better.”
The remarks are in reference to the broader questions of how he sees the Middle East, and specifically his native Syria which has been in a state of civil war for years. Adonis describes the totality of Islam in the life of people in the Islamic world saying Muslim society is “based on a totalitarian system. The religion dictates everything: How to run, how to go to the toilet, who one has to love…”…
“I have long been an opponent of Assad. The Assad regime has transformed the country into a prison. But his opponents, the so-called revolutionaries, commit mass murder, cut people’s heads off, sell women in cages as goods and trample human dignity underfoot.”
Adonis was referring to the Islamic State and the Al-Nusra front (an Al Qaeda affiliate) who have become the largest opposition force to Assad over the course of the civil war.
Breitbart London has already reported that attempts to house and integrate Muslim migrants will cost Germans and other European countries billions of euros, and according to Adonis’ opinion it could be a useless endeavour.
When asked if he receives death threats from radical Islamists Adonis said: “Of course, but I do not care. For certain convictions people should risk their lives.”

Turkey Announces New Security Measures Following Ankara Attack
Naharnet/February 20/16/Turkey is to introduce new national security measures, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Saturday, in the wake of a suicide car bombing in Ankara that killed 28 people. "We are going for changes in the matter of security," Davutoglu said after a five-hour meeting in the capital with security chiefs, saying an anti-terror "action plan" was being prepared. The premier said that as part of the new plan more security forces would be deployed and their presence would become "more visible", but he also called on citizens to do their part. "Terrorist groups aim to cause trauma and chaos among the population. We must all assist the security forces," he said. "No security efforts can succeed without the support of the people." Davutoglu also rejected a Kurdish militant group's claim of responsibility for Wednesday's attack in Ankara, which targeted a military convoy. The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), who have been linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), said the attack was revenge for operations by the Turkish military in the southeast of the country. But the Turkish government insists that the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia were behind the attack, in cooperation with the PKK. The YPG and PYD deny accusations from Ankara that they are branches of the PKK and have rejected having any involvement in the attack. Davutoglu added that 22 suspects had been detained over the Ankara bombing.

Syrian opposition agrees to truce, with caveat
Reuters, Geneva Saturday, 20 February 2016/Syria's opposition has agreed to a two- to three-week truce on condition that Russia stops its air strikes, sieges are ended and access for aid allowed across the country, a source close to peace talks said on Saturday. Russian air strikes began last September and turned the tide in Syria's five-year civil war in Bashar al-Assad's favour, to the frustration of the United States and its allies who have supported rebels trying to topple the president. Several attempts to agree a truce have failed in recent months. "The message has been conveyed very clearly now that the opposition is willing to enter into a two- to three-week truce, and that's open to renewal if the conditions are right and both sides are willing to renew it," the source said. The opposition also wants vulnerable prisoners, including women and children, to be released, the source said. Russia and the U.S. are jointly chairing a United Nations meeting in Geneva aimed at trying to secure a cessation of hostilities in Syria. U.S. and Russian military officials met ahead of the wider meeting, diplomats said on Friday. A truce would be renewable and supported by all parties except Islamic State, the source said. It would also be conditional on the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front no longer being targeted, at least to start with, the source said. The Nusra Front is considered a terrorist organisation by the U.N. Security Council and banned. Asked if the opposition's insistence on the Nusra Front no longer being targeted was the main stumbling block, he described it as "the elephant in the room". "They have to deal with this very delicately or they are going to end up with a civil war in Idlib on their hands," the4 source said. Nusra fighters are fighting alongside other rebel groups in some areas, including Idlib. Ending sieges on civilians have become another key sticking point in talks to end the conflict. The U.N. estimates there are 486,700 people in around 15 besieged areas of Syria, and 4.6 million in hard-to-reach areas. In some, starvation deaths and severe malnutrition have been reported.

Russia Pledges more Syria Raids, Opposition Sets Truce Terms
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 20/16/Russia pledged Saturday to continue backing Syrian government forces against "terrorism", as a key opposition group said it would support a proposed truce only if regime supporters halted their fire. World powers have been pushing for a so-called cessation of hostilities to pave the way for renewed negotiations to end Syria's war, nearly five years after it began. But the truce has proved elusive so far, failing to emerge by Friday as originally proposed, even as fighting has intensified on the ground and tensions have risen between Russia and opposition backer Turkey. Russia said U.N.-led talks on the ceasefire scheduled for Saturday had been postponed to an unspecified later date, raising fresh concerns about whether the truce could be implemented. Russian and U.S. officials met on Friday to try to hammer out the details of the proposed ceasefire, but have yet to outline any concrete proposals. - Opposition sets truce terms -The head of the key High Negotiations Committee (HNC) opposition umbrella group said in statement that it would agree to a temporary truce only if regime backers halted fire.Riad Hijab said any ceasefire must be reached "with international mediation and with guarantees obliging Russia, Iran and their sectarian militias and mercenaries to stop fighting". The statement, issued after a meeting of the HNC, said the opposition "wants to respond positively to international efforts to stop the Syrian bloodbath". "But... there will not be a truce unless fighting stops simultaneously on the part of all the belligerents, sieges are lifted, humanitarian aid is delivered to those in need, and prisoners, particularly women and children, are released," it said. But on the ground, there has been little sign that the various parties to the increasingly complicated conflict are preparing to halt operations. Turkey again shelled Kurdish-led forces on Saturday, a day after the United Nations Security Council rejected a Russian bid to halt Turkish military action in Syria. Moscow expressed "regret" that the resolution had been rejected, and said it was "concerned at the growing tension at the Syrian-Turkish border". Turkey has been firing artillery rounds into Syria's northern Aleppo province for the last week, in a bid to stem the advances of a Kurdish-led coalition that has seized territory from rebels.Ankara is a key backer of the Syrian opposition, and is fiercely opposed to both President Bashar al-Assad's regime and the powerful Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia. It accuses the YPG of being the Syrian affiliate of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara. The YPG is the leading component of a joint Kurdish-Arab force that has swept through parts of northern Aleppo in recent days, taking territory from rebels that Turkey backs. The advance by the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance has angered Turkey, which fears the Kurds are trying to unite several Kurdish-majority regions in north and northeastern Syria to create a contiguous zone on the border. - Peace talks resumption delayed -Meanwhile, Syrian regime forces have also advanced in Aleppo province, backed by air strikes by Russia which began an aerial campaign in support of the government in September. Moscow said Saturday that campaign would continue, saying Russia was "continuing a consistent line to provide assistance and help to the armed forces of Syria in their offensive actions against terrorists".The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported ongoing Russian air strikes in Aleppo province and several other parts of the country. Russia says its strikes target "terrorists", but the opposition and its backers accuse Moscow of focusing on moderate and Islamist rebels rather than jihadists such as the Islamic State group. More than 260,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began, with half the population displaced, including over four million overseas. The most recent attempt to find a political solution to the war collapsed earlier this month, with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura initially proposing a February 25 date for talks to try to resume. But he acknowledged on Friday that the date was no longer "realistically" possible, and that at least 10 days of preparations were still needed.

Egypt Writer Jailed over Sex Scenes in State-owned Review
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 20/16/An Egyptian court handed a novelist a two-year jail sentence for "gross indecency" on Saturday over the serialization of one of his works in a state-owned newspaper. The jail sentence against Ahmed Naji came after prosecutors appealed against his acquittal by a lower court, charging that his sexually explicit writing offended public decency, a judicial official said. He was sent to the cells after the hearing but has the right of appeal. The editor of the state-owned literary review which published the chapter of his novel "The Guide for Using Life", Tareq al-Taher, was fined 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,275, 1,150 euros). The prosecution came in response to a complaint from a reader of Akhbar al-Adab, Egypt's most widely read literary review. Two renowned Egyptian writers -- Sonallah Ibrahim and Mohamed Salmawy -- testified in his defense at the original trial. Defense counsel argued that there was nothing in Naji's writings that did not also feature in works that are considered part of the Arab and Islamic canon. The case comes more than two and a half years after then army chief and now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew president Mohamed Morsi, accusing him of imposing an Islamist agenda on the country.

Iraq Tribesmen Battle IS Inside Fallujah for Second Day
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 20/16/Sunni Arab tribesmen battled militants of the Islamic State group in their Fallujah stronghold for a second day Saturday in a major blow to the jihadists in Iraq, officials said. Fallujah is one of two Iraqi cities still controlled by IS, but residents -- said to number in the tens of thousands -- vastly outnumber the estimated 300 to 400 jihadists inside it. IS has had plenty of time to assert its control over the civilian population and has carried out large numbers of arrests and public executions in the city. "Armed confrontations between the sons of the Fallujah tribes and the Daesh organisation are continuing," an army brigadier general said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. The clashes are taking place in Al-Jolan in northwest Fallujah and Nazal in the centre, the officer said, adding that the army was shelling IS positions on the outskirts. There have been casualties among both the tribesmen and the jihadists, the officer said, without giving a number. Tribal leader Sheikh Majeed al-Juraisi said that fighting was continuing in both the centre and north of Fallujah. The tribesmen "are beginning to run out of supplies and need the support of the government," he added. There is "fear that they will completely run out and afterwards the Daesh organisation will arrest and massacre them."In 2014 and 2015, IS executed dozens of members of the Albu Nimr tribe, which opposed the jihadists' seizure of most of Anbar province, including Fallujah. Saadun Obaid al-Shaalan, who was elected by a local council to administer the Fallujah area, confirmed that the fighting was ongoing, saying that tribesmen had posted snipers on rooftops in the Al-Askari area of east Fallujah. He said the tribesmen were in need of supplies and "we are trying to obtain that support" from the government. Officials said the clashes began on Friday as a fight between tribesmen and Al-Hisba, IS members charged with enforcing religious strictures in the city. Members of the Al-Juraisat, Al-Mahamda and Al-Halabsa tribes joined the fighting as it escalated. Fallujah, which lies about 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, is the only Iraqi city apart from IS's main northern hub Mosul still under jihadist control. Several large town in the north are also held by the jihadists, including Tal Afar and Hawijah. IS launched a sweeping offensive that overran swathes of northern and western Iraq in June 2014, but security forces and allied fighters have pushed the jihadists back with support from U.S.-led air strikes. Tribesmen have played a key role in holding the jihadists back in several areas, including Haditha in Anbar, Amerli in Salaheddin province and Dhuluiyah in Diyala.

10 Israelis Detained at Pro-Palestinian Protest in Hebron
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 20/16/Troops detained 10 Israelis on Saturday as they joined a commemoration in the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron for 29 Palestinian worshipers killed by a Jewish extremist in 1994. Some 200 people, most of them Palestinians, took part in the anniversary demonstration which was dispersed after some protesters threw stones at troops, an army spokeswoman said. It came with tensions running high in the Hebron region after scores of Palestinians were killed in a new upsurge of violence since last October. Many were killed during attacks or attempted attacks on Israelis, but others were shot dead during demonstrations. The majority were youngsters, some as young as 13. Hebron has always been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A few hundred Jewish settlers live under heavy army guard among several hundred thousand Palestinians in the heart of the West Bank's most populous city. The Ibrahimi Mosque, where Baruch Goldstein killed the 29 worshipers in 1994, is also revered by Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs and has been a constant source of division. Since October 1, Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks have taken the lives of 27 Israelis, an American and an Eritrean, according to an AFP count. At the same time, 175 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces. Some analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence. Late Saturday, Israeli police said a young Palestinian found in possession of a knife had been arrested at the Damascus Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem.

Turkey Frees Detained Syrian Journalist
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 20/16/A Syrian journalist detained in Turkey said Saturday he has been freed, a day after media groups urged his release.
Writing on his Facebook page, Rami Jarrah said he had been released but said he was given no explanation as to why he was arrested, though he added it appeared to be related to his work in Syria. Jarrah was detained by Turkish authorities on Wednesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a rights group that had called for his release. He was held while applying for a residency permit in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep. Turkish authorities had no comment on his reported detention. Ankara is a key backer of Syria's opposition and says it is hosting more than 2.6 million Syrian refugees.

U.S. Air Strike on Libya Kills Two Abducted Serbians
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/February 20/16/A U.S. strike on an Islamic State jihadist camp in Libya killed two Serbian embassy employees who were kidnapped in the area in November, Serbia's foreign minister said Saturday. "Unfortunately as a consequence of this attack on the Islamic State (IS) in Libya, the two of them lost their lives," Ivica Dacic told reporters, referring to Friday's air strike. Dacic said they had received information from several sources, including other intelligence services, of the deaths of embassy communications chief Sladjana Stankovic and her driver Jovica Stepic, which were yet to be officially confirmed by Libyan authorities. The minister offered "sincere condolences to the families of the victims", saying they had been informed of the news and that the repatriation of bodies would be organised in the coming days. Official identification of the bodies was expected in the coming hours, he said. Stankovic and Stepic were kidnapped on November 8 in the coastal city of Sabratha, 70 kilometres (42 miles) west of Tripoli, from a convoy of cars heading to the Tunisian border. The U.S. strike, which targeted a jihadist training camp near Sabratha, killed dozens of people, who probably including Noureddine Chouchane, a senior IS operative behind attacks in Tunisia, U.S. officials said Friday. It was the second U.S. air raid in the violence-wracked North African country targeting the fast-expanding jihadist group in the past three months. Libya descended into chaos after the October 2011 ouster and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control its vast energy resources. The lawless country has become a magnet for militants who receive weapons training in jihadist camps before launching deadly attacks in other countries, and Sabratha is considered a bastion of extremism. Belgrade maintains an embassy in Tripoli, and Serbian citizens -- mostly doctors, other medical staff and construction workers -- have been working in Libya for decades due to close bilateral relations during Kadhafi's regime. - Serbia seeks explanation -Dacic said Serbia had received no information from Washington about the attack. He said they would demand an official explanation from United States and Libya about their knowledge and choice of the targets, "but that is at this moment perhaps less important than the news that our employees lost their lives". Britain's defence ministry said Friday that the strike on the camp was carried out from a Royal Air Force base, RAF Lakenheath. A jihadist safe house was destroyed in the dawn raid about 70 kilometres (42 miles) west of Tripoli, according to Hussein al-Dawadi, an official in Sabratha near the border with Tunisia. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said that Chouchane, also known as "Sabir," and other jihadists had been planning attacks against American and other Western interests. Chouchane is suspected of being behind an attack in July on a beach resort near the Tunisian city of Sousse that killed 38 tourists, including 30 Britons. The Pentagon estimates that the Islamic State group has about 5,000 fighters in Libya.

'Israeli captive Ron Arad died in 1988 after torture'
Roi Kais/Ynetnews/February 20/16
Lebanese man claims to reveal truth of hostage after nearly 30 years, saying the young IAF navigator endured brutal treatment and was found dead by his captors after going to take a shower – but the claims contradict information previously obtained by Israel.
A Lebanese man accused of collaborating with Israel told a military court on Friday that captive IAF navigator Ron Arad – whose fate has remained a mystery for the nearly 30 years since he was taken hostage in Lebanon – died in that country in 1988 after enduring beatings and torture.
However, the new claims contradict previous evidence and are inconsistent with information Israel has previously learned about the case.
The claims arose during a military court hearing regarding five suspects who purportedly stated they knew details of Arad's fate. Two of the accused were present in court on Friday and claimed they had deceived an Israeli organization dedicated to finding Arad in an attempt to get money in exchange for what they claimed were his teeth and bones.
At least some of the accused were charged with cooperating with Israel and its intelligence services. They allegedly took advantage in this context of the fact that three of them had been field commanders in the Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party during Lebanon's civil war.
"I want to tell you the details," suspect Moufid Kuntar told the court. "In 1988, I was an officer in the party's military wing. Someone form the party in the al-Farzel area in the Bekaa Valleycalled me and reported that a group of young men was in possession of a certain person."
According to Kuntar, this group began interrogating the captive, but didn't get far with Arad. "He knew many languages," Kuntar said. "If we spoke Arabic with him, he answered in French. If we spoke in French, he answered in Spanish. If we spoke English, he answered in French."
The group of young men, Kuntar claimed, took Arad to the town of Dour El Choueir. Kuntar said he could not confirm that the captive was in his s uniform at this stage. He said he instructed his men to give Arad new clothes. He was informed soon after departing that the captive had died, Kuntar claimed.
"I didn't see him right away, but on the second day," Kuntar said. "He wore regular clothes, but his condition was pitiful after all the beatings he had endured during the interrogation. He could not stand up. I asked the youths to supply him with food and to allow him to shower so it would be possible to complete the interrogation." According to Kuntar, he received news of Arad's death within less than 48 hours.
"They said he had gone to shower and stayed there for a long time," said the alleged collaborator. "When they went to check on him, they found him lifeless." Kuntar claimed that he realized the man was the Israeli pilot who had been taken captive only after Arad's death. "It's obvious that he died of exhaustion and it's obvious that he was subjected to beatings and torture, because that's how you conduct an interrogation."
Kuntar went on to say that he asked to bury the captive, who was interred in a forest in the vicinity of Mount Lebanon. Kuntar told the judge that he had not interrogated Arad before he died. But a decade later, Kuntar said, when images of Arad were published in the media, he returned to al-Farzel to meet with the man who had initially contacted him in 1988 and told him Arad's skeleton should be disinterred.
Kuntar said that following this, he asked to meet with then-Lebanese president Émile Lahoud. The judge halted proceedings at this point, arguing that the hearing should occur behind closed doors because the name of a president had come up. Another hearing is scheduled for April 20.
Arad was captured on October 16, 1986. The Phantom jet he was navigating experienced a technical fault during strikes on terrorist targets south of Sidon. He and his pilot abandoned the plane in Lebanese territory. A helicopter barely managed to rescue the pilot, but Arad was captured by the Shi'ite Amal Movement. Arad was promoted to the rank of major after his capture.
Attempts to secure Arad's release failed, and 1988 he was apparently transferred from the hands of senior Amal Movement figure Mustafa Dirani to Iran or a different Shi'ite organization. All traces of Arad vanished in May 1988.
It has previously been claimed that Arad may have been murdered by his captors on May 3, 1988, during an Israeli paratrooper operation targeting Hezbollah in the town of Maydun, or that he had been murdered when he tried to escape.
Earlier this week, on the anniversary of the targeted killing of senior Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyeh, media outlets affiliated with the Lebanese terrorist organization claimed that Mughniyeh ran a special team in 2004-2006 to investigate the Arad case, and was able to find some of Arad's belongings, including a parachute, his weapon, and some clothes According to Wafiq Safa, director of the organization's liaison and coordination committee, Hezbollah used these items in negotiations with Israel.

Syria’s seventh circle of hell
Hisham Melhem/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
It has been five years, since Syria began its slow, agonizing descent into an inferno that makes Dante’s seventh circle of hell with its river of boiling blood and barren burning sands ignited by flakes of fire, look like a tolerable trail. Aleppo, Syria’s largest and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, is about to fall into the hands of invaders from the East; Russians who are raining fires from the skies, and on the ground cutting swaths of desolation are Iranian-led Lebanese and Iraqi Shiite militias and the disheveled forces of their local lisping and pathetically delusional satrap holed up in Damascus.
Abandoned by the world, another once great city is being methodically sacked for the first time in six hundred years, and emptied of its people, the very descendants of the great ancient empires that built, destroyed and rebuilt Aleppo; Akkadians and Hittites, Greeks and Romans, Arabs and Ottomans. Rich cultures and religions, that left behind their distinct marks; schools, temples, libraries, palaces, forts, souks, public baths, magnificent Mosques and graceful Churches and Synagogues. Aleppo’s killers are a motley crew of mostly regime henchmen and their battalions of supporters who are doing the systematic destruction, and extreme local and imported self-described jihadists.
A war of all against all
On Spanish soil in the 1930s a civil war was morphed into a continental epic war. Europe tore itself apart in three bloody years. Soldiers and military advisors came from Germany, Italy and the Soviet Union, along with tens of thousands of volunteers from many countries to engage in the ‘good fight’. The Syrian war was turned initially and diabolically by the regime into a sectarian war which evolved into a regional war and eventually into an international conflict and war by proxies. The failure of containing the conflict quickly, made its internationalization inevitable. It is stunning to think that in the skies of Syria in the last year the air forces of four of the five permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations have been, along with other allies conducting military strikes. On the ground a war of all against all is raging on and each of the major players has a list of primary and secondary enemies. For the U.S. ISIS is the primary enemy, followed by al-Nusra Front with the Assad regime at the bottom. For Russia, the enemies begin with the opposition to Assad, then ISIS and al-Nusra. For Iran, the opposition to Assad is first on the list, then ISIS and al-Nusra. For Turkey, the enemy list begins with the Kurdish YPG, then the Assad regime. For ISIS, the immediate enemy on the ground is the anti-Assad opposition groups, and in the skies the bombers of the International coalition.
Sharp words vs. Sharp swords
The fall of Aleppo, a clear military objective of the axis of Russia, Iran and the Assad regime, that is not going to be altered by the surreal talk of cease fires and peace talks in European capitals, will deal the Syrian opposition groups that are tepidly supported by the United States a severe blow. Such a setback will constitute a radical shift in the balance of power in favor of the axis seeking a partial restoration of a truncated state they call ‘essential Syria,’ an area that includes the country’s main cities, from Damascus in the South to the central cities of Homs and Hama, along with the coastal region and all the way to Aleppo in the North.
Russia’s military intervention in Syria has elevated Moscow’s profile in the Middle East in ways not known since the collapse of the Soviet Empire
The tactical but serious defeats of the opposition forces in the North that the U.S. claims to support, at the hands of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units YPG, in military operations that are clearly coordinated with the intensified Russian air campaign and benefiting from the ground attacks by the pro-regime militias is ironic in the extreme. The YPG is Washington’s main ground de facto ally in the fight against the so-called ‘Islamic State’ ISIS, America’s most dangerous enemy in Syria. This is a collaboration made in purgatory, since the YPG is essentially the Syrian incarnation of Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK, a group designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. This is one of Washington’s worst kept secrets, an arrangement that damages further, The Obama administration’s already tarnished image in the eyes of the main non-Jihadi Syrian opposition groups.
In the face of Russia’s stepped up brutal air attacks in the environs of Aleppo in conjunction with the regime’s continued savagery in the form of barrel bombs against civilian targets, and in reaction to Moscow’s manipulation of Secretary of State John Kerry’s diplomatic gullibility, the advances of the YPG, and Turkey’s recent artillery attacks against targets across the Syrian borders, the Obama administration has been reduced to issuing statements ranging from condemnation and indignation, to pleading and beseeching. Recently, when Russian bombers attacked hospitals and schools in Azaz city, the State Department issued a statement condemning the attacks, but without naming the Russian aggressor. But America’s sharp words are no match to Russia’s sharp swords.
Dr. Pangloss and Prince Hamlet
Secretary of State John Kerry, a man of boundless energy and infinite optimism is America’s version of Dr. Pangloss, Voltaire’s incurable optimist in Candide, whose slogan ‘all is for the best, in the best of all possible worlds’ animate his diplomacy even in the face of catastrophe. When Russia deployed its attack jets and bombers in Syria last summer, he initially refused to see the move as offensive in nature. Then he, along with President Obama began to lecture Russian President Vladimir Putin that what he is doing will not serve Russia’s long term interests, or that it is a sign of weakness and advising him to avoid such a ‘quagmire’, reminiscent of the Soviet quagmire in Afghanistan.
Russia’s military intervention in Syria has elevated Moscow’s profile in the Middle East in ways not known since the collapse of the Soviet Empire. In fact the Obama administration is using Russia’s dominant position in Syria nowadays to justify its feeble diplomacy and its reliance on Moscow to ‘deliver’ Assad to the negotiating table, and its refusal to embark on any serious military action, beyond deploying a small number of special forces against ISIS, that could enhance the capabilities of the opposition and weaken the regime. Russia’s violent ownership of Syrian skies, forced the Obama administration to inform the Russian military vaguely supposedly, about the areas of operations of the American Special Forces in Syria. Lt. Gen. Charles Brown, commander of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command, told reporters during a briefing on Thursday, ‘I don't have any assurances, really, from the Russians. But we told them these are the ... general areas, where we have coalition forces and we don’t want them to strike there because all it's going to do is escalate things. And I don't think the Russians want to escalate against the coalition’. Try to explain that one to the incredulous Syrians.
ts about Russia’s intentions in Syria, Secretary Kerry spoke about the ‘success’ achieved recently in Munich regarding the imminent ‘cessation of hostilities’. One could see the snicker on the face of his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov who has heard Kerry on multiple occasions in recent months and years talking about Syria being on the cusp of a ‘big transition’ as he did last November.
Few days ago, in a press conference President Obama returned to Russia’s ‘quagmire’ in Syria, but also expressing hope for possible future collaboration with Moscow against ISIS, telling reporters that ‘if we can get a political transition in Syria, that allows us to coordinate more effectively with not just Russia, but other countries in the region to focus on the folks who pose the greatest direct threat to the United States’.
The war in Syria has been the subject of many speeches by Obama declaring support for empowering the people against the despot, declarations of policy intentions, threats of military retribution and promises of political and material support. The words were delivered somberly but later ignored totally or never fully implemented. When Polonius asked Prince Hamlet ‘What do you read, my lord?’ he said ‘words, words, words.’ President Obama cherishes words and he lives by them. His political career has been defined by speeches, and some of them are truly memorable. As I wrote recently in the Cairo Review, for Obama ‘eloquent words are more effective than sharp swords. Sometimes he treats words as if they have the value and impact of actions.’
Even before the battle of Aleppo is fully joined, tens of thousands of uprooted Syrians have been on the move seeking northern havens in Turkey and beyond. If Aleppo falls, an immense human calamity will occur, and the world is likely to wring its hands in sorrow and maybe in shame. And President Obama will head to a podium to deliver a memorable speech where he will explain eloquently the enormity of the deed, and making sure to erect a solid wall of words around him hoping to give him immunity from the inevitable Syrian infamy.
Obama’s straw man
From the beginning of the Syrian uprising, and even before the uprising turned into a local civil war, President Obama was determined not to get involved in what he termed ‘somebody else’s civil war’. He rejected numerous proposals from senior and midlevel members of his administration for establishing safe zones for refugees and friendly opposition groups to be protected by no-fly zones, as well as options for limited military actions to cripple the regimes ability to use air power to terrorize the civilian population. One refrain the President and his apologists always use when critics rail against Obama’s passivity in Syria is that the critics don’t present ‘alternatives.’ This is clearly the administration’s favorite straw man argument. Obama kept dismissing as ‘half-baked,’ ideas like establishing no-fly zones and safe zones, or calling “mumbo-jumbo” proposals such as arming Sunni tribes in Iraq.
President Obama repeatedly obfuscated and engaged in dissimulation to muddy the issue of taking serious action to hasten the demise of the Assad regime, by claiming that the options are between going all the way in, that is an invasion of Syria, or doing nothing at all. He was and still good at presenting false choices. And Obama knew that no serious scholar or public figure ever called for an invasion of Syria. Most were calling for a strong exercise of American leadership. After my Cairo Review article, well-meaning friends said: where are your realistic alternatives? It just happened that in the last few days, powerful moral and political voices, including columnists, former policy makers and diplomats have written blistering criticism of Obama’s moral and political abdication on Syria, and making the case for establishing safe zones and/or no fly zones to prevent another catastrophe in Aleppo.
A view from the field
If president Obama accepted in the summer of 2012, long before the rise of ISIS and the massive use by Assad of Chemical Weapons, the proposal a senior official presented him after visiting Northern Syria to establish a no fly zone in that part of the country; Syria may not have descended to the seventh circle of hell. A three page memo written by Tom Malinowski of the State Department titled; ‘view from the field on emerging arguments for a Syria no-fly zone’ convincingly makes the case for such zone. The memo is based on the findings of an American team’s contacts and observations in Northern Syria. Malinowski notes, ‘in short, they went in extremely skeptical about the merits of any sort of military intervention, but have come to believe that the situation is evolving in ways that argue strongly in favor of establishing a no-fly zone.’
This following passage shows the price of inaction and the result of dithering, ‘it is our team's assessment that the rebel forces are now strong enough, due to their numbers, growing experience, and sheer determination (despite disorganization and lack of heavy weapons) that they could hold significant amounts of territory in northern Syria if regime air power — and air power alone -- were taken off the table.’ And this passage about the insignificant jihadist influence then, is painfully prescient, ‘BTW, our team reports that the jihadist influence is minimal for now —the FSA is using them "because they are crazy fighters," but they agree with the general assessment that the longer this goes on, the stronger radical forces will become.’
The conclusion of the memo can still be applied today, and the warning against inaction is now more frightening than in 2012. ‘A safe zone, protected by grounding Syrian air power, would bring immediate and tangible benefits for hundreds of thousands of threatened people and secure U.S. influence with the rebels and in a post-Assad Syria. And every scenario we can imagine for finishing the job — whether an agreement brokered by the U.N. or the Russians, or accelerating defections leading to a regime collapse, would at least be more likely if there were a dramatic shift in the balance of forces on the ground. The alternative is to hope for the same outcome, but with less chance of success in the foreseeable future, and far greater loss of life and of U.S. influence over what Syria will become.’
The failure of containing the conflict in its early stages pushed Syria inexorably to the seventh circle of hell.

Heikal the journalist and 'propagandist' - Part II
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
Part I of this article can be found here.
After the defeat of the 1967 war, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal must have faced a difficult mission when he undertook the tinkering task. This must have been similar to the Goebbels situation with the arrival of the first Allies troops on the outskirts of Berlin and the approaching German defeat.
However, we witnessed how Heikal tried to save whatever he could. When the Socialist Union was mobilizing thousands to rally in the center of Cairo, Heikal was directing the resignation of Abdel Nasser. We also saw how, later on, the people wanted Nasser to stay in power. Then Heikal blamed minister Abdul Hakim Amer for the defeat. Amer committed “suicide” in his cell shortly afterwards.
Heikal waged a cleansing war to smarten the image of his president, by promoting stories about internal and external conspiracies. Indeed, he succeeded temporarily in restoring the reputation of his leader, but the latter had changed the “agenda”. The gap between the truth and what he was promoting was getting larger, to the extent that it was no longer possible for Heikal to promote the image of the “nationalist pan-Arab socialist hero who believes in the use of force,” especially when he president appeared on the evening news with Americans and “reactionists”.
The “propagandist” needs a bit of truth and a bit of victory as was the case in the Suez War in 1956. Without these two factors the propaganda would fail to reach its target. Abdel Nasser died and the “propagandist” remained loyal to him for 40 years. It was confirmed later that Heikal is a propaganda engineer who cannot be replaced in Egypt. Nasser’s successors, presidents Sadat and Mubarak, have accomplished great achievements but their publicity was weak.
Sadat triumphed over Israel but was defeated in front of the propaganda of the Baath Party and the leftist current in Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut. As for Mubarak, he drowned due to his local publicity. Mr. Ahmed Mousselmani reported in his series about Heikal that the latter was close to Sadat and Mubarak but he did not get along with them. The same happened with Mursi and Sisi; Heikal’s pride surpassed what was given to him.
Problem within
I guess that the problem with Heikal was himself, as he could not get off the very top ever since the death of Abdel Nasser because he was the sole commander-in-chief of the media and political partner. There is no doubt that he was an important figure but he must have kept in mind that the world cannot be filled by one person or one group; that history is like a train that can accommodate many people and it does not have just one station. When I say he could not get off the top what I meant is that because of his pride and his own history he did not come out of the box that he built for Abdel Nasser, his generation and era.
Heikal called me once in London and I met him for tea at the Claridges hotel. The reason behind our meeting was that he wanted me to help him arrange an interview with Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz (may God have mercy on him), the Saudi crown prince at the time. I explained to him that I could not do so. I knew about the poor relationship between Heikal and President Mubarak, which must have been the reason why Saudi officials avoided meeting him, so as not to give the wrong signal to Mubarak.
The problem with Heikal was he could not get off the top since the death of Abdel Nasser as he was the sole commander-in-chief of the media and a political partner
In response to his invitation for coffee, I invited him for dinner with a common friend Mustafa Nasser. When I arrived for the dinner in St. Lorenzo, I accidently met an old work colleague Abdel Bari Atwan. When Heikal arrived at the restaurant, he saw me with Abdel Bari who started to blame him for not answering his calls and that he is now in the hospitality of “petroleum people”. It was a criticism yet looked like as a joke. However, Heikal quickly justified himself, claiming that he was invited by our friend Mustafa and not me.
That did not bother me, as it was a white lie and the dinner was indeed with our common friend. To soothe Heikal’s uneasiness, I told him: You are invited to a dinner by a “petroleum person” like me, but Abdul Bari was just joking as he has spent two-thirds of his professional career working for oil institutions.
I met him only a few times after that, in Cairo and London, where I was more than ever sure that he was like a general refusing to retire despite war coming to an end. He was working every day; he had a strong personality that can fascinate his addressees and he has an amazing vivacity in his 80s, at the time, as if he was a young man in his 30s.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad contacted him at the start of his ordeal with the revolution, and he tried to make Heikal promote the story of the Israeli conspiracy against the Greater Arab armies. Heikal tried to recycle Assad’s arguments but he did not defend him till the end; he moved on to work with the other camp “al-Jazeera”, where he found a warm studio to welcome him.
Heikal remains an important pillar of our media and political history. He is one of the most skillful political theater designers and one of the most brilliant image portraitists and novelists of our history, regardless of any other truth.

What are our priorities and issues in Saudi Arabia?
Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
I recently received a call from a media correspondent who asked me, among other things, what the priorities in our country are and what issues prevail in the minds of the Saudi public. I cannot speak for all, however I believe that any sensible citizen would be concerned about the economic fluctuations and political situations across the globe. No country is a solitary island, separated from the rest of the world; we are all connected so deeply and are so interwoven that any incident in the world, whether it occurs in places nearby or far away, concerns us. There are many instances in recent history that give credence to my point. For example, the recent fall of oil prices affects our economy deeply, as well as the economies of other nations.Saudi Arabia is linked inseparably to its counterparts worldwide, and global issues will inevitably affect us in some way. However, I feel the most pressing issues we have are internal – an issue in particular is of youth and education, and a question we must ask ourselves is: How can we provide an education that will instill school-leavers not only with knowledge to make them productive citizens, but also with good characters and values within the framework of our ideology?
We have to admit – we need a lot of revision of our syllabi, more comprehensive training of our teachers, and to use modern methods of communication to try and involve the youth of our country in nation building. There is a reason that young, ambitious people who are interested in furthering their education are pursuing their degrees abroad; there are serious flaws that need to be addressed in our educational system, from the method of instruction of our youngest students up to those pursuing advanced degrees.
Context for our youth
Simultaneously, we have to ingrain dialog, tolerance, acceptance and pluralism into our society, to provide context for our youth to apply all they have learnt to the real world. To others and myself, this is a priority; mainly because targeting the shortcomings of education is one way we can protect our young population from the trappings of extremist indoctrination. Another priority is the prevalence of the rule of law and a free and fair judiciary system, managed by educated members that possess the priceless qualities of empathy and a broad, knowledgeable outlook. Good governance, accountability and strong work ethic must all be part of the working code governing all officials, and no one should feel that he or she is above the law.
Furthermore, those in authority should be role models and lead from the front! In order to give the young public a chance to become informed, cultured and capable to succeed, they must be provided examples in the form of real people. By observing how figures of authority handle situations and manage different sectors of society alongside one another to maintain healthy development of the nation as a whole, today’s youth will progress and be able to emulate similar, if not better, productive behavior. We need a lot of revision of our syllabi, more comprehensive training of our teachers, and use of modern methods of communication to try and involve the youth in nation building
Once these goals are set in motion, we can turn our attentions to tackling other issues vital to our survival. We live in a harsh geographical setting and water is a precious commodity. How are we going to manage our limited water resources, and what are we going to do in the face of unexpected circumstances?
Add this concern to our increasing energy consumption and a rising population, and we have a very pressing question – are we doing enough to deal with these issues? Should we set up centers to handle these specific concerns? Do we have the courage to ask for a family planning and population control program, and if we do, have we considered the response of such institutions? Is our media developed enough, to a level that it is able to point out the impending dangers of pollution and the destruction of our environment by certain irresponsible members of our society?
We are quick to pass criticism and indulge in the blame game whilst seated in the comfort of our drawing rooms, yet we do not have the will or courage to point out, in public, what concerns the citizens face. The only way these issues can be addressed is by a civil society in which institutions act as the engines of growth. Last, but certainly not least, I want the government to embrace these institutions and create a partnership with them that is beneficial to our society. Such a partnership will entail many reforms, but if successful, government collaboration with progressive institutions could pave the way for our nation to develop in unprecedented ways. However, for this to occur, we need the involvement of all regions, peoples and sects. After all, we are all equal citizens of this country...

How will the youth of today fare in 2030?
Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/February 20/16
Earlier this month, the United Nations hosted the tenth Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) youth forum. The forum this year, headed by the U.N. secretary general special envoy on youth, Jordanian-born Ahmad Alhendawi, focussed on the youth’s contribution toward implementation of the 2030 agenda, which focuses on people, the planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. Each aspect of the 2030 agenda presents its own set of challenges, especially in the Arab world. The one thing all of these themes have in common is the absence of key skills among the youth that can help reach the 2030 goals in a sustainable manner. Young people bear the greatest burden in today’s world. They are the ones who will inherit the mistakes of their parents and politicians currently in charge. Young people will inherit the impact of wars, poverty, destruction, and mismanagement of resources, all of which have left the economy in shambles. The fact remains that young people have unfortunately not been equipped with the right skills to prepare for the future. One of the greatest challenges facing the youth in their pursuit of the 2030 goals is the fact that a large number of them are unemployed. At 28.2 percent, Middle East has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. This has been largely because they have not received the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to find jobs in the first place.
Soft skills, tough results
Having seen the Middle Eastern education system first-hand, I can easily say that there is lack of focus on the importance of soft skills development among the youth. According to a research, conducted by Mckinsey in 2012, young people are not acquiring sufficient portfolio of general skills while they study.
The lack of soft skills, such as creativity, communication and work ethic, are making it difficult for employers to identify young people to fill the employment gap. The public education system needs an internal revolution that changes the way society views education
There are many reasons why these skills are lacking; from an education system that is focussed on hard-skills and fact churning to a society that does not foster or encourage these soft skills as much as it should, young people are losing out in every aspect. It is not up to employers to sit around and wait for the perfect candidate’s application to show up on the desk of human resources department.The responsibility to build a generation with skills to lead the region toward a successful 2030 vision falls on the private sector as much as it does on the public sector. The public education system needs an internal revolution that changes the way society views education. In the current education system, major focus is on scoring grades and passing exams, and not so much on learning the lessons of life. This inevitably leads to failure.A strong commitment toward extra-curricular activities needs to be introduced and they must be given credit when it comes to seeking higher education as well as employment.
Decent jobs
The forum witnessed the launch of the U.N.’s Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth by the ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder. This is an affirmation that before young people are expected to inherit and solve the problems in 2030, they need an opportunity to experience everyday working and solve issues on a daily basis. The forum focussed on the need for inclusion and investment in entrepreneurship and fostering innovation. All of these statements are important and crucial for a sustainable 2030. However, more importantly, the United Nations needs to realize that before young people can focus or plan for 2030, they need to be able to focus on their lives today. That means they need a living wage and a sustainable income. Therefore, statements on decent jobs made by an organization that employed over 4,000 unpaid interns in 2012-2013 mean very little until meaningful change is brought about. For this to happen, public and private sector must cooperate with the United Nations, the education system, and the public in order to foster and develop the skills needed for 2030.

Terror Attack in Ankara: A New Era of Kurdish Politics for Turkey?
Soner Cagaptay/CNN/February 18, 2016
The Kurdish issue in Turkey stands on the precipice of becoming an international problem, involving all sorts of nefarious actors from the Syrian civil war.
The modus operandi of Wednesday's deadly bomb attack in Ankara, which targeted off-duty military officers, is reminiscent of similar past attacks carried out by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkey has blamed the PKK's Syrian affiliate Party for Democratic Unity (PYD) and the PYD's military wing, People's Protection Forces (YPG), for the attack. The PYD has denied responsibility for itself or for the YPG.
The PKK, on the other hand, hinted at responsibility for the attack. PKK leader Cemil Bayik told Firat News Agency "the attack in Ankara could be seen as...our retaliation."
If the PYD is indeed behind this attack, this could signal the beginning of a deeply troubling era of Kurdish politics for Turkey. For starters, such an attack would point at the growing linkage between Turkey's own Kurdish problem and the Syrian war, and vice versa. Turkey is currently fighting the PKK inside the country. Enter the PKK's Syrian affiliate, PYD, which controls territory inside Syria along the Turkish border.
RUSSIAN ASSISTANCE TO KURDS
Recently, the PYD and YPG have taken advantage of Russian airstrikes, expanding their reach in Syria to the detriment of other Syrian rebel groups backed by Turkey. This has angered Ankara to the extent that it has started to shell PYD-held territory in Syria, which could be seen as a motive for the recent Ankara attack.
If the PYD is behind Wednesday's attack, this would serve as a sign that the Kurdish movements in Turkey and Syria are coming even closer together: Turkey is fighting the PKK and shelling the PKK's sister PYD in Syria, therefore the PYD decides to escalate in Turkey by effectively opening a "second front" against Ankara.
In response to Wednesday's horrific attack, Turkey will likely launch full-throttle battle against the PKK in Turkey and against the PYD in Syria. In this regard, Erodgan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) can rely on strong public support for its anti-PKK and anti-PYD campaign given the horrific nature of the Ankara attack.
The Turkish military is known to be less adventurous in foreign policy than the country's politicians, and has thus far been resistant to the idea of a full-fledged escalation against the PYD in Syria. Now, the military will be forced to align more closely with the government for a Syria campaign.
HOW WILL TURKEY RETALIATE?
The U.S. considers the PYD and YPG as valuable allies against the so-called Islamic State. With Turkey now shelling the PYD, this will almost certainly hurt U.S.-Turkish ties, which is exactly what the PKK would want to achieve from the attack in Ankara. And if Ankara provides convincing evidence that the PYD was behind the attack, Washington will be left between a rock and a hard place to choose either Ankara or PYD as its key ally against the so-called Islamic State in Syria.
But even more alarming, Turkish escalation against the PYD will align that group even more closely with Russia. President Vladimir Putin sees the PYD as a useful ally against Turkey-backed rebels who threaten the Assad regime, which Moscow is trying to prop up.
What is more, Putin, who is intent on making Russia a great power, feels that he has an ax to grind with Turkey. On November 24, Turkey shot down a Russian plane that had violated Turkish airspace. Putin sees the downing not as an isolated incident, but as Turkey's attempt to shoot down his lofty ambitions to cast Russia as a superpower in the Middle East.
Already after the plane incident, Russia had started to provide the PYD with weapons, Turkish daily Hurriyet reports; now the PYD will pivot even further towards Russia, and the PKK will likely follow. Russian weapons could soon even end up in the hands of the PKK.
ON THE PRECIPICE
The Kurdish issue in Turkey stands on the precipice of becoming an international problem, involving all sorts of nefarious actors from the Syrian civil war. This is ultimately a bad outcome for Turkey, as well as for the Kurds. Turkey can hope to solve the Kurdish problem one day if it remains a strictly domestic problem. If the Kurdish issue becomes further internationalized, however, Ankara can forget solving this problem on its own because there will be so many who will try to undermine a Turkish-Kurdish rapprochement.
If the Kurds become Russia's security clients in the region, it will be difficult for them to break this relationship: Moscow will force the Kurds to do what is good for Russia, not what is good for the Kurds.
Turkey has to prevent the PYD/YPG and the PKK from becoming Russia's clients. This requires Ankara to take a deep breath and act not with anger, but with wisdom.
**Soner Cagaptay is the Beyer Family Fellow and director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute.

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