LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
November 16/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletin16/english.november16.16.htm
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Bible Quotations For Today
Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, "I desire
mercy, not sacrifice." For I have come to call not the righteous but
sinners
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew
09/09-13/:"As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting
at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed
him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came
and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they
said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are
well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what
this means, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have come to call
not the righteous but sinners."
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord,
who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his
service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of
violence
First Letter to Timothy 01/12-19/:"I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord,
who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his
service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of
violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and
the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in
Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost. But for
that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ
might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come
to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal,
invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. I am
giving you these instructions, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the
prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may fight the
good fight, having faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience,
certain persons have suffered shipwreck in the faith;."
Titles For
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources
published on November 15-16/16
The World Has Failed To Protect Us': Assyrian Christians Despair As ISIS
Destroys Ancient Pyramid In Iraq/James Macintyre/Christian Today/15 November
2016
76 Experts Urge Donald Trump to Keep Iran Deal/Rick Gladstone/The New York
Times/November 14/16
Yes, Trump's Going to Dump the Iran Deal/Fred Fleitz/Family
Security Matters/November 15/ 2016
Trump, Iran, and the Region/Tariq Alhomayed/ASharq Al
Awsat/November 15/16
Opinion: The Cost of the Arab Spring is Half a Trillion Dollars/ Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al AWsat/November 15/16
European Temper Trumptums/Europe Holds "Panic
Dinner"/ Judith Bergman/Gatestone
Institute/November 15/16
Patriotism is action and deeds, not hollow words/Khaled
Almaeena/Al Arabiya/November
15/16
The end of Obama’s lean years/Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/November
15/16
GPI, not GDP, should be the real measure of growth/Ehtesham
Shahid/Al Arabiya/November
15/16
The end of Obama’s lean years/Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/November
15/16
Yes, Donald Trump, this is Brexit/Trisha de Borchgrave/Al Arabiya/November
15/16
Titles For Latest Lebanese
Related News published on on November 15-16/16
Lebanese Army Says Vehicles in Hizbullah
Parade Not from Army's Arsenal
Reports: Hariri Advises Forming 24-Minister Cabinet to Downsize Demands
Italy Provides Lebanese Army with Equipment and Ammunition
Mustaqbal: Hizbullah
Military Parade a Threatening Message to Region, Lebanese State
Roads Blocked in Protest at Arrest of Top Cellphone
Dealer Kamel Amhaz
Aoun Meets Central Bank Governor
Report: Aoun OKs 'Key' Marada
Representation in New Cabinet
Jumblat Wants Arslan Part
of His Share in New Cabinet
1 Dead, 3 Injured in Armed Dispute in North Lebanon
USA State Dept. talking about the M113 APC in Syria by HA
Washington Probing if Hizbullah Used U.S.-Made Tanks
in Qusayr Parade
Army bombards gunmen moves at Ersal outskirts
Bassil bound for Brussels to partake in European
Commission talks
Harb warns delay in Cabinet formation to take toll on
new tenure
Individual arrested over trafficking of counterfeit currency in Hasbaya
Allawi leaves Lebanon
Kahwagi receives French Army senior
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin
For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on November
15-16/16
Strikes hit east Aleppo after weeks of relative calm
Russia uses aircraft carrier for big attack on Syrian rebels
Raids Hit Three Hospitals in Northern Syria
Syria Regime Raids Hit East Aleppo for First Time in Month
Russian Aircraft Carrier Jets Conduct First Syria Strikes
Iraq: Third of eastern Mosul ‘liberated’
Saudis Intercept Missile Fired from Yemen
Yemeni govt snubs Kerry’s end of hostilities deal
US Slams Israeli Bill to Legalize Wildcat Settlements
Egypt Court Overturns Morsi Death Sentence
Raids Hit Three Hospitals in Northern Syria
Take Cover!' Tackling IS Car Bombs in Iraq
Iran’s Basij commander: United States will fall
by 2035
Iran: 9 executions in Orumiyeh and Rasht
Mullahs' envoy in negotiations with EU: Execution is our redline
Trump an Obstacle to the Return of Oil Giants to Iran – State Media
Iran: Political Prisoners Still on Hunger Strike
In Europe on Last Foreign Trip, Obama Warns against 'Crude' Nationalism
Canada hosts key allies and partners to discuss steps toward peace in
Syria
Links From Jihad Watch Site
for on November 15-16/16
Germany’s spy agency finally admits that the Islamic State is
infiltrating refugee groups to get into Europe
Video:
Robert Spencer on yet another “Islamophobic hate
crime” hoax
German
prof: Salafism in Germany
is “very cool, very contemporary and…is appreciated by young people”
Noam
Chomsky: “The Republican Party has become the most dangerous organization in
world history”
UK:
Sharia court orders woman to return to abusive,
rapist husband
Robert
Spencer in FrontPage: Steve Bannon and Keith Ellison:
Do the Democrats Really Care About Anti-Semitism?
Freedom
Center President Michael Finch recognized for predicting Trump’s victory
Pro-Israel
artist threatened with 5 years in jail for anti-terror posters at GMU
Israel:
Muslims enraged at bill to muffle early-morning Muslim call to prayer
Floyd
Resnick, hero of freedom, RIP
Muslim
Brotherhood-linked Congressman Keith Ellison announces run for DNC chair
No
prison for Minnesota Muslim who tried to join the Islamic State: he condemns
the group now
Links From Christian Today Site
for on November 15-16/16
The
World Has Failed To Protect Us': Assyrian Christians Despair As ISIS Destroys
Ancient Pyramid In Iraq
Assyrian
Christians Tell Trump: Help Us Defend Our Homes and Lands From ISIS
Yazidis Persecuted By ISIS Now Abandoned By UK Asylum
Scheme
US
Forces May Have Committed War Crimes Say Prosecutors
Archbishop
Of Canterbury: British Values Are Christian, Whether You Believe Or Not
Anti-Muslim
Hate Crime Has Soared In The US
MPs
Pressure Government On Christian Persecution
Christian
BBC Presenter Dan Walker On His Faith And Why He Won't Work Sundays
Hundreds
Of Trafficked Children Go Missing in Britain Each Year
Why
Have Tensions Increased Between Christians And Muslims In Nigeria?
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on November 15-16/16
Lebanese Army Says Vehicles in Hizbullah Parade Not
from Army's Arsenal
Naharnet/November 15/16/The Lebanese army denied
Tuesday that the vehicles that appeared in Hizbullah's
military parade in Syria's Qusayr were ever part of
the army's arsenal. “Some media outlets have published pictures of military
vehicles. The Army Command notes that the aforementioned vehicles were not
taken from the Lebanese army's arsenal,” said the army in a terse statement.
The
Reports: Hariri Advises Forming 24-Minister Cabinet to Downsize Demands
Naharnet/November 15/16/A suggestion to drop the
formation of a 30-minister cabinet and return to the original formula of
forming it of 24 ministers is a proposal suggested by Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri who brought up the issue with President Michel Aoun during their meeting Monday, al-Joumhouria
daily reported on Tuesday. The reports said that Hariri has informed Speaker Nabih Berri on the matter during
their meeting on Saturday. His suggestion stems from plans to downsize the
demands of political parties for ministerial portfolios, taking into
consideration to form a national unity cabinet that represents all sides. It
has been noted that President Michel Aoun shall name
two ministers, a Shiite and a Sunni, to be part of his share in the new
cabinet. In return for that, Hariri and Berri shall
each name a Christian minister to be part of theirs, and the Marada Movement will be represented independently of the
two. Reports added that Aoun, Hariri and Berri do not mind that the Marada
be given a key portfolio. The political forces are reportedly pushing for
forming the cabinet before Independence Day, which
Naharnet/November 15/16/Italian Ambassador to Lebanon
Massimo Marotti announced on Tuesday that his country
will provide the Lebanese army with equipment and ammunition worth 3.5 million euros. “
Mustaqbal: Hizbullah Military Parade
a Threatening Message to Region, Lebanese State
Naharnet/November 15/16/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary
bloc on Tuesday condemned Hizbullah's military parade
in Syria's Qusayr, describing it as a “threatening
message” addressed to the Lebanese political arena and the region. The parade
carried “messages that Hizbullah sent in various
directions, the first of which was that it once again confirmed that it puts
Pro-Hizbullah media outlets said the parade was held
on November 11 to mark “Hizbullah's Martyr Day”.
Separately, Mustaqbal reiterated its call for all
political parties to “facilitate the formation of the Cabinet.” “The new
government will have to address a host of issues and files, topped by restoring
confidence in the State and its institutions, boosting efforts to revive the
economic and social situations, and approving an electoral law for the
parliamentary polls, which must happen on time and without any delay,” the bloc
added.
Roads Blocked in Protest at Arrest of Top Cellphone Dealer Kamel Amhaz
Naharnet/November 15/16/Several roads were blocked on
Tuesday in
Aoun Meets Central Bank Governor
Naharnet/November 15/16/President Michel Aoun met on Tuesday with Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh at the presidential
palace in Baabda. It has been reported that Salameh has not congratulated Aoun
as yet for his new election as president. He also did not attend the
parliamentary session on October 31 that saw the election of Aoun. But unnamed sources close to Salameh
affirmed that relations between the two men are “very positive.”Renewing
the mandate of the Governor term in office is undisputed among Aoun, Prime Minister-designate Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri. The mandate of the
governor is usually renewed in the first cabinet meeting held after its
formation. Hariri is in the process of lining-up a new cabinet after he was
designated for the task following the election of the President in October.
Report: Aoun OKs
'Key' Marada Representation in New Cabinet
Naharnet/November 15/16/President Michel Aoun does not mind that Marada
Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, his earlier
rival in the presidential race, be given a key portfolio in the new cabinet
that will be formed by Prime Minister-designate Saad
Hariri, media reports said on Tuesday. Reports obtained by al-Joumhouria daily said that Aoun,
Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri
approve that the Marada be given a key portfolio. Franjieh had declared earlier, after the unbinding
consultations with the PM-designate to form a cabinet, that
he wishes to be given a key portfolio, but stated: “If that turns out to be not
suitable, then I am not that enthusiastic to take part in the new cabinet in
the first place.”The MP has disclosed on several
occasions that he will be among the ranks of the opposition when Aoun is elected president. Relations between the two men
soured against the backdrop of competing for the presidential post. Franjieh refrained from withdrawing his candidacy in favor of Aoun, and had reiterated
that although Aoun is a “strong leader but he is not
the sole Christian leader.”The political forces are
reportedly pushing for forming the cabinet before Independence Day, which
Jumblat Wants Arslan Part of His
Share in New Cabinet
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stated that he does not mind to include MP Talal Arslan as part of his share
in the new cabinet line-up, media reports said on Tuesday. In a government
composed of 24 ministers, head of the Democratic Gathering bloc Jumblat wants one of the two seats allocated for the Druze
community to be given to someone who represents him while the second one shall
be given to leader of the Lebanese Democratic party MP Talal
Arslan, al-Joumhouria daily
said.
Al-Akhbar daily stated that the PSP leader wants to
give the first seat to MP Marwan Hamadeh.
Last week, when suggestions were that a cabinet be formed of 30 ministers
instead of 24, reports said that Jumblat proposed the
appointment of Ayman Shqeir
and MPs Marwan Hamadeh and Talal Arslan as ministers in Saad Hariri's government. He proposed three names under an
inclination that the government will be formed of 30 minsters instead of the
original 24. Parties working on lining up the cabinet have reportedly dropped
this suggestion and are mulling a cabinet composed of 24 instead to downsize
the demands of political parties for ministerial portfolios. The political
forces are reportedly pushing for forming the cabinet before Independence Day,
which
Horsetrading is currently revolving around the
distribution of the so-called sovereign ministerial portfolios – finance, defense, foreign affairs and interior – and other key
portfolios like energy and public works.
1 Dead, 3 Injured in Armed Dispute in
North Lebanon
Naharnet/November 15/16/Tension soared in the Akkar town of Arqa north of
Lebanon following an armed dispute that left one man dead and three others
injured, media reports said on Tuesday. One man, Ayman
Nouh al-Baarini, was killed
and three other individuals from the Haddara family
were injured in the dispute. LBCI said the conflict erupted against the
background of birds hunting.Other
media reports said that several huntsmen were bird hunting in one of the plains
when they engaged in a dispute with the land owner. Heaving gunfire shooting
was heard along the road that extends from Berqayil
up to Halba in Akkar after
the killing incident. Security forces and army troops arrived at the scene
where investigations were kicked off to uncover the details of the crime.
Elizabeth Trudeau/Director, Press Office/Daily Press Briefing/Washington, DC
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/15/usa-state-dept-talking-about-the-m113-apc-in-syria-by-ha/
November 14, 2016
TRANSCRIPT:
2:01 p.m. EST
QUESTION: Okay. And then nearby,
MS TRUDEAU: So I saw the social media report’s very grainy photographs. I have
no information on it. I will note that we’re working with our interagency
counterparts to find out more information and get some clarity on it.
QUESTION: Well, if – and I realize you will be able to dodge this by saying
it’s a hypothetical, but it shouldn’t --
MS TRUDEAU: I love it when you set me up like that.
QUESTION: But it – well, but it shouldn't really be a hypothetical. If it turns
out that these were tanks that were sold to the Lebanese armed forces and then
ended up in Hizballah’s hands, wouldn't that be some
kind – wouldn't that violate some kind of
MS TRUDEAU: Well, Hizballah is a foreign terrorist
organization, clearly.
QUESTION: Yeah. So wouldn't it violate some kind of --
MS TRUDEAU: Why don’t I look for granularity, get some clarity on this? I don’t
want to speak --
QUESTION: I’m not interested in – I mean, I am interested, but I think this is
a question that can be answered without you knowing definitively whether these
tanks --
MS TRUDEAU: Obviously, we would be gravely concerned if equipment ended up in
the hands of Hizballah.
QUESTION: Equipment that you sold or gave to the Lebanese armed forces.
MS TRUDEAU: To whomever.
QUESTION: There is a precedent for this. It happened in the middle ‘70s. I
mean, the Lebanese army basically broke up and everybody went to his own group,
so to speak, or --
MS TRUDEAU: Again, what we’re looking at --
QUESTION: So it could --
MS TRUDEAU: -- is sort of a Twitter feed with some grainy photos. As I said,
we’re trying to look for clarity on this. As I have more information, either we
can discount it or we have more, I’ll definitely come back.
QUESTION: How urgently are you looking into --
MS TRUDEAU: Very much.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS TRUDEAU: Lesley.
QUESTION: No.
MS TRUDEAU: Okay. Matt?
QUESTION: That’s it.
QUESTION: No, thank you.
MS TRUDEAU: Thanks, guys.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:23 p.m.)
Washington Probing if Hizbullah Used U.S.-Made Tanks in Qusayr
Parade
Naharnet/November 15/16/The United States has
announced that it has launched a probe to determine whether Hizbullah
used U.S.-made tanks or armored vehicles in the
“military parade” that it recently held in the Syrian border region of Qusayr.
“I saw the social media report’s very grainy photographs... We’re working with
our interagency counterparts to find out more information and get some clarity
on it,” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said in response to
a question during the daily press briefing.
Asked whether it would be a violation of U.S. law “if it turns out that these
were tanks that were sold to the Lebanese armed forces and then ended up in Hizbullah’s hands,” Trudeau said: “Hizbullah
is a foreign terrorist organization, clearly.”
“Obviously, we would be gravely concerned if equipment ended up in the hands of
Hizbullah,” she added. Asked “how urgently”
Later on Tuesday, the Lebanese army issued a statement clarifying that the
vehicles “were not taken from the Lebanese army's arsenal.”Pictures
distributed on social networking websites showed hundreds of Hizbullah fighters taking part in the military parade
alongside dozens of tanks, armored vehicles,
howitzers and heavy-caliber machineguns. Pro-Hizbullah media outlets said the parade was held on
November 11 to mark “Hizbullah's Martyr Day”.
Army bombards gunmen moves at Ersal outskirts
Tue 15 Nov 2016/NNA - The Lebanese Army is bombarding by heavy artillery the
suspicious moves of gunmen at Wadi El-Kheil and Kherbet Younine in Ersal outskirts, NNA
correspondent reported on Tuesday. The field reporter added that the sound of
bombardment has been heard in
Bassil bound for Brussels to partake in European Commission
talks
Tue 15 Nov 2016/NNA - Caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran
Bassil left Beirut this dawn heading to Brussels,
where he will represent Lebanon during the European Commission's meetings on
Euro-Mediterranean partnership, as well as the situation in the Middle East and
the Syrian refuge crisis, National News Agency correspondent reported on
Tuesday.
Harb warns delay in Cabinet formation to take toll on new
tenure
Tue 15 Nov 2016/NNA - Caretaker Minister of Telecommunications, Boutros Harb, highlighted on Tuesday the obligation to speed up the
Cabinet formation, warning that delay will take a toll on the new tenure.
"Contacts over the formation of the government have not reached any result
yet; demands and counter demands are the cause behind this delay," Harb told an interview on Voice of Lebanon (100.3 - 100.5)
radio station. "March 14 only exists in people's head; as to politicians,
March 14 is history," he concluded.
Individual arrested over trafficking of
counterfeit currency in Hasbaya
Tue 15 Nov 2016/NNA - State Security Patrol has apprehended a person in Hasbaya on charges of trafficking of forged currency, NNA
field reporter said on Tuesday.
Allawi leaves Lebanon
Tue 15 Nov 2016/NNA - Iraqi Vice President, Iyad Allawi, left Beirut on Tuesday night heading to his country
via Amman, after a visit to Lebanon during which he congratulated the
President, Michel Aoun, on his election as president.
Kahwagi receives French Army senior
Tue 15 Nov 2016/NNA - Lebanese Army Chief, General Jean Kahwagi,
on Tuesday received at his office in Yarze French
military official who is responsible for foreign relations in Asia and
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 15-16/16
Strikes hit east Aleppo after weeks of relative calm
Agencies Tuesday, 15 November 2016/The heaviest
bombardment in weeks hit Syria's rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Tuesday morning
while warplanes were visible in the sky, a civil defense
official said. "It's all air strikes and parachute bombs. Today, the
bombing is violent... There hasn't been this kind of attack in more than 15
days," said Ibrahim Abu al-Laith. Three
hospitals in
Food production in
Food production has dropped to an all-time low in
Reuters, Sochi/Russia Tuesday, 15 November 2016/Russia launched
coordinated missile strikes against rebels in
Raids Hit Three Hospitals in Northern
Syria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/Three hospitals in rebel-held areas of northern
Syria Regime Raids Hit East Aleppo for
First Time in Month
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/Syrian government air strikes and barrel bomb attacks hit residential neighborhoods of rebel-held east
Russian Aircraft Carrier Jets Conduct
First
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said
Tuesday that jets from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft
carrier deployed in the eastern Mediterranean had launched their first strikes
on
Iraq: Third of eastern Mosul
‘liberated’
Agencies Tuesday, 15 November 2016/Iraqi forces have dislodged ISIS from one
third of the eastern side of Mosul, an interior ministry spokesman said on
Tuesday, four weeks into the US-backed campaign to take back the city. The
Tigris river divides
More than 54,000 displaced
More than 54,000 people have been displaced because of the fighting from
villages and towns around the city to government-held areas, according to UN
estimates. The figure does not include the tens of thousands of people rounded
up in villages around
Hundreds line up for food
Hundreds of Iraqi civilians lined up on Tuesday for food in eastern neighborhoods of Mosul recently retaken from ISIS, as
rations ran low, an Iraqi officer said. Maj. Salam al-Obeidi
says some 700 residents gathered in three areas of the Zahra and Qadisiya neighborhoods, the
latter of which was the scene of a fierce IS counterattack a day earlier. “This
is a problem for us because the food we have is not enough for them and we’re
waiting for more food to be sent from the government,” al-Obeidi
said. “Now the Iraqi soldier is giving his food to the civilians.”
Saudis Intercept Missile Fired from
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/Saudi air defence forces on Tuesday intercepted and destroyed a ballistic
missile fired from
Yemeni govt snubs Kerry’s end of
hostilities deal
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 15 November
2016/Yemeni Foreign Minister Al-Mekhlafi said Tuesday
that his government was not consulted on the cessation of hostilities deal
announced in the same day by US Secretary of State John Kerry, Al Arabiya News Channel reported. Mekhlafi
criticized the agreement saying it will jeopardize prospects of reaching peace
between
US Slams Israeli Bill to Legalize Wildcat
Settlements
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/The United States on Monday condemned Israel's "unprecedented and
troubling" step toward legalizing unauthorized Jewish settlements on
occupied Palestinian land. Israeli ministers on Sunday approved draft
legislation that would retroactively grant legal status to wildcat settlements
across the
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/An Egyptian appeals court has overturned a death sentence handed down
against ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in
one of four trials since his 2013 overthrow, a judicial official said. The
Court of Cassation ordered that Morsi be retried on
the charges of taking part in prison breaks and violence against policemen
during the 2011 uprising which toppled longtime
president Hosni Mubarak. Five co-defendants, including the supreme guide of the
now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, who
also received death sentences in June 2015, will be retried too. Nearly 100
others who were tried in absentia are unaffected by the appeals ruling. Last
month, the same appeals court upheld a 20-year jail sentence handed down
against Morsi in April in a separate trial on charges
of ordering the use of deadly force against protesters during his year in
power. Morsi has also been sentenced to life in
prison in two other trials. In one, he was convicted of spying for
Raids Hit Three Hospitals in Northern
Syria
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/Three hospitals in rebel-held areas of northern
Take Cover!' Tackling IS Car Bombs in
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/It only takes a split second for the expression on the Iraqi soldier's
face to transform from relaxed contentment to absolute terror. "Car bomb!"The scream slices across the otherwise quiet afternoon in Karkukli, a heavily damaged eastern district of Iraq's
second city
But the troops spent the morning blocking off about a dozen alleyways with
tanks and bulldozers, and the Kia Sportage struggles
to find a way through. "It reached our fortified positions and is turning
back," the same voice says minutes later. "Roger. I'll have Hussein
set up one (anti-tank missile) for you at the end of the alley," Abbas responds. - The search is on -While the imminent
danger has subsided, CTS forces remain on high alert -- the search is on. The
gunfire and yelling has died down, and Karkukli's
now-deserted streets are eerily quiet as tense CTS soldiers wait for news of
the car's location. As soon as he heard of the suspicious vehicle, Lieutenant Haidar Hussein bounded up the steps to the rooftop of the
abandoned three-storey home his unit is using as a base. The young,
clean-shaven soldier is responsible for flying the Mosul Regiment's
surveillance drone, which has been instrumental in helping them
spot incoming car bombs. Usually, Hussein locates the booby-trapped cars, which
are then targeted by CTS tanks or air strikes from the US-led coalition
warplanes circling above. He isn't so lucky on Monday. "I put the drone up
in the sky as soon as I heard there was a suspicious car, but I can't find
it," he says, fixated on the bird's-eye view of Karkukli
displayed on the tablet screen in front of him. The clock is ticking -- the
drone's batteries only last 20 minutes and he has no other charged units.
"I'm monitoring this area here, as it's the only way the car can reach
us," Hussein explains, pointing to a deserted main road leading into Karkukli from an adjacent industrial zone. He shakes his
head and starts directing the drone back towards his rooftop, sprinkled with
broken glass and empty cans of cheap energy drinks guzzled by young fighters.
Minutes later, a pair of grinning CTS soldiers emerge
from the staircase. One sets his anti-tank missile in a corner of the rooftop.
"It's gone," the other says, waving his hand to indicate that the car
has left their neighbourhood and that they are safe -- for now.
NATO Chief Says 'Certain' Trump Will Live up to All commitments
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/NATO head Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said he was sure that Donald Trump
would meet all US commitments to the alliance, just days after urging the
president-elect not to go it alone. "President-elect Donald Trump stated
during the election campaign that he is a big fan of NATO, and I am certain
that he will be a president... who will live up to all the commitments of the
United States in the alliance," Stoltenberg said in Brussels.
Iran’s Basij
commander: United States will fall by 2035
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Tuesday, 15 November
2016/Commander of Iran’s Basij forces Mohammad Reza Naghdi has said that the United States will collapse in
less than 20 years and that President-elect Donald Trump will speed up the
process. “According to the analysis made by the behind-the-stage and shadow
decision-makers of the establishment in the
Iran: 9 executions in Orumiyeh and Rasht
NCRI/Tuesday, 15 November 2016/Officials emphasize on the regime's continued
need for the death penalty
Six prisoners were executed in the Orumiyeh Prison
(northwest Iran) and three in the Rasht Prison (northern Iran) between November
12 and 14, 2016.
Five of those executed in Orumiyeh were from the
Iranian Kurdistan and included an Army officer.
The number of the executions registered in the first two weeks of November thus
amounts to 37. The actual number of executions is considered much higher as the
Iranian regime prevents leakage of news and details of its crimes. Despite
hollow and absurd maneuverings of some regime
officials on cutting down the number of executions, the Iranian deputy Foreign
Minister, Majid Takht-e Ravanchi, made a vivid comment on the regime's human rights
talks with the European Union, underlining that executions are the regime's
"red line" and "cannot be given up." (The state-run ILNA –
November 11, 2016) Mullah Sadeq Larijani,
head of the Iranian Judiciary, also said, "(The European Union) must
understand that their remarks about abolishment of retribution and executions
violate our people's rights." (The state-run media in
Mullahs' envoy in negotiations with EU:
Execution is our redline
Monday, 14 November 2016/Mullahs' envoy in negotiations with EU: Execution is
our redline and we cannot abandon it Human rights dialogue with mullahs fuels
execution, torture and killing in Iran.Majid Takht-Ravanchi, the mullahs' regime's deputy foreign
minister and envoy in human rights negotiations with the European Union, said
explicitly that execution is a redline for the regime which cannot be
abandoned. He said outrageously that rapid results should not be expected from
the negotiations, and it might take three or even four years. He emphasized
that the goal of human rights negotiations is to put an end to Iran-phobia, and
to whitewash the ugly face of the religious fascism that is the Godfather of
state terrorism and holds the world record for most executions per capita. No
doubt would remain, therefore, that the human rights dialogue is merely a tool
to facilitate trades with the regime, to lift sanctions, and to prevent further
sanctions against this regime. In an interview with ILNa,
a state news agency affiliated with Rouhani, Takht-Ravanchi said, "We
shall not abandon our red lines in human rights negotiations. We have told them
too that we have redlines in some aspects. When the issue of executions are
discussed, I will say that we do execute capital punishment in the context of
our laws, and this is not something that we could
leave aside… this is clear both to us and to them. Aside from this, there are
issues that through interaction we can bring views closer together … of course,
in some areas that we have the explicit command of the Quran, like Qesas (retaliation), they are not issues that diplomats
could bring their views together through different methods." Calling the
world community's hatred of the regime for executions and terrorism as
Iran-phobia, Takht-Ravanchi said, "Iran-phobia
has gained a foothold in the West over years. This is partly due to the issue
of human rights. By interaction we can defeat the attempts our enemies have
made for Iran-phobia."The mullahs'
representative said: the negotiation "is a lengthy process for both
parties to reach a mutual understanding… I'm not of course estimating the
length of the negotiations. Our move might take two, three or even four years."
(ILNA- November 12) As the Iranian Resistance has emphasized since three
decades ago, this regime cannot survive for even one single day without
execution, torture and killing. It has to face sanctions and punishments for
its crimes against humanity. Any negotiation with this savage regime about
human rights only fuels repression and execution machine.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran/November 14, 2016
Trump an Obstacle to the Return of Oil
Giants to Iran – State Media
Tuesday, 15 November 2016/NCRI - In an article titled “Trump an obstacle to
return of oil giants to Iran,” the state-run Iranian daily Asre-Naft
on November 12 wrote that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is exactly what the
emissaries of foreign companies in Iran feared and hoped against. The newspaper
pointed to the regime’s fear after Trump won the elections. “No doubt the
President and our diplomacy system are more worried than others for this reason
after Trump’s victory, and therefore Hassan Rouhani
and Mohammad-Javad Zarif
talk about the need for America to adhere to the JCPOA.”“This
position is an indicator of the worry that Iranian authorities have about the
consequences of Trump’s election. The atmosphere of fear can be seen clearly
among authorities and analysts and foreign companies,” the paper added, citing
as an example: “Richard Nephew the mastermind of sanctions said after Trumps
victory: ‘Say goodbye to the
Tuesday, 15 November 2016/NCRI - According to reports from Iranian prisons, the
political prisoners Rasoul Razavi,
Morteza Morad Pour and Hossein Ali Mohammadi were still
on hunger strike on 12 November. In protest against not being released,
political prisoner Rasoul Razavi
began his hunger strike on October 4, following which he was sent to exile in
In Europe on Last Foreign Trip, Obama
Warns against 'Crude' Nationalism
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
15/16/U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday issued a warning against
"crude" nationalism following Donald Trump's shock election win as he
visited
Obama, making his last foreign trip as president, said the NATO alliance was
"absolutely vital" to
"Across Democratic and Republican administrations there is a recognition that the NATO alliance is absolutely
vital," he said. As Obama touched down in
Alternative to austerity
Obama met Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for talks and
praised
Mixed welcome for Obama
Security was tight in central Athens, with thousands of police officers on the
streets and an official ban on demonstrations in areas of the capital where
Obama will hold his meetings.Many Greeks are
suspicious of the United States after it helped install a repressive
dictatorship in the country in the 1960s. Greek trade unions, leftist and
anarchist parties have called for protests to denounce "imperialist"
Canada
hosts key allies and partners to discuss steps toward peace in Syria
November 14, 2016 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Government of Canada brought together special envoys from 15 countries,
along with representatives of the Syrian political opposition, the United
Nations and Syrian civil society, as well as leading academics, to discuss the
situation in Syria. This
event, co-hosted by the Netherlands ,
took place in Mont-Tremblant ,
Quebec Canada ’s partners welcomed
the timely in-depth discussions and the collective taking stock of the
situation in Syria Canada for
including representatives of Syrian civil society and the opposition in the
discussions; they have not always been included in allies’ meetings on the
conflict in Syria
The discussions focused on the conditions for a permanent cessation of
hostilities, including by the Assad regime, which is backed by Russia and Iran
The
event follows the informal October 20 session of the United Nations General
Assembly on Syria , requested
by Canada
As a member of the International Syria Support Group, Canada Canada Canada ’s
whole-of-government strategy for supporting the Global Coalition Against Daesh and broader
engagement in Iraq , Syria , Jordan
and Lebanon
Canada
Quotes
“Canada and its allies are
determined in their quest for peace in Syria
- Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Quick facts
The ongoing conflict in Syria Syria
On February 8, 2016, Canada
committed an additional $1.6 billion over the next three years to respond
to the situation in Syria
and Iraq
The Government of Canada has resettled more than 33,000 Syrian refugees since
November 2015.
Associated links
Address by Minister Dion at Syrian envoys' retreat
Canada’s response to the conflict in Syria
Operation IMPACT
#WelcomeRefugees: Key figures
Prime Minister sets new course to address crises in Iraq and
Syria and impacts on the region
Contacts
Chantal Gagnon
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
343-203-1851
chantal.gagnon@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @CanadaFP
Follow Minister Dion on Twitter: @MinCanadaFA
Like us on Facebook: Canada’s foreign policy - Global Affairs Canada
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 15-16/16
The World Has Failed To
Protect Us': Assyrian Christians Despair As ISIS Destroys Ancient Pyramid In
Iraq
James Macintyre/Christian Today/15 November 2016
ISIS has destroyed one of the ancient wonders of Iraq by bulldozing the
ziggurat pyramid in Nimrud, once the capital of the Assyrian empire stretching
from Egypt to parts of modern-day Iran and Turkey.
The discovery of the destroyed temple came as Iraqi troops announced on Sunday
that they had liberated
Satellite images published by the Times show that the temple, which dated back
2,900 years and towered over the surrounding desert, was flattened between
August and November.
The ziggurat was known as one of the most spectacular sacred structures from
ancient
The pictures also show what the Times report described as "an enormous
hole" where the site's main palace and its collection of Assyrian friezes
once stood.
A spokesperson for the Assyrian Confederation, Afram Yakoub, told Christian Today that the destruction of the
ziggurat was "a failure for the world community which hasn't been able to
protect world heritage sites in war zones", adding that "it's a shame
for Iraq which has seen so much destruction [of] ancient heritage."
Yakoub continued: "The Assyrian nation has
survived countless attacks, massacres and genocides throughout history, this
recent destruction saddens us but it also makes us more determined to fight for
our survival as a nation."
Nuri Kino, founder and president of campaign group A
Demand For Action, told Christian Today that he had
spoken this morning to an Assyrian man who fled
The man said: "We knew the destruction would be more than we believed
before but... when the news came about Ziggurat it felt like torture. I don't
think people understand what the world is losing here,
maybe we need to compare the loss to if something would happen to the pyramids
in
"
A report from the American Schools of Oriental Research confirmed:
"Imagery dating to early October shows the almost complete levelling of
the ziggurat mound, with the majority of damage occurring between August 31 and
October 2, 2016".
The commander of the
The soldiers also captured the
Unesco described the act as
a war crime, while activists, officials and historians condemned
Video footage released last year by
Many of the site's relics are in the
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.world.has.failed.to.protect.us.assyrian.christians.despair.as.isis.destroys.ancient.pyramid.in.iraq/100809.htm
76 Experts Urge Donald Trump to
Keep Iran Deal
Rick Gladstone/The New York Times/November 14/16
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/15/world/middleeast/trump-iran-deal.html?ref=middleeast&_r=0
Seventy-six national security experts urged President-elect Donald J. Trump on
Monday to reverse his hostility to the nuclear agreement signed with
A report signed by the experts, including former officials from both major
political parties, argued that the nuclear agreement had reduced the threat of
war in the
Mr. Trump has called the nuclear agreement a foreign-policy disaster. He vowed
during his campaign to renegotiate or renounce the deal, one of President
Obama’s signature achievements.
The report stated, “The deal proved that diplomacy with Iran can bear fruit
despite skepticism about Iranian sincerity, the
inclination of Iran’s supreme leader to abide by the deal, or the ability of
Iranian hard-liners to sabotage diplomacy.”
It urged the incoming Trump administration to use the nuclear agreement as the
basis for cooperation on other issues, including a desire by
The report was produced by the National Iranian American Council, a Washington
group that has advocated improved relations with Iran, even while sharply
criticizing Iranian leaders over human rights issues.
“Trump may have been critical of the
Andrew J. Bacevich, a professor of international
relations and history at
Other prominent experts who endorsed the report included Lawrence J. Korb, a former assistant defense
secretary under President Ronald Reagan; Lawrence Wilkerson, who served as
chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell; Chas W. Freeman Jr.,
a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia and assistant defense
secretary for international affairs; and Gary Sick, a Columbia University
scholar who served on the National Security Council under Reagan as well as
Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.
The nuclear deal relaxed many economic sanctions on
Critics of the agreement said
How easily — or even whether — Mr. Trump can make good on his
promise to renegotiate or scrap the agreement remains unclear. It was
negotiated among
The countries who joined the
On Monday, European Union ministers added their endorsement of the agreement.
The agreement, which officially took effect in January, has released hundreds
of millions of dollars in impounded Iranian funds and spurred a rush of
European business interest in
Should the pact collapse,
Mr. Trump’s repudiation of the agreement would also put him at odds with
Follow Rick Gladstone on Twitter @rickgladstone.
Yes, Trump's Going to Dump the Iran
Deal
Fred Fleitz/Family Security Matters/November 15/ 2016
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/15/fred-fleitzfamily-security-matters-yes-trumps-going-to-dump-the-iran-deal/
In the days following Donald Trump's victory, a variety of experts - mostly
Trump critics - pronounced that, despite Trump's frequent statements during the
presidential campaign that the July 2015 nuclear deal with Iran is one of
"the worst deals ever made by any country in history," he has no
choice but to stick with the agreement after he assumes office.
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif
was one of the first to insist as much, claiming a Trump administration cannot
back out of the nuclear deal because it is not a bilateral agreement between
the
Trita Parsi, president of
the National Iranian American Council (which The Weekly Standard's Lee Smith
once described as "the tip of the spear of the
Even some conservative experts have suggested Trump probably won't try to
significantly modify or discard the nuclear agreement, but will instead try to
goad
But Trump senior national-security adviser Walid Phares poured cold water on speculation that Trump plans to
walk back his statements about the Iran deal, when he commented on Facebook over the weekend that the "Iran Deal will be
dismantled."
This firm statement by Phares confirmed previous
statements he and Mr. Trump have made that the deal is a dangerous agreement
that needs to be either significantly renegotiated or abandoned. As an expert
who has followed the
1. The
Donald Trump was exactly right when he called the
So what did the
Not much. The Obama administration claims the deal keeps
It will be very hard to verify the agreement since military sites - where
Further, the deal was supposed to improve
Instead, from ballistic-missile tests to increased support to Hezbollah, Bashar al-Assad, and the Houthi
rebels in
2. The deal is not legally binding on us.
Knowing that a bipartisan majority of Congress opposed the nuclear deal and
that the U.S. Senate would never ratify it as a treaty, the Obama
administration arranged to go around the Senate by negotiating the deal as an
executive agreement endorsed by the U.N. Security Council. Because Security
Council resolutions are binding on all U.N. members, it could therefore be
argued that the nuclear deal was binding on the
But that is not how our constitutional order works. American presidents
historically have decided which international agreements are to be treated as
treaties, but the
If President Obama wanted to make a long-term international agreement binding
on the
(This is not the only example of President Obama's lawless approach to
international agreements: The Paris climate-change agreement was deliberately
negotiated to make it binding on the
3. It's not a true multilateral agreement.
The Obama administration also attempted to entrench the
The deal is technically a multilateral pact agreed to by
So it is clear the deal must be either discarded or substantially renegotiated,
and that we have every right to do so.
The first steps to renegotiation should be (1) assembling a new anti-Iran
coalition of our European allies,
Building the new coalition and renegotiating the agreement won't be the easiest
task, but given
An agreement that truly addresses the threat from
Such negotiations must start from the following ten guidelines:
Sanctions will only be lifted in stages, in response to Iranian compliance with
the agreement.
Threats by
Renegotiating or terminating the
Tariq Alhomayed/ASharq Al Awsat/November
15/16
Official international reactions varied regarding Donald Trump’s victory in the
The case was totally different in
Bagheri warned Trump against testing
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the result
of the elections will not affect
The reason for this escalation is Trump’s remarks that he will reconsider the
nuclear deal. It seems that statements made by the spokesperson of the State
Department further provoked
Meanwhile, Mark Toner, Deputy Spokesperson of State Department said: “Any party
– and I’m speaking very hypothetically here, because I don’t want in any way to
attempt to hypothesize about what the incoming administration’s going to do –
I’m just talking purely about an agreement that any party can walk away from.”
Therefore, there was a disciplined official Arab congratulation to Trump, which
is a good thing, an expected European caution, a Chinese poise, which was wise,
and a Russian balance – given that the history between Moscow and Washington
doesn’t leave much space for good faith.
We are also strangely faced by the optimism of the criminal Assad.
Is Assad relying on the Russians? I think it’s a risk taken early. Some might
say that
So, it is hard to assess the chances of reasoning between
Well, how should our position be from this Iranian-Trump escalation with
respect to Trump? We will continue tomorrow.
Opinion: The Cost of the Arab Spring is
Half a Trillion Dollars
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq
Al AWsat/November 15/16
The UN’s Economic and Social Commission for
Western Asia’s report stated that the Arab Spring led to a net loss of $613.8
billion in economic activity in countries involved in it. This is equivalent to
6 per cent of the region’s GDP in the period between 2011 and 2015.
Nevertheless, the unforeseen losses are bigger than all of this as the
revolutions failed with regards to almost everything that they promised:
democracy, individual rights and freedoms, transparency, development,
stability, securing jobs and raising the standard of living and economic
prosperity. Absolutely none of these things were achieved and in all cases,
they declined dramatically.
Those who believe that change comes in stages and that the revolutions of
the Arab Spring that started in 2011 are just experiencing a setback that will
be followed by hurricanes will not be able to see even a little progress made
in the societies where the revolutions took place. I do not mean physical
improvement but rather intellectual change. Not only that, but the principles
that the revolutions were supposed to have instilled into society have been hit
by a terrible setback as a result of the frustration, despair and shock that
followed the operations of change.
No one can defend the Libyan ruler Colonel Muammar Gaddafi or his
rule. His people revolted against him in a genuine and popular revolution and
it continued until his regime was destroyed and he was killed at the hands of
angry citizens in a brutal manner. Gaddafi was a model of an insane and bad
dictator who squandered his country’s wealth, left it poor and mistreated his
citizens. Although we thought that it was impossible for any alternative to
Gaddafi to be worse than him, the result is that
Some may consider
The problem is structural and the values of a modern state have still not
been introduced. That includes the elite that failed to put aside their
idealistic proposals that suit their political positions, the Islamists who
insisted on controlling everything and the leftists who wasted their chance in
What has been achieved in accordance with the standards of reform and
development or slogans of the revolution itself, even in a stable country like
There are those who deny the failure of the revolutions of change
and consider what happened as just an exercise that will be followed by change!
There are those who admit failure but shift the blame to others and claim that
the revolutions have been subject to conspiracies to end them.
In my opinion, a culture of change towards sophisticated systems
that have modern values does not exist as we imagine it. There are bread
revolutions but not revolutions of freedom.
European Temper Trumptums/Europe
Holds "Panic Dinner"
Judith Bergman/Gatestone
Institute/November 15/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9328/trump-europe-panic
The arrogant claim to the moral high ground by European elites has
no basis in reality.
There is no respect for freedom and democracy on a continent where
citizens, such as the politician Geert Wilders, are arrested
and prosecuted by in a court of law for speaking their minds freely about
topics that the authorities find it expedient not to debate in public.
Freedom, respect for the rule of law, and people's race, religion
and gender have never been less respected and protected in Germany during the
post-WWII era than under Merkel. German authorities have completely failed to
protect women, Christians and others from the chaos unleashed by the mass, unvetted, immigration of mainly Muslim migrants from Africa
and the
Not everyone is "panicking". UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, rejected the invitation and told his colleagues to
end their "collective whinge-o-rama" about
the
Critics of the
"A world is collapsing before our eyes", tweeted the
French ambassador to the
Deutsche Welle (DW),
Green party leader Cem Özdemir called Trump's election a "break with the
tradition that the West stands for liberal values."
Chancellor Angela Merkel's deputy chancellor, Sigmar
Gabriel, said:
"Trump is the trailblazer of a new authoritarian and
chauvinist international movement. ... They want a rollback to the bad old
times in which women belonged by the stove or in bed, gays in jail and unions
at best at the side table. And he who doesn't keep his mouth shut gets publicly
bashed."
In a fine touch of irony, EU Commissioner Guenther Oettinger, who recently referred to the Chinese as "slanty eyed," told Deutschlandfunk
radio that the U.S. election was a "warning" for Germany:
"Things are getting simplified, black or white, good or bad, right or
wrong. You can ask simple questions, but one should not give simple
answers."
In
"Trumpocalypse... Shock... The
world's leading power is from now on in the hands of the far-right. Fifty
percent of Americans voted in all conscience for a racist, lying, sexist,
vulgar, hateful candidate."
Critics omitted, however, the runaway lawlessness, divisiveness and
corruption that American voters declined to reinstate.
President François Hollande described
Trump's victory as marking the start of "a period of uncertainty."
Previously, Hollande had said that Trump made him
"want to retch."
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker,
one of the most powerful men in Europe, told students at a conference in
Chancellor Angela Merkel herself offered to work closely with Trump
only "on the basis that shared values, such as democracy, freedom, respect
for the rule of law and people's race, religion and gender are respected"
-- the overbearing implication being that Trump cannot be expected to respect
these concepts.
Just how hysterical European political leaders' reaction has been
to Trump was manifested in the fact that they felt compelled to hold an
informal "crisis meeting" -- some diplomats called it a "panic
dinner" -- on Sunday evening, to deal with the "shock" of the
presidential election. "We would never have had a similar dinner if
Hillary Clinton had been elected. It shows just how much we're panicking,"
said a diplomat from one of the smaller EU states.
Not everyone is "panicking." UK Foreign Secretary Boris
Johnson rejected the invitation and told his colleagues to end their
"collective whinge-o-rama" about the
There is indeed an unmistakable infantility
about the reactions of European political elites to the election of the new
In fact, there is something deeply ironic about Angela Merkel mentioning
freedom, the rule of law and so on. In fact, freedom, respect for the rule of
law, and people's race, religion and gender have never been less respected and
protected in Germany during the post-WWII era than under Merkel. German
authorities have completely failed to protect women, Christians and others from
the chaos unleashed by the mass, unvetted,
immigration of mainly Muslim migrants from Africa and the
لإhis
pattern repeats itself endlessly in other European countries. In
There is no freedom, or respect for gender in Swedish women being
told not to go out after dark, or German women being told to follow a
"code of conduct" because local police authorities can no longer
protect them from sexual assault.
There is no respect for religion on a continent where authorities
have been unable to stem a tidal wave of anti-Semitism or to protect Christians
who flee from the Middle East to
There is no respect for freedom and democracy on a continent where
citizens, such as the politician Geert Wilders, are
arrested and prosecuted by national authorities in a court of law for speaking
their minds freely about topics that the authorities do not find it expedient
to debate in public.
Perhaps
*Judith Bergman is a writer, columnist, lawyer and political analyst.
© 2016 Gatestone Institute. All rights
reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the
Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced,
copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone
Institute.
Patriotism is action and deeds, not hollow
words
Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/November 15/16
The world has been transformed in the past two
decades. Technological advancement by the West and certain countries like
In other cases, it is used by some who only want to promote themselves. These
egotistic people flood your cell phones with texts, photos and videos about
their activities. It is as if we have nothing to do in life except to watch and
read about them.
Others use WhatsApp to send you long instructions and
warnings about what to do or what not to do. Certain individuals preach about
activities that will lead you to Hell. Others about behavior that will lead you to Heaven.
And to those who are so loud on social media about the need for patriotism, let
me ask them to join us in working to preserve our society
Then there are those who use social media to attack and defame others. If you
disagree with someone’s point of view, you will be attacked left and right. And
you will be attacked not only by that individual but by many of his friends as
well. This is done in a very carefully studied and systematic way. Their main
targets are women who tweet about the need to end the male guardianship system
and the right of women to drive and play a more comprehensive role in society.
Drums of approval
Like the Israeli Hasbara, they are waiting and
watching. They are vicious. But the ones who make me laugh are those who loudly
praise any decisions taken by the authorities. They beat drums of approval. If
for any reason the decision is rescinded, they will praise that decision again.
Such people can be found in all segments of our society. Then, of course, there
are those who use the social media platform to advertise their unbounded
loyalty and patriotism. They will be critical of any writer or person who
criticizes any decision or brings to light any shortcomings in society. They
will incessantly harp on the need for patriotism. Mind you, it’s not all words
and no action. I wish to remind them of the statement of the 18th century
British literary critic and essayist Samuel Johnson who said: “Patriotism is
the last refuge of a scoundrel.”We all can be patriots
without making noise about it. John Milton the blind poet of
**This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on Nov. 13, 2016.
The end of Obama’s lean years
Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/November 15/16
For the past eight years, American foreign policy
trumpeted the idea that
Although Obama repeatedly said he will not allow
The new political phase in the US may witness a revival in US-Saudi relations
which are based on partnership in political vision and on bilateral interests
Iran reassured
Nasr means that the US conveyed signs of weakness to the Iranians who took this
as an opportunity as they knew force will not be used during Obama’s term. The
Iranians thus hurried to seal the nuclear agreement since the military option
was no longer on the table.
This raised question marks on the American military power even as the Iranians
felt reassured. Since resorting to power was no longer an option, the Iranians
went far in setting their conditions and detailing the agreement.
The first to sense the American retreat was Vladimir Putin who began to wander
in the region without anyone monitoring him or competing against him. Nasr and
his chief Holbrooke witnessed Obama’s weakness. He adds in his book: “Part of
the problem feeding this regional wavering toward
A friend told me that there is a deep secret that explains Obama’s surge toward
**This article was first published in Asharq al-Awsat on Nov. 15, 2016.
GPI, not GDP, should be the real measure
of growth
Ehtesham Shahid/Al Arabiya/November 15/16
If Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth could guarantee peace and prosperity, we would be living in pristine times. After all,
it is the primary indicator in gauging the health of a country’s economy. Yet
global GDP growth – however mild it may be in these uncertain times – doesn’t
seem to be making the world a more harmonious planet.Put
simply, GDP is the sum total of consumption, investment, government spending
and net exports of a given country. Once all these numbers are crunched, there
is some surplus that goes into a government’s kitty, which is/should be used
for larger human development goals. However, there is evidence to suggest that
this is either not happening at a scale it should be or is merely benefiting a
few at the cost of others. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the world
economy will expand 3.1 percent during 2016 and 3.4 percent next year. In the
same report, IMF also says “governments should spend more on education,
technology and infrastructure to expand productive capacity while taking steps
to alleviate inequality”.
It is this inequality that has, for ages, caused conflict in societies and
conflict always has a debilitating impact on economy. Yet this perpetual cycle
doesn’t seem to end. It can also be argued that ending inequality doesn’t seem
to be the objective of growth as is being approached.
It is inequality that has, for ages, caused conflict in societies and conflict
always has a debilitating impact on economy. Yet this perpetual cycle doesn’t
seem to end
The improving state of human health provides a good
analogy. Despite the onslaught of diseases and lifestyle challenges, the
average human life expectancy has been on the rise since the early 19th
century, especially in developed countries. Going by the same logic, why
shouldn’t average GDP growth improve social cohesion? In other words, GDP, as a
measure of economic progress, today raises more questions than answers.
Shouldn’t economic progress give rise to more peaceful societies? Are growth
and peace two different things? Should we admit, once and for all, that no matter
how much progress we make, humankind can never remain peaceful? If answer to
all these is yes, then this only goes to support Thomas Hobbes’ social contract
theory, in the Leviathan, which calls life in the state of nature as “solitary,
poor, nasty, brutish and short”.
The peace dividend
Nasty and brutish we definitely continue to be, going by the new Global Peace
Index (GPI). According to the latest GPI data, the world has become 2.44
percent less peaceful since 2008. This is the period during which cumulative
GDP growth in developed economies ranged 5-6 percent. The GPI study says the
world became slightly less peaceful in 2016, with the average GPI country score
deteriorating by 0.53 percent. This leaves only 10 countries today that can be
considered completely free from conflict. The global impact of violence today
is $13.6 trillion, equivalent to 13.3 percent of world GDP or $5 per person
globally per day.
As is evident, GPI seems a more potent indicator of human progress simply
because it has the capacity to negate the growth as indicated by GDP. If we
don’t progress on GPI scale, GDP is of no value, at least collectively. Critics
of GDP also say that it merely measures income but not equality and growth but
not destruction. GDP also ignores values like the environment and social
cohesion, which is what the GPI has been highlighting in recent years. The GPI
study says that if the world decreased violence by only 10 percent, this could
lead to generation of $1.36 trillion in annual economic resources and activity.
This figure is more than total global foreign direct investment in 2014.
Investing in peace is critical to building a prosperous society, something that
the mad rush for GDP seems to be undermining around the world. For this very
reason, it makes more sense to watch and pursue the GPI Index and not merely
the GDP.
The end of Obama’s lean years
Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/November 15/16
For the past eight years, American foreign policy
trumpeted the idea that
Although Obama repeatedly said he will not allow
Let’s look at the developments during the negotiations through the eyes of Vali Nasr, the advisor of Richard Holbrooke, who was the
former special representative for
In his book The Dispensable Nation, Nasr wrote: “As one veteran diplomat told
me, ‘all this chest-beating on
Nasr also said that this was a “bold and deft maneuver”
the consequences of which were not calculated. He added that no one calculated
its consequences because Obama’s personal assumptions, which favored solutions without having to resort to war, were
perceived by others in a way that does not serve American interests. The new
political phase in the US may witness a revival in US-Saudi relations which are
based on partnership in political vision and on bilateral interests
Iran reassured
Nasr means that the US conveyed signs of weakness to the Iranians who took this
as an opportunity as they knew force will not be used during Obama’s term. The
Iranians thus hurried to seal the nuclear agreement since the military option
was no longer on the table.
This raised question marks on the American military power even as the Iranians
felt reassured. Since resorting to power was no longer an option, the Iranians
went far in setting their conditions and detailing the agreement.
The first to sense the American retreat was Vladimir Putin who began to wander
in the region without anyone monitoring him or competing against him. Nasr and
his chief Holbrooke witnessed Obama’s weakness. He adds in his book: “Part of
the problem feeding this regional wavering toward
Obama’s lean years are over and we are now witnessing a new chapter which we
hope will be an alternative to the mistakes of the abysmal past. **This article
was first published in Asharq al-Awsat
on Nov. 15, 2016.
Yes, Donald Trump, this is Brexit
Trisha de Borchgrave/Al Arabiya/November
15/16
So It happened: a bewildered Hillary Clinton conceded defeat, with dignity and
graciousness, after the waterboarding of the nation’s
values of common decency by a Trump campaign that left Americans choking on its
populist spittle.
Trump’s electoral hyperbole exceeded the mistruths of
And neither side sees the result as legitimate. Some Remainers
continue to seek re-dress five months later from what the Electoral
Administration Act of 2006 describes as the corrupt practice of exercising
“undue influence” through “assertions that were knowingly misleading”. And a
petition signed by over four million
Vociferous appeals to fellow Americans to do their duty and fulfil their right
to vote still only convinced 55 percent of them to show up, giving Trump a
mandate of just over 26 percent of the electorate. Joining those 22 countries,
including
Both results, however, are here to stay; Brexit in
its hard, soft or marshmallow construct, and Trump now legitimized by President
Obama's welcome into the heart of the Oval Office with a tour and a chat to the
background shouts of “He’s Not My President” from New York to Dallas, Miami to
Kansas City, and to the home of the future Trump House, Washington, D.C.
Twenty-five years of British headlines such as “150 New EU Laws Ruining Britain”
“New EU Rules Wreck Pensions”, “Ban Shopping Bags Says EU” and "Who Do EU
Think You Are?” left disaffected and nostalgic Brits zigzagging like sharks
preying on who to blame. For his part, Trump led his voting flock with the
persuasive powers of a reformed sinner. When an electorate wants to be duped
there is little to dissuade it.
Trump’s flip flop ideology will probably be auto-corrected by the Republican
House and Senate, and screwed into place by his creationist, evangelical
vice-president elect, Mike Pence
The gender count
Trump garnered 63 percent of the white American male vote and 52 percent of its
female equivalent, who voted with the vehemence of a minority brainwashed on
diets of shock-jock conservative radio and brought to life by plant closures
and zero job opportunity. And so victory at Trump’s campaign headquarters was
celebrated with chants of “lock her up”.
But it does not take intellectual talent, only bacterial gut, for a tyrant to
tailor the length of the reins of the mobs he has unleashed. In his acceptance
speech, Trump announced that his political opponent, who he had threatened with
jail, was now owed “a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country”.
And his two-term president was a “very good man”, whom he greatly respects and,
we assume, no longer unworthy of high office by dint of his birth.
Trump’s flip flop ideology, that has flashed like a stop light between red and
blue 12 times in the last 12 years, will probably be auto-corrected by the
Republican House and Senate, and screwed into place by his creationist,
evangelical vice-president elect, Mike Pence. Policies up for demolition
include most of Obamacare, the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Paris Climate Accords, and the Iran Nuclear Deal. But
making them disappear will just bring the underlying issues back like a
heat-seeking Exocet missile.
Britons who voted to banish the European Union consume it today with their
breakfast cereal, as the 24/7 news cycle reveals the intractability of
disentangling them from the 43-year-old political, legal and economic embrace
of the single market and its environmental, trade and security policies. As Brexiteers discovered on the day after the Referendum
result and on every day subsequently, it is easier to repeal than to replace.
Trump’s voters will experience the impacts of reneging on the Paris Climate
Accord to reduce carbon emissions and keep the planet’s cooking temperatures
below a 2 percent increase. Nothing educates an uneducated electorate faster
than the immediacy of floods, droughts and asthma, and a cabinet of men will be
no match for Mother Nature’s punishment of their domestic agendas.
Similarly, snapping sanctions back on to