LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
September 04/16
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletin16/english.september04.16.htm
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Bible Quotations For Today
They will crush
you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave
within you one stone upon another
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 19/41-44/:'As Jesus came
near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only
recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden
from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set
up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will
crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not
leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time
of your visitation from God.’
The prayer of faith will save
the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins
will be forgiven.
Letter of James 05/13-20/:"Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are
any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They
should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing
them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick,
and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be
forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another,
so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and
effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it
might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its
harvest. My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and
is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude
of sins."
Links For Latest Lebanese Related News published on
September 03-04/16
Geagea Urges Aoun for President, Hariri for PM, Says Lack of
'Partnership' Can't Continue
Berri Says His Speech Not Aimed at One Party amid Electoral Law Rapprochement
with FPM
Bassil: We Want to Destroy 1990-2005 Equation and Corrupt Structure
5
Held after Kid Slips Airport Security, Travels to Turkey Unnoticed
Salam Inclined to Convene Cabinet as Pharaon Urges Postponing Session
Lebanon Seizes Syria-Bound Narcotic Pills from India
Kataeb Expects 'Positive Solutions' in Waste Crisis as Shehayyeb Urges Cooperation
Hariri on Indictment in Tripoli Mosques Bombings: Proven Involvement of Syrian
Regime
Rahi calls for the election of a president
Five people arrested over Shabti's incident
Harb meets delegations from China Telecom, British Telecom
ISF: Drug smuggling operation foiled in Beirut airport
Shaar before Supreme Legal Council members in Tripoli: For wisdom and insight in
communicating with each other
Jumblatt salutes judiciary on its indictment decisions on Tripoli mosques twin
blasts
LinksFor Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 03-04/16
More Turkish Tanks Enter Syria in New Front
U.S., China Join Climate Deal in 'Turning Point' for Planet
Islamic Militants Blamed for Deadly Philippine Blast
Reporter Shot in Syria Claims Gunman Now a U.S.-Backed Rebel
Syrian Refugee Saw the Stars and Stripes -- and 'Felt Safe'
Four Killed as Blasts Rock Baghdad
Turkey-Backed Rebels Clear Syria Border Villages of IS
Putin: Russia, U.S. Could Reach Syria Cooperation Deal Soon
Maryam Rajavi urges international community to prosecute officials responsible
for 1988 massacre in Iran
Iran secretary of Human Rights: UN and Western countries should appreciate us
for the executions.
Intensifying Pressure on Sunni Prisoners in Karoun Prison in Iran.
Online conference on Canada's role to get justice over Iran's 1988 massacre
Struan Stevenson: U.N. must investigate 1988 massacre in Iran
Panel Highlights Iranian Regime's Extensive Involvement in Syria War
300 Syrians leave rebel town under Daraya
deal
Erdogan Rejects Claims U.S.-Backed Kurds Have Retreated
In Jordan, Schools to Open Doors to all Syrian Children
U.S. Campaign in Libya Enters Second Month as Local Forces Make
IS Gains
U.N. Syria Envoy Eyes 'Political Initiative'
Amnesty Condemns 'Heightened Crackdown' on Bahrain Opposition 5
U.N. Slams Syrian Regime 'Strategy' of Forced Evacuation of Besieged Towns
Fourteen Killed in Attack, Clashes with Kurdish Rebels in Turkey
Putin Calls for Lowering Korea Tensions
'This is Our Country!' Says Chinese Official as Obama Lands
Obama Arrives in China for Final Visit as President
India Gives Vietnam $500 Million for Defense Spending
Trump in Detroit to Woo Wary Black Vote
Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri Calls To Unite Jihadi Groups, Accuses ISIS Of
Causing Schism And Harming Jihad
ISIS Sympathizer In Washington DC Active On Twitter
Links From Jihad Watch Site for
on September 03-04/16
Muslims enraged that 9/11 monument in small New York town calls
perpetrators “Islamic terrorists”
France: Muslim migrant mobs riot, storm motorway, battle police
France: Two Muslims expelled after “large-scale” Islamic State jihad massacre
foiled
France: Longer prison sentences for returning jihadis
Alabama ACLU sues government, claiming pro-Muslim discrimination
Minneapolis: Muslims who oppose Muslim candidate threatened into silence
Denmark: Muslim migrant shoots three non-Muslims for the Islamic State
Australia: Catholic teacher forced Qur’anic readings on students
Nobel Peace Prize winner: let’s not “muddle up” terrorism with Islam
Philippines: Police search for 3 Muslims suspected in bombing that murdered 14
Military brass told numerous US soldiers in Afghanistan to ignore child sex
abuse by Afghan “allies”
Bangladesh: Muslims attack Hare Krishna temple, injure seven for singing during
Islamic prayer
Hugh Fitzgerald: Why It’s Mostly Quiet on the Eastern Front, Or,
How a Czech Parliamentarian Sees Islam
Links From Christian Today Site for
on September 03-04/16
Mother Teresa's mission lives on in Kolkata
10 Scriptures for when you're anxious about change in your life
The real reason we shouldn't blame God for tragedies
Rethinking Hell: What happens to non-Christians when they die?
Why God asked a righteous man to marry a prostitute
Billy Graham warns people against breaking the vow of marriage: 'There are
always consequences'
Change your life by making a decision for Christ, says Franklin Graham
Appointment of gay Bishop of Grantham a 'major error' say conservative Anglicans
Zimbabwe's Mugabe: 'It's true I was dead. I resurrected as I always do'
US Election: Trump catches up to Clinton, consolidates Republican
support
September 03-04/16
China is our future/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/September 03/16
Why Dubai? What cynic pessimists
think/Khalid Abdulla-Janahi/September 03/16
Is the millennial just another urban stereotype/Ehtesham Shahid/September 03/16
Asia and Saudi Vision 2030/Dr. Naser al-Tamimi/September 03/16
Turkey: Child Rape Widespread, Media Blackout/Robert Jones/ Gatestone
Institute/September 03/16
Turkey's Government Blames Its Past Mistakes on Gülenists/Burak Bekdil/Hürriyet
Daily News/September 3/16
A historic turning point for Israel and the ICC /Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem
Post/September 03/16
Serving Muslim Interests With American Foreign Policy/Joseph
Klein/FrontPage/September 03/16
Muslim Terrorists and Jewish Anti-Semites Against Trump/Daniel
Greenfield/FrontPage/September 03/16
West of Suez for the United Arab Emirates/Alex Mello and Michael Knights/Wors On
The Rocks/September 03/16
September 03-04/16
China
is our future
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/September 03/16
China and India are two countries that may play a crucial role in the near
future of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries in general. One fundamental factor
can change the equation because these two countries represent the largest
growing markets in the world at a time when other major markets are becoming
saturated or shrinking in terms of oil imports. It is obvious that Riyadh is
turning toward these markets, as revealed by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman’s two successive visits to China, trying to cope with changes and keep up
with the development of economic resources.
There are also many other industrial and oil-producing countries that are
setting their sights on the Chinese and Indian markets - they are all seeking a
share of these markets. However, what distinguishes Saudi Arabia is that the
latter is the largest, cheapest and most equipped oil reservoir in the world and
there are no obstacles or sanctions that would impede its progress, unlike Iran
for example.
Will Saudi Arabia be able to successfully adopt a strategy of shifting toward
the East after decades of relations with the West? At this stage, the
restrictions that marked the Cold War era no longer exist. Back then, the
countries that were lucky enough to make the shift used to take risks when
trying to change their political approach. Turning toward the Chinese and Indian
markets is not purely a political project as relations with the West will remain
strong, especially as Westerners are still the most politically influential
people in the region. Special relations with both China and India will enrich
Saudi influence and its strategic importance in the West mainly on both the
regional and international levels.
A whole new world
Investing in a large-scale economic project with China and India is not an easy
task - it opens up a whole new world to Saudi Arabia. It requires a huge leap to
be taken, with great governmental potential. Companies, banks, funds, chambers
of commerce, bilateral partnerships, businessmen, research and university
centers and dedicated governmental institutions will all play a major role in
it. China is mainly represented by one company, therefore, it is more organized
as its governmental devices and official institutions are the actual bodies
managing foreign relations and transactions. As for India, it mainly relies on
the private sector to manage its affairs.
Our region has lived on the existing oil trade model in its relations with major
consumer markets like Britain and, later on, the US. It is still the main factor
in our dealings with China and India, but today we are aiming for wide-ranging
relations.
China and India are the only countries that can compensate for shortages in
Western markets, such as the decline in oil demand in the US market
China and India are the only countries that can compensate for shortages in
Western markets, such as the decline in oil demand in the US market. The two
countries offer a great opportunity for the objectives of the government to
boost the country's economic trade which requires more creative thinking and a
greater dependence on the flexible and fast-moving private sector to play an
augmented role.
Both China and India do not mix politics with trade, although China is one of
the major arms exporters in the world and Saudi Arabia had a positive experience
with China in the 1990s. As long as the two Asian countries do not get involved
in the continued regional wars and alliances, they will preserve their special
ties with major countries.
This article was first published in Asharq al-Awsat on Sept. 3, 2016.
Why Dubai? What cynic
pessimists think
Khalid Abdulla-Janahi/September 03/16
It’s a modern day take on the classic Aesop’s fable of sour grapes, but
Dubai-bashing remains a disturbingly popular pastime, particularly among us
GCC-ians (Khaleejees in Arabic). I understand why, of course, but perhaps we
need to look past the jealousy and envy to try and understand how, and more
importantly why, Dubai has proved to be the single exception to the otherwise
standard GCC norms.
When, as a child, I first visited Dubai in 1969 there was nothing but the creek.
There were very few people, and a small souq. I visited again a year later, and
it was pretty much still the same thing – but when I went back in the 1980s
after university, it had already begun its transformation into a world capital.
Today, the Dubai skyline competes with the best in the world – and every time
you visit, there is something new.
Interestingly, Dubai’s dramatic success story was written using the only three
natural resources they ever had: the sun, the sea and the desert; coupled with
leadership and a vision.
Parallel to Dubai’s dramatic growth, however, armies of cynic pessimists also
began to grow both in other states of the United Arab Emirates, and across the
oil rich nations of the GCC. The growing armies of naysayers insisted it was all
a bubble on the verge of collapse. I’ve been hearing these same doomsday
prophesies since the 1980’s – and, to be honest, I’m very surprised they are
still singing that same lame tune.
I would have thought that the 2008 global financial crisis, its immediate and
very dramatic impact on Dubai and the equally dramatic recovery, would have
forever silenced even the loudest critics.
Dubai’s dramatic success story was written using the only three natural
resources they ever had: the sun, the sea and the desert, coupled with
leadership and a vision
Dubai, at the time the only part of the Arab world that was also part of the
real world, was immediately impacted by the financial crisis. Across the region,
“told-you-so” crackling spread like wildfire with many almost eager to point out
Dubai’s imminent collapse.
Not only did that collapse never happen, but only a few years later, Dubai was
back in full swing – and by wining Expo 2020, proved it was back with a
vengeance.
Yet so-called elite across the GCC continue their petty Dubai-bashing with some
complaining that it is run like a corporate entity, not a country, and others
still insisting it’s all a bubble waiting to burst. We even have those who try
to dismiss Dubai’s dramatic achievements because, being man-made, they are “not
real.”
Imitation as flattery
Despite all the Dubai-bashing however, many places in the GCC (including other
states in the United Arab Emirates) have tried to imitate, even replicate, the
Dubai success story. They’ve all, predictably, had very little or no luck.
Perhaps they should stop trying to play copy-cat and focus, instead, on trying
to understand how a place with such limited resources could write such an
impressive success story. Rather than spending untold millions trying to imitate
Dubai, perhaps we need to start thinking strategically for a change.
The Dubai bubble is a myth. We need to peek past the massive green monster and
take an objective look at why Dubai has been so successful.
Is the millennial just another urban stereotype?
Ehtesham Shahid/September 03/16
The term millennial, in its noun form, describes those who reached young
adulthood around the year 2000. In other words, these are men and women
presently in the age group of 17-35.
It is easy to imagine and spot such individuals in our surroundings. They are
generally cool, easygoing and innovative. Unfortunately, they also constitute
the largest number of foot soldiers in the “terror industry.”
Millennials of the neighborhood kind are usually at ease with their lives. They
distinguish themselves by their use of smartphones and are constantly connected
to their peers, maybe even cousins. For baby boomers – who have now been
outnumbered by the millennial population in the US – this may be perceived as
anti-social behavior.
One school of thought has it that the love for gadgets among millennials has
actually calmed them down. At the cost of sounding unscientific, one can suggest
that restricted physical activities and social life may even have helped curtail
aggressive behavior. A few generations ago, this age group was mostly associated
with rowdy behavior, street crime and unfathomable rebellion.
May be they have found more avenues to express themselves or just don’t feel the
need to continuously grapple with the system. Basically, if you leave the
“terror tribe” aside, then this group could be called largely at ease with their
surroundings.
The adjective
Yet it is the very term, and the way it is applied, that suggests a stereotype
and probably also an oxymoron. The word, which in its adjective form means a
thousand years, is too loosely used to describe human beings in their 20s and
the 30s.
The trouble is not so much with an age group being clubbed together for the
purpose of marketing or being used as a vote bank, the problem is with gross
generalizations and the way they are sold as gospel truth
The most obvious evidence is the way in which this group is being targeted by
marketers. What makes the millennials tick? That’s the premise on which
advertising campaigns are designed and products sold, with great results of
course. Closer to elections, strategists routinely churn out coded messages for
politicians to deliver with the objective to reach the millennial population
directly.
In advertising, just as in so many other areas, it is the number that counts.
For instance, millennials make up 25 percent of the US population and, almost by
default, make 21 percent of discretionary purchases. Numerous studies have led
to targeted millennial marketing and the data is widely available for any
end-user.
One such study suggests that discretionary purchases among millennials are
estimated to be over a trillion dollars in direct buying power and can have a
huge influence on older generations. Not surprisingly, the study says 46 percent
of millennials reported having more than 200 Facebook friends, which opens up
the social media Pandora’s box.
Diverse group
The trouble is not so much with an age group being clubbed together for the
purpose of marketing or being used as a vote bank, the problem is with gross
generalizations and the way they are sold as gospel truth. It seems we have just
chosen to paint them all with the same brush because we are too lazy to
understand their differences.
We are far too busy in our lives to think before we apply such terms
judiciously. When we speak of millennials, do we take into account the millions
of those in the 20-30 age groups living in far flung areas? The reality may be
entirely different there and it is not the access to technology but the lack of
that would probably define their living.
There are millions of millennials around the world who have been left behind on
the social ladder and have hardly witnessed economic progress. We cannot expect
the same level of entrepreneurship from a rural millennial without access to
resources. If they don’t have the same opportunity, they cannot provide the same
results.
Asia and Saudi Vision 2030
Dr. Naser al-Tamimi/September 03/16
Today, Saudi Arabia supplies Asia with nearly two of every three barrels of the
Kingdom’s total crude oil exports, reflecting the profound shift in the balance
of global oil markets. Tellingly, of Saudi Arabia’s top ten trade partners in
2015, seven were Asian countries (China, Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan,
Singapore and Thailand). Together, this accounted for more than two-thirds of
the country’s trade with the world. China is Saudi Arabia’s top trade partner,
while Japan is still the Kingdom’s biggest crude oil buyer in Asia.
However, Saudi officials are increasingly seeing the writing on the wall: China
will soon become their largest customer and India could follow in the near
future. Indeed, Asia is expected to account for much of the growing oil demand
during the next two decades. The International Energy Agency (IEA) in its 2016
medium term oil market report (MTOMR) projects that oil demand is likely to
increase from 94.4 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2015 to 101.6 (mb/d) by
2021, an increase of 7.2 (mb/d). China is expected to account for an additional
2.5 (mb/d) by 2021, while the demand growth in the rest of Asia is projected at
2.8 (mb/d), with India and Indonesia cited as key drivers. In the long term,
BP’s latest forecast predicts global liquids demand (oil, bio-fuels, and other
liquids) to rise by 20 (mb/d), hitting 112 (mb/d) by 2035. Growth comes
exclusively from emerging economies, with China and India accounting for over
half of the increase.
Lock-in buyers
In this context, state-owned Saudi Aramco set itself out as the backbone to the
Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030.” The company, in
its latest annual review, ambitiously envisaged its new role: “Saudi Aramco
remained steadfast to its vision of becoming a top-tier, globally integrated
energy and chemicals company. The company’s expansion further downstream,
designed to add value to the resource base, continued to reap benefits by
introducing new product slates, creating a more diversified industrial
foundation, and generating high-quality jobs in the Kingdom.” Within this
vision, there are three lines of response which Aramco is currently developing
to strengthen the Kingdom’s position in global oil markets.
Saudi officials are increasingly seeing the writing on the wall: China will soon
become their largest customer and India could follow in the near future
Aramco is participating in oil processing and storage projects in Asia. These
actions are to improve access to markets and protect Saudi Arabia’s oil shares
in the region. Around 56 percent, or over 2.4 (mb/d), of Aramco’s overseas
refining lies in three states only: China, Japan and South Korea. The company
also plans to invest in new refineries to cement its position in countries
including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Additionally, Saudi
Arabia is looking to renew/increase its crude oil storage capacity in Okinawa,
in Japan’s southwest. Here, if Riyadh succeeds in reaching an agreement with
Tokyo to renew the contract and increase the current storage capacity of almost
6.3 million barrels, it could further help cement its position in Asia.
According to some reports, Aramco’s three-year contract with state-owned Japan
Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation is due to expire in December of this
year.
Efficient economy
Saudi Arabia also intends to invest in renewable energy as an option to counter
rising oil consumption and diversify its energy mix. As part of “Vision 2030,”
Saudi Arabia has set itself an initial target of generating 9.5 gigawatts of
renewable energy. From the Saudi perspective, Asian countries would be very
attractive partners to build such an industry with and they will be very useful
to address a broad range of issues. Saudi Arabia needs to adopt advanced
technologies, attract foreign investments and manufacturers, foster small and
midsize businesses, create jobs and provide training in order to diversify the
economy. Importantly, Saudi Arabia may keep its nuclear options open and China,
Japan and South Korea may be important players in this area.
Last but not least, Saudi Arabia has identified energy efficiency as a key
national priority. In 2015, Saudi Arabia’s oil demand averaged almost 3.9 (mb/d)
making it the fifth-largest oil consumer in the world. In this area, Japan and
South Korea could assist in improving efficiency and conserving energy
consumption in Saudi Arabia. While China’s experience as the world leader in
renewable energy may be very useful for the Kingdom’s program.
Not all is a rosy picture
Against this optimistic backdrop there remain several key issues which could
pose a challenge to the growth of relations between Saudi Arabia and Asian
countries. The major one is the uncertainty over China’s oil demand. From the
Saudi perspective, the impact of any major Chinese economic slowdown could
adversely affect oil demand. Additionally, the energy sector in several key
Asian countries (China and India in particular) is not fully liberalized.
Regulated prices remain a problem to Saudi Aramco and foreign investors.
There is also the possibility of increasing tensions over the rights of foreign
workers in Saudi Arabia, as the latest crisis of stranded Asian workers in the
Kingdom partially reflected. Meanwhile, the repression of Muslim minorities in
some Asian countries could generate large public outcry inside the Kingdom and
the Muslim world in general. Perhaps more importantly, as work in Saudi Arabia
dries up due to low oil prices and cuts in spending by the government,
remittances from migrant workers are declining, depriving several South Asian
countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and even India, of very
vital economic and financial sources. Above all, Saudi Arabia is also facing
fierce competition from oil producers within and outside OPEC. Although the
Kingdom is increasing its crude oil exports, rivals such as Russia, Iraq and
Iran have gone on the offensive to increase their share of Asian markets.
Turkey: Child Rape
Widespread, Media Blackout
Robert Jones/ Gatestone Institute/September 03/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/8805/turkey-child-rape
The
journalist who reported the rape for the newspaper Birgun, said that that he and
the newspaper received countless death threats on social media for reporting the
case.
Turkey's constitutional court in July annulled a criminal code provision
punishing all sexual acts involving children under the age of 15 as "sexual
abuse", giving a six-month period for parliament to draw up a new law.
The facts on the ground indicate that the sexual abuse of children in Turkey is
extremely widespread and the Turkish state authorities are not acting
responsibly.
When Syrian babies and other children, as well as women, are being raped and
treated horribly in Turkey, and their abusers go free; when journalists covering
these abuses are threatened; when publication bans are imposed on the crimes
committed against Syrians, and when criminals are given "good conduct abatement"
by courts, Turkey seems to be one of the last countries on earth to have the
moral right to demand visa-free travel in Europe or anywhere else.
Turkey has once again threatened to tear up a controversial migrant deal and
send hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers to Europe if its citizens are not
granted visa-free travel to the European Union within months.
Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, demanded the EU drop visa
requirements for Turkish citizens by October.
Meanwhile, Syrian children are being raped and abused inside and outside of
refugee camps in Turkey.
Nine-Month-Old Syrian Baby Raped; Media Blackout Imposed
A 9-month-old Syrian baby was raped in the Islahiye district of Gaziantep on
August 19. The baby is the child of a Syrian family who fled the war in Syria,
according to the newspaper Birgun. The family, agricultural day-laborers in
Gaziantep, had set up a tent in the field where they work.
On the day of the rape, the parents left their baby with an 18-year-old man
before leaving to work a field 100 meters away.
When the parents returned, they saw the young man, a Turkish citizen who works
as a shepherd, walking away from the tent. The mother noticed that her baby girl
had been raped and took her to a local hospital, where the attack was confirmed.
The governor's office of Antep announced that the young man had been arrested
and brought to court.
Huseyin Simsek, the journalist who covered the incident for the newspaper Birgun,
said that that he and the newspaper received countless death threats on social
media for reporting the rape.
Simsek tweeted:
"Today, a 9-month-old baby was raped in Antep. There is a medical report. I am
being sworn at, informed on, and threatened with death.
"The incident is real. The doctors say the baby is 7 or 9-months-old. We will
keep on writing."
Some Twitter users called the reporter "a PKK terrorist", "a FETO [Gulenist]
terrorist", "a traitor" and "a son of a bitch", among others. Other users
referred to Birgun as "toilet paper" and called for destroying the newspaper
building.
When Samil Tayyar, an Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP from Gaziantep,
confirmed the rape on his Twitter account, another Twitter user responded:
"Dear MP, such news should not be used. We are shooting ourselves in the foot.
We are giving material to the enemy. Be responsible, please."
He was apparently referring to the recent criticism by Sweden that Ankara was
legalizing sex with children.
Turkey's constitutional court, in July, annulled a criminal code provision
punishing all sexual acts involving children under the age of 15 as "sexual
abuse", giving a six-month period for parliament to draw up a new law.
Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström tweeted on her official account that
the "Turkish decision to allow sex with children under 15 must be reversed.
Children need more protection, not less, against violence, sex abuse."
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek tweeted back: "You are clearly
misinformed. There is no such stupid thing in Turkey. Please get your facts
right."
Turkey summoned Sweden's ambassador and displayed a billboard in Istanbul's main
airport that warned travelers against visiting Sweden.
"Travel warning!" stated a large advertisement on display in the departure
section of Ataturk Airport's international terminal. "Do you know that Sweden
has the highest rape rate worldwide?"
An electronic billboard in Istanbul's Ataturk Airport last month displayed:
"Travel warning! Do you know that Sweden has the highest rape rate worldwide?"
It was posted in retaliation for a critical tweet by Swedish Foreign Minister
Margot Wallström that read: "Turkish decision to allow sex with children under
15 must be reversed. Children need more protection, not less, against violence,
sex abuse." (Image source: Reuters video screenshot)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also said that Wallström had failed to
act "responsibly".
However, the facts on the ground indicate that the sexual abuse of children in
Turkey is extremely widespread and it is the Turkish state authorities that are
not acting responsibly.
The Islahiye Penal Court of Peace in Gaziantep has issued a media blackout on
the rape of the Syrian baby.
"Until the investigation is finalized, all kinds of news, interviews, critiques,
and similar publications regarding the investigation file have been banned in
the written, visual and social media as well as on the internet," the ruling
said in part.
30 Syrian Boys Raped at Nizip Camp
The daily, Birgun, also reported in May that 30 Syrian boys between the ages of
8 and 12 had been raped at a refugee camp in the Nizip district of Gaziantep.
The assaults took place, over a period of three months, in the restrooms of the
camp, which is run by the Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management
Authority (AFAD).
The camp was visited by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkey's then Prime
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, and several Turkish ministers, as well as the mayor of
the city on April 23, celebrated as "Children's Day" in Turkey. The leaders
praised the camp, which houses 14,000 Syrians.
A cleaning worker at the camp paid the children for a few Turkish liras to
sexually abuse them. The man confessed his crimes and claimed that "it was the
children who motivated him to abuse them."
Eight families of abused children lodged complaints about the attacks. Erk
Acarer wrote in Birgun:
"It is understood that some of the families have not lodged complaints against
E.E., who sexually abused the children, because they are afraid, since they are
asylum seekers in Turkey. That is why they do not want to confront the
situation."
AFAD, the state institution that runs the camp, confirmed the rapes:
"AFAD has taken precautions to prevent the repetition of the incident.
Psychological support services have been given to those affected by the incident
from the beginning."
Syrian Children Sexually Abused at Islahiye Camp
Shortly after the scandal at the Nizip camp, it was reported that five Syrian
children staying at the Islahiye refugee camp in Gaziantep, and also run by AFAD,
were sexually abused by an 87-year-old Syrian national, Ahmed H., multiple
times. Again, the authorities of the camp were not "able" to protect the
children, whose ages ranged from 4 to 8.
Two of the abused children were his own grandchildren; one was his niece and the
other, his nephew. Ahmed H. -- apparently before the eyes of everyone -- made
the children sit on his lap while he sexually abused them.
The crimes were revealed on November 20, 2015, when a person informed local
gendarmerie officials of "an elderly man sexually abusing a 2-or 3-year old girl
while sitting on his chair in front of the camp."
The children then told the authorities about the abuse they had been exposed to.
The abuse was also proven by surveillance cameras.
On May 3, Ahmed H. was acquitted for the sexual abuse of his grandchildren on
grounds that "[t]here was not enough persuasive evidence" for a conviction.
As for his trial for abusing the other victims, he was given "good conduct
abatement" by the court due to "his positive behavior during the trial process."
"The Syrians Staying Outside of the Camps are... Unprotected."
"The asylum seekers staying at refugee camps are 10 percent of all asylum
seekers," said Mahmut Togrul, an MP from the People's Democratic Party (HDP) for
the city of Gaziantep.
"The Syrians staying outside of the camps are going through a real drama. People
are staying in the streets unprotected. We tried to tell the authorities, but
unfortunately no one does their duty in Turkey and they do not deal with
fundamental problems"
"Since the AKP has become preoccupied with its own troubles, Syrians have been
left to their fate... We are faced with a vile situation. They admit their
Syrian policy has been wrong. If they had not carried out that policy, so many
people would not be so devastated now. It is not enough to say, 'We have done
wrong'. They have to solve the problems caused by this wrong policy. The AKP
that has left people idle and uncontrolled has to take responsibility of these
people."
"Where Are the 3 Billion Euros?"
In the meantime, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave a speech at the
Bestepe National Congress and Culture Center on August 24, saying:
"What did they [the Europeans] say?: 'We will give the refugees who come to
these camps three billion Euros of aid'. Where is it? This year is almost over.
Where is it? Not here."
Reporters and eyewitnesses, however, have revealed that Turkey has allowed
jihadists to travel in and out of Turkey and has even provided funds, logistics
and arms for extremist groups, including the Islamic State (ISIS) and the Al
Nusra Front.
The Turkish government -- along with others in the region -- has turned Syria
into a true nightmare, apparently to expand Sunni Turkish influence over Syria
and other countries, and to stop Kurds from establishing a free homeland in
northern Syria.
Since the war broke out in Syria in 2011, jihadist terror groups have terrorized
millions of people, particularly Alawites, Christians and Kurds, and caused
millions of people to flee their country. In despair, many Syrians arrived in
Turkey and still live under the "temporary protection" of the Turkish
government.
If the Turkish government had not facilitated the rise of jihadist terrorism in
the region, however, much of this would not have happened.
Turkey now not only leaves Syrian asylum seekers uncared for and unprotected,
but is also blackmailing the EU over the Syrians, whose pain and devastation the
Turkish authorities are largely responsible for.
Given the increasingly violent crackdown on the Turkish media and pressures
against free speech in the country, it is highly probable that the child sexual
abuse cases reported in Gaziantep are just the tip of the iceberg.
When Syrian babies and other children, as well as women, are being raped and
treated horribly in Turkey, and their abusers go free; when journalists covering
these abuses are threatened; when publication bans are imposed on the crimes
committed against Syrians, and when criminals are given "good conduct abatement"
by courts, Turkey seems to be one of the last countries on earth to have the
moral right to demand visa-free travel in Europe or anywhere else.
**Robert Jones, an expert on Turkey, is currently based in the UK.
© 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.
Turkey's Government Blames
Its Past Mistakes on Gülenists
Burak Bekdil/Hürriyet Daily News/September 3/16
http://www.meforum.org/6241/turkey-blames-past-mistakes-on-gulenists
Excerpt of article originally published under the title "Turkey's Bitter
Learning by Suffering."
"The Cemaat did it," says the child in this cartoon, using popular shorthand for
followers of exiled Turkish preacher Fethullah Gülen.
The Gülenists' failed putsch has provided the government with an unconvincing
opportunity to blame all past mistakes on this clandestine group. Because it is
shadowy, you can blame every failure on its shadowy elements, real or fake.
Even a National Security Council (chaired by the president) order to shoot down
any foreign military airplane that violates Turkish airspace, executed on orders
from the (then) prime minister, is now being blamed on "Gülenist pilots." This
columnist cannot recall how many times the prime minister said it was HIS orders
to shoot – and that any further aircraft that violates Turkish airspace would
also be shot.
Most recently, a senior official told this newspaper that elements in the
Turkish military with ties to the Gülenists worked to stall Turkey's operation
in the northern Syrian city of Jarablus for over two years. According to this
theory, the Turkish government has been working on a ground incursion for more
than two years. It came close to putting boots on the ground there for over two
years and contingency plans were drawn up as a first step toward military
action. But "certain commanders within the military worked to stall Turkey's
plan to move" as they came up with excuses, such as a lack of military
capability, to make it impossible for the government to move forward. Nice one.
But did the government, over and over, not emphasize in bold letters in the past
several years that it was making the decisions, not the military? Were/are there
crypto Gülenists within the cabinet ranks? Why did the president and the prime
minister decide to put off the incursion into Syria when they claimed that the
mighty Turkish military could reach Damascus in a few hours – and when Jarablus
is a few minutes' drive from the border?
Don't be surprised if in a year's time Operation Euphrates Shield is blamed on a
crypto cell of Gülenist officers.
We are going through days when even the Gülenists, crypto Gülenists, repentant
Gülenists or opportunistic Gülenists cannot decide which category they should
belong to: Schizophrenia is Gülen's gift to Turkey after the putsch attempt.
Don't be surprised if in a year's time Operation Euphrates Shield is blamed on
another crypto cell of Gülenist officers. Try to get used to this cycle. "It was
a silly operation planned by Gülenist elements within the military." Or, if
Turkey decides to withdraw, claiming victory, then the decision to withdraw
could also be blamed on crypto Gülenists if it is not a success.
After all, the race has begun and there are no limits.
**Burak Bekdil is an Ankara-based columnist for the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet
Daily News and a fellow at the Middle East Forum.
A
historic turning point for Israel and the ICC
Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem Post/September 03/16
David Ben-Gurion is famous for referring to the UN with the dismissive Hebrew
phrase “Oom shmoom,” meaning essentially that the UN does not matter and Israel
cannot trust it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been at least as dismissive of the UN as
his illustrious predecessor and has refused to cooperate with it on almost any
issue involving war crimes allegations.
But that may all be about to change.
If Netanyahu grants a request by the International Criminal Court prosecutor to
send representatives to meet with Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the
coming weeks – which The Jerusalem Post confirmed on Friday that he is
considering – it could be a game-changer.
Israel has not cooperated with numerous UN and other international
investigations of alleged war crimes in the past, refusing UN officials entry
when they requested to come to collect evidence.
Neither officials from the UN Human Rights Council’s Goldstone Report on the
2008-9 Gaza war or from its McGowan-Davis Report on the 2014 Gaza war were
permitted to enter the country.
Netanyahu also attacked the ICC prosecutor’s legitimacy in January 2015 when it
recognized Palestine as a state for its purposes.
So allowing the ICC prosecutor’s representatives to visit would be nearly
unprecedented (Israel has had some limited cooperation with UN secretary-
general inquiries in the past).
The trip would likely be limited to public relations and for educating the
Israeli public about the ICC and not to gather evidence regarding alleged war
crimes connected to the 2014 Gaza war or the settlement enterprise.
But for Netanyahu to give the ICC any kind of public podium in Israel would be a
major change, although there has been quiet cooperation between Israeli legal
and ICC officials since July 2015 on limited jurisdictional issues.
The visit would put both the ICC prosecutor’s office and Israel in virtually
uncharted waters, where both sides are trying to signal good-faith and compete
for public opinion on a range of domestic and international issues.
But for the first time since the 2014 Gaza war, and in some ways the first time
in decades, a major international body and Israel seem about to take cooperation
on war crimes issues to a new level.
Serving Muslim Interests With American Foreign Policy
Joseph Klein/FrontPage/September 03/16
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/264048/serving-muslim-interests-american-foreign-policy-joseph-klein
The lethal
consequences of the Clintons' foreign policy leadership.
A Hillary Clinton presidency would likely continue along the pro-Islamist
foreign policy arc that both her husband’s administration and the Obama
administration have developed.
President Bill Clinton committed U.S. military resources to help Muslims during
the so-called “humanitarian” intervention in Bosnia. However, he chose to turn a
blind eye to the genocide that swamped Rwanda during his administration. As G.
Murphy Donovan wrote in his American Thinker article “How the Clintons Gave
American Foreign Policy its Muslim Tilt,” “Muslim lives matter, Black Africans,
not so much.” Noting that “it was Muslim unrest that precipitated Serb pushback,
civil war, and the eventual collapse of Yugoslavia,” Donovan added, “Bosnians
are, for the most part, Muslims with a bloody fascist pedigree.” Nevertheless,
with no strategic U.S. national interest at stake, Bill Clinton tilted American
foreign policy in favor of the Muslim side in the Bosnia conflict. We are now
reaping the lethal consequences of that tilt. Donovan points out in his article
that, on a per capita basis, Bosnia Herzegovina is the leading source of ISIS
volunteers in all of Europe.
President Obama, along with then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, took the
side of Islamist “rebels” against the secular authoritarian regimes in Egypt,
Libya and Syria that had managed to keep the lid on jihadist terrorism for many
years. These Islamists included members of al Qaeda as well as the Muslim
Brotherhood.
In Libya, Hillary Clinton was the leading voice pressing for military
intervention against Col. Muammar el- Qaddafi’s regime. She did so, even though,
according to sources cited in a State Department memo passed on to Hillary by
her deputy at the time, Jake Sullivan, in an e-mail dated April 1, 2011, “we
just don't know enough about the make-up or leadership of the rebel forces.” In
fact, as subsequently reported by the New York Times, the only organized
opposition to the Qaddafi regime that had developed underground during Qaddafi’s
rule were the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, a terrorist group, and the Muslim
Brotherhood. The author of the State Department memo had acknowledged the Libyan
Islamic Fighting Group’s terrorist past but said they “express a newfound
keenness for peaceful politics.” Was Hillary Clinton relying on such assurances
of a reformed “peaceful” Islamic group fighting against Qaddafi, even though it
had been on the State Department’s terrorist list since 2004 and one of its
leaders, Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, praised al Qaeda members as “good Muslims” in a
March 2011 interview? If so, that is just another indication of her bad
judgment.
As for Egypt, Hillary was informed by her outside adviser and confidante Sid
Blumenthal, in an e-mail dated December 16, 2011, that the Muslim Brotherhood’s
intention was to create an Islamic state. Moreover, the relationship between the
Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda and other radical groups was "complicated,"
Blumenthal quoted a source "with access to the highest levels of the MB" as
saying. Blumenthal also reported, based on a confidential source, that Mohamed
Morsi, who was then leader of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice
Party, believed that “it will be difficult for this new, Islamic government to
control the rise of al Qa'ida and other radical/terrorist groups.”
Nevertheless, the Obama administration supported the Muslim Brotherhood in its
bid to seek power in Egypt through a shaky electoral process. After Morsi’s
election to the presidency, Hillary visited Egypt where Morsi warmly welcomed
her and she expressed strong support for Egypt’s “democratic transition.”
However, the only real transition Morsi had in mind was to impose sharia law on
the Egyptian people, the very antithesis of true democratic pluralism. Yet the
Obama–Clinton gravy train of military aid to the Muslim Brotherhood-backed
Islamist regime continued without any preconditions. Hillary Clinton herself and
her State Department referred to the importance of the U.S.’s “partnership” with
the Muslim Brotherhood-backed regime.
When Morsi was removed from power, after millions of Egyptians had taken to the
streets to protest the increasingly theocratic regime, the Obama administration
decided to suspend aid to the more secular successor military regime. The
“partnership” was no more once the Islamists were swept out of office.
While Morsi was still president, the Clinton Foundation, which has taken
millions of dollars in donations from Muslim majority governments and affiliated
groups and individuals, invited Morsi to deliver a major address at the Clinton
Global Initiative. This invitation was extended just a month after an individual
named Gehad el-Haddad, who was working simultaneously for the Muslim Brotherhood
and the Clinton Foundation in Cairo, left his Clinton Foundation job to work for
Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood full time. Fortunes changed for this
individual, however, when, after Morsi was overthrown, Haddad was arrested for
inciting violence and given a life sentence.
The Obama administration, while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State, also
cooperated with the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to pass
and implement a United Nations resolution that was intended to curb speech
considered Islamophobic. Clinton, in full spin mode, insisted that the new UN
resolution was totally consistent with the free speech protections of the First
Amendment, as opposed to the "defamation of religions" resolutions that the OIC
had sponsored in the past but was willing to have replaced. The truth, however,
is that all we were seeing was old wine in new bottles. To make sure that the
OIC was comfortable regarding the Obama administration’s intentions, Clinton
assured the OIC that she was perfectly on board with using “some old-fashioned
techniques of peer pressure and shaming, so that people don’t feel that they
have the support to do what we abhor.” She was trying to publicly assure
American citizens that their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and
press were safe, while working behind the scenes with her OIC partners to find
acceptable ways to stifle speech offensive to Muslims.
The signs of Hillary Clinton’s Islamist tilt as she runs for president include
the sweepingly general and demonstrably false assertion in her tweet last
November that Muslims “have nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism." She has
obviously learned nothing from her disastrous tenure as Secretary of State.
Neither is she willing to acknowledge that the terrorists whom she has called a
“determined enemy” are jihadists animated by an ideology rooted in core Muslim
teachings of the Koran and the Hadith (Prophet Muhammad’s sayings and actions).
Is there something about the word “Muslim” in the Muslim Brotherhood and
“Islamic” in the Islamic State that she is having problems understanding?
Perhaps, it is Hillary’s close association with Huma Abedin, her top campaign
aide and confidante, who has had questionable links to Muslim
Brotherhood-affiliated organizations, which explains Hillary’s denial of the
truth. If someone as close to Hillary as Huma Abedin, whom she apparently trusts
with her life, is a Muslim, then how could any Muslim possibly have anything to
do with terrorism?
Then again, perhaps Hillary’s willingness to give Islamists the benefit of the
doubt is all the money that the Clintons have received over the years from
foreign donors in Muslim majority countries, including the Saudi government and
affiliated groups and individuals. Hillary Clinton has also reached out for
campaign donations from a pro-Iranian lobby group, the National Iranian American
Council. Whatever human rights abuses are inflicted on people in these
countries, it would be counterproductive to bite the hand that feeds you, in the
Clintons’ way of thinking.
Finally, the Democratic Party itself has moved much further to the Left since
the days of Bill Clinton’s presidency, which has led to the broadening out of
the pro-Islamist bias that began to take shape with Bill Clinton’s intervention
in Bosnia. As David Horowitz wrote in a January 8, 2016 article published by
National Review:
“Leftists and Democrats have also joined the Islamist propaganda campaign to
represent Muslims — whose co-religionists have killed hundreds of thousands of
innocents since 9/11 in the name of their religion — as victims of anti-Muslim
prejudice, denouncing critics of Islamist terror and proponents of security
measures as ‘Islamophobes’ and bigots. Led by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama,
Democrats have enabled the Islamist assault on free speech, which is a central
component of the Islamist campaign to create a worldwide religious theocracy.”
For a variety of reasons, Hillary Clinton as president can be expected to move
the United States towards an even more accommodative stance than her
predecessors with Islamists who mean to do us harm.
Muslim Terrorists and Jewish Anti-Semites Against Trump
Daniel Greenfield/FrontPage/September 03/16
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/264049/muslim-terrorists-and-jewish-anti-semites-against-daniel-greenfield
Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is a New
York writer focusing on radical Islam.
Moderate Saudi businessmen who fund terror warn of Trump’s "extremism."
“I was often the ‘designated yeller.’”
That’s how Hillary Clinton described her relationship with the Israeli prime
minister. Yelling and cursing was her particular specialty.
One marathon Hillary yelling session allegedly lasted 45 minutes. Afterward the
Israeli ambassador said that relations between the United States and Israel had
reached their lowest point.
Her favorite name for Netanyahu was, “F____ Bibi.”
But it wasn’t just about her hatred of any particular Israeli leader. The same
year that Hillary was yelling herself hoarse at a man who had fought terrorists
on the battlefield, she addressed the American Task Force on Palestine, a
leading terror lobby, and blasted Israel and praised Islamic terrorists.
Hillary told the terror lobby, “I may have been the first person ever associated
with an American administration to call for a Palestinian state.” She praised
Mahmoud Abbas, the PA terror dictator who had boasted, “There is no difference
between our policies and those of Hamas.”
She celebrated Naomi Shihab Nye who had written of the Hamas rocket attacks on
Israeli cities, “Oppression makes people do desperate things.” Echoing her,
Hillary denounced the “indignity of occupation”. A few years later she accused
Israelis of a lack of “empathy” in understanding “the pain of an oppressed
people.”
Perhaps they were too busy mourning their dead to empathize with the terrorists
who were killing them.
But fighting for her political life, Hillary and Huma dug through her closet and
threw on a blue and white pantsuit. Her campaign placed an editorial in the
Forward headlined, “How I Would Reaffirm Unbreakable Bond With Israel — and
Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Probably by yelling “F___ Bibi” at him for another 45 minutes.
When Hillary Clinton promised to reaffirm her “Unbreakable Bond With Israel —
and Benjamin Netanyahu” it was in the pages of The Forward. And, striving to
sell a rotten radical to skeptical Jews, the left-wing paper has decided to run
a piece claiming that “Trump Would Be Israel’s Worst Nightmare”. As if anyone in
Israel goes to bed dreaming of eight years of Hillary.
The Forward shares Hillary’s view of Netanyahu. And it violently loathes Israel.
Its quick costume change from denouncing anything and everything about the
Jewish State to a sudden bout of concern for Israel is as unconvincing as
Hillary Clinton’s southern accent.
Jay Michaelson, the author of the editorial warning us how bad Trump would be
for Israel, followed that up with another piece accusing Israel of being an
apartheid state. During Passover, Michaelson’s seething hatred for the Jewish
State had pushed him to declare, “I’m Seeking Freedom From the Organized Jewish
Community This Passover.”
Should American Jews take their cues on how dangerous Trump would be for Israel
from a guy who hates Israel? Who hates Israel so much that he can’t even stand
the Jewish community?
The Forward, like Hillary, hates Israel. Its pages are dedicated to
rationalizing, justifying and defending the Muslim hatred of Israel and Jews.
There’s Lisa Goldman explaining that the Muslim anti-Semitism displayed at the
Rio Olympics was really a “Jewish persecution complex” that lacked “nuance.”
It’s not an outlier. The Forward’s view of Israel is as hostile and negative as
any white supremacist website.
Or Hillary Clinton’s inbox where the likes of Max Blumenthal regularly made
appearances.
Do the Forward or Hillary Clinton actually care about Israel? All they’re trying
to do is keep the American Jews who don’t believe that Israel is an apartheid
state or that Muslim anti-Semitism is the fault of the Jews on the Democratic
reservation by scaring them with bedtime stories about Trump.
West of Suez for the United
Arab Emirates
Alex Mello and Michael Knights/Wors On The Rocks/September 03/16
http://warontherocks.com/2016/09/west-of-suez-for-the-united-arab-emirates/
Britain militarily withdrew from areas “east of Suez” in 1971, triggering the
Trucial States to form today’s United Arab Emirates. Now, 45 years later, this
Arab country is increasingly focused on projecting military power “west of
Suez.” Events such as the Arab Spring in 2011, Iran’s growing confidence and
escape from nuclear sanctions, plus the rise of the Islamic State have convinced
Emirati leaders to become more activist in managing the risks facing their
federation. Most recently this has resulted in this tiny Gulf nation
establishing its first power projection base outside of the Arabian Peninsula in
the Eritrean port of Assab. Over the last year, this port was built up from
empty desert into a modern airbase, deep-water port, and military training
facility.
The progression of Emirati expeditionary operations is fascinating to retrace.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Emirates sent de-mining forces to Lebanon,
peacekeepers to Somalia, and Apache attack helicopters to the NATO intervention
in Kosovo. In the 2000s, the United Arab Emirates provided fully-armed attack
helicopters to Lebanon and equipped Yemeni government forces with armored
vehicles and weapons to fight the Houthi rebellions in the north of that
country. An Emirati special forces and stabilization force spent 12 years in
Afghanistan as part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
After the 2011 Arab Spring, the United Arab Emirates sent its troops alongside
the Saudi military to stabilize the Bahraini capital of Manama. In parallel with
a domestic crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood elements in the Emirates, their
military intervened in Libya to support nationalist and tribal militias against
the regime of Muammar Qadhafi, Salafi militants, and –most recently – the
Tripoli-based Islamist coalition Libya Dawn. The United Arab Emirates welcomed
the 2013 military coup that evicted the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt
and has since worked to tighten military relations with Cairo, including joint
airstrikes within Libya from Egyptian airbases, naval exercises, and the
provision of U.A.E.-owned IOMAX AT-802U counter-insurgency aircraft to Egypt’s
campaign against the Islamic State in Sinai.
In the Red Sea: Djibouti’s loss, Eritrea’s gain
Next the Emirates turned towards the Horn of Africa and Indian Ocean. This
process was driven by their strident intervention in Yemen, which began when
Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi was ousted from Aden by Houthi rebels
and subsequently requested military intervention citing Article 51 (self-defense)
of the Charter of the United Nations and also the Charter of the Arab League. On
March 26, Saudi Arabia announced the beginning of Operation Decisive Storm, the
pan-Arab military operation to halt the advance of Yemen’s Houthi militia.
Saudi Arabia and the Emirates initially sought to use Djibouti, just across the
Gulf of Aden, to support the liberation of Aden, but a twist of fate intervened.
In late April 2015, an altercation between the chief of the Djibouti Air Force
and Emirati diplomats derailed relations between the two countries. There were
actually fisticuffs after an Emirati aircraft taking part in the Gulf Coalition
operations over Yemen landed without authorization at Djibouti-Ambouli
International Airport. Emirati Vice Consul Ali al-Shihi even took a punch,
setting off a diplomatic spat. The dispute escalated quickly due to pre-existing
tensions concerning a long-running legal dispute over the contract for the
Doraleh Container Terminal, the largest container port in Africa, operated by
Dubai Ports World, the Dubai-based Emirati port operator and one of the biggest
U.A.E. soft-power assets. On May 4, 2015 the United Arab Emirates and Djibouti
formally broke off diplomatic relations. Djibouti evicted Saudi and Emirati
troops from a facility at Haramous adjacent to Camp Lemonnier. This former
French Foreign Legion outpost (used by U.S. Africa Command and Combined Joint
Task Force-Horn of Africa) also had been leased to the Gulf coalition in early
April to support its operations in Yemen.
But Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had an on-hand replacement:
neighboring Eritrea, Djibouti’s regional rival, which boasts rudimentary ports
on the Red Sea just 150 kilometers further north. On April 29, the very day that
Djibouti evicted Gulf troops, Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki met with Saudi
Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdel Aziz and concluded a security and military
partnership agreement with the Gulf states offering basing rights in Eritrea.
High-level delegations from the Gulf Cooperation Council had already met
Eritrean officials that year to discuss using Eritrea as potential base for
operations. This insurance policy paid dividends: potentially crippling
strategic risk in the anti-Houthi campaign – the loss of Djibouti – was overcome
with ease and within days.
Build-up at Assab
As part of the partnership agreement, the United Arab Emirates concluded a
30-year lease agreement for military use of the mothballed deep-water port at
Assab and the nearby hard-surface Assab airfield, with a 3,500-meter runway
capable of landing large transport aircraft including the huge C-17 Globemaster
transports flown by the Emirati air force. The Gulf states agreed to provide a
financial aid package and undertook to modernize Asmara International Airport,
build new infrastructure, and increase fuel supplies to Eritrea.
The early operations at Assab were hasty but effective. On April 13, a CH-47
Chinook carried an eight-man team of Emirati Presidential Guard special
operators and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) into the Little Aden
peninsula, the site of Aden’s refinery and oil storage tanks. These forces
called in airstrikes and naval gunfire missions, enabling forces loyal to
President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and local Aden popular resistance committees to
hang onto two defensive pockets with their backs to the sea. Emirati landing
ships dropped Saudi and Emirati security forces and U.A.E.-trained local
militias mounted into the defensive pockets in May.
The naval lifeline sustained by Assab port and airbase allowed the pro-Hadi
forces to retake Aden in August 2015’s Operation Golden Arrow. Emirati landing
ships and chartered commercial vessels made repeated runs between the new
Emirati naval base at Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman and the bare-bones Assab
port. U.A.E. Air Force C-17s and C-130s were also seen at Asmara International
Airport in the Eritrean capital. By late July 2015, the buildup at Assab
airfield was complete, with the base serving as a logistics support area and
staging hub for the brigade-sized Emirati armored battlegroup that would
spearhead the Aden breakout. This was composed of two squadrons of Leclerc main
battle tanks, a battalion of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, and two batteries
of G6 howitzers. The Emirates also shipped a 1,500-man strike force of U.A.E.-trained
Yemeni troops mounted in U.A.E.-provided armored vehicles after they were
trained and equipped at Assab.
In mid-July 2015, the Emirati battlegroup began landing at the Little Aden oil
terminal. Emirati Al-Futaisi-class landing ships and other landing craft
including the Swift, a former U.S. Navy vessel, made repeated runs between Assab
port and Aden. In October and November 2015, Assab served as the logistics hub
for the deployment of three 450-man Sudanese mechanized battalions to Aden. The
two Sudanese battalions undertook a lengthy route movement from Kassala on the
Sudan-Eritrea border to Assab port and were shuttled across to Aden by U.A.E.
vessels. Assab port also served as the base for the Gulf naval blockade of the
Red Sea ports of Mokha and Hodeida, with several Emirati navy vessels including
new Baynunah-class corvettes and Rmah-class logistics vessels docking at the
port through late 2015 and 2016. Since the offensive against al-Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Hadhramout in April 2016, Assab has also served as a
transshipment hub for Emirati vessels delivering humanitarian aid and
reconstruction materials, including generators and fuel to Mukalla.
A major aerial hub and training base
Significant expansion of Assab airfield has turned the site from an austere
forward operating location into a powerful expeditionary base, the first Emirati
power projection site outside the federation’s homeland. Emirati forces doubled
the airfield’s available tarmac space and built an air traffic control tower and
new hangars.
By early 2016, the airfield was hosting several Apache attack helicopters of the
Emirati Joint Aviation Command as well as Presidential Guards’ Special
Operations Command Chinook, Black Hawk, and Bell 407MRH helicopters conducting
operations over southwest Yemen. In November 2015, AT-802 ground attack
turboprops of the UAE Special Operations Command’s Aviation Group 18 also began
flying strike sorties across the Bab al-Mandeb Strait from Assab. New Yemeni air
corps pilots trained on U.A.E.-donated aircraft at Assab prior to their transfer
to Al-Anad Air Base to the north of Aden in October 2015.
A huge containerized housing and tent city were also built as the base was
developed for Yemeni counterterrorism forces being trained and equipped by the
United Arab Emirates to liberate southern Yemeni cities such as Mukalla held by
AQAP. Units of the Aden counterterrorism force and Hadhramout Tribal
Confederation mobile infantry were flown into Assab to be trained and equipped
by the UAE. The scale and speed of the training effort is impressive: new units
trained using UAE-provided tactical vehicles before being transported back into
Aden for the anti-AQAP offensive that kicked off in May. A mixed battalion-sized
U.A.E. battlegroup remained based at Assab throughout the spring and summer of
2016, allowing U.A.E. troops from the similarly-sized battlegroup engaged in
operations against AQAP in Yemen to rotate to a nearby rest and recuperation
site.
In late 2015, the United Arab Emirates also began constructing new deep-water
port facilities on the coast directly adjacent to Assab airfield, removing the
need for U.A.E. military convoys to transit through Assab city as they travelled
from the airbase to the port ten kilometers to the south. The U.A.E. National
Marine Dredging Company’s dredging vessels began work in late 2015. By May 2016,
a 60,000 square meter square of coastline had been excavated and dredged, and a
700-meter pier built. Emirati forces also extended a security perimeter around
the airfield and port facilities and re-routed the P-6 coastal highway between
Assab and Massawa around the outer perimeter of the base.
The growing Horn of Africa footprint of the United Arab Emirates
Though Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have cooperated in major
security ventures such as the Manama intervention in 2011 and the Yemen war
since 2015, the two leading Gulf Cooperation Council military powers are also
competitors. In terms of population, oil production, and defense spending, Saudi
Arabia is by a considerable margin the larger of the two, but the Emirates are
determined to punch well above their weight. In Yemen, the objectives of the two
Gulf States are slowly diverging, with the Saudis backing Islamist militias
against the Houthis in the north, whilst the United Arab Emirates is focused on
countering AQAP in the south of the country.
In the Horn of Africa region there are signs of competition as well. Saudi
Arabia patched things up with Djibouti by October 2015, with Saudi access
restored to the airfield at Camp Lemonier and with Djibouti receiving
Saudi-donated patrol boats, helicopters, weapons, and ambulances. In March 2016,
discussions were underway between Riyadh and Djibouti for the signing of
comprehensive bilateral security agreement including the return of a long-term
Saudi military base to Djibouti.
The Emirates appear to be adopting a broader-based approach to the Horn of
Africa, East Africa, and Indian Ocean region. Abu Dhabi has long been a generous
benefactor and investor in the Indian Ocean island-states such as the
Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, and the Comoros. In these areas the
large Emirati investment banks and foundations have supported tourism, ports,
and humanitarian projects. The United Arab Emirates is interested in East Africa
also, with natural gas, ports, and food security in mind. To support the
development of a broader Indian Ocean and East Africa policy the United Arab
Emirates is getting drawn into security cooperation relationships with a range
of Horn of Africa states, aiming to reduce instability and the growth of
Islamist militias in the region.
Somalia is a case in point. In early May 2015, the United Arab Emirates expanded
its long-running train and equip partnership with Somalia’s counterterrorism
unit and National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), opening a new U.A.E.-funded
training center in Mogadishu where Emirati special forces operators have trained
several units of Somali commandos. In late May 2015, the Emirates supplied the
Interim Jubba Administration at Kismayo with a batch of RG-31 Mk. V MRAPs and
Toyota Land Cruisers. These were followed in June by a shipment of Reva Mk. III
armored personnel carriers, water tanker trucks, and police motorcycles for the
Somali federal government’s Ministry of Internal Security and Police. In October
2015, the United Arab Emirates pledged to pay the salaries of the Somali federal
government security forces over a four-year period.
The United Arab Emirates has also wooed Somalia’s regional rival, the autonomous
Somaliland region. In May 2016, Dubai Ports World won a 30-year contract to
manage the port of Berbera and expand it into a regional logistics hub, breaking
up Djibouti’s virtual monopoly on Ethiopian freight via the Doraleh Container
Terminal through the joint development by Somaliland and Ethiopia of the Berbera
Corridor as an alternative logistics route. The United Arab Emirates is also
said to be seeking access to the Berbera port and airstrip to support its
operations in Yemen, and may provide Somaliland with a financial aid package and
an Emirati-built military training center.
In Puntland, an autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, the United Arab
Emirates also paid for the Puntland Maritime Police Force to be established in
2010, with anti-piracy training provided by a succession of private security
companies, a cause for some controversy. The PMPF operates bases in Bosaso,
Puntland’s primary port on the Gulf of Aden coast, and Eyl on the Indian Ocean
coast. The PMPF air wing operates three UAE-donated Ayers S2R Thrush aircraft
and an Alouette III helicopter. The UAE also finances and trains the Puntland
Intelligence Agency. When the Gulf Coalition naval blockade sought to interdict
Iranian weapons smuggling to the Houthis, the Emirati investment in Puntland and
Somaliland seems to have paid off, shutting off known Iranian transshipment
points like Bosaso and Berbera.
The UAE’s “west of Suez” moment?
In combination with the development of a closer military relationship with Egypt
and Sudan, the construction of a major decades-spanning power projection base in
Eritrea will give the United Arab Emirates a leading role in the protection of
the Suez and Bab el-Mandab sea-lanes. The United Arab Emirates could begin to
emerge as a powerful actor in the Horn of Africa, East Africa, and western
Indian Ocean. Like prior trading empires from the Portuguese to the Omanis, the
United Arab Emirates is aiming to become an important player up and down
Africa’s eastern seaboard, mixing hard military power with soft-power
approaches.
The development of large and well-armed Yemeni forces at the Assab base also
points to a second way that the United Arab Emirates could become a major
influence on the local balance of power. Within just a few months the United
Arab Emirates trained and equipped a few thousand mobile infantry mounted in
MRAPs and armed with advanced anti-tank weaponry. In many regional conflicts,
battles are regularly won by such compact and cohesive forces backed by external
airpower and special forces. This could have implications for the struggle
against local extremist groups like Al-Shabab, which the United Arab Emirates
may turn its sights on in the future. Other regional conflicts and civil wars
could be influenced by Emirati security cooperation, particularly the Emirates’
ability to gift significant numbers of modern vehicles and weapons to proxy
forces. The United Arab Emirates could begin to play a kingmaker role across the
region.
A final implication could be the strengthening of the Emirati deterrent posture
against Iran. The Yemen intervention was indirectly aimed at Iran, an effort by
the Gulf states to prevent what they view as an Iranian-backed Houthi movement
from taking over Yemen. The Emirati naval and air base at Assab was critical in
blockading the Houthi-held ports on the Red Sea and preventing Iran from
resupplying the rebels. Over the last couple of years there has been a growing
clamor regarding the potential for Iran to develop “blue water” naval
capabilities that might allow Tehran to project military power into the western
Indian Ocean and Red Sea. In fact, it is the UAE that has achieved this first,
creating the base infrastructure to sustain operations by muscular surface
combat platforms like the Baynunah-class corvettes.
In addition to contesting Iranian naval expansion, bases like Assab could
contribute to the United Arab Emirates’ strategic depth in an eventual clash
with Iran, threatened or actual. Whereas the entire Emirati homeland’s littoral
is within the range of Iranian missiles, Assab provides depth that might allow a
reserve force of Emirati surface combatants, aircraft, and even submarines to
remain active and able to interdict Iran’s coastline and shipping during an
extended war.
The Emirates’ track record of involvement in expeditionary operations has been
rather formless in the past, pointing towards the federation’s keenness to
simply “get involved” in different types of operations in many parts of the
Islamic world without necessarily serving any broader strategic roadmap.
Although evolved out of military necessity to support the Yemen war, the
development of Assab might mark the beginning of a more purposeful, considered
phase of Emirati military expansion.
**Alex Mello is lead security analyst at Horizon Client Access, an advisory
service working with the world’s leading energy companies.
**Michael Knights is the Lafer Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East
Policy. He has worked in the Gulf States and Yemen as an advisor to local
security forces and as an analyst of regional conflicts including Yemen’s wars
against the Houthis, southern secessionists and AQAP.