English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese,
Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 20/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/eliasnews21/english.march20.21.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus sighed and said to the deaf man, ‘Ephphatha’, that
is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released,
and he spoke plainly
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark
07/31-37:”Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon
towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him
a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his
hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his
fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to
heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And
immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more
zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He
has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on March 19-20/2021
Elias Bejjani/Visit My LCCC Web site/All That you need to
know on Lebanese unfolding news and events in Arabic and English/http://eliasbejjaninews.com/
St. Joseph’s Annual Day/Elias Bejjani/March 19/2021
MoPH: 3588 new coronavirus cases, 55 deaths
2 Fugitives Killed, Soldier Hurt in Brital Clash
Presidency Press Office: Meeting between Central Bank Governor and President
Aoun's financial advisor was held to address measures to put end to unjustified
rise in exchange rate
President Aoun meets Pontifical Ambassador, former MP Abu Zeid.
UNIFIL Chief Recommits to Peace and Stability in South Lebanon
Money Changers Welcome Measures Announced by Presidency, BDL
Lebanon central bank will intervene in order to control the exchange rate:
President
BDL Allows Banks to Conduct Exchange Transactions to Control Currency
Depreciation
Lebanon to Reopen Restaurants, Gyms, Restaurants, Gambling Centers
Gemayel Backs Rahi’s Initiative, Lashes Out at Nasrallah's 'War' Remarks
Cyprus Urged to Probe Migrant Pushbacks from Lebanon
France Pledges to Push for ‘New Approach’ on Lebanon
Lebanon’s Military Delegation to Border Negotiations Asks Govt for 'Bold
Decision'
Lebanon's Hariri says new cabinet, IMF necessary to halt collapse
Titles For The
Latest
English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on
March 19-20/2021
WHO Experts Renew Backing for AstraZeneca Covid Jab
U.S. Slams Huthi Attack on Saudi Refinery as Bid to 'Disrupt Global Energy
Supplies'
US State Department blasts Houthis for attack on Saudi oil refinery in Riyadh
Missiles, drones targeting Saudi Arabia were all Iranian made or supplied: Al-Jubeir
Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Riyadh Oil Refinery
Senators call on Biden to become first US president to recognize Armenian
Genocide
US President Biden ‘doing fine’ after stumbling up Air Force One: White House
Talks with China were ‘tough and direct,’ senior US official
Tanzania swears in Samia Suluhu as president, country’s first female head of
state
Myanmar security forces kill eight protesters amid calls to end violence
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on March 19-20/2021
Iranian Proxy Attacks on Americans ‘Not Helping Climate in
US’ for Reviving Iran Talks, US Envoy Says/Guita Aryan, Michael Lipin/voanews.com/March
19/2021
The Biden Administration’s Playbook for Lifting Iran-Related Terrorism
Sanctions/Matthew Zweig/FDD/March 19/2021
Iran has not yet recovered from Natanz explosion hit - exclusive/Yona Jeremy
Bob//Jerusalem Post/March 19/2021
How Arabs Discriminate Against Palestinians/Khaled Abu Toameh/ Gatestone
Institute./March 19, 2021
The Pope Triggers Debate in Iranian Circles/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/March
19/2021
The Syrian Revolution and the Question of Defeat/Akram Bunni/Asharq Al-Awsat/March
19/2021
Five Myths About Syria’s Revolution/Robert Ford/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 19/2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on
March 19-20/2021
Elias Bejjani/Visit My LCCC Web site/All That you need to know on Lebanese
unfolding news and events in Arabic and English/http://eliasbejjaninews.com/
St. Joseph’s Annual Dayعيد ما يوسف البتول
Elias Bejjani/March 19/2021
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/73094/elias-bejjani-saint-annual-josephs-day/
The feast day of St. Joseph is celebrated annually on March 19/Our Bejjani
family has proudly carried this name generation after generation for centuries
and still we do. May God and His angles safeguard our caring and loving son
Youssef, and our grandson Joseph, who both carry this blessed name.It is worth
mentioning that St. Joseph’s Day is a Maronite – Roman Catholic feast day that
commemorates the life of St. Joseph, the step-father of Jesus and husband of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
People with very strong religious convictions among which are the Lebanese
Maronites celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on March 19 and believe that this day is
St. Joseph’s birthday too.Back home, in Lebanon St. Joseph is considered the
Family Saint and looked upon as a family and hardworking father role model
because of the great role that Almighty God had assigned him to carry.
His duty was to raise Jesus Christ and take care of Virgin Mary. God has
chose him to look after His begotten son and Virgin Marry.
He fulfilled his Godly assignment with love, passion and devotion.
May Al Mighty God bless all those that carry this name.
MoPH: 3588 new coronavirus cases, 55 deaths
NNA/March 19/2021
3588 new coronavirus cases and 55 deaths have been recorded in Lebanon during
the past 24 hours, as announced by the Ministry of Public Health on Friday.
2 Fugitives Killed, Soldier Hurt in Brital Clash
Naharnet/March 19/2021
A clash Friday in the Baalbek town of Brital left two fugitives dead and a
soldier wounded, the army said. “An army force raided the houses of a number of
fugitives in the town of Brital who are wanted on charges of forming an armed
gang and carrying out a large number of car theft operations, armed robberies,
currency forgery and drug dealing,” an army statement said. An exchange of
gunfire erupted during the raid, which resulted in the death of A.A.T., H.T.
(aka Tarta) and A.Q.T. (aka al-Sabi), and the wounding of a soldier, the
statement said. The fugitive M.Z., who escaped from the prison of Baabda’s
Justice Palace on November 21, was meanwhile arrested, the statement added. “A
quantity of arms, various ammunition and drugs was seized as an investigation
got underway,” the statement said. Media reports had said troops were assisted
by army helicopters during the violent clashes.
Presidency Press Office: Meeting between Central Bank
Governor and President Aoun's financial advisor was held to address measures to
put end to unjustified rise in exchange rate
NNA/March 19/2021
The Presidency Press Office issued the following statement:
“According to the directives of His Excellency the President of the Republic,
General Michel Aoun, and following the financial, security and judicial meeting
that was held in Baabda Palace on Monday, March 8th, today a meeting was held
between the Governor of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salameh, and the advisor of
the President for Financial Affairs, Charbel Qirdahi, to review the measures
taken by the Governor to end the unjustified rise in the exchange rate and the
suspicious speculation on the Lebanese pound. The BDL Governor informed the
President of the Republic that the Central Bank decided to launch work on the
electronic platform, so that all transactions are recorded and become the main
reference for the real market price. The decision of the Central Bank also
includes allowing banks, starting next week, to trade in currencies such as
legitimate money changers and record transactions at the real price on the
platform, provided that the Banking Control Commission monitors the smooth
progress of work. The BDL will intervene to absorb liquidity whenever needed
until the exchange rate is adjusted according to known mechanisms.The President
informed the Governor of the Central Bank, about the need to be strict in order
to curb speculation, clean up the banking sector, and resolve to restore
confidence so that Lebanon will return to a banking base in the region.--
Presidency Press Office
President Aoun meets Pontifical Ambassador, former MP Abu
Zeid.
NNA/March 19/2021
President of the Republic General Michel Aoun discussed the general situation
with the papal ambassador to Lebanon, Monsignor Joseph Spitry, after Pope
Francis's recent visit to Iraq and the impact that the region has left in
general, and his focus on the importance of dialogue between the various
components.
Monsignor Spitrie pointed out that the Holy See "is currently interested to find
a solution to form the government and carry out reforms, without forgetting the
fight against corruption, which Pope Francis has always mentioned, and the
President is convinced of this path to fight corruption”.
On the visit of Pope Francis to Lebanon, Monsignor Spitrie said, "There is no
date yet for this visit. I think you have heard what Pope Francis said, as he is
convinced and he wants to come. We have to prepare the matter”.
Papal Ambassador's statement:
After the meeting, the papal ambassador made the following statement to the
journalists:
“I was honored to meet His Excellency the President of the Republic and we
deliberated the regional situation, especially after the visit of the Holy
Father Pope Francis to Iraq, who gave hope to our Iraqi brothers and sisters,
Christians and other sects. The matter was an example to the entire region. I
hope that it will be with regard to Iraq and Lebanon. We have also witnessed the
importance of Pope Francis’s meeting with Ayatollah Sistani, in addition to his
prayers in Mosul, in the heart of devastation. He responded to the hatred with a
message of peace, solidarity and brotherhood.
I spoke with His Excellency about the importance of dialogue. You will remember
that Pope Francis always stresses, whether in the Human Fraternity Document he
signed in Abu Dhabi or in his various teachings, on dialogue that should be the
basis for all our activities, not only between different religions and their
leaders, but also within the same family and among politicians, especially in
order to reach a solution to form the government. I wished to reach a speedy
solution to this issue. Pope Francis always mentions it, and even the president
of the republic is convinced of the conduct of the anti-corruption course.
We also touched on the Human Academy for meeting and dialogue that was adopted
by the United Nations, and the support of various countries for it. But
unfortunately, because of the pandemic, the matter took place, as well as with
regard to the issue of tourism and spiritual tourism, where there were a lot of
projects. We are looking forward to regaining momentum”.
Questions & Answers
Monsignor Spitrie was then asked whether there was any date for the Pontiff’s
visit to Lebanon, after he announced his promise to make such a visit, on his
way back from Iraq. He replied: "There is no date yet for this visit. I think
you have heard the words of Pope Francis, as he is convinced and wants to come.
We have to prepare the matter. We have spoken about this with the Ambassador of
Lebanon to the Holy See. There may be visits by the Holy See. We are at the
beginning of the matter, and we are more than hopeful, but rather in front of a
decision by Pope Francis”.
He was asked if there is any initiative that the Vatican can take to solve the
Lebanese crisis? He replied: "There are many initiatives so far. We support all
of them, and we seek dialogue with everyone, and with all the main components.
But we cannot talk about an initiative in the sense of the initiative on the
part of the Holy See in this direction”. Concerning the continuation of the aid
that the Holy See recently provided to Lebanon, he replied: “Yes, there is
continuity to it, and I told to His Excellency the President that. And you know
that the Holy See is not like the great countries, but we have sent many aids
last year, especially after the explosion of the Port of Beirut. We thank God
that we received more aid that we distributed. We are witnessing the
reconstruction of hospitals that serve everyone, in addition to helping schools
and citizens. And now we are thinking about sending medicines slowly, slowly,
because there is a terrible shortage. You certainly know the amount of aid
provided by Caritas and the various Catholic organizations in Lebanon, in the
service of all the Lebanese”.
Former MP Amal Abu Zeid: The President also received his advisor for Russian
Affairs, former MP Amal Abu Zeid, and Miss Maral Najarian, who thanked him for
the role he played in bringing her safely back to Lebanon, after she was
detained in Azerbaijan during the war that broke out between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. She explained that her detention took place while she was in the
Armenian town of Shusha with her family members, expressing her great gratitude
for President Aoun's intervention to release her after Abu Zeid was assigned to
follow up her case with officials in Russia.
She also pointed out that President Aoun's efforts are continuing to release her
fiancé, Vikan al-Jakshian, who was detained with her, expressing her hope that
he will be released soon.-- Presidency Press Office
UNIFIL Chief Recommits to Peace and Stability in South Lebanon
Naharnet/March 19/2021
Marking the 43rd anniversary of UNIFIL’s establishment, Head of Mission and
Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col reiterated that UNIFIL remains “as
committed as ever to peace and stability in south Lebanon.”Speaking during a
pared-down, COVID-compliant ceremony in the Mission headquarters in Naqoura, Del
Col confirmed that despite new and evolving challenges, including the
unprecedented combination of socio-economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic
emergency, UNIFIL continued to deliver on all aspects of its mandate. “Our
essential duties have never stopped,” he told the ceremony, attended by UNIFIL
personnel as well as representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and
local mayors. “We are here for as long as it takes.”Moving on to the situation along the 120-kilometer Blue Line, the UNIFIL head
noted that U.N. peacekeepers have been able to work with the parties to resolve
incidents before they could escalate into conflict. He also called for the
parties’ constructive engagements in completing the visible marking of the Line.
“As always, we will work towards our goal of a cessation of hostilities and a
sustainable peace in south Lebanon. An important and practical part of this is
to complete the marking of the Blue Line,” he continued. “Marking the remaining
parts of the Blue Line will help avoid accidental and unnecessary provocations
that could escalate into conflict.”The marking of the Blue Line, established by the U.N. in 2000, started seven
years later. So far, 272 markers have been installed, showing the precise path
of the Line.
“In the past, both sides have set aside their very real differences to engage
constructively on this issue,” the UNIFIL statement said, referring to Israel
and Lebanon. “It is now time to finish the job,” said Major General Del Col.
“I’m calling on both parties to re-engage on marking the Blue Line, building on
that past success and the recent framework agreement.”During the ceremony, the UNIFIL Force Commander also paid tribute to the 321
peacekeeping colleagues who lost their lives on duty, serving the cause of peace
in south Lebanon since 1978. Also today, a total of 28 peacekeepers were awarded
U.N. medals for their service in furthering peace in south Lebanon.
Money Changers Welcome Measures Announced by Presidency, BDL
Naharnet/March 19/2021
The Syndicate of Money Changers in Lebanon on Friday welcomed measures announced
by the Presidency and the central bank to rein in the dramatic fluctuations in
the dollar exchange rate on the black market.In a statement, the Syndicate said the move to return the currency exchange
operations to “legitimate money changers” and to act against “the ghosts of the
black market” will contribute to “stabilizing the dollar exchange rate after the
confusion that affected all commercial sectors and aggrieved citizens.”The
Syndicate added that the central banks’ electronic platform will become “the
official source for the real dollar exchange rate and will replace the
suspicious applications and their oriented exchange rates that controlled the
markets and the lives of citizens.”The Lebanese pound has lost around 90 percent
of its value against the dollar on the black market in 18 months of crisis.
While the currency remains officially pegged to the greenback at 1,507 Lebanese
pounds, the exchange rate has shot up to around 15,000 on the black market
before going down to around 11,000 in recent days.
Lebanon central bank will intervene in order to control the
exchange rate: President
Reuters/19 March ,2021
Lebanon’s central bank will allow banks to conduct currency transactions similar
to exchange dealers and will step in to rein in the pound/dollar rate, the
presidency said on Friday. Sharp new falls in the Lebanese pound, which has lost
90 percent of its value, have fueled unrest in recent weeks.
“As of next week, banks will be allowed to deal with currencies like legitimate
exchange dealers...via the (central bank’s electronic) platform,” a spokesman
for President Michel Aoun said after his adviser met Central Bank Governor Riad
Salameh.
BDL Allows Banks to Conduct Exchange Transactions to Control Currency
Depreciation
Naharnet/March 19/2021
The Central Bank of Lebanon announced on Friday that it will allow local banks
to conduct currency transactions similar to money exchange shops and will step
in to control the uncontrollable exchange rate of the dollar, the presidency
announced. “Starting next week, the Central Bank of Lebanon will allow local
banks to conduct exchange transactions similar to legal exchange dealers and
will record the transactions on the electronic platform of BDL,” political
advisor at Baabda Presidential Palace announced in a statement. The statement
came after a meeting between President Michel Aoun and BDL Governor Riad Salameh
at Presidential Palace in Baabda.
Salameh had informed Aoun that the Central Bank will launch an electronic
platform to record all exchange transactions. The platform will be the main
reference for the market price he said. The Lebanese pound has lost around 90
percent of its value against the dollar on the black market in 18 months of
crisis. While the currency remains officially pegged to the greenback at 1,507
Lebanese pounds, the exchange rate has shot up to around 15,000 on the black
market.
Lebanon to Reopen Restaurants, Gyms, Restaurants, Gambling Centers
Naharnet/March 19/2021
Lebanon will on Monday begin the fourth phase of its reopening plan following a
strict coronavirus lockdown aimed at curbing soaring cases.
A statement issued by the government-affiliated Disaster Risk Management Unit
said restaurants, gyms, nurseries and gambling centers will be allowed to
operate from 6:00 AM till 7:00 PM while the Casino du Liban will open around the
clock. A nighttime curfew will meanwhile remain in place from 8:00 PM till 5:00
AM while all businesses and shops will be allowed to operate until 7:00 pm. Pubs
and nightclubs will remain closed until further notice while all social and
religious gatherings including weddings and memorial services will remain
banned. Banks and factories will meanwhile be allowed to operate with 100% of
their employees and workers.
The caretaker Education Minister, Tarek al-Majzoub, meanwhile announced that all
educational institutions will remain closed during this period and will only
offer online classes.
Gemayel Backs Rahi’s Initiative, Lashes Out at Nasrallah's 'War' Remarks
Naharnet/March 19/2021
Kataeb Party chief resigned MP Sami Gemayel on Friday reiterated support for the
calls of Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi, and lashed out at Hizbullah leader
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallagh telling him “no one wants war except you.”“The steadfastness of the Lebanese people today is a heroic act that is faced
with complete indifference from a political class with zero compassion,” said
Gemayel after meeting the Patriarch in Bkirki.
"What kind of government do we expect them to form, when discussions for such a
formation happened in that manner? How will the cabinet be managed while they
quarrel over quotas? What will its program be?" he asked. Gemayel stressed that
early elections are a solution to many of Lebanon’s problems, noting that we
would have reached a solution by now if we had the elections held last summer.
“The solution is to have the existing system removed and to hold parliamentary
elections as soon as possible, because under the existing leaders and the
current parliament, we will be governed by the same logic and approach, amid
utter irresponsibility towards the people," he said.
Pointing out that "had the parliamentary elections taken place a year ago, we
would have been somewhere else today. We would have had hope for real change."
Announcing his support for Rahi's initiative, the Kataeb leader said: "We must
work to liberate the Lebanese by moving on with his initiative." "[Foreign]
states also carry a responsibility towards Lebanon, because the problem is not
only internal but also external," he asserted.
Responding to the latest statement by Nasrallah, Gemayel said: "There may be no
other Lebanese but you who wants civil war in Lebanon. Do not threaten us with
war."On Thursday, Nasrallah urged the Lebanese not to “go to civil war and
internal strife.”“I'm not saying this for intimidation; some are seeking a civil
war in Lebanon… Some foreign forces and internal parties are pushing for civil
war and I'm saying this based on information,” he said.
Cyprus Urged to Probe Migrant Pushbacks from Lebanon
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 19/2021
Europe's top human rights body has urged Cyprus to investigate allegations of
ill-treatment of migrants arriving by boat from Lebanon last September, but
Nicosia insisted it had respected the law. The Council of Europe's human rights
commissioner, Dunja Mijatovic, sent a letter to Cypriot Interior Minister Nicos
Nouris, in which she also raised concerns about poor reception facility
conditions. Mijatovic said she received reports "indicating that boats carrying
migrants, including persons who may be in need of international protection, have
been prevented from disembarking in Cyprus, and summarily returned, sometimes
violently."Mijatovic's letter, dated March 10, was released Thursday by the
Council of Europe, along with Nouris' March 16 reply. Nouris said Nicosia had
respected European Union and international law, and that an agreement was
negotiated with Lebanon to send back its citizens trying to arrive by boat.
Cyprus lies just 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Lebanon, a country mired in
political and economic crises. Last September, Lebanon was reeling from a
massive August 4 blast in Beirut's port, which left swathes of the capital in
ruins. "I urge the Cypriot authorities to ensure that independent and effective
investigations are carried out into allegations of pushbacks and ill-treatment
by members of security forces," Mijatovic added. She acknowledged that sea
crossings and arrivals pose considerable challenges for Cyprus, exacerbated by
the Covid-19 pandemic, but said human rights obligations must be "respected."
Conditions in reception facilities "raise a number of concerns", Mijatovic said,
such as "overcrowding, lack of hygiene, and difficulties in accessing health,
social and asylum services."According to AFP, Nouris said that in September 2020
it was agreed that six out of the 10 vessels carrying Lebanese nationals should
return. "Cyprus authorities prevented the irregular entry of Lebanese migrants
that did not request international protection, and managed to return them with
safety to Lebanon," his reply read. Some 24 Lebanese nationals disembarked to
apply for international protection, but 210 others detected at sea were returned
home, since they had stated their destination was not Cyprus but Italy, Nouris
said. Nicosia argues that Cyprus is on the EU's frontline for managing migration
and asylum from the eastern Mediterranean. In the past four years, the number of
asylum seekers in Cyprus has reached four percent of the country's population,
compared to one percent in other EU states, said Nouris. As the EU's most
south-easterly member state, the island has the highest per capita number of
first-time asylum claims in the 27-member bloc, according to the Eurostat
statistics agency.
France Pledges to Push for ‘New Approach’ on Lebanon
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 19/2021
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he would push for a new
approach in the coming weeks on Lebanon as the country's rival politicians had
made no progress over the last seven months to resolve the economic and
political crisis. "The time of the test of responsibility is coming to an end,”
Macron said. “There will be a need in the coming weeks, in a very clear manner,
a change in approach.” “We can't leave the Lebanese people since last August in
the situation in which they are," Macron added. He gave no other details. Paris
has spearheaded international efforts to rescue Lebanon from its crisis, but has
failed so far to persuade squabbling politicians to adopt a reform roadmap and
form a new government to unlock international aid. Prime Minister Hassan Diab's
government resigned following the devastating Aug. 4 Beirut port explosion.
Protests have grown since the currency hit new lows, deepening public anger over
Lebanon's financial collapse. A French diplomat said on Wednesday that
international partners would seek to increase pressure on Lebanon's politicians
in the coming months, although sanctions against individuals in the immediate
term were not being envisaged.
Lebanon’s Military Delegation to Border Negotiations Asks
Govt for 'Bold Decision'
Beirut - Nazir Rida/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 19/2021
The Lebanese delegation negotiating the demarcation of maritime border with
Israel said it would resume the talks only if the Lebanese authorities amended a
decree submitted to the United Nations in 2010 to include the new demands by
Lebanon. The head of the negotiating team, Brigadier General Pilot Bassam Yassin,
said: “We need strong politicians, and we will take care of attaining our
rights.”“The military go to battle to win it. Negotiations are like war,” he
added. Talks over the demarcation of the maritime borders between Lebanon and
Israel stopped following four sessions, after the two negotiating teams
reportedly raised the ceilings of their demands. During the second session, the
Lebanese delegation submitted maps showing that the disputed area extended over
2,290 square kilometers - according to what is known as the border line 29 – and
not the previously stated 860 square kilometers. These maps cut off part of the
Karish oil field currently explored by Israel. The negotiating delegation is now
calling on the Lebanese authorities to deposit the new updates before the United
Nations, its four members said in a seminar held at the Arab Open University on
Thursday. “There is no reason preventing the political authority from taking a
bold stance, achieving the interests of its people and protecting its future,”
Yassin emphasized. This is the first clash of its kind between the negotiating
team and the political authority. “We need strong politicians to sign the
decree, and we will take care of getting [Lebanon’s] right,” Yassin said in
response to a question. He noted that since the start of the negotiations, the
Lebanese Army has asked President Michel Aoun that the talks be direct and the
government submit an amended decree to the UN. “If the new decree is not issued,
we will not return to the negotiations,” Yassin asserted.
Lebanon's Hariri says new cabinet, IMF necessary to halt collapse
Maha El Dahan/BEIRUT (Reuters)/March 19/2021
Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said on Thursday after a
meeting with President Michel Aoun that forming a government that could
re-engage with the IMF was the only way to halt the country’s financial
collapse. The meeting took place after a heated exchange on Wednesday night
between the two politicians, who have been at loggerheads for months over
cabinet formation.
Aoun, in a televised speech, asked Hariri to form a new government immediately
or make way for someone else. Hariri hit back by telling him that if he could
not approve his cabinet line-up then he should call an election. On Thursday,
Hariri’s tone was more positive after saying a further meeting was scheduled for
Monday and that he saw “an opportunity to be seized”. “The main priority of any
government is to prevent the collapse that we are facing today... that we
proceed to start halting the collapse with the IMF and regain the trust of the
international community,” he told reporters.
Lebanon’s talks with the IMF stalled last year over a row among government
officials, bankers and political parties over vast financial losses.
The Lebanese pound has sunk by 90% in the country’s worst crisis since the
1975-1990 civil war. It has plunged many into poverty and endangered imports as
dollars grow scarce. Politicians have since late 2019 failed to agree a rescue
plan to unlock foreign cash which Lebanon desperately needs. In Paris, French
President Emmanuel Macron said he would push for a new approach in the coming
weeks as Lebanon’s main actors had made no progress to resolve the crisis.
“We are really looking at the abyss, seeing it very clearly, and I think it’s
either now or never,” Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle East Center said,
alluding to the urgency of forming a new government able to make reforms.He
added that major political parties, including Aoun’s ally, the Iran-backed
Hezbollah movement, were re-evaluating their positions as delays worsen the
economy’s free-fall and unrest grows.
STRIKES AND CLOSURES
The currency has crashed so fast in recent weeks, losing a third of its value,
that grocery shops closed on Wednesday and bakeries cautioned they may have to
follow suit.Many pharmacies shut their doors on Thursday and flashed neon strike
signs, the latest sector of the economy to voice frustration.
Ali Obaid, a Beirut pharmacist, said he could no longer keep up with expenses.
“Pharmacies will close permanently if this continues,” he said.
Comments that subsidies - including on fuel, wheat and medicine - may soon end
have also triggered panic buying.
Cars lined up outside gas stations earlier this week, and scenes of brawls over
subsidised goods at supermarkets have heightened fears among Lebanese over their
most basic needs.
The sharp descent of the pound sent protesters into the streets this month,
blocking roads in anger at an entrenched political elite that has dominated
since the civil war.Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Laila Bassam in Beirut, Ellen Francis in Dubai
with additional reporting by Samia Nakhoul, Imad Creidi and Mohamed Azakir;
Editing by Mark Heinrich and Angus MacSwan
The
Latest
English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on
March 19-20/2021
WHO Experts Renew Backing for AstraZeneca Covid Jab
Agence France Presse/March 19/2021
The World Health Organization's vaccine safety experts gave renewed backing to
the AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab on Friday, having reviewed safety data related to
potential blood clotting.
The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety said the AstraZeneca jab
"continues to have a positive benefit-risk profile, with tremendous potential to
prevent infections and reduce deaths across the world.""The available data do
not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions such as deep venous
thrombosis or pulmonary embolism following administration of Covid-19 vaccines,"
the committee said in a statement.
U.S. Slams Huthi Attack on Saudi Refinery as Bid to 'Disrupt Global Energy
Supplies'
Agence France Presse/March 19/2021
The United States on Friday condemned the drone strike on a Saudi oil refinery
claimed by Yemen's Huthi rebels, calling it an attempt to "disrupt global energy
supplies.""We strongly condemn today's drone attacks against Saudi Aramco
facilities," State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters of
the dawn attack, the second major assault this month on Saudi energy
installations. "We condemn the Huthis' attempts to disrupt global energy
supplies by targeting Saudi infrastructure," Porter added, saying the United
States is "deeply concerned by the frequency of attacks on Saudi Arabia.""This
behavior shows an utter lack of concern for the safety of the civilian
population either working or living near the sites," she said of the incident,
which highlighted a dangerous escalation of Yemen's six-year conflict between
the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Iran-linked Huthis.
US State Department blasts Houthis for attack on Saudi oil
refinery in Riyadh
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/19 March ,2021
The United States Friday condemned the latest Houthi attack, which targeted an
oil refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and caused a fire. The Iran-backed Houthis
have escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia since US President Joe Biden took
office and revoked the terror designation against the Yemeni group. Biden also
removed three senior Houthi officials from the Specially Designated Global
Terrorist (SDGT) list.“We have seen that the Houthis claimed responsibility for
these attacks and condemn the Houthis’ attempts to disrupt global energy
supplies by targeting Saudi infrastructure,” a State Department official told
reporters during a phone briefing. Such attacks demonstrate a an utter lack of
concern for safety of the civilians that work and live near the oil refineries,
Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter. “We remain deeply concerned by the frequency
of attacks on Saudi Arabia,” Porter added. The Houthis have escalated their
attacks on Saudi Arabia since US President Joe Biden took office and revoked the
terror designation against the Yemeni group. Biden also removed three senior
Houthi officials from the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list.
Missiles, drones targeting Saudi Arabia were all Iranian
made or supplied: Al-Jubeir
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/19 March ,2021
Attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks had links to Iran as they were carried
out using Iranian-made or Iranian-supplied weapons, a senior Saudi official said
Friday. “All of the missiles and drones that came into Saudi are Iranian
manufactured or Iranian supplied,” Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel
Al-Jubeir said in an interview. “Several of them, as we’ve said, came from the
north; several came from the sea,” he told Arab News, referring to the attacks
on Saudi Aramco facilities. The Iran-backed Houthis continue to launch
bomb-laden drones and ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia on an almost daily
basis. And despite US condemnations of the attacks, the Biden administration
pushed ahead with revoking the terrorist designation of the Yemeni group days
after President Joe Biden took office. Washington and other aid groups claimed
that the designation would make it difficult for humanitarian aid to flow
through the country. According to US and UN officials, Yemen is home to one of
the largest humanitarian catastrophes in the world. Biden also lifted the
Specially Designated Globally Terrorist (SDGT) listing of Yemen’s leader and two
other senior officials. But Al-Jubeir said the terrorist designation did not and
would not have stopped aid to the country. He said Saudi Arabia made this “very
clear” to European and American allies, as well as the United Nations. The Saudi
official went on to provide examples of countries that are home to terrorist
organizations, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Afghanistan’s Taliban, ISIS in Syria
and Al-Shabab in Somalia. This doesn’t stop aid from getting to the countries,
he said. The Houthis are the problem, Al-Jubeir insisted, saying they steal
foreign aid and sell it to “finance their war machine.”Al-Jubeir added: “They
induct young boys — 9, 10, 11 years of age — and put them on the battlefield,
which is against international law and a sever
Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Riyadh Oil Refinery
Agence France Presse/March 19/2021
A drone attack early Friday sparked a fire at a Riyadh oil refinery, the Saudi
energy ministry said, in an assault claimed by Yemen's Huthi rebels.
"The Riyadh oil refinery was attacked by drones, resulting in a fire that has
been brought under control," the ministry said in a statement, adding that no
casualties were reported and oil supplies were not disrupted.
The rebels claimed to have targeted energy giant Saudi Aramco in Riyadh on
Friday with six drones.
Senators call on Biden to become first US president to
recognize Armenian Genocide
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya/19 March ,2021
More than 35 US senators Friday called on President Joe Biden to become the
first American president to recognize the Armenian Genocide carried out by the
Ottoman Empire. “Administrations of both parties have been silent on the truth
of the Armenian Genocide. We urge you to break this pattern of complicity by
officially recognizing that the Armenian Genocide was a genocide,” a group of
Republican and Democratic senators said in a letter addressed to Biden. Between
1915 and 1923, Turkish authorities murdered 1.5 million Armenians and forced
hundreds of thousands more to flee. The Ottoman Empire at the time carried out
ethnic cleansing. Turkey claims that those killed were far less than the number
Armenia has given, and they continue to deny that there was a systemic effort to
exterminate the Armenian population.In 2019, the Senate passed a resolution by
Senator Bob Menendez after Congress did the same to recognize the Genocide. But
former President Donald Trump, like his predecessors, refused to sign and
recognize the Armenian Genocide. Former US presidents have argued behind closed
doors that recognizing the Armenian Genocide would significantly damage
relations with its NATO ally, Turkey. But Biden claimed just last year that he
would support a bill to recognize the Genocide. “In the past you have recognized
the Armenian Genocide as genocide, including in your Armenian Genocide
Remembrance Day statement during the 2020 campaign. We call on you to do so
again as President to make clear that the US government recognizes this terrible
truth,” the letter to Biden read. US Ambassador to Turkey Henry Morgenthau
stepped down from his post in 1916 because of the Genocide. He later said his
failure to stop the destruction of the Armenians made “Turkey for me a place of
horror.”
US President Biden ‘doing fine’ after stumbling up Air
Force One: White House
Joseph Haboush & Ismaeel Naar, Al Arabiya English/19 March ,2021
US President Joe Biden stumbled twice before falling on the steps while boarding
Air Force One on Friday, but White House officials said he was “just great.”“He
is doing fine. He is doing just great,” Deputy Press Secretary Karine
Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Biden, 78, stumbled once as he was boarding the presidential airplane. In his
trademark jog up the steps, Biden appeared to trip twice before stumbling to the
ground. He quickly regained his balance and marched up the stairs before turning
to salute and board. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are heading to
Atlanta, where they are expected to meet with members of the Asian-American
community following a deadly shooting earlier in the week. The president
recently fractured his foot while playing with one of his dogs. White House
Communications Director Kate Bedingfield later tweeted that Biden “did not even
require any attention from the medical team” after his fall. Nothing more than a
misstep on the stairs,” she said. Other White House officials said the wind was
so strong while boarding the aircraft that they had difficulty walking up the
stairs.
Talks with China were ‘tough and direct,’ senior US
official
AFP/19 March ,2021
The first talks between President Joe Biden’s administration and China were
“tough and direct” but found some areas where the rival superpowers’ interests
coincide, US diplomats said Friday after their meetings ended. The broad-based
talks opened with fireworks Friday as the top diplomats from both sides
castigated the other for aggressive actions that were disruptive to global
stability. After three sessions Thursday and early Friday, US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said the American side was candid about its concerns over
Beijing’s behavior toward Hong Kong and Taiwan and its actions in cyberspace.
The Chinese side was defensive as expected, he said. “But we were also able to
have a very candid conversation over these many hours on an expansive agenda,”
said Blinken. “On Iran, on North Korea. On Afghanistan on climate, our interests
intersect.”The talks, two months into the administration of US President Joe
Biden, were set up as an exchange of views, and no agreements of pacts were
expected. “We expected to have tough and direct talks on a wide range of issues,
and that’s exactly what he had,” said White House National Security Advisor Jake
Sullivan. “We are clear-eyed coming out, and we will go back to Washington to
take stock of where we are,” he said. “We’ll continue to consult with allies and
partners on the way forward.” Top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi said the talks
were ‘candid, constructive, helpful’ after the two-day meeting in Anchorage,
Alaska, according to Chinese state media Xinhua.
Tanzania swears in Samia Suluhu as president, country’s
first female head of state
Reuters/19 March ,2021
Tanzania’s Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan was sworn in as president on
Friday, becoming the first female head of state in the east African country
following the death of president John Magufuli. Hassan, 61, was sworn in at
State House in the country’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam. She assumes the
presidency following Wednesday’s announcement of the death of Magufuli, after a
more than a two-week absence from public life that drew speculation about his
health. In a statement, the presidency said Hassan would address the nation
after being sworn in and would also hold a cabinet meeting. The absence of
Magufuli, Africa’s most vehement COVID-19 skeptic, since Feb. 27 had fuelled
speculation about his health and sparked rumors he had contracted the disease,
although officials had denied he was ill. Hassan said he had died of heart
disease.
Described as a soft-spoken consensus-builder, Hassan will also be the country’s
first president born in Zanzibar, the archipelago that forms part of the union
of the Republic of Tanzania. Her leadership style is seen as a potential
contrast from Magufuli, a brash populist who earned the nickname ‘Bulldozer’ for
muscling through policies and who drew criticism for his intolerance of dissent,
which his government denied.
Myanmar security forces kill eight protesters amid calls to
end violence
Reuters/19 March ,2021
Myanmar security forces shot dead eight opponents of a Feb. 1 coup on Friday, a
funeral services provider said, as Indonesia sought an end to the violence and
urged that democracy be restored, in an unusually blunt call from a neighbor.
Ousted lawmakers explored whether the International Criminal Court (ICC) can
investigate crimes against humanity since the coup, while authorities arrested
two more journalists, including a BBC reporter, media said. Military and police
have used increasingly violent tactics to suppress demonstrations by supporters
of detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but that has not put off the
protests, with crowds turning out again in several towns. Security forces used
teargas to disperse protesters in the central town of Aungban and later opened
fire in a confrontation as they tried to clear a protesters’ barricade, media
and a witness reported. “Security forces came to remove barriers but the people
resisted and they fired shots,” one witness, who declined to be identified, said
from the town by telephone. An official with Aungban’s funerary service, who
declined to be identified, told Reuters eight people were killed, seven on the
spot and one who was wounded and died after being taken to hospital in the
nearby town of Kalaw. The spokesman for the junta was not immediately available
for comment but has said security forces have used force only when necessary.
Critics have derided that explanation. The total number killed in weeks of
unrest has risen to at least 232, according to the latest report and a tally by
the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. Police in the
main city of Yangon forced people to clear protesters’ barricades, residents
said, while demonstrators were also out in the second city of Mandalay, the
central towns of Myingyan and Katha, and Myawaddy in the east, witnesses and
media reported. Western countries have condemned the coup and called for an end
to the violence and for Suu Kyi’s release. Asian neighbors, led by Indonesia,
have offered to help find a solution but a March 3 regional meeting failed to
make headway. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has
long held to the principle of not commenting on each other’s internal affairs
but there are growing signs the Myanmar crisis is forcing a reassessment.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo called in a speech for democracy to be restored
and violence to end and for Southeast Asian leaders to meet to discuss the
situation. “Indonesia urges that the use of violence in Myanmar be stopped
immediately so that there are no more victims,” Jokowi, as he is affectionately
known, said in a virtual address.“The safety and welfare of the people must be
the top priority. Indonesia also urges dialog, that reconciliation is carried
out immediately to restore democracy, to restore peace and to restore
stability.”
The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on March 19-20/2021
Iranian Proxy Attacks on Americans ‘Not Helping Climate in
US’ for Reviving Iran Talks, US Envoy Says
Guita Aryan, Michael Lipin/voanews.com/March 19/2021
WASHINGTON - U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley has indicated that recent
attacks by Iranian proxies on U.S. forces in Iraq are making it tougher for the
Biden administration to build domestic support for its new diplomatic initiative
to resolve U.S.-Iran tensions.
U.S. troops and bases in Iraq have come under rocket attack several times since
last month, causing multiple casualties, including the death of an American
civilian contractor and wounding of a U.S. military service member.
U.S. forces responded to the first of the attacks, on an airbase housing U.S.
troops in the city of Irbil on Feb. 15, by striking Iran-backed militants in
eastern Syria 10 days later. U.S. news site Politico cited unnamed U.S. defense
officials as saying they suspected an Iranian proxy militia also was responsible
for a March 3 rocket attack on western Iraq’s Al-Asad airbase that also houses
American forces.
In a Wednesday interview with VOA Persian at the State Department, his first
with VOA since taking office in January, Malley was asked whether he thought the
attacks were part of an Iranian campaign to pressure President Joe Biden into
easing sanctions imposed on Tehran by the previous administration of Donald
Trump.
“It's not really helping the climate in the U.S. to have Iranian allies take
shots at Americans in Iraq or elsewhere, and the U.S. will respond as it has
responded and it will continue to respond,” Malley said.
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Biden campaigned on a pledge to revive diplomacy with Iran and ease Trump’s
sanctions if it resumes full compliance with a 2015 deal known as the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action. Under the deal, Tehran promised world powers to
curb its nuclear activities that could be weaponized in return for relief from
international sanctions.
Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, saying it did not do enough to stop
objectionable Iranian behavior, and unilaterally tightened U.S. sanctions aimed
at achieving that goal. Iran retaliated a year later by starting to violate the
deal’s nuclear curbs, reducing the amount of time it would need to develop
nuclear weapons to what U.S. officials have said is several months. Tehran has
long denied seeking to weaponize what it calls a civilian nuclear program.
Biden, who was inaugurated in January, faced calls last week from both
opposition Republicans and his fellow Democrats in the U.S. Congress to take a
tougher approach toward Iran. Referring to what they said were “escalating
attacks on U.S. and coalition personnel in Iraq” and Iran’s recent JCPOA
violations, the 12 Democrat and 12 Republican members of the House of
Representatives wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying the Biden
administration “should make use of existing leverage to sharpen the choices
available to Tehran.”
Speaking to VOA, Malley reiterated the administration’s desire for talks with
Iran about returning the U.S. to compliance with the JCPOA if Iran does the same
and expressed hope that would happen soon. He suggested recent actions by Iran
and its proxies are not helping the U.S. diplomatic initiative to move faster.
“If ... these are [Iranian] tactics aimed at speeding things up, it's hard to
see how that is going to work,” Malley said.
In a separate interview with BBC Persian on Wednesday, Malley said that if Iran
does not want to enter into direct talks with the U.S., the two sides could
negotiate through a third party.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an interview with Politico
published Wednesday, reiterated Tehran’s promise to resume compliance with the
JCPOA “immediately” only if the U.S. first takes steps to ease the sanctions. He
also warned that if Washington continues to demand that Tehran make the first
move, Iran will take unspecified “new steps” away from the nuclear deal.
The Biden administration has said any U.S. return to the JCPOA would be followed
by negotiations aimed at strengthening the nuclear deal to resolve U.S. concerns
about Iran’s other activities, including its missile program and support for
Islamist militants engaged in long-running conflicts with the U.S. and its
regional allies. U.S. officials have not specified how they would persuade Iran
to enter such negotiations and what kind of new deal would be produced.
“The JCPOA has shown that it is fragile, and we believe it can be strengthened
with a follow-on deal. And we will press Iran and try to convince Iran that it's
in their interest as well to get a follow-on deal,” Malley said. “Of course,
Iran will have issues that it will want to bring to the table,” he acknowledged.
Zarif, speaking to Politico, said Iran will consider discussing nonnuclear
issues if the U.S. “passes the test” of JCPOA compliance.
“But the United States miserably failed, not only during the Trump
administration but even during the past two months of the Biden administration,”
he said.
The top Iranian diplomat also expressed doubt that the U.S. would be prepared to
discuss issues such as U.S. arms sales to Iran’s regional rivals.
“Are the U.S. and its Western allies prepared to stop that? That’s a very
lucrative market and I don’t think President Biden wants to do that,” Zarif
said. In January, the Biden administration announced a freeze on Trump-approved
U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia and a review of those the former president
approved for the United Arab Emirates.
U.S. officials told national media that the arms sales reviews were not unusual
for a new administration and said many of the transactions are likely to go
forward eventually.
This article originated in VOA’s Persian Service.
The Biden Administration’s Playbook for Lifting Iran-Related Terrorism Sanctions
Matthew Zweig/FDD/March 19/2021
In his confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that
lifting terrorism sanctions on Iran would not advance U.S. national security
interests. Weeks later, however, the Biden administration established the
blueprint for doing so, by weakening and then rescinding terrorism sanctions
against the Iranian-supported Houthi group, officially known as Ansar Allah, and
its leadership.
On January 10, 2021, the Trump administration announced it had designated Ansar
Allah as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated
Global Terrorist (SDGT). Then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo noted that if Ansar
Allah “did not behave like a terrorist organization, we would not designate it
as an FTO and SDGT.” Pompeo proceeded to cite Ansar Allah’s targeting of
civilian infrastructure, ties to the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),
and seizure and imprisonment of U.S. nationals.
An FTO designation institutes a visa ban, allows U.S. banks to block the assets
of the designated organization, and establishes the broad extraterritorial
application of criminal prohibitions on any U.S. person who provides the FTO
with material support. The SDGT authority enables the United States to target
terrorist financiers who access the U.S. financial system. In 2019, the SDGT
measures were strengthened and expanded by the Trump administration to include
secondary sanctions on individuals or entities, including businesses, that allow
SDGTs to use their services.
By contrast, Yemen-related sanctions under Executive Order (E.O.) 13611, which
President Barack Obama signed in 2012, contain fewer effective measures to
target those providing Ansar Allah with financial and material support. The
executive order authorized sanctions against Ansar Allah’s leadership but does
not impose the same extensive secondary sanctions. Indeed, the Trump
administration’s primary aim in designating Ansar Allah as an FTO and SDGT was
to increase the risk for Ansar Allah’s foreign facilitators beyond the
restrictions in E.O. 13611.
On January 25, 2021, the Biden administration issued a general license allowing
companies to conduct a wide array of business with Ansar Allah. Nearly one month
later, the administration lifted the FTO and SDGT designations on Ansar Allah in
their entirety. Blinken stated that while the conduct leading to Ansar Allah’s
terrorism designations has not changed, the decision to delist the group is “a
recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.”
While Yemen’s humanitarian challenges are dire, Washington has mechanisms to
mitigate the humanitarian impact of these designations, such as general and
specific licenses that the Treasury Department can issue. Additionally, the
State Department can approve transactions that keep aid flowing into vulnerable
areas, using mechanisms similar to those employed in areas controlled by the
Islamic State in Syria.
Blinken’s announcement of Ansar Allah’s delisting noted that its leaders “remain
sanctioned under E.O. 13611 related to acts that threaten the peace, security,
or stability of Yemen. We will continue to closely monitor the activities of [Ansar
Allah] and its leaders and are actively identifying additional targets for
designation, especially those responsible for explosive boat attacks against
commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and [unmanned aerial vehicle] and missile
attacks into Saudi Arabia.”
Blinken’s statement incorrectly implies that E.O. 13611 imposes the same level
of economic pressure on the Houthi leadership as FTO and SDGT designations.
The rolling back of Ansar Allah terrorism sanctions – based not on a change in
the group’s conduct, but on a misapplication of U.S. humanitarian policy – could
serve as a trial balloon for the administration’s future easing of terrorism
sanctions against Iranian entities, such as the IRGC and the Central Bank of
Iran, or Iranian proxies, such as Hezbollah.
The Biden administration could use the Ansar Allah playbook to rescind terrorism
sanctions against these entities, even while maintaining sanctions on certain
individuals. The administration could also undermine the efficacy of sanctions
designations by issuing excessively broad general licenses.
Senators who do not want to see terrorism sanctions against Iran weakened can
leverage the nomination process to pressure the administration to provide public
assurances that it will not undertake such actions. Members of Congress can also
introduce legislation blocking the administration from delisting Iranian
entities subject to terrorism sanctions absent a wholesale change in conduct by
those entities. Only by taking such actions can Congress disrupt what could be
the beginning of a dangerous Iran policy.
*Matthew Zweig is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD),
where he also contributes to FDD’s Iran Program and Center on Economic and
Financial Power (CEFP). For more analysis from Matthew, the Iran Program, and
CEFP, please subscribe HERE. Follow the author on Twitter @MatthewZweig1. Follow
FDD on Twitter @FDD and @FDD_Iran and @FDD_CEFP. FDD is a Washington, DC-based,
nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
Iran has not yet recovered from Natanz explosion hit - exclusive
Yona Jeremy Bob//Jerusalem Post/March 19/2021
Iran has yet to recover from a devastating explosion at its Natanz nuclear
facility last July, sources have told The Jerusalem Post, undercutting IAEA
reports this week that the Islamic Republic has made progress with advanced
centrifuges for enriching uranium.
On Tuesday, Reuters disclosed an IAEA report which claimed that Iran has started
enriching uranium at its new underground Natanz facility using advanced IR-4
centrifuges.
This could be highly significant because until now, most of Tehran’s centrifuges
were the slower IR-1 model, with a smaller number of IR-2ms.
The more advanced IR-4 centrifuges could shorten the timeline for breaking out
to a nuclear weapon, and having the machines underground could severely
complicate or even prevent the IDF’s ability to attack them in the future.
Despite the report and these implications, sources have revealed to the Post
that Iran is still far from a full recovery following the July 2 explosion at an
above-ground structure at the Natanz facility. The structure was the main site
for assembling advanced centrifuges like the IR-4 and the IR-6.
The explosion was attributed to the Mossad. Sources emphasized that Israel’s
activities to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon never end and that
there is no site, old or new, which is safe.
At the time, Israeli defense officials and nuclear experts collectively said
that the explosion would push the Islamic Republic’s advanced centrifuge program
back by one to two years.
But now more than eight months later, the IAEA report this week saying that Iran
has begun feeding a cascade of 174 IR-4 centrifuges at Natanz with natural UF6 –
the form of uranium that is fed into centrifuges for enrichment – seemed to
suggest a recovery.
The IAEA report also suggested that a second cascade of IR-4 centrifuges would
soon be installed at Natanz.
However, these numbers not only pale in comparison to where Iran would have been
at this point had the explosion not taken place, but they are also much less
advanced than the country was even back in July 2020, defense officials have
indicated.
Given additional time, Iran may recover to the point where it was in July 2020.
Weeks after the Natanz facility was destroyed, Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen
told the Post that Israel knows “everything that is happening in Iran.”
In addition, intelligence officials have indicated that the destruction of the
old Natanz facility damaged the ayatollahs psychologically – and could help
deter them from crossing certain lines toward acquiring a nuclear capability
that might cause them to fear triggering Israeli action.
Regarding the psychological impact, the Post reported in September that the
purpose of the attack was to send an unambiguous and public deterrent message
that progress toward a nuclear weapon beyond certain redlines would not be
tolerated.
Though Tehran initially played down the Natanz and other explosions, within days
satellite footage revealed that the impact was far more serious than the regime
was claiming.
On top of all of that, an underground facility creates logistical problems and
slows down virtually all elements of nuclear progress, sources explained.
Institute for Science and International Security president David Albright said
that even if Iran had made a very partial recovery since July, it was
significant that they still lacked the capacity to mass produce advanced
centrifuges.
Albright said that the 164 IR-4 centrifuges reflected existing or possibly very
limited additional production, but no real new production, which has not yet
been restored.
He added that the destroyed above ground facility had taken six years to build
from 2012-2018.
Without mass production capacity, it was unclear whether Iran could meet its
apparent self-declared deadline of operating 1,000 IR-6 advanced centrifuges by
December 2021, though some reports indicated that the deadline was in fact in
March and passed last weekend. Albright, however, said that his team of Farsi
translators had determined the deadline was still some nine months off.
Still, former IAEA official and Stimson Center fellow Olli Heinonen urged
caution. “The destruction of the above–ground facility has delayed particularly
the IR-6 program, but Iran has likely key equipment for assembling centrifuges.
I do not feel that they lay all eggs in one basket when it comes to maintaining
crucial manufacturing capabilities. An example of that is after 2004, the
construction of Fordow paralleled work in Natanz.”
Moreover, he warned that Iran has achieved “an important technical development
at Fordow. The installation of two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges to produce 20%
enriched uranium from uranium enriched up to 5% by IR-1 cascades is a major
technical achievement – if successful.”
“Such an arrangement removes an intermediate step, where 5%-enriched uranium is
collected from one cascade unit to a cylinder and then taken to the next unit
and fed to a cascade producing 20%-enriched uranium. It makes the process more
efficient,” he said.
Moreover, Heinonen said that “Iranian engineers have collected indispensable
experience and knowledge on IR-2 and to some degree on IR-4 centrifuges for
further decisions” – which they can use in the future regardless of the general
status of the nuclear program.
How Arabs Discriminate Against Palestinians
Khaled Abu Toameh/ Gatestone Institute./March 19, 2021
"Palestinians have effectively been stripped of their identity and travel
documents by successive Iraqi governments," according to another report by Al-Araby
Al-Jadeed.
In 2003 alone, 344 Palestinian families were forcibly expelled from their homes
[in Iraq] by militias. Between 2003 and 2016, an estimated 300 Palestinian
refugees were killed by these militias.... Palestinians have been demonized even
in social media posts as potential 'terrorists' by accounts linked to the
[Iraqi] interior ministry." — Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
In 2017, Iraqi President Fuad Masum approved a law that stripped Palestinian
refugees living in Iraq of their rights and classified them as foreigners.
The international reaction would, of course, have been completely different if
Israel taken such measures against Palestinians. Evidently, no one really does
care about the plight of the Palestinians. They are only cared about if they can
be made to appear as victims of Israel, never of an Arab country.
Palestinian leaders are much too busy attacking Israel and demanding that the
International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecute Israelis for alleged "war crimes"
against the Palestinians to notice the suffering of Palestinians at the hands of
an Arab country.
The ICC, which appears obsessed with Israel, is unlikely to launch an
investigation into Iraq's ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Likewise, the United
Nations Security Council is unlikely to hold an emergency session to denounce
Iraq for its discriminatory measures against the Palestinians. The international
media, for its part, will also continue their usually venomous -- and usually
unjustified -- attacks on Israel, while ignoring the horrendous treatment the
Palestinians receive from their Arab brothers.
Iraq is among the many Arab countries where Palestinians continue to face
discriminatory measures and laws. Worse, it seems the Iraqi authorities are
carrying out a policy of ethnic cleansing against the few thousand Palestinians
who still live in Iraq. Pictured: A man rides a bicycle under Palestinian flags
hung for the celebrations marking "Al-Quds Day," on May 22, 2020 in Baghdad,
Iraq.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has invited Iraq to send observers to monitor the
Palestinian parliamentary elections, if and when they are held on May 22. The
invitation was extended to Mohamed al-Halbousi, Speaker of the Council of
Representatives of Iraq, by the PA ambassador to Iraq, Ahmed Akl, during a
meeting in Baghdad.
It is not clear whether the Iraqis have accepted the invitation. What is clear,
however, is that Iraq is among the many Arab countries where Palestinians
continue to face discriminatory measures and laws.
Worse, it seems the Iraqi authorities are carrying out a policy of ethnic
cleansing against the few thousand Palestinians who still live in Iraq.
According to a recent report, the Iraqi authorities are now demanding that
Palestinians who leave Iraq for a period exceeding three months apply for an
entry visa.
A member of the Iraqi parliament told the pan-Arab media outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed
that the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has circulated a directive preventing
the return of any Palestinian who spends more than three months outside Iraq,
unless he or she is granted an entry visa by an Iraqi embassy.
The unnamed MP said that the directive requires the Palestinian to explain the
reason why he or she stayed out of Iraq for more than three months. The new
measure, he added, also applies to Palestinians who were born in Iraq. Some
Palestinians who approached the Iraqi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, to obtain
an entry visa so that they could return to their homes in Iraq were turned away,
the Iraqi MK disclosed. "This is an immoral decision that is incompatible with
the slogans raised by Iraq in support of the Palestinian issue," he remarked.
The new measure means that hundreds of Palestinians who left Iraq for various
purposes, including medical treatment or education, will find now find it
difficult to return to their homes. These Palestinians, who were never granted
Iraqi citizenship, will become refugees in the countries they are visiting. The
number of Palestinians residing in Iraq fell sharply from about 40,000 before
the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 to fewer than 4,000 today.
Many Palestinians fled Iraq after they were exposed to campaigns of violence and
killing from Iraqi militiamen, who accused them of being affiliated with the
regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
"Palestinians have effectively been stripped of their identity and travel
documents by successive Iraqi governments," according to another report by Al-Araby
Al-Jadeed.
"Having been maligned as being 'Baathist loyalists' and 'Saddam's favorites,'
Palestinians refugees were heavily targeted by sectarian Shia militias. In 2003
alone, 344 Palestinian families were forcibly expelled from their homes by
militias. Between 2003 and 2016, an estimated 300 Palestinian refugees were
killed by these militias. The Iraqi authorities largely turned a blind eye, as
Palestinians have been demonized even in social media posts as potential
'terrorists' by accounts linked to the [Iraqi] interior ministry."
In 2017, Iraqi President Fuad Masum approved a law that stripped Palestinian
refugees living in Iraq of their rights and classified them as foreigners.
The Palestinian Return Center condemned in the strongest terms the law and said
it discriminates against Palestinians living in Iraq. The center called on the
international community to condemn the new legislation and apply strong pressure
on the Iraqi government to respect its international obligations toward the
Palestinians.
The international community and so-called pro-Palestinian groups and
individuals, however, have still not uttered a word about the discriminatory
measures targeting the Palestinians living in Iraq.
The international reaction would, of course, have been completely different if
Israel taken such measures against Palestinians. Evidently, no one really does
care about the plight of the Palestinians. They are only cared about if they can
be made to appear as victims of Israel, never of an Arab country.
A Palestinian man who left Iraq for leg surgery in Turkey was quoted as saying
that the Iraqi embassy in Turkey refused his request for an entry visa more than
once. "I don't know where to go now," he said. "I was born in Iraq and I have no
other place to go. My family and all my relatives live in Iraq."
Thamer Ali, a 66-year-old Palestinian from Iraq, said that the Iraqi government
"still deals with us as foreigners, and we have no right to employment or work
in governmental or private institutions."
Ali said that he and other Palestinians living in Iraq have appealed to the
Palestinian Authority for help "dozens of times," to no avail.
The Palestinian Authority's silence about the mistreatment of Palestinians in
Iraq comes as no surprise. Palestinian leaders are much too busy attacking
Israel and demanding that the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecute
Israelis for alleged "war crimes" against the Palestinians to notice the
suffering of Palestinians at the hands of an Arab country.
This ongoing silence means that soon no Palestinians will remain in Iraq.
The ICC, which appears obsessed with Israel, is unlikely to launch an
investigation into Iraq's ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Likewise, the United
Nations Security Council is unlikely to hold an emergency session to denounce
Iraq for its discriminatory measures against the Palestinians. The international
media, for its part, will also continue their usually venomous -- and usually
unjustified -- attacks on Israel, while ignoring the horrendous treatment the
Palestinians receive from their Arab brothers.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
© 2021 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
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or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
The Pope Triggers Debate in Iranian Circles
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 19/2021
Earlier this month when he set out for a visit to Iraq, Pope Francis could not
have imagined that his excursion might trigger the law of unintended
consequences. But in at least one instance it did just that.
The Pope’s brief tete-a-tete with Grand Ayatollah Ali-Mohammad Sistani in Najaf
opened a wide-ranging debate about the nature and future of Shiite Islam. The
fact that the Pope called on Sistani at the latter’s home clearly irritated the
Khomeinist circles in Tehran. Their irritation morphed into thinly disguised
rage when the Vatican described Sistani as “spiritual leader of the Shiite
community.”
For Khomeinists, of course, it is “Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenei who must be
acknowledged as Leader not only of the duodecimain version of Shiism but of the
entire Islamic Ummah. However, the dispute regarding who is big cheese was
quickly set aside to open a space for a debate about two distinct concepts of
religion and politics. Sistani belongs to what is known as the classical school
of Shiite theology, dubbed in Western academies as “quietist.” In that school,
the theologian acts as a moral guide, not to say conscience, of society,
steering clear of partisan politics and secular ideologies. According to that
school, mere mortals are incapable of creating the perfect government, a task
that only the Hidden Imam could tackle when he returns from his long absence (ghaybat
al-kobra in Arabic).
The period preceding the Return is known as "The Time of Waiting" (ahd al-entezar)
during which the faithful must try as best they can to live a pious life by
observing Islamic obligations. In other words, the emphasis is put on individual
piety rather than collective imposition of Islamic rules. In the past 100 years
or some radical thinkers inside and outside Shiism, have challenged that view.
During the Constitutional Revolution of 1905-1911 in Iran, Sheikh Fadhl-Allah
Nuri, a pro-Russian cleric, opposed Western-style democracy and called for
“mashru’eh” or rule by clerics. He lost the debate and was sentenced by a court
of his peers to be hanged. At the time, most leading mullahs supported
constitutional monarchy as the next best form of government after that of the
Hidden Imam. They saw the role of the clergy as a moral watchdog.
In the 1960s, Sheikh Fadhl-Allah found a successor in Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini who gave a political dimension to the concept of “Walayat al-Faqih”
which originally applied to the guardianship of widows, orphans and other
vulnerable individuals by clerics. According to Khomeini, Islamic societies
today consist entirely of “vulnerable” (mustadhaf in Arabic) people who need
tutelage by clerics. This is how Khomeini summed up his position in a speech in
1980:
"Muslims do not want democracy. Anyone who says democratic republic is an enemy
of Islam. All our miseries are caused by those who demand freedom. They want to
build a Western society for Muslims in which you are free and independent but
without a God, a prophet, or Imam. Without prayers and without martyrdom which
is the highest goal for us.”
Last week, Ayatollah Khamenei, in a thinly disguised broadside against Sistani,
echoed Khomeini’s diatribe
He said: “Praiseworthy life, growth of science and wisdom, material comfort, and
welfare are the goals of religion. But how could such goals be achieved? It
needs planning. It needs military force. Above all, it needs political power and
a leader. An isolated individual who only gives admonition can’t do that.
Government and a commander are needed to turn the Divine Project into reality.”
He added:” Islam isn’t a personal project. Just prayer, devotion and observance
of obligations isn’t enough. Imam Khomeini revived the prophetic mission and
gave new life to the true dimensions of Islam that had been forgotten.”
Claiming that those who criticize political Islam are enemies of Islam he added:
"political Islam is what we have in Iran today, something that our great Imam
built.”
The Khomeinist system is “the realization of the concept of Unity (towhid in
Arabic) in real life and ought to be extended to all mankind through struggle
and injunction (tawasi in Arabic).”
Needless to say, judging by their writings, sayings and public behavior, the
overwhelming majority of Shiite scholars regard Khomeini’s view of Islam as
primarily a political project and thus an innovation (beda’a in Arabic). For
example, Grand Ayatollah Alavi Borujerdi in Qom insists that while religion does
have a political dimension it cannot be reduced to a political ideology or a
political party.
Traditional Shiite clerics do not exclude themselves from the political space as
far as expressing views on issues of interest to society is concerned. But they
do not believe that exerting influence in shaping policies requires rule by the
clergy.
Allameh Seyyed Kazem Assar puts it this way: “If the clergy embrace the state,
we shouldn’t forget that the state is also embracing the clergy.”
Paradoxically, the Shiite clergy’s biggest political success in the past century
or so have come when they stuck to their role as “advisers” not rulers.
Ayatollah Muhammad-Hassan Shirazi achieved the cancellation of the humiliating
tobacco monopoly with a fatwa. Ayatollahs Abdallah Mazandarani and Muhammad
Kazem Khorasani helped ensure the victory of the Constitutional movement without
acquiring political power. More recently Sistani managed to keep Iraqi Shiites
united and helped mobilize the energy needed to defeat ISIS, without assuming a
political persona.
In contrast, Khomeini divided Iranians against each other and provoked the war
with Iraq, where Shiites form a majority, causing more than a million deaths.
Khamenei is wrong on at least two key points. Towhid (unity or oneness) is
reserved only for God and cannot be used as justification for absolute rule by a
cleric or anyone else.
Ayatollah Behjat, one of Khamenei’s favorite clerics, puts it this way: “For
Towhid (One-ness) to be secure in its unity, it’s essential that all else be
secure in their many-ness.” In other words, One God does not mean One Leader or
one party or one policy. Such a claim would be a form of “sherk” or associating
others with God’s One-ness.
“One People, One State, One Leader” is the slogan of other ideology-mad
luminaries.
Ayatollah Khamenei also misunderstands the concept of tawasi (recommendation or
injunction). Contrary to what he imagines it doesn’t mean propaganda forced down
people’s throats by a totalitarian state. All it means is giving advice,
offering alternative readings of issues, gently guiding fellow-believers toward
the right path without sending Gen. Soleimani with a machine-gun in one hand and
a Samsonite full of dollars in the other.
The Syrian Revolution and the Question of Defeat
Akram Bunni/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 19/2021
Ten years after it erupted, opinions diverge on the extent to which the Syrian
revolution has failed, and so do the answers to the question: Has this
revolution been finished off, and are we now living in the climate of its
defeat; or is its affliction mere fleeting setbacks and temporary blemishes
whose effects can be mitigated and overcome?
Part of the explanation is in some’s evasion of admitting defeat, citing the
fact that everything has been obliterated and that there are no winners or
losers in a bloody conflict with a regime that has lost its legitimacy and
universalism. They claim the regime has seen the pillars of its persistence
wither away and is now struggling with a multifaceted governance crisis;
ethical, political, economic and social. It is also understandable that the
leaders of Islamist groups in the country’s northwest and the Kurdish forces in
the east refuse to accept defeat, given that they managed to keep their heads
intact and can continue to impose their authority and privileges on the areas
they control. However, political opponents’ abstention from affirming defeat is
neither explainable nor comprehensible; among them are some who are still
marching in the swamp of humiliating negotiations, submitting to concessions on
the Syrian peoples’ rights, which are being rolled back like the beads of a
rosemary.
All of this comes amid a balance of power that leans firmly in favor of the
regime and its allies, alongside a state of weakness and depravity that exposes
them and their subordination to foreign powers’ dictates. Meanwhile,
negotiations have not taken a single step towards a political solution or even
meeting basic humanitarian demands regarding the release of detainees and
clarification on the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared! Some are
still stuck by exaggerations and false bets and hopes!
On the other hand, the numbers of political opponents and Syrian activists who
affirm defeat are increasing. Though few of them have adopted the use of the
term defeat out of consideration for its weight and the despondency it invokes
in the face of the great sacrifices of the Syrian people, the majority has begun
to grudgingly admit it and is endeavoring to hold serious and bold debates to
determine the reasons for this defeat. These debates delve into the actions of
the party primarily responsible, the regime, which rejected all political
settlements, drew various forms of foreign support and worked diligently to
smear the political revolution, linking it to terrorism and dragging it toward a
sectarian civil war, using the most severe methods of violence and repression
and the ugliest forms of sectarian incitement in complicity with the Salafist
jihadist leaders whom it released from its prisons.
The debates also look into the revolution’s abandonment of the peaceful approach
and its capitulation to militarism, which cost it the public’s sympathy and
major segments of the Syrian people who have an interest in democratic change
who are against seeking it through force and violence. They also explicate the
role of Islamic political groups and jihadist extremism, which were able to
infiltrate the revolution’s ranks, tamper with its social composition and seize
its principles and spirit. There is also the fact of the international community
forsaking the Syrian people’s rights with its silence on foreign military
interventions, failure to end the violence and protect civilians. Most
significant is the pitiful state of the Syrian opposition, which failed to
garner the people's confidence and lead them. Its coalition and national
councils were unable to coordinate their activities and emerge as exemplars of
democratic practice, perseverance and sacrifice. Instead, the opposition was
mired by infighting and a pathological and harmful contestation for positions of
power and privileges marked by backward behavior, narrow partisan interests, and
selfishness and exclusivity, entrenching its disunity and weakness, thus its
fragility and failure to hold the weight of its historical responsibility on its
shoulders.
The debate about the reasons for the defeat led to a debate about the legitimacy
of the Syrian people’s revolution, whether it was an option that they could have
accepted or rejected or a necessary historical and moral response to a regime of
tyranny and corruption that left society in an unbearable state of oppression,
discrimination, and neediness. It also sparked a debate about the possibilities
for the future and the options available for restoring the homeland and societal
cohesion, as well as protecting the revolution’s accumulations and its people’s
sacrifices.
Far from the call to continue taking the path of negotiations and clinging to
the international communities’ resolutions and claims that this is the only
track to staying in the political wrestling ring and forcing whatever
concessions are possible from the regime, and in opposition to the call for
going further on the path of belligerence and drawing more armament to confront
the regime that understands no language other than that of violence- even with
those carrying the weapons’ transformation into mere tools in the hands of the
foreign powers that support them- it would be accurate to say that substantive
agreements to confront the horrid state that Syrians and their revolution have
reached are beginning to solidify.
These agreements combine, on the one hand, a focus on humanitarian issues,
making substantial efforts to follow up the fate of detainees, the missing and
the forcibly disappeared, and encouraging the persecution of perpetrators; and,
on the other, rallying around intellectual and cultural dimensions of the
revolution to promote the legitimacy of the revolution and its slogans, draw
conclusions and lessons in a way that enhances society’s awareness and political
engagement and prepares them for new rounds in the battle for change in a manner
that incurs the least losses and degree of pain possible and, most vitally,
re-instills confidence in the possibility for democracy in the hearts of the
Syrians who had yearned for it at the start of their movement but did not have
the conditions they needed to enable it to develop and become a choice for
salvation.
Perhaps, what makes the humanitarian and cultural efforts fruitful despite the
ruin and grants them the ability to ease the Syrian people’s disappointment and
despondency over what happened to their revolution, is the fact that Syria will
not go back to what it had been and that it will not be a hotbed of social
oppression and political tyranny again- whether with its nationalist and Arab
nationalist demagogic slogans or even with its religious cloak- as the door has
opened to change, breaking with the past, establishing institutions and building
on the accumulations and lessons of the revolution.
Those who think the revolution cannot be defeated or defaced. Throughout
history, there have been many examples of genuine, legitimate and noble
revolutions that were temporarily defeated; worse still, the defeat would
sometimes be succeeded by a period marked by bloodshed and darkness. The
revolutionary masses suffer during these periods before lessons are learned, and
they rise again. The history of peoples’ struggle only ends at one period to
reignite another time!
Five Myths About Syria’s Revolution
Robert Ford/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 19/2021
I agreed to an interview last week with an American podcast producer from the
extreme left of American politics. He invited me because I wrote an article in
Foreign Policy magazine in February urging withdrawal of American military
forces from Syria. (The Biden administration is, however, staying in eastern
Syria.) I accepted the invitation because the extreme left in America and Europe
are spreading myths about the Syrian revolution, and it is important their
claims not become the accepted story of events.
The first myth is that the Syrian revolution was from the beginning under the
control of Salafi extremists. I recalled for his podcast my visit to Hama in
June 2011 where I spoke to tens of Hamwis in the huge protest movement there and
only one man cursed Alawis. In Damascus I met Christians who joined the protest
movement, and we heard the story in late 2011, and saw a video, of Muslims
putting on Santa Claus hats to join the Christians protesters in the town of
Arba’een. Of course, violence changed the protest movement, so that by 2013 the
war gained a terrible sectarian color. However, we saw with our own eyes that
most of the violence in 2011 came from Assad’s security forces.
The second myth that we had to debate was that without American intervention the
war would have ended quickly. When he suggested the Americans could have stopped
the intervention from countries like Turkey, I reminded him that President
Erdogan does not ask permission from the Americans to pursue Turkey’s interests.
Foreign countries sometimes ask for American help but asking for help and asking
permission are not the same thing. Turkey’s deployment of thousands of soldiers
into Syria shows that with or without the Americans some of the neighboring and
regional states would have intervened in Syria on the side of the opposition.
The third myth is that Assad’s government never used chemical weapons. The logic
is that Assad wants to avoid international criticism so he avoids using chemical
weapons. The podcast producer insisted there is a scandal about an international
expert report published in 2019 about the April 2018 chemical weapons attack in
Douma. But there are many international investigations about Assad’s use of
chemical weapons in the past nine years, not only the 2018 Douma incident. More
importantly, after his bombing of hospitals, schools, murdering tens of
thousands in prisons, why would anyone think international criticism would stop
Assad? The logic is failed and the total evidence about his use of chemicals is
certain.
Of course, we had to argue about the myth that Assad was fighting extremists and
the Americans were sending aid to al-Qaeda. He ignored the business cooperation
between Assad’s government and ISIS with the mediation of businessmen like
Hossam Katerji. He ignored Assad’s release of militants from Sednaya Prison in
2011. Assad and army focused against the Free Syrian Army first. I must
acknowledge that some American weapons did reach the Qaeda extremists. Jakub
Janovsky a Czech engineer who carefully studied hundreds of armed group videos
concluded that Nusra and ISIS obtained fewer than ten American TOW missiles from
the Free Syrian Army. The extremists captured the big majority of their weapons
from the Syrian Army and from Nouri al-Maliki’s Iraqi Army. Of course the Free
Syrian Army did coordinate with Nusra in some operations against the government,
and that was a huge political mistake that the Americans warned against. That is
the reason we put Nusra on our terrorism list in 2012.
Finally, we debated the myth that American sanctions are the reason for hunger
in Syria. Of course, American sanctions hurt Syrian citizens. The sanctions
impede entry of foreign exchange into Syria, the price of the dollar rises and
with it the price of imported food also rises. The sanctions impede delivery of
imported oil to Syria and we see the lines for gasoline. But I reminded the
podcast producer that Assad’s government is hugely corrupt, that it impeded
investment and increased unemployment and internal displacement (tahjeer) from
eastern Syria before 2011. It was not a coincidence that low-income communities
in Rif Damasq and Rif Homs immediately joined the protest movement in 2011
demanding social justice and accountability from the government.
Leftists like to blame American imperialism for the Syrian revolution. In their
viewpoint, Syrians are not the key player in Syria. Instead, they claim,
Americans can easily manipulate millions of Syrians. The final logic of this
viewpoint among tens of thousands of Assad supporters who live comfortably in
North America and Europe far from the mukhabarat is that Syrians lack the wisdom
to build a better government. It is obvious that only Syrians, not foreigners,
can fix Syria in a lasting way but spreading myths about the conflict won’t help
them.