English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  September 23/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested
Book of Revelation 02/08-11/:”‘To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the first and the last, who was dead and came to life: ‘I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 22-23/2021
Ministry of Health: 718 new cases, 7 dead
Defense Minister receives US ambassador
President meets UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, says Israel's contract with drilling company contradicts path of indirect negotiations
President meets MP Boustany
Wronecka visits Interior Minister: We focused on holding elections on time and are ready to accompany Lebanon at this important stage
New gasoline prices in Lebanon: 95 octane at LBP 202,400, 98 octane at 209,300 LBP, diesel oil at LBP 162,700, Gas cylinder at LBP 139,700
Reports: Bitar Confirms to Oueidat Being Threatened by Safa
Justice Minister Meets Bitar over Alleged Threat by Safa
Report: Safa Met Judges Monday over Baalbek Nitrates, Not Port Case
Fenianos Asks Court to Replace Bitar
Geagea Slams Alleged Hizbullah Threat to Bitar
Hezbollah cements role as Lebanon’s real ruler after ‘unauthorized’ fuel imports
Lebanon Reviews Means to Confront Israel’s Oil Exploration in Disputed Area
Lebanon Raises Fuel Prices, Source Says Price Set at Central Bank Rate
Lebanese PM Heads to Paris on Friday for Macron Talks
Lebanese Army Busts ISIS Cell that Was Plotting Attacks
International Support Group Urges Lebanon Leaders to Act Swiftly
U.S. Naval Ship Arrives in Lebanon
UNIFIL Marks International Day of Peace

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 22-23/2021
First call since France-US row; Macron orders French envoy back to US
Joint Statement on the Phone Call between President Biden and President Macron
Global partnership is critical to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Jordan’s King
Tunisian President Vows New Electoral Code, Transition Team
Conflicting Reports about US Drone Strike Target in Idlib
Ravaged by War, Syrian Rebel Area Struggles with Virus Surge
Egypt Pledges a “Comprehensive Health Insurance” Plan Despite the Challenges
AU, UN Condemn Failed Coup Attempt in Sudan
Anti-ISIS Coalition Reviews its Role in Iraq
Wennesland in Gaza, Calls for Maintaining Calm
Houthis Prepare for New Mass Executions in Sanaa
Anger as U.S. Progressives Object to Israeli Iron Dome Funding
Israel Captures Escapees, Opens Crossing near Prison Break
Iraqi Cement-Makers Angry at Fuel Subsidy Cut
Libya's Decade of Civil War and Chaos
Turkish Frigate Confronts Greek Vessel
U.S. Top Military Officer Meets with Russian Counterpart

Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 22-23/2021
Erdogan’s U-turn in Afghanistan shows the danger of outsourcing security missions to autocrat/Aykan Erdemir/Washington Examiner//September 22/2021
Who is Controlling the Biden Presidency?/Chris Farrell/Gatestone Institute./September 22/2021
On Liberating the Concept of Liberation/Hazem Saghieh/Ashark Al Awsat/September 22/2021
America Is Being Held for Ransom. It Needs to Fight Back./Dmitri Alperovitch/Ashark Al Awsat/September 22/2021

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 22-23/2021
Ministry of Health: 718 new cases, 7 dead
NNA/September 22/2021
The Ministry of Public Health announced 718 new coronavirus infection cases, which brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to 619,950.
Seven deaths have been recorded.

Defense Minister receives US ambassador
NNA/September 22/2021
Minister of Defense, Maurice Slim, on Wednesday welcomed at his Yarze office the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, and the accompanying delegation, congratulating him on his new ministerial post.
Discussions touched on areas of military cooperation.

President meets UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, says Israel's contract with drilling company contradicts path of indirect negotiations
NNA/September 22/2021
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, told the Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Lebanon, Ambassador Joanna Wronecka, that “After the new government gained confidence, Lebanon will begin negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, aiming to find practical solutions to the current economic conditions in accordance with the plan for economic advancement which is referred to in the ministerial policy statement”.
The President also pointed out that “In conjunction with these negotiations, work will be done to address the electricity file that has been frozen for a while, and to rebuild and rehabilitate Beirut Port while removing the effects of the catastrophic explosion that targeted it last year”.
President Aoun also indicated that attention will focus especially on social aspects and addressing poverty cases experienced by a high percentage of Lebanese families, as well as achieving monetary balance in the country.
Then, the President affirmed that parliamentary elections will take place on the scheduled date on May 8, in an atmosphere of democracy and transparency so that the Lebanese voters at home and abroad can carry out their duties freely and responsibly. “We welcome any assistance that the United Nations can provide in this field” President Aoun added.
In addition, the President reiterated Lebanon's commitment to implementing Resolution 1701 in all its aspects, adhering to its rights to its waters and natural resources, and the desire to resume indirect negotiations to demarcate the southern maritime borders.
“From here we expressed our objection to the Security Council and the United Nations over Israel’s recent signing of gas and oil exploration evaluation contracts with an American company, because this step contradicts the path of indirect negotiations hosted by the United Nations and US mediation, which requires freezing all exploration-related work in the disputed areas awaiting the resolution of the unconditional negotiation track” President Aoun stressed.
Moreover, President Aoun welcomed the partnership of the United Nations in the reform programs that the new government will study, pointing out that forensic audit process began after the signing of the contract and will include in the first stage the financial accounts of the Banque du Liban, to include later departments, ministries, institutions, councils, funds and other bodies.
Afterwards, President Aoun informed Ambassador Runesca that he will deliver Lebanon's speech before the United Nations General Assembly next Friday afternoon, Beirut time, via satellite, because internal conditions forced him not to travel to New York, in addition to the necessity of keeping pace with the start of the government's work. For her part, Ambassador Wronecka had congratulated President Aoun on the formation of the new government, and stressed that the United Nations organizations will work with the government in order to achieve what was stated in their ministerial policy statement, especially with regard to reforms and holding parliamentary elections within the specified time, in addition to continuing to support the army and institutions, Lebanese security forces and the provision of necessary assistance to them. Ambassador Wronecka also pointed out that the Security Council will meet on November 9 to be briefed on the situation in Lebanon, especially after the government was formed and gained confidence in the light of the work program it submitted. ----Presidency Press Office

President meets MP Boustany
NNA/September 22/2021
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, met the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Trade, Industry and Planning, MP Farid Al-Bustani, today at Baabda Palace. The stage after the formation of the government and the role of the committee in keeping pace with the reform program that the government will work on implementing was discussed, in addition to development needs of the Chouf region. ----Presidency Press Office

Wronecka visits Interior Minister: We focused on holding elections on time and are ready to accompany Lebanon at this important stage
NNA/September 22/2021
Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, welcomed on Wednesday the United Nations Special Coordinator in Lebanon Joanna Wronecka, and they discussed the overall situation on the Lebanese arena. After the meeting, Wronecka said: "We focused on the issue of holding the elections on time, according to the Lebanese constitution, and we as the United Nations are ready to accompany Lebanon at this important stage, because the elections give an opportunity for all citizens to express themselves and choose a future for their country."
"It is an opportunity for credibility for Lebanon as a state, and we, as an international community, are always interested in elections because holding them reflects democracy and is a positive development," she said, wishing prosperity for Lebanon. Mawlawi later met with the German Ambassador Andreas Kindl, and then Australian Ambassador Rebekah Grindlay, with whom he tackled bilateral relations.

New gasoline prices in Lebanon: 95 octane at LBP 202,400, 98 octane at 209,300 LBP, diesel oil at LBP 162,700, Gas cylinder at LBP 139,700
NNA/September 22/2021
The Ministry of Energy and Water - General Directorate of Oil on Wednesday issued resolution No. 182 specifying the new selling price of liquid fuels nationwide. The resolution states that the maximum selling price of all liquid fuels to consumers in all Lebanese territories shall be determined as follows:
-20 liters Unleaded Gasoline 98 Octane at LBP 209,300
-20 liters Unleaded Gasoline 95 Octane at LBP 202,400
-20 liters diesel oil at LBP 162,700
-Gas cylinder at LBP 139,700
The resolution insisted that the aforementioned prices be announced in a visible way at selling points.

Reports: Bitar Confirms to Oueidat Being Threatened by Safa
Naharnet/September 22/2021
Beirut port blast investigative judge Tarek Bitar has confirmed in a letter to State Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat that he has received a verbal threat from senior Hizbullah official Wafiq Safa, media reports said on Wednesday.
Oueidat had on Tuesday asked Bitar to prepare a written report about "what's being circulated about a verbal message that he indirectly received from Mr. Wafiq Safa." LBCI TV reporter Edmond Sassine earlier on Tuesday posted a tweet alleging that Safa had threatened Bitar through a third person. "We're totally fed up with you. We will go with you until the end in the legal course and if it doesn't work out we will uproot you," Sassine quoted Safa as telling Bitar through a third person.

Justice Minister Meets Bitar over Alleged Threat by Safa
Naharnet/September 22/2021
Justice Minister Henri Khoury met Wednesday at the Ministry with Judge Tarek Bitar, the lead investigative judge into the Beirut port blast catastrophe. A statement issued by Khoury’s office said the Minister “exclusively asked him about what media outlets have been circulating since yesterday about his personal security.” “Minister Khoury will follow up on this issue with the relevant judicial authorities to take the necessary measures,” the statement added. LBCI TV reporter Edmond Sassine on Tuesday posted a tweet alleging that senior Hizbullah official Wafiq Safa has threatened Bitar through a third person. "We're totally fed up with you. We will go with you until the end in the legal course and if it doesn't work out we will uproot you," Sassine quoted Safa as telling Bitar through a third person.

Report: Safa Met Judges Monday over Baalbek Nitrates, Not Port Case
Naharnet/September 22/2021
Senior Hizbullah official Wafiq Safa visited the Justice Palace on Monday and met with Higher Judicial Council chief Judge Suheil Abboud and State Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat, informed sources said. The news comes after reports said that Safa has sent a threatening verbal message to the lead judge probing the Beirut port blast case, Tarek Bitar. The sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Wednesday that the “threat” was made by Safa during his talks with Abboud and Oueidat. But State Prosecution sources told the daily that the Oueidat-Safa meeting “did not tackle the port blast investigations.”“The Hizbullah official did not mention the measures that Judge Bitar is taking against politicians who are allies of the party,” the newspaper quoted the State Prosecution sources as saying. “The discussions with Safa touched on the issue of seizing a truck carrying more than 20 tons of ammonium nitrate in a Bekaa town (Baalbek) that is party of Hizbullah’s environment,” the sources added. “This discussion was made in the presence of State Commissioner to Military Court Judge Fadi Akiki, who is overseeing the preliminary investigations in this file,” the sources noted. The news of Bitar receiving a threat from Safa had infuriated the families of the explosion victims on Tuesday, prompting them to say that they “will stand as guards outside the judge’s home, in the face of Wafiq Safa and other parties.”The families also called for “respecting the judiciary and the decisions it is taking in this file.”LBCI TV reporter Edmond Sassine had on Tuesday posted a tweet alleging that Safa had threatened Bitar through a third person. "Hizbullah through Wafiq Safa has sent a threatening message to Judge Tarek Bitar," Sassine tweeted. "We're totally fed up with you. We will go with you until the end in the legal course and if it doesn't work out we will uproot you," Sassine quoted Safa as telling Bitar through a third person. TV networks meanwhile said that State Prosecutor Oueidat has asked Bitar to prepare a report about "what's being circulated about a verbal message that he indirectly received from Mr. Wafiq Safa."

Fenianos Asks Court to Replace Bitar
Associated Press/September 22/2021
Former public works minister Youssef Fenianos on Wednesday asked the country's top court to remove the lead judge investigating last year's massive explosion in Beirut's port, Tarek Bitar, because of "legitimate suspicion" over his handling of the case, state media reported. The development is the latest in a year-long saga surrounding the investigation into the explosion, which plunged Lebanon into another political crisis and accelerated an already unprecedented economic meltdown. The country's government resigned after the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion and bickering political parties only this month agreed on a new government. Also, months into the probe, the lead judge running the investigation was removed by the Court of Cassation after similar charges were filed against him by senior government officials. The petition Wednesday by Fenianos came a week after Bitar issued an arrest warrant for him after he failed to appear in court for questioning. It's not clear whether the Court of Cassation will take up Fenianos' lawsuit and if it does, it will have to examine the case and then decide whether to dismiss or accept the request. The judge has accused Fenianos and three other former senior government officials with intentional killing and negligence that led to the deaths of more than 200 people in the explosion. Over 6,000 were injured in the massive blast that also devastated a large section of Beirut.
Fenianos is a senior official with the Marada Movement, a close ally of Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hizbullah. He said in a statement, carried by the state-run National News Agency, that his petition was motivated by "concern for justice" and accused an unnamed party of wanting "to blame me as a former minister of public works" for the blast. Fenianos also said that "Bitar's path will not lead to the truth." However, the petition was harshly criticized by human rights activists and angered the families of the victims, which claimed it was another ploy to "prevent the truth." "It is outrageous that Lebanese politicians think they can just replace a judge every time he tries to hold them accountable until one is appointed that is to their liking," said Aya Majzoub, a Lebanon researcher from Human Rights Watch. The warrant against Fenianos was the first in the year-old probe that has hit many snags, particularly in implicating senior officials. Fenianos is one of a number of former government officials who have declined to appear before Bitar. The judge has also summoned the former and current security chiefs. More than a year later, there are still no answers to what triggered the explosion, and no one has been held accountable. Rights groups and local media revealed that most state officials knew of the presence in the port of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers, that had been improperly stored there for years.

Geagea Slams Alleged Hizbullah Threat to Bitar
Naharnet/September 22/2021
Head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, voiced in a statement Wednesday his support for Judge Tarek al-Bitar, the lead investigative judge into the Beirut port blast. “It is very shameful to threaten one of the most honorable and impeccable judges, in a case of the size of the Beirut port blast and its tragic consequences,” Geagea said. The statement came after reports said that senior Hizbullah official Wafiq Safa had sent a threatening verbal message to Bitar. Geagea went on to say that, “It is also a pity that many of the personalities that have been summoned for interrogation have not responded to the investigator under the pretext of immunities or under the pretext of sectarian balance.”He asked the new Minister of Justice and the new government "to stand as bulwark" in the face of every threat or obstruction to the judicial investigator. “In all cases, we will not let go of the port explosion issue without revealing the truth," Geagea added.

Hezbollah cements role as Lebanon’s real ruler after ‘unauthorized’ fuel imports
AFP/September 22/2021
Amid a crippling financial crisis, the Iran-backed terror group manages to outflank Lebanese government; new PM Mikati decries the Iranian delivery as ‘a violation of sovereignty’Iranian fuel has entered Lebanon without state authorization and despite United States sanctions following arrangements by the Hezbollah terror group, consecrating the party’s status as the main powerhouse in the crisis-hit country. “This latest event gives yet another confirmation that Hezbollah has considerably increased its sway over the Lebanese state,” said political scientist Karim Emile Bitar. “It is no longer even trying to hide behind the veneer of legality offered by official institutions,” he said. Lebanon, grappling with its worst-ever financial crisis, defaulted on its debt last year and can no longer afford to import key goods, including petrol for vehicles and diesel for generators during almost round-the-clock power cuts.
Fuel shortages have forced motorists to queue for hours — sometimes days — while electricity outages have plunged the country into darkness, paralyzing hospitals, schools, and government offices. Despite being an integral part of the state — it holds seats in parliament and backs several cabinet ministers — Hezbollah has bemoaned the state’s failure and vowed to step in with its own solution. The party, which is designated by the US and Israel as a terrorist group and is the only militia to have kept its arsenal after Lebanon’s 1975-1990 war, arranged for dozens of trucks carrying Iranian fuel to enter Lebanon via Syria last week. The delivery was not officially approved by the government and the trucks entered via an illegal crossing for a transaction that violates US and other sanctions. The move, although a first, falls in line with the Iran-backed party’s long-standing autonomy from a weak centralized state that has stood idly on the sidelines as the group deployed in Syria in 2013 and repeatedly engaged in military confrontations with southern neighbor Israel. “Hezbollah’s latest move weakens the state and perceptions of the state,” political activist and energy expert Laury Haytayan told AFP. “It’s very clear that the state is unable to stop Hezbollah. The state is watching and it’s paralyzed and it can’t take any action.” ‘Violation of sovereignty’A total of 80 trucks carrying four million liters (one million gallons) of Iranian fuel oil entered Lebanon on Thursday, days after the first Iranian ship reached the Syrian port of Baniyas. Three more Iranian ships are expected to deliver fuel oil and petrol in the coming weeks, according to Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah. The shipments were purchased by Lebanese businessmen, according to Iran, most likely with ties to Hezbollah. The Lebanese government, headed by prime minister Najib Mikati and which was finally formed last week after a year-long delay, has distanced itself from the scheme. Speaking to CNN last week, Mikati described the Hezbollah delivery as “a violation of Lebanese sovereignty,” but said that he believed Lebanon would not be hit by US sanctions because the government had not authorized the shipment. The first fuel delivery — which Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV says can only cover the needs of a single major institution such as a hospital for one month — is a “test,” Haytayan said.If it goes unanswered by the US, then many traders may be emboldened to stock up despite the threat of sanctions, especially if shortages persist, the expert said.
Distribution
Fuel distribution will be managed by Hezbollah auxiliaries that are already sanctioned and run no additional risk. Al-Amana, a fuel distribution company which is owned by Hezbollah and has been under US sanctions since February 2020, distributed the first batch of around 100,000 liters (26,417 gallons) of fuel oil in the southern Hezbollah stronghold of Tyre and Beirut on Saturday, Al-Manar reported, without specifying the exact beneficiaries. On Sunday, Al-Amana distributed another 100,000 liters of fuel oil in Mount Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, which is widely considered a Hezbollah bastion, Al-Manar said. The first deliveries were all free of charge after Nasrallah said on Monday that his group would donate fuel to government hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, water pumping stations, municipalities, civil defense units, firefighter brigades, and the Lebanese Red Cross. The rest will be sold on the market in Lebanese pounds at a price less than the subsidized rate set by the state, Al-Amana said on Sunday, making it a serious competitor for official importers selling stocks in US dollars at a much higher price.

Lebanon Reviews Means to Confront Israel’s Oil Exploration in Disputed Area
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib discussed in a meeting on Tuesday the means to confront Israel’s decision to explore oil in the disputed maritime area. In a statement, the Lebanese Presidency said that the meeting reviewed recent developments, following Israel’s announcement that it granted a US oilfield services group an offshore drilling contract in the Mediterranean. The Lebanese officials discussed the repercussions of the Israeli move and the measures that Lebanon will take following a letter sent to the United Nations in this regard. Presidential sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon was seeking to conduct the necessary studies to ascertain whether the exploration would be carried out in the disputed area, through a mediator such as the United Nations, and then work on the subsequent steps and procedures. As the negotiations on the demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Israel stalled due to a dispute over maps, US Halliburton Company announced last week that it has been awarded an integrated services contract to execute a three to five well drilling and completions campaign for Greek Energean company. “We will not back down on this issue or give up on Lebanese rights,” Mikati said in a statement following the announcement. Lebanon’s representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Amal Mudallali, submitted a letter to the UN on this matter, in which the country called on the Security Council to ensure that the drilling evaluation work does not take place in a disputed area in order to avoid any attack on Lebanon’s rights and sovereignty.

Lebanon Raises Fuel Prices, Source Says Price Set at Central Bank Rate
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Lebanon raised gasoline prices by 16% on Wednesday, the second hike in a week, cutting a subsidy on imported fuel which the new Prime Minister Najib Mikati has said the nation cannot afford. Lebanon, which had already hiked fuel prices by 37% on Friday, is grappling with a deep economic crisis that has caused a currency collapse and left the cash-strapped government with a rising subsidy bill on a range of imported items, including fuel, said Reuters. An energy ministry source said the new fuel prices were based on an exchange rate of 14,000 Lebanese pounds to the dollar, compared to an official rate of 1,500 to the dollar before the crisis erupted in 2019. The new rate for calculating fuel prices matches the one announced by the central bank's foreign exchange platform, Sayrafa, on Tuesday although it remains below the parallel market where one dealer was buying dollars at 16,000 pounds. Until now, Lebanon had been subsidizing the price of gasoline by providing dollars to importers from the central bank at heavily subsidized exchange rates. The stated aim of the subsidies has been to help consumers hit by the financial collapse. Critics say the system has drained hard currency reserves and created a huge incentive for smuggling and hoarding, leading to crippling shortages. Lebanon is suffering from what the World Bank has described as one of the sharpest depressions in modern times. Lebanon's currency has slumped more than 90% since 2019, more than three quarters of the population have been driven into poverty, the banking system is paralysed and a hard currency crunch has led to shortages of vital imports, including fuel.

Lebanese PM Heads to Paris on Friday for Macron Talks
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati will visit Paris on Friday on his first overseas trip since his cabinet won parliament’s vote of confidence this week. He will meet with President Emmanuel Macron, who has been spearheading international efforts to help Lebanon out of its crippling crises. Macron was among the first officials to welcome the formation of the new government, over a year since the previous one resigned in wake of the cataclysmic Beirut port blast. He urged Lebanese officials to commit to pledges to carry out much needed reform and to allow the international community to help the country. The new government desperately needs to lift Lebanon out of what the World Bank has called one of the world’s worst economic crises since the 1850s. The Lebanese pound has lost almost 90 percent of its value against the dollar on the black market, inflation has soared and people’s savings are trapped in banks. With foreign currency reserves plummeting, the cash-strapped state has been struggling to maintain subsidies on basic goods. Petrol and medicine have become scarce and the state barely provides two hours of electricity a day. Subsidies need to be lifted and a social safety net put in place to ease the blow on the most vulnerable. To do this, analysts have said, the cabinet will need to relaunch talks with the International Monetary Fund to unlock billions of dollars in financial aid. Lebanon, after defaulting on its debt in March 2020 for the first time in history, started talks with the IMF, but these quickly hit a wall amid bickering over who should bear the brunt of the losses. The international community has demanded sweeping reforms and a forensic audit of the country’s central bank before any financial assistance is disbursed. The previous government in 2020 announced a rescue roadmap that included electricity sector reform, restructuring of the banking sector and lifting the official dollar peg. But these steps have yet to be implemented.

Lebanese Army Busts ISIS Cell that Was Plotting Attacks
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
The Lebanese army announced on Tuesday that it had arrested members of an ISIS cell in the northern city of Tripoli. It said the terrorist cell was plotting to carry out attacks in the country. In a statement, it added that the members had purchased weapons with the aim of carrying out attacks, taking advantage of the dire situation in Lebanon. The cell had also sought to recruit more members. It had started operating in June and had assassinated retired officer Ahmed Murad in the Tripoli on August 22. Investigations are underway with the detainees.

International Support Group Urges Lebanon Leaders to Act Swiftly
Naharnet/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
The International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG) has welcomed the formation of the new Lebanese government and parliament’s vote of confidence in the government and its program. “In line with key provisions of the approved ministerial statement, the ISG urges Lebanon's leaders to move quickly to alleviate the burden of socio-economic hardship on the people of Lebanon and restore basic services, to prepare for fair and transparent elections to take place on time in 2022, and to initiate the critical reforms needed to restore trust and deliver justice, stability and prosperity for the Lebanese people and to pave the way for enhanced international support,” it said in a statement. Recalling its statement of 3 August 2021, the ISG reiterated the importance of “swiftly completing the investigation into the Beirut port explosions.”The ISG added that it “continues to stand by Lebanon and its people.”The International Support Group has brought together the United Nations and the governments of China, France, Germany, Italy, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, together with the European Union and the Arab League. 
It was launched in September 2013 by the U.N. Secretary-General with former President Michel Suleiman to help mobilize support and assistance for Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty and state institutions.

U.S. Naval Ship Arrives in Lebanon
Naharnet/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
The USNS Choctaw County, an expeditionary fast transport ship affiliated with the U.S. Navy, has arrived in Lebanon for a scheduled visit, the U.S. Embassy said on Wednesday. "This historic trip, the first visit by a U.S. Naval Ship to a Lebanese naval base, highlights the strong partnership between the United States and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)," the Embassy said in a statement. Led by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), the visit is part of a NAVCENT mission that aims to build the LAF Navy's capacity to "maintain regional security and stability, enhance disaster response capabilities, and that includes subject matter expert exchanges between the LAF Navy and NAVCENT personnel covering disaster response, public health, mine countermeasures, dive medicine, and construction capabilities," the statement added. In addition, the visit will feature a partnership building conference with
international participants to discuss ways to "advance the LAF Navy’s capacity and interoperability with foreign navies," the statement said.

UNIFIL Marks International Day of Peace
Naharnet/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021 
UNIFIL has marked the International Day of Peace with a ceremony at its headquarters in Naqoura, south Lebanon. On the occasion, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col paid tribute to civilian and military peacekeepers for “their sustained efforts – with support of the parties – to maintain security and stability in south Lebanon and along the Blue Line,” a UNIFIL statement said. “While we are fortunate in south Lebanon to have enjoyed a decade and a half of relative stability, events in recent months have shown us that peace is fragile, and should never be taken for granted,” the UNIFIL head told the ceremony, attended by LAF representatives, mayors and fellow peacekeepers. Del Col hailed UNIFIL’s work with the parties and the partnership with the LAF to accomplish the mission’s mandate. “UNIFIL is committed to work with Lebanese authorities, to support the LAF and the people of south Lebanon. In so doing, we pave the way for all political and diplomatic efforts to take root, towards a lasting solution and a permanent ceasefire,” the UNIFIL chief said. He was referring to the recent Security Council Resolution 2591, adopted on August 30 renewing UNIFIL’s mandate for one more year, which asked UNIFIL to take “temporary and special measures” to extend logistical support to the LAF for six months. Noting the deteriorating situation in Lebanon due to the compounded effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented socio-economic crises, Maj. Gen. Del Col said UNIFIL and its troop-contributing countries are “doing their best to support and protect the people of south Lebanon.” “We are helping local communities build capacity to halt the spread of COVID-19; donating medical equipment, expertise, PPEs (personal protective equipment), PCR tests; and providing training to hospitals, schools and communities,” UNIFIL chief added. On the occasion, members of UNIFIL leadership team and LAF representative Brigadier General Maroun Kobayati awarded 28 military staff officers with the U.N. Medal for their contribution to fulfilling the Mission’s mandate.
The U.N. General Assembly established the International Day of Peace in 1981 in order to strengthen the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. The U.N. invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace. The global theme of this year’s observance is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world.”

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 22-23/2021
First call since France-US row; Macron orders French envoy back to US
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/22 September ,2021
US-French ties appeared to be back on track Wednesday after a phone call between President Joe Biden and his counterpart in Paris, Emmanuel Macron. A joint statement from the White House and Elysee said that Macron ordered his envoy to the US to return to Washington less than a week after he withdrew the ambassador in response to the submarine deal signed between the US and Australia. Relations between the US and its oldest ally in Europe quickly deteriorated following the deal's announcement, which saw France lose out on a multi-billion contract to build submarines for Australia. In addition to the deal, the US, Australia and the United Kingdom announced a new Indo-Pacific alliance. This caught France and the European Union by surprise. But Biden quickly requested a call with Macron. This took place early Wednesday, according to the White House. “The two leaders agreed that the situation would have benefited from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners.””The joint statement said that in-depth consultations would be held between the pair, and they would meet in October.“The United States also recognizes the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to NATO,” the statement said.

Joint Statement on the Phone Call between President Biden and President Macron
NNA - President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic and President Joe Biden of the United States of America spoke on September 22, at the request of the latter, in order to discuss the implications of the announcement on September 15. The two leaders agreed that the situation would have benefitted from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners. President Biden conveyed his ongoing commitment in that regard. The two leaders have decided to open a process of in-depth consultations, aimed at creating the conditions for ensuring confidence and proposing concrete measures toward common objectives. They will meet in Europe at the end of October in order to reach shared understandings and maintain momentum in this process. President Emmanuel Macron has decided that the French Ambassador will return to Washington next week. He will then start intensive work with senior US officials. President Biden reaffirms the strategic importance of French and European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, including in the framework of the European Union’s recently published strategy for the Indo-Pacific. The United States also recognizes the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense, that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to NATO. In the framework of their joint fight against terrorism, the United States commits to reinforcing its support to counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel conducted by European states. -- The White House

Global partnership is critical to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Jordan’s King
Rawad Taha, Al Arabiya English/22 September ,2021
Jordan’s King Abdullah II said that global partnership is critical to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, according to The Royal Hashemite Court. King Abdullah reaffirmed that Jordan would continue working to preserve the historic and legal status quo of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian Holy Sites, under Hashemite Custodianship.World leaders have returned to the United Nations in New York this week with a focus on boosting efforts to fight both climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, which last year forced them to send video statements for the annual gathering. As the coronavirus still rages amid an inequitable vaccine rollout, about a third of the 193 UN have planned to again send videos, but presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers for the remainder have travelled to the United States. King Abdullah said that the conflict Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the longest-standing conflicts in modern history. On the socio-economic crisis in nearby Lebanon, King Abdullah said that the [world] owes the Lebanese people its full support to enable them to rise from the crisis. “Enabling the Lebanese to rise from the crisis demands a well-planned, well-executed international response, engaging all of us,” he added.
King Abdullah added that the world must not forget the millions of refugees in host countries like Lebanon. “In this time of great need, we owe the Lebanese people our full support, to enable them to rise from this crisis. And that demands a well-planned, well-executed international response, engaging all of us. Jordanians well understand what a serious impact this has. For generations, our country has sacrificed to help millions of refugees fleeing injustice and danger,” King Abdullah added. King Abdullah added that the wellbeing of these millions and the communities that host them remains an international responsibility.
“It is vital to keep up support for UNHCR, the World Food Program, and others that care for and offer hope to refugees and their host communities,” he added. King Abdullah added that countries have a vast shared interest in responding effectively. “Leaving people in need, innocents in jeopardy and conflicts unresolved plays into the hands of global extremists, who exploit the despair, frustration, and anger these crises leave in their wake. Although we may have won some battles, the fight against terrorism and extremism is not yet over. Our action—collective, global action—remains essential,” King Abdullah added. King Abdullah II added that Jordan has been calling for regional networks of resiliency to pool resources and respond quickly and smoothly to needs as they arise. “That requires collective action, and the emphasis must be on action. Positive change cannot be willed into being. Our work must be coordinated and structured to deliver real-world impact,” he added.With Reuters

Tunisian President Vows New Electoral Code, Transition Team
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Tunisia’s president has announced plans to draft a new electoral code and appoint a transitional leadership — and to hang on to the exceptional powers that he seized in July, throwing the country’s young democracy into question. In a speech Monday night, President Kais Saied promised that the new initiatives would respect Tunisians’ hard-fought rights and freedoms and democratic constitution. Saied spoke to supporters in the impoverished town of Sidi Bouzid, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, where many people are disillusioned with the country’s failure to solve economic and social problems since overthrowing its repressive leaders a decade ago. He defended his July 25 decision to suspend parliament, fire the prime minister and seize executive powers, which he said was needed to save the country amid unrest over financial troubles and the government’s handling of Tunisia’s coronavirus crisis, The Associated Press reported. He invoked a special constitutional article allowing such measures in the event of imminent danger to the nation, and said they would be in place for 30 days. But they have been extended until further notice. “Danger still hangs over the country and I cannot leave it like a puppet in the hands of those who act in the shadows, and of corrupt people,” Saied said Monday. He accused unidentified players of “conspiring to cause chaos and confusion” in Tunisia, and said, “There is no question of going back.” He promised a new electoral code to hold lawmakers more accountable to constituents, and transitional arrangements to run the country before he names a new prime minister. He did not detail them. Several lawmakers and prominent figures have been jailed since his power grab. In the face of criticism from international human rights groups, he insisted that “rights and freedoms will be respected,” and that no one is being jailed for political views.

Conflicting Reports about US Drone Strike Target in Idlib
Idlib – Firas Karam/Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
A leader of a faction affiliated with al-Qaeda was killed in a US drone strike in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province on Monday, according to field activists and the US military, amid conflicting reports about the target. The head of the Syrian opposition’s monitor, Abu Amin, said that the Monday US drone strike had targeted the Guardians of Religion Organization leader Abu Khalid Qudsaya while he was riding a civilian vehicle along the Idlib-Binnish road east of Idlib province. Amin denied reports that the strike had killed another two leaders of the Guardians of Religion Organization. He also pointed out that Qudsaya had previously survived a US air raid that targeted him around two years ago. In a statement on Tuesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokeswoman Lieutenant Josie Lynne Lenny said: “US forces conducted a kinetic counter-terrorism strike near Idlib, Syria, today, on a senior al-Qaeda leader.”“Initial indications are that we struck the individual we were aiming for, and there are no indications of civilian casualties as a result of the strike.”In a Monday press conference, Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby announced that a drone strike hit a vehicle traveling in rebel-controlled northwestern Syria on Monday, killing a senior al-Qaeda leader. Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said the airstrike was conducted near Idlib, Syria and there are no initial indications of any civilian casualties. The US has carried out attacks in Idlib before, targeting al-Qaeda militants and the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was hiding in the province after fleeing from eastern Syria. Large parts of Idlib and neighboring Aleppo province remain in the hands of Syrian armed opposition, dominated by radical groups including the once al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. More so, Al-Qaeda factions and the remnants of ISIS are subjected to repeated air raids by Russian warplanes within the Syrian Badia and northeastern Syria, and similar raids by the US-led International Coalition. In October 2019, nine extremists were killed. Four of the fighters belonged to the Guardians of Religion Organization, which is the arm of Al-Qaeda in Syria. About a month later, 40 extremists were killed in US strikes near the city of Idlib.

Ravaged by War, Syrian Rebel Area Struggles with Virus Surge
Associated Press/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Coronavirus cases are surging to the worst levels of the pandemic in a rebel stronghold in Syria — a particularly devastating development in a region where scores of hospitals have been bombed and that doctors and nurses have fled in droves during a decade of war. The total number of cases seen in Idlib province — an overcrowded enclave with a population of 4 million, many of them internally displaced — has more than doubled since the beginning of August to more than 61,000. In recent weeks, daily new infections have repeatedly shot past 1,500, and authorities reported 34 deaths on Sunday alone — figures that are still believed to be undercounts because many infected people don't report to authorities. The situation has become so dire in the northwestern province that rescue workers known as the White Helmets who became famous for digging through the rubble of bombings to find victims now mostly ferry coronavirus patients to the hospital or the dead to burials. "What is happening is a medical catastrophe," the Idlib Doctors Syndicate said this week as it issued a plea for support from international aid groups.Idlib faces all the challenges that places the world over have during the pandemic: Its intensive care units are largely full, there are severe shortages of oxygen and tests, and the vaccination rollout has been slow. But extreme poverty and the ravages of Syria's civil war have made the situation in Idlib uniquely terrible. Half of its hospitals and health centers have been damaged by bombing, and the health system was close to collapse even before the pandemic. A large number of medical personnel have fled the country seeking safety and opportunities abroad. Tens of thousands of its residents live in crowded tent settlements, where social distancing and even regular hand-washing are all but impossible. And increasing violence in the region is now threatening to make matters worse. Large parts of Idlib and neighboring Aleppo province remain in the hands of Syria's armed opposition, dominated by radical groups including al-Qaida-affiliated militants who have struggled to respond to the outbreak, which intensified in August, apparently driven by the more contagious delta variant and gatherings for the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha.
Cases and deaths have also been increasing in recent weeks in government-held areas and those under the control of U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters in the east, but the situation appears to be worse in Idlib, though it's hard to measure the true toll anywhere. In response, the political arm of the insurgent group that runs Idlib has closed some markets, forced restaurants to serve outdoor meals only, and delayed the opening of schools by a week. But most residents are daily laborers who could not survive if they stopped working, making full lockdowns impossible. "If they don't work, they cannot eat," said Idlib resident Ahmad Said, who added that most people cannot even afford to buy masks.
What's more, a population that has suffered through so much already is often too weary to follow restrictions that have tested people even in easier circumstances. "It is as if people have gotten used to death," said Salwa Abdul-Rahman, an opposition activist who reports on events in Idlib. "Those who were not killed by regime and Russian airstrikes are being killed now by coronavirus."The vaccination campaign meanwhile, has been slow, though the arrival of some 350,000 doses of a Chinese vaccine earlier this month could help. According to the World Health Organization, only about 2.5% of Idlib's population has received at least one shot. The new virus outbreak also comes amid the most serious increase in violence in Idlib, 18 months after a truce reached between Turkey and Russia who support rival sides in Syria's conflict brought relative calm. In recent weeks, airstrikes and artillery shelling by government forces have left scores of people dead or wounded. At al-Ziraa hospital, Dr. Muhammad Abdullah says there is no sign that the outbreak has reached its peak yet. But for some Idlib residents, getting infected is the least of their worries. "We have gone through more difficult situations than coronavirus," said resident Ali Dalati, walking through a market without wearing a mask. "We are not afraid of coronavirus."

Egypt Pledges a “Comprehensive Health Insurance” Plan Despite the Challenges
Cairo - Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed pledged on Tuesday to continue to implement the comprehensive health insurance system for citizens, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic at all levels. “Our country has set a great example in preserving the health of its citizens during the coronavirus pandemic, while achieving growth rates, development and sustaining the economy,” Zayed said. During her speech at the opening of a number of national projects for the development of the Sinai Peninsula, the Health Minister announced the inauguration of a comprehensive health insurance system in the two governorates of South Sinai and Suez. She said the development of infrastructure and information in the health insurance system has so far cost the State more than 51 billion pounds, explaining that the ministry has provided more than 6 million health services and more than 82,000 advanced surgeries in these governorates. Zayed stressed that the modernization of the system included the development of organizational structures and the issuance of several financial and administrative decisions by the Prime Minister regarding the transfer of assets and medical staff, and the improvement of the financial and economic system. “All of this resulted in the development of many health units and hospitals,” she said, explaining that the number of workers in the comprehensive health insurance system exceeded 11,000. Regarding the mechanization of the health care system, Zayed said that digital transformation is key for the health insurance system and includes two components: first, the mechanization of services and second the mechanization of financial claims to ensure the efficiency of work and services. Meanwhile, Egypt continued to register an increase in the number of daily COVID-19 infections with 679 cases recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 297,608.

AU, UN Condemn Failed Coup Attempt in Sudan
Khartoum - Mohammed Amin Yassin/Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
The United Nations has condemned the failed coup attempt that took place in Sudan on Tuesday. “In my capacity as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN and Head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan, I unequivocally condemn the attempted military coup,” said Volker Perthes. “The UN condemns any attempt - whether a coup or otherwise - to undermine the democratic political transition process and the pluralistic nature of the state as stipulated in the constitutional declaration,” he affirmed. “The UN rejects any calls for a military coup or the replacement of the transitional government with military rule,” he stressed. Perthes also reiterated the UN’s continued commitment to assist, advise and support inclusive civilian governance in Sudan. He underlined the need for the continued commitment of all stakeholders to an inclusive transition process and to realize the aspirations of the Sudanese people towards a peaceful, stable, and democratic future. Chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat strongly condemned the aborted power grab and congratulated the Sudanese people on its failure. “I strongly urge to adhere to the legitimate authorities of the transitional period, which stems from the will of all national forces, civilian or military,” stressed Faki. Sudan’s army commander and head of the sovereign council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited the military camp in south Khartoum where the attempted putsch reportedly began.
“Had it succeeded, the attempt could have had devastating consequences on the unity of the army, security forces, and the country,” he said. Burhan called on all political forces to unite to build Sudan and protect its security and stability as it is a joint responsibility between the military and civilians. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the coup attempt was the “latest manifestation of the national crisis”, referring to deep divisions during Sudan’s move to democracy.

Anti-ISIS Coalition Reviews its Role in Iraq
Baghdad – Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
The US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS announced that it was reorganizing “to an advisory and assist role” in Iraq by the end of the year. However, Coalition Spokesman Wayne Marotto stressed on Twitter commitment to security cooperation and partnership with the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government in the war against ISIS. He also emphasized that the coalition supported “a secure and stable Iraq.” These statements come as the Joint Operations Command in Iraq announced the withdrawal of three new US units in accordance with the strategic agreement between Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and US President Joe Biden during the fourth round of consultations in Washington at the end of July. The spokesman for the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji, said in a press statement on Tuesday that Iraq no longer needed foreign combat forces on its soil. “The strategic dialogue with the United States contributed to the agreement on the withdrawal of three American combat units from the Ain al-Assad base in Anbar, and the Harir base in Erbil, by the end of this month, to head outside Iraq,” he stated. He noted that the agreement at the same time provided for the continuation of training, equipment and advice. Khafaji stressed that Iraq “only needs training, armament and construction in the field of air power, army aviation and air defense.” “These are matters that the international coalition will contribute to building,” he remarked. Meanwhile, the Pentagon commented on a report by the New York Times about the deployment of 2,000 soldiers in Iraq, stressing that the soldiers, who are from the 4th Infantry Division, will replace the 256 Combat Brigade of the US National Guard in Louisiana for a period of nine months. According to the Pentagon, the move is a “natural rotation” to support the continuity of the Combined Task Force for Operation Inherent Resolve”, within the framework of the anti-ISIS coalition.

Wennesland in Gaza, Calls for Maintaining Calm
Ramallah - Kifah Zboun/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland met with Hamas movement officials in Gaza on Tuesday to discuss the importance of maintaining calm in the coastal enclave. The envoy was in Gaza for a brief visit. He had last visited the area on June 21, when he met with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. On Tuesday, an informed source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Wennesland discussed with the Hamas leaders means to consolidate the truce in Gaza and to advance economic projects, in addition to the Qatari grant. An informed source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Wennesland discussed with Hamas officials on Tuesday efforts to consolidate the truce and to push forward economic projects. He also tackled the Qatari grant, urging the need to maintain the calm in order ensure the success of the truce and hand out the Qatari funds, carry out the prisoner swap deal and launch real reconstruction in Gaza. The UN has played a leading role in consolidating the truce in Gaza, and it is supervising the distribution of aid in the Strip.Last week, it began to handing out cash aid to thousands of poor families in Hamas-run Gaza under a program funded by Qatar. The UN has said the funding amounts to $40 million and it targets around 100,000 beneficiaries. Qatar has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza over the years.

Houthis Prepare for New Mass Executions in Sanaa
Aden - Ali Rabea/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Parallel to a military escalation that Houthi militias are staging in Yemen's Shabwah governorate, human rights sources warn that the Iran-backed guerrillas are planning to stage mass executions in the capital, Sanaa. According to human rights groups, Houthis will execute 11 civilians, including two women, whom they are accusing of espionage. A few days ago, Houthis were internationally condemned for putting to death nine civilians, including a minor, in central Sanaa's Tahrir square. The internationally recognized government also condemned the brutal killings and said they amounted to a war crime.
Yemeni human rights sources stated that the militias, through a court under their control, issued an order to execute 11 people on charges of espionage, and to confiscate their money to its treasury. According to the sources, those threatened with execution are: Muhammad al-Maliki, Ali Muhammad al-Shahdhi, Hanan Mutahar Ahmad al-Shahdi, Altaf Yahya al-Matari, Najib Ali al-Baadani, Samir Mosad al-Ammari, Issam Muhammad al-Faqih, Abdullah Abdullah Muqraish, Nabil Hadi al-Ansi, Abdullah Ali al-Khayyat and Abdullah Muhammad Sawar. Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Muammar al-Eryani revealed that Houthis had asked the families of the nine civilians executed on September 18 to leave their homes and assets and to pay. More so, Houthis are demanding each family pay a court fee of 3 million Yemeni rials for the unfair trials it held for their now-deceased relatives. In a post on Twitter, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Muammar al-Eryani said the executions had been carried out in "cold blood". The Houthis handed over the bodies to the victims' families "with the stipulation that they be buried silently and not [prayed for] in mosques," nor could the families attend their funerals or receive condolences for them, he said. Eryani considered "the punitive practices pursued by the terrorist Houthi militia against the families of the victims a blatant challenge to the international community, which has condemned and continues to condemn this heinous crime, and a flagrant violation of international laws and covenants, foremost of which is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."

Anger as U.S. Progressives Object to Israeli Iron Dome Funding
Agence France Presse/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
A group of leftist U.S. Democrats came under heavy fire Tuesday after reportedly vowing to nix a short-term spending bill over a $1 billion allocation for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. The party leadership vowed there would be no interruption in funding, with the cash being sourced elsewhere -- but not before being berated by Republicans for capitulating to "anti-Semites" on their left flank. Steny Hoyer, the Democratic House of Representatives majority leader, said there would be a vote "before the end of this week that will fund fully Iron Dome."He added he had talked to Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid "and assured him that that bill was going to pass this house."He said the House would use an accelerated procedure known as a suspension bill that requires a bill be approved by two thirds of the members present, or a unanimous oral vote. The Senate will then have to adopt it. Tuesday's drama was sparked by House Democrats removing a provision originally included in a bill to keep the federal government funds that would have helped boost the Israeli air defense system. The about-face came after a group of leftist representatives objected to the allocation, U.S. media reported, threatening to tank the bill when it comes up for a vote later Tuesday. While the row looked ultimately like a storm in a tea cup, it underlined that progressives are becoming increasingly skeptical of no-strings-attached aid to America's key ally in the Middle East, just months after the end of hardline right-winger Benjamin Netanyahu's 11-year premiership. Operational for a decade, Iron Dome has intercepted and destroyed thousands of short-range rockets and artillery shells launched by Hamas militants from Gaza before they were able to hit populated areas, Israeli officials say. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy blasted Democrats for capitulating to "the anti-Semitic influence of their radical members," an accusation echoed by conservative Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who urged the Democratic rank-and-file to denounce the party's leadership. Dean Phillips, a Democratic congressman from Minnesota, tweeted he was "incredulous" that colleagues would risk shutting down the government rather than defend "one of our most important allies and only Jewish nation in the world" from Hamas rockets.

Israel Captures Escapees, Opens Crossing near Prison Break
Asharq Al-Awsat/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Israel on Wednesday reopened a crossing with the occupied West Bank for the first time since six prisoners tunneled out of a nearby Israeli prison, a rare escape that triggered a massive search before they were all recaptured. The Israeli military body that oversees civilian affairs in the West Bank said the Jalameh crossing into the northern West Bank would be open for the first time since Sept. 6, when the prisoners escaped, reported The Associated Press. Six prisoners — five of them accused of deadly attacks against Israelis — tunneled out of Gilboa prison in northern Israel through a shaft in the floor of their bathroom in the biggest jailbreak of its kind in decades. They later split up into groups of two, and the final pair were apprehended over the weekend in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin. The incident marked an embarrassing security breach for Israel and sparked a massive manhunt in northern Israel and the occupied West Bank. Lawyers for two of the prisoners said they were beaten during their arrest. Palestinians consider prisoners held by Israel to be heroes of their national cause, and many celebrated the escape on social media.

Iraqi Cement-Makers Angry at Fuel Subsidy Cut
Agence France Presse/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Iraq's association of cement manufacturers on Tuesday slammed a government decision to reduce subsidies on fuel for the sector, warning the move risks factory closures and cement price increases. The oil ministry earlier this month raised the price of fuel sold to cement manufactures from 150 dinars per liter (around 10 cents) to 250, following on from a previous hike earlier in the year. The measure caused industry outrage in the crisis-hit country, where some regions are still waiting for costly post-war reconstruction. "The cement industry is the only one that has been self-sufficient from 2016 until now and hasn't raised prices," Ammar al-Saadi, deputy director of the cement manufacturers' association, told AFP on Tuesday. He said public and private activity in the sector employed almost 50,000 people directly or indirectly, from factory workers to truck drivers. The association warned of "enormous losses" in the sector, calling on authorities to reverse the decision. Cement manufacturers will have to choose between "closures, which would lead to thousands of lay-offs... or an increase in the sale price of cement to at least $10 a tone," a statement from the association said. "That would increase the burden for the population and the state, which is embarking upon the reconstruction of the country and wants to develop infrastructure projects." The subsidized fuel price for cement manufacturers was originally approved in exchange for their commitment to cap the price of cement. "The decision will lead to an additional cost of 35 million euros ($41 million) per year, which could lead to heavy losses for the business," said Adham al-Sharkawy, head of Lafarge Iraq. He said the measure could threaten more than a thousand jobs if the firm is unable to pay salaries.
Iraq is the number two oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and almost all of its revenues come from the sector.
Authorities say they want to diversify the economy to reduce their dependence on the sector.

Libya's Decade of Civil War and Chaos
Agence France Presse/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
Oil-rich Libya, whose parliament on Tuesday passed a no-confidence vote in its unity government, has been mired in chaos since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in 2011. The unity government, only installed in March, was to rule until elections scheduled for December, replacing two rival governments who have battled for years in a bloody struggle for control of the country.
Here is a timeline:
- 2011: Gadhafi killed -
Encouraged by Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, protests erupt in Libya in February 2011. Washington, Paris and London give military backing to what becomes an armed revolt.
Gadhafi, in power for 42 years, flees the capital but is captured and killed on October 20.
In August 2012, the rebel council hands over power to a transitional authority, the General National Congress (GNC).
- 2012: Embassies targeted -
US ambassador Chris Stevens and three American staff are killed in a September 11, 2012 attack on their consulate in Libya's second city, Benghazi. An Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group is blamed.
A car bomb in April 2013 targets France's Tripoli embassy, wounding two French guards.
Most foreign diplomats leave the country.
- 2014: Rival governments -
Military strongman Khalifa Haftar launches an offensive in May 2014 against jihadist groups in Benghazi. He names his forces the Libyan National Army, and several officers from the east join him.
Legislative polls are held in June, producing a parliament -- the House of Representatives -- dominated by anti-Islamists.
But Islamist-led militias contest the results and storm Tripoli in August, restoring the GNC to power.
The internationally recognized the House of Representatives takes refuge in the eastern city of Tobruk.
Libya thus finds itself with two governments and two parliaments.
- 2015-16: Failed accord -
In December 2015, after months of talks and international pressure, the rival parliaments sign an accord in Morocco establishing a Government of National Accord.
In March 2016, GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj arrives in Tripoli to install the new administration, but the House of Representatives never holds a vote of confidence on it and Haftar refuses to recognize it.
- 2019: Haftar's offensives -
Haftar announces the "total liberation" of Benghazi from jihadists in July 2017, after more than three years of fighting.
He is backed by neighboring Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, later also forming links with Russia.
In January 2019, Haftar launches an offensive into oil-rich southern Libya, seizing the region's capital, Sebha, and one of the country's main oil fields.
In April he orders his troops to advance on Tripoli.
- Foreign involvement -
Russia reportedly sends mercenaries in November 2019 to help Haftar's forces.
The UN in December accuses several countries of breaching a 2011 arms embargo by supplying both camps.
The following month Turkey sends troops to help the Tripoli government.
In early June government forces say they have overrun Haftar's last western stronghold.
- 2020: Talks and ceasefire -
On October 23, 2020 the rival governments sign a "permanent" ceasefire agreement after five days of UN-hosted talks in Geneva. The following month in Tunis they agree to hold elections in December 2021.
A unity government headed by interim prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah is approved by lawmakers on March 10, 2021 to steer the country through to elections.
- 2021: Tensions mount again -
The UN envoy for Libya, Jan Kubis, warns on July 15 of an "stalemate" over political and security plans and Dbeibah's proposed budget.
On September 9, parliament speaker Aguila Saleh ratifies a law governing the presidential election -- and allowing his ally Haftar to stand -- but sparks criticism for not submitting the text to a vote.
Then on Tuesday Libya's parliament passes a no-confidence vote in the unity government.

Turkish Frigate Confronts Greek Vessel
Associated Press/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
A Turkish warship issued a warning to a Greek research vessel to prevent it entering what Turkey considers its territorial waters, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported Wednesday. The showdown came a year after tensions in the eastern Mediterranean threatened to escalate into open conflict between the neighbors and NATO allies. The Nautical Geo survey ship was confronted by the Orucreis frigate as it attempted to enter Turkey's continental shelf, NTV said. The Turkish ship issued a radio message warning it would intervene if the survey vessel continued its course. NTV didn't say when the incident occurred, but maritime tracking services showed the Maltese-flagged Nautical Geo docked Wednesday at Heraklion port on the Greek island of Crete. The Turkish Defense Ministry didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Greece and Turkey have been competing over the exploration of gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean amid a lengthy dispute over their respective territorial waters. Turkey also considers itself the guardian of breakaway northern Cyprus's energy rights in the region. In the summer of 2020, Greek and Turkish warships shadowed each other across the eastern Mediterranean as Turkey sent research ships backed by its navy to search for hydrocarbon reserves. Although there was no direct conflict, the danger was illustrated when a Greek frigate collided with a Turkish warship in August. The standoff also drew in France, the United Arab Emirates and the EU in defending Greece's rights in the face of what they declared to be Turkish provocations. The confrontation led Athens to bolster its naval and air forces with purchases of new defense equipment, including 24 French Rafale jets. Last week, Athens issued a Navtex warning that the Nautical Geo would be operating off the eastern coast of Crete, which Turkey considers its waters and is covered by a 2019 maritime deal between Turkey and Libya. The Navtex expired on Wednesday. Senior Greek and Turkish officials have met twice this year to discuss their maritime disputes, the first talks on the long-standing issue since 2016.

U.S. Top Military Officer Meets with Russian Counterpart
Associated Press/Wednesday, 22 September, 2021
The top U.S. military officer met with his Russian counterpart Wednesday, against the backdrop of U.S. struggles to get military basing rights and other counterterrorism support in countries bordering Afghanistan — a move Moscow has flatly opposed. The meeting in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, between Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Chief of the Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov comes at a crucial time in the wake of the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Without troops on the ground, the U.S. needs to forge more basing, intelligence sharing and other agreements to help monitor al-Qaida and Islamic State militants in Afghanistan to ensure they are not regrouping and posing a threat to America and its allies. Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said in July, however, that Moscow warned the U.S. that any deployment of American troops in countries neighboring Afghanistan "is unacceptable." He said Russia told the U.S. "in a direct and straightforward way that it would change a lot of things not only in our perceptions of what's going on in that important region, but also in our relations with the United States."Ryabkov also said that Russia had a "frank talk" with the Central Asian countries to warn them not to allow U.S. troops within their borders. Milley declined to provide details of the meeting to reporters traveling with him to Helsinki. In a statement Wednesday, Col. Dave Butler, Milley's spokesman, said the meeting was a "continuation of talks aimed at improving military leadership communication between the two nations for the purposes of risk reduction and operational de-confliction."
Butler said both sides agreed not to disclose details of the talks, which has been the practice in previous meetings and calls. But just a few days ago, Milley made it clear the basing issue was a key topic on his mind on this European trip, saying he discussed it with NATO counterparts when they met in Athens over the weekend. Milley, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and American intelligence officials have warned that al-Qaida or the Islamic State group could regenerate and pose a threat to the United States in one year to two years. U.S. military leaders have said they can conduct counterterrorism surveillance and, if necessary, strikes in Afghanistan from "over the horizon" — meaning from assets based in other countries. But they acknowledge that surveillance flights from bases in the Persian Gulf are long and provide limited time in the air over Afghanistan. So the U.S. and allies want basing agreements, overflight rights and increased intelligence-sharing with nations closer to Afghanistan, such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan.
So far there are no indications of any progress. Moscow maintains a tight grip on the central Asian nations and opposes western presence there. The U.S. used the Transit Center at Manas, in Krygyzstan, for a large part of the Afghanistan war, moving troops in and out of the warzone through that base. Under pressure from Russia and its allies, however, Krygyzstan insisted the U.S. vacate the base in 2014. The U.S. also leased Karshi-Khanabad, known as K2, as a base in Uzbekistan for several years after the Afghanistan war began. Uzbekistan ordered the base closed in 2005 amid tensions with Washington, and the Defense Ministry reaffirmed in May that the country's constitution and military doctrine rule out the presence of foreign troops there. It's unclear if there is any potential for negotiations with the Russians to encourage them to lessen their objections to U.S. or allied presence in the region. But Russian officials also have expressed concern that the Taliban takeover could destabilize Central Asia, and they worry about a growing threat from IS. Milley spoke optimistically this week about getting help from allies in the over-the-horizon fight. He never specifically identified Russia or the South Asian countries, but said NATO allies are discussing potential contributions.
"There are opportunities where alliance members may choose to work closely with us on these over-the-horizon capabilities," Milley told reporters.
Milley's meeting with Gerasimov, and broader discussions about counterterrorism this week, come on the heels of a deadly U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan in the final days of the chaotic evacuation of Americans, Afghans and others. The U.S. initially claimed the drone strike killed an Islamic extremist looking to attack the Kabul airport, but now says it was a mistake that killed 10 civilians, including seven children. The incident triggered questions about the future use of drone strikes to target terrorists in Afghanistan from over the horizon. But Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said that while that airstrike was a "tragic mistake" it was not comparable to future counterterror strikes. McKenzie said that the strike that killed civilians was based on intelligence pointing to an imminent threat of another attack on the Kabul airport. A suicide bomber just days earlier had killed 13 U.S. troops and dozens of Afghans and other civilians at an airport gate. Future strikes on insurgents deemed to pose a threat to America, McKenzie said, would be "done under different rules of engagement" and there would be more time to study the target.
"We will have an opportunity to further develop the target and time to look at pattern of life. That time was not available to us because this was imminent threat to our forces," said McKenzie. "We did not have the luxury of time to develop pattern of life and to do a number of other things."

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials published on September 22-23/2021
Erdogan’s U-turn in Afghanistan shows the danger of outsourcing security missions to autocrat
Aykan Erdemir/Washington Examiner//September 22/2021
President Joe Biden walked into Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s trap in June by agreeing to hold a one-on-one meeting without the presence of any diplomats or note takers. The American president was hoping to finalize a deal to outsource the security of the Kabul international airport to Ankara. Biden got his deal, and Erdogan got back into Washington’s good graces.
Fast forward three months: Erdogan not only withdrew Turkish troops from Afghanistan despite promising they would stay even after the fall of Kabul but is now in negotiations with the Taliban to help them secure diplomatic recognition . Erdogan also reached an agreement with the militant group to provide them technical support to operate the airport. Ankara reportedly offers this support through a dozen technicians while also hoping to provide security through a private firm. This U-turn offers a cautionary tale about outsourcing security missions to autocrats.
The Biden and Erdogan Kabul airport deal marked a significant turning point in a relationship that had gotten off to a rocky start. After taking office, Biden gave Turkey’s Islamist strongman the cold shoulder by refusing to call him for three months.
Erdogan, however, is skilled in identifying his opponents’ needs and weaknesses. He was quick to detect the growing American reluctance to maintain U.S. troops abroad as part of long-term counterterrorism missions.
In October 2019, during a phone call with former President Donald Trump, Erdogan exploited his U.S. counterpart’s neo-isolationist impulses to convince him to withdraw American forces from northeast Syria. Erdogan assured Trump that Turkish troops would deal with the remnants of the Islamic State.
Yet, during the ensuing military operation in Syria, Turkish troops and Ankara’s Islamist proxies battered Washington’s Syrian Kurdish-led partners, who had borne the brunt of ground combat against the Islamic State. The result was a power vacuum that the Russians and the Assad regime exploited to expand their presence in northeast Syria.
Hoping to replicate with Biden the kind of personal relationship he had with Trump, Erdogan launched a charm offensive following the 2020 U.S. elections but failed to make inroads during the first few months of the Biden presidency. Yet neo-isolationist impulses proved to be just as strong among Democrats as Republicans, giving Erdogan a weakness to exploit.
When Biden cornered himself by committing to a full military withdrawal from Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Erdogan was poised to capitalize on Washington’s predicament, which included logistical challenges as well as the frustration of NATO allies . The Turkish president was correct to assume that, under growing pressure to outsource security responsibilities in Kabul, Biden would fall for Erdogan’s offer to guard and run the city’s international airport.
From the start, Biden should have seen the signs that Erdogan was not a good-faith negotiator and did not share his values or goals in Afghanistan or, for that matter, elsewhere . In July, the Turkish president admitted that Turkey “does not have any conflicting issues with [the Taliban’s] beliefs.” Erdogan even suggested that the U.S.-led NATO mission in Afghanistan was illegitimate from the get-go, saying , “Imperial powers entered Afghanistan; they have been there for over 20 years.” There were even reports that the Erdogan government was planning to deploy to Afghanistan some 2,000 Syrian mercenaries, whose earlier conduct prompted the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria to bring accusations of war crimes against them last September, including allegations of hostage-taking, cruel treatment, torture, rape, and pillaging.
Paradoxically, the total collapse of Biden’s Afghanistan policy and the accompanying withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the war-torn country have not brought Erdogan’s leverage over Washington to an end. On the contrary, as the Biden administration has scrambled to cope with the fallout, the Turkish president has enjoyed the opportunity to pitch new deals to his U.S. and European counterparts.
These include an offer to provide technical assistance to run the Kabul airport, as well as ostensible efforts to encourage the Taliban to form an inclusive administration that upholds women’s rights — a pledge on which Erdogan should first deliver at home. But most importantly, Ankara maintains the ability to block or slow down refugee flows to the European Union, a capability it weaponized at the height of the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015.
Whether the Turkish president’s renewed offers of assistance and veiled threats are serious or not, lately, he has been enjoying a steady stream of affirmative messages from his U.S. and European counterparts. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who dismissed Turkey as a “so-called strategic partner” in January, stated on Sept. 3 that the U.S. is “working closely with our partners Qatar and Turkey to help get the airport in Kabul up and running as quickly as possible.”
A week earlier, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas expressed Berlin’s gratitude to Turkey for its offer to continue to help run the airport after NATO’s withdrawal and said Germany was ready to support that effort financially and technically. Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, an alliance within which Erdogan repeatedly plays a spoiler role , similarly thanked Turkey for its vital role in securing the Kabul airport during the withdrawal of NATO forces and personnel from Afghanistan.
In a world where the U.S. and its European allies are reluctant to deploy troops even to hold back adversaries such as the Taliban, there will be further temptations to outsource security challenges by undertaking questionable deals with the likes of Erdogan and other autocrats. Illiberal governments remain eager to fill the power vacuum a neo-isolationist U.S. and an inward-looking EU leave behind. This, in turn, will bolster the impunity of adversaries who know that Washington’s illiberal partners are in the game for themselves.
*Aykan Erdemir (@aykan_erdemir ) is a former member of the Turkish parliament and the senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, non-partisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

Who is Controlling the Biden Presidency?
Chris Farrell/Gatestone Institute./September 22/2021
To answer the question of who is controlling the Biden presidency, we should consider the Biden administration's disastrous policy decisions. "Cui bono?" – Who benefits?
Why would Biden abandon Bagram Air Force Base? It is key to all of Southwest Asia – just 400 miles to China and 500 miles to Iran. It is a vitally important geopolitical, military and intelligence platform with consequences and "reach" that involve far more than just Afghan regional matters. Who, specifically, made the recommendation to just walk away from Bagram – and then who gave the order? If we suggest that there is a combination or passing alliance of these various interests and groups, each seeking to advance their own agenda behind the official, hollow, front of "President Joe Biden" – then we run the risk of being branded conspiracy theorists. That is both dishonest and unfortunate, because asking questions of, and seeking accountability from, elected officials is not "crazy." Interest groups do, in fact, lobby presidential advisors, White House staff, and even members of the president's family.
We must press on – asking questions, examining records, seeking accountability and documenting facts. The truth will prevail. The question has been asked dozens of different ways, depending on the questioner and the public policy issue. "Who is controlling the Biden presidency?" One thing appears certain: It is not President Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. He gives incoherent, rambling speeches, and often declines to take questions.
A May 2021 powder-puff profile of President Biden in the Washington Post was written as both a hagiography and a politically therapeutic assurance that there's been a "return to normalcy" in the White House. The article's author, Ashley Parker, was clearly given extraordinary access to personal details by White House staff and Biden handlers in order to compose her report. The resulting article is an interesting mix of Ms. Parker taking careful dictation from the White House, and her own ambition to pledge allegiance to the larger Biden "family." In fairness, here is how Ms. Parker describes the sourcing of her article:
"This account of Biden's daily schedule is based on interviews with seven people familiar with the president's daily life, most speaking on the condition of anonymity to disclose private details."
There is genuine journalistic value in Ms. Parker's work – and a mere four (+) months later – given the lightning fast and tumultuous downturn in the Biden presidency, 20/20 hindsight and review of her article may help answer our question: "Who is controlling the Biden presidency?"
Ms. Parker's article offers clues: On many days, Biden then summons his brain trust, including Klain and top advisers Mike Donilon, Anita Dunn, Bruce Reed, Steve Ricchetti and Cedric L. Richmond. These sessions rarely have a formal agenda; Biden simply declares, "Here's what I want to talk about," or the aides raise subjects they have discussed in advance for Biden's consideration.
"There are very few issues that get to the level of the president," Dunn said. "Those are the ones that only he can make a decision on."
Donilon, who has been with Biden for decades, is seen by the others as his conscience, alter ego and shared brain. One longtime Biden adviser estimated that no fewer than 10,000 times in their working relationship has the president turned to Donilon and asked, "Mike, what do you think?"
The closest Ms. Parker comes to addressing other influencers of the Biden presidency is passing reference to President Biden's son, Hunter. She writes: "He also calls his son Hunter, who has struggled with addiction, every night before bedtime, texting him if he doesn't pick up right away."
One thing Ms. Parker does not mention: Federal prosecutors are currently investigating Hunter Biden over details related to the extraordinary sums of money he purportedly earned from China-related business deals. Readers will recall that Hunter Biden profited from two separate deals, each worth billions of dollars, with Communist Chinese "business" entities during the time his father was vice president. Reports on Hunter Biden's email communications indicate that (in just one instance) remuneration plans of 10% of the value of a Chinese energy company deals were earmarked for "The Big Guy" – possibly indicating then-VP Joe Biden. We have the extraordinary (and outrageously scandalous) story of Hunter Biden and his deep Biden family financial ties. Air travel records, alone, document the deep connections between the president and Hunter. The air travel records also offer an investigative roadmap for any serious law enforcement officials seeking to examine questions of Biden corruption. More than 330,000 Americans have demanded just such an investigation from the Department of Justice. The information and emails contained in the Hunter Biden laptops reportedly detail President Biden's knowledgeability of his son's overseas business dealings.
We have documentation and details of key influencers around President Biden. Ms. Parker has identified Biden's "brain trust" and their role in guiding the president.
Ron Klain
Mike Donilon
Mao-loving former Obama WH communications chief Anita Dunn
Bruce Reed
Steve Ricchetti
Former Trump impeachment cheerleader, Cedric L. Richmond
To answer the question of who is controlling the Biden presidency, we should consider the Biden administration's disastrous policy decisions. "Cui bono?" – Who benefits? White House spokesperson Jen Psaki has been placed in impossibly contradictory positions, attempting to defend administration policy reversals. One need look no further than the Biden position on border issues (security, health, humanitarian, drug smuggling, human trafficking, impact on US border communities, etc.) – and – the humiliating collapse of the Afghan government, and the American diplomatic and military response.
Just consider for one example concerning Afghanistan: Why would Biden abandon Bagram Air Force Base? It is key to all of Southwest Asia – just 400 miles to China and 500 miles to Iran. It is a vitally important geopolitical, military and intelligence platform with consequences and "reach" that involve far more than just Afghan regional matters. Who, specifically, made the recommendation to just walk away from Bagram – and then who gave the order?
Which brings us back to our fundamental question: Who is controlling the Biden presidency?
Here are some potential answers – individually, in combination with key influencers of President Biden (his "brain trust," above), or via convenient, passing, alliance. Each of these have their own objectives for influencing those closest to President Biden:
Professional Washington political operatives of the Democrat Party and the corresponding leftist "deep state" federal government officials that have incrementally occupied the headquarters of every executive branch department and agency in Washington DC.
Lobbyists representing the military-industrial complex; big pharma; energy interests; and/or foreign powers and multinational corporations.
Big tech and the related Silicon Valley business interests.
Witting and unwitting agents of Communist China and its state "business enterprises" who pretend to operate independent of the government.
Militant leftists from organizations like Antifa, BLM and associated organizations who see an opportunity for unchecked and sometimes subsidized activities purportedly endorsed by the Democrat establishment.
If we suggest that there is a combination or passing alliance of these various interests and groups, each seeking to advance their own agenda behind the official, hollow, front of "President Joe Biden" – then we run the risk of being branded conspiracy theorists. That is both dishonest and unfortunate, because asking questions of, and seeking accountability from, elected officials is not "crazy." Interest groups do, in fact, lobby presidential advisors, White House staff, and even members of the president's family.
Without devolving into the stereotypes of the conspiracy theories described in Richard Hofstetter's, "The Paranoid Style in American Politics," the American public can and must seek accountability for the decisions and actions of the government. The left enjoys sensationalizing and marginalizing their political opponents by leveraging pejoratives, ad hominem and cartoonishly simplistic derision to undermine legitimate questions and concerns. We must not take their insidious tactics to heart. We must press on – asking questions, examining records, seeking accountability and documenting facts. The truth will prevail.
*Chris Farrell is Director of Investigations at Judicial Watch and Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
© 2021 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.

On Liberating the Concept of Liberation…!
Hazem Saghieh/Ashark Al Awsat/September 22/2021
Is there a difference, in the manner in which they rule, between rulers who previously resisted colonialism and granted their countries independence by force and those who made nice with colonialism until they came to be considered, in the eyes of some, as colonial agents?
Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s passing a few days ago prompted reflections on some of our region’s political state of affairs and contemplations on some meanings and concepts, especially the above question.
The former Algerian president entered public life as a youth involved in the Algerian “National Liberation Front’s” resistance. He then rose to prominence during Houari Boumediene’s long presidential reign, serving as the latter’s foreign minister. Bouteflika was thus seen as the “revolution’s diplomat” whose youth spoke to its youth and whose enthusiasm echoed its enthusiasm. It was often said that as he gave voice to independent Algeria, he also gave voice to the “Third World,” whose aspirations to independence, as well as ownership of its resources and national wealth, Algeria tried to lead. However, domestically, Bouteflika was a pillar of the regime from which a military dictatorship and a cult of personality sprung, making political life impossible.
Much has passed through these waters. Boumediene died and the civil war of the 1990s erupted and took its various forms. It ended with Bouteflika eventually becoming president. However, the young man moved by revolutionary ideals ended up with the presidency, which he wanted, as his mentor Boumediene had, his forever. His loss of consciousness during the last few years of his rule did not prevent him maintaining his position. He spent twenty years in office between 1999 and 2019, and it has been reported that he intended to die as president. As for his many terms in office, they were marred by corruption of an astronomical scale, and it came in both familial and non-familial variety. And so, a second Algerian revolution broke out, and this time, it was against one of the symbols of the first Algerian revolution. Bouteflika was removed from his throne and disappeared from the scene.
The events mentioned as part of this quick recap tell nothing new. However, what matters is the following: whether or not you fight colonialism has little bearing on nation building and has no noticeable impact on how the country is run. What applies to colonialism also applies to imperialism, racism, occupation, reaction, etc.…
What could be said of Bouteflika could also be said of many others, most recently Jacob Zuma, who was a militant against apartheid in South Africa, struggling and languishing in prison alongside Nelson Mandela and his comrades in Robben Island. When he assumed South Africa’s fourth presidency, his time in office was marked by terrifying corruption.
In other words, what merit to govern is granted by resisting colonialism, to which the conduct of Bouteflika, Zuma and others testify? How does the governance of these corrupt politicians differ from that of many South Korea’s rulers, who were described as appeasing colonizers and imperialists?
That is precisely the point: there is no connection whatsoever between one’s stance on colonialism and how they run the country after independence, keeping in mind that the country could be run more viably and less corruptly under colonialism. What that means is the struggle against colonialism and imperialism, in this case, becomes totally detached from politics, usually becoming antithetical to it, as this old association with struggle is used to establish “revolutionary legitimacy” that undermines constitutional legitimacy, prevents the transfer of power and the renewal of elites.
When the struggle against colonialism becomes far-removed from building states and societies, it becomes fair to deal with yesterday’s revolutionaries as mere avengers whose objective had been ascending to power, alongside their kin and community, in the place of the colonial powers. Kinship ties’ replacement of the state and the nation thereby become understandable. So do the fact that the Msholozi clan is always mentioned alongside the name of Zuma, and the significance of having been born in the city of Oujda in Morocco mentioned alongside the name of Bouteflika, the Alawites in Syria with Assad, the Sunnis of Tikrit and the “Sunni triangle” with the name of Saddam Hussein, and so on and so forth.
These experiences and those like them leave us facing the need to distinguish between affirming peoples’ unequivocal right to national liberation or social change on the one hand and, on the other, the limited awareness about that change and liberation among many of those demanding them and their leaders. This dearth, the dearth in contemplation about building a homeland and a state, is not averted through the national anthem and the flag, nor by paying tribute to years of struggle and the number of martyrs who had fallen and those who may fall. The issue is bigger, deeper, and more convoluted than that, but the first step is certainly doing away with the sick and misleading literature that leaves our world brimming with cheap noise.

America Is Being Held for Ransom. It Needs to Fight Back.
Dmitri Alperovitch/Ashark Al Awsat/September 22/2021
The digital scourge known as ransomware — in which hackers shut down electronic systems until a ransom is paid — is worse than ever. Over the past few months, these attacks have leaked sensitive government data, thwarted the operations of hundreds of businesses and even temporarily shut down one of the United States’ biggest oil pipelines. The newest cybergang on the street — Groove, a motley crew of criminals that has already leaked 500,000 private passwords — has taken to threatening President Biden directly. (It’s likely, of course, to be sheer bluster.)
To combat the ransomware problem, the Biden administration has so far taken a two-prong approach: concerted diplomacy with nations harboring cybercriminals and expanded defensive capabilities at home. These are critically important efforts. But to really address the issue, the administration must develop an offensive strategy, too — and fight back.
Diplomacy with Russia, even if it succeeds, won’t be sufficient. Despite repeated requests from the Biden administration, there is no evidence that President Vladimir Putin of Russia has taken any action to put pressure on ransomware criminals operating within Russian borders. Instead, after a brief hiatus in August, REvil, the Russian-speaking group that claimed responsibility for this summer’s attacks on numerous American businesses, has brought its servers back online.
Although the most potent ransomware groups are believed to be operating from Russia, other countries, including North Korea and Iran, are also major players, and cybercrime from these nations is even more worrisome. America has significantly less diplomatic leverage over North Korea and Iran than it does over Russia. Both North Korea and Iran are already subject to extensive US sanctions, so gently asking, or even sternly insisting, that they stop ransomware groups simply won’t work.
Purely defensive strategies will also fall short. Cybersecurity expertise is expensive and in high demand in the United States. It is unrealistic to expect that every American hospital, school, fire department and small business can defend itself against highly sophisticated criminals. The task is too big.
Instead, a comprehensive anti-ransomware strategy must make it more difficult for criminal groups — and the nation-states that may sponsor them — to carry out attacks. An aggressive campaign would target the foundation of ransomware criminals’ operations: their personnel, infrastructure and money.
The United States is capable of conducting successful campaigns of this sort. In 2015, US intelligence and military professionals formed Task Force ARES and began a cyberwarfare campaign against the Islamic State while forces on the ground continued to drive out insurgents from Syria and Iraq. The digital operation targeted ISIS personnel with disinformation, disrupted their networks and locked them out of their servers and web accounts. The task force significantly disrupted ISIS’ online activity and reduced its media operation to a shadow of its former self within six months.
The United States should build off the model used by Task Force ARES, targeting ransomware criminals’ technical and financial infrastructure. Such a campaign could reveal personal details about the perpetrators, take down the ransom payment servers they are using to conduct operations, seize their cryptocurrency wallets and perhaps even introduce subtle bugs into their code that enable victims to unlock their data without paying a ransom.
Coupled with more aggressive law enforcement action as well as threats of severe sanctions, this type of offensive strategy is America’s best bet to disrupt the onslaught of attacks originating from states more or less immune to diplomatic appeals.
The United States should also aim to undermine the ransomware financial model, which usually depends on payments made through anonymous cryptocurrency wallets. Again, this is something America already knows how to do. After the ransomware attack in May on Colonial Pipeline, which shut down 5,500 miles of pipeline along the East Coast, federal officials were able to recover most of the ransom payments paid with cryptocurrency.
The European Commission recently proposed regulations that would impose certain identification requirements for cryptocurrency payment systems. This is especially important because cryptocurrency allows ransomware criminals to collect payments anonymously, reducing the likelihood of being tracked down by law enforcement. The US intelligence community and law enforcement agencies should push for similar changes.
Critics of this aggressive approach caution that it risks setting off a dangerous escalation of force between countries. But from the evidence available so far, countries rarely retaliate to cyberattacks with much greater force. One survey of incidents and responses between 2000 and 2014 found that cyberrivals are usually focused on stopping or slowing down the intrusion rather than on escalating a confrontation. Even if some escalation does follow, I believe it’s a risk worth taking.
In the short term, the Biden administration is right to bolster the federal government’s defensive capabilities and to encourage private companies to do the same. But the United States must recognize that it will not be able to defend its way out of the ransomware problem.