English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For February 02/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Simeon; this righteous Man took Jesus
in his arms and said: ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
02/25-35/:”Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was
righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy
Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he
would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit,
Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to
do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and
praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have
prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’And the child’s father and mother were
amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to
his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many
in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of
many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on February 01-02/2022
Top US lawmakers call on Biden to ‘reconsider’ support for Lebanon energy
deals
Vatican Envoy Accuses Lebanese Politicians of Profiting from Country’s Suffering
President Aoun meets Vatican Foreign Minister, affirms efforts to keep Lebanon
home of message for East, West
President briefed on dialogue, tourism activities in Lebanon and Dubai
Gallagher from Ain El-Tineh: Meeting with Speaker Berri positive, honest
Cash-Strapped Lebanon Tells Diplomats to Find Donors to Fund Embassies
Lebanese Judge Subpoenas Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh, amid Misconduct
Probe
Judge Aoun Issues Subpoena for Riad Salameh
One Year On, Justice on Hold for Slain Lebanese Activist Lokman Slim
Erdogan Tells Miqati Turkey Ready to Invest in Lebanon, Rebuild Beirut Port
Lebanese-Turkish talks kick-start in Ankara, bilateral meeting between Erdogan,
Mikati
Lebanese-Turkish expanded meeting starts in Ankara
Geagea Quoted as Saying Hariri Will be 'Forgotten', LF Slams 'Lies'
Shehayeb in wake of meeting with Geagea says Democratic Gathering to ally with
LF in Parliamentary elections
Bou Habib holds talks in Kuwait with EU Ambassador to Lebanon
U.S. Ambassador Attends Donation Ceremony at Civil Defense Headquarters
Bassil Warns against Hizbullah Isolation, Denies Discussing Presidential
Candidacy with Syria
BDL Allows Banks to Buy LBP at Sayrafa Rate
Power Cuts Turn Cafes into Co-Working Spaces
UNIFIL Receives EIF Grant to Enable Inclusive Environment for Women Peacekeepers
Lebanese Politician Charles Jabbour, Spokesman Of The Lebanese Forces: Hizbullah
Turns Its Weapons against Its Opponents Within Lebanon And Holds Us Captive With
Its Stone-Age 'Resistance Ideology'
Lebanese international Affairs Expert Abdo Laqis: Towers In UAE, KSA Are
Legitimate Targets, They House Military Command Centers
The Kuwaiti Initiative For Lebanon: A Waste of Time, A Squandered Sympathy/Nadim
Koteich/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 01/2022
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 01-02/2022
UAE diplomats call on US to relist Houthis as terrorists, demand more
defense systems
Biden says he will designate Qatar as a major non-NATO US ally
Iran Calls for 'Political Decision' among Major Powers to Reach Nuclear
Agreement
Possible Breakthrough Could Release US Detainees in Iran
Iran Moves Centrifuge-Parts Production Out of Disputed Workshop, IAEA Says
Iraqi Parliament Announces 25 Presidential Candidates
Barzani Launches Initiative to Resolve Shiite Rifts in Iraq
Assad: Dealing with Changes in Arab Reality Requires Changing Political
Approach, Thinking
UN: Two Babies Killed by Winter Cold in Northwest Syria
IGAD Hold Talks with Burhan, Hemedti, Volker in Khartoum
Egypt, Saudi Arabia Conclude ‘Morgan-17’ Naval Exercise
Blinken Discusses Palestinian Authority Reform with Mahmoud Abbas
Blinken Urges Russia to Withdraw Troops from Ukraine Borders in Lavrov Call
Lavrov Says U.S. Ready to Discuss Russia's Security Concerns
Russian Military Analyst Pukhov: From A Purely Military Perspective, Russian
Bases In Cuba Or Venezuela Are More Trouble Than They Are Worth
Canada/Foreign ministers’ joint statement on the situation in Myanmar
Titles For The Latest LCCC English
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on February 01-02/2022
Biden's Borders: The Threat to America and the Threat to the Free
World/Chris Farrell/Gatestone Institute/February 1, 2022
Korea, Iraq, Ukraine – In World Affairs, Words Have Consequences/Y. Carmon and
A. Ungar/MEMRI/February 01/2022 |
Israeli PM pledges Iran will no longer be untouchable/Ben Caspit/Al-Monitor/February
01/ 2022
War of Nerves and Diplomacy between NATO and Russia/Omer Onhon/ Asharq Al-Awsat/February
01/2022
There’s a Russia-Sized Mystery in China’s Electricity Sector/David Fickling/Bloomberg/February
01/2022
on February 01-02/2022
Top US lawmakers call on Biden to
‘reconsider’ support for Lebanon energy deals
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/02 February
,2022
The top Republican lawmakers on the Senate and Congress foreign relations
committees issued a letter Tuesday, calling on the Biden administration to
reconsider its support for US-backed energy deals between Lebanon, Syria, Jordan
and Egypt. Under a World Bank proposal, backed by the United States, two plans
would see Egypt and Jordan sell natural gas and electricity to Lebanon via
Syria. But the deal would require transit fees being paid to the Assad regime,
which has had crippling Caesar Act sanctions prevent foreign countries and
companies from dealing with the Syrian government as a result of its war crimes.
“While we acknowledge Lebanon’s precarious situation, its energy sector is a
black hole of corruption. Not only would such deals likely benefit Assad
financially, they would exacerbate corruption in Lebanon,” Senator Jim Risch and
Congressman Michael McCaul wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony
Blinken. Urging the Biden administration to “reconsider” its support for the
deals, the lawmakers called for finding alternative ways of supporting Lebanon.
“Should you choose to pursue these energy arrangements, we urge you follow the
law and utilize a Caesar Act waiver to make clear to the world that this
bipartisan, bicameral legislation is the core framework through which the United
States views dealings with the Syrian regime,” they wrote. Risch and McCaul also
voiced their concerns that the deal had provided “a blueprint for circumventing
Caesar sanctions.”“If the administration continues to confer its support for
these deals, it sets a precedent that the administration is unwilling to enforce
the Caesar Act and will facilitate international actors finding loopholes to
avoid the sanctions crafted by Congress with broad bipartisan and bicameral
support,” they said. Last week, a senior State Department official told
reporters that there would be no Caesar Act sanctions lifted or waived “in this
case, or any other case, for that matter.”Speaking on condition of anonymity,
the official insisted: “We do not support efforts to normalize relations with
Syria or rehabilitate Assad. And none of these projects that we are currently
supportive of are designed to do so. Nor do we believe that they actually will
do so.”With Lebanon suffering from one of the worst economic downfalls in
history and very few hours of electricity per day, the official said the plans
were “entirely intended” to support Lebanon and the Lebanese people. “And if we
do not address the power shortages in Lebanon in the near term, there are great
risks of continued degradation of the economy.
Vatican Envoy Accuses Lebanese Politicians of Profiting
from Country’s Suffering
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
A Vatican envoy criticized Lebanon's politicians on his visit to Beirut on
Tuesday, calling for an end to "the few profiting of the suffering of many" in a
financial crisis which has plunged the bulk of the country into poverty.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher's remarks come one week after the World Bank blasted
Lebanon's ruling class for "orchestrating" one of the world's worst national
economic depressions due to their exploitative grip on resources. "Let there be
an end to the few profiting off the suffering of many. No more letting
half-truth continue to frustrate people's aspirations," the archbishop said.
Lebanon is suffering a financial crisis that began in 2019 when its financial
system collapsed under colossal state debts. While politicians have acknowledged
that corruption exists in Lebanon, none have taken individual responsibility,
saying they are doing their best to rescue the economy. The archbishop also
warned against outside interference in Lebanon's affairs. "Stop using Lebanon
and the Middle East for outside interest and profit," Gallagher said. While he
did not mention Hezbollah, his words come as Lebanon is trying to thaw ties with
Gulf countries that have accused the party of steering Lebanon away from its
Arab fold and towards Iran. Hezbollah holds the majority in the parliament, has
a militia more powerful than Lebanon's army, and supports Iran in its regional
struggle for influence with U.S.-allied Gulf Arab states. Gulf Arab states say
the group has aided the Iran-aligned Houthis who are fighting a Saudi-led
coalition in Yemen. Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rai has criticized
Hezbollah, saying it has harmed Lebanon by dragging it into regional conflicts.
"The Lebanese people must be given the opportunity to be the architects for a
better future in their land without undue interference," Archbishop Gallagher
said after meeting with President Michel Aoun, an ally to Hezbollah, at the
presidential palace in Baabda. The archbishop added that the Holy See could host
a dialogue between Lebanese political actors, if it is requested by all parties
involved. The archbishop also said that Pope Francis would like to visit Lebanon
soon. Aoun called in December for national dialogue on matters including
defense. Most Lebanese parties declined to take part, preferring to wait for a
general election due to be held in May, when Hezbollah's adversaries hope to
overturn its majority.
President Aoun meets Vatican Foreign Minister, affirms
efforts to keep Lebanon home of message for East, West
NNA/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, asserted that he is exerting all
efforts so that Lebanon remains the homeland and message for the east and west,
according to what Pope, John-Paul II wanted. The President also stressed that
“As Lebanese, we believe that our homeland is a message, and we strive to
preserve it in accordance with this vision despite all difficulties, which are
many”.
Positions of President Aoun came while meeting Holy See Secretary for Relations
between Countries, Monsignor Richard Paul Gallagher, today at the Presidential
Palace.
The meeting was attended by: Papal Ambassador to Lebanon, Monsignor Joseph
Spitri, Chargé d'Affairs at the Papal Embassy, Monsignor Giuseppe Franconi and
Monsignor Marco Formica.
On the Lebanese side: former Minister, Salim Jreissati, Director General of the
Presidency, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and advisors Rafic Chelala, Antoine
Constantine and Osama Khashab.
Monsignor Gallagher is on a visit to Lebanon “At the request of Pope Francis,
bearing the closeness of the Holy Father to the Lebanese people of all their
sects, in the current difficult circumstances which the country is passing
through”.
Monsignor Gallagher began the meeting by conveying the greetings of Pope Francis
to President Aoun, and through the President to the Lebanese, stressing his
“Meticulous follow-up on the developments in the Lebanese situation”.
Monsignor Gallagher quoted the Pope that “Lebanon deserves exceptional
attention, because the entire Middle East looks to Lebanon as a message for the
future, and from here comes the necessity of preserving the Lebanese national
identity. If the situation develops positively, the Lebanese national identity
will be reflected in the region. A strong and united Lebanon can set an example
for the entire Middle East, with its Christians and Muslims, in the service of
the common good for all, and this is the truth of the Lebanese call. We hope
that this role will be played again in the future and it is easy to say that
Lebanon is a message, but we must work together so that this message becomes a
tangible reality”.
Monsignor Gallagher also emphasized that Pope Francis expressed his desire to
visit Lebanon. “His Holiness will come soon, but we have to define the meaning
of the word soon” Monsignor Gallagher said, wishing President Aoun to pay a
visit to the Holy See.
For his part, President Aoun thanked Pope Francis for the depth of his love for
Lebanon and his closeness to the Lebanese, on several occasions, wishing
Monsignor Gallagher to convey the love of the Lebanese of different sects to His
Holiness, and their attachment to the Holy See.
“We thank the Holy See in all its departments for the care it pays to Lebanon,
and for standing to heal the wounds of the Lebanese through the assistance it
provides on multiple levels, especially during the difficulties which Lebanon is
witnessing” the President said.
The President also recalled the private meeting he had with the Pope and senior
officials in the Vatican at the beginning of his presidential term, and said “We
look forward with great interest to the visit that His Holiness promised to
carry out to Lebanon, hoping that it will be the beginning of Lebanon’s
resurrection and recovering from its crises. The role played by the Holy See is
in the interest of all the Lebanese, hence the great appreciation that everyone
has for them, looking forward to the Holy Father as a guarantor of Lebanon’s
importance and presence in its surroundings and the world”.
“We look forward to continuing this support in view of the gravity of the
challenges facing us, which are unprecedented in the modern history of Lebanon.
We hope that with this support, along with other friends of Lebanon in the
world, we will overcome the negative repercussions of regional crises and
conflicts” President Aoun stressed.
Statement:
After the meeting,, Monsignor Gallagher made the following statement:
“I come to Beirut on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between the Holy See and Lebanon, and on the 25th anniversary of the
apostolic visit of His Holiness, Pope John-Paul II, to Lebanon on the occasion
of signing the Apostolic Exhortation “A New Hope for Lebanon”.
We also recall that this occasion is the 10th anniversary of the apostolic visit
of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, to Lebanon.
The Holy Father instructed me to convey, to the Lebanese people, his closeness
and concern for Lebanon and the Lebanese, in the deep economic, social and
political crisis which they are going through. When the Holy Father went to the
Diplomatic Corps dinner a few days ago, to celebrate the New Year, he said the
following about Lebanon: “I believe that necessary reforms, in addition to the
support of the international community, will help Lebanon continue its own
identity, as an example of peaceful coexistence and brotherhood between
different religions. On this occasion, I urge the international community to
continue providing support and assistance to Lebanon to reach the path of
resurrection, and I hope that this country will continue to play the role of a
model and an example as a society full of tolerance and pluralism in the Middle
East, where the Christian community can make its contribution”.
In his speech to the diplomatic corps in 2021, Pope Francis said the following
about Lebanon “Christians, through their educational, health and humanitarian
work, constitute an integral part of the social and historical roots of Lebanon.
It is necessary to ensure that Christians can continue their efforts for the
sake of the country of which they were one of its founders. Any weakening of
Christian presence would destroy the internal balance and the Lebanese identity.
I would like to benefit from this opportunity to express my closeness and
sympathy to the victims of the horrific explosion of the Beirut Port on August
4th, 2020, and their families. I hope that all the Lebanese and victims of
families receive consolation in their faith and in the pursuit of justice.
Finally, allow me to remind you of what Pope Francis said on July 1, 2021, when
he gathered the heads of Churches in the Vatican “In these hopeful days, we
would like to emphasize that Lebanon was, is and must remain a peace project”.
His call is for Lebanon to be a land of tolerance and pluralism, and an oasis of
eternity where all sects and religions meet, and sects live together, putting
public interest and common good above their own interests. Here, I would like to
reiterate the need for those in power to make the decisive decision to work for
peace and not for their own interests. Let this be the end of some who profit
from the suffering of all. It is not allowed for half the truth to frustrate the
hopes of the people. Stop using Lebanon and the Middle East for foreign
interests. The Lebanese people must have the opportunity for their own sons to
be the makers of a better future, better than any outside interference”.
Questions & Answers:
Question: I would like to ask you the question of all the Lebanese: Will the
Pope be among us during this year, and he had reiterated yesterday his intention
to visit our country?
Answer: “The Pope assured me, before I started this visit that he intends and
wants to come to Lebanon, very soon. But it remains for us to define the meaning
of the word soon. He wants to come and he will come”.
Question: We, as Lebanese, know that our homeland is more than one country. It
is a message for Pope Saint John-Paul II, and he is the heart and mind of the
world for Pope Benedict, and here is Pope Francis repeating that it is a
homeland and a message. And yet Pope John Paul II has expressed since 1989 his
fear that this Lebanon will disappear, considering Lebanon’s demise as “The
world's greatest regret”. In the Holy See, do you fear the demise of this
Lebanon?
Answer: “This is self-evident when we observe what is happening not only in
Lebanon, but also in the region. Yes, we fear that the future of this country
will not be guaranteed. We call on everyone, and all leaders, whether locally or
internationally, to preserve Lebanon as a message of living together,
brotherhood and hope among religions”.
Question: We are suffering from a multi-sided crisis, the impact of which has
been compounded by the presence of about three million displaced Syrians and
Palestinian refugees. Is the Holy See ready to help us solve this aspect,
especially since many areas in Syria have become safe?
Answer: “We are actively committed, during our talks with representatives of the
countries of the region and international organizations, to this matter. We
share this desire for the return of the displaced. But there is a difference of
ideas regarding the security situation of the displaced Syrians. We are trying
to work on this issue and we have held discussions in this regard in Baghdad and
with the European Union on the reconstruction in Syria, and with the European
Commission for Refugees. But these consultations were not very fruitful, but we
are committed to this issue and will continue this effort”.
Question: You talked about establishing Lebanon’s special identity. Can you
invite the leaders to a national dialogue to establish this special identity? Is
the Vatican, which played a decisive role in ending the civil war, ready to
sponsor such a dialogue?
Answer: “In fact, diplomatic activity is a dialogue and discourse between
representatives of internationally recognized entities. In this case, we are
talking about Lebanon and its government on one hand, and about the Holy See on
the other. In any dialogue, it is not possible to predict what the outcome will
be, but it is self-evident. We will implicitly and explicitly encourage
political leaders and civil society according to the degree to which we will be
in contact. When we talk about the role of facilitator or mediator between
political actors, we can play this role if there is an invitation to the Holy
See from all parties concerned to play this role. So if there is this desire or
collective invitation, we are ready to play this role”.
Word of Honor:
Monsignor Gallagher wrote the following phrase in the Presidential Palace
ceremonial register:
“I bring to Lebanon the prayers of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and his best
wishes for the Lebanese who are facing great challenges, praying to the Almighty
God to fortify Lebanon’s steps on the path of recovery, cooperation and
love”.--Presidency Press Office
President briefed on dialogue, tourism activities in
Lebanon and Dubai
NNA/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, received the Honorary
President of the Phoenician track within the cultural tracks of the Council of
Europe, Dr. Rachid Chamoun. Dr. Chamoun briefed the President on the activities
that he is participating in preparing, for the occasion of the establishment of
the “Academy of Human Encounters and Dialogue”, including the Dialogue Forum in
early next April, which will be held in cooperation and coordination with the
Lebanese American University, the Ministries of Tourism and Culture, and a
number of concerned ministries and institutions.
Dr. Chamoun also briefed President Aoun on the celebration organized by the
Ministry of Tourism and the municipality of Bkassine on February 16, after the
United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced the town of Bkassine
as one of the best tourist villages in the world.
Moreover, Dr. Chamoun referred to the preparation of a festival at the Dubai
International EXPO 2020 on cultural tourism and its role in developing the
economy with the participation of the member states of the Council of
Europe.—Presidency Press Office
Gallagher from Ain El-Tineh: Meeting with Speaker Berri
positive, honest
NNA/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, on Tuesday welcomed at his Ain al-Tineh
residence the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul
Richard Gallagher, who visited him with an accompanying delegation, in the
presence of the Vatican’s ambassador to Lebanon, Archbishop Joseph Spiteri. The
meeting reportedly took stock of the general situation and the most recent
developments in Lebanon. In the wake of the meeting, Archbishop Gallagher said
that the meeting with Speaker Berri was positive and honest. “I’ve conveyed His
Holiness the Pope's concern for Lebanon and the Lebanese people,” he added. “I
was very interested in hearing the opinion of Speaker Berri, which I deem very
enlightening. I believe that we can move forward through dialogue with the
various political parties in Lebanon; this will help us understand the nature of
the challenges facing Lebanon and the Lebanese,” Gallagher added. “We, at the
Holy See, have made modest contributions to the Lebanese in order to encourage
them not to lose hope, especially amid the difficult times they endure. We hope
that the future will bring better days for Lebanon,” Gallagher concluded.
Cash-Strapped Lebanon Tells Diplomats to Find Donors
to Fund Embassies
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Cash-strapped Lebanon has told embassies to look for donors to help cover their
running costs, as it falls behind on paying diplomats' salaries and contemplates
shutting missions abroad. A foreign ministry circular, dated Jan. 25 and
reviewed by Reuters, asks foreign missions to seek donations from the Lebanese
diaspora, and respond to its request within two weeks. The ministry is studying
closing down a number of missions "as an urgent financial measure adopted by a
large number of states swept by similar financial crises," the circular said.
The foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for additional
information about the document and the financial situation at its embassies. Two
Lebanese diplomatic sources told Reuters that employees of foreign missions had
not been paid their salaries for the month of January. One source said they had
been told they would receive them in the next week.
Lebanon is in the throes of what the World Bank has described as one of the
worst financial collapses in world history. Since 2019 it has burned through
most of its reserves of hard currency, leading to a dollar shortage that has
seen the national currency lose more than 90% of its value.
Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said in December he had begun implementing a
plan to cut spending at embassies, including rent allowances, diplomats'
salaries and expenses for parties and travel. Savings could amount to $18
million out of a total budget of $95 million.
Lebanese Judge Subpoenas Central Bank Governor, Riad
Salameh, amid Misconduct Probe
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
A Lebanese judge said on Tuesday she had issued a subpoena for central bank
governor Riad Salameh after he failed to show up for interrogation sessions as
part of her probe into alleged misconduct initiated after Lebanon's 2019
financial meltdown. Judge Ghada Aoun confirmed to Reuters that she issued the
subpoena after Salameh missed three separate sessions and said she had
circulated the order to security agencies. Salameh was asked to come in as a
witness and has not been charged in the case. He declined to comment on Tuesday.
He has previously denied any wrongdoing and has characterized investigations
against him in Lebanon and abroad as politically motivated. He has in the past
accused Aoun of bias and last month said he filed a suit seeking her dismissal
from investigations against him after she imposed a travel ban on him. Aoun
subsequently froze Salameh's assets and property in Lebanon, including several
cars and houses. A judicial source previously told Reuters that Aoun's probes
center on allegations of fraud, embezzlement and the central bank's "financial
engineering" operations that gave commercial banks lavish returns over several
years to attract dollars into Lebanon.
Salameh has been governor for almost three decades and stayed in his post even
as the economy has been crushed by a mountain of debt, the currency has
collapsed and swathes of the nation have been driven into poverty.
Judge Aoun Issues Subpoena for Riad Salameh
Naharnet/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Mount Lebanon Attorney General Judge Ghada Aoun on Tuesday issued a subpoena for
Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, LBCI television reported. “The subpoena was
referred to the State Security agency for implementation, after Salameh failed
to show up for the third time for interrogation in the lawsuit filed by the
People Want to Reform the System group,” the TV network added. The judge had
recently issued a travel ban and an assets freeze against Salameh. The lawsuit
accuses the governor of "illicit enrichment, money laundering and squandering
public funds on personal benefits."
Salameh, one of the world's longest-serving central bank governors, is also
facing judicial investigations in France, Switzerland and other European
countries on suspicion of money laundering and illicit enrichment, among other
allegations. Salameh has recently dismissed the cases against him as unfounded
and lacking in evidence, claiming they were opened based on complaints filed by
Lebanese citizens "for reasons that could be political... or tied to certain
interests."He said that a top-tier financial audit firm had scrutinized his
accounts at his request and presented him with a report that he then submitted
to officials and judges. "I am ready to cooperate with all investigations," he
said, claiming they were based on "fabricated evidence" that made it seem as
though he "took all of Lebanon's money and pocketed it."
One Year On, Justice on Hold for Slain Lebanese
Activist Lokman Slim
Agence France Presse/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
A year after the murder of Lebanese intellectual and Hezbollah critic Lokman
Slim, his family is still searching for accountability in a country where crimes
often go unpunished. "We really need justice for Lokman," his widow Monika
Borgmann told AFP from their home in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut,
days before the first anniversary of his killing. If his murder goes unpunished,
it would be like "giving the green light to the killers, whoever they are, to
continue" their crimes, she said, amid stalled investigations into his murder. A
secular activist, 58-year-old Slim was found dead in his car on February 4 last
year, a day after his family reported him missing. His body was found in
southern Lebanon -- a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement -- but
the culprits have yet to be identified. An outspoken activist and a researcher
passionate about documenting the civil war that raged from 1975-1990 in Lebanon,
Slim was a divisive figure.His sway over foreign diplomats in Lebanon often
sparked the ire of Hezbollah and its loyalists. In several televised interviews,
Slim accused the group of taking Lebanon hostage on behalf of its Iranian
patrons. In one of his last TV appearances, he accused the Syrian regime of
having links to the ammonium nitrate shipment that caused the catastrophic
explosion at Beirut's port in August 2020. Slim's family has received no updates
from the authorities since investigations into his murder started. This is not
unusual for a country where even investigations into the Beirut port blast have
yet to identify a single culprit -- a year and a half after the explosion
destroyed swathes of the city. The judiciary is still working on gathering
evidence from security agencies over Slim's murder, said a judicial source,
explaining that investigations are still at an "information-gathering phase".
They are yet to reach any key conclusions because not all security agencies have
provided investigators with the necessary information, the same source added.
Borgmann, Slim's widow, said that the family has been left in the dark. "We
don't really know where we are going," she said, expressing doubts over whether
any progress will ever be made. Slim's family has called for an independent,
international probe into his murder. It is a demand that Borgmann said is within
reach after United Nations experts last year called for a credible and impartial
investigation. "The government should consider requesting international
technical assistance to investigate the killing of Mr. Slim," UN human rights
experts said in March. Lebanese politicians and media personalities have
suspected Hezbollah's involvement in his murder, but Slim's family has never
publicly accused the party of his killing. "Of course, I have my opinion who is
behind (the murder)," said Borgmann, a film director, originally from Germany.
"But for me it's not really enough to point the finger at anybody and... stop
there," she added. "We need proof and we need accountability," she said,
expressing hopes his killers will be jailed. Borgmann said Hezbollah had
threatened Slim several times, most notably in December 2019. A group of people
attacked his home in the southern suburbs of Beirut, plastering Hezbollah
slogans and messages on the walls, calling him a traitor and warning that his
"time will come". At the time, Slim said he would lay the blame squarely on the
shoulders of Hezbollah and Amal movements should anything happen to him or his
family. "Lokman said it himself," Borgmann said. There have been at least 220
assassinations and murder attempts since Lebanon's independence in 1943 until
Slim's killing last year, according to Beirut-based consultancy firm Information
International.
Investigations into these murders have rarely yielded results due to political
interference or lack of evidence. After he was killed, Slim's family launched a
foundation in his name that is devoted to studying political assassinations in
Lebanon and in the region. "Political assassinations played a major role in
controlling political life in Arab societies," said Hana Jaber, the foundation's
director. They create "imaginary barriers... that deter societies from thinking
freely or producing alternative political, societal and cultural projects". As a
result, the foundation created in Slim's honor will work to counter the culture
of impunity around political assassinations and "break the isolation of those
who are under threat", Jaber said. For Borgmann, the foundation will serve to
preserve Slim's legacy. "The fight against the culture of impunity has always
been at the center of our work," she said. "Now we need to do it without him,
but for him."
Erdogan Tells Miqati Turkey Ready to Invest in Lebanon,
Rebuild Beirut Port
Naharnet/February 01/2022
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Prime Minister Najib Miqati in a
meeting in Ankara Tuesday that Turkish firms are ready to “execute
infrastructure projects in Lebanon, including the reconstruction of Beirut's
port.”“A friend in need is a friend indeed… and we reiterate our firm stance in
support of Lebanon,” Erdogan added. “We want to reach all segments of the
Lebanese society, without discrimination and in all fields, especially in the
sectors of commerce, health, security and energy,” the Turkish leader said.
“We have great capabilities that we want to use with Lebanon,” he went on to
say.
Lebanese-Turkish talks kick-start in Ankara, bilateral
meeting between Erdogan, Mikati
NNA /February 01/2022
The Lebanese-Turkish talks began on Tuesday between Turkish President, Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, and Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, at the presidential
palace in Ankara. Premier Mikati and the accompanying Lebanese delegation have
arrived at the presidential palace in Ankara, where a closed meeting was held
between President Erdogan and Premier Mikati, to be followed by an expanded
meeting in the presence of the Lebanese and Turkish delegations. mA joint press
conference will be held afterwards by President Erdogan and Premier Mikati.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese accompanying ministers held bilateral meetings with
their Turkish counterparts in conference rooms at the presidential palace. The
Lebanese delegation includes Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, State Minister
for Administrative Development Affairs Najla Riachy, Tourism Minister Walid
Nassar, Energy Minister Walid Fayyad, Environment Minister Nasser Yassin,
Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan, Transport Minister Ali Hamieh, Economy
Minister Amin Salam, and Mikati's advisor Boutros Asaker, as well as Lebanon's
Ambassador to Turkey, Ghassan Al-Moallem. It is to note that Premier Mikati and
the accompanying ministerial delegation’s first stop was a visit to the tomb of
Turkey's founder, Ataturk.
Lebanese-Turkish expanded meeting starts in Ankara
NNA/February 01/2022
The expanded work meeting between Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and
Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, began a while ago at the presidential
palace in Ankara, with the participation of the Turkish and Lebanese ministerial
delegations.President Erdogan and Premier Mikati addressed the conferees at the
beginning of the meeting, then the Turkish and Lebanese ministers presented
areas of bilateral cooperation
Geagea Quoted as Saying Hariri Will be 'Forgotten', LF
Slams 'Lies'
Naharnet/February 01/2022
Ex-PM Saad Hariri has been “infuriated” by a leaked audio recording in which
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea talks to LF members about the former
premier’s withdrawal from politics, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday. The
recording was leaked to Hariri by “a security agency belonging to a major Arab
country that is seeking to play a permanent role regarding the Lebanese Sunnis,”
the daily said. In the alleged recording, Geagea discusses Hariri’s exit from
the political equation and expresses his relief over “getting rid” of Hariri,
al-Akhbar added. “We know how we will attract his supporters and we have our
ways,” Geagea was quoted by the newspaper as saying. “I promise you that I will
bring every member of his group to me… They will forget him,” the LF leader
added, according to al-Akhbar.In an interview with al-Jadeed TV, ex-MP Fadi
Karam of the LF dismissed the newspaper’s report as “lies” aimed at “fragmenting
the anti-Hizbullah front.”
Shehayeb in wake of meeting with Geagea says Democratic
Gathering to ally with LF in Parliamentary elections
NNA/February 01/2022
Lebanese Forces leader, Samir Geagea, on Tuesday welcomed MPS Wael Abu
Faour and Akram Shehayeb of the Democratic Gathering bloc. After the meeting,
Shehayeb stressed that coordination has been ongoing with the LF. “It is true
that parliamentary elections are approaching, but the historic reconciliation
with the LF has brought us closer; March 14 has brought us together,” Shehayeb
said. “We have a common view to see a homeland to which we belong, where
justice, freedom, and human dignity prevail — not a mere platform or arena for
others,” he added, stressing the importance of the upcoming elections. “We see
elections as an opportunity for sovereign forces, with national personalities
and forces, to make real change and social justice en route to sovereignty. We
seek the protection of the constitution and the preservation of freedoms,”
Shehayeb added. Moreover, he continued to express full understanding of “Prime
Minister Saad Hariri’s special circumstances.”In a chat with journalists,
Shehayeb revealed that the Democratic Gathering will delve into the
parliamentary electoral alongside the Lebanese Forces in various regions. “As
for the names of the candidates, they remain under study,” Shehayeb concluded.
Bou Habib holds talks in Kuwait with EU Ambassador to Lebanon
NNA/February 01/2022
Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib held talks in Kuwait with European Union's
Ambassador to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, over the bilateral relations between
Lebanon and the EU, in addition to an array of affairs of common interest.
U.S. Ambassador Attends Donation Ceremony at Civil Defense
Headquarters
Naharnet/February 01/2022
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea on Tuesday attended the handover
ceremony of a Seagrave Triple Fire Engine from the City of Los Angeles to
Lebanon's General Directorate of Civil Defense. The 55,000-pound vehicle will be
based at the Mar Mikhail Civil Defense Fire Station and will provide
emergency-response capabilities for a community of over 200,000 residents.The
donation comes from members of U.S. not-for-profit organizations Cedars Relief
and the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), with support from the U.S.
Department of Defense and dozens of other organizations that provided for the
fire engine’s refurbishment, decommissioning, shipment, and transfer. In her
remarks, Ambassador Shea recognized the "important and ongoing efforts of U.S.
not-for-profit organizations" to help meet the needs of the Lebanese people.
"This donation demonstrates the spirit of volunteerism, goodwill, and friendship
between the American and Lebanese peoples. I look forward to commemorating more
private donations like this one, which is providing a Lebanese community with
equipment to enhance its life-saving, emergency-response capabilities," Shea
said. To date, the ATFL has collected and distributed over $50 million in aid to
the Lebanese people, and Cedars Relief has responded with more than $6 million
in supplies and medicines.
Bassil Warns against Hizbullah Isolation, Denies Discussing
Presidential Candidacy with Syria
Naharnet/February 01/2022
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil said that the Sunni presence is an
essential component, and that any imbalance would harm all Lebanese and all
sects. He also warned against the isolation of Hizbullah which he also
considered as "an essential component" especially in the liberation of Lebanon
from Israel. Bassil reiterated in a televised interview that the FPM has no
intention to cancel the memorandum of understanding with Hizbullah, but wants it
to evolve. He said he could have abandoned the MOU after he was sanctioned by
the U.S. Treasury Department but he chose to preserve the alliance with
Hizbullah. "Hizbullah's arms serve a particular function, defending Lebanon and
preserving its sovereignty," Bassil said. "We shouldn't accept to isolate
Hizbullah," Bassil told France 24, adding that that's what foreign countries
want. The FPM chief said that Lebanon is very serious in dealing with the
Kuwaiti initiative, and that the world, especially the countries that have
created some crises in Lebanon and the region, should also bear their
responsibility. "We love to live in peace without weapons, that is the desire of
the Lebanese," Bassil added. "But is is a regional and an international issue,
the world should bear with us."Last week, an FPM delegation visited Damascus for
official talks. Bassil denied having sought Syria's support as a candidate for
the presidential elections in October. "As long as President Michel Aoun is in
Baabda, I am not concerned," he said. But he did not indicate whether he will
seek the presidency, when Aoun's term ends. "It is a Lebanese issue and even if
it would be discussed, it must be discussed in Lebanon not abroad," Bassil said.
BDL Allows Banks to Buy LBP at Sayrafa Rate
Naharnet/February 01/2022
Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on Tuesday issued a statement saying
commercial banks can now purchase Lebanese banknotes in return for cash dollars
based on the exchange rate of the Sayrafa platform. Media reports said banks
have in recent days been short on Lebanese pounds and were rationing the amounts
given to clients. The central bank had recently allowed commercial banks to
purchase U.S. dollars in return for Lebanese pounds also based on the Sayrafa
exchange rate, which led to a major recovery for the Lebanese pound on the black
market.
Power Cuts Turn Cafes into Co-Working Spaces
Agence France Presse/February 01/2022
The music is often hushed and the atmosphere studious -- for the patrons filling
Beirut's cafes these days, the most important things are good lighting and
stable wi-fi. That's because they now serve as substitute workplaces for people
grappling with drastic electricity shortages and internet cuts stemming from
Lebanon's unrelenting economic crisis. Aaliya's Books, in the heart of the
capital's once-fabled nightlife spot of Gemmayzeh, is one such sanctuary. "Most
of the time, if I come here, it's because I don't have electricity at home,"
said Maria Bou Raphael, nestled on a sofa. The power cuts, extending to 23 hours
a day, have left many already deprived of an office by Covid restrictions with
no option but to plant themselves in cafes all day, especially as the quality of
many internet connections has also plummeted. Generators -- the only way to keep
devices charged and connected -- are too expensive for many Lebanese, as they
grapple with an economic crisis that has seen the local currency lose more than
90 percent of its black market value in recent years. Cafes are therefore among
the few businesses to have largely bucked the wider meltdown driven by
corruption, capital flight and would-be donors' reluctance to throw good money
after bad. Aaliya's Books manager Niamh Flemming Farrell said that on weekdays
her establishment feels more like a co-working space, with some customers
staying for a full day. The sense of community created by the service that she
provides to the neighborhood is reviving a cafe culture that had faded in recent
years. Doubling up as a bookshop, the cafe takes its name from Aaliya Saleh, the
central character in "An Unnecessary Woman", a novel by acclaimed
Lebanese-American author Rabih Alameddine.The narrative focuses on a 72-year-old
who lives secluded in her Beirut flat, in the sole company of her books while
the 1975-1990 civil war rages outside.
'Relaxed spot' -
"We noticed that... our customers started working additional hours in our
branches, fancying the locations that provide a higher level of comfort," said a
spokesman for Cafe Younes, a roastery with 10 coffee shops mostly in the
capital. Cafe Younes opened a new large branch in Beirut's central Hamra
district a year ago that includes a multi-purpose study room with large desks
each equipped with power sockets. Barzakh is another multi-purpose cafe that
opened recently on the first floor of a busy building on the Hamra thoroughfare.
Hamra used to epitomize a Beirut cafe culture that had its heyday in the 1960s
but was gradually wiped out by bars conducive to more boisterous socializing. "I
can see people running and yelling (outside) but I'm sitting here quietly in a
relaxed spot," said fashion design student Mustafa al-Sous, sitting beside a
large window. The young man sees Barzakh as a haven from the doom and gloom that
has been so pervasive across Lebanon in recent years, but also as a place where
he can work. Notebooks and laptops clogged the tables in this cafe, while
tangled charger cables strewn across the floor threatened to trip waiters.
"Originally we wanted to ban laptops," Mansour Aziz, the founder of the
cafe-cum-library, which also hosts live shows in the evenings, recalls with a
disbelieving smile. Many here, dragged out of their homes by the electricity
crisis, now rely on the cafes for their social life, especially those who can no
longer afford to party in the evenings.At Barzakh, patrons will often greet each
other with a nod from across the room and come to know each other gradually.
"I'm a very sociable person," Mustafa said. "I like it when people walk over to
ask me what I'm working on."
UNIFIL Receives EIF Grant to Enable Inclusive Environment
for Women Peacekeepers
Naharnet/February 01/2022
The Elsie Initiative Fund for Women in Peace Operations (EIF) has announced that
the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is the first U.N. field
mission to receive funding to create an enabling and inclusive environment for
women peacekeepers. The EIF was jointly established by the U.N. and Canada in
2019 with its secretariat within U.N. Women. The EIF, a U.N. trust fund, is
funded by Member States. USD $30 million have been raised thus far. The USD
$357,000 EIF grant will allow UNIFIL to build gender-sensitive accommodation and
working conditions for women peacekeepers from the Ghanaian battalion. "It will
also enable the peacekeeping mission to attain gender parity and equality," the
U.N. said. “For success in peacekeeping operations we need more uniformed women
to participate. Yet, too often women’s equal participation in these missions is
deterred by inadequate gender-responsive living and working conditions,” said
U.N. Women’s Executive Director, Sima Bahous. “The UNIFIL project, funded by the
Elsie Initiative Fund, is setting a great example by specifically tackling this
significant structural barrier. Its positive changes will help us attain parity
in peace operations.”
The U.N. explained in a press note that "UNIFIL’s project is designed to address
this barrier by installing four accommodation buildings, an ablution unit and a
welfare area for women." The improved living conditions come at a time when
Ghana, which currently deploys 861 military personnel to UNIFIL (16% of whom are
women) is expected to increase its deployment of women peacekeepers. The project
follows guidelines and recommendations from the Department of Operational
Support’s new gender-responsive conceptual peacekeeping camp and accommodation
designs created through the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations,
funded by Canada.
“Women still face barriers that prevent them from contributing to peacekeeping
to the fullest. This includes lack of information about deployment opportunities
and not enough access to necessary training, as well as institutional
constraints and biases, or inadequate facilities and infrastructure in field
missions,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operations. “This project represents an expression of our shared
values for gender equality and the promotion of women’s full, equal and
meaningful participation in our workforce, in line with the Secretary-General’s
Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which is critical to increasing performance
and mandate implementation” he said. Over the years, UNIFIL has supported the
increased participation of women peacekeepers from five percent in 2018 to
nearly seven percent (or a total of 659 women) in 2021, the statement said.
It added that "with this project, UNIFIL seeks to support troop and police
contributing countries to achieve the gender targets set in the U.N.’s Uniformed
Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028."The U.N. stated that the project contributes
to UNIFIL’s implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on
Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and U.N. Security Council resolution 2538 (2020)
that called for an increase in the deployments of women peacekeepers. "It is
also in line with the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative and the A4P+,
launched by the U.N. Secretary General in 2018 and 2021, respectively, to
reinforce and harness the political commitment in advancing the WPS agenda and
reaffirming women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peacekeeping and
peace processes," the U.N. said. "Our women peacekeepers participate in all
types of operational activities, from de-mining to patrolling the Blue Line”,
said UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col.
“We are proud to put this funding to use to remove some of the practical
barriers that may deter women's participation in our important work," added Del
Col.
Lebanese Politician Charles Jabbour, Spokesman Of The
Lebanese Forces: Hizbullah Turns Its Weapons against Its Opponents Within
Lebanon And Holds Us Captive With Its Stone-Age 'Resistance Ideology'
MEMRI/February 01/2022
Source: Al-Jadeed TV (Lebanon)
Lebanese politician Charles Jabbour, the spokesman of the Lebanese Forces, said
in a January 29, 2022 interview on Jadeed TV (Lebanon) that Hizbullah turns its
weapons against anyone in Lebanon who does not reach an understanding with it.
He elaborated that Hizbullah is ready to blow up the cars of its opponents and
to assassinate them. In addition, Jabbour said that Hizbullah and its leader,
Hassan Nasrallah, know nothing about economics are the reason for Lebanon's
economic deterioration, which he said has caused Lebanon's humiliation. Charles
Jabbour: "If you cannot reach understandings [with Hizbullah], it turns its
weapons against you. As long as one group is ready to blow up your car, turn its
weapons against you, or assassinate you — and the courts are yet to prove who
assassinated a long list of martyrs... So people are afraid. They say: We don't
need this."They know nothing about the economy. Once Nasrallah started talking
about the economy, and nobody could understand anything. He does not understand
the economy. "Hizbullah is responsible for all the assassinations, for people
carrying guns, and for all the security incidents. Nobody in Lebanon wants to
carry guns."What happened to the dollar exchange rate? Our way of life has
changed. The banks are closing down. Schools are closing down. People are
leaving. People are being humiliated at the airports, and for what? [All] of us
are human beings who want to live in dignity in this country. Who is preventing
us from living in dignity? Hizbullah. "Hizbullah holds us captive under a false
resistance ideology from the Stone Age. Resistance against who in Yemen, Syria,
and in Iraq? Leave us alone and go fight on your own. We do not want to fight
alongside them."
Lebanese international Affairs Expert Abdo Laqis:
Towers In UAE, KSA Are Legitimate Targets, They House Military Command Centers
MEMRI/February 01/2022
Source: Al-Alam TV (Iran)
On January 21, 2022, Al-Alam TV (Iran) aired a panel in which various pundits
discussed potential retaliatory steps that the Houthis can take in response to
the recent escalation of the conflict in Yemen. Lebanese international affairs
expert Abdo Laqis said that well-known towers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are
legitimate targets because they house military command centers. He also said
that Israel, the U.S., and Britain will be affected by the Houthi retaliation
because they are the ones "directing" the war against the Yemeni people. For
more information about Abdo Laqis, see MEMRI TV clips Nos. 9088, 8032 and
7954.Abdo Laqis: "A retaliatory action is being prepared quickly, and it will
target the command and control centers from where the Zionists, American, and
British orders are issued. They are found in well-known towers in those
countries [UAE and KSA]. These towers are legitimate targets for retaliation,
since there are command and control centers inside the towers and in the
basements that oversee the hostile operations against the Yemeni people. This is
one of their vulnerabilities. "The retaliation might include countries that have
not been included so far in the retaliation strikes of the Yemeni army.
Therefore, I believe that all those who have been taking part in this aggression
against the Yemeni people, which has been going on for more than 7 years... We
will witness an escalation of the retaliatory actions, and they will affect
these countries. The Zionist entity, the U.S., and Britain should beware of the
retaliation [strikes], because they will be included in them, since it is they
who are actually directing the war against the Yemeni people and the Yemeni
army."
The Kuwaiti Initiative For Lebanon: A Waste of Time, A
Squandered Sympathy
Nadim Koteich/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 01/2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/105996/nadim-koteich-the-kuwaiti-initiative-for-lebanon-a-waste-of-time-a-squandered-sympathy-%d9%86%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%85-%d9%82%d8%b7%d9%8a%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a8%d8%a7/
Nobody in Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates has illusions about Lebanon.
No one needed to examine the Lebanese response to the Kuwaiti initiative to
understand that Lebanon is an occupied country. There was of course no harm in
the assertion of the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammed,
that the paper he presented was a Kuwaiti- Gulf -Arab endeavor. The initiative
conveyed the essence of the declared Gulf position on Lebanon. I have at first
particularly focused on Riyadh and Abu Dhabi because they are directly
concerned, along with Kuwait, with the security, political and criminal
activities of the “Hezbollah” militia. In fact, the Kuwaiti initiative will have
the same fate as the entire endeavors that preceded it, not because of a
deficiency in the intentions or efficacy of the initiators, but because it is
nothing but a waste of precious time, and a squandering of a unilateral emotion
that does not find echo with a capable and responsible authority.
Let’s start from the name of the Gulf visitor.
Sheikh Ahmad is the son of Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al Sabah, the
Prime Minister of Kuwait between 2006 and 2011, the Minister of the Emiri Diwan
Affairs between 1991 and 2006, and the man through whom Lebanon dealt with the
State of Kuwait, throughout the period of the country’s civil peace. Sheikh
Nasser Al-Mohammed, who is now in his eighties, is considered one of the last
figures who share a Gulf affection for Lebanon and nostalgia to its beautiful
era. Both affection and nostalgia were seen clearly in the letter of his son,
Sheikh Ahmad, the current Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Kuwaiti empathy and soft attitude towards Lebanon have always characterized its
policy, despite the fact that one of the most notorious plots in the history of
the country - the attack on the convoy of the Emir of Kuwait - was planned and
executed by one of the leaders of the “Hezbollah” militia, Mustafa Badreddine.
The attempt to make a breakthrough in the Lebanese-Gulf relations through
Kuwaiti mediation began on the sidelines of the Climate Summit in Glasgow last
November, when Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the Kuwaiti Prime
Minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al Sabah, in the presence of Foreign
Minister Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nasser, to play a role in the crisis, which at the time
was at its peak following foolish statements by former Minister George Kordahi
on Yemen. Mikati succeeded in investing Kuwaiti sentiments and “implicating”
Kuwait with a new initiative. However, Lebanon’s response to the endeavor
confirmed the certain: Lebanon is an occupied country and none of its political
forces have the ability to implement a single letter of an initiative that only
defines the concept of the state, the sound conditions for international
relations, and the basic obligations of international law.
Here we fall on an amazing paradox: Kuwait’s “entry” into the Lebanese crisis
coincided with Saad Rafik Hariri’s “exit” from the political game, even if the
man gave the least political explanation about the real reasons that justify his
exit and his failure to build the state.
Among the many meanings of Hariri’s departure, and the suspension of his
political participation, is that reform from within and through the mechanisms
of the political system is almost impossible, regardless of the results of the
parliamentary elections and no matter how far one goes in the logic of
settlement and reassurances. As Hariri declares his despair, one wonders how a
country like Kuwait does not ditch its hope for the possibility of change,
through the political forces themselves and from within the institutions
affiliated to them, and by betting on a Lebanese political game, in which the
participants are skilled in all kinds of attrition, deception and dishonesty.
This was evident in everything leaked about the Lebanese response, which says
that the country “is committed to respecting all resolutions of international
legitimacy in a way that guarantees civil peace and national stability for
Lebanon,” without any reference to specific United Nations resolutions, nor to
steps pertaining to their implementation.
The truth is that no one gives any importance to Lebanon’s respect for UN
resolutions. What is required is not respect, but commitment to the wording of
decisions and their implementation. As for linking the commitment to
international resolutions to civil peace and national stability, it is nothing
but an affirmation that the country is hijacked and that the hostages are
demanding, on behalf of the kidnapper, a solution to the kidnapping process, in
a way that preserves the safety of the hostages and the morale of the kidnapper
at the same time! Such a response is an early, expected and awaited obituary of
the renewed initiative towards Lebanon, and squanders the last forms of sympathy
with the country. The Lebanese may wonder how the Gulf States can negotiate with
Syria and Iran, or open up to Iraq and be tough on Lebanon.
The answer is simple:
In Syria, there are five forms of occupation that create a balance on the
ground. This is fundamentally different from the reality of the “Hezbollah”
militia’s tight grip on Lebanon. Also, in Syria, there are remnants of a state -
even if by a slight degree of legality (I do not say legitimacy) - which has
some elements that allow dealing with it as such. The same applies to Iran,
where dialogues and agreements take place from state to state. As for Iraq,
there is a clear political front that engages in an open and deliberate battle
against the anomaly of Iranian influence in the country. This front includes the
Kurdish forces, civil society and the Sadrist movement, and is represented
within the state by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. All of the above are
missing in Lebanon. There are neither state forces engaging in a battle, nor
authorities capable of abiding by the minimum requirements of a state that
deserves to be named as such.
Lebanon is an occupied country, no more, no less. An occupying power is a
militia to which none of the standards of international law apply. As for the
government, it is as independent from the control of the militia as the Vichy
government was from the Nazi occupation of France.
Lebanon is an occupied country, and the response to the occupation is
liberation, not striking deals with the occupier.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 01-02/2022
UAE diplomats call on US to relist Houthis
as terrorists, demand more defense systems
Tuqa Khalid, Al Arabiya English/01 February ,2022
The UAE called on the US to provide it with better anti-missile and anti-drone
capabilities to continue defending itself against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi
attacks, Emirati diplomats wrote in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece after
the militia attacked Abu Dhabi three times in January. UAE Ambassador to the US
Yousef al-Otaiba and UAE permanent representative to the UN Lana Zaki Nusseibeh
wrote in the WSJ article: “Better anti-missile and anti-drone capabilities
are... needed. The US Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
systems prevented an even greater loss of life in the January strikes.” “The UAE
will intensify its cooperation with the US to expand and improve this protective
umbrella for itself, US assets in the region and other Gulf allies,” they added.
In January, the Houthis targeted the UAE with three cross border aerial attacks
using cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as drones. All the attacks targeted
civilian sites and infrastructures and led to the death of three civilians. The
UAE said it had coordinated efforts with US forces at Al Dhafra Air Base near
Abu Dhabi, and Washington announced that its military forces in the Gulf country
deployed Patriot surface-to-air missiles to intercept and deter the Houthi
attacks on the Emirati capital. Otaiba and Nusseibeh said: “Containing Houthi
aggression requires broad diplomatic pressure, tougher US and international
sanctions, intensified efforts to block weapons proliferation, and the
development and wider deployment of effective countermeasures.”They also
reiterated their call for Washington to re-designate Yemen’s Houthis as a
terrorist organization. President Joe Biden’s administration revoked a terrorist
designation of the Houthis introduced by former President Donald Trump last
February. Saudi Arabia and the UAE maintained over the course of the past year
that they will continue to treat the Houthis as a terrorist organization
regardless of whether the US decides to designate the group as such. The UAE
diplomats added that the re-designation “would help choke off [the Houthis’]
financial and arms supplies without restricting humanitarian relief for the
Yemeni people.”They also called on greater pressure on Iran which provides
financial and military support to the Houthis. According to a draft UN Security
Council report circulated in January, Iran has been exporting thousands of
weapons from the Iranian port of Jask on the Sea of Oman to Yemen. Iran has long
been accused of fanning the flames of violence in the Middle East through
financial and military support to its network of Shia proxies in the region,
specifically in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Tehran denies the accusation.
Biden says he will designate Qatar as a major non-NATO
US ally
Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English/ 01 February
,2022
US President Joe Biden revealed Monday that he would designate Qatar as a major
non-NATO ally, joining the likes of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait. “I am
notifying Congress that I will designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally to
reflect the importance of our relationship, I think it’s long overdue,” Biden
said ahead of his meeting with the Qatari emir. The White House said Biden’s
meeting with Qatar’s Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani would focus on the latest
developments in the Middle East, the situation in Afghanistan and global energy
security. For his part, the Qatari emir said the discussions would include the
“equal rights of Palestinian people.”Washington is looking to Qatar as part of
its efforts to secure alternative energy supplies for Europe as tensions with
Russia over a potential invasion of Ukraine linger. “This past year our
partnership with Qatar has been central to many of our most vital interests:
relocating tens of thousands of Afghans, maintaining stability in Gaza and
providing life-saving assistance to the Palestinians, keeping pressure on ISIS
and deterring threats across the Middle East,” Biden said. Qatar also represents
US diplomatic interests in Afghanistan, following the chaotic withdrawal ordered
by Biden last summer. Other major non-NATO allies include Afghanistan,
Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Korea,
Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and
Tunisia.Taiwan is treated as a major non-NATO ally but without a formal
designation. The status, under US law, “provides foreign partners with certain
benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation.”But there are
no security commitments to these capitals. Earlier in the day, al-Thani met with
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon. Ahead of their meeting,
Austin said the US defense partnership with Qatar was wrong and served “as a
cornerstone for our strategic relationship.”Austin thanked Qatar for hosting US
troops. “This allows the United States to support a range of critical missions
in the region,” he said.
Just last December, the US Navy seized two large
caches of Iranian weapons from two vessels in the Arabian sea which Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) intended to ship to the Houthi militias
in Yemen, according to the US Justice Department.
Iran Calls for 'Political Decision' among Major Powers
to Reach Nuclear Agreement
London, Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Iran’s foreign ministry has asked parties to the nuclear deal to take the
decision to meet its demands to revive the agreement when negotiations resume a
few days from now.
Speaking at a news conference, foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh
recognized that negotiations had achieved remarkable progress but said that
“important and significant issues remain regarding the removal of sanctions that
have not made an agreement possible so far.”
“The Iranian delegation in the past three weeks constructively put everything
down in writing. We are now awaiting the response of the other sides,”
Khatibzadeh said in defense of the Iranian delegation participating in the
negotiations. Khatibzadeh's remarks came as the eighth round of negotiations to
restore the agreement - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
- has been on pause since Friday, with the negotiators returning to their
capitals for consultations. The spokesman reiterated Iran's conditions in
response to journalists’ questions about what is happening behind closed doors
in Vienna. “We suggest that after returning from their capitals, [other parties]
come with necessary decisions so that we can conclude quickly what has been
prepared in drafts,” he said. “The other parties know the differences clearly.
They need to make political decisions, especially in Washington,” he added.
“We await political decisions by Washington upon the return of the US
delegation.”The US has participated only indirectly in the talks, which seek to
bring Washington back to the accord and to ensure Iran returns to its
commitments under the deal. “We can reach a lasting, reliable and good agreement
the day after the return of the negotiators to Vienna” if the other parties make
the “right” political decisions, he added. The European Union’s coordinator for
the talks, Enrique Mora, said at the time that “political decisions” are
required to break the deadlock, and that talks are expected to resume this week.
Possible Breakthrough Could Release US Detainees in Iran
Washington - Heba El-Koudsy/Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022 -
While the Biden administration is showing great reservation when it comes to
disclosing details on US dual nationals held hostage in Iranian prisons, reports
indicate that Qatari mediation could conclude a deal for their release in
exchange for $10 billion that Iran would get from funds frozen in South Korea,
Japan and Iraq. A senior administration official told reporters on Sunday
evening that the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Qatar’s ruler, Emir
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, would review the ongoing talks in Vienna.
“Of course, Qatar, like many other of our partners in the region, are following
events — following discussions quite closely,” said the official.
When asked about the role played by Qatar in negotiations for the release of US
dual nationals in Iranian prisons, the official said: “The particulars of the
detainees and so forth, I mean, these are being handled in other channels.”
Reports were also made on Qatar's foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin
Abdulrahman Al-Thani holding discussions with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian, ahead of the meeting between Biden and Qatar’s ruler at the
White House. Media leaks spread a few hours before Biden and the Emir of Qatar
met. According to the leaked information, Emir Tamim would announce “positive
results” in the Qatari-Iranian talks to release American detainees. “Discussions
are underway to conclude a settlement whereby Iran receives the frozen funds in
exchange for the release of American detainees, and what we ask is that there be
no nuclear agreement until after the file of the detainees’ release is
completed,” said Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese national who was arrested by Iran in
2015, and was imprisoned until 2019.
He pointed out that “Qatar is able to conclude a deal and mediate between the
two sides.”“Getting Iran $10 billion will not improve the collapsed economic
situation there, but will motivate Iran to respond to the negotiations and the
demands of the P5+1 group until it gets 340 billion dollars within two years if
an agreement is reached to revive the nuclear deal,” added Zakka.
Iran Moves Centrifuge-Parts Production Out of Disputed
Workshop, IAEA Says
Asharq Al-Awsat/February 01/2022
Iran has moved production of parts for advanced centrifuges, used to enrich
uranium, out of a workshop only a month after agreeing to allow the UN nuclear
watchdog to reinstall surveillance cameras there, the watchdog said on Monday.
The move adds to uncertainty over Iran's nuclear activities while indirect talks
between Tehran and Washington on saving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are at a
delicate stage. Western powers say there are only weeks left before Iran's
atomic advances have hollowed out the deal completely. The workshop at the TESA
Karaj complex was the victim of apparent sabotage in June that Iran blamed on
its arch-foe Israel, which declined to comment. One of the International Atomic
Energy Agency's four surveillance cameras at Karaj was destroyed in the apparent
attack. Iran removed all four after the incident and the destroyed camera's
footage is still missing. Western powers and the IAEA have demanded that Iran
locate it. After a months-long standoff that threatened to scupper the wider
nuclear talks, Iran agreed to let the IAEA re-install its cameras there last
month. "On 19 January 2022, Iran informed the Agency that it intended to produce
centrifuge rotor tubes and bellows at a new location in Esfahan, instead of at
the centrifuge component production workshop at the TESA Karaj complex, and that
the Agency could adjust its surveillance and monitoring measures accordingly," a
confidential IAEA report seen by Reuters said. The IAEA issued a statement
summarizing the report's contents. Both said the IAEA placed seals on machines
at Karaj and removed its cameras there, adding that production at Karaj had
"ceased". With the IAEA having been kept away from Karaj for so long and camera
footage remaining with Iran for the time being, it is unclear what exactly
happened at Karaj after the incident and whether equipment that could
potentially be used to make nuclear weapons was secretly siphoned off, diplomats
say. Iran says it wants nuclear technology only for civil uses. IAEA inspectors
installed surveillance cameras at the workshop in the city of Isfahan on Jan.
24, the IAEA said, adding: "As of the same date, the production of centrifuge
rotor tubes and bellows at this new workshop had yet to commence." The report
did not say why Iran had moved production to Isfahan from Karaj, or how the two
workshops compare.
Iraqi Parliament Announces 25 Presidential Candidates
Baghdad- Fadhel al-Nashmi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
The Iraqi Parliament announced on Monday the names of 25 candidates who will run
in the upcoming presidential polls scheduled for February 7. Candidates need to
obtain the votes of two-thirds of parliament members (220 out of 329 lawmakers)
to win in the first voting round.
In case none of them met the required quorum, the parliament would vote in a
second round for two of the candidates who obtained the highest number of votes.
The candidate would win by obtaining a majority of half plus one of the votes
(165 votes).
A female candidate is among more than 10 Kurdish candidates and another female
is in a list of Arab candidates for the position. Prominent candidates that will
most likely secure the highest votes are current Kurdish President Barham Salih,
who is running for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP) senior official and former Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar
Zebari. Political circles also expect Razkar Mohammed Amin, former Chief Judge
of the Iraqi Special Tribunal that prosecuted former Iraqi leader Saddam
Hussein, to have high chances, along with the former Minister of Water Resources
and son-in-law of the late President Jalal Talabani, Latif Rashid. Most local
observers are still reluctant to confirm the identity of the upcoming president,
given the serious differences between the two main Kurdish parties, the PUK and
KDP. To avoid their loss, perhaps both parties will agree to choose a candidate
by consensus, the observers noted. The two Kurdish parties have shared positions
in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq for five parliamentary rounds. The President of
the Kurdistan Region represents the KDP while the President of Iraq represents
the PUK.
However, differences between the two parties may this time change the previous
equation.
Barzani Launches Initiative to Resolve Shiite Rifts in
Iraq
Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani launched on Monday an initiative aimed at bridging
the divide between head of Iraq's Sadrist movement, Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr,
and the Shiite Coordination Framework. The initiative was discussed during a
meeting between President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani, parliament
Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and Sadr at his headquarters in Najaf city. The
initiative is likely to kick off a series of dialogues in the country, but head
of the State of Law coalition, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, appears to
be the biggest hurdle in ensuring its success.
Sadr has been adamant in rejecting Maliki's appointment to any government
position. He has said that he would be open to a Maliki loyalist being named to
cabinet. Sadr emerged as victor in the October parliamentary elections, allowing
him control over the formation of the new government.
Masoud Barzani said on Monday that he was seeking to "resolve problems". The
meeting in Najaf is aimed at holding consultations over how to continue the
political process and remove obstacles, he added. Asharq Al-Awsat learned that
the meeting helped overcome problems facing the political process.
Informed sources revealed that the initiative has been backed by Iran and is
accepted by its loyalists in Iraq in an effort to appease Maliki and avoid any
clash.
Assad: Dealing with Changes in Arab Reality Requires
Changing Political Approach, Thinking
Damascus, London – Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that “dealing with changes in reality and
Arab society requires changing the political approach and thinking.”This came
during his meeting with the Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi in
Damascus. According to state-owned SANA, Assad and Albusaidi reviewed “the
distinguished relations that bind Syria and Oman and aspects of cooperation
between the two countries.” The two sides stressed the importance of continuing
work on all levels to enhance these relations through building on the principles
and common interests that gather the two countries and peoples and fulfilling
partnerships in various sectors that benefit the Syrian and Omani peoples and
the peoples of the Arab region. The talks also tackled the latest Arab and
regional developments, and issues of mutual concern. Assad referred to the
mutual understanding and the close visions the two countries possess towards
those issues, hailing the balanced role and method of Oman, its principled
policies and stances towards Syria, and its support for the Syrian people in the
war on terrorism. The Syrian president said Arabs need to lay the foundations
for the methodology of political relations and hold objective dialogues based on
the interests of the people. Assad added that dealing with changes in reality
and Arab society requires changing the political approach and thinking, based on
“our interests and our position on the international arena.” For his part, the
Omani minister conveyed greetings of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to President
al-Assad, and his keenness on Oman’s firm stances towards Syria, considering
that Syria is a basic player in the Arab world, and its strong and courageous
policies and positions “make reliance on it great in facing the challenges that
surround us.”He also met with Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad. “The Sultanate
has stood by Syria in its war against terrorism,” said Mekdad.
UN: Two Babies Killed by Winter Cold in Northwest Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Two Syrian infant girls have died from harsh winter weather in northwest Syria
where snow and rain have destroyed the tents of hundreds of displaced families,
the United Nations said Tuesday. "A seven-day-old girl and a two-month-old girl
have died from the cold in Idlib province," the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA
told AFP. According to an AFP correspondent in northern Idlib, both children
were announced dead on Tuesday. They were taken to the Al-Rahman specialist
hospital in the Idlib village of Haranbush which has received an influx of
children in recent days amid sub-zero temperatures, the correspondent said.
Deaths due to the cold are an annual occurrence in Syria's last major opposition
enclave, which the UN says is home to 2.8 million displaced people. Dwindling
donor funds have already caused dire shortages of medicine and equipment in
hospitals and clinics in the region, many of which are now at risk of closing
down. "Children are at risk of the cold. They live in worn-out tents and there
is a lack of winter clothes and fuel," said OCHA spokesman Patrick Nicholson.
"The problem is getting worse due to the economic crisis, lack of resources to
provide winter aid and increased needs." According to OCHA, harsh weather in
January has destroyed at least 935 tents and damaged more than 9,000 others in
several displacement sites in Syria's north. Unsafe heating methods, including
exposed rudimentary heaters, have often triggered deadly fires. Since the start
of the year, 68 fires were reported, which resulted in two deaths and 24
injuries in northern Syria alone, according to OCHA. The Save the Children
charity condemned the latest deaths in a statement. "It is incomprehensible that
any child should face the winter scared for their life," it said. "These
avoidable and tragic deaths are a dreadful example of how children urgently need
more humanitarian support."
IGAD Hold Talks with Burhan, Hemedti, Volker in Khartoum
Khartoum - Ahmed Younis/Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) continued on Monday its
efforts to end the political crisis in Sudan. IGAD’s Executive Secretary Workneh
Gebeyehu held talks with head of Sudan’s Sovereign Transitional Council General
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti,
as well as foreign diplomats and Sudanese political forces, during which he was
briefed on the development of the situation and efforts to address the crisis.
Asharq Al-Awsat learned that Gebeyehu and Burhan reviewed developments in Sudan
and IGAD’s role towards negotiated solutions to the crisis through constructive
engagement. Gebeyehu underlined IGAD’s full support for the country to achieve a
peaceful resolution. Burhan briefed Gebeyehu and his accompanying delegation on
the political developments and the ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis, the
Sovereign Council said in a press statement. “Burhan underscored his keenness to
hold talks with all relevant parties to achieve the political transition in
Sudan.” This visit aims at tackling the political challenges facing Sudan, the
statement quoted Gebeyehu as saying, adding that he is not in Khartoum as head
of IGAD but as an active member of the organization. He held consultations with
all the political actors to inform the IGAD member states of the outcomes of his
visit, which will be presented at the next African Union summit, it added. He is
expected to meet with political parties and civil society organizations, topped
by the National Umma Party, the Sudanese Communist Party, and Forces of Freedom
and Change alliance (FFC) before concluding his visit. He also met with the
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Sudan and head of
UNITAMS Volker Perthes, as well as representatives from the EU and the Troika
(US, UK and Norway) countries in Khartoum to consult on the situation. “We
agreed to support the efforts of the Sudanese people to find a comprehensive and
lasting solution to the current prevailing political situation,” he tweeted.
Gebeyehu had arrived in Khartoum on Sunday for a three-day visit. His visit is
the first direct official action by the African body since the Oct. 25 military
coup, which has plunged the country in its political crisis. The army takeover
halted a power sharing arrangement between the military and civilians negotiated
in 2019 after a popular uprising that forced the removal of longtime president
Omar al-Bashir and his government.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia Conclude ‘Morgan-17’ Naval Exercise
Cairo, Riyadh - Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
The Saudi and Egyptian naval forces concluded Monday the joint naval exercise
“Morgan-17” in Saudi Arabia, as part of a series of joint exercises between the
two countries. The military drill included lectures and training conferences, as
well as tactical exercises by naval special forces using various small arms and
surface-to-surface artillery, the Egyptian Armed Forces said in a statement. The
drill also included surface-to-air targeting and training on storming buildings,
which showed the forces’ ability to carry out the required tasks with high
efficiency and accuracy, the statement added. Several leaders from the Egyptian
and Saudi armed forces attended the main phase of the exercise. Meanwhile, the
joint aerial exercise Amun-22 between Egyptian and French air forces kicked off
on Monday in Egypt. The military drill will take place over several days in some
Egyptian air bases. Advanced fighter jets and helicopters will be used in the
exercise. According to an Egyptian military statement, the exercise will include
several theoretical lectures and practical exercises on planning and managing
joint air combat operations to unify aerial combat methods between the two
countries. It also includes executing various air combat methods to enhance the
combat capacities of participating Egyptian and French forces.
Blinken Discusses Palestinian Authority Reform with
Mahmoud Abbas
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the need for reform in the
Palestinian Authority in a phone call on Monday with President Mahmoud Abbas in
a further step to strengthen bilateral relations, the State Department said.
President Joe Biden has sought to repair ties weakened when his predecessor,
President Donald Trump, slashed aid to Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West
Bank and Gaza and closed a US consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem. The Biden
administration has restored aid and pledged to reopen the consulate over Israeli
objections, while urging Abbas, 86, to change several policies including
payments his self-rule authority makes to Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Briefing reporters on Monday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price did not
mention the prisoner stipends but said Blinken and Abbas discussed "the need for
reform within the Palestinian Authority."
The two also discussed "the need to improve quality of life for the Palestinian
people in tangible ways," Price said, Reuters reported. In a readout of the
phone call, Abbas' office did not mention any discussion of reform within the
authority, which exercises limited self-rule in West Bank territory Israel
captured in the 1967 Middle East war. Abbas told Blinken that Israel must "stop
the abuse of prisoners and ... the withholding of taxes." Israel in 2018 began
deducting the value of the prisoner stipends from taxes it collects on the
Palestinian Authority's behalf and transfers to it monthly. Israel and the
United States say the stipends, dispersed monthly to prisoners, their relatives
and the families of Palestinians killed for allegedly carrying out attacks,
encourage further violence. The Palestinians consider them a form of welfare for
inmates and families they regard as national heroes. Blinken also spoke Monday
with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Price said in a statement. The two
discussed Ukraine, Iran and Israeli-Palestinian issues, and Blinken reiterated
the Biden administration's commitment to Israel's security.
Blinken Urges Russia to Withdraw Troops from Ukraine
Borders in Lavrov Call
Agence France Presse/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to "immediately" de-escalate
tensions and withdraw its troops from Ukraine's borders in a call Tuesday with
Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the State Department said. Blinken
"emphasized that further invasion of Ukraine would be met with swift and severe
consequences and urged Russia to pursue a diplomatic path," the department said
in a statement. A State Department official said Blinken told Lavrov that
Washington and its allies were ready to sit down and discuss the proposals both
sides have set out in a series of letters to resolve the crisis. Blinken told
Lavrov that the discussions "will be best advanced by de-escalation of Russia's
build up military forces on Ukraine's borders." However, the official said,
"nothing we heard would give any indication that we would see a change in the
coming days," in terms of de-escalation. "We continue to hear those assurances
that Russia is not planning to invade, but certainly every action we see says
otherwise, with the continued buildup of troops and heavy weapons moving to the
border," the official said, speaking on grounds of anonymity. The official said
that a letter sent by Lavrov to Blinken and counterparts in Europe late Monday
was not Russia’s formal response to the positions the U.S. and European allies
laid out in letters to Moscow last week. "They're still working on their formal
response," that needs to be signed off on by President Vladimir Putin, the
official said. Once that response is delivered, the different sides will be able
to talk about the next steps in the process, the official said. But the U.S.
side stressed the need for Russia to draw down some of the more than 100,000
troops it has amassed on Ukraine's border, including inside Belarus. "If
President Putin does not intend war or regime change, the secretary (Blinken)
told Foreign Minister Lavrov, then this is the time to pull back troops and
heavy weapons and heavy weaponry," the official said.
Lavrov Says U.S. Ready to Discuss Russia's Security
Concerns
Agence France Presse/Tuesday, 1 February, 2022
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that Washington was ready to
discuss Moscow's security concerns, in comments that came directly after a
telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Speaking in
a video statement to media after the Blinken talks, Russia's top diplomat made
no direct mention of the Ukraine crisis, instead focusing on Moscow's demands
that the West guarantee Russia's security. "We will insist on an honest
conversation and an honest explanation of why the West does not want to fulfil
its obligations or wants to fulfill them only selectively, in its own favor,"
Lavrov said. "Tony Blinken agreed that there is subject for further discussion.
Let's see how things go," he added. Tensions between Russia and the West over
Ukraine have been building for weeks, with the West accusing Moscow of preparing
an imminent invasion of its pro-Western neighbor. Russia denies any plans to
invade but is demanding that Ukraine never be allowed to join NATO and a series
of other security guarantees against the U.S.-led military alliance's expansion
in the ex-Soviet bloc.
Russian Military Analyst Pukhov: From A Purely Military
Perspective, Russian Bases In Cuba Or Venezuela Are More Trouble Than They Are
Worth
MEMERI/February 1, 2022
Russia | Special Dispatch No. 9746
At a State Department press briefing, the department's spokesperson Ned Price
fielded the following question:
QUESTION: Russian officials have warned Moscow could deploy troops to Cuba and
Venezuela if the U.S. and NATO insist on the crisis of Ukraine. Is the U.S.
concerned about it? Have you seen any movement in that regard?
MR PRICE: Look, we are not going to respond to bluster. If we do see any
movement in that direction, we will respond swiftly and decisively.[1]
The idea of Russia establishing bases in the Carribean and Latin America in the
US' backyard was seen as a suitable riposte to NATO's expansion towards the
border with Russia.
The speculation was fueled further when Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei
Ryabkov was non-committal about the possibility in a January 13 interview. When
asked about the possibility of deploying Russian missiles in Cuba or Venezuela
in the event of a failure of negotiations on security guarantees for Russia.
Ryabkov said that he did not want to "either confirm or exclude anything."
The Russian Foreign Ministry, expressed surprise over the hysteric Western
response to Ryabkov's evasive answer. The ministry put it down to "arrogant
thinking in the spirit of we can do everything, but Russia - nothing."
Putin's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov claimed that the issue of Russian bases
"was not specifically broached, and was not raised in recent discussions between
Putin and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.[2]
Russian officials and scholars have sought to quash anticipation that Russia
would establish bases in Cuba or Venezuela. Former President and current Deputy
Chair of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said: "Cuba, Venezuela are
countries that are close to us, our partners, countries that pursue an
independent foreign policy. But these are absolutely sovereign countries. We
cannot simply deploy anything in them... simply because it must be consistent
with their geopolitical positions and with their own national interests.".
Russian bases would presently run counter to their national interests, since
Havana and Caracas want to break out of isolation and establish normal relations
with the United States, Medvedev added.[3]
The director of the Institute of the USA and Canada (Russian Academy of
Sciences), Valery Garbuzov, predicted that Latin American countries would not
agree to the deployment of Russian weapons on their territory. He explained that
Cuba and Venezuela, which are under US sanctions, will not want to worsen
relations with the United States, and the deployment of Russian missiles will
only further tighten the sanctions regime.[4]
Professor Victor Jeifets director of the Center for Ibero-American Studies at
St. Petersburg State University is similarly skeptical about Russian bases.
Jeifets believes that the Cuban authorities have "no reason to agree to the
placement of stations." The mere coincidence of viewpoints of between the
Russian Federation and Cuba on the global situation does not suffice. The Cuban
government "would like, naturally, large-scale economic assistance." But Moscow
is unable to provide assistance comparable on the scale of Soviet era assistance
to Cuba.
Jeifets also believes that Cuba has been burned twice before by Russia and this
will fuel its reluctance to agree to Russian bases.
"I think that the Cuban authorities will withhold their consent. Cuba is most
zealous about its sovereignty and autonomy. And Cuba was very offended at the
time - both when, during the Caribbean crisis [the Cuban Missile Crisis], we
removed our missiles without consulting them, and when at the beginning of this
century, we removed the radar station from Cuba as a gift to the United States,
again without considering the Cubans' opinion".[5]
Victor Jeifets (Source: Spbu.ru)
The widely circulated "Moskovskiy Komsomolets" newspaper chose to explore the
issue from another angle – the actual military value that would accrue to Russia
if such bases were established. The paper discussed the issue with Russian
military analyst Ruslan Pukhov director of the Moscow Center for Analysis of
Strategies and Technologies (CAST) and member of the Public Council at the
Russian Ministry of Defense. Pukhov believed that Venezuela was the more likely
candidate for a base as Cuba for the reasons cited above would prove reluctant.
However, even given Venezuelan consent, it would be more trouble that it was
worth. Advanced military technology had made such bases obsolete as naval groups
could do the job just as efficiently and more economically. Additionally, given
the political divide in a Venezuela ringed by hostile states, the base would
become a security risk and a target of regime opponents and Russian personnel
could even find themselves hostages.
Pukhov's analysis follows below:[6]
Ruslan Pukhov (Source: Tvc.ru)
"'It made sense to have military bases off the US coast 40-50 years ago. Now it
is not so relevant for us. The development of military technology allows us to
threaten, pressure, and strike at the potential enemy's targets from a distance.
One doesn't have to be close to his [the enemy's] territory to do so. Thus, from
a purely military viewpoint, the existence of such military bases is no longer
such an important factor as it was previously,' said the expert [Pukhov].
"According to Pukhov, there is also an important diplomatic aspect to the
issue."'Hopefully our military and diplomats consulted with Cuban and Venezuelan
experts before announcing the establishment of any bases and voicing this
decision to the Americans and the press. Otherwise such statements would be
insulting to the leadership of those countries,' said the expert.
"The expert believes that in the event of such talks it would be easier to
settle the issue of deployment of the Russian base in Venezuela, since we have a
short history of relations with this country that is not burdened by any
previous disagreements, as in the case of Cuba.
"'Back in the day, explains Pukhov, without Fidel's permission, Nikita
Khrushchev withdrew our missiles from Liberty Island and brought them back to
Soviet Union, which produced a major crisis in Soviet-Cuban relations. Fidel
perceived the step, as a personal insult and humiliation of the Cuban people.
Then, later, at the beginning of the 2000s we gave up our Cuban base in Lourdes,
which was our main radio-electronic intelligence center. This too was done
without individual talks with the Cubans. So we, coarsely speaking, duped them
twice with our military bases. Thus, I believe, and with a high degree pf
probability, they simply wouldn't want to play the same game with us for the
third time, and they won't allow us to deploy anything there. And if we in this
situation start making premature announcements, we won't look good,' explained
Pukhov.
"Regarding Venezuela, according to the expert, the negotiation process could be
simpler. The only question is: do we need it?
"'It is quite possible that the Venezuelan leadership will allow us to establish
a base. However, this step will split the country in two, with half [of the
population] being in favor, and the other half - sharply opposed. It should be
remembered that the country's crime rate is high and it will be very difficult
to deploy a real base there, not a nominal one. It will require serious
security. One must also bear in mind that Venezuela is ringed by unfriendly
states, as an example, Colombia that is 100% pro-American is one such state.
"'So, it may turn out that the base won't pose a threat to the Americans, but
instead will be target by threats from pro-American forces. Our people deployed
in this country (directly or indirectly) might even become hostages. In short,
we should think many times over, whether we should begin the process of
deploying our base there,' said Ruslan Pukhov.
"The expert also named the financial aspect as a no less important factor in
deciding the issue of permanent bases.
"He stated, 'One has to understand that maintaining a full-fledged military base
in a foreign country is a very expensive pleasure that requires huge
investments. For that reason, it would be much cheaper (and even more effective
today for a military perspective) to create not military bases, but, for
example, naval groups, which (without any bases) could, once appearing on the US
coast, perform the combat tasks that would be assigned them. We are quite
capable of doing this today.'"
[1] State.gov, January 27, 2022.
[2] Interfax.ru, January 21, 2022.
[3] Ria.ru, January 27, 2022.
[4] Lenta.ru, January 28, 2022.
[5] Ria.ru, January 28. 2022.
[6] Mk.ru, January 26, 2022.
Canada/Foreign ministers’ joint statement on the situation in Myanmar
A joint statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union,
and the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway,
Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, on the
one year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar:
On 1 February 2021, the military seized power in Myanmar, denying the democratic
aspirations of Myanmar’s people. One year later, the devastating impact on the
people of Myanmar is clear. Over 14 million people are in humanitarian need, the
economy is in crisis, democratic gains have been reversed, and conflict is
spreading across the country. The military regime bears responsibility for this
crisis, which has gravely undermined peace and stability in Myanmar and the
region. We once again call for the immediate cessation of violence and for
constructive dialogue among all parties to resolve the crisis peacefully. We
reiterate our call on the military regime to immediately end the State of
Emergency, allow unhindered humanitarian access, release all arbitrarily
detained persons, including foreigners, and swiftly return the country to the
democratic process.
On the anniversary of the coup, we remember those who have lost their lives over
the past year, including women, children, humanitarian personnel, human rights
defenders, and peaceful protesters. We strongly condemn the military regime’s
human rights violations and abuses across the country, including against
Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities. We express grave concern at
the credible reports of torture and sexual and gender-based violence. We express
serious concern over the more than 400,000 additional people who have fled their
homes since the coup. We also express grave concern at the deepening
humanitarian crisis across the country and urge the military regime to provide
rapid, full, and unhindered humanitarian access to vulnerable populations,
including for the purposes of vaccination against COVID-19. We express grave
concern over the large number of persons arbitrarily detained and the sentencing
of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other political detainees.
We call on all members of the international community to support efforts to
promote justice for the people of Myanmar; to hold those responsible for human
rights violations and abuses accountable; to cease the sale and transfer of
arms, materiel, dual-use equipment, and technical assistance to the military and
its representatives; and to continue supporting the people of Myanmar in meeting
urgent humanitarian needs.
We emphasise our support for the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus and the efforts of
the ASEAN Special Envoy to support a peaceful resolution in the interests of the
people of Myanmar. We call on the military regime to engage meaningfully with
ASEAN’s efforts to pursue full and urgent implementation of the Five-Point
Consensus, which includes ensuring that the ASEAN Special Envoy has access to
all parties in Myanmar, including pro-democracy groups. We also welcome the work
of the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar and urge the
military regime to engage constructively with her.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on February 01-02/2022
Biden's Borders: The Threat to America and the Threat to the Free World
Chris Farrell/Gatestone Institute/February 1, 2022
Putin seems to understand Biden. Putin also seems to understand hollow threats
and ineffective sanctions.
Putin, in addition, reduced natural gas exports to Europe by 41% last month...
It appears to be a "squeeze play." Putin would appear to be choking off natural
gas supplies to Europe as a wedge, to divide the United States from NATO allies
over the threatened "severe sanctions."
The Biden administration is desperately trying to convince an unidentified
audience watching somewhere that the administration is very, very serious about
Ukraine's borders. The problem is, the administration, by its actions is not
very, very serious about Ukraine's borders. If it were, it would have sent
Ukraine substantial military materiel and conducted corresponding military
exercises in adjoining NATO countries such as Poland and Hungary.
Engaging NATO and exercising military airlift, logistics and ground combat
capabilities has always been an effective deterrent. Remember deterrence? It is
not just a quaint relic of the Cold War. It is inducing an adversary to adjust
its cost-benefit analysis, making the cost of creating trouble prohibitively
high and ultimately not worth the effort.
To Putin, a Russian invasion of Ukraine is arguably just the next step in what
appears an ongoing plan to incrementally reconstruct the former Soviet Union, or
at least a large part of it. Putin began with Georgia and the Crimea; it is hard
to imagine him stopping with Ukraine.
While the Biden administration blusters and postures over Ukraine's border, the
administration has an increasingly dangerous situation along America's border.
Biden's deputy national security advisor, Jonathan Finer, was trotted out to
lecture Americans about the fundamental principle for all nations – "that our
borders should be inviolate, that our sovereignty should be respected." Oh,
really? What about America's southern border?
Here is the shocking "fact sheet" – all you need to know about just how
dangerous our border situation has become.
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to understand US President Joe Biden.
Putin also seems to understand hollow threats and ineffective sanctions. Putin
reduced natural gas exports to Europe by 41% last month, choking off natural gas
supplies to Europe as a wedge to divide the United States from NATO allies over
the threatened "severe sanctions." Pictured: Biden and Putin meet on June 16,
2021 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo by Peter Klaunzer - Pool/Keystone via Getty
Images)
A lot of Internet bandwidth has been dedicated to news reports of Russia's
military activities along the Ukrainian border. President Biden has promised
"severe sanctions" against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia, should
the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Ukraine be infringed upon
(again) in any way.
In 2014, when Putin responded to a coup that ousted a pro-Russian regime in Kiev
by occupying Crimea, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden did
nothing. Strongly-worded diplomatic notes? Sure. But it was still "nothing."
When Putin aided anti-government separatist groups in the Donetsk and Luhansk
oblasts of Ukraine, collectively called the Donbas region, once again Obama and
Biden did nothing. Putin seems to understand Biden. Putin also seems to
understand hollow threats and ineffective sanctions. Putin, in addition, reduced
natural gas exports to Europe by 41% last month in order to get the attention of
NATO allies. It appears to be a "squeeze play." Putin would appear to be choking
off natural gas supplies to Europe as a wedge, to divide the United States from
NATO allies over the threatened "severe sanctions."
The Biden administration is desperately trying to convince an unidentified
audience watching somewhere that the administration is very, very serious about
Ukraine's borders. The problem is, the administration, by its actions is not
very, very serious about Ukraine's borders. If it were, it would have sent
Ukraine substantial military materiel and conducted corresponding military
exercises in adjoining NATO countries such as Poland and Hungary. Engaging NATO
and exercising military airlift, logistics and ground combat capabilities has
always been an effective deterrent. Remember deterrence? It is not just a quaint
relic of the Cold War. It is inducing an adversary to adjust its cost-benefit
analysis, making the cost of creating trouble prohibitively high and ultimately
not worth the effort. Russia's takeover of Ukraine is not a foregone conclusion
– not even for a weak Biden administration. If it were all "just that easy,"
Putin could have rolled in weeks ago.
To Putin, a Russian invasion of Ukraine is arguably just the next step in what
appears an ongoing plan to incrementally reconstruct the former Soviet Union, or
at least a large part of it. Putin began with Georgia and the Crimea; it is hard
to imagine him stopping with Ukraine. If Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are
nervous, they have good reason to be. Sweden and Finland are practically being
driven into the arms of NATO, after Putin demanded that NATO not expand to
Nordic countries.
While the Biden administration blusters and postures over Ukraine's border, the
administration has an increasingly dangerous situation along America's border.
Biden's deputy national security advisor, Jonathan Finer, was trotted out to
lecture Americans about the fundamental principle for all nations – "that our
borders should be inviolate, that our sovereignty should be respected."
Oh, really? What about America's southern border? Now, that is the real national
security threat against the people of the United States.
Most Americans are not terribly concerned about the sovereign borders of
Ukraine. Many could not find the country on a map. Despite the broader
geopolitical implications, the fact remains that Americans are, at best,
ambiguous about the 8,500 U.S. troops alerted as a saber-rattling stunt the
Russians see as a transparent ploy.
Our NATO allies do not even believe the Biden administration. How did Germany
respond to the latest beating of the war drums? They offered to send 5,000
helmets to Ukraine. America will not go to war with Russia over Ukraine.
Back at home, however, most Americans are terribly concerned about an
out-of-control Mexican border. Mexican cartels control the U.S. southern border
and profit from every unlawful crossing. The Mexican cartels make $100 million a
week from human trafficking alone – not including the profits from fentanyl or
other drugs. The Mexican cartels exploit human beings and bombard the United
States with enough drugs to kill "everyone in America." What does the Biden
administration do? The Biden administration, through negligence and complicity,
has been subsidizing the criminal enterprises and endangering the American
public.
In his "Argument in Defense of the Soldiers in the Boston Massacre Trials," in
December 1770, John Adams stated:
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or
the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
Anecdotes and stories are marvelous, but the dire state of affairs on the
Mexican border demand fact-based reporting and argument in order to change
public policy and save American lives.
Here is the shocking "fact sheet" – all you need to know about just how
dangerous our border situation has become:
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, 1,659,206 migrants attempting to enter the U.S.
illegally were encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border – the highest number ever
recorded.
Illegal encounters more than doubled from FY 2020 to FY 2021 in all nine Border
Patrol sectors along the border.
27 percent of those encountered in FY 2021 were repeat illegal crossers. In FY
2019, only 7 percent of those encountered were repeat offenders.
63 percent of the illegal migrants encountered in FY 2021 were from countries
other than Mexico. While most were form the Northern Triangle, there were also
dramatic increases from Haiti (4,395 in FY 2020 to 45,532 in FY 2021), Cuba
(9,822 to 38,139), Brazil (6,946 to 56,735) and Ecuador (11,861 to 95,692).
In FY 2021, 64 percent (1,063,285) of all illegal encounters at the border were
single adults. This was more than three times the number of single adults
encountered the year before (317,864).
During the first quarter of FY 2022, there were 518,360 illegal immigrant
encounters along the southwest border. For comparison, there were "only" 128,347
encounters during the same time period in FY 2021.
146,925 of the illegal migrant encounters in FY 2021 involved unaccompanied
minors, up from 33,239 in FY 2020.
Between FY 2020 and FY 2021, incidents of violence against border patrol
personnel by illegal immigrants increased by 16 percent. This includes an
increase in physical assaults from 204 to 275.
The number of individuals with prior criminal convictions arrested by the Border
Patrol increased more than fourfold from FY 2020 to FY 2021, rising from 2,438
to 10,763. These include:
Homicide: 3 in FY 2020 to 60 in FY 2021
Drug offenses: 386 to 2,138
DUI: 364 to 1,629
Sex crimes: 156 to 488
Weapons charges: 49 to 336
In June 2021, the Biden administration abolished the Victims of Immigration
Crime Enforcement Office, which had been established in February 2017.
The percentage of asylum claims granted has risen significantly during the Biden
administration, from 29 percent in FY 2020 to 37 percent in FY 2021. The denial
rate for asylum applications fell from 55 percent to 31 percent, the lowest rate
of denials since 2016.
The number of illegal immigrants removed by ICE has plummeted under the Biden
administration, from more than 20,000 per month in 2019 and early 2020 to fewer
than 5,000 per month since January 2021. (Note: This trend began in 2020, likely
as a result of COVID).
The backlog of pending immigration cases has ballooned during the Biden
administration, increasing by more than 300,000 cases between December 2020 and
December 2021. In May 2021, the administration announced its "Dedicated Docket"
program to adjudicate cases involving illegal immigrant families more
efficiently. As of December 2021, more than 7,000 of the cases handled under the
program (approximately 10 percent of total cases) were dismissed because of the
government's failure to prosecute the case by filing a Notice to Appear in time.
The number of removal orders issued fell to an unprecedented level in FY 2021.
There were 164,777 such orders issued in FY 2020, dropping to 38,208 in FY 2021.
For comparison, the lowest number of removal orders issued during any year of
the Obama administration was 79,019 in FY 2014.
The percentage of individuals appearing in immigration court who are ordered
removed fell from 70.3 percent in 2020 to 29.5 percent in 2021 to 23.4 percent
to date in FY 2022.
The Biden administration has also greatly increased the use of "alternatives to
detention" for illegal immigrants with pending cases. The number of individuals
in the program (which includes bond, released on own recognizance ["RORs"],
check-ins with ICE, and ankle monitoring) rose from 87,000 at the end of the
Trump administration to 158,000 as of January 1, 2022.
The number of convictions for immigration-related charges is down precipitously
from most of the Trump administration. There were 1,724 such convictions in
December 2021, down from highs of more than 11,000 per month in early 2018 and
approximately 8,000 in December 2019. (This downward trend also began in 2020).
In FY 2021, Border Patrol seized 11,201 pounds of fentanyl, up from 4,791 the
previous year. Cocaine seizures rose from 58,002 to 97,638 pounds.
The attack on our southern border by Mexican cartels is a far greater threat, at
least to Americans, than anything happening in Ukraine. The impact on American
communities across the country is being felt, often in places and ways that have
not had to deal with the volume and intensity of challenges.
When almost 2 million people arrive in your country in one year (a population
larger than many major American cities), then there are consequences for local
social services, healthcare, education, housing, police, fire and EMT – all of
the threads of our community fabric. This has nothing to do with race or country
of origin. It is a demographic challenge – sheer numbers of human beings.
Lastly, take into account the crime and drug statistics cited above – that
compounds and exponentially multiplies the deadly challenges American
communities face. That is the true threat to America.
*Chris Farrell is Director of Investigations at Judicial Watch and Distinguished
Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
© 2022 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.
Korea, Iraq, Ukraine – In World Affairs, Words Have Consequences
Y. Carmon and A. Ungar/MEMRI/February 01/2022 |
Iraq, Korea, North, Ukraine | MEMRI Daily Brief No. 358
At a White House Press Conference, US President Joe Biden fielded a question
about a hypothetical NATO response to a Russian attack on Ukraine. He answered:
"I think what you're going to see is that Russia will be held accountable if it
invades. And it depends on what it does. It's one thing if it's a minor
incursion."[1]
Biden's answer appeared to signal to Putin that an American response to a
Russian invasion of Ukraine would be limited or perhaps nonexistent if Russia
limited itself to a minor incursion.
A horrified Volodomyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, tweeted his pained
response: "We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor
incursions."[2]
The Biden Administration, realizing its mistake, engaged in damage control by
clarifying that if Russia sent its forces across the border, it would encounter
“a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and [its]
allies.”[3] The U.S. put thousands of troops on alert for dispatch to Europe and
belatedly furnished weapons to Ukraine.
Biden's statement is reminiscent of Secretary of State Dean Acheson January 12,
1950 speech at the National Press Club Speech, in which he described which
regions in the world the U.S. was duty bound to defend: "[Our] defensive
perimeter runs along the Aleutians to Japan and then goes to the Ryukyus [which]
we will continue to hold... The defensive perimeter runs from Ryukyus to the
Philippine Islands."[4]
Acheson's description omitted South Korea, and the North Korean invasion of the
south followed shortly afterwards. By some Soviet accounts, the Acheson speech
had been rushed to Stalin and lessened his hesitation in approving the attack.
In the end, the U.S. fought for South Korea in a tremendously costly war.
Another similar situation occurred more recently, prior to Saddam Hussein's 1990
invasion of Kuwait, which triggered the First Gulf War. As Saddam amassed troops
on the Kuwaiti border, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq April Glapsie had a conversation
with Saddam. She said: "We have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your
border disagreement with Kuwait." She also explained how already in the 1960's,
Arab-Arab border disputes were considered to be "not associated with America."
She had also said: "I admire your extraordinary efforts to rebuild your
country." She then said: "I received an instruction to ask you, in the spirit of
friendship -- not in the spirit of confrontation -- regarding your
intentions."[5]
Like Acheson, Glaspie was later blamed for essentially greenlighting the Iraqi
invasion of Kuwait.
Even the most perfect wording would not necessarily deter a determined invader,
but for leaders who are weighing the potential consequences of an invasion, a
stronger expression of opposition may prevent immediate war.
Words do count, particularly when they represent the authoritative position of
the United States. The bottom line is that like Acheson and Glaspie did,
President Biden has gutted U.S. deterrence and made war with Russia more
probable. Time has yet to tell, but Biden's statement damaged America's
strategic standing. If Putin ends up not invading the Ukraine, it is because the
U.S. corrected this mistake with stronger actions indicating opposition to
Russia's aggression.
Biden's gaffe is particularly damaging, because many today see America as a
declining power, particularly after the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Before the
Korean War and the Gulf War, everybody at least saw the U.S as the strongest
superpower in the world.
The power of American statements and actions should be taken seriously not just
with regard to Ukraine. Two rogue states, North Korea and Iran, have been
recently testing America's resolve against them. In both cases, the American
response has been underwhelming.
When North Korea launched a series of missiles in an unprecedented show of
force, the U.S. simply went through the motions. The State Department responded:
"These tests… are in violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions and
pose a threat to the DPRK’s neighbors and the international community"[6] In
addition, the U.S. imposed targeted sanctions on no more than five North Korean
officials, one Russian individual, and one Russian company for abetting the
illegal procurement of technology for North Korea's missile program. The U.S.
Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also sought tougher UN sanctions
against North Korea, but the attempt was expectedly blocked by China and Russia,
who have been leading an effort to lift existing UN sanctions on North Korea.
America's weak response is not going to impress Kim Jong Un, and we might expect
a resumption of nuclear testing by North Korea as a result.
The case of Iran is far more dangerous because over the past few weeks,
Iranian-backed militias have been directly targeting U.S. soldiers and military
bases.[7]
The only thing America has been showing to Iran and North Korea is that violence
pays off.
Clearly, the Biden Administration's goal is to avoid war at all costs, even if
that means causing the U.S. to embarrass itself and lose some prestige. If that
were an effective approach, then some embarrassment really wouldn't be a big
deal. However, as we saw in the cases of the Korean War and the Gulf War, this
approach is not effective against dictatorships.
The more likely outcome is both embarrassment and war.
*Yigal Carmon is President and Founder of The Middle East Media Research
Institute (MEMRI); Amiel Ungar is an analyst and the editor of the Russian Media
Project at MEMRI
[1] Whitehouse.gov. January 19, 2022.
[2] Usatoday.com January 20, 2022.
[3] Washingtonpost.com January 20, 2021.
[4] Department of State Bulletin, XXII, No.551 (January 23, 1950), pp.111-118.
[5] New York times International September 23, 1990.
[6] Nationalinterest.org, January 30, 2022
[7] Iranian missiles are also being used by the Houthis, another Iranian proxy,
to strike high value targets in the UAE, and the United States' only response is
to call these attacks "troublesome." In addition, even though the Houthis openly
state that they are targeting civilian and economic targets in the UAE, which
constitutes a war crime, the Biden Administration has not restored to the
Houthis their designation as a terrorist organization, which it had lifted as a
gesture of goodwill to Iran ahead of the JCPOA negotiations.
Israeli PM pledges Iran will no longer be untouchable
Ben Caspit/Al-Monitor/February 01/ 2022
The Israeli military is on an accelerated shopping spree that Prime Minister
Naftali Bennett described as a “period of unprecedented buildup.” The new
acquisitions include missiles, rockets, ammunition, refueling aircraft,
development of laser-based interceptor systems, offensive and defensive
cybertools, restocking of supplies, and so on. The additional defense spending
allocations follow two years of political tumult that held up approval of a new
state budget and rearmament plans. In a series of interviews last week with
Al-Monitor and other media, Bennett explained the goal of this buildup.
Judging by these interviews, seven months after assuming office, Bennett is
starting to feel comfortable in his new perch despite widespread political
criticism and poor polling. His self-confidence has skyrocketed and he is also
buoyed by the failure of recent negotiations on a plea bargain in the corruption
trial of his predecessor Benjamin Netanyahu. A plea deal banning Netanyahu from
political office for at least seven years could have melted the glue holding
together the ideologically disparate parties of Bennett’s coalition government.
For now, such an agreement is off the table.
In response to a question by Al-Monitor, Bennett elaborated on his economic and
security doctrine and on the need for billions in additional defense
expenditure. “My goal is to bring about massive economic growth through reforms
and incentives and to raise the gross domestic product to $1 trillion within 12
years,” said the former high-tech entrepreneur. “Some of the money will be
allocated in real time for a buildup of our strategic advantages that would
leave Israel’s enemies far behind. This will prevent war, not bring it closer,
and result in stability and growth.”
Bennett was outspoken in his criticism of his predecessors, particularly
Netanyahu. “We inherited an unacceptable legacy,” he said. “Two months before I
took office, Iran started enriching uranium to the 60% level and no one did a
thing about it. Iran is the closest it has ever been to nuclear capability. Zoom
out for a minute: You have a long-standing war between two regional powers that
is being fought by one side only. They hit out at us, and we do not hit out at
them. They have enveloped Israel with octopus tentacles and instead of striking
the head of the octopus, we are quarrelling with its arms.”
The prime minister, who fought as an officer in an elite army unit deep inside
Lebanon during the 2006 Second Lebanon War, said, “We have been playing into the
hands of the Iranians for years. When I fought in Lebanon, I was fighting
against Iran’s [Hezbollah] proxies, while the ayatollahs funding and arming them
were untouchable. When I took over as prime minister, I reassessed the situation
on a clean slate. Iran will no longer be immune. The Iranian regime is rotten,
corrupt, unable to supply its citizens with basic needs, the economy is
collapsing, entire regions are without running water. So, my new perception is
that Israel must enter the arena and work to further weaken the head of the
octopus.”
No, Bennett is not declaring war and Israeli jet fighters will not be dive
bombing over Tehran in the coming months. He likens Israel’s current situation
to that of the United States under the Reagan administration in the late 1970s
and 1980s, which exhausted the Soviet Union to the point that it fell apart
almost overnight.
“Once we have full laser defences,” Bennett said, “the billions invested in the
missile and rocket systems around Israel will be extraneous. The laser will
provide a response to this threat. Israel is now on a momentum of laser
technology development that will be a game changer. We are making massive
investments in this matter and we will win the war through the power of our
economy, democracy and innovation. I don’t know where we are on the scale as we
head for a decisive victory, but we must continue to work all the time, in the
military field, too, and exert pressure on Iran’s proxies in Syria. What
business do they have there? What are they looking for on our borders?”
Asked whether the Israel Defense Forces were operating against Iran in locations
and with tools that have not been made public, in addition to its activity in
Syria as reported by foreign media, Bennett answered, “We’re just getting
started, we have many tools.” Iran’s threat, he said, is not only nuclear. “Some
100,000 missiles in Lebanon are a significant threat with huge destruction
potential. What is going on in Vienna could also inflict great damage.” Lifting
the sanctions from Iran’s failing regime as part of an agreement signed in
Vienna would mean an infusion of billions into its state-supported terrorism, he
noted. “That is a cause of concern.”
The American-born leader also discussed Israel’s disagreements with the United
States. “We must be honest in saying we have disagreements with the United
States, our great friend. The way we see it, Iran is playing with a very weak
hand and is bluffing. This lie must be exposed, and they must be given a choice
— survival of the regime or a continued race to nuclear capabilities, and they
must not be given a gift of tens of billions,” Bennett said.
Asked whether he would clash publicly with the US administration as his
predecessor Netanyahu did, Bennett answered, “We are in dialogue with the
Americans. Two days before Christmas, national security adviser Jake Sullivan
flew here on a special flight and the visit was very beneficial. Either way,
even if an agreement is signed [with Iran], it will not bind us.”
The prime minister was asked what would happen if world powers sign a nuclear
agreement with Iran, leaving Israel completely alone in the campaign. “That will
not change our fundamental strategy according to which the United States is our
biggest and most important ally and our close friend, but the world is
changing,” Bennett said. “We are in an era in which there is no longer one cop —
there are other actors. Personally, I have invested a lot of time in restoring
relations with the Biden administration and the Democrats, but Israel must seek
support elsewhere, too, and forge additional alliances. Israel must become an
asset for the world and we have the tools for this — in cyber, high tech, global
warming, innovation. You create added value, join up with other forces and
multiply your power.”
And meanwhile? Bennett was asked. “As the entire world can see, we are
increasing our activity in terms of the 'war between the wars' with Iran. We are
more active; we will not let go until Iran pulls out of Syria. They have no
business being there. It is a lose-lose situation for them, because if they
stay, they will continue to sustain blows, and if they fold up, they would be
admitting defeat. And we have no intention of giving up,” he concluded.
War of Nerves and Diplomacy between NATO and Russia
Omer Onhon/ Asharq Al-Awsat/February 01/2022
On 26 January 2022, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg informed the public
that NATO and the USA had responded to the “Russian list of demands”. NATO’s
reply was prepared by the representatives of 30 member states at NATO
Headquarters in Brussels and the USA reply was prepared in Washington. The two
replies no doubt were closely coordinated.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, “the responses offer grounds for
serious talks only on matters of secondary importance and there is no positive
response to the main issue”. In any event, Russia was pleased to receive the
replies. They will be assessed, Lavrov said.
The issues which Lavrov emphasized as “main issues” are: “NATO enlargement
towards the east” and “the deployment of strike weapons near Russia’s
borders”.Fundamental differences between NATO and Russia:
-Russia claims that “in 1990, when Germany was reunified and the issue of
European security was raised, they solemnly promised that NATO would not expand
even an inch eastward beyond the Oder River” but this promise was not kept.
NATO denies the existence of any such guarantees.
-Russia wants NATO out of the territories of former Warsaw Pact countries which
have become members after 1997. In other words, Russia wants to impose
restrictions on NATO deployments there and create a kind of buffer or
demilitarized zone.
Stoltenberg pointed out that within the framework of Article 5, all member
states will be protected and defended. NATO says it is not up to Russia or
anyone else, to impose or even suggest how this will be done.
On that point, Stoltenberg also reminded that in all member states, including
those which became a member after 1997, NATO presence is based on their free
consent and within the framework of an agreement, whereas, Russian forces are in
Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, without the consent of these countries.
Stoltenberg called on Russia to withdraw these forces.
There may be ways to appease concerns. NATO stands by the principle that every
nation has the right to choose its own path, decide whether to be a member of an
organization or not. With this principle remaining, the Secretary-General drew a
picture where, regardless of whether a nation has applied for membership (as in
the case of Ukraine and Georgia), or not (as in the case of Sweden and Finland),
NATO can establish very close partnerships, politically and militarily. Almost
full membership in every sense, minus article 5 (and deployments) which is
applicable only to full members and not partners? This notion may allow the
continuation of building a close partnership with Ukraine and Georgia and also
meet Russian concerns.
The 1990s were marked by a series of mutually enforcing agreements.
Risk reduction, transparency, and arms control have turned out to constitute a
good part of NATO’s reply. These concepts had contributed so much to the
achievements in the 1980s and 1990s. Let's recall the main instruments and their
present-day status:
-Vienna Document: A politically binding document, consisting of a set of
confidence and security-building measures It is still valid but has not been
updated since 2011.
-The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE): Limits the number of
heavy weapons systems that may be kept in the area from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Ural Mountains. At the end of 2007, Russia
suspended its participation in the CFE.
-Open Skies Treaty: A system of aerial monitoring of arms control agreements.
The USA withdrew in 2020 and Russia followed in December 2021.
-The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty: Signed in 1988, the USA withdrew
in 2019 and the Treaty is no more.
The present status and what may follow
-There seems to be a general understanding that there is a problem and a need to
do something about it. Stoltenberg stated NATO’s readiness to listen to Russia’s
concerns and discuss. He also emphasized what NATO will not accept as well as
giving hints on what can be done within the framework of non-acceptable.
-We can expect the NATO-Russia Council to meet in the coming weeks, to discuss
how to proceed.
-There are differing views on Russian objectives. One view is that Russia feels
threatened and is flexing its muscles. The other view is that Russia is working
to regain the ground it lost in the 1990s. In my opinion, it is a combination of
both, but the latter being the stronger driving force.
-Even though NATO members have come up with a joint document, this does not
necessarily mean that they are all on the same page. The economics and energy
dimensions of the crisis are extremely sensitive. Germany and Croatia have their
own concerns. France, once again, has dashed into the arena as the
self-proclaimed political and military mastermind of Europe and the defender of
“European problems to be solved by Europeans”.
-Russia, again, may find an opportunity to play into differences between the
Allies and try to widen cracks that may exist.
-NATO is pursuing its dual-track approach, which is deterrence and defense on
the one hand and dialogue on the other.
-Despite all the statements, movements, and mobilization, I think the risk of an
invasion and military confrontation is small. But who knows how things may
develop and what future may carry.
-As I wrote in my previous article on this issue (January 8) “no matter how
complicated problems are, diplomacy is the best way to achieve a lot if given a
chance”. It is encouraging to see that diplomacy is in play.
Would it be very unrealistic to wonder whether this war of nerves and diplomacy
between NATO and Russia could eventually lead to a new era of calm?
There’s a Russia-Sized Mystery in China’s Electricity Sector
David Fickling/Bloomberg/February 01/2022
Here’s a new obstacle that could prevent the world finally turning the corner on
climate change: Imagine that over the coming decade a whole new economy the size
of Russia were to pop up out of nowhere. With the world’s fourth-largest
electricity sector and largest burden of power plant emissions after China, the
US and India, this new economy on its own would be enough to throw out efforts
to halt global warming — especially if it keeps on growing through the 2030s.
That’s the risk inherent in China’s seemingly insatiable appetite for grid
power.
From the cracking pace of renewable build-out last year, you might think the
country had broken the back of its carbon addiction. A record 55 gigawatts of
solar power and 48 gigawatts of wind were connected — comparable to installing
the generation capacity of Mexico in less than 12 months. This year will see an
even faster pace, with 93 GW of solar and 50 GW of wind added, according to a
report last week from the China Electricity Council, an industry association.
That progress could in theory see the country’s power sector emissions peak
within months, rather than the late-2020s date the government has hinted at.
Combined with a smaller quantity of hydro and nuclear, 2022’s additional solar
panels and wind turbines will probably add about 310 terawatt-hours to
zero-carbon generation this year. That 3.8% increase would be sufficient to
power the UK.
Countries that have reached China’s levels of per-capita electricity consumption
(already on a par with most of Europe) typically see growth rates at less than
half that level. Grid supply could grow at a faster pace than Brazil, Iran,
South Korea or Thailand managed over the past decade without adding a ton of
additional carbon to the atmosphere.
There’s a problem with that picture, however. If electricity demand grows at an
even more headlong pace, there simply won’t be enough renewables to supply the
grid. Fossil fuels, overwhelmingly coal, will fill the gap.
Such an outcome looks distinctly possible. Electricity consumption in 2021 grew
at an extraordinary rate of 10%, and will increase again by between 5% and 6%
this year, according to the CEC. That suggests the country is on pace to match
the CEC’s forecasts of bullish grid demand over the coming decade, with
generation hitting 11,300 terawatt-hours in 2030. External analysts, such as the
International Energy Agency and BloombergNEF, envisage a more modest growth to
around 10,000 TWh.
The difference between those two outlooks is vast — equivalent to all the
electricity produced by Russia or Japan. If the CEC is right and the IEA and
BloombergNEF are wrong, even the furious rate of renewable installations we’re
seeing now won’t be enough to rein in China’s power-sector emissions.
Who’s correct? On one hand, it’s fair to say that power planners usually err on
the side of overestimation. If your forecast for electricity demand is too high,
state-owned generators will be less profitable than they otherwise would have
been — but if it’s too low, you’ll see power cuts and shutdowns like China
witnessed last autumn, a far more harrowing outcome.
On the other hand, the decarbonization of China’s economy itself should drive
electricity demand well above what we’ve seen in the past. Some 3.3 million
electric vehicles were sold in 2021 and BloombergNEF estimates a further 5.7
million will be bought in 2022. Every million EVs will likely add in the region
of 2 TWh of load to the grid. Those sums quickly mounts up in a country where
electric drivetrains are taking over a market that shifts more than 25 million
new cars a year.
Decarbonizing industry, a key element on China’s road to zero emissions, could
also change the picture. The IEA sees the country building 25 GW of electolysers
to produce hydrogen by 2030, enough to consume some 200 TWh on their own if run
close to full-time.
That’s still not enough to justify the scale of demand being forecast, though.
China is already one of the least efficient countries in the world when it comes
to translating energy into economic growth, and despite official pressure on the
most wasteful, so called “dual-high” industries such as steel, oil refining,
glass and cement, its targets for more thrifty energy usage remain pedestrian.
The countries that have decarbonized fastest are those, such as Germany, the UK
and the US, that have seen power demand plateau or even decline, giving new
renewable power a chance to swap out fossil-fired generators without chasing an
ever-increasing burden on the grid. China’s inability to do this as its
population peaks and energy consumption hits developed-country levels isn’t a
sign of strength.
Instead, it’s a sign of a country that’s chronically unable to make the
transition away from polluting heavy industry and toward the common prosperity
and ecological civilization that its president keeps promising. Until China
reins in that credit-fueled development model, the risks to its economy and the
global climate will only increase.