English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 20/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.june20.22.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
But now I am going to him who sent me; and not one of you says to me, Where are you going
John 16/04-11: I have said these things to you so that when the time comes, what I have said may come to your mind. I did not say them to you at the first, because then I was still with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; and not one of you says to me, Where are you going? But your hearts are full of sorrow because I have said these things. But what I am saying is true: my going is for your good: for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And he, when he comes, will make the world conscious of sin, and of righteousness, and of being judged: Of sin, because they have not faith in me; Of righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no more; Of being judged, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 19-20/2022
Fathers’ Day: The Holy Gift Of Fatherhood/Fathers on Earth are God’s servants/Elias Bejjani/June 19/2022
Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Urges Government Formation, Presidential Election
Al-Rahi urges inclusive govt. with no portfolio monopolization
“Cycling Day” from Barouk to Maasser Al-Shouf under auspices of Ministers of Youth & Displaced
Corm announces end of private sector's monopoly on Internet services
Hajj Hassan says dollarization price of gasoline will increase burden on citizen
Baalbek plunges into darkness for the sixth consecutive day
Horch Beirut is a Beiruti heritage, and the heart & lungs of the capital that must be preserved, tweets Makhzoumi
Hamieh announces launch of duty free market auction at Beirut Airport
Why Have the Lebanese ‘Forgotten’ Politics?/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 19-20/2022
Israel’s PM warns Iran: Those who send ‘terrorists’ to attack Israelis will pay price
Pompeo says Biden admin. not reinforcing support to secure Israel, ‘friends’ in Gulf
Israeli foreign minister to visit Turkey amid security jitters
Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian at West Bank Barrier
Israel Suspends Increase in Entry Permits for Palestinian Workers from Gaza
NATO Chief: The War in Ukraine Could Last 'for Years'
Ukraine says repulsed Russian attacks near Severodonetsk
Pentagon Describes Russia's Actions in Syria as 'Provocative'
The Possible Changes in Syria are External
Barzani Makes Fiery Statements on Relationship between Erbil, Baghdad
Hundreds Protest in Tunis Against Saied's Plan for Constitution
Macron's second term on line in parliamentary election
Germany says will take emergency measures to meet energy needs

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 19-20/2022
Afghanistan, Once More a Center for Terrorism and Drug Trade/Camelia Entekhabifard/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
Biden’s Upcoming Visit to Saudi Arabia/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
West should expect Iran’s political dam to break at any moment/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 19/2022
US democracy in crucial test/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/June 19/ 2022

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 19-20/2022
الياس بجاني:  عيد الأب في كندا وأهمية، بل قدسية دور الأب الذي هو خادم الله
Fathers’ Day: The Holy Gift Of Fatherhood/Fathers on Earth are God’s servants
Elias Bejjani/June 19/2022
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/65390/elias-bejjani-fathers-day-the-holy-gift-of-fatherhood/

“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” (Lydia M. Child, U.S. Author)
Canadians observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June. It is a day for people to show their appreciation for fathers, grandfathers, godfathers and fatherly figures. Father figures may include stepfathers, fathers-in-law, guardians, foster parent, and family friends. Hopefully, all men will have the blessed grace of being fathers. Being a father is a heavenly endowment, a great satisfaction, and a fulfilling Godly obligation as the Holy Bible teaches us: “Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.”
Almighty God has blessed both parents, fathers and mothers and recommended that they be honored, respected, cared for, and obeyed by their children. God’s fifth commandment delineates this heavenly obligation and duty: “”Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you.” (Exodus 20:12 ).
God is our Holy Father, and we all, men and women, are His beloved children. Fathers on Earth are God’s servants who are entrusted by Him to safeguard, raise, embrace, support, provide and teach their children. Meanwhile fathers are required to carry their holy duties in raising their children in the fear of God, with the best of their knowledge, all their resource and means, full devotion and with all required sacrifices.
Fathers are the cornerstone of their families upon which children depend, learn, nurture, hold fast and shape their lives. Caring, devoted and righteous fathers are always given a hand by God and blessed for their rearing and erection of boundaries. Today we are celebrating “Fathers’ Day”, with all those who cherish fathers, appreciate their sacrifices and honor their Godly role. Best wishes to all fathers hoping they will be shown today all the due gratitude from their sons and daughters. On this very special day our deceased fathers’ and mothers’ spirits are roaming around sharing with us our joy and happiness, God bless their souls.
Attitudes of gratitude or ingratitude towards fathers on Fathers’ Day, are very sensitive issues that affect and touch the hearts and minds of many people. These two contradicting attitudes exhibit how much a person is either appreciative or ungrateful. The majority of people hold on dear to their fathers and do all that they can to always show them their great and deeply felt gratitude, while sadly there are those odd ones out who show no gratitude, abandon them and even at times endeavour to ruin their lives and inflict harm and pain on them. By doing so and negating God’s commandments that stress an utmost respect for parents, these people make themselves enemies of Christ Himself. Definitely God will be angry about such condemned conduct. This deviation from all human norms occur because of ignorance, selfishness, lack of faith and hope. These people fall into temptation, become proud of what they should be ashamed of, worship things that belong to this world and forget all about “Judgment Day”.
Colossians 3/20: “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord”.
Leviticus 20/09: “For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him”
Fathers no matter what must be loved, honored, dignified and respected. God Himself is a Father and He will not bless those who deny their fathers’ heavenly right of fatherhood and respect. In this context, Billy Graham says: “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” The Holy Bible in tens of its verses warns and puts on notice all those with callous hearts and numbed conscience who show no gratitude to their fathers and break their hearts.
Isaiah 46:4: “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”
Even when fathers are abandoned by their children and denied their heavenly rights, they never ever hold any grudges, feelings of hatred or hostility against them. No matter what, fathers always wish their children health, prosperity and success. One of our Lebanese deeply rooted sayings portray how fathers constantly feel towards their ungrateful children: ” My heart beats for my son no matter what, while my son’s heart is callous like a rock”. Many verses in the Holy Bible overtly call on the children to treat their parents with love, endurance, affection and utmost care. At the same time the Bible instructs parents to value the Godly delegation to them to raise their children with all means of righteous, protection and provision.
Proverbs 23/22: “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old”.
Ephesians 06/01-02: “Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. Respect your father and mother is the first commandment that has a promise added: so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land”.
Many grown-up men and women do not appreciate their parents’ sacrifices unless they themselves have become parents. Back home in Lebanon where the family has always been sacred, we have a saying that shows how important it is in the eyes of the God that parents are always to be respected, honored and loved. “God will not bless or facilitate the life of those who mistreat their parents and He will reply to the parents’ wrath when they ask for punishment for their ungrateful children”. Good, loving , faithful and God-fearing fathers know no hatred, grudges or despair. They remain, always, hopeful and keep on praying to Almighty God that their children, (grateful or ungrateful ) are constantly healthy, prosperous, happy, and successful .
Philippians 04/04-07: “May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice! Show a gentle attitude toward everyone. The Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.”.
Happy Fathers’ Day to all Fathers.

Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Urges Government Formation, Presidential Election
Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai called for the formation of a new government, asserting his rejection of a "caretaker government," "constitutional vacuum," and "presidential vacancy." Speaking after the Maronite Church's Synod of Bishops' spiritual exercise, Rai called on civil and political officials to resolve the issue of the government and prepare for electing a new president without delay. Rai said it is time to decide whether "we are worthy of this nation and its pluralistic composition." He indicated that the political parties are irresponsible and disregard people's sufferings and the fate of Lebanon." "This is a delicate stage that calls for choosing a credible prime minister who has the experience, knowledge, and wisdom in public affairs capable of forming a cabinet with the President of the Republic as soon as possible to take urgent decisions, the first of which is to initiate vital and expected reforms," asserted the Patriarch. He called on the international community to help Lebanon by finding a solution to the presence of Palestinian refugees and displaced Syrians on Lebanese soil, stressing that "the human and brotherly feelings that we have for these two brotherly peoples do not nullify the national thinking in the interest of Lebanon." Rai noted that it could not be accepted that many parties, especially at the international level, consider refugees and displaced persons a reality that must be adapted to the point of integration, settlement, and naturalization. He wondered how some countries can claim they are keen on maintaining Lebanon's independence and stability while they work to undermine its unity. "This is a destructive logic that will inevitably undermine Lebanon's unity and force us to confront it to save Lebanon's entity, its current constitution, and its charter formula."He called on the Lebanese state to make an exceptional effort by negotiating with the Palestinian Authority, the Arab League, the United Nations, and major countries to redeploy the refugees in countries capable of accommodating them. He also stressed that the time has come for the displaced Syrians to return and build their homeland.
Lebanese parties are discussing the nomination of a new prime minister amid fears that disparities will prevent the prime minister-designate from forming his cabinet, and the government will remain a caretaker until President Michel Aoun's term expires on October 31. The bishops of the Maronite Church supported Rai, affirming in their concluding statement their adherence to coexistence, the national pact, and the participatory formula among the Lebanese components in the political system.
They called on political officials to form a new government to address corruption and implement the required reforms. Meanwhile, the head of the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, MP Taymour Jumblatt, considered that the harsh phase that Lebanon is going through requires reform and a productive government away from all political conflicts, third-party veto power, and ministries attributed to certain parties. Jumblatt indicated that the government should be capable of communicating with the Arab and international communities. He underlined the need to highlight the specifications required for any future prime minister, whose priority would be implementing reform plans and negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Jumblatt also stated that the PM must distance himself from drowning in the pitfalls of quotas, and narrow calculations that have always exhausted the country, undermined the aspirations of its youth, and destroyed its institutions. Furthermore, Lebanon's Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc member, MP Hassan Ezzeddine, stressed the need to form a salvation government capable of protecting Lebanon's sovereignty, wealth, and independence. MP Hussein Jishi also called for forming a cabinet that takes the initiative as quickly as possible to address urgent matters and award oil and gas extraction contracts, even if it is only in the areas not disputed with Israel, and expand its scope of cooperation to all countries except Israel. Jishi said that getting out of the economic crisis is possible and requires sovereign political decisions. He asserted that it is time for cooperation and understanding to save the country, reiterating that the bloc is ready to work with everyone "because we are all in the same boat."

Al-Rahi urges inclusive govt. with no portfolio monopolization
Naharnet/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday called for the formation of an “inclusive” government in which there is no monopolization of ministerial portfolios. “We demand the formation of an inclusive government as soon as possible and we urge all political forces that believe in Lebanon’s free, sovereign, independent, strong and resilient entity to put aside their conflicts and interests and secure political stability, not only for the sake of the government’s formation and the election of a new president, but also for fending off any regional threat to Lebanon,” al-Rahi said in his Sunday Mass sermon. He added that the formation of a government is “an essential condition for continuing the negotiations with the international community and the International Monetary Fund, and for resuming the talks over the southern maritime border, on which the fate of the oil and gas fortune is hinging.”The patriarch also noted, that in light of the current and short-term uncertainty, “the public interest requires that the coming government enjoy national representation that is liberated from conditions that violate the constitution, the National Pact and the norms.”“It should not have hereditary portfolios, nor portfolios that are the property of a certain sect or party… We want a government in which Lebanese components are equal in shouldering all ministerial responsibilities,” al-Rahi urged. “We want a government that is brave in confronting anything that is illegal and that is eligible to deal with the Arab and international communities,” the patriarch went on to say.

“Cycling Day” from Barouk to Maasser Al-Shouf under auspices of Ministers of Youth & Displaced
NNA/June 19/2022
A "Cycling Day" was held this Sunday between Barouk to Maasser Al-Shouf, under the dual patronage of the caretaker government's Youth and Sports Minister, George Kallas, and Displaced Minister, Issam Sharafeddine.
In a brief word on the activity, Kallas considered that "this pioneering initiative launched by the Cycling Club is very much appreciated, and is accorded great attention especially as it is an environmentally-friendly sport and helps to acquaint participants with various Lebanese regions while practicing this peaceful sport.” The Youth & Sports Ministry was represented during the event by Mohammad al-Shama'a, who conveyed to the athletes the Ministry's greetings and encouragement for such activities.

Corm announces end of private sector's monopoly on Internet services
NNA/June 19/2022
Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm praised the continuation of Internet services through public-private partnerships. In response to a press statement published by Fouad Zamakhal about the state's monopoly on the sector, the minister announced the end of the private sector's monopoly on the Internet market in Lebanon, at the expense of state resources and the interest of citizens.

Hajj Hassan says dollarization price of gasoline will increase burden on citizen
NNA/June 19/2022
Head of Baalbeck-Hermel parliamentary bloc, MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, indicated on Sunday that the intention of the BDL governor to dollarize the price of a can of gasoline according to the black market exchange rate, will increase the price of the can above the minimum wage. Hajj Hassan added that such a decision will cause a huge problem, the extent and repercussions of which no one can anticipate.
According to him, this decision will significantly increase the burden on the citizen.

Baalbek plunges into darkness for the sixth consecutive day
NNA/June 19/2022
The city and its region suffer for the sixth consecutive day of power outages, which led to the crisis of power and water cuts in residential neighborhoods, the inability to draw drinking water from home wells, food spoilage and rotting medicines kept in refrigerators., NNA correspondent said. The merchants of the city of Baalbek appealed to the Electricity du Liban (EDL), "fairness in distributing electricity among all regions, and dealing with Baalbek at the gates of the tourist season and international festivals, the icon of resorts, ancient cities and tourism, since its archaeological sites have always been global, and the destination of tourists Europeans and foreigners visiting Lebanon."

Horch Beirut is a Beiruti heritage, and the heart & lungs of the capital that must be preserved, tweets Makhzoumi
NNA – MP Fouad Makhzoumi wrote Sunday a series of tweets on today's inspection visit to follow up on the weeding and cleaning works within the campaign that was launched yesterday in “Horch Beirut”, saying: “The forest must remain a nature reserve and a green space in which the people of Beirut and the region find a breathing escape, and this is what we stressed when we submitted a bill to render the forest a nature reserve.”He added: “We call on the Ministry of the Interior and all those concerned to complete the implementation of the campaign to remove infringements and violations, such as random cafes that distort the image of the forest...It is also necessary to increase the number of the municipal guard regiment and waste containers inside the forest.”Makhzoumi concluded: “To complement the initiative of illuminating the city of Beirut with solar energy, which was implemented by the Makhzoumi Foundation in several stages, we will light certain areas of the forest, and this was agreed upon with those concerned because ‘Horch Beirut’ is a heritage, and denotes the heart and lungs of the capital which must be preserved.”

Hamieh announces launch of duty free market auction at Beirut Airport
NNA/June 19/2022
Caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister, Ali Hamieh, affirmed today that “increasing airport revenues is a path we will continue following,” declaring “the launch of the duty free market auction at the airport through the Tenders Department, so that offers will be opened upcoming July 14.”Hamieh indicated that "the opening price is LBP 850 billion” adding that “for each passenger it is $ 3.5 dollars,” and “reviewing and obtaining the book of conditions is available through the office of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation."

Why Have the Lebanese ‘Forgotten’ Politics?

Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
Individuals can only learn politics in a political society, just like they can only learn the law in a society of laws.
Thus, for example, the Cuban oppositionists in Miami engaged with all sorts of concerns and activities that are difficult to link to politics and the law. The same is true for the Russians who rose to the fore and took power after the Soviet Union collapsed, as well as many of those who became “politicians” in Iraq after Saddam fell or their Syrian counterparts who had been hoping to succeed Bashar al-Assad.
They are all the product of one of two things: either the disruption of politics in their country in favor of a form of “politics” that is the prerogative of a single party and a single leader, or living in exile. They all came to politics from zero political experience.
Lebanon does not fall into this category. It is not governed by a one party regime with a single ruler, and parliamentary elections that all parties contest are held; the latest of these elections ended only recently. However, Najat Aoun Saliba (one of the 13 new “change deputies”) saying that Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri “is in himself a school, that, God willing, I will manage to learn from” demonstrates that Lebanese politics is plagued by deep problems. It is not merely a question of Berri and schooling being total opposites, as on top of that, the statement also negates Saliba’s political raison d’etre: why change then? Why vote for her as a candidate representing change?
The incident, then, is more than a gaffe or a slip that the good intentions of Saliba and her other colleagues can cover for. It touches on, among other things, the state of politics, how it is practiced, and how it is represented in Lebanon.
Since the war of 1975, politics' capacity for driving change has been diminishing, as has conceiving oneself and the other politically. In addition to the human losses and material damages it left in its wake, the war undermined the political consciousness that been building: let us remember that the 1972 elections brought to Parliament a Baathist like Abedalmajid al-Rafiie, a Nasserist like Najah Wakim, and an exotic Marxist like Zaher al-Khatib.
After that war, another "white revolution" like the one that toppled the presidency of Bechara El Khoury, or elections like those of 1968 that created a fundamental shift in the country's politics, have become unimaginable.
Let us also note that politics, under Syrian tutelage and then the tutelage of Hezbollah, has become an exercise in the “marginalization” of major sectarian communities: marginalization of the Christians between the Taif Agreement of 1989 and March 14, 2005 and then the marginalization of the Sunnis, which continues to aggravate by the day. Politics through marginalization is not politics. It is more an object of collective psychology. In addition, those sects themselves underwent in relatively short periods of time some major shifts in their political consciousness. This phenomenon was manifested in the strong support for Aoun among Christians, which left the majority reversing its traditional positions. With Hariri, a similar shift occurred within the Sunni community. Today, there is good reason to believe that Christians and Sunnis' collective mood might have begun shifting again.
What we are describing is neither a clinical case nor things that happen in a hospital. It is the disruption of politics that draws on many other sources: the plurality of the sectarian leaderships have been shrinking further, as the Lebanese historian and intellectual Ahmed Baydoun has repeatedly explained. Sects that had had multiple competing zaiims (chieftains) now have one or two at most. We also have the question of the "sacredness of the resistance," a hindrance to politics by definition that has been growing symbiotically with three other disruptive factors:
The first is that the “resistance community,” basically the Shiites, should not change. That is, it should not become divided along political lines because this undermines the ‘sacred’ (Hezbollah), which should never be undermined. The recent elections are the latest proof of that.
Second, so long as the "resistance community," a large sect, is forbidden from changing, then all change is forbidden. That is the lesson of October 17. Among the ramifications is that crimes, from the assassination of Rafik Hariri to the assassination of Lokman Slim, and the assassinations of the port and the economy perpetrated during the interval, are not prosecuted in any meaningful way. When an international court indicts, arresting the perpetrators is impossible.
No law, no institutions. What governs us is our unyielding fate, before which politics stands impotent and silent.
Third, we have the regional disruption, represented by the solid Iranian wall. It is most obvious in the experience of Saad Hariri (and Muqtada al-Sadr in Iraq): isolation from politics has become the only option. Once again, the psychological prevails over the political.
The implications of excluding politics become apparent once we look at the “change deputies” themselves: for some, their political experience began accumulating on October 17. Others had been politically engaged amid their turbulent student lives over a quarter of a century ago. Most of them are “good guys” facing up to “thugs.” They are indeed “good guys,” but this question’s political relevance is another matter.
Politics have been paralyzed by war, sectarianism, the resistance, and finally Syrian tutelage and an abundance of velvet gloves. In the aftermath of such a state of affairs, none of us knows what to say. Najat Aoun Saliba went further, saying the opposite of what she should.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 19-20/2022
Israel’s PM warns Iran: Those who send ‘terrorists’ to attack Israelis will pay price
Tuqa Khalid, Al Arabiya English/Published: 19 June ,2022
Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennet warned Iran on Sunday against any attempts to target Israelis abroad in “terrorist attacks”, threatening that anyone who attempts to orchestrate such attacks will pay the price. “We are currently witnessing Iranian attempts to attack Israelis in various overseas locations,” Bennett said. “The security services are working to thwart attempted attacks before they are launched. We will continue to strike those who send the terrorists. We will continue to strike those who send the terrorists,” he added. He also warned Israelis against traveling to Turkey for their safety. “Alongside this, we have warned Israeli citizens to avoid flying to Turkey – especially Istanbul – at this time if it is not necessary. The danger is still great. I call on the citizens of Israel to show personal responsibility and safeguard their security.” Last week, Israel warned its citizens against traveling to Turkey, citing the danger of possible Iranian “revenge attacks” after the assassination of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Colonel Sayad Khodai. Israeli public broadcaster Kan radio reported last week that security officials foiled an Iranian attack targeting Israelis in Turkey last month. Tensions between the two countries have heightened in recent weeks amid a shadow war where Israel targets Iran’s military personnel and officials and scientists related to the country’s nuclear program, and Iran retaliates by targeting Israelis abroad.

Pompeo says Biden admin. not reinforcing support to secure Israel, ‘friends’ in Gulf
Gilane Fatayri & Tala Michel Issa, Al Arabiya English/17 June ,2022
Former US Secretary of State under the Trump administration Mike Pompeo criticized the Biden administration for not taking “actual steps” to build relationships with Gulf nations, in an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya on Friday.Having previously stated that the Biden administration’s policy towards Iran and the Guld region endangers the security of the US, according to Pompeo, the work he did under former US President Donald Trump contributed to “creating stability in the [Gulf] region.”“I haven't seen them take actual steps that build our relationships with our partners in the region. The Abraham Accords were part of it. The work that we did to make sure that the nations in the region had Patriot missile batteries and weapon systems, America’s forward footprint and al-Udeid in the fifth fleet in Bahrain… these were all elements of creating stability in the region,” he told Al Arabiya. Pompeo was referring to Trump’s success in pushing for the normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and Israel under the Abraham Accords, one of his administration’s most renowned achievements.Also under the Trump administration, the US attempted to establish the Middle East Strategic Alliance which, in theory, aimed to improve the region’s military capabilities and focus on countering Iran, among other mutual threats. Aside from the US, this involved Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt. “I’ve not seen this administration continue to reinforce those in a way that I think is meaningful and sends messages both to our adversary in Iran, and our friends, more broadly, our Israeli friends, Saudi friends, our Emirati friends, that the United States is prepared to help them secure their nation.

Israeli foreign minister to visit Turkey amid security jitters
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid plans to visit Turkey this week, his office said on Sunday, after months of warming ties but also recent worries voiced by Israel that its citizens could come under attack by Iranian agents in the NATO-member country.
The statement said that Lapid, during his trip on Thursday, would meet with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, who last month visited Israel to encourage expanded economic cooperation. Israel has warned its citizens against travel to Turkey, citing suspected assassination or abduction plots by Iran, which has vowed to avenge the May 22 assassination of a Revolutionary Guards colonel in Tehran that it blamed on Israeli agents. Iran has not commented on the Israeli travel warning, which is currently focussed on Istanbul. In a June 13 statement that did not name any other countries, Turkey's Foreign Ministry alluded to the warning and said it was a safe country with "cooperation mechanisms for the battle with terrorism".

Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian at West Bank Barrier
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian who tried to cross Israel's security barrier from the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said on Sunday. Israel's military said soldiers identified near the city of Qalqilya a suspect damaging the security fence and trying to cross into Israel. The soldiers opened fire, it said, adding that the incident was still being looked into. Israel constructed its barrier along the West Bank frontier at the height of a Palestinian uprising. Palestinians call it a land grab. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said Sunday's shooting was a "field execution". The Health Ministry said forces killed the man, identified as Nabil Ahmed Salim Ghanem from the West Bank city of Nablus, near the barrier. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said he was 53 years old. Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man last month under similar circumstances. Every day around 165,000 Palestinians cross with permits into Israel for work, according to the Palestinian workers union, but each week thousands of others cross illegally, often avoiding checkpoints through gaps in the security fence.

Israel Suspends Increase in Entry Permits for Palestinian Workers from Gaza
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Israel said Saturday it was suspending an increase in entry permits for Palestinian workers from Gaza announced earlier this week in response to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.Israeli warplanes hit Hamas military sites in Gaza in retaliation for the rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave, the Israeli army said. "A short while ago, in response to the rocket attack, (Israeli military) aircraft struck a number of Hamas terror targets in the Gaza Strip," the army said in a statement. The strikes came after Hamas "launched a rocket... toward Israeli civilians in southern Israel", it said, adding the projectile was intercepted by Israeli air defenses. The Israeli "aircraft targeted a weapons manufacturing site located inside a Hamas military post and an additional three military posts belonging to Hamas," the statement said. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the air raids, in the southeast of Gaza City, were an "extension of the aggression against Palestinian territory in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank," after the killing of three Palestinians on Friday. Twelve Palestinians were also wounded in Friday's Israeli army raid in Jenin, a stronghold of armed Palestinian factions in the West Bank. The men were killed when Israeli forces opened fire on their vehicle, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said. The Israeli army said soldiers had come under fire during an operation to search for weapons. One of the dead was a Hamas commander, the group said, vowing that the killings "will not go unpunished". Qassem made no mention of whether Saturday's airstrikes caused any casualties. On Saturday evening, Defense Minister Benny Gantz suspended an increase in Israeli entry permits for Gazan workers "in response to the firing of a rocket toward the state of Israel", said COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories. The additional 2,000 entry permits for Palestinian workers from Gaza, announced on Thursday, would have taken the total to 14,000. Work in Israel provides a lifeline for thousands of Gazans, who can earn far higher wages on Israeli farms and construction sites than they do in Gaza. The impoverished Hamas-controlled enclave of 2.3 million people has been under Israeli blockade since 2007.

NATO Chief: The War in Ukraine Could Last 'for Years'
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
The war in Ukraine could last "for years", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned, while reiterating calls for Western countries to provide long-term support to Kyiv. "We must be prepared for this to last for years," the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said in an interview published Sunday by German daily newspaper Bild. "We must not weaken in our support of Ukraine, even if the costs are high -- not only in terms of military support but also because of rising energy and food prices."He told Bild that the food and fuel costs are nothing compared to the one paid daily by Ukrainians on the frontline, warning "we would have to pay an even greater price" if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to achieve Moscow's goals in Ukraine. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who visited Kyiv on Friday, also spoke over the weekend of a need to prepare for a long war. This meant ensuring "Ukraine receives weapons, equipment, ammunition and training more rapidly than the invader", Johnson wrote in an opinion piece in London's Sunday Times. The NATO chief has in the past week ramped up calls for alliance members to back Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion. Repeating his calls for NATO member nations to continue delivering weapons to Kyiv, Stoltenberg said the hardware support could increase "the likelihood of Ukraine being able to push Putin's troops out of the Donbas region". The easternmost Donbas region of Ukraine is currently partly under the control of Russian forces. Ukrainian defense minister Oleksiy Reznikov and other officials this week met with around 50 countries of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters to ask for a surge in weapons and ammunition. Ukraine received a significant boost on Friday when the European Commission recommended it for candidate status, a decision European Union nations are expected to endorse at a summit this week. That would put Ukraine on course to realize an aspiration seen as out of reach before Russia's Feb. 24 invasion, even if membership could take years.

Ukraine says repulsed Russian attacks near Severodonetsk
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Ukrainian troops repulsed Russian attacks on villages near the eastern city of Severodonetsk, where the two armies have fought bloody battles for weeks, Kyiv's armed forces said Sunday. "Our units repulsed the assault in the area of Toshkivka," the Ukrainian army said on Facebook. "The enemy has retreated and is regrouping." It said Russian forces were "storming" towards the village of Orikhove, but that it had "successfully repulsed" an assault near the village. A day earlier, officials said fierce battles were taking place in settlements outside Severodonetsk, which they say is mostly, but not entirely, under Russian control. "All declarations by Russians that they control Severodonetsk are lies. Indeed, they control the majority of the city but they do not control it entirely," local governor Sergiy Gaiday said on Telegram Sunday. He said Russian forces are "constantly replenishing their army with reserves," bringing in new troops to Severodonetsk and surrounding areas. "They are now using so-called crawling tactics, they are trying to push through step by step, meter by meter." Authorities continue evacuations from Lysychansk, across a river from Severodonetsk and heavily hit by shelling, he said. Evacuations from Severodonetsk have not been possible for days, after a last bridge across the river connecting it to Lysychansk was blown up. Ukrainian authorities say hundreds of people are hiding from shelling in the Azot chemical plant in Severodonetsk. Gaiday said the plant was "hit twice" in 24 hours and that its "sewage treatment plant" was destroyed. The U.N. warned this week the remaining civilians left in Severodonetsk are running out of clean water, food and sanitation.

Pentagon Describes Russia's Actions in Syria as 'Provocative'
Washington - Elie Youssef/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
US military officials have expressed concern about the increased risk of confrontation between US and Russian forces in Syria. The commander of US Central Command (Centcom), General Erik Kurilla, said in a statement that his regional forces seek to avoid any miscalculated steps that would lead to unnecessary conflict. "We seek to avoid miscalculation or a set of actions that could lead to unnecessary conflict: that remains our goal," Kurilla said in a statement.
He described Russia's recent actions as "provocative and escalatory," referring to the recent raid on al-Tanf. The Wall Street Journal quoted Pentagon officials as saying there were fears of a clash with the Russians, accusing the Russian forces of "significant increase in the provocation" this month. A US military official said that Russia launched a raid on sites in al-Tanf region last Wednesday, near the US base, which manages a mission to train and advise local fighters to combat the resurgence of ISIS. After Russia informed the US through a communications line that it was carrying out the operation in response to a supposed attack against Syrian government forces, its military aircraft struck "a combat outpost at the garrison," a US military official said. The official explained that two Russian Su-35 and Su-24 aircraft hit a military site, and although the raid did not target US forces, officials expressed concern that the attack constituted a challenge to the mission of US forces in Syria. The newspaper reported that Russia sent two Su-34 warplanes to the area where the US forces conducted a raid in northeastern Syria to "apprehend an ISIS bomb maker." However, it quickly withdrew them after US F-16 fighters headed to the area. US officials also discussed other incidents in the past two weeks without revealing their details. About 200 US soldiers are stationed at al-Tanf base, out of the 900 soldiers deployed in northeastern Syria. Russia withdrew several of its forces and military equipment from Syria after it invaded Ukraine, and experts warn of the "vacuum" that Iran could exploit to replace it. Russia has escalated its interventions in locations close to the deployment of US forces to ensure that it can still carry out military operations in more than one place at the same time. In 2016, Russian warplanes bombed al-Tanf base after two US Navy F-18 planes on patrol in the area left to refuel. The base was empty of US forces at the time and several Syrian fighters were killed, whom Russia described as terrorists. In 2017, Russia issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the US to withdraw its personnel from the base, but Washington refused, and nothing happened. However, the most dangerous incident between the Russian and the US forces was in 2018, after fighters of the Russian "Wagner" group advanced to eastern Syria and fired at the US forces. They ignored the warnings of the US army, which asked them to leave. US troops then launched an attack against Russian forces, killing "a few hundred," according to former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The Russian military announced that it had nothing to do with the incident.

The Possible Changes in Syria are External
London - Ibrahim Hamidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Eleven years after the start of the protests and the outbreak of the conflict, and following two years of stability along the lines of contact between the three areas of influence, is there a possible change in Syria? Is it external or internal?
The past decade has witnessed many military and political upheavals. Some areas expanded and others contracted. Expectations rose and others declined, until the country was divided into three “states”: One fell under the government control with Russian and Iranian support, the second under the administration of the Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the US-led international coalition, and the third under the control of militant and Islamist factions and extremist proxies with Turkish support.
Stalemate on the lines of contact between the three “states” lingered for more than 27 months - the longest period in which geographical control has stabilized in 11 years. These areas are built on destroyed cities, villages and neighborhoods, demographic changes, displaced people and refugees. More than 12 million people have abandoned their homes, half of the Syrian population. In addition, more than seven million people have left the country, including more than one million to Western states. The emigration flow did not stop, although its causes became economic, not military or political. What unites the Syrians wherever they are is their severe economic crisis… Even Arab normalization did not solve their economic problem. The hope represented by the Arab Gas Pipeline dissipated under the shadow of the American “Caesar Act” and Western sanctions, to the extent that the country sank into darkness for hours on Saturday. The three “states” maintain cooperation, agreements, trade and understandings. Their actors assume that the stalemate continues for a long period, and that “relief will come from others.”
Is there a possible change to this picture? It is clear that the current equations are based on external bargains. The Syrians are no longer able to make any fundamental change in them. Therefore, any potential modification is external. There are four possibilities that emanate from four foreign military forces:
First, Turkey: Turkish officials frequently talk about the possibility of a military operation in the north of the country. They believe that the Ukrainian war and the resulting Russian-Western clash have strengthened their negotiating cards in Syria and the region. They are trying to invest in this situation, by launching an incursion that weakens any potential Kurdish entity on their southern border in northern Syria. Turkey is focusing on Manbij, which is controlled by America’s allies, or Tal Rifaat, which is under the supervision of Russia’s partners, in addition to the escalation in the eastern Euphrates, which America controls more deeply. Any Turkish incursion without understandings from Russia and its partners, America and its allies, will alter the lines of contact and open the door to a new military escalation. What are the limits of change? Will they shuffle the cards?
Second, Iran: With Russia’s preoccupation with the Ukrainian war, Iran and others are trying to fill the void in Syria. Israel is intensifying its military operations against “strategic Iranian targets” in Syria, the latest of which was striking Damascus International Airport and isolating the Syrian capital from the world.
In parallel, the “shadow war” between Tehran and Tel Aviv moved to the heart of Iran with Israeli talk about the “head of the octopus” strategy. To what extent will the Iranian-Israeli escalation in Syria remain controlled by Russia? Will Syria turn into an arena for a direct clash and the possibility of Iran launching “drone” attacks from Syrian territory? Third, Russia: There has been a “prevention of clash” agreement between the Russian and American armies since mid-2017, with the west of the Euphrates River controlled by Moscow and east of the Euphrates by Washington. There were some skirmishes, but strategically the deal was kept. However, with the escalation between the two parties in Ukraine, Russia has begun to test the Americans militarily in Syria, whether over the Al-Tanf base in the southeast of the country or in the north. To what extent can tension remain controlled between them? Will Syria turn into an arena for revenge, whether from America or Russia? Fourth, the United States: Since the arrival of President Joe Biden to power, the US military presence in Syria has stabilized, especially after the “Afghan humiliation”, in contrast to the era of President Donald Trump, when the presence of the US army and its allies depended on a tweet. Will Biden’s decision remain steadfast in the face of the adventures of wounded President Vladimir Putin? Will things change in the upcoming presidential elections in two years? The Syrians know that they cannot control the decision-making in their country. They are aware that Syria has turned from a player into an arena. Each side is betting on a surprise by its foreign military ally, and on a setback that will strike its local opponent with external tools. Between the blow and the blessing, the Syrians suffer in darkness… waiting for relief.

Barzani Makes Fiery Statements on Relationship between Erbil, Baghdad
Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Massoud Barzani has expressed strong doubts about finding solutions to the outstanding crises between Baghdad and Erbil. Barzani discussed the political crisis with Iraq during the opening ceremony for a book exhibition that is part of Erbil's 'Barzan Revolutions' documentary project. The KDP president noted that the political crisis "is deep for the region and Baghdad."Barzani called for the constitution to be the ruling between the two parties, noting that Kurdistan welcomes the constitution as the "rule of law," but if "they want to seize the powers of the region once again, that is not acceptable." On the current political process, Barzani said that "unfortunately, the outcome [of the elections] did not result in the formation of the government." "We believed that after the ratification of the Iraqi constitution, everyone's rights would be determined, and at that time, we said that this constitution is not without shortcomings, but compared to neighboring countries, it is something. But, unfortunately, it was not implemented," he said. Earlier, the leader of the Sadrist Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, and the Save the Homeland Alliance, which included the KDP and the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance led by Mohammad al-Halbousi, withdrew from the political process. The KDP asked current Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and former Minister of Housing Benkin Rikani to conduct the upcoming negotiations with the "coordinating framework" forces after Sadr's withdrawal. Barzani asserted that no party can impose its control through force and weapons, noting that "others have already tried and failed." "War is destruction. We hope that there will be no wars," he said, asserting that the Kurdistan Region was built with the blood of the martyrs, and "we will protect it with blood." Barzani's statements are considered the strongest since the formation of political alliances following the legislative elections. Missile strikes targeted the Kurdistan region on several occasions. Some rockets were sent from inside Iraq, while others came from Iran, claiming the presence of Israeli Mossad in Erbil. The relations remain strained after a series of decisions issued by the Federal Supreme Court regarding the Region. It banned the candidacy of former Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a prominent KDP leader, for the presidency and announced the Region couldn't sell oil independently. On Friday, the Kurdistan Regional Government announced it was establishing two oil firms for exploration and marketing in the latest move in the battle between Erbil and Baghdad. In Baghdad, the Shiite Coordinating Framework began consultations to form the government, including with the KDP, which is vital for future alliances. However, Barzani's fiery statements about the relationship with Baghdad could constitute one of the main obstacles in the upcoming talks between the two parties.

Hundreds Protest in Tunis Against Saied's Plan for Constitution
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Hundreds of people demonstrated in Tunis on Sunday in a second day of protest against a constitutional referendum called by President Kais Saied that his opponents say would cement his hold on power. The demonstration was organized by the Salvation Front, a coalition including Ennahda party that Saied dissolved in March. It followed a similar protest on Saturday called by the Free Constitutional Party over the referendum, and a strike on Thursday by a powerful labor union over government economic reform plans, which brought much of the county to a standstill. The head of the country's constitution committee said on Saturday he will hand over the new draft of what he described as a democratic constitution to the president on Monday, ahead of a July 25 referendum. On Sunday, protesters marched through central Tunis to Avenue Habib Bourguiba, watched by a heavy police presence. "Saied must leave... The people on the streets are constantly against you Saied," activist Chaima Issa told Reuters. "The UGTT (union) went on strike, and judges are protesting. Do you want to rule a people that reject you?" Judges in Tunisia on Saturday extended their national strike for a third week in protest against a decision by Saied to sack 57 judges on June 1. The president accused them of corruption and protecting terrorists - charges that the Tunisian Judges' Association said were mostly politically motivated. Saied's move heightened accusations at home and abroad that he has consolidated one-man rule after assuming executive powers last summer and setting aside the 2014 constitution to rule by decree.

Macron's second term on line in parliamentary election
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
France began voting Sunday in the final round of parliamentary elections, with centrist President Emmanuel Macron's coalition looking to hold off a challenge from a newly formed left-wing alliance. Forecasters predict a re-run of last week's low turnout at polling stations, which opened at 8:00 am (0600 GMT) and will close at 8:00 pm. The vote will be decisive for Macron's second-term agenda following his re-election in April, with the 44-year-old needing a majority in order to push through promised tax cuts and welfare reform and raise the retirement age. Projections from polling firms suggest his "Together" coalition is on course to be the biggest party in the next National Assembly, but possibly short of the 289 seats needed for a majority. New left-wing coalition NUPES is hoping to spring a surprise, with the red-green collective promising to block Macron's agenda after uniting behind 70-year-old figurehead Jean-Luc Melenchon. "The vote is extremely open and it would be improper to say that things are settled one way or the other," Melenchon told reporters Friday during a final campaign stop in Paris. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is also eyeing major gains for her National Rally party, which had just eight seats in the outgoing parliament. Macron was left disappointed by results last weekend after a first round of voting saw Together and NUPES finish neck-and-neck on around 26 percent. Surging inflation, lackluster campaigning from newly named Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, and Macron's abrasive personality were all seen as reasons for the under-performance. "I really don't believe we'll get an overall majority," one worried minister told AFP last week. The first-round vote served to whittle down candidates in most of the country's 577 constituencies to two finalists who will go head-to-head Sunday. The election caps an intense two-month sequence to elect a new president and parliament, with voter fatigue seen as one of the reasons for what is expected to be record-low turnout Sunday.
- 'French disorder?' -
The contest between Together and NUPES has turned increasingly bitter over the last week, with Macron's allies seeking to paint their main opponents as dangerous far-leftists. Senior MP Christophe Castaner has accused Melenchon of wanting a "Soviet revolution", while Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire called him a "French Chavez" in reference to the late Venezuelan autocrat Hugo Chavez. Macron headed to Ukraine last week, hoping to remind voters of his foreign policy credentials and one of Melenchon's perceived weaknesses -- his anti-NATO and anti-EU views at a time of war in Europe. "We need a solid majority to ensure order outside and inside our borders. Nothing would be worse than adding French disorder to global disorder," Macron said. As president, he would retain control of foreign and defense policy whatever the outcome, but his domestic agenda could be thwarted.
Melenchon has promised a break from "30 years of neo-liberalism" -- meaning free-market capitalism -- and has pledged minimum wage and public spending hikes, as well as nationalizations. It has been 20 years since France last had a president and prime minister from different parties, when right-winger Jacques Chirac had to work with a Socialist-dominated parliament under premier Lionel Jospin.
- Turnout key -
A final flurry of polls Friday suggested Macron's Together allies were on track for 255-305 seats Sunday, with only the upper end of that range being a majority of more than 289. NUPES would secure around 140-200 seats, making them the biggest opposition force, while Le Pen's National Rally was seen to get around 20-45 seats. If they secure more than 15 seats, Le Pen's MPs would be able to form a formal group in parliament, giving them greater visibility and resources. But after scoring 41.5 percent in the presidential election in April, Le Pen is still struggling to convert her huge national following into major representation in parliament. "You can put an end to five years of toxic policies by Emmanuel Macron," she said in a campaign video posted on social media Friday. "You also have the chance to protect the country from the far-left." Observers will be keeping a close eye on turnout figures following a historically low level last week of just 47.5 percent. The three polls -- from Elabe, Ifop-Fiducial and Ipsos -- suggested turnout Sunday would be 44-47 percent. Figures will be given throughout the day by the interior ministry and a higher-than-expected turnout would most likely favor NUPES, which is banking on young people and the working classes voting. In France's Caribbean island of Guadeloupe -- where the poll is held a day early -- Justine Benin was defeated by NUPES candidate Christian Baptiste Saturday, a loss that jeopardizes her role in the government as Secretary of State for Sea. A government reshuffle is expected after the election.

Germany says will take emergency measures to meet energy needs
Agence France Presse/Sunday, 19 June, 2022
Germany will take emergency measures to ensure it meets its energy needs after the drop in supply of Russian gas, including increased use of coal, the government said Sunday. "To reduce gas consumption, less gas must be used to generate electricity. Coal-fired power plants will have to be used more instead," the economy ministry said in a statement. The move follows a warning by Russian energy giant Gazprom last week that it would sharply cut deliveries to Europe. Gazprom said the supply reductions via the Nord Stream pipeline are the result of repair work, but EU officials believe Moscow is punishing allies of Ukraine, where Russian forces launched an invasion in February. The decision by Berlin marks a turnaround by the ruling coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and the liberal FDP, which has vowed to wind down its coal usage by 2030. "It's bitter but indispensable for reducing gas consumption," economy and climate minister Robert Habeck said in a statement. The measures announced Sunday also include an "auction" system for the sale of gas to manufacturers, which, according to the government, will help bring down consumption by the powerful sector. So far, Berlin has managed to reduce the share of its natural gas supplied by Russia from 55 percent before the invasion to 35 percent -- thanks to increased deliveries from countries like Norway and the Netherlands, and through liquefied natural gas contracts (LNG).

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on June 19-20/2022
Afghanistan, Once More a Center for Terrorism and Drug Trade
Camelia Entekhabifard/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
Karte Parwan is a neighborhood in northwestern Kabul, on a considerable height compared to the other quarters of the city. Its houses, right next to the lush heights of Pakhman, give the residents the benefit of being away from urban mayhem. On Saturday morning, the people of Karte Parwan woke up not to the pleasant breeze of Pakhman but to smoke, explosions, death and the smell of gunpowder. Gangs of death, or the suicidal terrorists, had targeted the temple of Afghan Sikhs.
The news about explosions and killing of citizens, ranging from attacks on school pupils to suicide attackers entering Shiite mosques and places of worship for Afghanistan’s ethnic and religious minorities, have become so common that they appear to form part of the ordinary daily life of people and media. It is Taliban’s presence that forces this situation on the people of Afghanistan. Terrorism is in the integral nature of terrorist groups; it doesn’t stop when they come to power.
Taliban seized power ten months ago. Now, it has been almost a year since they are in power. There is a very real worry that Afghanistan will be, once more, a center for international terrorist activities.
Developments in Afghanistan’s northern neighbor, Pakistan, a major supporter of Taliban which has played a key role in creating Taliban and supporting it with funds and weapons, shows the reasons for prolonging of terrorist activities in Afghanistan.
In its conflict with India over the region of Kashmir, Pakistan perennially needs to keep the practice of Jihad alive for the religious extremists that follow it. Pakistan’s ISI, working with fundamentalist Pakistani mullahs, has been the main actor designing and executing religious extremism and agitating the public opinion in favor of Jihad in the Kashmir region. These Mullahs are still controlled by the ISI.
Pakistan sees the keeping up of Jihad in the fundamentalist section of its society as crucial in its confrontation with India over Kashmir. But now that there is no war with India, people who have been brainwashed for this purpose must be kept busy so as to not threaten Pakistan’s security.
Pakistan’s strategic depth necessitates insecurity for Afghanistan. Keeping alive the element of Jihad for confrontation with India means the need for recruitment of suicidal and extremist forces who must be kept busy in a nearby region. All the elements that could once more help turn Afghanistan into a center for international terrorism are there.
First, it is the Jihadist ideology. Of the 150,000 soldiers of Taliban, more than 50 percent (i.e. around 75,000) harbor a Jihadist ideology. This means a belief in suicide operations, creation of an Islamist caliphate and idea of Islam dominating the globe. (This is not counting the foreign forces in Afghanistan who are members of Al Qaeda, ISIS-Khorasan, Central Asian terrorists and other foreign militants with similar ideas to Taliban.)
Ideology is thus the strongest motive. Then there is the question of Afghanistan’s geography which gives help for strengthening and promotion of terrorist groups.
This country consists of mountains, many valleys and forests. It thus gives a great opportunity for hiding and refuge for these groups.
The third factor is access to funding for terrorist groups based on drug trade and excavation and illegal smuggling from mines of gold, precious stones and coal. Based on reports by international organizations, since Taliban came to power, production of drugs has accelerated. The annual volume of drug trade in Afghanistan is estimated at more than 33 billion dollars which is the main source of funding for terrorist groups and Taliban. The areas for cultivation of drug and routes of smuggling are controlled by terrorist groups; this was true under the previous government and it is true now.
To justify terrorist actions and massacring of innocent people, the propaganda machinery of Taliban issues fatwas and offers false interpretations and fake versions of Quranic verses and the Hadith. It thus gives religious approval to brainwashed extremist groups.
Ideology, appropriate geography and ample financial resources are there. All that is needed to turn the country into a center for international terrorism is weaponry which was provided gratis by the US.
Sadly, the US left seven billion dollars worth of weaponry and military equipment in Afghanistan as it rapidly left the country. In the absence of a responsible and accountable government, and given the terrorist groups that boast financial resources, ideology and a suitable geography, the weapons are being used for massacre, terrorism as well as sales and exchange with other terrorist groups.
Given such volumes of weapons, financial resources and extremist motives, these groups can easily threaten the world with their extraterritorial forces.
The world and the West want to close their eyes to the current catastrophes in Afghanistan. Killing Sikh citizens in a Sikh Dharamshala (as Sikh and Hindu places of worship are called in Dari) in the faraway Karte Parwan might only lead to a bit of sadness as they ignore the massacre of people in Panjshir and killing of Shiite worshippers. They ignore Afghanistan and all the people being killed there. But history is full of lessons. In the 1990s, too, the world abandoned Afghanistan and closed its eyes on the brutality of Taliban and massacring of its people. It was the attack on the World Trade Center towers in New York that awakened them.
Today, things are not like the late 1990s. They are more serious and dangerous.
The world must provide for the formation of an inclusive and elected government with representation from all minorities. Terrorists must be contained in their roots.
Ignoring the events in Afghanistan and the killings that are going on there as well as the growth in production and export of drugs to the world will help turn the country into a center for international terrorism. There should be a government in Afghanistan that’s responsible, in contact with the international community and able to represent the people of the country with credibility, respect and calm.
In 1933, the great poet of Indian subcontinent, later known as the spiritual father of Pakistan (which was founded almost a decade after his death) visited Afghanistan on the invitation of Kabul. Following his trip, he wrote a poem called “Passenger.” Few of its verses are quite telling:
“Asia is a united body,
The Afghan nation is its heart.
When Afghanistan goes bad, so will Asia.
When Afghanistan does well, so will Asia.”

Biden’s Upcoming Visit to Saudi Arabia
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/June 19/2022
US media is talking about President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia next month with a series of articles and news stories. It is basically a contradiction… but it is their story, not ours.
Politics is not an arena for slogans, good intentions and naïve leftist dreams. Politics is realism, rationality and the language of interests. In our region, the role model is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, God willing.
Regardless of what is being said, Saudi Arabia remains an influential country in its surroundings, the region, the Arab and Islamic world, and the international community. This is an evident fact, not mere slogans.
Everyone is aware of this, whether there is a war in Ukraine or not. After all, politics is the work of realists, not dreamers who are faced with rejection in their own countries, not only in Saudi Arabia, or the region.
Biden is coming to Riyadh with energy and regional security files, and features of an escalating conflict with Iran. He will attend a Gulf-Arab summit with the participation of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, with the aim to strengthen a Saudi-American strategic partnership that is not governed by the absurdity of the left, nor the slogans of dreamers.
Biden is coming as it has become clear to the West that Iran cannot be trusted. He visits Saudi Arabia, which is today the largest and fastest reform movement in the region, for the sake of the Saudis themselves, and not to please anyone.
The US president will visit Saudi Arabia, which is the ideal model in the region, in contrast to the destructive Iranian role.
Someone may say that Biden comes to fulfill the interests of his country. This is true. But to those who constantly repeat that the American president cares only about his country, not others, we say that the Saudi leadership was also firm in achieving the interests of the Saudis, not others.
Therefore, Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia, and his meeting with the King and the Crown Prince, come to consolidate the concept of interests. This is the card that the Saudi leadership knows how to use always and forever, because Saudi Arabia is an influential country, and a fortress of security, safety and stability for the entire region.
Accordingly, what is being written and published in the West doesn’t matter. That’s their own business… We also don’t care about ideas promoted by the malicious people in our region because those represent the opposite of who we are and what we seek to achieve, that is reform, openness, and the consolidation of stability.
We say it doesn’t matter because some in the West traded in files such as human rights, which they ignored in Iran and Syria. Some tried to meddle with files that are at the heart of the region’s security and stability, and we see how Iraq suffers, for example, from the consequences of such behavior.
What is most important is that Saudi rationality has prevailed, because this is the logic of states. Moreover, the strategic Saudi-US partnership is also back on the right track, after attempts to destabilize it under false slogans. The events have proved that Saudi Arabia is a country whose status cannot be underestimated. It is not the time to humiliate opponents, nor to spread propaganda... Today is a day for reminding that politics is the art of the possible, and that politics without realism means nothing. This is the typical Saudi approach, and apart from that, details are worthless.

West should expect Iran’s political dam to break at any moment

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/June 19/2022
The Iranian regime continues to experience political earthquakes and it is failing to address the underlying issues. Political upheavals are like dam failures. To the casual observer, they appear to happen in an instant. But in actuality, what causes dams — and political systems — to break is years of unaddressed small leaks that create mounting pressure until one final drop causes the entire structure to collapse.
The theocratic establishment of Iran is starting to show some leaks and the West needs to be prepared or it risks getting flooded by surprise. Public distrust in the Iranian government continues to rise. For example, an under-construction 10-story building collapsed in Iran’s southwestern city of Abadan last month. The resulting death toll has risen to 41, with many more injured. The incident was the deadliest of its kind in Iran for years. Authorities are blaming the collapse on individual corruption and lax safety measures and have so far arrested 14 people. The property’s developer, Hossein Abdolbaghi, was one of the victims, according to authorities.
However, locals are deeply suspicious of the official narrative and believe influential backers, likely the regime’s senior leadership, helped Abdolbaghi flee the country to escape their wrath. An Iranian news website, Memar, painted a picture of how officials accumulate wealth in Iran: “His (Abdolbaghi) formula for amassing wealth, like many others in Iran today, is very simple: Clever management of connections and opportunities based on ‘rente’ (privileges resulting from undue influence).”
The belief that Abdolbaghi escaped speaks to the level of anger at the corruption in Iran. This explains why, when Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sent a cleric to Abadan, he was shouted down as he tried to address mourners near the site of the collapse.
This was not an isolated incident, as the supreme leader and his government have been the targets of slogans and demonstrations across Iran. People have chanted “Death to Khamenei,” “Shame on you Khamenei, step down from power,” “Death to the dictator,” “Death to (President Ebrahim) Raisi,” and “Death to the Iranian regime.”
During his presidential campaign last year, Raisi promised to address the nation’s economic problems and raise people’s living standards. He famously said: “The prices of bread, medicine and petrol will not increase under any circumstances.” But the situations concerning the economy, inflation and unemployment have all deteriorated since he became president. The government last month cut subsidies for eggs, chicken, dairy products and cooking oil, which has sent prices soaring. Overall inflation has now reached nearly 40 percent in Iran.
There is a stark contrast between the wealth being extracted and the high poverty levels among the ordinary people in Iran.
In spite of the resumption of US sanctions on Iran in 2018 after Washington pulled out of the multilateral nuclear deal, many Iranians instead blame the government’s ineptitude and corruption for their growing litany of woes, including high inflation. Chants such as, “They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here,” can be heard during protests in Iran. That is why economic protests previously erupted across the country and quickly became political. For instance, the province of Khuzestan, where Abadan is located, was the center of anti-regime protests in 2019 that arose due to the rising cost of fuel. They ended in violence, with more than 300 people killed and thousands arrested, according to Amnesty International.
Iran’s biggest oil and gas reserves are in Khuzestan, but it is a frequent site of popular discontent. This is due to the fact that there is a stark contrast between the wealth being extracted and the high poverty levels among the ordinary people in Iran. This manifests the inequality and corruption Iranians face.
While this is not a prediction of Iran’s imminent collapse, leaks are appearing in more places and more frequently across the country. In addition, the recent seizures of foreign tankers and the increasing tensions with Israel point to a more reckless Iran as it faces mounting pressure both internally and externally.
With new reports stating that Iran now has enough enriched uranium to build a nuclear bomb, it is a critical time for the US to increase its support for its partners in the region, which could play a decisive role in spearheading diplomatic efforts to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table. Despite the pessimism around the possibility of a renewed multilateral deal, the worsening economic conditions in Iran and Western support for partners in the region could be the missing pieces needed to solve this jigsaw.
In summary, the West must be prepared for major political upheaval in Iran and it should stand with its regional allies in confronting the Iranian regime.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist.
Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

US democracy in crucial test
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/June 19/ 2022
For nearly two years, long before the first ballot was cast in the 2020 presidential election, former US President Donald Trump and his supporters were claiming that it would be rigged by the Democrats, only to completely cut loose when he lost to Joe Biden.
Hence, it is imperative, for the sake of the survival of democracy in the US, that the electoral integrity of the 2020 presidential election is established beyond doubt, and with that the culpability of those who actively incited the crowd that committed the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
This means the current investigation by a House of Representatives select committee into the events of that fateful day — and of the narrative spread by Trump and his supporters that he lost to a fraudulent election process — is crucial to the future of the union in what is arguably the most consequential crisis for American democracy since Watergate.
Getting to the truth about the events that led up to the violent and deadly attack on Capitol Hill should never have been a divisive issue, but rather something that all legislators who care for the well-being and survival of the democratic system should have demanded, instinctively and instantly.
The very fact that most Republican legislators objected to the investigation suggests either that they have something to conceal regarding the link between Trump’s behavior and the worst attack in the country’s history on its democratic institutions, or that they and their party are too scared to break free of the spell he has cast over them.
However, what was presented last week during the first night of the hearings should worry not only Americans but also those who still see the US as the leader of the free world, or long for it to reestablish itself in this role.
Testimony after testimony from some of Trump’s closest political aides and lieutenants portrayed those around the president as divided into two camps: One with the common sense, integrity and courage to advise Trump not to declare victory early on election night for the obvious reason that the result was far from clear at that point and that, if any trend was emerging, it was indicating a Biden victory.
The other group, led by Rudy Giuliani, urged Trump to declare that he had beaten his Democrat rival — despite knowing that the claim was at best premature and at worst deliberately false, and that it was kick-starting the buildup to the fabrication that a “major fraud” had taken place to ensure Biden’s victory.
The task for the investigating committee is to explore whether this sheer lie, repeated time and again by the president, along with his constant incitements against anyone who challenged him on it, triggered those who broke into the Capitol and desecrated it.
Over the years, a massive gap has emerged between the values held dear by more progressive, liberal-minded Americans on the west and east coasts, and those promoted by the more conservative forces that live mainly in between.
The conservatives feel left behind socioeconomically, they feel their way of life is under threat and, equally important, they feel patronized by economic and intellectual elites they perceive as controlling all the centers of power. This has created a massive breeding ground for Trump’s style of populism, which, while devoid of any ideological substance, is successfully manipulating the fears and emotions of millions, especially during times of worldwide uncertainty.
The Capitol Riot committee’s decision to broadcast the testimonies of those who were close to Trump was a smart and necessary move.
But because he is still a mighty force within the Republican Party and its supporters, and has a major influence on the selection of nominees for the midterm elections later this year, and because it is highly likely that he intends to run for president in 2024, his true intentions must be revealed by the current investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The decision taken by the select committee to broadcast the testimonies of those who were close to Trump, to let the public hear them and judge their merits for themselves, was a smart and necessary move. People across the US need to hear how the false claims that questioned the legitimacy of Biden’s election came to be made.
Breaking the myth of a fraudulent election could close a dark chapter in the country’s history. More critically, if the US would like to be revered as the “city upon a hill” it has always aspired to be, it has to put all this behind it and return to a discourse based on reality and not fantasy, and a civilized and constructive national debate with real substance to it.
*Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. He is a regular contributor to the international written and electronic media. Twitter: @YMekelberg