English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For September 28/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.september28.22.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I
wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth
Book of Revelation 03/14-22/:”‘To the angel of the
church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the origin of God’s creation: ‘I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, “I am
rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.” You do not realize that you are
wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to buy from
me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you
and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint
your eyes so that you may see.I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be
earnest, therefore, and repent. Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if
you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and
you with me. To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne,
just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Let anyone
who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.’”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on September 27-28/2022
Lebanon parliament to convene to elect new president despite lack of
consensus
President Aoun awards “Mayass” troupe Lebanese Gold Medal of Merit: Your
strength, distinguished performance, and meticulousness enabled you to...
Bassil from Dar Al-Fatwa supports Derian’s adherence to constitution, Taif
Families of Port blast victims, detainees stage two sit-ins in front of Justice
Palace
Report: Mikati won't visit Baabda before Ibrahim mediates with Aoun
Bassil-led FPM delegation meets with Daryan at Dar al-Fatwa
FPM MP summoned for interrogation after lashing out at Abboud
Lebanon approval of 2022 budget is one step towards IMF loan
Death toll from Lebanon migrant shipwreck rises to 100
Hezbollah and Iran Are Destabilizing the West Bank
Syria’s Security Services Arrest Survivors of Lebanon’s ‘Death Boat’
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on September 27-28/2022
UN Nuclear Watchdog, Iranian Officials Meet in Vienna
Israel: Cyber War with Iran is Unparalleled
US Supports Iran Protests, Lawmakers Condemn Biden for Lack of Action
Iranians outraged after TikToker shot dead in protests
Iran security forces clash with protesters over Amini’s death
Iranian lawmaker slams protesters; cleric appeals for calm
Iran Steps Up Activist, Journalist Arrests in Protest Crackdown
Kremlin 'extremely concerned' about Nord Stream gas leaks
Vote in Ukraine's Russia-held areas stokes tension with West
Russia: Nuclear Warning Is Not a Bluff
Putin's draft is a 'recipe for slaughter' in Ukraine because he's sending
Russians with little to no training to war, former US general says
Kurdish militants attack Turkish police, kill themselves
King Salman appoints Crown Prince as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia
Japanese former leader Abe honored at divisive state funeral
In wealthy Dubai, poor get free bread from machines
Titles For The
Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on September 27-28/2022
Social Media: Where Truth is Censored and Hate is Spread/Raymond
Ibrahim/September 27, 2022
Ukraine Will Win/Bernard-Henri Lévy/The Tablet/September 27/2022
Israel's 'Peace Partner' Is Slaughtering Israelis/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute/September 27, 2022
China: The 'Massive' Threat/Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/September 27,
2022
How Will the Situation in Tehran Unfold?/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq
Al-Awsat/September, 27/2022
The Internal Forces Pushing Putin’s Escalation in the War with Ukraine/Anna
Borshchevskaya/The Washington Institute/September 27, 2022
Yusuf Al-Qaradawi is dead but his poison lives on/Arab News/September 28, 2022
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on September 27-28/2022
Lebanon parliament to convene to elect new president despite lack of
consensus
Reuters, Beirut/27 September ,2022
Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri will call for a session to elect a new
president on September 29, state media reported, despite no political consensus
on a candidate and dim chances of a successful vote. President Michel Aoun’s
six-year term ends on October 31, and politicians have voiced concern about no
successor being found - warning of even greater institutional deadlock given
that Lebanon has also been without a fully functioning government since May. The
session will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, the state-run National News Agency
reported. The votes of two-thirds of lawmakers in the 128-member legislature are
required for a candidate to be successful in the first round of voting, after
which a simple majority suffices. Aoun came to power after a 29-month
presidential vacuum in which parliament was unable to agree on electing a
president. The stalemate ended with a series of deals that secured victory for
Aoun and his Iran-backed ally Hezbollah. Aoun is limited to one term, and major
political parties have not announced any agreement on his successor.
President Aoun awards “Mayass” troupe Lebanese Gold
Medal of Merit: Your strength, distinguished performance, and meticulousness
enabled you to...
NNA/September 27/ 2022
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, asserted that the strength of
the Lebanese band “Mayass”, distinguished performance and accuracy in work,
brought the band’s members to this image of harmony and enabled it to present
artistic paintings beyond imagination and achieve this global success in the
name of Lebanon.
The President pointed out that since the beginning of his follow-up to the
performance of the band, he was sure of its victory, and decided to honor it in
appreciation of the success it achieved for Lebanon and to encourage its rich
offerings.
President Aoun’s positions came while awarding the band, the Lebanese Order of
Merit in appreciation of its bids and winning the first rank award in the
American global program America’s got talent in its seventeenth edition.
The ceremony was attended by the band’s coach Nadim Sherfan, the band members
and their families, and a number of technicians and administrators, the Chairman
of the Board of Directors of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, Pierre
Daher, former Minister Salim Jreissati, the Director General of the Presidency
of the Republic, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and the advisors, Rafic Shelala and Roula
Nassar.
Event:
At the outset, the Director General of Protocol and Public Relations at the
Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Nabil Shedid, gave the following speech:
“Over successive nights, the hearts of the Lebanese beat with joy, as they
followed a “dazzling dance that surpassed creativity”, according to what was
reported by the international media, in the global American program America’s
Got Talent in its 17th edition, known for its great level.
This creativity, which was crowned with first place by a judging panel, and the
vote of an international audience, stems from Lebanon. Lebanon was carried
overseas by the young Lebanese man, Nadim Sherfan, who formulated his dreams
into the fact that Lebanon is a surprise, and remains the making of wills that
are beyond the power of difficulties.
Formulation has been complemented by young Lebanese women, most of whom are
students in institutes and universities.
There, in the heart of the United States of America, the most dazzling maker of
contemporary art, the “Mayas” band not only carried Lebanon with it, but also
presented breathtaking paintings, on the tunes from here, in which the pulse of
the sun of Lebanon and the serenity of its snow who crowns his cedar.
It is the message of Lebanon that is full of the best pictures of life, carried
by the “Mayas” band, as a coach, young women, and officials, to the ends of the
world, and it excelled in the name of Lebanon and for it.
In appreciation of this fine artistic achievement, and in encouragement for more
generous giving, His Excellency, President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun,
decided to award the Lebanese band “Mayas” the Golden Lebanese Medal of Merit”.
Sherfan:
“Mayass” coach Nadim Sherfan thanked President Aoun for honoring the band and
awarding it the medal.
Sherfan said: “Today I am more than proud, happy and raise my head with this
medal that the Lebanese Republic, represented by President Michel Aoun, awarded
to this band, because it deserves appreciation, especially through the fatigue
exerted by every girl in this band and every team”.
“This proves that as Lebanese, if we meet despite all differences, overcome
differences and stand by each other, we can reach this result. I dedicate this
medal to every mother, father, brother, sister, grandmother and grandfather in
this country, who work hard and cry in order to give a decent life to their
children and not to leave this country. I give you this medal because you
deserve it. Lebanon without its people is worth nothing, just as the people
without their country are worth nothing. Mayass promises you that our cedar and
our flag will remain on our heads from above, and we will complete this journey,
and we will not stop at this point” Sherfan continued.
Sherfan also addressed the young members of the band by saying: “You know how
much I love you. I thank your parents for the trust that they have given me
since the first day, to travel and cross the seas with your daughters”.
President Aoun:
For his part, the President welcomed the audience, and pointed out that he
followed the “Mayas” band during its beautiful dance performance, expressing his
admiration for this performance.
President Aoun said: “When a person starts following your performance, he does
not believe that he is watching a Lebanese band performing with such beauty. I
expected you to win from the beginning, because your performance has exceeded
imagination”.
“I appreciated the effort of this group and the qualities that brought you to
this level. You are certainly distinguished by your strength, performance and
accuracy with which you work to reach this harmony and order. Through these
qualities, we can appreciate the effort you have made to reach this result” the
President continued.
“You were able to achieve all this success, and this is not a simple matter, and
in appreciation of that, and for the result you achieved for Lebanon, I
immediately took the decision to honor you for the success you reached and
awarded you the Lebanese Gold Order of Merit, which is the highest medal awarded
to the distinguished in Lebanon. Again, you are welcome” President Aoun
concluded.
At the end of the ceremony, souvenir photos were taken.--Presidency Press Office
Bassil from Dar Al-Fatwa supports Derian’s adherence to
constitution, Taif
NNA/September 27/ 2022
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader, MP Gebran Bassil, on Tuesday affirmed from
Dar el-Fatwa his support for the Mufti of the Republic’s adherence to the
Lebanese constitution and to the implementation of the Taif agreement. In
the wake of his meeting with Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdellatif Derian,
Bassil also stressed the substantial need to swiftly form a government that
enjoys full constitutional powers. He further highlighted the paramount
importance of reaching consensus over a new President of the Republic “who
enjoys the required credentials and a popular representation of the Lebanese
people.”Moreover, Bassil expressed his rejection “against any Lebanese
interference in the affairs of Arab states”, and underlined Lebanon’s need to
remain in the “bosom of the Arab world.”
Families of Port blast victims, detainees stage two sit-ins
in front of Justice Palace
NNA/September 27/ 2022
Two demonstrations were carried out on Tuesday in front of the Justice Palace
entrance in Beirut.
The first was observed by the families of Beirut Port explosion victims, and it
started at 10:30 am.
The aforementioned sit-in was then followed by another one by the families of
those who have been arrested over the same case.
For their part, the families of the port blast victims demanded to an immediate
halt to the appointment procedure of the alternate judicial investigator, and to
carry on instead with the investigation process which is currently being carried
out by Judge Tarek Al-Bitar.
For their part, the families of the port blast detainees demanded an “end to the
injustice inflicted on their apprehended sons.” They also stressed the need to
keep their case away from politicization.
Report: Mikati won't visit Baabda before Ibrahim
mediates with Aoun
Naharnet/September 27/ 2022
Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati will not visit the Baabda Palace on
Tuesday, contrary to what some media reports have suggested, al-Akhbar newspaper
said on Tuesday. Mikati will instead wait for General Security chief Maj. Gen.
Abbas Ibrahim to meet with President Michel Aoun, the daily added. “Ibrahim will
meet with Mikati before visiting Baabda and will later meet with him again to
inform him of what the president and (Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran)
Bassil would say,” al-Akhbar said. “If it turns out that the agreement that
preceded (the PM-designate’s) travel is still valid, Mikati will head to Baabda,
or else the reports about the presence of new conditions would be verified,
which would take us back to square one,” the daily added.
Bassil-led FPM delegation meets with Daryan at Dar al-Fatwa
Naharnet/September 27/ 2022
A Free Patriotic Movement delegation led by FPM chief Jebran Bassil held talks
Tuesday at Dar al-Fatwa with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, three days
after the latter presided over a broad Sunni meeting. “We witnessed at the Dar
al-Fatwa meeting patriotic stances on which all Lebanese agree. We came here to
stress that we stand by the mufti in all the remarks that were voiced,
especially as to the constitution and the Taef Accord in terms of
decentralization, the creation of a senate and the abolition of sectarianism,”
Bassil said after the talks. “There is no dispute over Lebanon’s Arab identity
and we’re convinced that Lebanon requires permanent embracement from the Arab
countries,” Bassil added. “Preventing their
interference in our affairs obliges us to reject interference in the affairs of
any of them,” Bassil went on to say, referring to the Arab nations. As for the
presidential election juncture, the FPM chief warned that vacuum would be
“lethal for Lebanon.” “We stressed to the mufti that
we have presented an alternative approach that is at our expense, but without
giving up the president’s popular representation, whether directly or through
support, which obliges us to reach consensus in parliament in order to elect a
president,” Bassil added.
FPM MP summoned for interrogation after lashing out at
Abboud
Naharnet/September 27/ 2022
MP Charbel Maroun of the Free Patriotic Movement-led Strong Lebanon bloc was on
Tuesday summoned for judicial interrogation over his recent remarks against
Higher Judicial Council chief Judge Suheil Abboud. The interrogation session has
been scheduled for Thursday. Maroun had lashed out at Abboud during a sit-in
outside the latter’s house in Ballouneh. The sit-in was organized by families of
detainees held in the Beirut port blast case. During the protest, Maroun slammed
Abboud as a “mafioso” and a number of judges as “criminals” while saying that
“the judiciary is corrupt and a militia.”
Lebanon approval of 2022 budget is one step towards IMF
loan
Associated Press/September 27/ 2022
Lebanon's parliament has approved the 2022 budget, one of the conditions set by
the International Monetary Fund to action a bailout for the crisis-stricken
country. Lebanon and the IMF had reached a conditional agreement on a $3 billion
loan in April to help the country tackle its economic crisis, but the global
lender last week condemned the "very slow" progress Beirut has made towards
implementing reforms. The approved budget sets expenditures at 41 trillion
pounds (about $1.2 billion according to black market exchange rates), while
revenues were projected at 30 trillion pounds. The budget has set the dollar
exchange rate at 15,000 pounds to the dollar -- less than half its rate on the
black market -- contravening calls by the IMF to unify the various dollar
exchange rates functioning across the country. Lebanon
is in the throes of an economic meltdown that the World Bank has branded one of
the world's worst crises in modern times. The IMF has
conditioned its loan on a series of measures, including the approval of the
budget as well as reforms to bank secrecy laws, restructuring the banking sector
and the implementation of formal capital controls. The head of a visiting IMF
delegation last week said the country had yet to implement the needed reforms.
"Despite the urgency for action to address Lebanon's deep economic and social
crisis, progress in implementing the reforms... remains very slow," said Ernesto
Ramirez Rigo.
Death toll from Lebanon migrant shipwreck rises to 100
Agence France Presse/September 27/ 2022
Syrian authorities have recovered 100 bodies from a Lebanese migrant boat that
sank off Syria last week, Syrian state media reported about one of the deadliest
recent shipwrecks in the eastern Mediterranean. The first bodies were found last
Thursday and only 20 people were rescued out of as many as 150 passengers."The
number of victims of the Lebanese boat has reached 100 people so far after
another body was recovered from the sea," Syria's official news agency SANA
quoted the head of Syrian ports Samer Kbrasli as saying. All survivors have been
discharged from hospital, SANA said. Nearly three years of deep economic crisis
have turned Lebanon into a launchpad for migrants, with its own citizens joining
Syrian and Palestinian refugees desperate to flee rising poverty via dangerous
sea voyages. Those aboard the ship that sailed from Lebanon's impoverished
northern city of Tripoli were mostly Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians, and
included children and elderly people, the United Nations said. Lebanon hosts
more than a million refugees from Syria's civil war and has been mired in a
financial and economic crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the worst in
modern times.United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi
described the shipwreck as a "heart-wrenching tragedy."Since 2020, Lebanon has
seen a spike in the number of migrants attempting the perilous crossing in
jam-packed boats to reach Europe. The U.N. children's agency UNICEF said that 10
children appeared to be "among those who lost their lives," adding that "years
of political instability and economic crisis in Lebanon have pushed many
children and families into poverty."
Hezbollah and Iran Are Destabilizing the West Bank
FDD/September 27/ 2022
Latest Developments
The Iranian proxy Hezbollah has quietly been sending arms to the West Bank in a
bid to strengthen Palestinian terrorist organizations. Tehran’s goal is to
undermine the authority of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and to provide
terrorist groups with the means to attack Israel. This tactic is proving
successful. Since the May 2021 Gaza-Israel conflict, the West Bank has
experienced a major uptick in militant activity from Tehran-directed groups,
while PA security forces have either joined this violence or looked the other
way.
Expert Analysis
“Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and their patrons in Tehran understand that war in Gaza
will now gain them very little. Stoking unrest in the West Bank, on the other
hand, could net new territory. A battle for the future of the West Bank is
underway. While the Palestinians may not appreciate Israel’s presence, it may be
the only thing preventing yet another takeover by Iranian proxies. – Jonathan
Schanzer, Senior Vice President for Research
“Tehran’s military and financial support of Hezbollah empowers terrorist
organizations in the West Bank. Furthermore, it erodes the Palestinian
Authority’s ability to effectively govern areas under its control at a time when
Israel is examining ways to strengthen security ties with its Palestinian
counterpart.” – Joe Truzman, Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal
Iran Set Its Sights on the West Bank
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami
boasted in August 2022 that Iran’s war against Israel has moved from “Gaza to
the West Bank,” and that Tehran has already begun to smuggle weapons to the West
Bank.
U.S.-designated Palestinian terror organizations backed by Iran have operated in
the West Bank since the 1980s. Tehran has only recently made a concerted effort
to arm them by smuggling explosives and other weapons into the territory.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz revealed the details in 2021, saying that
“Iranian emissaries” had launched a drone from the T-4 airbase in Syria to
deliver explosives for West Bank terrorist organizations. The Israeli military
shot down the drone before it reached its destination.
A Weak Palestinian Authority
PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ approval rating is hovering around 30 percent, while
about 70 percent want to see him step down. At the same time, his control of the
PA security forces and the West Bank is slipping. Tehran and its proxies have
stepped into the power vacuum, creating pockets of lawlessness and hotbeds of
terrorism in the West Bank. Nablus and Jenin are the two areas of primary
concern.
While the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is at the forefront of
this activity, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and other armed groups have
frequently clashed with IDF troops and attacked Israeli communities. In some
cases, PA security forces members have done the same. Compounding the violence
is the emergence of splinter factions from PIJ and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in
several West Bank cities where the PA has little to no influence.
Israeli Intervention May Prove Necessary
It is unlikely the PA will be able to stop the smuggling of arms by Hezbollah
and curb the growing threat of Iran-backed militant organizations without the
assistance of the IDF. Just as the IDF launched Operation Defensive Shield in
2002 to combat the threat of terrorism in the West Bank, Israel is now
conducting a similar yet more limited operation to stem Iranian influence in the
territory.
Syria’s Security Services Arrest Survivors
of Lebanon’s ‘Death Boat’
Damascus, Beirut – Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022 -
Director General of the General Authority of al-Basel Hospital Dr. Iskandar
Ammar said all the survivors of the migrant boat sinking off Syria’s coast have
been discharged from the hospital after their health improved. His remarks came
in light of reports that said Syrian security agencies had detained several
young Syrians and Palestinians who had survived the sinking off Syria’s Tartus
city. The Action Group for Palestinians of Syria
(AGPS), a London-based human rights watchdog that monitors the situation of
Palestinian refugees in war-torn Syria, said the survivors were detained because
they are allegedly wanted for compulsory military service. Medical sources at
al-Basel hospital said 27 of the survivors have received treatment. The
Consolidated Rescue Group, which is specialized in following up on the news of
migrants seeking refuge in the European Union, had warned of the possibility of
the survivors being detained for interrogation. Most of the survivors are from
the opposition-run Idlib governorate in northwestern Syria, it noted.
Meanwhile, several Palestinian families appealed for help to uncover the
fate of their missing relatives. The death toll from the sinking rose to 99 on
Monday after a body was recovered on Tartous beach.
According to survivors, the Europe-bound boat sailed from the Lebanese coastal
town of Minyeh on Tuesday. It was carrying people from various nationalities.
Lebanon, which has been mired in a stifling financial crisis since 2019,
has become a launchpad for illegal migration, with its own citizens joining
Syrian and Palestinian refugees clamoring to leave the country towards Europe,
AFP reported. It added that the measures taken
by the security forces have failed to curb the phenomenon. The Lebanese army
announced Saturday that it had arrested a suspected smuggler who allegedly
organized the ill-fated boat journey. Investigations are ongoing to arrest
others involved, the army said. Filippo Grandi, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), called the sinking a
“heart-wrenching tragedy.” He called for full
solidarity from the international community to help improve the conditions of
forcibly displaced people and host communities in the Middle East. “Too many
people are being pushed to the brink,” he stressed in a joint statement with the
UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and
the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
“People looking for safety should not be compelled to take such perilous and
often deadly migration journeys,” said António Vitorino, IOM Director General.
“This is just tragic. No one gets on these death boats lightly. People are
taking this perilous decisions, risking their lives in search of dignity. We
must do more to offer a better future and address a sense of hopelessness in
Lebanon and across the region, including among Palestine refugees” said
Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini of UNRWA.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on September 27-28/2022
UN Nuclear Watchdog, Iranian Officials Meet in
Vienna
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022
The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said he met with his Iranian
counterpart in Vienna for talks about an ongoing investigation into man made
uranium particles found at undeclared sites in Iran. “Dialogue has restarted
with Iran on clarification of outstanding safeguards issues,” Rafael Grossi,
director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), tweeted
Monday night. He said he had met with Mohammad Eslami,
vice president and head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. Along with the
statement, Grossi posted photos of himself, Eslami and other negotiators.
The IAEA has for years sought answers from Iran to its questions about the
uranium particles. US intelligence agencies, Western nations and the IAEA have
said Iran ran an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003. Iran has long
denied ever seeking nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear program is
peaceful, reported The Associated Press. The probe has been a sticking point in
negotiations to revive the 2015 deal between the Iranian Republic and world
powers. Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi said in August that the IAEA’s
investigation into the issue must be halted in order for Iran to recommit to the
deal. Earlier this month, a report from the IAEA to member states criticized
Iran’s lack of engagement with the IAEA on the issue. Because Iranian leaders
had not offered “credible” explanations for the presence of these particles, the
report said the IAEA “is not in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s
nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.”
Israel: Cyber War with Iran is Unparalleled
Tel Aviv - Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022
Israeli defense and cyber intelligence unit commanders announced that the
conflict with Iran has no parallel in the cyber-realm. They explained that since
its outbreak in 2013, this war has become increasingly complex, noting that
Israel is the strongest party, but the enemy must never be underestimated.
Colonel Uri Stav, deputy head of the 8200's offensive unit, and Colonel Omer
Grossman, Vice President of the same brigade for defense affairs, said Iran's
offensive capabilities are also improving. Iran is also activating several of
its arms and militias, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, and it mobilizes support in
this field for the Islamic Jihad and Hamas organizations in Palestine. Stav
said: "One of the challenges is that Iran supports organizations that are on our
borders but are physically distant from us. When it comes to cyberwarfare,
distance doesn't exist." He explained that Iran managed to sabotage the water
system in Israel, disrupting it for several hours, and even tried to poison the
water, but Israel responded to the attack. But Stav
adds that the level of its performance is still very far from the Israeli level.
For his part, Grossman admitted that the enemy must never be underestimated, as
a rule. "But I can say with full confidence that the abilities on our side are
infinitely higher. This is not the same league at all, not even the same sport.
To date, there has been no functional damage to our systems due to attacks by
Iran." The threat, he estimates, will increase in the
coming years. Unit 8200, which was initially made of five people, including a
secretary and a driver, has become the most significant military brigade and
includes among its ranks soldiers and officers more employees and agents in the
Mossad and the Shin Bet combined. It cooperates with its US counterpart, the
"National Security Agency" (NSA). The two cyber units
in the Israeli army were established as an emergency cell 11 years ago and
detected in 2014, the first Iranian major cyber war attack during the
"Protective Edge" war on Gaza. The Iranian-backed
attack, executed by the "Syrian Electronic Army" at the time, managed to hack
the Twitter account of the Israeli army's English spokesperson. The hackers
warned of a possible nuclear leakage in the region after two missiles hit the
Dimona nuclear reactor, but Israel repaired the damage within a few minutes.
Some reports were published about this cyber war but did not receive the
importance they deserved at that time. However, experts have conducted several
types of research on the subject. Director of the
cybersecurity program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel
Aviv, Colonel Gabi Siboni, said there is an excellent possibility that this
Iranian cyber advance in the Protective Edge would mark the beginning of cyber
warfare, which will replace classic terrorism as a central tool in Iran war with
Israel. Siboni warned that the threat is that
cyber-attacks against Israel will be able to strike the domestic front, adding
that Iran is rapidly and subtly close to "bridging the gap" in cyber technology
with Israel. "We should not be naive," said the
commander of the cyber unit. The Iranian axis is
constantly looking for loopholes in the armor of the Israeli army and the cyber
field. He warned that in the coming wars, cyber
capabilities would be more critical than in previous wars, asserting Israel's
readiness to repel and respond more than ever.
US Supports Iran Protests, Lawmakers Condemn Biden for Lack of Action
Washington - Rana Abtar/Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 27
September, 2022
US lawmakers had various reactions to the protests in Iran, ranging from strong
support to direct criticism of the US administration's policy toward Tehran.
Protests in Iran continued over the death of Mahsa Amini and statements of
support from bipartisan lawmakers are pouring in. Republican Senator Marsha
Blackburn showed her support for Iranian women, tweeting: "I stand with the
brave women of Iran fighting back against their oppressive government.
Amini was arrested for allegedly breaking headscarf rules and died on
Sept. 16. The Iranian police said she died of a heart attack and wasn't
mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account.
Iran has arrested more than 1,200 protesters, officials said Monday, in
its lethal crackdown on 10 nights of unrest driven by outrage over Amini’s
death. At least 41 people have been killed as Iran has heavily deployed security
forces against nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death. Democratic
Representative Katie Porter stated that Iran's morality police killed Amini, and
now "the state is brutally cracking down on its own citizens protesting for
their freedom. I stand in solidarity with the brave women and allies fighting
for their rights." Democratic Senator Bob Menendez considered that the Iranian
regime's efforts to divert attention from what is happening at home by attacking
Iraqi Kurdistan and organizing counter-demonstrations would not succeed.
Menendez, who chairs the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, said the "brave
women and men" are flocking to the streets to protest despite internet cuts and
violent repression by the security forces. Several Republicans expressed their
support for the protesters. However, most took advantage of the development to
attack the US administration and its ongoing efforts to return to the 2015
nuclear agreement with Tehran.
Senator Tom Cotton told Fox News on Sunday that if "President Biden actually
wanted to support the brave protesters in Iran, he would abandon his efforts to
resurrect the nuclear deal that would give billions of dollars to a dictatorial
regime with leaders who still chant, ‘death to America’."
Cotton accused the Biden administration of failing to support Iranian protesters
for the same reason "Barack Obama did in the summer of 2009 during the Green
Revolution protests: he is standing idly by (…) as he's trying to pursue this
reckless nuclear deal."
Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan responded to the accusations,
denying that negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program will impact the
administration's willingness and vehemence in "speaking out about what is
happening on the streets of Iran."
During an interview with CBS, Sullivan asserted that the administration "has in
fact taken tangible steps to sanction those morality police who caused the death
of Mahsa Amini." "We've taken steps to make it easier
for Iranians to be able to get access to the internet and access to
communications technologies that will allow them to talk to one another and to
talk to the world. So, from our perspective, we will do all we can to support
the brave people, the brave women of Iran," he explained. Sullivan said the goal
of the negotiations was to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,
stressing: "We are determined to succeed in that effort."However, this was not
enough for the critics, who are keen on ensuring the administration does not
lift sanctions imposed on Iran. In their latest
attempts, Republicans presented a bill preventing the administration from
lifting sanctions on Iran until the Secretary of State certifies to Congress
that Tehran did not support any attempts or activities to kill current or former
US citizens or officials or any Iranians living in the United States. Senator
Joni Ernst introduced the bill, noting that it is "hard to fathom that, after
countless attacks on Americans, and multiple confirmed plots against US
officials, the Biden administration continues to cozy up to Iran in hopes of a
mythical, so-called nuclear deal."
Iranians outraged after TikToker shot dead in protests
Arab News/September 27, 2022
DUBAI: A funeral has been held for Hadis Najafi, a young Iranian woman who was
shot dead by security forces during protests near Tehran. Najafi was shot six
times in the city of Karaj, and was hit by bullets in the face and neck,
according to a report by Radio Farda.
Videos of Najafi's funeral has been circulated on social media as online users
paid tribute to the 20-year-old. She had earlier gone viral in a TikTok video
where she was seen tying her hair and preparing to join the anti-government
protests, which were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the
custody of the ‘morality police’ for breaching the strict Hijab rules. At least
41 people have been killed as Iran continues to crack down on the nationwide
demonstrations.
Iran security forces clash with protesters over Amini’s
death
Reuters/September 27, 2022
DUBAI: Iranian riot police and security forces clashed with demonstrators in
dozens of cities on Tuesday, state media and social media said, amid continuing
protests against the death of young Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in police custody.
Amini, 22, from the Iranian Kurdish city of Saqez, was arrested this
month in Tehran for “unsuitable attire” by the morality police who enforce the
Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. Her death has
sparked the first big show of opposition on Iran’s streets since authorities
crushed protests against a rise in gasoline prices in 2019. Despite a growing
death toll and a fierce crackdown by authorities, videos posted on Twitter
showed demonstrators calling for the fall of the clerical establishment while
clashing with security forces in Tehran, Tabriz, Karaj, Qom, Yazd and many other
Iranian cities. State television said police clashed
with what it called “rioters” in some cities and fired tear gas to disperse
them. Videos posted on social media from inside Iran
showed protesters chanting, “Woman, Life, Liberty,” while women waved and burnt
their veils. Videos on Twitter showed protesters chanting “Death to the
dictator,” a reference to Iran’s top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei. In the Kurdish cities of Sanandaj and Sardasht, riot police fired at
protesters, videos on Twitter showed.
“I will kill those who killed my sister,” chants of protesters could be heard in
one of the videos from Tehran, while activist Twitter account 1500tasvir said:
“The streets have become battlefields.” To make it
difficult for protesters to post videos on social media, authorities have
restricted internet access in several provinces, according to internet blockage
observatory NetBlocks on Twitter and sources in Iran. On Tuesday, a spokesperson
for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Iran’s clerical rulers
to “fully respect the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful
assembly and association.”In a statement, Ravina Shamdasani said that reports
indicated “hundreds have also been arrested, including human rights defenders,
lawyers, civil society activists and at least 18 journalists.”
“Thousands have joined anti-government demonstrations throughout the country
over the past 11 days. Security forces have responded at times with live
ammunition,” the statement said. Officials said 41
people, including members of the police and a pro-government militia, had died
during the protests. But Iranian human rights groups have reported a higher
toll. The Iranian human rights group Hengaw said “18
were killed, 898 people were injured and over 1,000 Kurdish protesters have been
arrested in the last ten days,” estimating the figures to be higher.
“Between Monday and Friday, more than 70 women have been arrested in
Iran’s Kurdistan ... at least four of them are under age 18,” Hengaw said on
Tuesday. Iran’s judiciary has set up special courts to try “rioters,” according
to state media. Social media posts, along with some activists, have called for a
nationwide strike. Several university teachers, celebrities and prominent soccer
players have supported the protests against Amini’s death, according to
statements published by them on social media. Students in several universities
have refused to participate in classes, staging protests against the widespread
arrest of students and forceful encounters with security forces in universities.
Amini’s death has drawn widespread international condemnation while Iran has
blamed “thugs” linked to “foreign enemies” for stirring up unrest. Tehran has
accused the United States and some European countries of using the unrest to try
to destabilize the Islamic Republic.
Iranian lawmaker slams protesters; cleric appeals for calm
Associated Press/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022
A hard-line Iranian lawmaker on Tuesday slammed female protesters who have taken
off mandatory headscarves as prostitutes, doubling down on the government stance
amid the dramatic demonstrations following the death of a 22-year-old woman
detained by the country's morality police.
The harsh language by Mahmoud Nabavian, a legislator from Tehran, was in sharp
contrast to the appeal by a top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamadani,
who on Sunday urged the government to listen to the people's demands.
The fate of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman who died in custody after
being detained by the morality police — because her headscarf was allegedly too
loose — has ignited unrest across Iran. Protests have have spread to at least 46
cities, including the capital of Tehran, towns and villages with scenes of
violence and street clashes with security forces unseen for years in Iran.
Solidarity protests have also erupted in Europe, the United States and in parts
of the Middle East. In a predominantly Kurdish city in Syria, thousands of women
took to the streets Monday, holding posters with Amini's photo. Across Iran,
ordinary women and public figures, including Iranian actresses, have removed
their headscarves in protest or cut their hair in public to show solidarity with
the demonstrators. Iranian state TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters
and police have been killed since the demonstrations began Sept. 17. An
Associated Press count of official statements by authorities tallied at least 13
dead, with more than 1,400 demonstrators arrested.
"These rioters are out to prostitute themselves," the lawmaker, Mahmoud
Nabavian, was quoted as saying by Fararu, a news website. He suggested that
taking off the hijab, or headscarf, was akin to being naked in public to attract
male attention.
Nabavian blamed both women and men taking part in the protests, saying they were
guilty of "impurities" that need to be washed away.
Hamadani's tone was starkly different. "It is necessary for officials to listen
to people's demands and solve their problems and be sensitive to their rights,"
said the senior cleric, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
Meanwhile, Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi, warned public and
famous figures who have openly supported the demonstrators, that they must pay
for damages to public property caused by the protests.
Abbas Salehi, Iran's minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, advised that
actresses who removed their headscarves on social media posts should try to find
other jobs, implying the ministry could ban them from working in their
profession.
Iran has arrested at least 20 journalists since the start of the unrest, the
Committee to Protect Journalists said late Monday, calling on Iran to release
the reporters and halt its crackdown on the media.
"Iranian authorities should be ashamed of themselves for orchestrating this
brutal crackdown," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa
program coordinator. "They have proved their failure to grasp that suppressing
dissenting voices only compounds dissent." The Syrian Kurdish-run Hawar News
Agency reported on the protest in the northeastern, predominantly Kurdish region
of Syria where thousands of women marched Monday in solidarity with Iranian
women. In the city of Qamishli, they held up photos of Amini and toward the end
of the march several women, including an elderly one, cut off their hair, threw
it to the ground, along with headscarves, and set the pile on fire. "Long live
freedom, women demand free life, revolution is in our hands," the marchers
chanted. "Women, life, freedom!"
Iran Steps Up Activist, Journalist Arrests in Protest
Crackdown
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022
Iran is stepping up arrests of activists and journalists in a crackdown against
civil society as anti-regime protests rage nationwide, activists say. Twenty
journalists have been imprisoned since the protests erupted earlier this month
over the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, who had been arrested by the country's
notorious morality police, according to the Washington-based Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ). Numerous activists and lawyers have also been held,
including the prominent freedom of speech campaigner Hossein Ronaghi who was
arrested over the weekend, AFP said. The arrests come on top of severe internet
restrictions and blocking of sites including Instagram and WhatsApp, which
activists say is aimed at preventing details of the protests from reaching the
outside world. "By targeting journalists amid a great
deal of violence after restricting access to WhatsApp and Instagram, the Iranian
authorities are sending a clear message that there must be no coverage of the
protests," Reporters Without Borders said in a statement.
'Defending prohibited'
Ronaghi, bitterly critical of Iran's leadership, said in a video posted at the
weekend that he had initially eluded arrest by escaping his flat when agents
came for him. But he was then detained on Saturday when he went to Tehran's Evin
prison to meet prosecutors and was also beaten by security agents, his brother
Hassan wrote on Twitter. His mother told Manoto TV in
an interview that Hossein Ronaghi's leg was broken. Reports said that his
lawyers, who accompanied him to Evin, had themselves been detained. Two other
lawyers have also been arrested, lawyer Saeid Dehghan wrote on Twitter.
"This means defending protesters is prohibited!" he said.
Security forces on Monday raided the home of activist and writer Golrokh
Iraee and arrested her, according to a message on her Twitter account. Iraee,
well known for campaigning against stoning sentences in Iran, has spent much of
the past decade behind bars. And activist Majid
Tavakoli, who has been repeatedly imprisoned in Iran in recent years including
after disputed 2009 elections, remains in jail after his arrest in the early
hours of Friday.
'We are not safe'
Activists said two university students in their early 20s who were also
beginning careers as writers -- Banafsheh Kamali and Maedeh Jamal -- had also
been arrested. Videos posted on social media claimed to show the moment Jamal
was arrested, with a female voice heard yelling for help. Among the 20
journalists held, according to the CPJ, are photojournalist Yalda Moaiery, who
won international recognition for an iconic 2019 photo of protests, and reporter
Nilufar Hamedi -- who exposed the case of Amini by going to the hospital where
she was in a coma. Hamedi's husband wrote on Twitter that Hamedi had said in a
call from jail that she was in solitary confinement, and was unaware of the
charges against her. Moaiery is being held in the
notorious Qarchak women's prison outside Tehran, from where she told the Iran
Wire news website that "we are not safe here" and "the situation is very bad".
The authorities also arrested five prominent members of the Bahai religious
minority in different cities across the country, said Diane Alai, representative
of the Bahai International Community to the UN in Geneva. The Bahai -- Iran's
largest non-Muslim religious minority but not recognized in the Iranian Republic
-- had already been experiencing a crackdown even before the protests started,
with senior figures arrested and homes destroyed. Activists had accused the
Iranian authorities of being in the throes of a crackdown even before the
protests began. Two of the country's most acclaimed filmmakers Jafar Panahi and
Mohammad Rasoulof were among those arrested.
Kremlin 'extremely concerned' about Nord Stream gas
leaks
Agence France Presse/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022
The Kremlin said Tuesday it was "extremely concerned" about reported leaks on
Russia's Nord Stream gas pipeline to Europe through the Baltic Sea and its twin
pipeline Nord Stream 2. Asked by reporters
whether it could be an act of sabotage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said
that at the moment "it is impossible to exclude any options."
Vote in Ukraine's Russia-held areas stokes tension with West
Associated Press/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022
The final day of voting was taking place in Russian-held regions of Ukraine on
Tuesday in referendums that are expected to serve as a pretext for their
annexation by Moscow and is heightening tension between the Kremlin and the West
over Russia's warnings it could resort to nuclear weapons. Formal annexation of
captured chunks of eastern Ukraine, possibly as soon as Friday, sets the stage
for a dangerous new phase in the seven-month war, with Russia warning the West
that from then on it will be defending its own territory — and could resort to
nuclear weapons to protect it.
Faced with recent humiliating battlefield setbacks for the Kremlin's forces in
Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is using the ballot to try and force
Ukraine to halt its counteroffensive. If it doesn't, the Kremlin has cautioned,
Kyiv faces a devastating escalation of the conflict, all the way up to the use
of its nuclear arsenal. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head
of Russia's Security Council chaired by Putin, spelled out the threat in the
bluntest terms yet Tuesday. "Let's imagine that Russia
is forced to use the most powerful weapon against the Ukrainian regime that has
committed a large-scale act of aggression, which is dangerous for the very
existence of our state," Medvedev wrote on his messaging app channel. "I believe
that NATO will steer clear from direct meddling in the conflict in that
case."Kyiv and its Western allies have dismissed the Kremlin's nuclear talk as
scare tactics.
Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser, responded to Putin's nuclear
threats from last week. Sullivan told NBC on Sunday that Russia would pay a
high, if unspecified, price if Moscow made good on threats to use nuclear
weapons in the war in Ukraine.
The Ukraine war is still gripping world attention, as it causes widespread
shortages and rising prices not only for food but for energy, inflation hitting
the cost of living everywhere, and growing global inequality. The talk of
nuclear war has only deepened the concern. Misery and hardship are often the
legacy of Russia's occupation of Ukrainian areas now recaptured by Kyiv's
forces. Some people have had no gas, electricity, running water or internet
since March. The war has brought an energy crunch for much of Western Europe,
with German officials seeing the disruption of Russian supplies as a power play
by the Kremlin to pressure Europe over its support for Ukraine.
The referendum in Russian-held areas of Ukraine, whose outcome is expected to be
a predetermined victory for Moscow, is rejected as a sham by Ukraine and many
other countries. The five-day voting, in which residents are asked whether they
want their regions to become part of Russia, has been anything but free or fair.
Tens of thousands of residents had already fled the regions amid the war, and
images shared by those who remained showed armed Russian troops going
door-to-door to pressure Ukrainians into voting. The balloting on Tuesday was
held at polling stations.
With his back against the wall amid Ukraine's battlefield successes, Russian
media are speculating that Putin may follow up on last week's order of partial
mobilization by declaring martial law and shutting the nation's borders for all
men of fighting age.
The call-up has in some ways backfired on Putin. It has triggered a massive
exodus of men from the country, fueled protests in many regions across Russia
and sparked occasional acts of violence. On Monday, a gunman opened fire in an
enlistment office in a Siberian city and gravely wounded the local chief
military recruitment officer. The shooting came after scattered arson attacks on
enlistment offices. In the latest move to stem the tide of men fleeing Russia to
avoid mobilization, Russian officials declared plans to set up a military
recruitment office right on the border with Georgia, one of the main routes of
the exodus. And trying to assuage public outrage,
numerous Russian officials and lawmakers have acknowledged that mistakes were
made during the mobilization — when military conscription offices were rounding
up random people without military experience who weren't supposed to be called
up — and promised to quickly correct them. Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday once again decried the Russian
mobilization as nothing more than "an attempt to provide commanders on the
ground with a constant stream of cannon fodder." Zelenskyy vowed that the
Ukrainian military will push efforts to take back "the entire territory of
Ukraine," and has drawn up plans to counter "new types of weapons" used by
Russia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said
Monday that Putin had told Turkey's president last week that Moscow was ready to
resume negotiations with Ukraine but had "new conditions" for a cease-fire. Even
as the voting has continued in Russia-held areas, Russian forces have kept up
their strikes across Ukraine. Overnight, Russian missile attacks targeted the
southern areas of Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv, damaging residential buildings and
other sites, officials said.
Russia: Nuclear Warning Is Not a Bluff
Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 27 September, 2022
An ally of President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday outlined the scenario of a
nuclear strike on Ukraine, saying that the US-led NATO military alliance would
be too scared of a "nuclear apocalypse" to directly enter the conflict in
response. Dmitry Medvedev, a former president who now
serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said Russia had the
right to defend itself with nuclear weapons if it is pushed beyond its limits
and that this is "certainly not a bluff". Putin last
week ordered Russia's first mobilization since World War Two and backed a plan
to annex swathes of Ukraine, warning the West he was not bluffing when he said
he would be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia.
"Let's imagine that Russia is forced to use the most fearsome weapon
against the Ukrainian regime which had committed a large-scale act of aggression
that is dangerous for the very existence of our state," Medvedev said in a post
on Telegram. Medvedev's remarks quoted the exact
terminology of one of the conditions of Russia's nuclear strike doctrine:
"aggression against the Russian Federation with conventional weapons when the
very existence of the state is threatened". The 57-year-old Putin ally, who once
presented himself as a reformer who was ready to work with the United States to
liberalize Russia, has recast himself in recent months as the most publicly
hawkish member of Putin's circle. Since Russia invaded
Ukraine, he has repeatedly raised the threat of nuclear chaos and used insults
to describe the West.
Nuclear warning
Washington has not detailed what it would do if Putin ordered what would be the
first use of nuclear weapons in anger since the United States unleashed the
first atomic bomb attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
1945. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that the United
States would respond decisively to any Russian use of nuclear weapons against
Ukraine and has spelled out to Moscow the "catastrophic consequences" it would
face. Around 90% of the world's nuclear warheads are held by Russia and the
United States, who remain by far the world's biggest nuclear powers. Russia has
5,977 nuclear warheads while the United States has 5,428 warheads, while China
has 350, France has 290 and the United Kingdom has 225, according to the
Federation of American Scientists. Medvedev's comments come as Russia prepares
to annex large swathes of Ukrainian territory after referendums in
Russian-controlled regions in Ukraine which Ukraine and the West have described
as an illegal sham. Diplomats say Russia's nuclear saber rattling indicates
Putin is trying to scare the West into reducing its support for Ukraine by
hinting at using a tactical nuclear weapon to defend the annexed territories of
Ukraine. Tactical nuclear weapons, simply a nuclear
device used on the battlefield, typically have much smaller explosive power than
the vast strategic nuclear warheads which Russia and the United States point at
each other's major cities. "I have to remind you again - for those deaf ears who
hear only themselves. Russia has the right to use nuclear weapons, if
necessary," Medvedev said, adding that it would do so "in predetermined cases"
and in strict compliance with state policy. When describing a possible strike on
Ukraine, a Slavic neighbor which Putin describes as an artificial historical
construct, Medvedev said NATO would not get involved in such a situation.
"I believe that NATO would not directly interfere in the conflict even in
this scenario," Medvedev said. "The demagogues across the ocean and in Europe
are not going to die in a nuclear apocalypse."
Putin's draft is a 'recipe for slaughter' in Ukraine
because he's sending Russians with little to no training to war, former US
general says
John Haltiwanger/Business Insider/Tue, September 27, 2022
Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling said in a Washington Post op-ed Putin's draft is
a "recipe for slaughter.""They will not be prepared for what they will
encounter," said Hertling, former commander of the US Army in Europe.
Hertling's assessment echoed a recent intelligence update from Britain's
Ministry of Defence. Russian President Vladimir
Putin's decision to pursue a partial military mobilization and draft hundreds of
thousands of reservists to fight Russia's war in Ukraine is a "recipe for
slaughter," retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, former commander of the US Army in
Europe, said in a new op-ed for the Washington Post.
"The call-up is an outrage, but not only for the reasons you might imagine.
Sending new recruits, poorly trained Russian reservists and untrained civilians
into Ukraine is a recipe for slaughter. They will not be prepared for what they
will encounter," Hertling wrote. Putin said last
Wednesday that only people who had previously served "and have specific military
occupational specialties and corresponding experience" will be called up, but
people with no prior military experience are being forced to enlist, according
to recent reports.
"Putin might continue to send unwilling Russian men to an ill-conceived and
illegal invasion for which they are not trained or prepared. But it's not
warfare. It's just more murder — this time of its own citizens," Hertling said.
Hertling said that as commander of the US Army in Europe, he visited Russia
several times and observed how the Russian army trained its conscripts.
The former US general said that Russian drill sergeants were unprofessional and
continuously harassed and hazed recruits," while marksmanship training was
"geared toward familiarization with a weapon, but not qualification on it."
"Soldiers were allocated few rounds for practice on firing ranges. First
aid training was rudimentary, map reading and land navigation was nonexistent,
soldier initiative was lacking, and discipline was lax," Hertling said. "Having
watched the Russian army during the first seven months of its campaign in
Ukraine, I cannot say I'm surprised by any of their setbacks. The Russians
performed as their training would have suggested: poorly. The casualty counts
reflect this. It is no wonder so many young Russians are fleeing the country."
An intelligence update from Britain's Ministry of Defense on Monday
offered a similar assessment.
"The lack of military trainers, and the haste with which Russia has started the
mobilization, suggests that many of the drafted troops will deploy to the front
line with minimal relevant preparation," the UK update said, adding, "They are
likely to suffer a high attrition rate."
Putin's mobilization decree has prompted protests across Russia and even
instances of violence, as thousands of Russian men desperately attempt to exit
their country. Recent satellite images showed a traffic jam at the
Russia-Georgia border that stretched for almost 10 miles, and a man shot and
wounded a recruitment officer in Siberia on Monday, the Washington Post
reported. The Kremlin on Monday acknowledged that
there has been pushback to the mobilization decree.
"There are cases when the decree has been violated," Peskov told reporters, per
the New York Times. "In some regions, governors are actively working to correct
the situation."
Kurdish militants attack Turkish police, kill themselves
Associated Press/September 27, 2022
Two suspected Kurdish militants opened fire on police in southern Turkey and
later killed themselves by detonating suicide bombs, Turkey's interior minister
said. One police officer was killed in the attack while a second officer and a
civilian were wounded.
The attack was carried out late on Monday in the Mezitli district in the
Mediterranean coastal province of Mersin, by two women affiliated with the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told
reporters.
They fired on police guarding a hotel for security officers, touching off
clashes between them and police and a group of night guards who rushed to the
scene, Soylu said. "The women terrorists were wounded during these clashes. As
the clashes continued, two separate explosions were heard," the minister said.
"Because they were wounded, they understood they would not be able to escape and
they (killed) themselves." Soylu said a woman who was sitting on a balcony near
the scene was hit by a stray bullet during the clashes. Neither she nor the
second police officer was seriously hurt, he said.
There was no immediate comment from the militant group.
The PKK is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey, Europe and the
United States. It has led an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since
1984 and the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since then. A
fragile cease-fire and peace talks between the state and the PKK collapsed in
the summer of 2015.
King Salman appoints Crown Prince as Prime Minister of
Saudi Arabia
Arab News/September 27, 2022
RIYADH: King Salman ordered on Tuesday the appointment of Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia as part of a cabinet reshuffle,
Saudi Press Agency reported. Under royal decrees
issued by the king, Prince Khalid bin Salman will become Defense Minister amidst
a cabinet reshuffle, SPA added. The reshuffle also saw
the appointment of Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan as Minister of Education.
The ministers keeping their positions are the energy minister Prince
Abdulaziz bin Salman, foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, minister of
investment Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, minister of interior Prince Abdulaziz
bin Saud and minister of finance Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan.
Prince Abdullah bin Bandar also remains as minister of the National
Guard, Walid Al-Samaani stays in his role as Minister of Justice, while
Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh is also remaining Minister of Islamic
Affairs. Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan will remain as Minister of Culture,
and Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal keeps his role as Minister of Sports.
Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah will also stay in his role as Minister of Hajj and
Umrah, while Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi also remains as Minister of Commerce.
Elsewhere, Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef stays minister of Industry and Mineral
Resources, Ahmed Al-Khateeb as minister of Tourism, Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim
as minister of Economy and Planning, and Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel as
Minister of Health. The SPA report also stated that any Saudi cabinet session
attended by King Salman will remain chaired by the king.
Japanese former leader Abe honored at divisive state
funeral
Associated Press/September 27, 2022
Japan's assassinated hawkish former leader, Shinzo Abe, was given a rare state
funeral Tuesday that was full of military pomp and surrounded by throngs of
mourners as well as by widespread protests, with thousands taking to the streets
in opposition. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the
publicly financed ceremony was a well-deserved honor for Japan's longest-serving
modern political leader, but it has deeply split public opinion.
The event was attended by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Japanese
Crown Prince Akishino and other foreign and Japanese dignitaries. It began with
Abe's widow, Akie Abe, in a black formal kimono, walking slowly behind Kishida
into the funeral venue, carrying an urn in a wooden box wrapped in a purple
cloth with gold stripes. Soldiers in white uniforms took Abe's ashes and placed
them on a pedestal filled with white and yellow chrysanthemums and decorations.
Attendants stood while a military band played the Kimigayo national anthem, then
observed a moment of silence before a video was shown praising Abe's life in
politics. It included his 2006 parliamentary speech vowing to build a "beautiful
Japan," his visits to disaster-hit northern Japan after the March 2011 tsunami
and his 2016 Super Mario impersonation in Rio de Janeiro to promote the 2020
Tokyo Olympics. Kishida, in a 12-minute eulogy,
praised Abe as a politician with a clear vision for post-World War II economic
growth who promoted national security, the development of Japan and the world
and a "free and open Indo-Pacific" as a counter to China's rise. Kishida also
noted Abe's trademark phrase of from the postwar regime" under the
"You were a person who should have lived much longer," Kishida said as he
looked up at a massive photo of Abe. "I had a firm belief that you would
contribute as a compass showing the future direction of Japan and the rest of
the world for 10 or 20 more years."Kishida said Abe will be remembered not just
as the nation's longest-serving leader but for what he achieved, and he pledged
to carry on Abe's policies for Japan and the region. During the ceremony, Harris
sat in the third row next to Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, and
they later joined others by placing a branch of chrysanthemums on a table near
Abe's photo. Abe was cremated in July following a private funeral at a Tokyo
temple days after he was assassinated while giving a campaign speech on a street
in Nara in western Japan. Tokyo was under high security for the state funeral,
especially near the venue, the Budokan martial arts hall.
At a protest in downtown Tokyo, thousands of people marched toward the hall,
some banging drums and many shouting or holding banners and signs stating their
opposition. "Shinzo Abe has not done a single thing
for regular people," participant Kaoru Mano said. Japan's main political
opposition parties boycotted the funeral, which critics say was a reminder of
how prewar imperialist governments used state funerals to fan nationalism. The
government maintains that the ceremony was not meant to force anyone to honor
Abe. But the decision to give him the rare honor, which was made without
parliamentary debate or approval, the high cost and other controversies have led
to anger about the event. Kishida has also been
criticized because of a widening controversy over decades of close ties between
Abe and the governing Liberal Democratic Party with the Unification Church,
accused of raking in huge donations by brainwashing adherents. The suspect in
Abe's assassination reportedly told police he killed Abe because of his links to
the church, which he said took large amounts of money from his mother,
bankrupting his family and ruining his life.
"The fact that the close ties between the LDP and the Unification Church may
have interfered with policymaking processes is seen by the Japanese people as a
greater threat to democracy than Abe's assassination," Hosei University
political science professor Jiro Yamaguchi wrote in a recent article.
Abe's grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, helped the South
Korean-based church take root in Japan and is now seen as a key figure in the
scandal. Opponents say holding a state funeral for Abe is equivalent to an
endorsement of the governing party's ties to the church. "One big problem is
that there was no proper approval process," retiree Shin Watanabe said during
the demonstration Tuesday. "I'm sure there are various views. But I don't think
it's forgivable that they will force a state funeral on us when so many of us
are opposed."Outside the Budokan hall, thousands of people carrying bouquets
queued for several blocks to lay flowers in a nearby park. "I'm emotionally
attached to him and I've been supporting the LDP, too," Masayuki Aoki, a
70-year-old business owner, said, recalling that he shared a fist bump with Abe
at a campaign stop in Yokohama days before his assassination. "I came to offer
him flowers." In what some see as an attempt to
further justify the honor for Abe, Kishida has held meetings this week with
visiting foreign leaders in what he calls "funeral diplomacy." The talks are
meant to strengthen ties as Japan faces regional and global challenges,
including threats from China, Russia and North Korea.
He was to meet about 40 foreign leaders through Wednesday, though no Group of
Seven leaders are attending. Following the funeral service Tuesday, Kishida
greeted each of the leaders at a reception at the Akasaka state guest house.
U.S. Vice President Harris, who had a tour of Zojoji temple, where Abe's family
funeral was held in July, credited Abe with coming up with a term for regional
cooperation. "There has been much that has been said in honor of his long
leadership to Japan but also to the United States. It was he who coined the term
'free and open Indo-Pacific,' and as a member of the Indo-Pacific region, as
America, we cherish those principles, and we stand by it," she said.
In wealthy Dubai, poor get free bread from machines
Agence France Presse/September 27, 2022
With the cost of living surging, free hot bread distribution for the poor has
been introduced in Dubai, a rich Gulf emirate where millionaires rub shoulders
with hard-working migrants. The city of skyscrapers
soaring above the desert, which imports almost all of its food, has been
impacted by rapidly rising consumer prices, a global trend exacerbated by
Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ten vending machines
were installed last week in supermarkets, with a computer touch screen allowing
people to select different types: loaves for sandwiches, pitta bread or flat
Indian-style chapatis.
The machine has a credit card reader -- for donations not payment. "A friend
told me there was free bread, so I came," said Bigandar, a young man from Nepal
who works at a car wash, not wanting to give his full name. Like millions of
Asian migrants, he dreamt of making a fortune in the United Arab Emirates. He
headed for Dubai, a city that has earned a reputation for conspicuous
consumption and excess. According to government figures from the Dubai
Statistics Center, the food price index, which tracks the monthly change in the
cost of a basket of food commodities, rose by 8.75 percent in July, year on
year. The cost of transport has jumped by more than 38 percent.
'Disadvantaged'
The bread machines are the initiative of a foundation set up by the ruler of
Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. "The
idea is to go to disadvantaged families and workers before they come to us,"
said the foundation's director, Zeinab Joumaa al-Tamimi. Anyone in need can now
get hot bread just "by pressing a button," she said. The oil-rich UAE has a
population of nearly 10 million people, 90 percent of them foreigners, many
laborers from Asia and Africa. Dubai, the commercial heart of the UAE, relies on
this army of workers to build skyscrapers and for the service sector, from real
estate to luxury tourism, on which it has built its reputation.
Bigandar, who has worked there for the past three years, says that for
each vehicle he cleans he earns three dirhams, or 81 US cents.
Working hard and with tips from customers, he can earn between 700 and
1,000 dirhams a month ($190-270). "My employer covers housing and
transportation, but not food," he said. In a sign of the growing difficulties
faced by migrant workers, a rare strike was led in May by delivery men demanding
better wages in the face of rising fuel prices. In
July, the authorities announced the doubling of social aid, but only for the
handful of Emirati families with incomes below 25,000 dirhams per month
($6,800), considered to be disadvantaged households. This aid program does not
include foreigners. "Because of inflation and rising
interest rates, there are many people whose wages are low and who, with the
rising cost of living, can no longer meet all their needs," said Fadi Alrasheed,
a Jordanian businessman who has lived in Dubai for 20 years.
According to the U.N. World Migration Report, the UAE is home to nearly
8.7 million migrants, mainly from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Henley and
Partners, a London-based investment migration consultancy, estimates there are
more than 68,000 millionaires and 13 billionaires in Dubai, ranking the city the
23rd richest in the world.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on September 27-28/2022
Social Media: Where Truth is Censored and Hate is Spread
Raymond Ibrahim/September 27, 2022
The Stream
Social media giants such as Facebook are notorious for censoring anything they
label “misinformation” or “offensive,” from the second opinions of doctors
during a pandemic, to the pleas of persecuted Christians. Little known, however,
is that they also allow hate-filled, radical, and murderous content from Muslim
terror groups to post on and make use of their far reaching platforms.The
evidence is overwhelming.According to a June 14, 2022 report, for example,
A new study has found that Facebook has failed to catch Islamic State group and
al-Shabab extremist content in posts aimed at East Africa as the region remains
under threat from violent attacks…. [Facebook] repeatedly failed to act on
sensitive content including hate speech in many places around the world.
Even posts calling for violence and murder “in languages including Swahili,
Somali and Arabic — were allowed to be widely shared.”Facebook came under heavy
criticism following these. After noting that “Facebook is a business,” Leah
Kimathi, a Kenyan consultant in governance, peace and security, added: “The
least they can do is ensure that something they’re selling to us is not going to
kill us.”“Why are they [Facebook] not acting on rampant content put up by [the
Islamic terrorist group] al-Shabab?” Moustafa Ayad, who worked on the report,
asked. “You’d think that after 20 years of dealing with al-Qaida, they’d have a
good understanding of the language they [jihadists] use, the symbolism.”This, of
course, is hardly the first time Facebook gets called out. Another report, from
nearly a year ago, found that
Facebook allowed photos of beheadings and violent hate speech from ISIS and the
Taliban to be tagged as “insightful” and “engaging”… Extremists have turned to
the social media platform as a weapon “to promote their hate-filled agenda and
rally supporters” on hundreds of groups… These groups have sprouted up across
the platform over the last 18 months and vary in size from a few hundred to tens
of thousands of members, the review found. One pro-Taliban group created in
spring this year and had grown to 107,000 members before it was deleted…
Overall, extremist content is “routinely getting through the net,” despite
claims from Meta – the company that owns Facebook – that it’s cracking down on
extremists. There were reportedly “scores of groups” allowed to operate on
Facebook that were supportive of either Islamic State or the Taliban, according
to a new report.
Most recently, in late August, 2022, a Muslim man in the UK was found guilty of
sharing propaganda videos that glorified Islamic terrorists, including videos
made by the Islamic State. Where did he share them, with impunity? On Instagram,
WhatsApp, and, of course, Facebook.
Meanwhile, according to a July 11 report, over at YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify,
and Amazon Prime, there are “countless” songs, made or sung by “religious
fanatics,” that “glorify” the slaughter of anyone who insults Muhammad:
The platforming of dangerous songs calling for the beheading of those accused of
“blasphemy” against Prophet Muhammad is a shocking indictment of the music
streaming services, highlighting their negligence toward content consumed by
millions across the globe and the impact it could have in legitimizing the
killings over “blasphemy.”
“YouTube Music,” the report continues, “has the maximum number of songs in this
genre,” including one under the title, “We will kill those [who] commit
blasphemy in the name of Muhammad. We will create a mountain of dead bodies of
those who commit blasphemy.” Written six months after YouTube was notified that
it was hosting such songs, the report adds that “no action has been taken by
YouTube.”
Needless to say, this issue is significantly worse when one consider non-English
or European language content. Over the years, I’ve personally seen countless
Arabic-language content on Facebook and other social media giants that amounts
to nothing less than terroristic incitement. Usually, these posts remain on
social media platforms for years—until, of course, I or others draw attention to
them in English-language articles, at which point they are conveniently removed.
In other words, as long as only Muslims see—and are radicalized by—these posts
full of hatred and incitement for violence against non-Muslims, social media
leave them up. Once a Western audience learns about these posts, which further
stand to make Islam look bad, social media take them down.
This, of course is not always the case. For example, in December, 2021, I
translated an immensely profane and hate-filled Arabic-language tirade from a
New York-based Muslim man against two Christian men from Egypt—a rant that
culminates with him loudly threatening decapitation to anyone who “hurts the
reputation of Muhammad.” This video, which currently has nearly 110,000 views,
is, apparently because it’s only in Arabic, still up on YouTube, though the
“warning” that “this video may be inappropriate for some users” now accompanies
it.
Despite the leniency shown to Islamic terrorist content, social media,
especially Facebook, are notoriously quick to censor content that exposes the
jihadists. This it calls “hate speech” or “offensive content.” In one especially
stark example, Facebook censored the campaign of a charity that sought to draw
attention to the plight of Christian women in Muslim nations.
Similarly, Facebook earlier banned—and continues shadow banning—me, for posts
that report on Muslims persecuting Christians, which Facebook characterized as
“going against our Community Standards.”
YouTube censored my Prager U video on that exact topic; it also once temporarily
banned me for uploading and sharing a video of Islamic State members destroying
crosses and desecrating churches in Syria and Iraq—even though that video was
not “graphic” (it depicted buildings and crosses, inanimate objects)—not to
mention I had come across it on an Arabic language YouTube account. And while
Islamic extremist groups managed to get away with posting “pornographic images”
on social media, some U.S. Wi-Fi networks ban my website, which is devoted to
the Islamic question, on grounds that it is “pornography.” Such is the true
extent of the problem posed by the social media giants: not only do they, as
many already know, censor those who say anything that goes against the
narrative, in this case by exposing Islamic hate and violence; they also allow
Islamic hate and violence to proliferate and radicalize Muslims, who go on to
murder “infidels.”
Ukraine Will Win
Bernard-Henri Lévy/The Tablet/September 27/2022
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/ukraine-will-win-bernard-henri-levy
A tour of frontlines and liberated cities during Zelensky’s great
counteroffensive revealed a country ruined, ravaged, and on the brink of victory
It’s a nice gray train that takes under four hours to cover the 500 kilometers
from Kyiv to Kharkiv.
But, on this morning of Sept. 9, the day after the extraordinary
counteroffensive launched by President Volodymyr Zelensky, it’s almost empty.
We are alone in our train car, along with the slight Ukrainian escort that has
joined us in Lviv.
Kharkiv station, in the dusty light of this prolonged summer, is also deserted.
On first view, the city appears to be one of the most battered by the war.
There were the bombings in March, when the Russians thought they could terrorize
it and make it fold in three days.
Those in May, when the Russians found themselves blocked in the northern suburbs
and took their vengeance by blindly shooting up the apartment blocks.
And there are those of these last hours, launched from the retreat zone, 30
kilometers to the east, to which the counteroffensive has pushed the Russians:
an eviscerated administrative building; a day care, with its multicolored
playground where a swing still sways in the wind; and the power station whose
destruction will leave whole neighborhoods and a hospital in the dark.
And yet, the city lives.
It’s empty, but it lives.
And even in this ravaged suburb where we meet only a strange, haggard young
woman, dressed in a field jacket, pushing a rickety stroller with a child too
old for it and having spent the last two months without leaving her basement
amid the ruins, there is something—a silence? a calm? the gaiety of the three
soldiers who, at the edge of the playground, on a bench, tell me about the
stampede of Russians throwing down their weapons, in a panic swapping their
things and uniforms for civilian clothes—that suggests that the city is
breathing again, that it is free and that the nightmare is coming to a close.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi is the commander in chief of the Ukrainian ground
forces and the architect, in the field, of this eastern offensive.
We meet, on the road to Balakliya, in the lot of one of the rare gas stations
still open.
After a few minutes, everyone jumps into their cars amid walkie-talkie chatter
warning, I imagine, that he has been spotted and is not safe from drone strikes.
We stop, a dozen kilometers down the road, along the edge of some woods and a
large harvested field.
He has the head of a young centurion.
An athletic silhouette, sporting the camouflage-colored sweatsuit of men in his
troop.
He is laconic and precise.
When in need of any information, he has nearby a young female officer, very Lee
Miller, 1944, her hair pulled into the beige bonnet of the National Guard.
At times, he closes his eyes and is quiet as if listening to echoes from afar,
beyond the river and through the trees. At times he gets caught up in his
account of the rout of the Russians, and with a funny way of expressing himself,
as if showing his own surprise, the bright smile of victory widens the thin
lines of his gray eyes.
In principle, he gives no interviews.
But, of what he told us, in the milky and surreal light of the evening, I retain
two things.
The staggering incompetence of the Russian soldiers, their inglorious flight
beyond Balakliya.
And, on the Ukrainian side, the skillful operation, ripened in the greatest
secrecy and with an eye to saving lives, not just of civilians but of soldiers
too.
Didn’t the brilliant defense minister of Ukraine, Oleksii Reznikov, whom we met
the day before yesterday in Kyiv, tell us—between appreciations of the
effectiveness of the French Caesar howitzers—that General Syrskyi was doubly
qualified, at least, to lead this offensive? Hero of the battle of Kyiv, which
he had organized and planned. But also, seven years prior, hero of the battle of
Debaltseve, that besieged city in Donbas where he managed to exfiltrate the last
2,475 defenders caught in the trap.
In Lyman, 20 kilometers to the east of Izyum, in the heart of the Sviai Hory
national park, the Russians have hardened into position.
But the Ukrainians would not relent.
We’re there, with them, between Raihorodok, in the Sloviansk district, in a
brushy landscape cut by a network of trenches and traps, dug out of the black
earth, which it takes us an hour to cross.
Hard to appreciate, in such a short time, the scope of the forces.
But we can see a salvaged cannon. Mortars. Light armored vehicles camouflaged in
leaves. Men, gathered, forceful, their faces blackened and muddied by the dirt,
who keep watch, every 30 meters, in groups of two or three, automatic weapons
over their shoulders, behind earthen banks.
The trench line is interrupted in two places. We climb a bald hill, overlooking
the Russian position and, in principle, quite vulnerable. There are men there.
Some in log cabins. Some in iron cylinders that are moved at night to confuse
the location. And others discovered. All seem more ready to launch an attack
than to suffer one.
They are “border control.” In French we would call them sentinels. I know that
the Ukrainian border guards are real soldiers. And I listen to their leader,
Colonel Yuri Petriv, explain to me, at the bottom of a dugout where, sitting on
munitions cases, we eat pickles and pour local alcohol, that they are, their
peaceful looks notwithstanding, one of the elite corps of the army.
There is another sign there. They fight the war without loving it, facing the
dogs of war. And the fact is that this quiet strength, initiative, and faith
make the difference.
In Bakhmut, farther south but still on the eastern front, we come looking for
Mozart.
That is, Andrew Milburn and his 30 or so “international brigade” members, often
veterans of Anglo-American special forces, who have given themselves the noble
task of going to seek out, in the most difficult zones, the lost and vulnerable
civilians in need of evacuation.
We meet, at the foot of a railroad bridge crossing, in a restaurant that serves
a good borscht and stale potato chips.
Milburn shares how he created the NGO. His decision to call it the Mozart Group
in opposition to the Wagner Group, the Russian mercenary assassins. The time
where he led some of the most high-risk evacuations from Azovstal in Mariupol.
Or the network of correspondents who, today, let him know of an invalid or
elderly person in this or that village, or of a homeless person who would like
to flee but has neither anywhere to go nor the means to pay a guide. And Milburn
offers me the chance to join him on the day’s operation.
But there’s a problem. My Ukrainian escort, expecting imminent enemy action and
judging me too exposed, is against it. I listen. Then rethink. We decide, with
my photographer Marc Roussel, to catch up with the two Mozart Humvees. But too
late: They’re too far. They’ve cut off their telephones. And we find ourselves,
after the last Ukrainian checkpoint, alone in the heart of Bakhmut, in the
silence of the empty city, at the train crossing that was the only landmark from
Milburn’s briefing that we can recall.
After a half hour, we hear an explosion. Then another. A third. The Ukrainians
were right. They are targeting and trying to assassinate Mozart. Yes, Mozart’s
humanitarian mission, aimed at by three deadly drones, which narrowly miss.
In Bakhmut, that’s what the Russians are left to do. Beaten fairly and soundly,
they try to take their revenge on brave and peaceful unarmed volunteers who have
come, while risking their lives, to save the meekest of the humble. What a
disgrace!
In Zaporizhzhia, we saw a city terrified by Vladimir Putin’s blackmail of
positioning his artillery and his troops inside a nuclear plant.
We slept in Kryvyi Rih, where a hit on a dam just a few hours after we left had
flooded Lyoubov Adamenko and left part of the city without electricity.
Hence the strategic importance, in this battle for energy launched by the state
terrorist Putin, of coal mines in Donbas, and today, of the Pavlograd mine into
which we are going to descend.
Here the frontline passes 245 meters underground. Accessed through a metal
elevator cage, narrow and rickety, that plunges into the bowels of the earth.
Then wagons take us 3 kilometers farther, to the end of a poorly lit gallery
held up by steel beams and rusty iron mesh. This is the extraction zone, with
its lateral piercings, no higher than a meter at best, where you have to crawl,
sometimes on your belly, to see the miners, in the lung-clinging dusty air,
attack the vein with jackhammers.
You think, even if the security conditions maintained by DTEK, the owner
company, are optimal, of gas explosions. Of blackouts, always a threat, causing
short circuits in the ventilation systems, blocking the fire sprinklers,
stopping the conveyers that move the precious black gold. It’s impossible not to
think of a strike causing a cave-in and blocking exits. So the black faces cross
themselves, as if heading to the front, before the gilded wood icons at the
entrance to the last gallery. We sing the Ukrainian national anthem, four hours
later, on our way back up, before resurfacing into the fresh air.
The battle of coal, in France in 1945, ended the odyssey of the Resistance.
Here in Ukraine, the miners are epic heroes, on the front lines of a war that is
waged on the ground and underground.
In all reporting, even the most challenging, there are always moments of
unexpected but intense joy.
Here, it was in the south of Zaporizhzhia, on the frontline, in the company of
the magnificent bad boy I called Scarface in my film Pourquoi l’Ukraine, who
tells us three bits of good news.
The first: In June, we had left him in Huliaipole, birthplace of the anarchist
Makhno—but he is well beyond that now, and even if I am prohibited from
disclosing his location, I can say that he has progressed several dozen
kilometers.
The second: His advance has come with minimal losses—and we are finding,
unchanged by victory, the same ruined tanners, fishermen, and merchants, more
determined than ever to return and retake Mariupol and Crimea.
And then, most of all, he has a surprise for us: Recalling long nights where
Gilles Hertzog had told his men the story of France’s liberation, Scarface has
gotten the Ukrainian high command to allow him to rename his troops—the 197th of
the A7363 Brigade—the Charles de Gaulle Battalion.
The ceremony takes place, in the humid country calm of his HQ camp, around a
toast served on the hood of a 4x4.
With our friend and fellow teammate Serge Osipenko, he has had a large blue,
white, and red flag made, the exact size of the battalion’s flag, and a row of
men deploys the two standards at arm’s length, as if they were one banner.
Together, Ukrainians and French as one, we sing our two national anthems.
There is only one hint of darkness. On the road back, toward the south, they
point out a drone shot down the night before.
It’s a giant white bird with its guts ripped out. And looking carefully we can
see electronic parts stamped “Made in France” …
Tolstoy held that it is impossible, in war, to totally encircle an army. Tolstoy
was wrong. The proof is in Kherson.
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/ukraine-will-win-bernard-henri-levy
As military secrecy dictates, we agreed not to reveal what we saw of the
Ukrainian forces around the southern port of Kherson, which was at the start of
this dirty war, the only regional capital to fall into Putin’s hands.
Suffice to say that we drove from Bereznehuvate to Yavkine, Bilozirka and
Kiselivka. We went through crisscrossing roads whose potholes threatened to
break our axles at every bump. And we saw the arc that encircles and besieges
the city.
We saw mortars, many of them, in the thickets.
Armored reconnaissance BRM-1Ks from the Soviet era, as well as Uragan
self-propelled multiple rocket launchers, buried between villages.
A Sukhoi overhead, above the cheers of villagers, hitting a munitions depot in
the suburbs of Kherson and returning a few minutes later, under the radar and
without enemy reaction.
Inhabitants who, a few hours after the Russians bombed the Bereznehuvate bridge
over the Inhoulet river, come to haul away the exploded tar and, with tape
measures, survey the size of the holes and the task of reconstruction ahead of
them.
We interviewed, in a rear-guard platoon, Sergeant Andrei Loussenko, who fought
in Mariupol, where so many of his brothers had died under a Russian missile, and
the soldier Serguei Serhiyenko, who wore a patch identifying himself as “poet”
on his uniform, and who wrote the hymn of his battalion.
In short, a people at war. With still insufficient munitions, but closer to the
strategic parity Zelensky was aiming for by the end of summer. A vise closing on
an occupying army cut off from its rear and exhausted.
Tolstoy held that it is impossible, in war, to totally encircle an army. Tolstoy
was wrong. The proof is in Kherson.
In Mykolaiv, farther to the west, on the road to Odessa, the situation is less
clear.
Last night, a missile launched from the Black Sea hit an old factory shared,
before the war, by artisans and small businesses.
Another fell today, a few hours later, at dawn, on a school in the
administrative quarter where the first day of classes had, thankfully, been
pushed back.
And the governor of the Oblast, Vitaly Kim, who is, along with President
Zelensky and the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, one of the most popular
figures in the country, tells us while surveying fresh ruins and the grand
avenues still under threat of the Iskanders: “Our regional geography, with its
lakes and waterways, was at the start of the war, the enemy of the Russian
attackers—but now for the same reasons, it makes the counteroffensive
difficult.”
Only here’s the thing. There is a big difference between today and the start.
Missiles may fall. Alerts may follow alerts. Sirens, at midday, may ring out
continuously from loudspeakers warning of maximum danger and that all must seek
shelter. But the citizens aren’t afraid anymore. They no longer heed the
loudspeakers nor the sirens. And on the tree-lined, deliciously southern Maidan
where we took a break on the terrace of a sushi restaurant, the old men continue
to play chess as if nothing was happening, the old women lay out in the sun, the
adolescents flirt, and the “hero of Ukraine” we are interviewing carries on
narrating his exploits.
Only the dogs panic, running among the trees and crying out in a deathly
fashion.
It was in Odessa that, six months ago, I began my engagement with this new
Ukrainian war.
And it’s here in Odessa that it finds its provisional outcome!
For, deep down, it’s all right here. The city of Babel and Pushkin was, back
then, a besieged Troy. It knew not if it would be Teruel or Guernica, if it
would live or die. No traveler could have predicted back then that Putin
“wouldn’t dare” turn the most European of Ukraine’s cities into another
Mariupol.
Today Odessa breathes. It is reborn. Like in Mykolaiv, the old cafés on
Deribassovskaya Street timidly begin to reopen. And even if the bronze statue of
the French founder of the city, the Duke of Richelieu, is still buried under its
mountain of white sandbags, the walls that barred access to the Potemkin stairs
and the port have come down.
We climb aboard one of the patrol boats of the Ukrainian navy.
Some 30 meters long, carrying a 30 mm cannon, its mission is interception and
surveillance. It is responsible for scouring the sea, night and day, for any
sign of hostile presence. A ship like it probably calculated the target
coordinates that allowed a cruise missile to sink the Russian Navy ship Moskva,
which remains one of the signature Ukrainian military exploits.
Today, no suspicious activity.
No enemy ships, the crew tells me, until at least Snake Island.
And though this Ukrainian army was attacked six months ago on land, air and sea,
we must bow to the evidence: Just as they control the skies over Kyiv and have
begun to retake land lost in the Donbas, in Odessa they appear to be queen of
the seas again.
I am not saying that the match is over. And Putin, like all cornered dictators,
could well go all-in to avoid the debacle, surrender, and international courts.
But it’s the law. In the end, when Goliath is spineless and David valiant,
victory will be David’s. And the moment always comes when the machines of war
and death seize up.
Ukraine is winning the war—and saving Europe along with it.
*Translated from the French by Matthew Fishbane.
*Bernard-Henri Lévy is a philosopher, activist, filmmaker, and author of more
than 30 books including The Genius of Judaism, American Vertigo, Barbarism with
a Human Face, Who Killed Daniel Pearl?, and The Empire and the Five Kings. His
new book, The Will to See: Dispatches from a World of Misery and Hope, was
published on October 25, 2021 by Yale University Press.
Israel's 'Peace Partner' Is Slaughtering Israelis
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/September 27, 2022
These two bodies [Palestinian Authority (PA) and its ruling faction, Fatah] are
headed by one man: Mahmoud Abbas, who has zero compunction about his loyalists
murdering and wounding Israelis. On the contrary, he encourages it and pays
generously for it -- with money from Europe and the United States.
Despite [an extremely long list of terrorist attacks against Israel], Fatah is
also often mystifyingly referred to by some Israelis and Westerners as a
"moderate" Palestinian faction as opposed to the Iranian-backed Palestinian
Islamist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Fatah, however, has proved over the years that its actions and rhetoric are
actually no different from those of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the terror groups
that openly call for the elimination of Israel.
In 1993, Yasser Arafat, then leader of Fatah and the PLO, committed "to a
peaceful resolution of the conflict" with Israel and claimed that the PLO
"renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence." His loyalists,
however, continued to murder and wound Israelis even after making these
commitments, signing the Oslo Accords and supposedly beginning an
Israeli-Palestinian "peace process."
The groups are so proud of their terrorism that they have started filming their
gunmen preparing and carrying out the attacks. They are, in addition, calling on
Palestinians to escalate the fight against Israel, while enthusiastically and
warmly endorsing the terrorists.
The growing involvement of Fatah and PA members in terrorism is one of the
direct results of the Palestinian leadership's extreme incitement against
Israel. Abbas and his aides continue to level the worst charges and libels
against Israel. It is this kind of rhetoric, as well as generous payments, that
encourage Palestinians to carry out attacks against Israelis. The fact that
Abbas and his entourage do not even bother to rein in or denounce the terrorists
is apparently seen by many Palestinians as a green light to continue the
attacks.
The international community, for its part, is so preoccupied with bashing Israel
that no one is calling out these putative Palestinian "peace partners" over
their role in terrorism. This silence is also encouraging these Palestinian
"peace partners" to continue their attacks.
That is why the Fatah-affiliated Lions' Den group has felt confident enough to
publish a new threat: "O Jews, The Countdown For Your Demise Has Begun;
Stabbings, Car-Rammings, Clashes."
This is the "peace partner" that the Biden administration is hoping to assist in
establishing a Palestinian state next to Israel. With a partner like this, it is
easy to imagine what the situation in the Middle East will look like -- more
violence, terrorism and bloodshed. Israel's "peace partners" are doing
everything in their power to confirm the fears of Israelis about the presence of
a Palestinian state just a handful of kilometers from their homes.
The Palestinian Authority and its ruling Fatah faction are headed by one man:
Mahmoud Abbas, who has zero compunction about his loyalists murdering and
wounding Israelis. On the contrary, he encourages it and pays generously for it
-- with money from Europe and the United States. Pictured: Abbas addresses the
United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2022. (Photo by
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)
In the past few months, there has been a rise in the number of terrorist attacks
against Israelis carried out by gunmen belonging to, or associated with, the
Palestinian Authority (PA) and its ruling faction, Fatah. These two bodies are
headed by one man: Mahmoud Abbas, who has zero compunction about his loyalists
murdering and wounding Israelis. On the contrary, he encourages it and pays
generously for it -- with money from Europe and the United States.
The PA, which was established after the signing of the Oslo Accord between
Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1993, has since been
described by some Israelis and Westerners as Israel's Palestinian peace partner.
The PA is largely dominated by members and activists belonging to Fatah, the
so-called Palestinian National Liberation Movement that was founded in 1959 and
is responsible for an extremely long list of terrorist attacks against Israel.
Despite that, Fatah is also often mystifyingly referred to by some Israelis and
Westerners as a "moderate" Palestinian faction as opposed to the Iranian-backed
Palestinian Islamist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Fatah, however, has proved over the years that its actions and rhetoric are
actually no different from those of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the terror groups
that openly call for the elimination of Israel. (Hamas charter; Islamic Jihad
principles and goals.)
In 1993, Yasser Arafat, then leader of Fatah and the PLO, committed "to a
peaceful resolution of the conflict" with Israel and claimed that the PLO
"renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence." His loyalists,
however, continued to murder and wound Israelis even after making these
commitments, signing the Oslo Accords and supposedly beginning an
Israeli-Palestinian "peace process."
Fatah's terrorism reached its peak in 2000, at the beginning of the Second
Intifada, which erupted with a massive wave of suicide bombings, drive-by
shootings and other forms of violence. Then, Fatah's armed wing, Al-Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades, began operating in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a private terrorist
militia, affiliated with the PA and Fatah leadership.
Since the beginning of this year, Fatah has once again increased its terrorist
attacks against Israel. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and other armed groups
belonging to Fatah are even boasting about the attacks and threatening to
continue the fight against Israel. This is all happening while Mahmoud Abbas and
his senior officials continue to incite their people against Israel and glorify
those involved in terrorism.
In March, Dia Hamarsheh, a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, murdered five
Israeli civilians in the Israeli city of Bnei Brak. The following week, Ra'ad
Hazem, another member of the Fatah-affiliated group, murdered three Israeli
civilians in Tel Aviv.
Since then, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and another Fatah-affiliated group
called Lions' Den have carried out several terrorist attacks against Israeli
soldiers and Jewish settlers in the West Bank. The groups are so proud of their
terrorism that they have started filming their gunmen preparing and carrying out
the attacks. They are, in addition, calling on Palestinians to escalate the
fight against Israel, while enthusiastically and warmly endorsing the
terrorists.
On September 23, for example, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades published a poster
"mourning the martyrdom of Muhammad Abu Juma'a, who carried out a stabbing
attack in which two Israelis were wounded. Juma'a was shot dead by an off-duty
police officer. The poster praised the assailant as a "hero."
Earlier this month, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades mourned the "martyrs" Ahmed
Ayman Abed and Abd al-Rahman Abed, who carried out a shooting attack in which an
Israeli army officer was killed near the West Bank city of Jenin. The group said
it was proud of the two gunmen because they carried out a "quality" attack. The
first gunman, by the way, served as an officer with the Palestinian Military
Intelligence Force, a security agency dominated by Fatah members.
The growing involvement of Fatah and PA members in terrorism is one of the
direct results of the Palestinian leadership's extereme incitement against
Israel. Abbas and his aides continue to level the worst charges and libels
against Israel. It is this kind of rhetoric, as well as generous payments, that
encourages Palestinians to carry out attacks against Israelis. The fact that
Abbas and his entourage do not even bother to rein in or denounce the terrorists
is apparently seen by many Palestinians as a green light to continue the
attacks.
The international community, for its part, is so preoccupied with bashing Israel
that no one is calling out these putative Palestinian "peace partners" over
their role in terrorism. This silence is also encouraging these Palestinian
"peace partners" to continue their attacks.
That is why the Fatah-affiliated Lions' Den group has felt confident enough to
publish a new threat: "O Jews, The Countdown For Your Demise Has Begun;
Stabbings, Car-Rammings, Clashes."
This is the "peace partner" that the Biden administration is hoping to assist in
establishing a Palestinian state next to Israel. With a partner like this, it is
easy to imagine what the situation in the Middle East will look like -- more
violence, terrorism and bloodshed. Israel's "peace partners" are doing
everything in their power to confirm the fears of Israelis about the presence of
a Palestinian state just a handful of kilometers from their homes.
© 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.
China: The 'Massive' Threat
Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/September 27, 2022
"The most game-changing challenge we face comes from the Chinese Communist
Party." – Ken McCullum, MI5 Director General, Joint Address by the heads MI5 and
FBI, July 6, 2022.
Both directors emphasized that one of the greatest challenges to Western
economies is China's theft of Western technology through a variety of means....
China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) uses its regional bureaus to "key in
specifically on the innovation of certain Western companies it wants to
ransack.... companies everywhere from big cities to small towns -- from Fortune
100s to start-ups.... We've even caught people affiliated with Chinese companies
out in the U.S. heartland, sneaking into fields to dig up proprietary,
genetically modified seeds, which would have cost them nearly a decade and
billions in research to develop themselves." — Christopher Wray, FBI Director,
address to London business leaders on National Security Threats Posed by the
People's Republic of China, MI5 HQ, July 6, 2022.
Wray emphasized that effectively all Chinese companies are in the pockets of the
Chinese Communist Party (CCP)... those [companies] that aren't owned outright
are effectively beholden to the government all the same, as Chinese companies of
any size are required to host a Communist Party cell to keep them in line....
almost like silent partners."
Wray unconditionally warned businesses against partnering with Chinese
companies. "Maintaining a technological edge may do more to increase a company's
value than would partnering with a Chinese company to sell into that huge
Chinese market, only to find the Chinese government, and your 'partner,'
stealing and copying your innovation, setting up a Chinese competitor, backed by
its government, that is soon undercutting you -- not just in China, but
everywhere." — Christopher Wray, July 6, 2022.
The deal [to purchase farmland near a military base in North Dakota] has caused
concerns that the purchased land could be used to spy on the base, as China most
likely has done on other bases.
Additionally, there is widespread Chinese theft and spying in academia....
European scientists have been empowering China's military by sharing "militarily
sensitive knowledge with the Chinese army on a large scale." Out of an
astounding 353,000 scientific collaborations between Europe and China around
3,000 had taken place with the Chinese military, defined as "studies where
scientists from Western European universities collaborated with Chinese
colleagues directly linked to an institute that is part of the Chinese army."
Despite the massive threat that China poses, the Biden administration
nevertheless ended the Department of Justice's "China Initiative" in February
2022. That same month, the head of the FBI said in an interview that Chinese
spying had become so prevalent in the US that on average, the FBI was opening on
average two counterintelligence investigations a day, with more than 2,000 such
cases already underway.
Instead of the China Initiative, "the administration would be using a "broader
approach one that looks across all of these threats [from China, Russia, and
Iran; ed.] and uses all of our authorities to combat them." — Assistant Attorney
General for National Security Matthew Olsen, Politico, February 23, 2022.
All right. Where is it? No need to shut down the China Initiative; just increase
investigations of other threats, which the US should presumably be doing anyway.
The unmistakable signal that the Biden administration sent to China by closing
down the China Initiative was one of weakness -- again -- this time,
underscoring that the US does not consider countering China a priority at a time
when China, according to two international prominent intelligence directors --
is unquestionably the greatest threat to US interests.
Could there be a signal to an intransigent adversary more dangerous than that?
In an unprecedented move, the head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, and the head of
Britain's domestic intelligence agency, the MI5, Ken McCallum, came together in
July to warn against the "massive" threat that both intelligence services
consider China presents. Both men emphasized that one of the greatest challenges
to Western economies is China's theft of Western technology. (Image source:
iStock)
In an unprecedented move, the head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, and the head of
Britain's domestic intelligence agency, the MI5, Ken McCallum, came together in
July to warn against the "massive" threat that both intelligence services
consider China presents.
"We consistently see that it's the Chinese government that poses the biggest
long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by 'our', I mean
both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere," Wray said
in a joint address by the two directors at the London headquarters of MI5.
"Today is the first time the heads of the FBI and MI5 have shared a public
platform," McCallum said. "We're doing so to send the clearest signal we can on
a massive shared challenge: China."
"The most game-changing challenge we face comes from the Chinese Communist
Party," McCallum said. "It's covertly applying pressure across the globe."
The two intelligence directors listed a number of threats that they consider the
greatest currently emanating from China. Both directors emphasized that one of
the greatest challenges to Western economies is China's theft of Western
technology through a variety of means.
Wray made it clear that China uses "intelligence officers to target valuable
private sector information -- multiplying their efforts by working extensively
through scores of 'co-optees,' people who aren't technically Chinese government
officials but assist in intelligence operations, spotting and assessing sources
to recruit, providing cover and communications, and helping steal secrets in
other ways."
Wray also mentioned how China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) uses its
regional bureaus to "key in specifically on the innovation of certain Western
companies it wants to ransack. And I'm talking about companies everywhere from
big cities to small towns -- from Fortune 100s to start-ups, folks that focus on
everything from aviation, to AI, to pharma. We've even caught people affiliated
with Chinese companies out in the U.S. heartland, sneaking into fields to dig up
proprietary, genetically modified seeds, which would have cost them nearly a
decade and billions in research to develop themselves."
Wray was most likely referring to the FBI's case against Mo Hailong, a Chinese
national who was sent to the US by China's Dabeinong Technology Group, a company
that makes feed products and is closely connected to the Chinese government. In
the US, he collected thousands of inbred corn seeds from fields in Iowa and
elsewhere owned by the Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer companies and then shipped
the seeds back to China. As part of his operations, Hailong had also purchased
two farms in Iowa and Illinois. He was sentenced to three years in prison and a
fine.
China also steals from the West through cyber hacking. Wray described China as
operating a "lavishly resourced hacking program that's bigger than that of every
other major country combined. The Chinese Government sees cyber as the pathway
to cheat and steal on a massive scale."
Wray emphasized that effectively all Chinese companies are in the pockets of the
Chinese Communist Party (CCP):
"To start with, a whole lot of Chinese companies are owned by the Chinese
government -- effectively the Chinese Communist Party. And often that ownership
is indirect and not advertised. And those that aren't owned outright are
effectively beholden to the government all the same, as Chinese companies of any
size are required to host a Communist Party cell to keep them in line. So, when
you deal with a Chinese company, know you're also dealing with the Chinese
government -- that is, the MSS and the PLA [People's Liberation Army] -- too,
almost like silent partners."
Wray unconditionally warned businesses against partnering with Chinese
companies:
"Maintaining a technological edge may do more to increase a company's value than
would partnering with a Chinese company to sell into that huge Chinese market,
only to find the Chinese government, and your 'partner,' stealing and copying
your innovation, setting up a Chinese competitor, backed by its government, that
is soon undercutting you -- not just in China, but everywhere."
Such straight talk from the head of the FBI should be enough to put a stop to
any doubts about the security risks that Chinese companies pose to US national
security. Under debate, nevertheless, is the purchase by China's Fufeng Group of
agricultural land in North Dakota, just 12 miles from the vital Grand Forks Air
Force Base. The deal has caused concerns that the purchased land could be used
to spy on the base, as China most likely has done on other bases.
Since December 2021, when the city of Grand Forks announced that the Chinese
company would be buying the land, such national security concerns, however, have
still not been enough for the deal to be cancelled.
Additionally, there is widespread Chinese theft and spying in academia, which
Wray and McCallum mention only briefly. In Europe, for instance, European
scientists have been empowering China's military by sharing "militarily
sensitive knowledge with the Chinese army on a large scale." Out of an
astounding 353,000 scientific collaborations between Europe and China around
3,000 had taken place with the Chinese military, defined as "studies where
scientists from Western European universities collaborated with Chinese
colleagues directly linked to an institute that is part of the Chinese army."
Despite the massive threat that China poses, the Biden administration
nevertheless ended the Department of Justice's "China Initiative" in February
2022. That same month, the head of the FBI said in an interview that Chinese
spying had become so prevalent in the US that on average, the FBI was opening on
average two counterintelligence investigations a day, with more than 2,000 such
cases already underway.
The China Initiative -- introduced by the Trump administration in 2018 -- was
focused on countering a wide array of Chinese threats to the United States:
China's theft of sensitive information and technology, economic espionage and
other forms of trade secret theft; working against China's malicious cyber
activity and its malign foreign influence operations and China's foreign
intelligence operations in the United States, to name just a few.
Speaking in November 2020, then Attorney General William P. Barr said:
"In the last year, the Department has made incredible strides in countering the
systemic efforts by the PRC to enhance its economic and military strength at
America's expense. While much work remains to be done, the Department is
committed to holding to account those who would steal, or otherwise illicitly
obtain, the U.S. intellectual capital that will propel the future."
The Biden administration, however, claimed that the China Initiative gave rise
to the wrong "perceptions" and therefore ended it. According to Assistant
Attorney General for National Security Matthew Olsen:
"By grouping cases under the China Initiative rubric, we helped give rise to a
harmful perception that the department applies a lower standard to investigate
and prosecute criminal conduct related to that country or that we in some way
view people with racial, ethnic or familial ties to China differently."
Instead, Olsen said, the administration would be using a "broader approach one
that looks across all of these threats [from China, Russia, and Iran; ed.] and
uses all of our authorities to combat them."
All right. Where is it? No need to shut down the China Initiative; just increase
investigations of other threats, which the US should presumably be doing anyway.
The unmistakable signal that the Biden administration sent to China by closing
down the China Initiative was one of weakness -- again -- this time,
underscoring that the US does not consider countering China a priority at a time
when China, according to two international prominent intelligence directors --
is unquestionably the greatest threat to US interests.
Could there be a signal to an intransigent adversary more dangerous than that?
*Judith Bergman, a columnist, lawyer and political analyst, is a 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.
How Will the Situation in Tehran Unfold?
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/September, 27/2022
As enraged people pour into the streets in most (if not all) Iranian cities, it
is widely believed that this is the most dramatic development in the country in
the last four decades. Yet, despite their gravity, these protests are not likely
to bring down the current regime, unlike the 1979 protests that overthrew the
Shah. After all, today’s regime is more violent. Yet, albeit still standing, and
though still far from collapsing, it is crumbling piece by piece.
The resurgence of protests affirms that the state is in crisis and that
anti-government protests are a chronic disease eating away at its weakening
body. Not one year in the last two decades has gone by without people taking to
the street to take a stand against their leadership. The faces changed: there
was Khatami, then Ahmadinejad, then Rouhani, and now Raissi, but the people’s
desire for change has not.
The root cause lies in the Iranian leadership’s inability to deal with the
changing reality among its youth, threatening the regime’s sustainability.
Indeed, ideological regimes rarely find it easy to backtrack on their rhetoric
and methodologies. In Russia, for instance, the Communist Party embraced the
revolution from within in 1991 when it stood on the brink of collapse.
For its part, China progressively shifted toward a more modern, flexible
approach to administration, keeping the Communist Party but doing away with
communist practices, be they uniform clothing, bicycles as the primary mode of
transportation, or the hours-long daily preaches from the government about the
virtues of communism and the evils of capitalism. The entire world changed its
ways bar two countries: Iran and North Korea.
But Iran’s problem is domestic, and it will only grow if it insists on not
admitting that both the problem and the solution lie within it. Instead of
embracing change, and in its bid to evade responsibility, Tehran is resorting to
the good old conspiracy narrative to explain current developments. It is
pointing the finger at Americans, its neighbors, and the media. After all, its
chain of Arabic-speaking media outlets whose sole occupation is to attack Iran’s
rivals has never engendered a single protest in those rival countries.
The adage goes, “sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind.” It does not mean,
though, that Iran can forever live in its glasshouse in a region that’s
constantly on fire. The chaos we see in Iran today is simply the result of the
confusion sown by Khamenei’s regime in the region.
Since their ascent to power, religious leaders in Iran have oppressively
governed the lives of 70 million people, down to the smallest detail.
The recent unrest was ignited by the murder of a young Kurdish woman who was
beaten to death by the morality police for wearing her hijab loosely. The murder
enraged Iranians fed up with their regime’s failure to provide them with a
decent life and its ongoing oppression of its people.
In a remarkable development, videos of the protests showed protesters attacking
security forces in face-to-face confrontations. Another notable observation is
that the regime resorted to isolating its people this time, shutting down the
internet and social media access. However, it is unlikely that it will take any
decisive measures to restore calm in the streets besides accusing the protesters
of being ISIS militants or traitors.
Initially, President Ebrahim Raissi spoke to the crowds of protestors in an
attempt to sway them, claiming that what the morality police did was a mistake
and would be investigated and expressing his sympathies to the young woman’s
family as if she were his daughter. Had the people taken to the streets solely
to protest the crime, the regime might have succeeded in soothing their rage
with promises of investigation and punishment for the perpetrators.
But the regime is facing an existential crisis, not simply a wave of protests
against the cost of living or individual violations and practices. The
theocratic regime is no longer tolerated or effective. Gone are the days of
sanctifying the Supreme Leader and religious leaders. They have become symbols
of corruption and autocracy in the eyes of the protesters. Today, Iran is a poor
country boasting about military achievements that cannot possibly put food on
the tables of its starving citizens.
The current unrest is the latest in a chain of protests that started in 2009 in
universities and mushroomed into widespread protests across the capital, led
then by religious figures rebelling against their leadership. Then in 2017, they
resurfaced, protesting living conditions, and then in 2019, when they lasted
several months across the countryside and remote governorates. The current
uprising began in Kurdistan and quickly made its way to Tehran. Protests are
here to stay and will eventually exhaust the regime, forcing it to make the
concessions it refuses to make today.
The Internal Forces Pushing Putin’s Escalation in the War
with Ukraine
Anna Borshchevskaya/The Washington Institute
Anna Borshchevskaya is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on
Russia's policy toward the Middle East.
The partial mobilization suggests that he is more afraid of regime hardliners
than the Russian public.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to greatly escalate his war on
Ukraine—his announcement Wednesday of a partial mobilization of reserves, four
sham referendums in partly occupied Ukrainian territories and a veiled nuclear
threat—reflects his desperation to reverse the advances Ukraine has made in
recent weeks. That desperation is likely a result of internal pressure.
Until now, Putin has bent over backward to avoid a formal mobilization of the
armed forces through calling up former military members and recruiting fresh
troops (although informally, the military might have begun to do that as early
as April or May). Putin has almost certainly obfuscated to avoid domestic
backlash. Russians often say to themselves at times of hardship, “just so long
as there is no war.” The phrase is a reference to the unhealed trauma of World
War II. Putin knew a war would be unpopular and had kept all of his previous
military interventions limited before the current invasion of Ukraine.
Until now, Putin has tried to maintain the fiction that the scope of the
operation and the scale of the losses were minimal. Only days after entering
Ukraine in late February, the Kremlin warned of prison sentences of up to 15
years for calling it a “war” or an “invasion.” As late as Sept. 13, after the
recent Ukrainian counteroffensive in which Ukraine took significant territory
back from Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “at this point” no
discussion of mobilization had taken place.
What changed? Putin was most likely persuaded by the radical elements within his
circle that, given the latest military losses, a drastic escalation was the only
way to win the war. And for Putin, winning is the only option. Retreat or
compromise is something a Western leader would think about; Russian leaders
don’t take off-ramps.
As such, the escalation is most significantly a signal to the West. Putin is
trying to scare the West into the possibility of a larger war and even the use
of nuclear weapons to pressure it to limit its crucial support for Ukraine.
These radical Russian elements have long been pushing for more far-reaching
action. Chief among them is Nikolai Patrushev, the powerful Security Council
secretary and close Putin ally, who represents the so-called siloviki (a circle
of ultranationalists associated with the security services).
Russia expert Mark Galeotti has described Patrushev as “the most dangerous man
in Russia” because he has pushed Putin further toward extremist positions.
Patrushev’s friendship with Putin goes back to Patrushev’s career as a KGB
officer in Leningrad, and experts say Patrushev has had Putin’s ear for years.
Indeed, Galeotti notes, in a lengthy interview to the Russian government outlet
Rossiyskaya Gazeta in May, Patrushev ultimately calls for Russia to begin a
full-scale war. That requires complete mobilization—as well as total state
control of the Russian economy.
This past month, other ultranationalist voices have joined in renewed calls for
mobilization as well. One prime example is Igor Girkin (aka Strelkov), a former
Russian intelligence officer who played a key role in annexing Crimea from
Ukraine and the subsequent fighting in Ukraine’s Donbas region in the east in
2014. Girkin has consistently criticized the Russian Defense Ministry’s handling
of the war since the start of the invasion. “If our Kremlin elders do not change
their tactics, we will be seeing catastrophic defeats,” he said earlier this
month.
More explicitly, Chechnya strongman and close Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov, whose
troops have been fighting in Ukraine, said in a Telegram post on Sept. 10: “If
today or tomorrow changes are not made in the conduct of the special military
operation, I will be forced to go to the country’s leadership to explain to them
the situation on the ground.” Days later, he called for mobilization.
As Alexey Kovalev, investigative editor at Meduza has written for Foreign
Policy, a protest movement of hardliners calling for escalation has largely gone
unchecked in its criticism of how Russia’s leadership has handled the war,
although it still has mostly avoided criticizing Putin directly. Unlike other
Russians, these hardliners have routinely referred to the conflict as a war.
Against this backdrop, the Kremlin warned critics in recent days to be “very
careful.” For the first time, that caution appears to be directed toward
hardliners rather than liberal anti-war critics.
Putin’s resort to partial mobilization suggests that he’s more afraid of regime
hardliners than his own public. The growing criticism means the more extreme
elements of his supporters could turn against him and threaten his hold on power
in a way the public could not because the hardliners have ties to the security
services and are more likely to use violence to achieve their aims.
In late 1999, Putin wrote a long essay titled “Russia at the Turn of the
Millennium” in which he lamented Russia’s loss of international standing and
expressed the fear of Russia losing its unity. Indeed, this fear has
consistently stood in the backdrop—and often the forefront—of his thinking over
the years. Ironically, Putin’s decisions may ultimately bring about the very
thing he sought to prevent.
The West, for its part, needs to remember that this is not the first time Putin
has issued nuclear threats, and while it would be irresponsible to dismiss it,
giving in to blackmail carries its own repercussions. Right now, the Russian
military is in no condition to fight NATO, and it is unclear to what extent the
partial mobilization will solve Russia’s military problems. Moreover, the finger
on the nuclear button is still that of Vladimir Putin rather than Patrushev or
other hardliners.
At the same time, the Ukrainians, the most likely victims of any tactical
Russian nuclear strike, remain committed to fighting despite the risk. It is now
more important than ever to provide them with the support they need. The fight
is not only about Ukraine alone: For Putin and the hardliners alike, it’s about
the West. In their view, the West aims to weaken—if
not destroy—Russia, while the Ukrainian government is a puppet of the United
States. They’re waging this war to preserve Russia’s right to an imperial sphere
of influence, its ability to behave outside internationally accepted norms, and
its alternative to the rules-based global order in which small states have as
much sovereignty as large states and there is a limit to what a government can
do to its citizens. The future of the liberal world order is at stake.
Anna Borshchevskaya is a senior fellow in The Washington Institute’s Diane and
Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle
East and author of Putin’s War in Syria: Russian Foreign Policy and the Price of
America’s Absence. This article was originally published on the NBC News
website.
عرب نيوز: القائد الروحي لجماعة الإخوان المسلمين، الشيخ يوسف القرضاوي مات، إلا أن
سمومه مستمرة
Yusuf Al-Qaradawi is dead but his poison lives on
Arab News/September 28, 2022
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/112269/arab-news-yusuf-al-qaradawi-is-dead-but-his-poison-lives-on-%d8%8c%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a8-%d9%86%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%b2-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%a6%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%ad%d9%8a-%d9%84%d8%ac/
Spiritual leader of outlawed Muslim Brotherhood spent decades propagating an
ideology that fueled violence across the Middle East.
He justified suicide bombings, repeatedly spoke out against Jews as a community,
and issued fatwas that demean women.
JEDDAH: Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the spiritual leader of Egypt’s outlawed Muslim
Brotherhood who died on Monday at the age of 96, has left behind a poisonous
legacy of hatred and Islamic supremacy.
Al-Qaradawi was formally the chairman of the International Union of Muslim
Scholars, a position he held for 14 years from its establishment in 2004.
More importantly, he was one of the fountainheads of the Muslim Brotherhood, a
religious-political organization that has been sanctioned and proscribed by Gulf
states and many Western countries.
Founded in 1928, the Brotherhood established itself in the mid-20th century as
the main opposition movement in Egypt, as well as in other countries in the
region. Cairo blacklisted the movement as a terrorist organization in 2013.
A BBC News website report of 2004, quoting an Arabic-language website, said
Al-Qaradawi was born in a small village in the Nile Delta in 1926 and studied
Islamic theology at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, from where he graduated in
1953.
Between 1949 and 1961, he was imprisoned several times in Egypt over his links
to the Muslim Brotherhood and accusations that he ordered the assassination of
political figures.
The Brotherhood’s followers were seen across the Islamic world as fanning
religious hatred and promoting a cult of violence in order to achieve political
power.
AL-QARADAWI’S CONTENTIOUS FATWAS
2003-2005: Issued several fatwas calling for a jihad against Israel and Jews, in
which he deemed all adult Jews living in Palestine as “occupants” and
combatants,” making them legitimate targets of war.
2004: Justified an uprising against the American presence in Iraq and permitted
the killing of those who fight.
2010: Contended that suicide bombers do not really commit suicide, but die as an
accidental consequence of carrying out their operations, which counts as a
glorious sacrifice in holy war and qualifies them for martyrdom.
2013: Advocated the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak’s government in Egypt during the
Arab Spring.
2015: Called anyone who went against the legitimate leader of the land
“khawarij” (enemies of Islam) after Mohammed Morsi took office in Egypt.
In a 2019 tweet, Al-Qaradawi claimed he was not a preacher of hate and that he
had spent the past 25 years promoting moderate thought.
“I stood against extremism and extremists for approximately a quarter of a
century. I saw its threat to deen and dunya (religion and the temporal world),
on the individual and society, and I have reinforced my pen, tongue and thought
(to support) the call for moderation and reject exaggeration and negligence,
either in the field of fiqh and fatwa (Islamic jurisprudence and legal
pronouncement in Islam) or in the field of tableegh and da’wah (guidance and
preaching),” he tweeted at the time.
However, his track record revealed exactly the opposite. He justified suicide
bombings, especially in Palestine, repeatedly spoke out against Jews as a
community, and issued fatwas (religious edicts) that demean women.
In a fatwa on his website, he stated that martyrdom is a higher form of jihad.
And in a notorious 2004 interview on the BBC’s Newsnight program, he praised
suicide bombings in Israeli-occupied Palestine as martyrdom in the name of God.
“I supported martyrdom operations, and I am not the only one,” he said.
He also encouraged Muslims who were unable to fight to financially support
mujahideen (those engaged in jihad) everywhere in foreign lands. This could
hardly be described as a stand against terrorism.
In 2008, he was refused a visa by the UK Home Office to visit the country to
receive medical treatment. David Cameron, the former Conservative Party leader,
described Al-Qaradawi as “dangerous and divisive” in his appeal to the
government to reject the visa application.
The Home Office said: “The UK will not tolerate the presence of those who seek
to justify any acts of terrorist violence or express views that could foster
inter-community violence.”
Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s vocal support for suicide bombers and edicts demeaning women
brought global condemnation.
At the time, Al-Qaradawi was already banned from entering the US. In 2012 he was
barred from entering France.
Al-Qaradawi became a familiar name in Arabic-speaking Muslim communities with
his weekly appearance on the religious phone-in program Al-Shariah wa Al-Haya
(Islamic Law and Life), that was broadcast to millions worldwide.
Al-Qaradawi issued fatwas authorizing attacks on all Jews. On Al Jazeera Arabic
in January 2009, he said: “Oh God, take Your enemies, the enemies of Islam … Oh
God, take the treacherous Jewish aggressors … Oh God, count their numbers, slay
them one by one and spare none.”
He held a similar disdain and deep-seated hatred of Europeans. That Al-Qaradawi
was an Islamic supremacist with a total disregard for European civilization and
culture could be gauged from one of his lectures on Qatar TV in 2007.
“I think that Islam will conquer Europe without resorting to the sword or
fighting. Europe is miserable with materialism, with the philosophy of
promiscuity and with the immoral considerations that rule the world —
considerations of self-interest and self-indulgence,” he said.
“It’s high time (Europe) woke up and found a way out from this, and it won’t
find a lifesaver or a lifeboat other than Islam.”
On his show in 2013, Al-Qaradawi blasted Muslim countries as weak, and called on
citizens to overthrow their governments and launch a war against all who oppose
the Brotherhood, describing them as “khawarij” (enemies of Islam).
Many intellectuals and commentators in the Arab world viewed his lectures as
dangerous regurgitation of Islamist dogma out of touch with the modern world.
When an uprising began in Egypt against the rule of long-time President Hosni
Mubarak, Al-Qaradawi supported the protesters in his TV broadcasts and issued an
edict forbidding security personnel from opening fire on them.
AL-QARADAWI BIO
Name: Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
Nationality: Egyptian-born Qatari citizen
Occupation: Spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood; head of the European
Council for Fatwa and Research; co-founder of IslamOnline.net
Legal status: Banned from Egypt since 1997; sentenced to death in absentia in
2015; on the terror list of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain
Media: Hosted his own show on Al Jazeera Arabic, “Ash-Shariah wal-Hayat”
(“Shariah and Life”); appearances on Al-Hayat TV, BBC Arabic, Palestinian
Authority TV, Al-Faraeen TV, Al-Hiwar TV; more than 4 million Twitter and
Facebook followers combined
Upon his return to Egypt in 2011, he began to lead Friday prayers for hundreds
of thousands of people in Tahrir Square a week after Mubarak’s resignation.
“Don’t let anyone steal this revolution from you — those hypocrites who will put
on a new face that suits them,” he told the crowd.
However, Al-Qaradawi was forced again into exile in 2013 when the military
overthrew Mubarak’s successor Mohammed Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood loyalist,
following mass protests against his policies.
Al-Qaradawi condemned what he described as a “coup” and appealed to all groups
in Egypt to restore Morsi to what he called his “legitimate post.”
Al-Qaradawi was sentenced to death in absentia by an Egyptian court in 2015
alongside other Brotherhood leaders.