LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
December 24/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
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Bible Quotations For Today
I have not
spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment
about what to say and what to speak.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 12/48-50/:"The one who
rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word
that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the
Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and
what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak,
therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."
Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what
was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not,
without us, be made perfect.
Letter to the Hebrews 11/32-40/:"And what more should I say? For time
would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,
of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms,
administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of
weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received
their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release,
in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging,
and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in
two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and
goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy. They
wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Yet
all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was
promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not,
without us, be made perfect.
Titles For Latest
LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
December 23-24/16
Egypt Agrees to UN Israel Vote Delay in Call with Trump/Agencies/December
23/16
Israel fans tensions over Hezbollah parade in Syria/Joseph A. Kechichian/Gulf News/December 23, 2016
What the Peopl is Waiting For/By Ahmad El-Assaad December 23/16
Iran to tread warily despite victories, say experts/The Weekend
Australian/December 23/16
The Saudis at the UN Human Rights Council/Giulio Meotti/Gatestone Institute/December 23/16
Has the United Nations perished in Aleppo too/Yossi Mekelberg/Al Arabiya/December
23/16
What will Obama do about Russian hacking? Nothing/Dr. Azeem
Ibrahim/Al Arabiya/December 23/16
Saudi Budget 2017: Shrinking deficit, raising expenditure/Dr. Naser al-Tamimi/Al Arabiya/December 23/16
Two Bullies, Putin and Erdoğan, Try Friendship/Daniel
Pipes/Australian/December 23/16
While The Administration Slept, Others Plotted/By: Alberto M.
Fernandez/MEMRI/December 23/16
Israel accuses Obama of anti-Israeli 'shameful move' at UN/Elior
Levy and Roi Kais/ Ynetnews/
23.12.16
Is the Russian Phoenix Really Rising/Amir Taheri/Asharq
Al Awsat/December 23/16
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published on December
23-24/16
Aoun extends holiday greetings to
Lebanese
Ministerial Panel Finalizes Policy Statement, Cabinet Convenes Saturday to Approve
It
Hezbollah: Israel's fingerprints all over Hamas operative's murder
Nasrallah: Aleppo Win Ends Assad Ouster Scheme, We
Don't Want to Control Lebanon
Report: Cabinet to Hold Second Meeting Friday to Discuss Ministerial Statement
Kedenian: Lebanon Witnessing Quality Leap at
Political Level
President Aoun urges investigation into HRW report
Hariri Receives Call from Saudi Deputy Crown Prince, Meets Iran Deputy FM
Israel fans tensions over Hezbollah parade in Syria
What the People is Waiting For”
ISF denies HRW claims on torturing displaced Syrian
Hariri welcomes UN resolution to halt Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 23-24/16
With Obama Administration Abstaining, UN Security Council
Approves Anti-Israeli Settlement Resolution
Army Takes Control of Aleppo in Major Boost for Assad
Putin Hails Aleppo Recapture, Moves to Expand Syria Presence
In Aleppo, Assad Supporters Shout their Joy after Regime Victory
88 Dead in Turkish Raids on IS-Held Syria Town
IS 'Burns Turkish Troops Alive' after Ankara Vows no Let-Up
Coalition Used Banned Cluster Bombs in Yemen
Berlin attack suspect Anis Amri shot dead by police
in Milan
Iran Regime MP Admits Presence of Terrorist Quds
Force Commander in Aleppo
Iran: Political Prisoner Expresses Sympathy and Support for People of Syria
Despite the Lifting of Sanctions, Why Iran's Economy Has Plunged Into
Recession? – Part 5-5
Links From Jihad Watch Site for on December 23-24/16
Trump warns UN after Israel vote: ‘Things will be different’ soon
CNN
tells Trump how to defeat jihad: “Don’t turn this into a war or clash of
civilizations”
Betrayal:
Obama’s US delegation abstains on UN condemnation of Israeli “settlement”
expansion
Islamic
Studies professor: “ISIS is as Islamic as anything else”
France:
Jewish scholar prosecuted for hate speech for criticizing Islamic anti-Semitism
Delta
passenger says Muslim who claims he was removed from flight for speaking Arabic
“definitely racebaiting”
Dutch
town cancels Christmas celebrations for fear of Berlin-style jihad massacre
Germany:
Two Muslims arrested for jihad massacre plot at shopping center
Rookie
Italian cop guns down Berlin jihad killer as he screamed “Allahu
akbar” after shooting another cop
Virginia:
Muslim bought AK-47 the day after San Bernardino jihad massacre
Germany:
Austrian embassy menu bans mention of Christmas for fear of offending Muslims
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on on December 23-24/16
Aoun extends holiday greetings to Lebanese
The Daily Star/December 23/16/BEIRUT:
Ministerial Panel Finalizes Policy Statement, Cabinet Convenes Saturday to
Approve It
Naharnet/December 23/16/A ministerial committee
tasked with drafting the new government's policy statement finalized the draft
on Friday evening after a second meeting at the Grand Serail,
Prime Minister Saad Hariri's office said. “We
finalized the draft policy statement in today's session, and after a phone call
between PM Hariri and President Michel Aoun, it has
been agreed to hold a Cabinet session tomorrow at 11:00 am,” Education Minister
Marwan Hamadeh announced
after the meeting. “Should things proceed normally as expected, the statement
will be referred to Speaker Nabih Berri
and consequently to parliament,” Hamadeh added. The
parliament's “debate and confidence sessions would then be held next week
between the two holidays,” the minister said. MTV said the conferees endorsed
the same clause that was used in the policy statement of Tammam
Salam's government regarding the so-called army-people-resistance equation.
According to the TV network, the Lebanese Forces' representative “asked for
some time to study the draft policy statement, specifically the clause related
to the resistance” against
As for the conflict with
Hezbollah: Israel's fingerprints all
over Hamas operative's murder
Roi Kais/Ynetnews/December
23/16/Terror organization's spokesman tells brother and mother of man who was
assassinated in Tunisia that Israel is planning an attack, urges brother and
friends to follow al-Zawahri's path, 'whatever the
sacrifices.'
A Hezbollah official responsible for managing relations with other Arab
countries, Hassan Az a-Din
spoke Thursday to the mother and brother of Mohammad al-Zawahri,
a flight engineer who was shot to death last week at close range in his car in
the city of
Despite the murder, al-Din emphasized that the path of Jihad would be
continued, as would resistance against
Another official from the Shi’ite organization even
warned of Israeli plans beyond its borders which have been formulated with the
intention of striking the Arab and Islamic nation in its own homeland before
calling on the government, political parties and the nation as a whole to act
responsibly and oppose the alleged Israeli plan. The hit against al-Zawahri has largely been attributed to
Nasrallah: Aleppo Win Ends Assad Ouster Scheme, We Don't Want
to Control Lebanon
Naharnet/December 23/16/The Syrian army's recapture
of the northern city of Aleppo has put an end to hopes that President Bashar Assad's regime could be ousted, Hizbullah
chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
said Friday, while noting that his party does not want to “control Lebanon.”
"After
"What happened in Aleppo over these past long months... was a real war,
one of the toughest battles that Syria has seen, and one of the toughest
battles that the region has seen in years," Nasrallah
said. He noted that the next stage will be focused on “consolidating the
victory in the city of
And reiterating his accusation that the
“The armed groups were behind the demographic changes that happened. There are
no people of other faiths or other political affiliations in the areas that
they control,” he noted. Nasrallah also announced
that the residents who were evacuated from
“We support an electoral law fully based on proportional representation and we
call for a comprehensive dialogue. We understand the concerns of some parties
which must be taken into consideration,” he said. “We do not back a return to
the 1960 electoral law,” Nasrallah stressed. He
added: “Some like to claim that this is 'Hizbullah's
government' and that Hizbullah wants to seize control
of the country and the institutions. These are false claims that some impotent
and weak parties hide behind.”“We do not want to seize
control of the country even if all political forces and parties ask us to do
so... No one can accept to shoulder the responsibility of a country facing this
amount of difficulties,” Nasrallah noted. As for
Report: Cabinet to Hold Second Meeting
Friday to Discuss Ministerial Statement
Naharnet/December 23/16/The cabinet will hold its
second meeting on Friday to discuss a government policy statement based on
which the parliament is set to give its vote of confidence when it convenes,
media reports said. The cabinet's General-Secretariat distributed, by email, on
the newly elected ministers late on Thursday a draft of the government’s policy
statement which was completed by the ministerial committee tasked for that end.
The ministers were called for a meeting on Friday at 5:00 pm to discuss the
statement. The daily said it obtained information that Speaker Nabih Berri held a long phone
conversation on Wednesday with Prime Minister Saad
Hariri where discussions focused on the policy statement and the vote of
confidence. Berri told Hariri that he is “ready for
the meeting” and urged him to have the statement approved before Saturday. He
said, shall the statement be referred to the parliament before noon Saturday, he would be able to call the parliament for
session on Tuesday for three consecutive days. “The atmospheres are promising
as for the policy statement. There are no complications or anything that could
delay it,” Berri was quoted as saying. A committee
tasked with devising a ministerial statement was chaired on Wednesday by
Premier Saad Hariri and attended by Mashnouq (al-Mustaqbal Movement),
Jreissati (pro-president), Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh (Democratic
Gathering), Sport and Youth Minister Mohammed Fneish
(Hizbullah), Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil (AMAL Movement), Public Works Minister Youssef Finianos (Marada Movement) and Social Affairs Minister Pierre Bou Assi (Lebanese Forces).
Hariri's government had held its first meeting on Wednesday morning.
Kedenian: Lebanon Witnessing Quality Leap at Political Level
Tourism Minister Ouadis Kedenian
expressed optimism on Friday as for the general situation in the country and
said Lebanon's political scene has witnessed a quality leap via the election of
new President Michel Aoun and the formation of a new
cabinet following two years of presidential void, the National News Agency
reported on Friday. “I'm truly optimistic about the forthcoming phase,
especially that some institutions will undergo improvement,” NNA added.
Touching on the tourists arrivals in
President Aoun urges investigation into HRW report
The Daily Star/December 23/16/BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun
Friday called on the general prosecution to investigate claims made in a recent
Human Rights Watch report regarding the torture of a gay Syrian refugee by
security forces. He said that the information indicated a violation of human
rights, which he has continuously called for respecting, speaking during a
meeting with State Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud at
Hariri Receives Call from Saudi Deputy
Crown Prince, Meets
Naharnet/December 23/16/Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Thursday received a phone call from
Israel fans tensions over Hezbollah
parade in Syria
Joseph A. Kechichian/Gulf News/December 23, 2016
New accusations are aimed at browbeating President Michel Aoun
Riyadh: Although the United States denied an Israeli claim that the US-supplied
armoured vehicles seen during an unprecedented Hezbollah military parade in the
Syrian town of Qusayr on November 11 originated from
the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), Israel sought to revisit the issue a few days
ago, most probably as a warning to President Michel Aoun.
The latest accusations, which were widely reported including in the influential
New York Times, alleged that the tanks and armoured personnel vehicles were
drawn from stocks supplied by
Barely a month after his election, President Michel Aoun signed major political concessions for Hezbollah,
including a veto power within the government. This fact did not sit well
as Israelis were increasingly wary of Hezbollah’s growing influence within
“What the People is Waiting For”
By Ahmad El-Assaad December 22, 2016
After two and a half years of a deadly vacuum in constitutional institutions,
it is time to let the people catch their breath, and give them hope that their
concerns and sorrows, long neglected in the past due to political bickering and
recklessness, have now become a top priority for the President.
Perhaps now is not the time to find solutions to the major issues in the
country, but the people simply cannot be left stuck in the middle of political
discord. Action needs to be taken in order to improve the country’s situation
and its citizens, whom shall be provided a normal life.
Bringing its dignity to a people – the government’s first pillar and source of
its authorities, whose economy, public health and most basic social rights were
violated – is topped by no other matter, internal or external. It’s the accumulation
of two years and a half of issues pertaining to garbage, pollution, corruption,
the state of the roads and scandals. This orientation was clear to see in the
first ministerial Cabinet meeting of this presidential mandate. The President
of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, has openly
called on the ministers to “meet the expectations of the people from the
government, such as providing water, electricity, public works and traffic control.”Nobody expects the new Cabinet to solve, in the
matter of a few months, complicated matters that have been stuck for decades,
or to make any major national choices.
However, this Cabinet is indeed expected to relieve the country, and improve
the economy by once again attracting investments. This was in fact one of the
main objectives behind settling for General Aoun as
President. This settlement, at least, allows to focus on these matters and
leave the thorny ones to be solved in due time. After all, there’s no running
from them.
ISF denies HRW claims on torturing displaced
Syrian
Fri 23 Dec 2016 /NNA - The Internal Security Forces denied on Friday
claims appeared in human Rights Watch report, alleging that a displaced Syrian
had been tortured by Jounieh police because of his
sexual orientation.
Hariri welcomes UN resolution to halt Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine
Fri 23 Dec 2016 /NNA - Prime Minister Saad
Hariri welcomed, in a tweet on Friday, a fresh resolution by the UN Security
Council, hereby demanding that Israel halt settlements building in the occupied
Palestinian lands.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on December
23-24/16
With Obama Administration
Abstaining, UN Security Council Approves Anti-Israeli Settlement Resolution
Barney Breen-Portnoy/Algemeiner/December 23/16
The UN Security Council voted 14-0 on Friday — with the US abstaining — in favor of an anti-settlement resolution that was vehemently
opposed by Israel.
In a statement issued following the vote, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon expressed disappointment in the Obama administration.
“It was to be expected that
As Shabbat Sets in, Major Jewish and Other Pro-Israel Groups Mobilize Against Anti-Settlement UN Security Council Resolution
Just hours before Shabbat began on Friday, major Jewish and other pro-Israel
groups mobilized in an ultimately futile effort to...
Furthermore, Danon declared, “Neither the Security
Council nor UNESCO can sever the tie between the people of
The approved resolution demands, among other things, that
Ahead of Friday afternoon’s Security Council vote on the resolution, major
Jewish and other pro-Israel groups mobilized in an ultimately futile effort to
thwart its passage.
Following the vote, US President-elect Donald Trump tweeted tersely, “As to the
UN, things will be different after Jan. 20th.”
American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris said in a statement, “The
administration’s decision, for the first time in eight years, not to block an
anti-Israel measure at the UN Security Council is profoundly disturbing. It
only encourages diplomatic end-runs and diversionary tactics, which hinder
rather than advance the prospects for peace.”
Rabbis Marvin Hier and Abraham Cooper — the dean and
associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center — stated, “Today’s abstention by
the United States at the UN Security Council’s anti-Israel resolution will only
make a negotiated peace in the Middle East much more difficult to achieve.
Given the continued explosion of terrorist assaults around the world, the UN
resolution should have demanded the end of Hamas’ presence as a prerequisite
for a two-state solution.”
World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said, “This is a dismaying
decision by the Security Council which does nothing to enhance the role of the
United Nations in resolving the Middle East conflict, and once again singles
out
B’nai B’rith International stated it “deeply regrets that the
The pro-Israel education and advocacy group StandWithUs
said, “The resolution mentioned important obstacles to peace such as terrorism
and incitement to violence, but failed to hold Hamas or the Palestinian
Authority (PA) explicitly accountable for these destructive activities. On the
other hand,
StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein added, “While both
sides in this conflict are subject to criticism, placing most of the blame on
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt
said, “We are outraged over the
Army Takes Control of
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
23/16/The Syrian army has retaken full control of the devastated city of
An army statement said the general command "announces the return of
security to
A rebel official said the loss was a major blow for the revolt against
President Bashar al-Assad.
"On the political level, this is a great loss," Yasser al-Youssef of the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel group told AFP. "For the revolution, it is
a period of retreat and a difficult turning point." The army announcement
came after state television said the last convoy of four buses carrying rebels
and civilians had left east
It has drawn in proxy powers and attracted foreign jihadists, but successive
attempts to negotiate a political solution to the conflict have failed. Assad's
victory in
- Pivotal moment -Rebel forces, who seized east Aleppo in 2012, agreed to
withdraw after a month-long army offensive that drove them from more than 90
percent of their former territory. The deal was brokered by
- Failed peace efforts -Repeated attempts at peace for
IS released a video on Thursday purportedly showing two captured Turkish
soldiers being burned alive, after Ankara vowed to fight "terror" in
Syria in response to 16 of its troops being killed in battle. The 19-minute
video, showing two uniformed men being hauled from a cage before being bound
and torched, was posted on jihadist websites and was supposedly shot in the
IS-declared "Aleppo Province" in northern Syria. Turkish air strikes
meanwhile killed at least 47 civilians including 14 children in the IS-held
town of
Putin Hails Aleppo Recapture, Moves to
Expand
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
23/16/Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday the recapture of the
devastated city of
In
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
23/16/Thousands of people in western
Celebratory gunfire began to erupt and crowds began to fill the streets
as soon as the army announced the last rebels had left east
Wednesday's announcement came after a landmark evacuation deal that ended
a month-long offensive by government forces and allied militia.
88 Dead in Turkish Raids on
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
23/16/At least 88 civilians have been killed in 24 hours of Turkish air strikes
on an Islamic State group bastion in northern
Turkish forces regularly carry out air strikes in support of the ground
operation in
IS 'Burns Turkish Troops Alive'
after Ankara Vows no Let-Up
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
23/16/The Islamic State jihadist group has released a video purportedly showing
two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive, after Ankara vowed to fight
"terror" in Syria in response to 16 of its troops being killed in
battle.
The 19-minute video, showing two uniformed men being hauled from a cage
before being bound and torched, was posted on jihadist websites and was
supposedly shot in the IS-declared "Aleppo Province" in northern
Syria. Speaking in Turkish, the killer of the two men criticises Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and calls for "destruction to be sowed"
in
They were killed in a succession of attacks around the Syrian town of
The heavy toll showed the intensifying battle for the town, which Turkish
forces have been seeking to capture for weeks in the biggest test of their
four-month incursion into Syria. Turkish troops entered
- 'Difficult fight' -The earlier stages of
But the army has suffered increasing casualties in the fight for Al-Bab -- 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the border. Defence
Minister Fikri Isik told
parliament on Thursday that 1,005 IS jihadists and 299 fighters affiliated to
the Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) had been killed in the operation so
far.
Al-Bab lies 35 kilometres northeast of
Coalition Used Banned Cluster Bombs
in Yemen
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
23/16/The Saudi-led coalition battling rebels in Yemen used banned cluster
bombs in attacks near two schools this month, Human Rights Watch said Friday.
The watchdog said that the alliance fired Brazilian-made rockets containing the
outlawed munitions on December 6, near two schools in the Huthi
rebel stronghold
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December
23/16/Egypt said Friday it agreed to delay a vote on a UN Security Council
resolution against Israeli settlements during a phone call between President
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US President-elect Donald
Trump.
"The resolution being considered at the United Nations Security
Council regarding
Israeli settlements are seen as a major stumbling block to peace efforts,
as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.
The United Nations maintains that settlements are illegal, but UN officials
have reported a surge in construction over the past months.
The draft resolution demands that "
Middle East Eye/December 23/16
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/berlin-attack-suspect-shot-dead-milan-1904575467
A Tunisian man wanted on suspicion of carrying out a deadly lorry attack on a
Christmas market in
Speaking at a press conference, Marco Minniti said
Anis Amri had been fatally shot after being stopped
in a car for a routine identity check at about 3am (02:00 GMT).
Identity checks had established "without a shadow of doubt" that the
dead man was Amri, Minniti
said.
According to Italian media reports, Amri had pulled
out a pistol after being stopped and subsequently been shot himself.
A Europe-wide manhunt had been under way for Amri, a
24-year-old asylum seeker, who German investigators had said they believed was the likely perpetrator of Monday's attack in
which 12 people were killed and 49 were injured.
A police notice lists six different aliases used by Amri,
born on 22 December 1992, who at times tried to pass himself off as an Egyptian
or Lebanese national.
Several German media outlets on Thursday said Amri's
fingerprints had been found on the door of the truck that ploughed through the
crowds.
Authorities had warned that Amri was potentially
"armed and dangerous" and had offered a reward of €100,000 ($104,000)
for information leading to his arrest.
The attack was subsequently claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. The
IS-linked news agency Amaq released another statement
on Friday in which they said a "security source" had told them that
the agent "who executed the
The agency also released a video in which Amri
appeared to pledge allegience to the IS emir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Amri was reportedly linked to Ahmad Abdulazziz, also known as Abu Walaa,
an Iraqi-born preacher based in the German town of
In
"I can't believe my brother could do such a thing," his sister Najoua told the AFP news agency.
"He never made us feel there was anything wrong. We were in touch through Facebook and he was always smiling and cheerful."
His brother, Abdelkader, said: "When I saw the
picture of my brother in the media, I couldn't believe my eyes. I'm in shock,
and can't believe it's him who committed this crime."
The hunt for Amri has cast scrutiny on German
investigators after a Pakistani man was initially arrested over the attack but
later released.
Amri was not identified as a suspect until late on
Tuesday, though police confirmed on Wednesday that he had been under covert
surveillance for several months this year.
Iran Regime MP Admits Presence of
Terrorist Quds Force Commander in Aleppo
Friday, 23 December 2016/NCRI - Member of Iranian regime’s parliament on
Wednesday December 21 admitted that Qassem Soleimani, commander of terrorist Quds
Force, was present in Syria and said his trip to Aleppo was done at the request
of Syrian government officials. Javad Karimi Qodousi, member of the
parliament’s security commission, in an interview with Mizan
news agency affiliated to the regime’s Judiciary said “We will never obey or
adhere to the oppressive and unjust laws of international system” and reiterated:
“Qassem Soleimani’s trip to
the city of Aleppo in Syria was done at the request of the Syrian government
officials in order to provide strategic guidelines and military cooperation.
Therefore, the
Iran: Political Prisoner Expresses
Sympathy and Support for People of Syria
Friday, 23 December 2016/NCRI - Ebrahim Firouzi, Christian political prisoner incarcerated in Gohardasht prison in Karaj, in a letter to George Sabra, former President of Syrian National Coalition, while
expressing sympathy, announced his support for the people of Syria.
In part of his letter, the political prisoner writes: “It is not only me and
you but also our nations that are the victims of the aggressive policies of the
mullahs’ regime ruling
Iran: Over 1200 Citizens Arrested in
Tehran in 8 Months for Using Cyberspace
Friday, 23 December 2016 /NCRI - Iran regime’s police chief in Tehran announced
that the capital city’s cyber-police have arrested over 1200 people in Tehran
in the first 8 months of the year on charges related to cyberspace and social
media activity. According to state-run ISNA news agency, Tehran’s Police chief,
Hossein Sajedi-Nia,
described the repressive measures and performance of Tehran’s cyber-police in
the first 8 months of the year and said: “Dealing with violations and crimes in
cyberspace is one of the priorities of police in Tehran, and in this regard,
officers of Fata Police (cyber-police) monitor and observe cyberspace and
social media activities, deal with the crimes and violations, and address the complaints.”Announcing that more than 1200 cyberspace
activists were arrested in 8 months, Sajedi-Nia said:
“In the first 8 months of the year, 986 men and 298 women accused of committing
cyberspace violation were identified and arrested by
Despite the Lifting of Sanctions,
Why
Friday, 23 December 2016/NCRI - A year after signing the nuclear deal,
while significant problems such as export restrictions and the prohibition of
the international bank transfer (swift) have been resolved a transparent
atmosphere is created to identify the radical economic problems of
In previous parts, to answer the main question: “why the recession is
becoming deeper while the sanctions are lifted and the international
transaction with
• Lack of security and stability
• Domination of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist in the country
• Power struggle
• Financial instability
• Widespread corruption
• Lack of competition and cumbersome regulations
• And International Barriers, the following is the final part
Part five:
International Barriers
the Vali-e-faqih Khamenei
said in his public speech in March this year that ”Today, throughout the
western countries and those influenced by them, we still have difficulties
performing our banking transactions, getting our money back from their banks,
and doing business deals which require involvement of their banks; once
investigated, it turns out that they’re afraid of the Americans. This is what
we see today in front of our eyes; a total loss.”
In his meeting with
Earlier, the
These statements give a clear picture of the obstacles which have
basically stopped
On the other hand, there is a deep distrust and uncertainty among Western
banks and companies who are not willing to endanger their assets in
Despite being permitted to provide the Iranian government with American
Dollar Bills, foreign banks refuse to transfer US Dollar for natural and legal
persons associated with of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s government.”
“Many expectations need a longer time in order to be met” and “from a
technical and operational point of view, going back to the pre-sanctions state
will definitely take time, just like reconstructing a country ruined by a
10-year-old war.”
“Being completely disconnected from the international financial system”,
the Iranian banks are not familiar with the changes made in the banking sector
and issues like disciplinary rules on combating against money laundering and
funding terrorist groups.
“Enjoying huge profits thanks to sanctions, some dealers take any
opportunity to destroy the post nuclear deal era, by taking advantage of or
even fueling the political differences.“
This situation has made trading with Iran for foreigners be subjected to
numerous political and legal risks, some of which are as follows:
Foreign investors are subject to extremely high risks associated with
financial corruption (particularly bribery), especially the risk of severe
financial and criminal penalties due to violating the US “Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act” as well as the British “Bribery Act.”
Risks related to arms export, considering
Considering numerous resolutions issued by the UN General Assembly on
Iran’s human rights violations, with the latest one in December 2015, the companies
trading with Iran are subject to the risk of being accused of providing a
barbaric dictatorship with the tools used in torture, repression, eavesdropping
and internet censorship.
Companies active in the internet and digital communications sector that
are doing business with Iran are subject to the risk of violating the laws to
ensure net neutrality, freedom of expression and protecting personal privacy,
by participating in operations that promote violence and hatred against
followers of religions, women and oppressed ethnic groups.
Investing and exporting companies are obliged to follow the so-called Due
Diligence Procedures which comply with international standards contained in the
“UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights” and the “OECD Guidelines
for Multinational Enterprises.”
It is very unlikely that any company in this situation could follow the
due diligence procedures when doing business with
A more important risk is to get involved in money laundering operations
which is being actively practiced by the Iranian banks and companies.
Another risk is doing business with companies and entities involved in
funding terrorist groups such as Hezbollah in
Besides, there is the risk that the foreign companies be punished by the
The End
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on on
December 23-24/16
Iran to tread warily
despite victories, say experts
The Weekend Australian/December 23/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/23/50447/
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/iran-to-tread-warily-despite-victories-say-experts/news-story/e0f74a64ac4fdfa599861d52e71cdf60
Iran has scored a string of victories across the Middle East, and decades of isolation
mean it is well-placed to weather the uncertainties of a Trump presidency.
But fears that it could dominate the region are overblown, experts say. Having
rarely commented on its role in the Syrian conflict,
“The liberation of
The dominoes appear to have fallen in Iranian President Hasan
Rowhani’s favour in recent weeks. His government’s
support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is
paying off, and
In
And then there’s the imminent arrival of Donald Trump.
The
After decades of isolation,
of Mr Trump, said
The Saudis have been facing a host of setbacks. Their economy has been battered
by low oil prices, the rebels they support in
But fears that
“A lot of
Foad Izadi, a conservative
professor of world politics at Tehran University, said support for Assad’s
bloody offensive was a necessary evil, and ultimately defensive in nature.
“If
“If
Mr Nerguizian said the Saudis still had major
advantages, not least the billions of dollars in military hardware purchased
from Western allies. “Folks have been projecting the collapse of the House of
Saud for 60 years and it hasn’t happened,” he said. “For all their instability,
the Gulf countries are far more integrated into the global economy than
The Saudis at the UN Human Rights Council
Giulio Meotti/Gatestone
Institute/December 23/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/12/23/giulio-meottigatestone-institute-the-saudis-at-the-un-human-rights-council/
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9628/saudis-human-rights-council
While the medieval Saudi system of justice was flogging the gentle blogger Raif Badawi 50 out of the
stipulated 1000 lashes, a delegation of UN bureaucrats landed in Jeddah to
promote an international conference on religious freedom.
The Saudis use these international seats to advance their oppressive agenda,
and to press the Western democracies to punish criticism of Islam.
Through the shameful trial of Geert Wilders, Dutch
authorities sent a message of surrender to the Saudis and other rogue Islamic
regimes that punish dissent.
Did the Dutch prosecute Wilders on behalf of the Saudis, who threatened to
impose sanctions on the
The UN and the Western democracies are putting the defense
of human rights and freedom in the hands of one the world's worst violators of
religious and intellectual freedom.
Sharia courts are already fully operating in the
Who will rescue our right to speak?
"My husband has been languishing in a Saudi prison since June 17th, 2012.
Our children live with me in the city of
Unfortunately, the UN members did not respond to this appeal by Ensaf Haidar, the fearless wife
of the most famous blogger of the Arab world, the gentle Raif
Badawi, imprisoned and flogged by the Saudis for his
secular ideas. A few days after Ensaf's appeal, the
United Nations welcomed Badawi's executioners, the
Saudis, at the UN Human Rights Council. The Saudi representative, Abdulaziz Alwasil, will be
decisive on three major issues at the UN Palace of Nations in
What a great achievement for
The British government supported the Saudi bid to be re-elected at the Human
Rights Council (British Prime Minister Theresa May was urged in vain to oppose
the Saudi election to the
Hillel Neuer, the director of UN Watch, captured the
difference between realpolitik and the betrayal of
Western values when he said: "Making an alliance with Stalin to stop
Hitler is one thing; it's quite another to say Stalin is a champion of human
rights".
A few days after the Saudi bid at the UN Human Rights Council, the Kingdom and
the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights held a two-day workshop
in the Saudi capital to discuss the "evolution of the concept of human
rights in the framework of international and regional human rights
systems". Evolution of the concept human rights?
Ask Raif Badawi, he knows
better than the UN bureaucrats.
Raif Badawi and his children, before he was jailed.
The Saudis use these international seats to advance their oppressive agenda,
and to press the Western democracies to punish criticism of Islam. The Saudis,
in fact, considered curbing trade with the
Through this shameful trial, the Dutch authorities sent a message of surrender
to the Saudis and other rogue Islamic regimes which punish dissent. Did the
Dutch prosecute Wilders on behalf of the Saudis, who threatened to impose
sanctions on the
The Saudis, through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have been
pivotal in advancing the non-binding U.N. Resolution 62/154, "Combating
defamation of religions", which extends protection to opinions and to
ideas, and grants people immunity from being "offended". This is
exactly what happened with Wilders: he was on trial for stating his opinion,
that there should be "fewer Moroccans" in the
"We also have sh*t Moroccans over here."
Rob Oudkerk, Dutch Labour Party (PvDA)
politician.
"We must humiliate Moroccans." Hans Spekman,
PvDA politician.
"Moroccans have the ethnic monopoly on trouble-making." Diederik Samsom, PvDA politician.
The United Nations and the Western democracies are putting the defense of human rights and freedom in the hands of one the
world's worst violators of religious and intellectual freedom.
While the medieval Saudi system of justice was flogging the gentle blogger Raif Badawi 50 out of 1000
lashes, a delegation of UN bureaucrats landed in Jeddah to promote an
international conference on religious freedom. No, it is not a joke. Joachim Rücker, President of the UN Human Rights Council, was
photographed smiling side by side with the Wahhabi
Islamic guardians. The Obama Administration sent two envoys to the Saudi
conference, the ambassador for religious freedom, David Saperstein, and Arsalan Suleman, an envoy at the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Also attending was Heiner
Bielefeldt, the UN special envoy for religious
freedom, a noted scholar of Immanuel Kant (how did the Enlightenment collapse
so far, so fast?).
Women, Christians, secular bloggers, Western "blasphemers", brave
Dutch MPs: be warned! The muttawayyin, the Saudi
religious police patrolling the Kingdom's streets to ensure respect for the
Koran, are already in
But who will rescue our right to speak?
**Giulio Meotti, Cultural
Editor for Il Foglio, is an Italian journalist and
author.
© 2016 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.
Has the United Nations perished in
Yossi Mekelberg/Al Arabiya/December 23/16
On the ruins of the cataclysmic events of the Second
World War, world leaders swore to rebuild a new and a better world in which the
horrors of the past and the victimization of the innocent would never occur
again. Forming the United Nations was a vital pillar of this new order.
In its charter, the newly formed international organization set out to maintain
global peace and security through effective collective measures for the
prevention and elimination of mass violence caused by war and conflict. It
promised to eradicate acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace through
conformity with the principles of justice and international law.
To make good on these promises the Security Council was entrusted with ensuring
prompt and effective action by the nascent organization in defending human
rights in cases such as the one that has unfolded in
Tragically these promises and hopes were dashed by a sad reality. Not for the
first time innocent people, women and men, young and old, were betrayed by the
international community and its supposed arm of protection for those in
desperate need, the Security Council.
It is hard not to agree whole heartedly with Ban ki-Moon,
who poignantly stated in his last press conference as the UN Secretary-General
last week that “the carnage in
No one will contest either assertion, but it is the organization he led for
nearly a decade that failed the people of
For countless years UN member states have discussed the desperate need to
reform the United Nations so it can reflect both the international political
landscape of the 21st century and the challenges it faces, but to no avail.
It leaves the United Nations appearing as no more than a very thin veneer,
beneath which hides the same old international system ruled by military power
and brutality as its main currency
Body of inaction
It does not take a genius to recognize that the Security Council became a body
of inaction and paralysis. The United Nations should have been a much improved
version of its predecessor the
Considering this, the UN may seem to be an upgraded version in terms of
collective security, but probably really only by a small margin. Wars have been
a constant fixture in world affairs since 1945, genocide and widespread war
crimes and crimes against humanity continued uncontained, and in many cases,
without the culprits facing international courts.
Ban ki-Moon’s admission of failure echoes what his
predecessor Kofi Annan expressed about
Consequently, systematic mass executions of thousands of civilian men and boys,
rape and other forms of abuse of civilians took place. Preventing, or at least
containing these horrors was the basis for the formation of the United Nations,
and that is where it fails time and again.
Witnessing the recurrence of these mass abuses of human rights in
Moreover, in the world of instant communication carnage and massacres are
transmitted straight to all of us as they happen, not only from
A thin veneer
These actions are carried out by governments that are
members of the UN –
Samantha Power,
No country with any trace of decency would have been involved in the killing of
more than 400,000 people, made millions of people refugees or displaced and
committed all the other well documented atrocities. However, it is also her
country, among other Western countries, that opted to stay away from active
involvement in protecting the Syrian people from their President Assad and his
unscrupulous henchmen at home and abroad. Is this not shameful too?
It left the United Nations as a toothless talking shop in which lip service is
widely paid to the supremacy of international law and human rights, while
reality outside the building on the East River in
In
What will Obama do about Russian hacking?
Nothing
Dr. Azeem Ibrahim/Al Arabiya/December
23/16
So what will Obama do about reports of alleged Russian hacking attempts to
interfere in the US elections? In short, the most likely answer is that he will
do nothing.
Of course, interference with the
This “measured approach” has been Obama’s hallmark modus operandi in foreign
affairs. And indeed, it was just the approach he promised he would take while
he was campaigning for office. After the years of misguided military
adventurism under President Bush, the American people welcomed this kind of
approach enthusiastically.
It is sad to say, however, that this approach has been as much a failure as the
‘bull in the china shop’ approach of Bush. In the early years, the new language
from the Leader of the Free World was welcomed everywhere. The promised reset
of policy in the
But vision is not enough. In the brutal and chaotic world of geopolitical
struggles, one must be willing to put force behind one’s vision. Even, as it
turns out, when that vision is a deeply humanitarian one whose primary aim is
long term stability and peace.
The red line
This truth was ultimately revealed during the early days of the Syrian civil
war. The single-most notable error that Obama made during his entire
administration was to draw a red line over the use of chemical weapons against
civilians by Assad, and then to fail to intervene to enforce that red line when
the regime finally crossed it.
An American President had promised war over a humanitarian crisis where most of
the rest of the world would have agreed intervention was needed, and then he
failed to deliver. For the first time perhaps since WW2,
This, combined with Obama’s ever-consuming concern about being drawn into the
conflicts which undermined his predecessors, gave
Would it be worth to retaliate against an issue such as hacking at this point?
By now it would be too little too late for Obama. It would be the strop of
someone who knows has lost. A man of vision, ambition and
intelligence yes.
But also a man who, for all his conviction that he is “on the
right side of history”, has been repudiated by world events, and repudiated by
American democracy. The incoming President is the opposite of everything
he has stood for.
Nevertheless, a retaliation is necessary.
Telling Putin to “cut it out” won’t do anything. Forcing
Putin to back down will. Shame that
Saudi Budget 2017: Shrinking deficit,
raising expenditure
Dr. Naser al-Tamimi/Al Arabiya/December 23/16
Saudi Arabia has announced today its general budget for the fiscal year 2017
that shows its gross domestic product (GDP) growth has risen by 1.4 percent to
2581 billion Saudi Riyals (SAR) or over $ 688 bn in
2016.
The budget also indicates that this year’s deficit was lower than originally
expected, at about 297 billion riyals ($79.2 bn), or
11.5 percent of GDP, compared with over 15 percent of the GDP in 2015.
This situation would give
Higher spending and revenues
According to the figure released by Saudi Ministry of Finance, total revenues
are expected to reach SAR 528 billion in 2016, 2.7 percent more than SAR 514
billion ($137.0 billion) projected at the beginning of the year. While spending
for 2016, after excluding expenses related to previous years, is expected to
reach SAR 825 billion ($220 billion), a 1.8 percent decrease compared to SAR
840 billion ($224 billion) projected at the start of the year, and 15.6 percent
less than last year’s expenditure of SAR 978 billion ($260.7 billion).
However, total expenditure expected by the end of the current fiscal year,
including late due payments for the previous years is SAR 930 billion ($248
billion).
The budget expenditure for 2017 is estimated at SAR 890 billion ($237 billion),
an 8 percent increase over the projected 2016 expenditure of SAR 825 billion.
The 2017 Budget includes additional funding for NTP initiatives, estimated at
SAR 42 billion, in addition to the projects which have already been funded
through surpluses of previous fiscal years and a funding package to stimulate
and promote growth of the private sector.
Total revenues are expected to reach SAR 692 billion ($ 184 billion) in 2017, a
31 percent increase compared to initial projections this year.
This situation would give
Shrinking deficit, rising debts
The Saudi government announced that due to the implementation of measures to
reduce spending, expenditure was lower than initially projected, and as result,
the 2016 deficit will decrease to an estimated SAR 297 billion ($79.2 billion)
or 11.5 percent of GDP, significantly lower than its highest level in 2015 at
SAR 366 billion and is slightly less than the deficit predicted by the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) for this year around $83 bn
or 13 per cent of the Kingdom’s GDP.
The fiscal deficit for this year is substantially less than the one recorded in
2015 which was ballooned to a record despite a sizable reduction in the
government expenditures. As per official statistics, the Kingdom’s fiscal
deficit hit 367 billion riyals ($97.7 billion), equivalent to 15 percent of GDP
in 2015. While, the IMF data suggest that the fiscal deficit of the Kingdom
climbed to about $103 billion, or 15.9 percent of GDP in 2015 from 3.4 percent
of GDP in 2014.
Although Saudi deficit is still substantial and is the highest in the
As per the Saudi government, the deficit will be partially financed by issuing
new debt instruments (in line with the national debt strategy), in addition to
drawing from reserves. The total national debt for the fiscal year (2016) was
approximately SAR 316.5 billion ($84.4 billion), which is 12.3 percent of the
projected GDP in fixed prices for 2016.
The total expenditure to service the national debt during the current fiscal
year is expected to be SAR 5.4 billion ($1.44 billion), while the cost of
servicing the national debt for the coming fiscal year 2017 is expected to be
SAR 9.3 billion ($2.48 billion).
Trends going forward
Against this backdrop, three negative trends will
continue to overshadow the Saudi general budget in the coming years. First, the
military expenditure continues to occupies a large
share, or about a quarter of the budget in 2016, although the government
expects the ratio to fall back to around 21 percent of the total budget in
2017. Second, the inflation, the General Cost of Living Index, a key indicator
of the overall level of prices, has shown an increase of 3.4 percent in 2016
from the base year of 2007 and compared to 2015.
Higher energy and water prices led to a sharp increase in inflation in recent
months to over 4 percent. Finally,
Importantly, the IMF has also identified key risks to
This could also have a bearing on speed and commitment of reform implementation
and possible escalation of regional tensions or domestic security concerns.
Two Bullies, Putin and Erdoğan,
Try Friendship
Daniel Pipes/Australian/December 23/16
http://www.danielpipes.org/17135/two-bullies-putin-and-erdogan-try-friendship
[N.B.: Australian's title: "Erdogan cosies
up to Putin as
The assassination on Dec. 19 in
Turks and Russians have a long and complex history that starts with the
Ottoman conquest of
One depiction of the siege of
Generally, Russians have enjoyed the whip hand. They won most wars,
occupied most land, and came away with better terms in treaties. Turks long ago
realized their need of Western support to fend off
Fear of
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan may not like NATO but he needs it.
These centuries-old patterns remained mostly in place until the strongman
Islamist president of
Erdoğan eventually realized his mistake
and in June 2016, he swallowed his engorged pride, apologized to Putin, humbly
visited him in
Then, this past Monday, came the assassination of the Russian ambassador
at an art exhibit, of all places, made the more horrifying and vivid by a
high-resolution video of the violence. The murderer, Mevlüt
Mert Altıntaş,
22, made explicit his outlook and purpose by shouting before his own death by
gunfire, "We are the ones who obey the call of jihad! Allahu
Akbar! Don't forget
The murder of Ambassador Karlow was the more
stinging because it took place on camera.
As is their wont, the Turkish authorities rushed to pronounce Altıntaş an agent of one mortal domestic enemy,
the Hizmet movement of Fethullah
Gülen. Once close allies, Gülen
and Erdoğan murderously fell out in a tiff over
power in 2011. Since then, Erdoğan has been
trying to crush Gülen and his millions of adepts by
blaming every problem on them. Pinning Altıntaş
on Gülen both fit that hackneyed narrative and signaled
Indeed, in an ironic contrast to Altıntaş'
presumed wishes, his act of violence brought the two strongmen closer together;
a Chicago Tribune analysis finds "Russia reaping political benefits by
arguing that it has paid a high price for fighting terrorism as Turkey,
embarrassed by its security breaches, increasingly coordinates with Russia in neighboring Syria."
That said, relations between the two states remain fraught with tensions:
Historic enemies remember grudges. Bullies cannot form a stable relationship.
Opponents in
Karlov's murder highlights how, as Turks
increasingly self-isolate and go rogue, this country of 75 million becomes a
leading source of instability. While still a member of NATO, Erdoğan's
**Mr. Pipes (DanielPipes.org, [twitter.com/danielpipes]@DanielPipes) is president of the Middle East Forum. © 2016 by Daniel Pipes. All rights reserved.
While The Administration Slept, Others
Plotted
By: Alberto M. Fernandez/MEMRI/December 23/16
Asked recently about the absence of the United States from talks by Russia,
Turkey and Iran on the future of Syria, the State Department spokesman
dismissed its importance, saying: "The Secretary is perfectly fine not
being in the room" if the result is "a cessation of hostilities that
can actually matter over a period of time."
The spokesman's words sought to put the best spin possible in what was a
singular event, part of a larger global trend, which is the marginalization of
American influence in the region and the aggressive attempt by other powers to
curtail the Americans further and expand their own spheres of influence. The
spokesman's words also glossed over a greater truth – that
these talks are about more than recent events in
This is not to minimize the importance of the taking of
But all three powers bring many more equities and issues
to the table beyond the fall of one city, no matter how storied or famous or
how great the human tragedy of tens of thousands of Syrians.
For
In Syria (and at least politically in Iraq), Turkey is burnishing its
credentials as the protector of Sunni Muslims, a role which has given it a
regional and even international dimension as far as Africa and Central Asia,
while it pursues a punitive campaign against its domestic enemies. Engagement
with
So
Despite the State Department's words, we will never know what the Obama
administration truly thinks about this latest development. Given its hubris, it
is entirely possible that senior officials would view it as a vindication of
years of Obama policy that sought to disengage from the region's conflicts and
discounted concerns of
Others might say that it is the latest in a long line of fateful steps over the
past decade by this administration to unmoor
*Alberto M. Fernandez is Vice-President of MEMRI.
Israel accuses Obama of anti-Israeli
'shameful move' at UN
Elior Levy and Roi Kais/ Ynetnews/ 23.12.16
Israeli officials are fuming at President Obama over accusations that he
colluded with Palestinians behind Israel's back at the UN to not veto a
Security Council resolution seen as anti-Israel and an 'abandonment of Israel.'
An Israeli official on Friday accused President Barack Obama of colluding with
the Palestinians in a "shameful move against
"President Obama and Secretary Kerry are behind this shameful move against
In the Palestinians' first remarks since
During a meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the UN, Al-Malki
said Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour
demanded a draft resolution be brought to a vote on the original date set.
According to Al-Malki, the Egyptian ambassador
insisted that the decision is in the hands of the Arab Quartet, who are set to
meet Friday at an undetermined time.
"
According to a senior Israeli official, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
turned to President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team to help head off
a critical UN resolution after learning that the White House did not intend to
veto the measure.
The Egyptian-sponsored resolution had demanded that
But under heavy Israeli pressure,
"After becoming aware that the administration would not veto the
anti-Israel resolution, Israeli officials reached out to Trump's transition
team to ask for the president-elect's help to avert the resolution," the
Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was
discussing behind-the-scenes diplomatic activity.
Additionally, the official added that
On Friday,
Egyptian presidential spokesman Alaa Yousef said, "During the conversation, they discussed
regional issues and developments in the
The proposed resolution would have been more than symbolic. While it did not
call for imposing sanctions on
It remained unclear Friday whether the measure would come up for a vote in the
council before Obama leaves office.
A senior Palestinian official, speaking anonymously according to protocol, said
attempts are still underway to bring the resolution to vote. He said after
In a Christmas greeting on Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas said: "Despite the Israeli occupation, our
presence in our homeland and the preservation of our cultural and national
heritage are the most important form of resistance in the face of the darkness
of a foreign colonialist occupying power."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement Thursday in which he asked
the
Is the Russian
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/December
23/16
Earlier this month, as Russians marked the 25th anniversary of the fall of the
Soviet Empire, there was much talk of an end to what many in Moscow claim was a
“parenthesis” that is now closing.
In other words, in 1992
More importantly, perhaps, Russia’s new status has been acknowledged if not
openly endorsed by the Obama administration with the Secretary of State John
Kerry musing about “our Russian partners” on a range of issues from the fake
nuclear deal with Iran to the tragedy in Syria.As far
as the “Phoenix is back” tune makes some Russians feel better, no harm is done.
After all, nations, like individual human beings, need a bit of fantasy to add
spice to life. However, there is a danger that taking that kind of talk too
seriously could feed the monster of hubris with potentially disastrous
consequences not only for
A more sober assessment of
The French statesman Talleyrand put it this way: “
In territorial size, the
Defeating the infant Georgian army wasn’t too difficult. And carpet-bombing
civilians in
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates for this year,
Russia has the world’s 17th largest economy with a gross domestic product (GDP)
estimated at $1.267 trillion, a significant fall since its peak of $2.2
trillion in 2013 when oil prices were almost twice higher. Thus, one theory is
that Putin is projecting power in easy places to divert attention from his
regime’s domestic woes. One indication of that was the big noise
Putin’s behavior may lead to a change of public
opinion in NATO countries, and, perhaps even
Last time something like that happened was in the
Another flaw in Putin’s imperial plan is
While
Putin’s dream empire has yet another flaw. Few outsiders, apart from Edward
Snowden, would like to settle in