LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
November 18/16
Compiled
& Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
The
Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
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Bible Quotations For Today
Very truly, I tell
you, whoever keeps my word will never see death
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 08/51-55/:"Very truly,
I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’The
Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did
the prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste
death." Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets
also died. Who do you claim to be?’Jesus answered,
‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he
of whom you say, "He is our God", though you do not know him. But I
know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you.
But I do know him and I keep his word."
There is no one who is righteous, not even
one; there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God
Letter to the Romans 03/01-12/:"What advantage has the Jew? Or what is the
value of circumcision? Much, in every way. For in the
first place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were
unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no
means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written,
‘So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging.’ But
if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That
God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means!
For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God’s
truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), ‘Let us do
evil so that good may come’? Their condemnation is deserved! What then? Are we
any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews
and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: ‘There is no one who
is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding,there is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one
who shows kindness, there is not even one."
Titles For
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources
published on November 17-18/16
Aoun, Rai
spar with Berri, Qabalan/Joseph
Haboush| The Daily Star/November 17/16
After Liberation From ISIS, Iraq's Yazidis Dream Of
Returning Home/Reuters 17 November 2016
What does the arrival of Trump mean for us/ Khaled M.
Batarfi/Al Arabiya/November
17/16
Europe: Let's End Free Speech/Are European Countries Now Police States/ Judith
Bergman/Gatestone Institute/November 17/16
Israel Puts the Spike Missile on its Apache Helicopters/ Stephen Bryen and Shoshana Bryen//Gatestone Institute/November 17/16
Trump and the Middle East: Challenges to Regaining US Supremacy/ Riad Kahwaji/ November 17/16
Trump Wins With Five “Nos”/Amir Taheri/Asharq
Al Awsat/November 17/16
Hillary Clinton – the Ideal Choice in Normal Circumstances/Eyad
Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/November
17/16
Time to Save the World, Mr. Trump/Narayana Kocherlakota/Bloomberg/November 17/16
Responses In Iran To Trump's Presidential Win/A. Savyon,
E. Kharrazi, and U. Kafash*/MEMRI/November
17/16
Titles For Latest Lebanese
Related News published on on November 17-18/16
Hizbullah Bloc Urges 'Broad Govt.', Electoral
Law 'Fully Based on Proportional Representation'
Gemayel Vows Support for Aoun,
Urges Him to Seek 'New Lebanon'
Change and Reform Says 'No Need for Rush' in Cabinet Formation Process
Berri, Aoun Trade
'Indirect' Criticisms
Man Accused of Spying for Israel Referred to Judiciary
Mental Exam Sought for U.S. Man Charged with Killing Lebanese Neighbor
Rifi Urges Parliamentary By-elections in Tripoli, Keserwan
Zahra: Cabinet Line-Up Leaked to Media True, Near Final
Special Coordinator for Lebanon Awarded the Carnegie Wateler
Peace Prize
Top Cellphone Dealer, Security Personnel Referred to
Military Magistrate
Aoun, Rai spar with Berri, Qabalan
Aoun Receives Official Invitation to Visit Egypt
Lebanon’s Cabinet Formation Soon as PM-Designate Seeks to Resolve LF Obstacle
Loyalty to Resistance after bloc meeting: For echoing partnership through
enlarging representation in government
Army: Enemy engineering vehicle violates Blue Line off Aitaroun
Labour Syndicates Union stages sit in near NSSF in Cola
Titles For Latest LCCC
Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on on
November 17-18/16
U.N. to Vote on Extending Syria Gas Attacks Probe
HRW Accuses Yemen Rebels of Torture, Arbitrary Detention
Yemen Clashes Rage despite U.S. Call for Truce
Baghdad, Kurds at Odds over Post-Mosul Division of Territory
U.S. Intelligence Chief Clapper Resigns
Canada in Reversal Funds U.N. Assistance for Palestinians
Settlers Urge Israel to Return Body of Palestinian Youth
U.S. House reauthorizes Iran sanctions bill, sets Syria sanctions - report
Political Prisoner Writes Revealing Letter to UN Special Rapporteur
Repeated violations of Security Council Resolution 2231 with launching missiles
and export of weapons to Syria upon Khamenei's order
Iran: People Beaten by Police, While Trying to Prevent Their Houses From Being
Destroyed
MARYAM RAJAVI'S MESSAGE TO A MEETING AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT
Two Assyrians Among Trump's Advisors for the Middle East
Trump considering Romney for secretary of State: report
Latest Lebanese Related News
published on November 17-18/16
Hizbullah Bloc Urges 'Broad Govt.', Electoral Law
'Fully Based on Proportional Representation'
Naharnet/November 17/16/Hizbullah's
parliamentary bloc on Thursday urged forming a “broad government” that
comprises the biggest number of political parties, while reiterating its call
for approving an electoral law fully based on the proportional representation
system. “The bloc expresses its hope that the political forces will put their
keenness on partnership into effect through enlarging the government,” the
Loyalty to Resistance bloc said in a statement issued after its periodic
meeting. Recent media reports have said that President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad
Hariri want to form a 24-member Cabinet rather than one comprised of 30 members
in order to “boost productivity” and rein in the demands of the political
parties. Separately, Loyalty to Resistance called for passing an electoral law
for parliamentary polls that would be “fully based on proportional representation.”The law should also turn
The 2009 polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and
the next elections are scheduled for May 2017.
Gemayel Vows Support for Aoun,
Urges Him to Seek 'New Lebanon'
Naharnet/November 17/16/Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel pledged Thursday to support President Michel Aoun in the beginning of his presidential tenure while
urging him to “improve the political system.”“We will
not bargain on our principles, neither for the presidential election nor for a
ministerial seat or a parliamentary vote,” Gemayel
said in an interview on LBCI television, explaining why Kataeb
did not vote for Aoun in the presidential election.
He reiterated that “what happened in the presidential elections gave Hizbullah the power to choose the president now and in the future.”“All parties considered that they won after the
presidential vote and we're the only group in
Change and Reform Says 'No Need for Rush'
in Cabinet Formation Process
Naharnet/November 17/16/The Change and Reform
parliamentary bloc announced Thursday that “there is no need for rush” in the
cabinet formation process, despite a flurry of upbeat media reports about the
possibility of forming the new government before Independence Day. “We want a
government within a reasonable timeframe but there is no need for rush. We only
want the presidential tenure to begin in a good way,” MP Ibrahim Kanaan said after the bloc's weekly meeting in Rabieh. “Who can obstruct the beginning of the new
presidential tenure after all what we went through and against the hopes of the
Lebanese who are looking forward to this beginning?” Kanaan
asked. “We are still within a very reasonable timeframe and the cabinet
formation process is moving forward positively although more work is needed,”
the lawmaker added. He also stressed that “there is no veto on anyone” and
media reports claiming otherwise are “baseless.”“We
were behind the idea of forming a national unity government,” Kanaan pointed out.
Berri, Aoun Trade 'Indirect'
Criticisms
Naharnet/November 17/16/Speaker Nabih
Berri and President Michel Aoun
traded indirect criticisms on Thursday where each held the other responsible
for weakening the state institutions. “It is true that extending the parliament
term has harmed the state institutions, but obstructing the election of a
president was even worse,” Berri replied to Aoun. Aoun who spoke from Bkirki during a visit to Patriarch Beshara
al-Rahi said: “The extension of the parliament term
has harmed the state institutions,” in reference to the 2014 decision of
lawmakers to extend the mandate of the parliament until June 2017 which Aoun's Change and Reform bloc has rejected. For his part, Berri was referring to the presidential vacuum that lasted
for over two and a half years because of the Free Patriotic Movement's boycott
of parliamentary sessions to elect a President. Aoun
is the founder of the Free Patriotic Movement.
Man Accused of Spying for
Naharnet/November 17/16/A Lebanese man was referred
to the judiciary on Thursday on charges of spying for
Mental Exam Sought for
Associated Press/Naharnet/November
17/16/A Nov. 30 hearing is set for a
Rifi Urges Parliamentary By-elections in Tripoli, Keserwan
Naharnet/November 17/16/Caretaker Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi on Thursday called
for holding parliamentary by-elections to fill the two vacant seats of the
Zahra: Cabinet Line-Up Leaked to Media
True, Near Final
Naharnet/November 17/16/Lebanese Forces MP Antoine
Zahra stated on Thursday that the government formation process is almost
complete and the line-up that was leaked to media outlets is near final. “The
leaked government line-up that was circulated in media outlets is true and
almost final,” Zahra told LBCI. “The only obstacle in the wrangling over
portfolios is the representation of the Marada
Movement in the new cabinet because the two Shiite parties insist that it be
represented through a key portfolio,” added Zahra.
Reports say that Marada wants to get either of three
portfolios-public works or energy or telecommunications. Media reports said
that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has
submitted a draft line-up to President Michel Aoun
during a meeting Wednesday at the
The following is the draft line-up as reported by MTV:
- Shiites: Ali Hassan Khalil (Finance, AMAL
Movement), Yassine Jaber
(Public Works or Economy, AMAL), Ali Abdullah (Public Works or Economy, AMAL),
Ali Fayyad (Industry or Agriculture, Hizbullah) and a
fifth minister who would be loyal to the president.
- Maronites: Jebran Bassil (Foreign Affairs, Free Patriotic Movement), Bassam Yammine (Energy, Marada Movement), Ghattas Khoury (Culture, Mustaqbal
Movement), Salim al-Sayegh
(Education, Kataeb Party) and Pierre Raffoul (Labor, FPM).
- Sunnis: Saad Hariri (PM), Jamal al-Jarrah (Telecommunications, Mustaqbal),
Nouhad al-Mashnouq
(Interior, Mustaqbal), Mohammed Kabbara
(Social Affairs or Environment, Mustaqbal), Moein al-Merehbi (Social Affairs or
Environment, Mustaqbal).
- Greek Orthodox: Elias Bou Saab (Defense,
FPM), Ibrahim Najjar (Justice, Lebanese Forces) and Ghassan Hasbani (Deputy PM, LF).
- Greek Catholic: Michel Pharaon (Tourism, LF) and Melhem Riachi (Information, LF).
- Druze: Marwan Hamadeh
(Health, Democratic Gathering) and Lebanese Democratic Party chief MP Talal Arslan for a portfolio that
is yet to be allocated.
Armenians: Hagop Pakradounian
(Tashnag Party) for a portfolio that is yet to be
allocated and Jean Oghassabian (Administrative
Development, Mustaqbal).
The political forces are pushing for forming the new Cabinet before
Independence Day, which
According to media reports, a settlement has been reached under which the
Lebanese Forces will be given the deputy premier post instead of a so-called
sovereign portfolio.
Special Coordinator for
Naharnet/November 17/16/The UN Special Coordinator
for Lebano Sigrid Kaag, was
awarded the Carnegie Wateler Peace Prize on 16
November 2016. The
prize, presented to Kaag in the
Top Cellphone
Dealer, Security Personnel Referred to Military Magistrate
Naharnet/November 17/16/Financial General Prosecutor
Judge Ali Ibrahim referred detainee and top cellphone
dealer Kamel Amhaz and two
airport security personnel to First Military Investigative Judge Riad Abou Ghaida,
LBCI reported on Thursday. LBCI said that Judge Ibrahim referred the detainees
to the Military Magistrate because of the involvement of military personnel in
the case. Amhaz and two accomplices, Issam Amhaz and Abdullah, were
arrested Tuesday on charges of smuggling phones into the country.Reports
have said that Amhaz was arrested following the
detention of a number of airport security personnel on charges of turning a
blind eye to suitcases containing smuggled cellphones
in return for bribes. The U.S. Treasury Department had in July 2014 slapped
sanctions on Kamel and Issam
Amhaz and their Beirut-based Stars Group Holding for
electronics on charges of “procuring sophisticated military equipment for Hizbullah.” According to the U.S. Treasury, Stars Group
Holding is based in
Aoun, Rai spar with Berri, Qabalan
Joseph Haboush| The Daily
Star/November 17/16
Aoun’s comments drew a swift response from Berri. “Of course the extension was bad and state institutions
became weak as the president said, but hindering the election of a head of
state was far worse for the institutions, including the Parliament,” the
speaker said in a statement issued by his media office. Aoun
and allies had boycotted presidential elections for nearly two and half years
before Aoun secured victory and was elected Oct. 31.
Meanwhile, Rai called on Aoun
to assume his role in working with Prime Minister-designate Saad
Hariri to form a Cabinet, which would equally distribute responsibilities among
all parties.
“It is unacceptable to [demand] a ‘package of conditions’ and [for parties] to
cling on to [portfolios] by using a veto,” Rai said,
apparently referring to Berri’s insistence on keeping
the Finance Ministry.
Responding to Rai, vice president of the Higher
Islamic Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan
refuted the apparent jab against Berri’s insistence
that the ministry remains with the Shiite community. Qabalan
fired back at Rai saying, “The Shiite Muslims were
and always will be the keenest for a just and equally representative state.”
Qabalan added that Shiites, historically, were
deprived and disadvantaged “even in defending their own lands.”
“We refute these words that we heard today because we demand something that is
a true representation in empowerment,” Qabalan said
in response to Rai adding, “Yes, it is a right of
ours and in the case of the abolishment of sectarianism, we will be the first
to support it.”
Aoun, accompanied by his son-in-law and caretaker
Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil,
was welcomed at the seat of the
Following a prayer service held in Aoun’s honor, Rai congratulated the
president while praising him for making his first official visit to Bkirki as has been a customary move by former presidents.
He added that after two years and five months without a president, Aoun’s election unified Lebanese political parties and
parliamentary blocks, overcoming previous divisions. “It is now imperative for
you to continue the positive beginning of your term to assure a balanced
participation between all in the administration,” Rai
said to Aoun.
Aoun was told by Rai that
now was his chance to fully implement the Taif Accord
by agreeing on a new electoral law that ensures the representation of all
Lebanese and is capable of holding those in power responsible. “The president
of the republic and the Maronite Patriarchate work
together in unison to preserve
Rai called on all Lebanese to live by the words of
“I am a Maronite patriarch ... I am the patriarch of
The first patriarch was in charge of the
Rai also quoted another former Lebanese patriarch to
stress that Bkirki was for all Lebanese, not just one
sect. “This patriarchate is not for the Maronite sect
only, it is a house for all Lebanese. [It] has always
stood for the Lebanese cause without differentiating between one sect and
another,” Rai said.
Aoun echoed Rai in
stressing the need for
“While Christians in the Middle East face potentially the most difficult times
today ... we, in
Aoun Receives Official Invitation to Visit
Asharq Al-Awsat/November
17/16/
Lebanon’s Cabinet Formation Soon as
PM-Designate Seeks to Resolve LF Obstacle
Caroline Akoum/Asharq Al Awsat/November
17/16/Beirut-The obstacles facing the formation of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri’s new government are being removed one step at
a time after conditions placed by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat have been likely met.Jumblat and the head of the Lebanese Democratic Party, Talal Arslan, voiced their anger
on Wednesday after reports said that the Druze sect would be granted the social
affairs ministry instead of the health portfolio, in addition to the economy
ministry. The two Druze officials said so-called sovereign portfolios should
not be monopolized by any party. In a series of tweets, Jumblat
warned against attempts to marginalize the Druze and insisted on retaining the
health ministry, which is currently held by a member of his party caretaker
Health Minister Wael Abou Faour. “Every group is taking what it wants by force and
it’s forbidden to even hint at seeking a sovereign ministry, which is the
property of senior leaders,” the PSP chief said in one Tweet. PSP official Zafer Nasser told Asharq Al-Awsat that Jumblat needed to
raise his objections over the “heresy” of sovereign portfolios. “We are not
making crippling demands,” he said. While the “Druze obstacle” has been
removed, there remains the condition placed by the Lebanese Forces to get a
sovereign portfolio amid a Hezbollah veto. Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the LF does
not aim at holding onto a certain ministry portfolio. “It wants to have
an effective participation in decision-making through a certain ministry,” they
said. The sources ruled out the non-participation of the LF in the cabinet.LF official Wehbe Qatisha also told Asharq Al-Awsat that proposals for the LF to give up its demand for a
sovereign portfolio in return for two essential ministries and the post of the
deputy Speaker were not applicable. The LF has so far not given up on its right
to lead a sovereign portfolio, he said. Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih
Berri remained optimistic that the new government
would be formed soon. He said there was a shared desire by parliamentary blocs
to form a cabinet as soon as possible. Hariri presented President Michel Aoun a draft cabinet lineup
Wednesday night. This was a sign that the new government would be formed soon.
Loyalty to Resistance after bloc meeting:
For echoing partnership through enlarging representation in government
Thu 17 Nov 2016/NNA - "Loyalty to Resistance" bloc beseeched all
weighty political forces to exhibit their commitment to partnership through
enlarging the base of representation in government. The Bloc's fresh stance
came on Thursday in the wake of its regular meeting at its Haret
Hreik headquarters, presided over by MP Mohammed Raad. Loyalty and Resistance bloc called for speeding up
the formation of a national unity government and the inclusion of the various
political forces to echo the spirit of partnership amongst the Lebanese,
notably at the onset of the new presidential mandate. The bloc also called for
the endorsement of a new electoral law which would secure proper and just
representation, in a way that reinforces national integration amongst the
Lebanese. The Bloc renewed its stance calling for the adoption of "full
proportionality" election law on the basis of a single department district
or enlarged ones. The bloc expressed pride in "the national achievements
of the resistance for
Army: Enemy engineering vehicle
violates Blue Line off Aitaroun
Thu 17 Nov 2016/NNA - An Israeli enemy engineering vehicle violated on
Wednesday between 9.30 am and 16.30 pm the Blue Line off the town of
Labour Syndicates Union stages sit in near
NSSF in Cola
Thu 17 Nov 2016/NNA - The National Union of Labour and Workers'
Syndicates in Lebanon staged a sit-in near National Social Security Fund's
quarters in Cola, NNA reporter said on Thursday.
Lebanese Army: Lebanese accused of
collaboration with enemy bought to court
Thu 17 Nov 2016/NNA - "The Lebanese Souheil
Hussein Kaddoura, accused of collaboration with the
Israeli enemy, has been brought before justice," the Army said in a
statement on Thursday. "Kaddoura is accused of
transmitting information about Lebanese infrastructure, especially in Bekaa," the statement said.
Latest LCCC Bulletin For
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 17-18/16
U.N. to Vote on Extending
Syria Gas Attacks Probe
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
17/16/The U.N. Security Council will vote Thursday on extending for another
year the mandate of a panel tasked with investigating chemical attacks in Syria
and identifying those responsible, diplomats said. Following negotiations with
Despite calls by
No sanctions
Calls from
HRW Accuses Yemen Rebels of Torture,
Arbitrary Detention
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
17/16/Human Rights Watch accused Yemeni rebels on Thursday of arbitrarily
detaining, torturing and forcibly disappearing opponents since they overran the
capital in September 2014. The group said it had documented two deaths in
custody and 11 cases of alleged torture, one of of a
child. It said they were among hundreds of reported cases of arbitrary
detention by the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies
-- renegade troops loyal to ousted strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The rebels are battling government forces who are
backed by a Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in March 2015 when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into exile. "The authorities (in Sanaa) should free those wrongfully held immediately, end
detention without access to lawyers or family members, and prosecute officials
responsible for mistreatment," HRW said. "The conflict with the Saudi
Arabia-led coalition provides no justification for torture and ‘disappearance’
of perceived opponents," it added. The United Nations says more than 7,000
people have been killed and nearly 37,000 wounded since the coalition
intervention started. Millions more are in desperate need of aid.
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
17/16/Clashes raged in
Baghdad, Kurds at Odds over Post-Mosul
Division of Territory
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
17/16/Iraq's premier and its Kurdish regional chief were publicly at odds
Thursday over territorial control after the recapture of Mosul, even with the
battle for the city far from over. The war against the Islamic State (IS) group
to recapture Mosul, the jihadists' last main stronghold in Iraq, has seen the
autonomous Kurdistan region gain or solidify control over swathes of disputed
territory in northern Iraq. A long-running territorial row between Kurdistan
and
U.S. Intelligence Chief Clapper Resigns
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
17/16/U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Thursday that
he had submitted his resignation, stepping down as President-elect Donald Trump
begins to assemble his new administration. Clapper, whose job is to coordinate
the work of 17 disparate agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency and the
National Security Agency, said resigning "felt pretty good" after six
years in the job.In a Congressional hearing he made
clear he was not available to stay on in the job after Trump takes office on
January 20."I submitted my letter of resignation last night," the
retired air force lieutenant general, 75, told the House Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence. "I got 64 days left and I think I will have a
hard time with my wife for anything past that," he said.
Confirming that, the Directorate of National Intelligence said later in a
tweet that "As required of all appointed Administration officials, DNI
Clapper has signed a letter of resignation effective at noon on Jan 20,
2017." Clapper's tenure as
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
17/16/The government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reversed
cuts to aid for Palestinians enacted by the previous administration, International
Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced.
Settlers Urge Israel to Return Body of
Palestinian Youth
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November
17/16/Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank have appealed to the defense ministry to hand over for a family funeral the body
of a Palestinian youth shot dead by the army. In a letter seen by AFP on
Thursday, seven rabbis were among around 30 residents of the Gush Etzion settlement bloc who called on Defense
Minister Avigdor Lieberman to "immediately"
deliver the body of Khaled Bahar,
15, for burial. Bahar was shot dead on October 20 as
Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian stone-throwers in the Beit Ummar sector of the
U.S. House reauthorizes Iran sanctions bill, sets
Thursday, 17 November 2016 ظ
Political Prisoner Writes Revealing
Letter to UN Special Rapporteur
Thursday, 17 November 2016/NCRI - In a revealing letter to Mrs. Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur
on the situation of human rights in Iran, Mr. Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
and Mrs. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of
the EU Foreign Affairs, the political prisoner Behnam
Ebrahimzadeh exposes some of the Iranian regime’s
criminal acts. Attached to Ebrahimzadeh’s letter is a
list containing the names of the prisoners who have been killed over the past
few years, either mysteriously or by prison guards. In
a part of his letter, the political prisoner Behnam Ebrahimzadeh writes: “if today’s world is known for such
indicators as progress and technology, the Iranian regime, on the contrary, is
known for its support of state-terrorism, sectarianism, ethnic conflict, fueling religious differences in Iran and across the
region, imprisonment, execution and suppression of dissidents and critics and a
widespread human rights violations.” Ebrahimzadeh
adds that “it’s quite clear to public opinion that the Iranian regime’s Human
Rights Record has been one of the most disastrous among the countries in the world.”He then continues his letter by pointing to the
killings committed by the Iranian regime’s intelligence agents and writes: “the
targeted and politically-motivated murder of tens of political activists and
critics in prisons, including Shahrokh Zamani, Hoda Saber
and Sattar Beheshti,
execution of thousands of prisoners in recent years, ignoring the rights of
women, religious and ethnic minorities, and the targeted killing of the
traffickers and tradesmen in western borders of the country, is an ongoing
tragedy which is taking place every day in my country.”Behnam
Ebrahimzadeh points to the killings over the last few
decades and writes: “the Iranian regime’s officials should be held accountable
for the executions in the 80s and the massacre in the summer of 1988. Who is
responsible for these killings, anyway? Why no criminal case in this regime has
been finalized? That’s because all these crimes are initiated at Khamenei’s office and carried out under his own
supervision.”
Repeated violations of Security Council
Resolution 2231 with launching missiles and export of weapons to Syria upon Khamenei's order
Thursday, 17 November 2016/Major General Hassan Firouzabadi,
Khamenei's top advisor who was the regime's chief of
staff until this summer, said, "His excellency (Khamenei) approved launching missile 'Emad'.
No rockets are fired in this country unless having been approved by the
Commander in Chief. Even for launching missiles in military drills, permission
from the leader of revolution (Khamenei) is needed…
he even determines the launching time and decides when it should be
fired." (Tasnim, the Quds
Force news agency- November 12)
Missile 'Emad' that was launched on 11 October
2015 is capable of carrying nuclear warhead, and its launching is a blatant
violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 ratified on 20 July 2015. The
resolution asks Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic
missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including
launches using such ballistic missile technology"The
mullahs' regime launched a ballistic missile called 'Ghadr'
in Chah-Bahar area on 21 November 2015, and another
missile called 'Ghadr-F' with a range of 2000 km and
another missile called 'Ghadr-H' with a range of 1700
km on 8 March 2016. 'Emad' and 'Ghadr'
missiles are from the 'Shahab-3' missile family and are copied from North
Korean 'Nodong 1' missile ,
and are capable of carrying nuclear warhead.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency report in November
2011 the regime's military-nuclear activities were carried out with the aim of
mounting nuclear warhead on Shahab-3 missile. Thus, the mullahs' regime has
violated this resolution four times during the 16 months since its adoption,
and the regime's top military officials have admitted that these missiles were
launched upon Khamenei's direct orders who also
specified the firing time. Moreover, by sending missiles to
Iran: People Beaten by Police, While
Trying to Prevent Their Houses From Being Destroyed
Thursday, 17 November 2016/NCRI - According to reports, the residents of
a settlement in Karaj – Western Tehran clashed on Monday November 14 with about
2,000 of municipal agents accompanied by law enforcement and Special Forces who
attempted to destroy the residents’ houses, under the pretense
that these buildings pose environmental and health threat to citizens. The
residents in the area say that at 4 am on Monday November 14, the municipal
guards accompanied by the law enforcement forces raided the settlement located
in
MARYAM RAJAVI'S MESSAGE TO A MEETING
AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT
Thursday, 17 November 2016/Maryam Rajavi sent a
message to a meeting held on November 17, 2016 at the House of Commons to
discuss UK policy on Iran and the gross violations of human rights in that
country. Text of the message follows:
The honorable members of the British Houses of
Commons and Lords,
Distinguished Bishops,
Dear friends,
Greetings to everyone. I am grateful for your attention to the issue of
The P5+1 nuclear talks with the clerical regime
and its consequences have placed
Sixteen months have passed since the nuclear agreement was signed. So,
there has been enough time to test various policies. The nuclear agreement was
an opportunity for the mullahs to change their behavior
or at least stop creating crisis and international terrorism. However, they
increased their aggression and warmongering in the region, particularly in
Some thought that human rights would improve in
The mullahs' regime preserves its power by making arrests, and by torture
and executions on a daily basis. These are accompanied by a constant and
systematic crackdown on women and youths, arbitrary arrests and harassment of
religious minorities: including Christians, even the arrest of
British-Iranians, censorship of free access to the internet, and prohibiting
concerts.
On the opposite side, our people and Resistance have been advancing in
their quest for freedom.
A major achievement has been the Justice Seeking Movement launched to
demand justice for the 30,000 political prisoners massacred in summer 1988 in
The Iranian Resistance is working through supporters in
Another important development has been the spread of anti-government
protests across the country. Thousands of people gathered on October 28th
staging a protest against the mullahs in
Finally, I would like to point out a great achievement and a major
victory of the Iranian Resistance in recent months, namely, the safe and sound
relocation of all members of the People's Mojahedin
of Iran from
The mullahs did everything to stop this relocation. They tried to have
some PMOI officials arrested by fake judicial verdicts. They launched rocket
attacks to kill all camp residents.
With PMOI's efforts and an international
campaign by the Iranian resistance, the mullahs' plots failed. The relocation
was the greatest blow to the mullahs over the past year.
I would like to sincerely appreciate all the efforts and support given by
the British people's elected representatives in both houses of parliament and
also the UK Church leaders for this great relocation.
Honorable friends, The Iranian resistance
strives for a republic based on freedom, equality, and separation of religion
and state; a country where the death penalty is abolished. We seek to end the
mullahs' Sharia law and guarantee freedom and
equality for followers of all religions.
I plead for your support, the elected representatives of
The Justice seeking movement is a just common cause with roots in human
dignity. We need your assistance in this movement. We need your support to
encourage western governments to recognize the Iranian people's struggle for
regime change. Once again, I thank you all. And I hope to be able to see you,
very soon.
Two Assyrians Among Trump's Advisors
for the Middle East
Agenzia Fides/Assyrian International
News Agency/2016-11-17
Professor Gabriel Sawma, after his studies in
Lebanon, and after having worked as legal advisor, which allowed him to visit
various nations of the Middle East, emigrated to the US in 1975, during the Lebanese
civil war, and is considered an expert in Islamic law especially on the laws
concerning family, divorce, inheritance issues and legal custody of children.
He wrote the book The Qur'an: Misinterpreted, Mistranslated and Misread, in
which he supports the thesis that the Koran was originally written in Aramaic,
not Arabic, and that the original version of the holy book of Islam allows
interpretations of the text that differ from those offered so far by the
various Islamic schools.
David William Lazar, defined by the Israeli press an "Assyrian
activist and friend of Israel", already in August 2014 had issued
statements regarding the Middle East situation linked to the exploit of
jihadist militias, in which, among other things, stated that "there are
literally thousands of young Assyrian Christian men that have volunteered to
join the protection units we are planning on establishing in the coming weeks
and months".
The Trump American Middle East Advisory Committee is supported by the American
Middle East Coalition for Trump, a body activated during the US election
campaign to gather support in favor of Trump among
voters belonging to ethnic or religious groups with roots in the Middle East:
Arabs, Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, Copts, Maronites,
Syrians, Assyrians, Chaldean, Melkite and Jews coming
from the scattered communities in the Middle East.
Trump considering Romney for secretary of State: report
BY NIKITA VLADIMIROV - 11/17/16 /President-elect Donald Trump is considering Mitt Romney for secretary of State, a new
report says. Romney will meet with Trump this weekend, NBC reported Thursday.
The 2012 GOP presidential nominee was fiercely critical of Trump during the
presidential campaign. Romney repeatedly blasted Trump during the GOP
presidential primary for his rhetoric and policy positions, becoming one of the
most prominent Republicans to oppose the party's eventual nominee. "Here's
what I know: Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," Romney said in a speech in
March. "His promises are as worthless as a degree from
Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis
& editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 17-18/16
After Liberation From ISIS, Iraq's Yazidis Dream Of Returning Home
Reuters 17 November 2016
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/17/reuterschristian-today-after-liberation-from-isis-iraqs-yazidis-dream-of-returning-home/
61-year-old Barakat has finally found work – on
Sunday he will be coming back to help clear debris from the destruction wrought
upon his home town. He and others who have been living in exile gathered in the
town on Wednesday, just over a week after Kurdish peshmerga
forces drove the jihadists out. Yazidi, Christian and
Muslim former neighbors and old friends kissed and
greeted each other. But it will be a long time before they can move back for
good. Homes have been flattened by bombardment, shopfronts
and garages gutted, burnt and looted, and black patches from mortar explosions
scorch the ground along the main road. Bashiqa's
residents fled in different directions and at different speeds when the
militants took over in 2014 after sweeping into
"We left immediately," said Bakarat, a Yazidi like most people from the town.
Islamic State has killed Muslims and non-Muslims alike, but has been
particularly brutal with the Yazidi minority, whose
beliefs combine elements of several religions. Thousands have been killed,
captured and enslaved by the group in what the United Nations says is genocide.
Bakarat said some Muslim inhabitants had stayed on
for a while, but Christians and Yazidis knew exactly
what their fate would be if they did not get out straight away. Those who were
better off rented homes in other towns, and those without the means went to
camps.
Bakarat and his family still live in the northern
city of
"Not scared anymore"
A US-backed offensive to drive Islamic State out of
Raghid Rashid, a local Yazidi
policeman, returned this month and fought alongside the peshmerga
to recapture the town, 7 miles northeast of
On the steel shutters of several local businesses, the words "Sunni
Muslim" have been scrawled by Islamic State militants, to distinguish the
owners from locals of other faiths, or from those they consider apostates -
both punishable by death under their rule.
Rashid, Bakarat and other men had come to listen to
an address by Masoud Barzani,
President of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern
Speaking from a podium and flanked by Kurdish flags and banners proclaiming
religious and ethnic coexistence, he said the peshmerga,
the KRG's armed forces, would not withdraw from areas
they had seized from IS, and vowed to protect minorities living in areas under
Kurdish control.
Kurdish fighters were recently accused by a human rights group of unlawfully
destroying Arab homes in areas they captured from Islamic State between 2014
and May 2016, a charge the KRG denies. It was not possible to stray too far
from the main road to visit abandoned homes because the area was not yet fully
cleared of IEDs and booby traps. As Barzani spoke, two distant but large explosions were heard,
apparently from the ongoing fight inside
What does the arrival of Trump mean for
us?
Khaled M. Batarfi/Al
Arabiya/November 17/16
What does the arrival of President-elect Donald
Trump mean for us? How much would that affect Saudi relations with the
Saudi-US partnership
This sort of relationship is what the founder of
modern
They are also striving to achieve these lofty
goals through peaceful and defensive means, such as providing material and political
support to concerned international organizations and to enforce resolution
through implementation of Security Council and international arbitration
institutions. The third base is cooperation to resolve regional conflicts, such
as the Palestinian, Syrian and Yemeni, and Iranian
interventions and violations of UN resolutions. Saudi-US agreement on the first
and second bases is almost full. At the third base, the two allies agree on
goals and might disagree on mechanisms and details. For example, on the
Palestinian issue we agree on a two-state solution, but disagree on the method
of implementation. In
Tackling terror
Perhaps the new American president will be more
assertive in dealing with terrorism sponsors and troublemakers in the region,
as promised. These include
**This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on Nov. 15, 2016.
Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/November 17,
2016
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9311/europe-free-speech
According to New Europe, in
In the town of
In September 2015, Die Welt reported that people who air
"xenophobic" views on social media, risk losing the right to see
their own children.
While ordinary European citizens risk arrest and prosecution for
"xenophobic" remarks, a German EU Commissioner, Günther
Oettinger, called a visiting Chinese delegation of
ministers "slant eyes" ("Schlitzaugen").
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has
promoted Oettinger to be in charge of the EU budget.
Clearly, the law is not equal. EU Commissioners can make
"xenophobic" remarks and get a promotion; European citizens, for
exercising their right to free speech, are arrested and prosecuted.
In
Several European governments are making it clear to their citizens
that criticizing migrants or European migrant policies is criminally off
limits. People who go "too far," according to the authorities, are
being arrested, prosecuted and at times convicted.
In the
He was not the only one. In
"...about twenty opponents of the plans [to establish asylum
centers] in the region received police visits at home. It also happened in Enschede,
and in some places in the
A spokesperson for the national police explained that ten
intelligence units of "digital detectives" monitor Facebook pages and Twitter accounts in real time, looking
for posts that go "too far," so that they can visit with people to
tell them "what effect a post or tweet on the
internet can have." In other words, the
In the
Inspector Ewan Wilson from Dunoon police
office told the Guardian:
"I hope that the arrest of this individual sends a clear
message that Police Scotland will not tolerate any form of activity which could
incite hatred and provoke offensive comments on social media."
In
At the trial, Peter M. defended his remarks online and said,
"One cannot even express a critical opinion of refugees without getting
labelled as a Nazi. I wanted to create a discussion forum where you can speak
your mind about refugees..." He said that in his role as an administrator
of the group, he removed pro-Nazi or radical remarks, but since Facebook had deleted the page, he could not present the
evidence to the court.
In his verdict, the judge said, "The description of the group
is a series of generalizations with a clear right-wing background." Peter
M. was sentenced to a nine-month suspended prison sentence and his wife to a
fine of €1,200 with the judge adding, "I hope you understand the
seriousness of the situation. If you sit in front of me again, you will end up
in jail."
In
According to Eva Becker, Chairwoman of the Working Group on Family
Law in the German Bar Association (DAV), "The decisive factor is a healthy
understanding of people." Becker estimates that it would not be enough to
consider the child's welfare endangered, if a parent said that he would rather
not have any Syrian migrants living in his neighborhood.
On the other hand, if a father or a mother makes comments that contain verbal
threats against refugees in the presence of the child, he or she would
"clearly exceed the critical limit."
It is not even relevant whether those comments are criminal
according to German law. Even a comment that is not punishable under German law
can push a parent over the "critical limit." It is not crucial
whether the act is criminal, but whether it "influences" the child in
a way that endangers its welfare. If a court establishes that the child's
welfare is at risk, the parent may have his or her rights of access to the
child initially limited.
Actions, rather than talk, are considered even more incriminating.
According to Becker, it is one thing to talk disparagingly with acquaintances
about asylum seekers in the presence of the child, but much worse to take the
child to "xenophobic" demonstrations.
Becker never defines what is meant by "xenophobic." It
seems implied that the talk is of one-way xenophobia, not Islamic xenophobia
against non-Muslims, for example, but no attempt is made at a definition,
although this is clearly the most crucial part of the matter.
While ordinary European citizens risk arrest and prosecution for
"xenophobic" remarks, it is an entirely different matter for those at
the top echelons of the European Union.
In a speech in Hamburg in October, Germany's EU Commissioner for
digital economy, Günther Oettinger,
called a visiting Chinese delegation of ministers "slant eyes"
("Schlitzaugen"), an expression that is
generally considered racist. Oettinger did not even
bother to apologize, but told Die Welt that it was important to see his
comments in a "larger context."
The European Commission also refused to apologize for, or
investigate, Oettinger's remarks (which were
apparently also disparaging of women and homosexuals). Commission Chief
Spokesman Margaritis Schinas
told incredulous reporters that, "We have nothing to add." Asked if
there would be an investigation into the remarks, he said, "We do not have
an FBI at the Commission."
As recent as October 28, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker promoted Oettinger to the
highly coveted and powerful position of vice-president with responsibility for
the EU budget.
Clearly, the law is not equal. EU Commissioners can make
"xenophobic" remarks and get a promotion; European citizens, for
exercising their right to free speech, are arrested and prosecuted.
While European citizens are arrested and prosecuted for exercising
their right to free speech, an EU Commissioner such as Günther
Oettinger (left) calls a visiting Chinese delegation
"slant eyes" and is rewarded with a promotion by European Commission
President Jean-Claude Juncker (right).
Judith Bergman is a writer, columnist, lawyer and political analyst.
© 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.
Stephen Bryen and Shoshana
Bryen//Gatestone Institute /November 17/16
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9335/israel-spike-missile
For this reason,
Worse yet, despite
The Spike is a better option than the Hellfire and safer to use, which is
why 25 nations now use the missile and 25,000 or more have been produced.
Sometimes when decisions do not work out exactly as intended, they work
out just fine.
In the midst of Operation Protective Edge --
The President, it appears, had been reading wild press stories about the
damage to
The Hellfire decision was especially ironic because it is a precision munition, generally less broadly damaging than bombs dropped
from aircraft. The Hellfire can be fired from airplanes, drones and
helicopters.
Ironic, too, because the
For this reason,
The decision was fairly easy, because
A Tiger attack helicopter carrying two racks of Israeli Spike ER
missiles. (Image source: Airbus Helicopters)
The Spike features a non-line-of-sight firing capability, making it a
more flexible weapon. But one feature of Spike that is entirely missing in
Hellfire is that the operator can change target in mid-course or even destroy
the weapon in flight if the target turns out to be wrong -- a capability that
is not trivial. During the Yugoslav war, NATO aircraft on a number of occasions
hit targets that should have been aborted. One such incident occurred during an
attack to knock out the
The Obama administration should never have cut off the sale of a
precision weapon such as the Hellfire in the middle of battle. It was bad
policy: it signaled the unreliability of the
But there is a silver lining. The Spike is a better option than the
Hellfire and safer to use, which is why 25 nations now use the missile and
25,000 or more have been produced.
Stephen Bryen is President of SDB Partners,
LLC. Shoshana Bryen is
Senior Director of The Jewish Policy Center.
© 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.
Trump and the Middle East: Challenges
to Regaining US Supremacy
Riad Kahwaji/17 November, 2016
The Arab world, like other parts of the globe, was surprised with
the outcome of the U.S. Presidential election and is still trying to figure out
how to deal with President-elect Donald Trump. It was no secret that many Arab
leaders had hoped for a Hillary Clinton victory, not necessarily because they
hated Trump or his policies, but because they did not and still do not know
much about him. For them
It is really not clear why many of
Arab officials and
Trump’s speeches did not shed much light on his foreign policy
vision, especially his plans for the
It is extremely hard to make predictions at this stage as to how
the next U.S. Administration will deal with the
Under Obama’s reign, the region saw a major shift to the left with
So President-elect Trump, who does not belong to the
neo-conservative camp or the liberal left, might bring about the right balance
needed in the
The war on terrorism cannot be won with continued Iranian efforts
to export the Islamic Revolution to its neighboring
countries, which exasperates sectarianism and consequently weakens
** Riad Kahwaji, is the founder and
director of INEGMA with a 28 years of experience as a journalist and a
Trump Wins With
Five “Nos”
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al Awsat/November 17/16
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/17/amir-taheriasharq-al-awsat-trump-wins-with-five-nos/
So, what almost all pundits assured us will never happen, has happened:
Donald Trump is elected President of the
But what does it show? It shows an
To many Americans, a Hillary Clinton presidency would have been a third
term for Obama, something that the incumbent himself stressed by going full
blast campaigning for her. That was something many Americans couldn’t stomach.
Trump managed to cast himself as the quintessential anti-Obama candidate,
something that none of the other 15 initial Republic candidates were prepared
to do. Americans don’t like allowing a party to hold the presidency for three
successive terms, something that has happened only once since the end of the
World War.
The second “no” of this “selfie” is to the
establishment. There is no precise definition of the term but to most people it
means a minority, maybe a couple of millions in the United States, who dominate
the political, media, business, academic and entertainment fields and run them
primarily in their own interest.
Clinton, a woman who has been in politics since she left college 40 years
ago, having served as hatchet-girl in the McGovern presidential campaign of
1972, then as Frist Lady of Arkansas before moving to
the White House with her husband, and not to mention stints as senator and
Secretary of state, is the very symbol of the establishment.
The impression that
The third “no” was to the current course of globalization, the dominant
ideology of Western democracies since the 1990s. Initially, globalization bore
immense fruits for the
In fact, for 50 per cent of American workers, purchasing power has
remained constant or fallen since 1999. Trump managed to play the
anti-globalization card while linking it to immigration which, providing an
endless flow of cheap labor, has often helped keep wages steady or low in many parts of
the
The fourth “no” is against the ideological divide in American politics as
developed since the 1950s. In that divide, the Democrat Party was initially
supposed to be the party of public service, emphasizing the role of the
government in guiding, if not actually managing, the economy in a tradition
established by President Franklin D Roosevelt’s “New Deal” and its Keynesian
paradigm.
For its part, the Republican Party was cast as flag-bearer for neo-liberal
capitalism with its emphasis on free trade and open markets, a pattern set
under President Ronald Reagan.
Last week’s election, however, reversed the roles of the two parties as
far as ideology is concerned. The Democrats were seen as champions of open
markets and free trade. After all, it was President Bill Clinton who devised
the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA) and President Obama who launched a
similar scheme with the European Union albeit not yet concluded.
The campaign exposed Hillary Clinton’s close ties with the Wall Street
with many bankers, not to mention currency speculators like George Soros, as
major funders of her campaign. In contrast, Trump brushed aside the Republican
Party’s pro-capitalist posture by promising to “regulate” the market, impose
tariffs on imported goods to protect American jobs, and promote an “Americans
first” policy in the job market.
The fifth “no” was to the “Rainbow Coalition” that brought Obama to the
White House in the first place. Some have always seen that as a “Resentment
Rainbow”, uniting the minorities around their respective grievances about real
or imaginary “sufferings” inflicted on them by the majority.
Bringing together African-Americans, Latinos, Jews, Arabs, Muslims,
Native Americans and gay-lesbian/trans-genders, Obama had an electoral
launching pad of around 32 per cent, an immense advantage in a
first-past-the-post system.
Fewer blacks voted for
With the “Resentment Rainbow” fracturing, Americans may have rejected
Obama’s strategy of mobilizing the minorities against the majority thus
undermining national unity. For all that, the election which has highlighted
five “nos” to reject the current establishment’s policies, has not produced a resounding “yes” to any
alternative strategy.
Americans have rejected division without massively endorsing unity. This
election did not alter a pattern under which few have won the
Bill Clinton was elected twice with less than 50 per cent and George W
Bush captured his first presidency with a smaller share of the popular vote
than his Democrat rival Al Gore. In fact, the only convincing victories, in
terms of percentage of votes, were those of Richard Nixon in 1972 and that of
Ronald Reagan in 1984. The upshot is that
Hillary Clinton – the Ideal Choice in
Normal Circumstances
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/November 17/16
In normal circumstances, and in an established
democracy like the
In an advanced and sophisticated institutions-based country, the presidential
primaries should have been enough to differentiate between a serious politician
and a maverick gate-crasher; between real programmes and protest posturing; and
finally, between responsible and rational approaches that put attainable
choices and unadulterated solutions before the American electorate and cheap
populism that drags political discourse into the lowest abyss of personal
slander, contradictory promises, and sickening out-biddings.
Given all the above, a candidate like Donald Trump should not have been picked
as the official candidate of one of the two parties of government in America,
i.e. the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, in the first place.
However, we are most certainly not in normal times or circumstances. The value
system of
True, protest is not something new to politics. Accidental and controversial
politicians have appeared during certain periods in American history, but
political life in the
At one stage in the mid – 20th century, there was a large group inside the
Democratic Party, namely in the states of the ‘Old South’, that was
ideologically more conservative than the Republicans of the North and
Northeast. This, however, began to gradually change as the North and Northeast
moved towards the Democrats, while the Southern states which gave
Indeed, Prof Paul Krugman, the noted academic, writer
and Nobel laureate, said something quite interesting in a lecture he gave in
In the opposite camp, the Republicans are now the religious, sectarian and
social conservatives who vigorously uphold absolute individual freedom even at
the expense of public good, view safety nets as restrictive to these freedoms
and regard government intervention as a hindrance to individual ambition and
detrimental to free enterprise, success and greatness. In fact, hawkish
Republicans go even further, preaching that America must go back to the one
built by the ‘founding fathers’, i.e. a white, Christian homeland closed off to
outsiders and foreigners.
The latter is exactly the choice that was recently put forward to American
voters; and due to the clear-cut difference between the Democrat and Republican
candidates, we are witnessing two noteworthy phenomena:
The first is that due to solidified political positions of the two parties’
support bases, any movement or shift is becoming virtually impossible as are
the chances of listening, convincing and compromise. Such a situation has led
to a nasty and vicious campaign.
The second is that the two partisan bases now reflect contradictory ‘value
systems’ that pose a real threat to social harmony, and subsequently public
peace.
Going back to “in normal circumstances”, I would say Hillary Clinton deserved
to win because she is a wise, rational, moderate and experienced politician.
Trump, on the other hand, is an unscrupulous ‘populist’, who is willing to
gamble anything, and say anything. It is truly unfortunate that Americans have
grown so hateful toward the ‘political establishment’ in
Time to Save the World,
Mr. Trump
Narayana Kocherlakota/Bloomberg/November
17/16
The planet’s wealthiest and most powerful countries face a slow-moving but
potentially devastating political and economic crisis. It now falls to Donald
Trump to find a way to combat it. Over the past few years, voters in much of
the developed world have rebelled against the establishment. In the
For example, the president-elect has spoken of his desire to undertake a
complete overhaul of American infrastructure and to cut taxes. Such a program,
combined with appropriate support from the Federal Reserve, would both generate
much-needed jobs for Americans and be a great first step toward leading the
world out of its low-growth trap. I look forward to seeing this plan
implemented in his first hundred days in office, and I hope that he is able to
persuade other nations to join the
Responses In Iran To Trump's
Presidential Win
By: A. Savyon,
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2016/11/17/a-savyon-e-kharrazi-and-u-kafashmemri-responses-in-iran-to-trumps-presidential-win/
Introduction
While the Iranian regime's official position is that there is no difference
between a Democrat or a Republican in the White House because both of them will
be anti-Iran, there are a number of notable trends in Iranian reactions to Donald
Trump's election:
Reactions Common To Both The Ideological And Pragmatic Camps
· Trump's win was a protest against the U.S. administration's policies of
slaughter, violence, and oppression both in and outside the U.S. Despite the
Obama administration's extraordinary efforts to end
· Trump is better for
o Trump seeks better relations, not conflict, with Russian President Vladimir
Putin, so
o Trump is unpopular in the West, and will therefore
find it difficult to form an international coalition against
o Trump will need some time to identify his Republican
allies in Congress before he can act against
o Since Trump is a businessman, there is cautious hope
that his actions will be business-oriented, not purely ideology-oriented.
Reactions From The Pragmatic Camp
· Fear that the JCPOA will now be cancelled – particularly among those who labored to achieve the agreement, including President
Hassan Rohani, Foreign Minister Javad
Zarif, and members of the negotiating team. These
representatives of the pragmatic camp were quick to stress that the
Reactions From The Ideological Camp
· Threats against the U.S. are toned down, and instead there are vague threats
that are less specific than in the past about an appropriate Iranian response
to any move the U.S. might make against Iran.
· Recommendations that Trump focus on rebuilding at home rather than taking
anti-Iran measures.
· Calling on Iranians to adhere to the regime's official stance by refraining
completely from issuing any pro- or anti-Trump statements.
MEMRI's Assessment
It appears that Iran's military-political elite prefers to deal with a male
president, not a female one.[1] Furthermore, in a
November 2 speech ahead of the anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover in
Tehran, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in an unusual
statement, explained Trump's popularity among the American public as due to the
fact that he speaks "honestly." Moreover, unlike
In this context, it is important to note that it is with Republican
administrations that have demonstrated strength and determination that
A contemporary example is the announcement by an Iranian diplomatic source,
immediately after Trump's win was declared, that
It should also be noted that Trump, who was critical of the JCPOA, need not
take measures to cancel the agreement. He can take another tack to do this, by
this by strictly implementing all sections of the agreement as it already
exists, upholding Congress' initial sanctions on Iran for its human rights
violations and support for terrorism, and passing additional sanctions, for
example on Iran's ballistic missile program which the Obama administration did
not include in the JCPOA. In fact, in recent months, the Obama administration
had been working to help
Such moves could restructure the relationship between
Even more important than the future of the JCPOA, and much more urgent, is what
Trump will do about the military and political empire that Iran is building in
the Middle East – in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen – with the encouragement
of the Obama administration, which sought to shift the region's Sunni-Shi'ite power balance towards the Shi'ites.[3]
What action will he take against the Iran-led Shi'ite
axis that is standing against the Sunnis, led by Saudi Arabia and Turkey? What
will he do about
Mehr, November 16, 2016.
Following are excerpts from Iranian reactions to Trump's win, from both the
pragmatic and ideological camps:
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif
said, during a visit to
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said: "The Iranian people and the Islamic
Republic of Iran have bad and bitter memories from the previous policies and
approach of American administration officials. What is important to
"The main cause of the escalating violence, extremism, and provocations of
Muslims in the region is the policies of the previous American administrations,
and their interference in the affairs of the countries in the region. The
instability in the strategic regions of the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, the
Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea, and the threats stemming from the violence,
extremism, spread of deviant and dangerous thought, and terrorism of groups
such as ISIS – which
Iranian President Hassan Rohani stated, at a
government meeting on November 9, that the JCPOA cannot be cancelled: "
"
Reformist intellectual Prof. Sadegh Zibakalam explained on November 10 why Iran's ideological
camp preferred Trump to Clinton: "After the American election, there is
surely much rejoicing among the streams hostile to America, and among those in
Iran who persist in remaining hostile to America, because when Trump enters the
White House there will be no more opportunity to ease Iran-U.S. tensions or to
bring the [two] closer together... The extremists will exploit Trump's
positions and tell the moderates 'See how wrong you were? Do you see we were
right and that
"It won't be long before many in
"The Russians are also glad that an extremist is now in the White House,
because they believe that they can handle extremists, but not Democrats. They
believe that it is possible to get along with Reagan, Trump, and George Bush,
but that it is always difficult to deal with the Democrats. Therefore, the
Russians, much like our own extremists, welcome Trump's election, while
moderate liberal streams in
Responding to Zibakalam's argument that
"Unlike Obama and Clinton, Trump is more inclined [to deal with] domestic
affairs, and does not wish to occupy himself with foreign affairs and regional
crises. In his speeches, Trump openly stated that he opposes the attacks in
"The most important Trump opponents now are European governments. The
Europeans did not want Trump in power. But this is today's reality, and we can
say that Trump's arrival has opened up a yawning chasm between Europe and
"Certainly,
"Trump is an economic player; for him, policy is determined by economic
profit. Those who seek economic windfalls are never interested in wars or
political crises, which can create market panic, unless the war benefits their
economic interests.
"Trump's
Foad Izadi, an assistant
professor in the American Studies department at Tehran University who has a
degree from Louisiana State University, claimed that the biggest gift that
Trump's win is giving Iran is that Trump will find it difficult to mobilize
international support against Iran – unlike Clinton, who could have easily done
so. He added that Trump would also work against
Deputy Majlis Speaker Ali Motahari
said: "There will be a difference between Trump's positions during the
election campaign and [those he will adopt] during his presidency. I will
summarize his election positions by saying that his presidency will be better
for
"Trump is more honest and has better positions on
Mocking Western democracy, the Kayhan daily, on its
November 10 front page, called Trump's victory "Another Win For Liberal
Democracy: The Madman Defeats The Mendacious Woman."[10] That day's
editorial explained: "The whites who voted for Trump, being mostly
educated [sic], and not from the upper classes, are greatly inclined to clash
with racial minorities. Yesterday, immediately after Trump's victory, in one
state, young people who support him [congregated] and chanted anti-black and
anti-Muslim slogans. The domestic situation in
"Trump's
"Trump cannot reinvigorate
"An interesting point in the American election was crediting
Iranian Army chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri said on
November 10: "With regard to statements by the American president-elect
and what he said during the election campaign – this man, who has now come to
power, was too boastful. I have a suggestion for him: 'Relax, and ask your
naval commanders and officers how your forces on that [
Ala Al-Din Boroujerdi, chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said
on November 9: "Trump's victory shows the
"As for implementing the JCPOA, there is a difference between Trump
campaigning for election and Trump the president. It is natural that when
someone is elected
"If Trump wants to act according to the positions he expressed during his
campaign, he must end
Yadollah Javani, senior
advisor to Khamenei's representative in the IRGC,
indicated that Trump's election campaign was different from previous campaigns,
and that this has to do with the domestic situation in the U.S.: "Although
Trump himself is seen as a wealthy businessman, in his election campaign he
defended the poor, blacks, and the lower classes, and challenged the White
House's discriminatory and corrupt policy. Therefore, his message was
popular." Javani added that Trump becoming
president was unlikely to radically shift American policy: "Neither Trump
nor
Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, spokesman for the Majlis
National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on November 9 that Trump
had won because the Americans "were displeased with their rulers."
In his main official Friday sermon, on November 11, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, Assembly of Experts member and Tehran Friday
prayer leader, rebuked all those in Iran who expressed hope for a Trump
presidency, contradicting the regime's official line, and advised Trump to
focus on U.S. affairs rather than seek adventures overseas: "Before the
election, Iran's policy [vis-à-vis the candidates] was logical and neutral,
because our regime said that as far as that is concerned 'they are all the
same,' and [all the candidates] take orders from somewhere else – that is, they
are servants of the Zionist regime. But some websites and newspapers [in
"The candidate who won the American presidency said, 'Our country needs
new roads, tunnels, and hospitals, but we do not have the necessary funds.'
Where do the [American] tax dollars go? They are spent on slaughter. I want to
preach to the new president who has just come to power in
"The American president-elect must know that the Iranian nation exhausted
previous American presidents... You called the Iranian people terrorists. If
you have any decency and courage, you will apologize to them.
"Take care, because playing with the Iranian nation is like playing with a
lion's tail. I hope these words will reach your ears. You should know that
"I hope that the new American president is wise enough to carry out what
he said when he said 'I do not want tense [relations] with any country.' If he
does not carry this out, he will soon get to know the Iranian people..."[16]
Majlis speaker Ali Larijani
called for restraint, saying, on November 13: "The analyses and
editorializing regarding the American president-elect should be more mature. We
must refrain from making rash judgments and from judging prematurely. We must
wait and allow [
*A. Savyon is director of the MEMRI Iran Studies
Project; E. Kharrazi, and U. Kafash
are Research Fellows at MEMRI*
Endnotes:
[1] Due in part to a preference by Iran's political and cultural leadership,
which ideologically excludes women in key roles, to not deal directly with a
woman, especially one who in the past has openly worked against Iran.
[2] According to Western media reports, the Obama administration,
and particularly Secretary of State John Kerry, are pressuring European
companies and banks to invest in
[3] Saudi Prince Turki Al-Faisal also said that Trump
should not cancel the JCPOA and instead should focus on thwarting
[4] Tasnim (
[5] ISNA (
[6] ISNA (
[7] Asr-e
[8] Asr-e
[9] ISNA (
[10] Kayhan (
[11] Kayhan (
[12] Tasnim (
[13] ISNA (
[14] Javan (
[15] Javan (
[16] Fars (
[17] ISNA (