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Bible Quotation For Today/The Fruitless Fig Tree Parable
Luke 13/06-09: "Then Jesus told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, "See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?" He replied, "Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down." ’

Bible Quotation For Today/Paul Cures the Sick people In Malta
Acts of the Apostles 28/01-10: "After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us round it. Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ‘This man must be a murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.’ He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. Now in the neighbourhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him. After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. They bestowed many honours on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed."

LCCC Latest analysis, editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 11-12/15
Hezbollah Refuses to Transfer Beirut, Mount Lebanon Waste to Arsal/Camal Richa/August 11/15
Is Abadi Staging a Coup in Iraq/Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al Awsat/August 11/15
Syria, between diplomats and reality/Dr.Walid Phares/Face Book/August 11/15
We've warned again/Dr. Walid Phares/August 11/15
What Can We Do If We Would Really Like to Fight Terrorism in Tunisia/Hayet Ben Said/Gatestone Institute/August 11/15
The Songs Of The Islamic State – A Major Tool For Reinforcing Its Narrative/M. Shemesh/MEMRI/August 11/15

Visiting the Vassal state...
Dr.Walid Phares/Face Book
Iran's Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif visits the Lebanese Republic as a "vassal state," the "country of Hezbollah," with the first visit to the "emir of martyrs" Imad Mughnieh. Free for him to consider Mughnieh as a Wilaya hero, but to roam in Lebanon as if it was a Vichy country, is a direct message to Lebanese as to their state of affairs. Zarif is in charge of the foreign policies of four countries not one: Iran, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Can we blame Lebanese politicians for Zarif's ballade in conquered land? Not really because it has gone too far at this point. There is nothing the "Taif political class" can do. Offering the country in 1990 to the rolling tanks of Hafez Assad was the 'original sin.' Everything since, with two months exceptions from March to May 2005, has been submission to the "axis." The rest is details. Mr Zarif can stroll in the republic as the real supreme "foreign minister." Tout vas bien madame la Marquise..

Zarif Begins Lebanon Visit, Lauds Salam's 'Major Role' in 'Stability, Anti-Terror Fight'
NaharnetAugust 11/15/Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif began a two-day visit to Lebanon on Tuesday by meeting Prime Minister Tammam Salam. “We discussed cooperation between the two countries and bilateral ties,” said Zarif after the Grand Serail talks. “We appreciate the major role that was played by the prime minister of Lebanon to provide security, fight extremism and terror, and find cooperation among the various Lebanese parties,” the FM added. He noted that Salam's role has led to “more calm, stability and security in this country.” Addressing the domestic Lebanese disputes, Zarif noted that “the time is not for competition and rivalry in Lebanon.”“If there should be competition, it must be over building Lebanon,” he added. “The Islamic Republic of Iran supports the Lebanese people and their demands,” Zarif went on to say. Agence France-Presse quoted an official who attended the meeting as saying that Salam and Zarif discussed Lebanon's ongoing presidential vacuum and agreed there should be more discussion on this topic. Upon his arrival at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport earlier in the day, the minister had hoped the nuclear deal between his country and world powers would “pave the way to opening a new chapter of ties between countries in the region.” He emphasized that his talks with Lebanese officials will tackle cooperation between Beirut and Tehran. “We are in a great need of dialogue and cooperation to confront regional challenges,” added the foreign minister. Earlier, media reports said that he will stress to Lebanese officials that Tehran's stance towards Syria and Hizbullah has not changed. Diplomatic sources told al-Joumhouria daily that Zarif would send a clear message to the parties claiming Iran will turn its back on Syria and Hizbullah that Tehran continues to back its allies in the region. Many critics have said that a nuclear deal signed between Iran and major powers in Vienna last month will lead to a change in the Iranian stance. During his two-day official visit, Zarif is also scheduled to meet with Speaker Nabih Berri, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. It was not clear if the Iranian Foreign Minister would also visit Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh. The July 14 deal between Iran and six world powers — the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — is meant to curb Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. In addition to his talks on the deal, Zarif is expected to discuss with the Lebanese officials ways to improve bilateral economic cooperation, the sources told al-Joumhouria. They said that despite years of sanctions, Iran was able to make major progress in power production. Lebanon can benefit from Tehran in that regard, the sources added.

Zarif in Beirut, Hopes Nuclear Deal Will Lead to New Ties between Regional States
Naharnet/August 11/15/Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Beirut on Tuesday, highlighting the importance of coordination among the countries in the region to face challenges. He said: “We hope that the nuclear deal will pave the way to opening a new chapter of ties between countries in the region.” He made his remarks upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport on Tuesday afternoon. He emphasized that his talks with Lebanese officials will tackle cooperation between Beirut and Tehran. “We are in great need of dialogue and cooperation to confront regional challenges,” added the foreign minister. Earlier, media reports said that he will stress to Lebanese officials that Tehran's stance towards Syria and Hizbullah has not changed. Diplomatic sources told al-Joumhouria daily that Zarif will send a clear message to the parties claiming Iran will turn its back on Syria and Hizbullah that Tehran continues to back its allies in the region. Many critics have said that a nuclear deal signed between Iran and major powers in Vienna last month will lead to a change in the Iranian stance. During his two-day official visit, Zarif is scheduled to meet with Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. It was not clear if the Iranian Foreign Minister would also visit Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh. The July 14 deal between Iran and six world powers — the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — is meant to curb Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. In addition to his talks on the deal, Zarif is expected to discuss with the Lebanese officials ways to improve bilateral economic cooperation, the sources told al-Joumhouria. They said that despite years of sanctions, Iran was able to make major progress in power production.
Lebanon can benefit from Tehran in that regard, the sources added.

Aoun on Planned Protests: You Will Get Surprised
Naharnet/August 11/15/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun has stayed mum on planned street protests against the extension of high-ranking military officers but stressed that he will "surprise" the people on his next step. “You will see at the appropriate time and you will get surprised,” al-Joumhouria daily on Tuesday quoted Aoun as saying. Aoun, who heads the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, made his statement when asked by several people what his next steps are, said the newspaper. The FPM leader called Saturday on his supporters to get ready to stage demonstrations against the military extensions, after Defense Minister Samir Moqbel decided to extend the terms of the army commander, the chief of staff and the head of the Higher Defense Council. The FPM has been campaigning against the extensions, calling for the appointment of new officials instead. Aoun wants his son-in-law Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is the Commando Regiment chief, to become army commander. Change and Reform sources told al-Mustaqbal daily that street protests could be culminated with civil disobedience if a deal that Aoun is seeking for is not reached. “Aoun is still waiting for the results of contacts on the amendment of the defense law,” they said. The amendment was proposed by General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who is seeking to clinch the deal to appease Aoun and avoid a growing political crisis.The law's amendment would raise the retirement age of the top military and security brass, thus keeping Roukoz in his post and giving him a chance to become a candidate for the army leadership.

Aoun Says He's among 'Winners of Mideast War', Calls for Wednesday Demos
NaharnetAugust 11/15/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun noted Tuesday that he belongs to the axis “that has won the war in the Middle East,” as he called for demos on Wednesday to protest perceived marginalization of Christians in state institutions. Aoun's remarks came several days after Defense Minister Samir Moqbel extended the the terms of the army commander, chief of staff and the head of the Higher Defense Council despite months of objections by the FPM, which rejects the extension of the tenures of high-ranking military and security officials. “Moqbel's decision to extend the terms of the security chiefs is what would undermine state institutions and the army's morale,” said Aoun on Tuesday. “The soldiers of the army are like my sons,” former army chief Aoun added in response to ex-PM Fouad Saniora's accusation that he is “undermining the army.” “My remarks were aimed at reminding of the army's mission. It is the army of the nation, not the army of the political system, and it is unacceptable to put it in the way of a peaceful demo,” Aoun said. He also warned against “putting the army in the face” of FPM protesters in any coming demonstration. “We do not fear confrontation and our youths were raised on the values of resistance,” Aoun underlined. He accused Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji of “deliberately” seeking a clash through “confronting the protesters” during the July 9 demos. Prior to Qahwaji's term extension, Aoun was reportedly lobbying for political consensus on the appointment of Commando Regiment commander Chamel Roukoz, his son-in-law, as army chief. However, he clarified his stance on Tuesday. “I did not say 'I want Chamel Roukoz' and we only 'mentioned him' when we discussed the appointments,” he said. “We won't remain silent regarding our rights or over the violation of the law and the Constitution,” Aoun vowed. He noted that the FPM has “introduced the principle of accountability to the political system,” lamenting that “corruption is spreading like cancer in all institutions.” “There is a campaign to push the Lebanese to despair and the issue is not personal, but rather the cause of all Lebanese,” Aoun went on to say. “You are all asked to demonstrate tomorrow,” he added. Reminiscing the 2004 era, Aoun noted that it was not ex-PM Rafik Hariri's assassination that “liberated Lebanon.” I worked for independence in 2004 in coordination with world powers and I made a speech in Paris and called on the Lebanese parties to meet outside the country to discuss the issue of the Syrian forces' withdrawal from Lebanon,” he said.

Defiant Aoun urges Wednesday street protests
The Daily Star/August. 11/2015/BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun Tuesday called on his supporters to take to the streets Wednesday to protest what he says is the government's marginalization of Christian rights and violations of the Constitution exemplified by the extension of the terms of security officers. “I urge you Lebanese to take to the streets,” Aoun said in a speech after the Change and Reform Bloc’s weekly meeting. “We dream of a nation governed by law and that has a Constitution and a population, not waste, theft and corruption. So you are all invited to demonstrate tomorrow," he added. FPM-affiliated media later in the day said protesters will gather in front of the FPM youth sector’s headquarters in Sin al-Fil and near the party’s Baabda and North Metn offices at 5 p.m. Wednesday.They will also mobilize in Batroun, Jbeil and Jounieh at 4:30 p.m., and in Achrafieh’s Sassine neighborhood at 5:30 p.m. The FPM chief warned the Army against staging a confrontation with his supporters, insisting that threats circulated on the media claiming that the military was preparing to respond to the protest with violence would not scare him. “Our youth have been raised to resist,” he said. Last month, seven soldiers and 17 protesters were wounded near the Grand Serail in Downtown Beirut in a scuffle between the Lebanese Army and FPM supporters protesting the government for ignoring the FPM's demand to prioritize the issue of security and military appointments. The FPM head waged a scathing attack on Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi following the incident, accusing him for ordering an attack against the protest. Aoun has been pressing the government to appoint new military and security chiefs. He was also lobbying for his son-in-law Brig. Gen. Shamel Roukoz to be appointed Army commander. The FPM leader has maintained that the government’s opposition to appointing a new Army chief is a breach of the Constitution and of Christian rights. Since the top Army post is reserved for a Christian under Lebanon's power-sharing system, Christians should have a say in who gets appointed, Aoun has argued.
The FPM’s announcement of a second round of demonstrations comes after Defense Minister Samir Moqbel last week extended the terms of the Army’s top brass, despite vehement opposition from Aoun. FPM officials have previously announced that protests were being considered in response to Moqbel's extension of the terms of Kahwagi, military Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Salman and Higher Defense Council chief Gen. Mohammad Kheir by one year each. On Tuesday, Aoun said that Moqbel’s decision harms the state and hinders the military’s morale. He was not reluctant to mention his support for Roukoz but rejected accusations that he was trying to impose that choice. The FPM chief said he originally proposed the formation of an independent committee that would evaluate the five most credible candidates. A new commander would be selected accordingly, he noted.

Wahhab's Bodyguards Scuffle with General Security at al-Arida
NaharnetAugust 11/15/A scuffle erupted Tuesday between bodyguards of Arab Tawhid Party chief ex-minister Wiam Wahhab and Lebanese General Security agents at the al-Arida border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, state-run National News Agency reported. “As Wahhab's convoy was entering Lebanon from Syria through the al-Arida border crossing, a dispute and a scuffle broke out between the guards who were in his convoy and members of the General Security,” NNA said. It added that the convoy continued its journey after the border post's chief “intervened and resolved the dispute.”Meanwhile, Wahhab's Arab Tawhid Party issued a statement downplaying the incident as a “personal misunderstanding between a General Security agent and a car that was leading the convoy.” “The guards who were in the car made their identity clear to the General Security member but he insisted on searching the car, which sparked a minor clash that was addressed on the spot,” it said. The party noted that the officer in charge and the other agents behaved in a “courteous manner.”“General Security members at all border crossings act in line with what their duty obliges them to do and according to the instructions of General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, whom we admire, appreciate and respect,” it added.

9 Hurt, Tents Torched as Residents Clash with Syrian Workers in al-Mari
NaharnetAugust 11/15/A clash erupted Tuesday between a number of Syrian workers and residents of the Hasbaya District town of al-Mari in the South, state-run National News Agency reported. It said seven Syrians and two residents were injured in the scuffle that involved the use of rocks and batons. Ten tents were also torched in the clash that broke out in the town's plain. NNA said the wounded were taken to hospitals in Marjeyoun and Hasbaya, identifying five of them as Wissam Sara, Hani Sara, Anwar Sara, Suheil Sara and Adel al-Anz. The army encircled al-Mari's plain and closed the town's entrances in the wake of the incident as Civil Defense firefighters doused the blaze that gutted the tents. “This clash erupted as a result of the failure to organize Syrian labor in this region, and they (Syrian workers) are increasing in number day after day,” al-Mari municipal chief Youssef Fayyad said. He called on the relevant authorities to “coordinate with the municipality to avoid any such incident in the future.”

Mustaqbal Lauds Moqbel's 'Wise Decision', Slams Aoun's 'Threats'
NaharnetAugust 11/15/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday lauded a decision by Defense Minister Samir Moqbel to extend the terms of top military chiefs, as it slammed what it called “threats” and “shameful remarks” by Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun against the military institution.“The bloc applauds the wise decision that was taken by the defense minister to delay the retirement of the army commander, the chief of staff and the secretary general of the Higher Defense Council, after the cabinet failed to approve the needed appointments in its latest session,” said Mustaqbal in a statement issued after its weekly meeting. It noted that the move occurred amid “a forced and continued presidential vacuum.” “The decision took into consideration the importance of avoiding vacuum in the security institutions amid these critical and dangerous circumstances that Lebanon and the region are going through,” Mustaqbal added. “In this regard, the bloc condemns the shameful and rejected threats and remarks that were voiced by General Michel Aoun, a former army chief, against the army commander and the military institution,” it said. The bloc also charged that Hizbullah is relying on Aoun's “behavior against the state and its security and military institutions” to “continue to usurp the state through its illegitimate weapons and threaten stability and security.”Turning to the street protests that Aoun has called for, Mustaqbal noted that “democratic expression is a right for everyone as long as it respects the law and the Constitution.”“The threat to resort to street action to protest governmental resolutions must not reach the extent of stirring chaos, especially that the country is going through critical political, security, economic and social situations,” it warned, urging Aoun to “shun irresponsible behavior amid these circumstances.”Earlier in the day, Aoun called for demos on Wednesday to protest perceived marginalization of Christians in state institutions, as he accused Qahwaji of ordering violence against FPM demonstrators during the protests that the movement organized on July 9. His remarks came several days after Moqbel extended the the terms of Qahwaji and other senior officers, despite months of objections by the FPM. Prior to Qahwaji's term extension, Aoun was reportedly lobbying for political consensus on the appointment of Commando Regiment commander Chamel Roukoz, his son-in-law, as army chief.

Lebanon: Gunmen Intercept Bishop's Convoy, Demand Release of Kidnapping Suspect
Naharnet/August 11/15/Gunmen intercepted on Monday the convoy of a bishop who was traveling in his convoy from Bkirki to Deir al-Ahmar, reported the National News Agency. It said that the assailants, riding in three vehicles, halted the convoy of Bishop Khalil Alwan and Father Elie Nasr to demand the release of a suspect held in a recent kidnapping case. The gunmen demanded that the bishop deliver a message to Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to pressure authorities to release the wife of detainee Mohammed Dora Jaafar. She was arrested at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint in connection to the abduction of Marc al-Hajj Moussa last week. Moussa was abducted by armed men at dawn Thursday on a road in the Metn town of Mazraat Yashouh while on his way home in Bikfaya.He was released on Saturday after his family paid the captors a ransom of 350,000 dollars.

Lebanon's General Security Arrests 3-Member Terrorist Cell
Naharnet/August 11/15/General Security has arrested three Syrians on suspicion of recruiting fighters and monitoring the activities of the Hizbullah-linked Resistance Brigades. As Safir daily said Tuesday that Abu Khattab, one of the group's members, is a resident of the town of Shehim in Iqlim al-Kharroub. He left Lebanon through the Arida border crossing in December 2012, heading to the Syrian city of Aleppo where he joined al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front.
He later returned to Lebanon through an illegal crossing in northeastern Lebanon to recruit fighters and monitor the movement of Resistance Brigades members.
The suspect used his Facebook account to stay in touch with some al-Nusra Front leaders in Syria and to send them information about the Resistance Brigades in the area of Iqlim al-Kharroub, mainly the town of Shehim. He also sent them detailed maps on how to reach certain targets by planting roadside bombs or booby-trapping cars. According to As Safir, Abu Khattab told the military judiciary that fugitive Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir had sleeper cells in the southern city of Sidon and Iqlim al-Kharroub. The cells aim at targeting Hizbullah and its members, he said. But his brother, the second member of the group, denied in his testimony that he had carried out any security act in Lebanon. The third suspect, also a resident of Shehim, admitted to having ties with Abu Khattab, saying he had been injured while fighting alongside al-Nusra Front in Aleppo. He said a Syrian man gave him a fake passport but was arrested by General Security while he was trying to travel to Turkey by sea on his way to Syria. The three suspects are currently under investigation by the military prosecution. General Security confirmed As Safir's report, saying in a terse communique that it arrested three Syrians for “belonging to the terrorist al-Nusra Front and monitoring some personalities and party members to commit assassinations and bombings in Lebanon.”It did not specify where the arrests took place. The communique said that General Security also apprehended a Lebanese member of the Islamic State extremist group for monitoring the movement of Lebanese soldiers and security forces.

Derbas Calls for Seizing Opportunity of Nusra's Pullout from Area Near Turkey Border
Naharnet/August 11/15/Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas has said that Lebanon should benefit from a decision by al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front in Syria to withdraw from areas along the border with Turkey.
The move by al-Nusra Front came two weeks after Turkey began carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria. Turkey also agreed to allow U.S. warplanes to use the strategic Incirlik Air Base for operations against IS in Syria. The two countries have agreed on the outlines of a plan to create an IS-free zone along the border. Al-Nusra Front said its decision was being taken to avoid cooperating with the U.S.-Turkish plan to create the zone.
Derbas told An Nahar daily published on Tuesday that Lebanon should negotiate with Turkey and the U.S. so that hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees return to these areas. He said the Lebanese authorities should seize the opportunity of al-Nusra Front's pullout, which would give huge benefits to Lebanon.Lebanon is hosting around 1.5 million Syrian refugees.

At Least One Rocket Lands in Northern Bekaa Town of Btedei
Naharnet/August 11/15/Conflicting media reports emerged Monday evening after at least one projectile hit the northern Bekaa town of Btedei. State-run National News Agency said two rockets landed Monday evening in Btedei, without elaborating on the source of the projectiles. It said the rockets hit near the house of Sobhi and Nadimeh Fakhri, who were killed in November 2014 at the hands of fugitives from the powerful Jaafar clan who were fleeing army troops. The rockets created two 80-centimeter craters in the ground, NNA added. “A military expert has headed to the region to unveil the circumstances of the incident and determine the source of the rockets,” NNA said. Meanwhile, LBCI television said a projectile that exploded in Btedei was “a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fired from Iaat” upon the arrival of the body of a Hizbullah fighter killed in Syria. Later on Monday, Btedei municipal chief Samir Fakhri confirmed that a rocket had struck the town's plain, noting that the location from which it was fired was still unknown. “There is no damage and investigations are still underway to determine the source of the rocket,” he added. Earlier media reports had said that the rocket was fired from the Eastern Mountain Range on the Lebanese-Syrian border, where several Syria-based militant groups are based.

Hezbollah Refuses to Transfer Beirut, Mount Lebanon Waste to Arsal
Camal Richa/August 11/15
Arsal municipal chief Ali al-Hujairi proposed to transfer the waste of Beirut, the Lebanese Capital, and Mount Lebanon to the vast lands in Arsal, thus giving a scientific and immediate way out of the waste accumulation problem, and finding landfills which can be used immediately after closing Nahmeh landfill. The municipal chief’s proposal came after a scientific study was done at the request of the EU delegate who visited the area a year ago when the waste issue in Arsal itself was accumulating due to the increase of Syrian population in the area which caused a spike in the number of inhabitants from 40,000 to more than 150,000. At that time, the municipality discussed the formation of a factory which would sort and recycle waste. Geologically, the area of Arsal is around 320 square Km, whereas Beirut is only around 20 square Km. Moreover, the area which the Municipal chief offered to be used as a landfill to sort and recycle waist has no groundwater and is barren and unused. But the reason why al-Hujairi’s proposal was not taken into consideration is something to talk about. Sources say that when the proposal was presented to the Cabinet, Hezbollah Ministers objected stating that Arsal is a military and security zone for Hezbollah, and thus, the risk of transferring the waste to that area is great since it might be used to transfer weapons to the Syrian insurgents. This is why the offer did not pass, and the cabinet went back to square one in search of alternative landfills. With the continued failure to find alternative solutions to this issue, Arsal Municipal Chief’s proposal should be brought back to life as being the best solution that can be immediately implemented. This is why the suggestion was discussed between Hezbollah and Future Movement during one of their dialog sessions. Sources indicated that Hezbollah representatives promised to reconsider their objection, which might lead to a possibility of a solution. Informed sources said that the reason for Hezbollah’s refusal of al-Hujairi’s proposal is to cut the road for any economic revival in the area which is under siege, especially since the municipality will benefit from the proceeds of the landfill. The landfill will also create jobs opportunities to the Lebanese and Syrians living in the area; each 30 meter waste bundle needs 60 workers to sort. The town will also benefit from the revenues of reselling recycled waste ( metal, paper, organic fertilizers…).
Sources add that since the army is heavily present in and all around the town of Arsal, and the waste support trucks do not need to pass through town in order to reach the landfill, it will be easy to make a specific itinerary by the Lebanese army who will also control the trucks’ route. Sources indicate that unless the Cabinet approves on al-Hujairi’s proposal, the waste issue will explode again after all temporary solutions are exhausted in the municipalities.
So, will Hezbollah agree to this proposal

Iraq Parliament Approves PM's Anti-Corruption Plan
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/15/Iraq's parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's reform program aimed at curbing the corruption and government waste that sparked widespread anger and weeks of protests. Abadi on Sunday proposed a series of measures to combat graft, streamline the government and improve services after the protests and a call from Iraq's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for drastic change. But both Abadi's reform program and an additional list of measures also approved by parliament only outline steps to be taken. Actually implementing them will be a difficult process fraught with potential political and legal challenges. "It was unanimously approved," parliament speaker Salim al-Juburi announced to applause after the vote, which was held without a debate as soon as the plan was read in a session attended by 297 of 328 MPs. Abadi issued a statement congratulating the Iraqi people on the passage of the plan and pledging "to continue the path of reform even if it costs me my life." One of the most drastic of Abadi's proposals, which were approved by the cabinet on Sunday, was the call for the posts of vice president and deputy prime minister to be eliminated "immediately". Abadi's plan also calls for an end to unofficial but prevalent "political and sectarian quotas" for senior officials, for increased oversight to prevent corruption, and for services to be improved, among other measures. Juburi had urged MPs to sign off on the reforms, but said that a "complementary" parliamentary reform plan was needed to add to and "adjust" Abadi's measures in keeping with the law and the constitution. That plan overlaps with Abadi's proposals on various points while adding others.New measures include calling for "negligent and corrupt" ministers to be presented for no-confidence votes, the "activation" of a law providing for the removal of excessively absent MPs, and limits of two terms for the premier, president and parliament speaker. The parliamentary plan was also read and approved without debate, and the session -- most of which was taken up by the reading of the two plans -- ended some 30 minutes after it began. The approval is a victory for Abadi, but the question now becomes how thoroughly the measures will be implemented, and what politicians and other officials may do to try to thwart them. "All Iraqi politicians officially support reform and the fight against corruption but they all engage very heavily in corruption," said Zaid al-Ali, author of "The Struggle For Iraq's Future". "They have to say that they support reform, but they will work against it."Ali also said that removing the post of vice president would require an amendment to the constitution, a process that includes a popular referendum that is unlikely to be immediately held. Amid a major heatwave that has seen temperatures top 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit), protesters have railed against the poor quality of services, especially power outages that leave just a few hours of government-supplied electricity per day. Thousands of people have turned out in Baghdad and cities in the Shiite south to vent their anger at the authorities, putting pressure on them to make changes. Various parties and politicians have sought to align themselves with the protesters' calls for reforms to benefit from the movement and mitigate the risk to themselves. People have protested over services and corruption before, but the demonstrations failed to bring about significant change. Protestors' demands were given a boost on Friday when Sistani, who is revered by millions, called for Abadi to take "drastic measures" against corruption, saying that the "minor steps" he had announced were not enough.

Israel Police Quiz Jewish Extremist who Defends Torching Churches
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/August 11/15/Israel police questioned Tuesday a Jewish extremist leader who condoned torching churches amid an uproar over recent hate crimes, including the deadly firebombing of a Palestinian home.
Benzi Gopstein, who heads far-right group Lehava, has not been linked to any recent attacks, but his comments regarding churches came at a time of heightened sensitivity over Jewish extremism and drew outrage from Roman Catholic officials. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said Gopstein had been called in for questioning "about his comments regarding the burning of churches." He was later allowed to go free, she added. During a debate with religious students last week, Gopstein defended the idea of burning churches, invoking a medieval Jewish commandment to destroy places of idol-worship, according to a widely broadcast recording of the event. A formal complaint to Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein was later filed by the body in charge of Catholic properties in the Holy Land. In a letter seen by AFP Monday, the Custodian of the Holy Land called for Gopstein to be prosecuted and for Lehava to be outlawed. Gopstein lawyer Itamar Ben Gvir, speaking on public radio, said "our client has been summoned to interrogation in the wake of pressure from the Vatican.""I ask myself what the next step will be. Will the pope decide to file charges?"Gopstein, who lives in the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron, has previously faced police questioning. He was one of 10 Lehava members detained last year over an arson attack on a Jewish-Arab school in Jerusalem. His summons Tuesday followed attacks, attributed to Jewish extremists, on Palestinians and Christian sites in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. An 18-month-old Palestinian child died, and his father was fatally injured when alleged Jewish extremists firebombed their home at the end of last month. Hours earlier, an ultra-Orthodox Jew stabbed six people at a Gay Pride march in Jerusalem, mortally wounding a 16-year-old girl. On June 18, an arson attack occurred at a shrine on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel where Jesus is believed to have performed the miracle of loaves and fishes. Israeli prosecutors have charged three Israeli extremists in that case. Lehava claims to fight for Jewish identity, in particular by opposing marriages between Jews and gentiles. A Catholic official said Sunday an assembly of churches in the region had filed a complaint with police over Gopstein's comments.

Saudi Arabia Rejects Russian Calls to Work with Assad against IS
Agence France PresseNaharnet/August 11/15/Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Tuesday poured cold water on Russian calls to join forces with the Syrian authorities against Islamic State jihadists, insisting it would never work with President Bashar Assad. Moscow -- one of Assad's few remaining allies -- has called for coordination between the Syrian government and members of an international coalition fighting the extremist group, which controls swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq.
But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisted there would be no cooperation with the Syrian regime after meeting Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow."As for a coalition in which Saudi Arabia would participate with the government of Syria, then we need to exclude that. It is not part of our plans," Jubeir said in comments translated into Russian. "Our position has not changed... there is no place for Assad in the future of Syria," Jubeir said. "We think that Bashar Assad is part of the problem, not part of the solution." Saudi Arabia is part of a U.S.-led coalition that began an air campaign against IS in Syria last September. Russia supports Assad while Saudi Arabia insists he must step down to help end a four-year conflict that has cost over 240,000 lives. The two ministers last met in Qatar on August 3 when Lavrov, Jubeir and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held a three-way meeting, with Syria topping the agenda. Lavrov said Moscow was not looking to establish a formal alliance against the radical group but warned a failure to cooperate could open the door to extremists. Russia wanted "all those who are already fighting terrorists to somehow coordinate so that they focus on their main task -- to fight the threat of terrorism," Lavrov said. He admitted that there remained "persistent differences" between Riyadh and Moscow over how to tackle the Syrian conflict. "The exit of President Assad is part of these differences," Lavrov said. Russia is trying to bolster its claims to act as a mediator in the Syrian crisis and is set to host a raft of opposition leaders and negotiators on the crisis. Both Jabeir and Lavrov called for a fresh push to unite Syria's fragmented opposition in a bid to reinvigorate efforts to find a political settlement to the crisis. Syria's opposition National Coalition is set to visit the Russian capital this week along with a second opposition group. The leader of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) is also expected, Lavrov said, as is the deputy of the United Nation's envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura.

Greece Reaches Deal on Third Bailout with Creditors
Agence France PresseNaharnet/August 11/15/Greece on Tuesday reached a deal on a multi-billion bailout with its international creditors, officials said, with the government planning to submit it to parliament later in the day. "An agreement was reached," a government source told Agence France Presse, with Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos telling reporters: "We are very close... There are a couple of very small details remaining on prior actions." A finance ministry source told AFP that the remaining details "do not affect the main body of the agreement." The Athens stock market opened up 1.64 percent on Tuesday after three straight days of gains. In the final stretch, Tsakalotos and Economy Minister Yiorgos Stathakis spent nearly 22 hours talking to senior representatives from the European Union, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Stability Mechanism to finalise the list of new reforms required of the Greek government in exchange for a lifeline of up to 86 billion euros ($94 billion). The deadline for Greece to reach an agreement on what will be its third bailout is August 20, when it must repay 3.4 billion euros ($3.7 billion) to the European Central Bank. State broadcaster ERT on Tuesday said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had spoken to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and European Parliament chairman Martin Schultz on the accord. "Today the deal will be submitted to parliament," Christos Staikos, a member of the ruling Syriza party, told the station. The chamber is expected to vote on the accord on Thursday, and eurozone finance ministers could be asked to approve it the next day.
Late-night talks
The marathon negotiations dragged on into the wee hours of Tuesday, with government sources saying at around 4:00 am (0100 GMT) that Athens had agreed on fiscal targets for the next three years. Athens committed to a primary deficit of 0.25 percent of output in 2015, and a surplus in 2016, meaning that no new fiscal measures will be necessary until then, the source said. In 2016 the primary surplus -- the balance not including debt service -- will be 0.5 percent, followed by 1.75 percent in 2017 and 3.5 percent in 2018, the source added.
The Kathimerini daily said the Greek government would have to immediately implement 35 measures before the deal can kick in. These include energy market deregulation, changes to tonnage tax for shipping firms, price cuts in generic drugs, a review of the social welfare system, phasing out early retirement, and implementing market reforms proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the daily said. Tsipras meanwhile is under pressure from many in his radical left Syriza party who say the new accord will pile further austerity on a weakened economy and goes against the party's campaign pledges. But with his popularity among Greeks still high, Tsipras has warned the dissidents of early elections in the autumn if they continue to resist the measures. Former energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, who is opposed to the new bailout agreement, has dismissed it as "a negotiating fiasco" and said Tsipras could not "avoid the outcry by resorting guiltily and hurriedly to elections". However, the government spokeswoman insisted Monday that "there are no electoral thoughts". "The election talk cultivated in recent days is neither useful nor does it correspond to reality," spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili said in a statement, adding that the government was focused on concluding a deal and then negotiating debt relief with its creditors.

Erdogan Vows to Press Anti-PKK Campaign 'Until No Terrorist Remains'
Agence France Presse/NaharnetAugust 11/15/President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday vowed that Turkey would press on with a campaign against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants "until not one terrorist remains.""We will continue our fight until weapons are laid down... and not one single terrorist remains within our borders," Erdogan said in a televised speech in Ankara. He added that the over two-week air campaign against the PKK had already inflicted "serious losses" on the group. "We know that the terrorist organization sustained serious losses as a result of operations carried out inside and outside our country," Erdogan said, referring to the PKK. He also said "effective operations" were carried out against Islamic State (IS) jihadists, even though Turkey has so far concentrated its "anti-terror" campaign mainly against the PKK. "We have also carried out effective operations against Daesh which poses a threat to our security," he said, using a pejorative Arabic acronym for IS. "For us, there is no difference between terrorist organizations. Whatever their purpose is, for us, a terrorist organization is a terrorist organization."He also declared that the peace process to end a three-decade insurgency by the PKK was currently "in the fridge", taking a swipe at Kurdish political forces for not appreciating the government's steps to end the conflict. "Unfortunately they did not understand what has been done" for them, he said. "Therefore the solution process is now in the fridge."

Famed Egyptian Actor Nour el-Sherif Dies after Battle with Illness
NaharnetAugust 11/15/Well-known Egyptian actor Nour el-Sherif died on Tuesday at the age of 69, Egypt's state news agency said.The news agency said he died Tuesday after battling an unspecified long illness. El-Sherif's big break was in the late 1960s when he played a supporting role in "The Palace of Desire," the screen adaptation of one of the novels in a trilogy by Egyptian Nobel Prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz. He went on to become one of the Arab world's top male actors for much of the 1970s and 1980s in the heydays of Egyptian cinema. One of his later roles was a part in "The Yacoubian Building," a 2006 adaptation of a best-selling novel about Egyptian society and politics. He was a favorite of Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, playing major roles in his films.

S. Korea Ramps up Border Security after Landmine Attack
Agence France PresseNaharnet/August 11/15/South Korea ramped up border security Tuesday as military tensions flared following landmine blasts blamed on North Korea, and the presidential office in Seoul demanded a formal apology. South Korea says North Korean soldiers sneaked across the border and laid the mines, three of which were tripped by members of a South Korean border patrol on Tuesday last week. One soldier underwent a double leg amputation while another had one leg removed. The South responded by resuming border propaganda operations after a break of more than a decade, switching on batteries of powerful loudspeakers to blare out messages denouncing border provocations. North Korea is extremely sensitive to such campaigns. The last time the South threatened to turn the loudspeakers back on -- in 2010 -- the North vowed to shell the units involved. "We are strengthening defense postures (along the border) against another potential provocation by the North," Seoul's defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-Seok said Tuesday. The army will "respond immediately" if the North opens fire at the loudspeakers, Kim said, adding that border area residents had been advised to exercise extreme caution and farmers to leave their fields. Until now, there has been no unusual North Korean activity observed along the border. The mine blasts came with cross-border tensions already running high ahead of the launch next week of a major South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise condemned by Pyongyang. In Seoul, the presidential Blue House demanded an apology for what it called a "clear breach" of the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. "We sternly urge North Korea to apologize for this provocation and punish those responsible," Blue House spokesman Min Kyung-Wook told reporters. Because the 1953 armistice was never replaced with a peace treaty, the two Koreas remain technically at war. British Foreign Secretary (foreign minister) Philip Hammond, who is on a two-day trip to South Korea, condemned the mine blasts as a violation of the armistice and a threat to regional peace. "We've condemned this unprovoked attack. And North Koreans must be held to account for the breach of the armistice," he told reporters during a trip to a memorial honoring British servicemen killed during the inter-Korean conflict. The North's actions "threaten stability in this region", Yonhap news agency quoted Hammond as saying. The defense ministry declined to comment on how many units were involved in the propaganda broadcasts, which resumed late Monday afternoon. Media reports suggested loudspeakers had been switched on at up to 11 locations along the border. A ministry official said the messages being boomed across the border ranged from snippets of world news and the weather forecast to the superiority of democracy. He said noise from the speakers could be heard 10-20 kilometers (6-12 miles) away depending on the time of day. Both Koreas discontinued the high-decibel propaganda exchanges in 2004 during a period of rapprochement.But South Korean civil activists have continued -- much to Pyongyang's fury -- to send anti-North leaflets over the border using helium balloons.

Saudi FM says Riyadh willing to develop relations with Tehran if Iran stops interfering in the region
Berlin and Moscow, Asharq Al-Awsat/August 11/15/—Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said Monday his country will be willing to develop relations with Iran if the Islamic Republic changes its “hostile” policy of interfering in the internal affairs of the countries of the region.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Berlin on Monday, Adel Al-Jubeir said: “Iran must change its hostile policies if it actually wants to have relations of good-neighborliness and respect with its neighbors.” Jubeir said Tehran’s blatant interference in the region is responsible for the turmoil in several Arab nations, including Syria, Yemen and Iraq. The Saudi FM also said “the Kingdom is closely monitoring Iran’s quest for uranium enrichment,” and that Tehran’s refusal to allow inspectors into its nuclear facilities was a sign of its intent to go ahead with the manufacture of nuclear weapons. Jubeir’s remarks come one day before his meeting with Sergei Lavrov, Russian’s foreign Minister, in Moscow on Tuesday. The meeting is expected to concentrate on finding a solution for the Syrian crisis and discussing efforts to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) whose militants control large parts of Syria and Iraq. Russian diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat Moscow “will intensify contacts with representatives of the Syrian opposition” after Tuesday’s meeting between the Russian and Saudi foreign ministers. A delegation of the Syrian National Coalition, Syria’s main opposition group, is expected to arrive in Moscow on Tuesday. Khaled Khoja, leader of the western-backed coalition, will head the delegation to Moscow to discuss holding a third round of talks between the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and the opposition. The first two rounds of the talks, dubbed Geneva I and II, failed to end the conflict in Syria, now in its fifth year.

Is Abadi Staging a Coup in Iraq?
Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al Awsat/August 11/15/After weeks of protests in Iraq calling for an end to corruption, better government services, and wide-ranging reforms, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi has proposed canceling the country’s multiple vice president and deputy prime minister posts, as part of a series of measures to quell the unrest, fix Iraq’s rampant cronyism, and shore up state funds. But is this latest move a reformist one, or is it simply part of a coup the Iraqi premier is now staging? There is widespread agreement both inside and outside Iraq—especially among those of a rational disposition—that sectarian quotas for government posts, as well as politicians having loyalties to external parties like Iran, are a bad thing for the country. The issue with Mr. Abadi’s decision to cancel the three vice president posts (two Shi’ites, one Sunni) and the three deputy prime minister posts (one Shi’ite, one Sunni, one Kurd) is more to do with its timing, its implementation, and its unclear goals and motives. These points are hard to ignore, and it seems Abadi is attempting to ride the wave of popular anger by using the protests in his favor. He seems to have also sought religious backing for the decision—via the highest Shi’ite religious authority in the land, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, who told Abadi to “strike with an iron fist” against cronyism and corruption in the country and ensure posts are handed out on the basis of merit and ability and not affiliation to a particular political party, ethnicity, or religious sect.
The concerns regarding Abadi’s decision are obvious. Iraq is drowning day-by-day in sectarian strife and tension, especially in light of the increasing marginalization of Sunnis in the country. This may lead Iraq down a path where the existing problem of Sunni and Shi’ite extremist groups becomes an even more disastrous problem. Certainly, few will mourn Nuri Al-Maliki’s departure from his position one of the country’s three vice presidents, but that does not mean that this latest move by Abadi comes armed with any specific mechanisms for its implementations or even guarantees that it will hold water. It is, then, hard to see how these measures will help abolish sectarian quotas for posts and safeguard the rights of all Iraq’s different religious and ethnic groups. This last point is especially salient since it was Abadi’s government that refused to arm Sunni tribal groups in the country fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), not to mention the uncertainty still surrounding proposed plans to reinstate Iraq’s Republican Guard and the lack of trust between Abadi’s Baghdad government and the Kurds.
The truth is that everything that has happened in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein points to a complete lack of trust between all of the country’s different religious and ethnic groups. Successive post-Saddam governments have all failed to properly solve the issue of sectarian quotas and cronyism, so why should Iraqis believe this latest move by Abadi will adequately address the problem? Why shouldn’t Iraqis believe that by canceling the posts Abadi is effectively turning into a new Maliki? Would Abadi ever allow a Sunni or Kurdish prime minister to form their own government in future, without him seeking to block those efforts for sectarian reasons or through an Iranian veto—as happened when the Shi’ite Nuri Al-Maliki regained his position as prime minister in 2010 despite losing the elections to Sunni candidate Iyad Allawi? In the absence of genuine political discourse and a national reconciliation process there are in truth no guarantees that Abadi is being sincere with this latest move. And, given everything that has happened recently in Iraq, it is extremely difficult to rely solely on (what may seem to be) good intentions. After all, the road to hell is paved with them, as the saying goes.

Syria, between diplomats and reality
Dr.Walid Phares/Face Book/August 11/15/Many are hopeful the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Russia and the US are one or two inches away from producing a deal on ending the war and creating an interim Government, then going to elections. That's at the table of diplomats between a gin tonic and a phone call. Reality on the ground is deeply different. What could have worked in March-May 2011, and we've called for it then, won't work in September-October 2015, or beyond. The smaller size Lebanon past conflict provides clear lessons. Cease fires followed by unity Government without a force on the ground to implement them, won't take off. It will have to take a significant force, greater than the forces in the two or three camps, to deter and pacify. Is there one? We don't see whose military power yet. Arrangements to have an exit for Assad, yes very easy, but the conflict has gone so massively bloody, that Assad's exit alone won't settle it. A cease fire between all factions with the exception of Daesh-ISIS and endless shuttling diplomacy to restore electricity and bread distribution, possible. But the ground military and security realities are so inextricable that diplomats' settlements at this point can't resolve quickly.

We've warned again...
Dr. Walid Phares
Quickest pre "Deal" booklet on the "Iranian regime threat"
For a quick and easy, but strategic read on the "Iranian Regime Threat" before the signing of the "deal" in July 2015, we suggest you download the following EBook. Another Walid Phares prediction made in July 2014, one year before the signing of the "Deal" in July 2015. "We've warned again" It's one click away!
"Iran: Regional Threat and Strategic Responses"
A thorough and factual analysis of the most recent developments in Iraq in the context of the broader crisis in the Middle East. The author, relying on his in-depth understanding of the region identifies Iran under the Ayatollahs as the most serious threat for the region. The ongoing crises in the Middle East, from Iraq to Gaza, and the destabilization of the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula and parts of North Africa are in large part created by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran has meddled in its neighbor's affairs through the backing of terror networks. It has also seized a number of significant opportunities over the past five years to expand its military influence in the region, destabilize moderate Arab states, intervene in Syria, arm and train Hezbollah in Lebanon, threaten Bahrain, and back the Hawthi insurgents in northern Yemen. Tehran's most destructive role can be most clearly distinguished in Iraq. On the issue of current developments in Iraq the author address the following issues: • What are the causes of the recent crisis in Iraq? • What is the solution to the crisis and to confront ISIS? • Can Iran be part of a potential solution to the Iraqi crisis? On the broader scope the author addresses the following issues: 1. The first section will remind the reader of the historic ideological and political roots of the present Iranian regime and underline that its original goals and its final objectives have not changed—and that the regime’s central nerve power has kept up a relentless march towards these goals. 2. The paper will then examine the Iranian involvement in Syria’s civil war and the destructive role it has been playing since 2011. This will be followed by the Iranian meddling in Iraq and the suppressive campaign against Iran’s exiled opposition in that country. 3. The paper will analyze the Iranian obstruction of solutions in Syria and Iraq along with the support Tehran is providing to terror forces in both countries before discussing the role of Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. 4. Discussing the Iranian opposition as the strategic Achilles’ heel of the Iranian regime 5. Last will come a discussion of the misguided U.S. policy on Syria and Iraq, particularly that, under the pretext the government will confront al Qaeda, Assad is allowed to continue with his genocide and Maliki is allowed to perform the bidding of Iran. Having discussed the above issues in details, the author make the following recommendations to the US Government:
1) On the “nuclear deal”: This agreement was not reviewed or voted on by the U.S. Congress—in contrast with the U.S. decision regarding striking Assad based on chemical weapon use (which Congress did vote on). We recommend the administration send the agreement, even after having committed to execute the accords with Tehran, back to the U.S. Congress for a vote to authorize it, modify it or even cancel it if U.S. national interests suggest so. Other recommendations and strategies include:
2) Maintaining the current sanctions on the regime and focusing their implementation particularly on the regime’s elite and their associates;
3) Introducing a bill in Congress to slate foreign aid to the Iranian opposition institutions, those in exile and civil society underground groups inside Iran, with a particular focus on political recognition of the national Iranian resistance to mobilize the Iranian people, with the goal of pressuring the regime to cease its oppression and accept the principle of a referendum on the future of the country;
4) Restructuring U.S. policy’s main objective on Iran to focus on regime change by peaceful means and via coherent and systematic support to the Iranian opposition; 5) Inviting leaders of the Iranian resistance and opposition movements to the White House and the U.S. Congress to elevate their international visibility and grant them moral and political support.
One year ago, but the warning wasn't heeded

What Can We Do If We Would Really Like to Fight Terrorism in Tunisia?
Hayet Ben Said/Gatestone Institute
August 11, 2015
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6238/tunisia-terrorism
◾Seifeddine Rezgui was not born a terrorist. He was indoctrinated to become a terrorist. He was the product of our educational system. What are the main characteristics of this system? Our educational system encourages the closedness of mind.
◾It is not easy for our students to accept others. Our religion teaches Muslims that they are the best people. The Quran says: "You (Muslims) are the best nation brought out for Mankind, commanding what is righteous and forbidding what is wrong." [3:110] So, Muslim people think that they hold the ultimate truth and that they must share it.
◾Why do we not break the idea that religion is a taboo topic that we must not talk about? Instead, we should introduce the tools of scientific enquiry to deal with the subject of religion -- asking questions without having any boundaries, and observing results through objective testing rather than with subjective and predetermined conclusions.
The June 26 terrorist attack in Tunisia, at the Imperial Marhaba Hotel, has shown us Tunisians the failure of our educational system.
Seifeddine Rezgui, the attacker who murdered tourists with a Kalashnikov in the tourist resort of Sousse, was a student in one of our schools; he studied electronics in the city of Kairouan.
A lot of information seems even more important to know about him than if he belonged to or supported the Islamic State, if he attended a training camp in Libya, or if he had gone to Syria or Iraq to join militants fighting there.
Seifeddine Rezgui walks with his rifle during his attack on foreign tourists in Sousse, Tunisia, on June 26, 2015.
What is important to know is that Seifeddine Rezgui liked rap music and the Real Madrid football team; he never skipped school and he was never rude to others. He never fought on the street, he regularly played soccer, and his friend described him as funny. In short, Seifeddine Rezgui was not born a terrorist. I am not trying to defend his terrorist act; I am just trying to explain it. He was indoctrinated to become a terrorist.
When he did his terrible act, he was still studying. He was the product of our educational system.
What are the main characteristics of this system?
Our educational system encourages the closedness of mind. It teaches students one religion, which leads evidently to one ultimate truth. It is then not easy for them to accept other truths.
Our educational system should be revised. Our first president, Habib Bourguiba, given the social and political circumstances and the regional constraints, did the best he could. Our religion teaches Muslims that they are the best people. The Quran says: "You [Muslims] are the best nation brought out for Mankind, commanding what is righteous and forbidding what is wrong." (3:110). So, many Muslim people think that they hold the ultimate truth and that they must share it.
Moreover, we have an educational system marked by a high level of specialization. Students who are enrolled in science classes have only general and superficial courses in literature, history and religion. But even for those who have taken continual courses in those fields, the question is: What is the content of these courses?
In particular, what are they studying in religious programs? If we choose to teach them religion, why do we not teach them the main religions in the world: Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and so on? Why do we not present varied studies and research from different points of view (theology, anthropology, philosophy, history, archaeology, biology, economic, sociology, and other fields) related to the birth of all these religions; as well as, without any judgment, the circumstances of their birth?
Why do we not make a distinction between religion and spirituality? We are spiritual beings, connected to something bigger than ourselves, while religion is a human creation that has been used and adapted for different reasons and interests.
Before Islam and even now, we could find Tunisian people in some regions who do not care a lot about "religion." They rely on other powerful values. In some tribes, respect is based on values such as honesty, faithfulness, bravery, and similar ideals. Although they have inherited these values from their ancestors, those principles do not necessarily have a religious connotation. In many tribes, people practice the Muslim religion as prayer and pilgrimage to gain more honor and respect from their tribe, village and society. There are also others who do not practice a religion, but who have no problem with it.
Spirituality needs to be taught at schools. Students need to ask: Where do feelings and emotions come from? What is the human psyche? Where do we come from? If we all come from one atom of hydrogen, where does that come from? They need to know about the different research done in this field. What do the different religions tell us about the psyche? Then, we try to compare religion's answers with the scientific ones. All these may decrypt the enigma of human's origin and human heart. In that case, religions, which are in certain cases signs of wisdom, can be helpful. Indeed, we can find wisdom related to many subjects (divinity, human nature, the matters, the life and so on) in the words and sayings of Christ, Buddha, Moses, Muhammad and so on.
Why do we not compare a world without religion to another with religion to see the contradictions between religion and the evolution of our society, in order to make the necessary revisions?
In Tunisia, many international schools have adopted this approach to teach religion. Many Tunisian families send their children to these schools to protect them from religious extremism. But since the reign of Bourguiba, public schools have adopted the classical approach to teaching religion. This dualism will only strengthen the contradictions and conflicts between Tunisian people, and eventually lead to a confrontation not only between them and foreigners but also between one another.
Finally, why do we not break the idea that religion is a taboo topic that we must not talk about? Instead, we should introduce the tools of scientific enquiry to deal with the subject of religion -- asking questions without having any boundaries, and observing results through objective testing rather than with subjective and predetermined conclusions.
As Tunisian people, until now, the only thing that we have tried to do is to avoid these types of subjects -- and the result is that many young people are in prison or else networking with members of the Islamic State.
**Hayet Ben Said, Ph.D., is a Professor at the Higher School of Economic and Commercial Sciences of Tunis, Tunisia.

The Songs Of The Islamic State – A Major Tool For Reinforcing Its Narrative, Spreading Its Message, Recruiting Supporters
By: M. Shemesh/MEMRI/August 11, 2015Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No.1179
Introduction
Alongside its military successes, the Islamic State (ISIS) has made considerable achievements in the media and propaganda domain. Its members and supporters utilize social media and online forums to further their various goals, such as recruiting fighters and funds, spreading the organization’s message and waging psychological warfare. As part of this media campaign, ISIS’s media bodies disseminate videos on a daily basis documenting the organization’s battles, conquests and executions and threatening its enemies, alongside videos that show everyday life under the Caliphate and the enforcement of shari’a law, and even nature films displaying the beauty of the Islamic State, all of which aim to emphasize that life under ISIS rule is normal, peaceful and pleasant.
No less important than the films’ content is their soundtrack, usually comprising of songs, or nasheeds (religious hymns).These are produced by Al-Ajnad, ISIS’s media company specializing in audio productions. The songs, along with the visuals, banners, slogans, emblems and other elements employed by ISIS supporters, from a comprehensive subculture that illustrates and amplifies ISIS’s narrative, namely the immediate establishment of an Islamic Caliphate while vanquishing all enemies who stand in its way.
The nasheeds, or official ISIS hymns, accompany all the organization’s videos and are also released on their own. Their lyrics, often no less graphic than the visual content of the films, glorify the organization’s fighters and present them as models for emulation; urge Muslims to join the jihad and seek martyrdom; depict the Islamic State as an existing reality and its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, as the legitimate leader of all Muslims; threaten ISIS’s enemies both in the Muslim world and the West; encourage the Muslims and promise them a bright and glorious future; praise Islam as the ideal religion, and celebrate ISIS’s enforcement of shari’a law in Muslim lands after generations of what the organization calls “secular” and” tyrannical” rule. The lyrics are often written in first person (“I” or “we”), thus enhancing the sense of identification with the organization.
The Salafi stream of Islam strictly observes the prohibition on instrumental music, and vocal music is therefore the only form of musical expression available to its adherents.[1]Nasheeds are sung in Arabic, without instrumental accompaniment, by a polyphonic chorus of male voices. Some of them seem to be produced electronically, by duplicating vocal tracks to create the effect of many voices singing in harmony; in addition, they are often embellished with sound effects of gunfire, clashing swords and the like. Along with the video, which supplies the visual component, they convey a message that is readily accessible even to non-speakers of Arabic; moreover, many of the songs are available with subtitles in the main European languages.
ISIS religious police destroys musical instruments in Libya
The inclusion of the songs in ISIS videos has made them highly popular among ISIS supporters. The catchy tunes, along with the vivid and often violent lyrics, produce rousing songs that stir the emotionsand form an important component of the organization’s indoctrination machine. Thanks to the videos, each new song is quickly disseminated across the world, and many have become anthems and “identifying badges” of sorts for the group’s activists.
This report reviews the main characteristics of ISIS songs, and then presents a sampling of individual songs, with lyrics and a brief explanation about each.
ISIS Songs – Characteristics
Poetic Form
ISIS’s songs belong to a genre of traditional poetry called zajal, whose most prominent formal characteristic is rhyming. Zajal poems display various rhyme schemes. Some are written in monorhyme (each line ends in an identical thyme), as in the case of ISIS’s song “Al-Maliki Is Vanquished” (see below), whose main part consists of 60 short lines all ending with the syllable –ha (a possessive pronoun meaning “her” or “its”). Conversely, other zajal poems have changing rhymes, as in the case of the poem “My Nation, Dawn Has Arrived” (see below). This strophic poem has of four stanzas, all of them beginning with the phrase “my nation.” Each stanza consists of five rhyming lines, but the rhyme changes from stanza to stanza.
The authors of ISIS’s songs are evidently familiar also with Classical Arabic poetry, especially poems of war. Some of ISIS’s songs employ classical meters like ramal, as in the poem “My Nation” below, and mutaqarib, as in the poem “Soon, Soon” below. The latter poem, consisting of an opening couplet followed by 12 lines in monorhyme, is strictly Classical in form, apart from small deviations from Classical grammar.
ISIS’s songs are written in Classical Arabic, but the pronunciation is colloquial, reflecting the dialect of the lead singer.
ISIS’s Audio Production Company, The Al-Ajnad Foundation
In the past, jihadi organizations incorporated songs by famous Arab nasheed singers in their videos (such as Abu ‘Ali[2] and Abu Fares[3]), but in recent years, they have begun employing singers and production companies that are part of the groups themselves. ISIS songs are produced by the Al-Ajnad Foundation, one of the organization’s media production companies, which specializes in producing and publishing audio materials such as nasheeds and Koran recitation clips.[4]Al-Ajnad is an official media organ of ISIS, and is equal in status to other companies such as Al-I’tisam and Al-Furqan, which are responsible for video production. Al-Ajnad publications are typically uploaded to sites such as YouTube and Internet Archive, and unlike ISIS videos, which are removed from sharing sites due to their graphic content, Al-Ajnad audio content tends to remain on the sites. After the initial upload, the content is distributed by pro-ISIS message boards such as Shumoukh Al-Islam (shamikh1.info) and the Jihadi Platform Media (mnbr.com), as well as by ISIS supporters on social networks. While the identities of the writers and performers of the songs have thus far been kept secret, it seems that the centralized distribution via Al-Ajnad has raised the level of writing and general quality, as well as unifying the messages and tailoring them to ISIS’s purposes.
Al-Ajnad logo
Content-wise, most Al-Ajnad songs praise ISIS and its fighters, supporters, and commanders. A handful of songs praise ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi by name, such as the song “Whoever Curses Al-Baghdadi Will Turn Mute.”[5] Another popular song praising Al-Baghdadi, albeit one not produced by Al-Ajnad, is “O Al-Baghdadi, Who Terrorizes Enemies.”[6] ISIS songs also receive cover versions in different languages, such as by German Rapper Denis Cuspert aka Deso Dogg, who uses the nom de guerre Abu Talha Al-Almani and is associated with ISIS. Abu Talha used the melody of the famous ISIS nasheed “Soon, Soon” (“Qariban Qariba” – see below) in his German-language song “Fisabilillah.”[7]
For the most part, official ISIS videos are accompanied by one or more ISIS songs. Videos showing peaceful life in ISIS-controlled territory will often be accompanied by quiet music and lyrics praising Islam and the Islamic shari’a, while videos depicting battles will be accompanied by more rhythmic songs and lyrics describing ISIS fighters as lions eager to fight.
Use Of Sound Effects To Amplify Messages
The polyphonic harmonies of the all-male vocalists, who sing in an a capella style, make up for the lack of instrumental backing. Most songs feature a lead vocalist with backing vocalists enhancing verses and choruses with harmonies. Songs are often accompanied by sound effects such as gunfire, marching feet, wind, galloping horses, rattling swords, etc., in order to create a fuller sound and amplify the message. Thus, for example, the song “The Rattling Of Sabers” uses the sounds of swords to illustrate the act of slaughter, as the lyrics praise the sound of clashing swords. The song’s chorus states:
The rattling of sabers is the nasheed of the proud, and the way of sacrifice is the way of life
And between one battle and the next, the tyrants are destroyed, how lovely is the echo of the silencer.[8]
Using Lyrics To Amplify Messages
The various song lyrics include optimistic terms such as “a new dawn breaks,” “the sunrise,” “the shari’a of Allah is light,” and more; this, alongside lyrics rife with violence and threats to enemies, using terms such as “we defeated,” “we slaughtered,” “we roasted,” “we slit throats,” “we will avenge,” “we will quench our thirst with blood,” “rattle our sabres” and more. The song “We Have Arrived, Arrived as Soldiers for Allah,”[9] published in early 2015, features all main motifs and messages, such as determined soldiers marching for Allah, adherence to Islam, building a promising future, ending humiliation, eliminating tyrants, and swords that terrorize the enemies. The song opens with the lyrics:
We have arrived, arrived, arrived as soldiers for Allah
We have marched, marched, marched out of love for Allah
We adhere to our religion, according to which we live, we construct a lavish edifice that will elevate us
We rid ourselves of the humiliation we have tasted, and put an end to tyrants
We rattle the sabers that we once abandoned
The sword that quenches its thirst [with blood]
Those who are near it will scream from it, and those who are far from it will shriek from it.
Child singing a nashid at an ISIS event in the town of Tadef near Aleppo
Nasheeds Tailored To Certain Arenas
Al-Ajnad occasionally produces songs tailored to certain arenas according to needs and developments. For instance, in March 2015 it published the song “O Son Of Yemen”[10] following the Houthi takeover of the country. The song was meant to motivate Sunni Muslims to fight the Houthis and promote ISIS’s Yemeni affiliate. The song opens:
O son of Yemen, rise and prepare your [explosive] vest
Your people, the men of Allah, will not accept humiliation
America is behind you and the Zoroastrian is in front of you
Rise, explode, and shock the Houthi in Sana’a.
A similar song was written for ISIS’s Sinai affiliate, titled “The Land Of Sinai.”[11]
Nasheeds – A Tool To Recognize Organizational Affiliation
Knowledge of nasheed lyrics and melodies can occasionally be vital in identifying the affiliation or pro-ISIS inclination of individuals or groups. For instance, the affiliation of the perpetrator of the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Denmark in February 2015, Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, was initially unknown. However, he had posted the ISIS nasheed “Soon, Soon” on his Facebook page prior to carrying out the attack, which indicated his identification with ISIS.[12]
The ISIS nasheed “Soon,Soon” posted on the Danish terrorist’s Facebook page
Songs Popular Among ISIS Members, Supporters
The following are several of the main songs that have been popular among ISIS members and supporters in the recent years.
“My Nation, Dawn Has Arrived”[13]
This is the song most strongly identified with the Islamic State. According to a January 1, 2015 article in the Yemeni paper Al-Masdar, it has become a sort of anthem of the organization.[14] Its harmony builds up gradually, with new vocal layers being added as the song progresses. Its overall message is encouraging and optimistic: The Islamic State is a reality and its ultimate victory is obvious and eminent, though the work is not done and the Islamic nation will need to continue sacrificing its blood. The song is replete with positive terms such as “light,” “dawn” and “glory.” The last part of the song is accompanied by the sound of clashing swords and galloping horses, signifying ISIS’s might and steadfastness in battle. The song accompanies many ISIS videos[15] and has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube; there is even a special Facebook page dedicated to it.[16]The following is a translation of its lyrics:
My nation, dawn has arrived, awaitthe clearvictory.
The Islamic State has risen by the blood of the righteous,
The Islamic State has risen by the jihad of the virtuous,
Those who truly sacrificed their lives, with steadfastness and utter faith,
To instate the faith in which the shari’a of the Lord of the Worlds shall prevail.
My nation, take heart, do not despair. Victory is nigh,
The Islamic State has risen, wondrous glory has appeared.
It has risen and it is penning its glory. The era of decline has ended,
With loyal men who do not fear war,
Who have forged an eternal glory that shall not end or fade.
My nation, Allah is our Lord, so give of your blood.
Victory shall not be regained but through the blood of the martyrs,
Those who have gained [martyrdom], asking their Lord to attain the Hall of the Prophets.
They sacrificed their souls to Allah and their bodies for the sake of the religion.
The men of sacrifice and giving, the men of generosity and honor.
My nation, take heart. The sun of steadfastness has risen.
We marched en masse to exalt the ancient glory,
To bring back light, faith and lofty honor,
With men who renounced life but gained eternal life,
While reviving the nation of glories and certain victory.
“O Islamic State, You Have Illuminated The World”[17]
The song begins by personifying the Islamic State, addressing it as an entity that “has illuminated the world.” It goes on to defend the state’s leaders, apparently in response to accusations of excessive extremism in interpreting the shari’a. It calls on the Muslims to support ISIS and remain unified in the face of external challenges: “This is no time for discord, my arena is full of barbed wire and hurdles” (i.e., external enemies). The song accompanies many videos produced by ISIS’s media company, Al-Furqan, especially the series titled “Messages from the War Zone,” including the film “Repentance of PKK Fighters,” released in the summer of 2014, which shows confessions of PKK members and operations against the Iraqi forces.[18] It also accompanies the video “Storm Their Gates,” released in mid-2014, which shows ISIS forces fighting in Hama.[19]The song states:
O Islamic State, you have illuminated the world, your skies rained blessings upon us
When you revived the faith and spread its fragrance, and I enjoyed its perfume and its [refreshing] winds.
They spread the light of the Caliph of [Allah] the Merciful across the land of Iraq, which enjoyed His mercy.
Then the courageous among our warriors smiled and raised the loftiest of banners in Syria,
Following the straight path, while proclaiming that our emirs are beyond all suspicion.
O seekers of truth, support the state that rose upon the [severed] limbs of the best of preachers.
O those who possess a seeing and listening heart, choose your way, O my brother on the front.
This is no time for discord, my arena is full of barbed wire and hurdles.
“Soon, Soon”[20]
This song, rife with violence and threats intended to intimidate the enemies, has been popular in the past year. It was released following the establishment of the international coalition to combat ISIS in the summer of 2014.Until then, ISIS had focused on fighting the Arab regimes in Iraq and Syria, but following the establishment of the coalition, ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-’Adnani began calling to stage attacks in the West and in the Arab coalition countries as well.[21] The song refers to the coalition explicitly, urging revenge against its member statesand warning the Islamic State’s enemies of the fate that awaits them. Unsurprisingly, it formed the soundtrack to some of ISIS’s most brutal execution videos, such as the ones showing the burning of the Jordanian pilot Mu’adh Al-Kasasbeh,[22] the beheading of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters,[23] and the beheading of Copts on a beach in Libya.[24]ISIS supporters make extensive use of it as well. For example, pro-ISIS activists who hacked a French business website planted this song on it,[25] and a film in which Yemeni children reenacted ISIS’s beheading of the Copts also used the song as a soundtrack.[26]
In the song, ISIS fighters address the coalition, promising to pursue it and to take the fight to the coalition countries: “The battles shall be waged within your home, my sword has been sharpened to destroy you.” It ends with the declaration: “We shall die standing tall, like courageous lions” (the lion metaphor is common in jihadi texts, especially ISIS ones). The lyrics state:
Banner for “Soon Soon”
Soon, soon you shall witness wonders, a fearsome struggle you shall see.
The battles shall be waged within your home, my sword has been sharpened to destroy you.
We marched through the night to cut and behead, with the blade of revenge that attacks those who deserve it.
With the spirits of night and the young men of terror, and a grievous explosion to defeat [the enemy].
You launched a war against me, O misguided coalition, so have a taste of the calamity that shall befall you.
You shall spend a long time suffering under my sword, and who shall you face? The young men who cry ‘Allah Akbar.’
When the steeds travel, lift up their heads and storm [the enemy], the spark ignites.
And when the bullet flies and the punishment comes, where shall you find refuge, you worst of creatures?
We shall arrive to slaughter and kill, silently and fearsomely severing the wick [of your lives].
You have failed openly, so taste the taste of defeat. You shall flee in a night of fleeing.
When heresy rages and froths, we shall fill the roads with crimson blood,
With the thrust of the spear and the severing of necks, [killing] the pack of dogs as it marches.
We have arrived, we have arrived, we have marched with determination andattained the summit of summits.
We shall dive into death to unite the ranks, and die standing tall, like courageous lions.
“Al-Maliki Is Vanquished”[27]
This lengthy song was written following ISIS’s victories in Iraq in 2014, during which it captured large parts of Al-Anbar as well as major cities like Mosul. The text focuses on the defeat of former Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki and his army, and on the world’s amazement at ISIS’s successes, especially the amazement of the U.S. and its president, who is referred to as kalb al-roum (in jihadi rhetoric, the word roum – Rome – often refers to the Byzantine empire and/or to the Christian West).
The song lists cities captured by ISIS in Iraq and promises that its forces will also reach Baghdad and the Shi’ite cities in the south, Najaf and Karbala. It contains a motif that repeats in many ISIS songs, namely the end of the age of Muslim defeat and humiliation: “Praise Allah, I have triumphed, I am no longer afraid and humiliated after today.” Released in the summer of 2014, the song soon became very popular, as reflected, for example, in a video that shows a group of ISIS fighters hiking in the hills and boating on a river while singing this song.[28]Its lyrics are:
Today the world is stuck with astonishment, including America and Obama, the dog of the Romans.
And Al-Maliki is vanquished.
O son of Al-Ramadi, rise up against them, against the Rawafid [Shi'ites], and defend the oppressed.
And Al-Maliki is vanquished.
Praise Allah, I have triumphed, I am no longer afraid and humiliated after today.
And Al-Maliki is vanquished.
We took the beloved Al-Fallujah
And crossed Zuba’ and Abu Ghraib.
We gained all of Al-Ramadi
And took Samarra and Al-’Awja.
We liberated Tikrit and Al-Dour
And stormed Baiji and Kirkuk.
We vanquished Rawa and ‘Ana
And in our [city] Al-Qaim we enforced the law of the shari’a.
We lifted up Haditha and Al-Karama
And roasted the Sahwat [anti-ISIS tribal forces] that were in them.
We entered Mosul with military convoys
And defeated the Safavids [Shi'ites] there.
We shattered the walls of Badush [prison in Mosul]
And freed most of the prisoners.
We terrorized Irbil with the sword
And trampled Zumar and Sinjar.
We defeated Diyala in war
And stormed all the military bases [there].
We captured the Rawafid [Shi'ite] soldiers [of the Iraqi army]
And slaughtered the Feylis [Shi'ite Kurds] among them.
We reached as far as [the neighborhood of] Harun in Baghdad
And settled in northern Baghdad, the city of[Abbasid Caliph] Harun Al-Rashid.
Today we conquered our Iraq
And defended it with virtue and blessing.
We threatened filthy Najaf
And reached it with [explosive] belts.
We hit most of the targets
And today we put Karbala in our sights.
We sold our soul to Allah
And marched on the road to martyrdom.
We spread Allah’s shari’a
And did not forget Al-Basra.
We burned Hay Al-Bakr
And buried the Sahwat there.
We watered Jurf Al-Sakhar with blood
And raised up the flags of Islam.
We broke America in two
And crushed the European dogs.
We fed them gall in Iraq
And filled buckets upon buckets [with gall].
We chopped off the heads of the Sahwat
And slaughtered the Abu Risha [tribe] and Iran.
We booby-trapped pickup trucks and [car] chassis
And exploded them over the tombs [of Shi'ite imams].
We took back the good Tel Afar
And blew up the PKK Kurds.
We planted the strongest explosives
And crushed the skulls of the infidels.
We shattered the Sykes-Picot [borders]
And instated the shari’a within them.
We captured the most valuable booty
And seized all of the ammunition.
We flew the [enemies'] planes
And drove the hummers.
We yearned for the Islamic State
And felt it [emerge] in practice.
How wonderful and mighty
Are the blows Allah deals to the infidels.
And today we declared the Caliphate
Restoring it in spite of the tyrants.
Congratulations, O prisoner, Al-Maliki is vanquished.
Fighter singing at an ISIS event in Tabqa
“Ours Are The Sharp Swords”[29]
Like “Soon, Soon,” this song too is graphic and threatening, and accompanies many of ISIS’s execution videos. Highly popular among the organization’s supporters, it even has several cover versions, including a remix by “DJ Marco Al-’Ayoubi.”[30] It expresses ISIS’s determination to behead the “infidels” (“We cast off their heads with the blade of our sword”), and contrasts ISIS fighters, who are again compared to lions, with the “foolish and slothful” who do not lift a finger to help the war effort: “So awaken to the eternal life, come, my brother, leave the path of the slothful and foolish… We shall die honorably, standing tall, for there is no benefit in a life of slavery.” The song’s lyrics say:
Ours is the cry of truth [Allah Akbar] when the fighting [sides] collide.
We, the proud savage lions,
Carry the steel [swords] with firm determination.
And when war comes, with the music of bullets,
We take the infidels by storm, yearning for revenge.
They are led to perdition, they find no refuge,
We water the soil with the blood of their veins,
And cast off their heads with the blade of our sword.
We heal the souls [of the Muslims] by striking the enemies,
So give the enemy tidings of the evil day [that awaits him].
Ancient glory shall shine across the world.
The jabs of the spearhead are the music of the men.
And in war, honor casts a wide shadow.
So awaken to eternal life, come, my brother,
Leave the path of the slothful and foolish.
When the fire springs up, we are the flame,
Burning the rabble with our sword,
Lifting the dark night from the earth,
And a new dawn breaks over the world.
Our swords chop the enemy to pieces,
And our actions are clear to all of mankind.
We shall continue on this path to the death,
Proclaiming our Lord the one and only [God], and with a wise sword.
So sons of the nation, rise up with striking swords.
Life is nothing unless lived in the shadow of death.
We shall die honorably, standing tall,
For there is no benefit in a life of slavery.
“The Shari’a Of Our Lord Is Light”[31]
A nasheed celebrating ISIS’s success in enforcing the Islamic shari’a. Is presents shari’a rule as the ideal form of government that ensures peace, security, justice and prosperity, and depicts ISIS’s rule as wise and benevolent. The song accompanies videos that showcase life in various cities and provinces controlled by the organization, such as a film showing life in the city of Mosul, Iraq, following its takeover by ISIS,[32]and another showing ISIS providing road maintenance and street cleaning services in the Syrian town of Al-Bab.[33]The song’s lyrics are:
The shari’a of our Lord is light, which shall carry us beyond the stars.
With its help we shall live without humiliation, a life of security and peace.
Our state is founded upon the Islamic model,
And while waging jihad against the enemies, it [also] governs the people [well].
How well it cares for its flock, with benevolence and wisdom.
It does so meticulously, and so avoids criticism.
The shari’a of our Lord is light, which shall carry us beyond the stars.
When tyranny looms, you shall see how [the Islamic State] firmly fights it.
You shall see how sensitively it handles the people, educates them,
[And] generously ensures their livelihood, so that they have no cause for complaint.
If one of them should want for anything, you shall see how it cares for him.
The shari’a of our Lord is light, which shall carry us beyond the stars.
The thirsty land of need, which long has been yearning for rain clouds,
Yearning for the people to live in justice, far from the harm of discrimination,
Yearning for security to envelop their lives and bestow upon them the wings of peace,
Far from the shadow of the infidels and the fear of crime,
Yearning for a life of plenty, the life of which people have been dreaming,
The life envisioned by the glory of Islam, how beautifulthat vision!
The life our [Islamic] State has realized, and it is not a mirage.
How [Allah] has purified the religion and exalted the [virtuous] rule.
“Brigades Of My State, Hurry And Arrive”[34]
A short song intended to motivate ISIS’s fighters, exhortingthem in graphic terms to crush the tyrants and punish the enemy soldiers (“capture a soldier, expunge his life,and no, have no mercy upon the filthy [wretch], twist his tongue”). The songalso declares that the “horsemen” of the Islamic State will reach the walls of Damascus, and reiterates the promise to end the era of Muslim degradation: “This is the new page of the brave, which will end our humiliation.” It accompanies many ISIS videos, such as a March 2015 film documenting a series of attacks on the Houthis and the Yemeni army,[35] and another documenting ISIS battles in Tikrit in early 2015.[36]
Brigades of my state, hurry and arrive, restore our glory, revive it.
Restore the crown of our nation, place it on its head.
Destroy all the tyrants, light your fire and roast them.
Hurry and capture a soldier, expunge his life,
And no, have no mercy upon the filthy [wretch], twist his tongue.
Night will fall and intoxicate him, his day will fill with errors.
The men of the [Islamic] State were and will continue to be our shield.
We swear by our souls that our horsemen will be the first to arrive in worthy Baghdad and revive it.
We swear by our souls that our heroes will reach the walls of Damascus and revive it.
For this is the new page of the brave, which will end our humiliation.
* M. Shemesh is a research fellow at MEMRI.
Endnotes:
[1] Like other Salafi and jihadi organizations, ISIS enforces the ban on instrumental music in the areas under its control. The religious police – Diwan Al-Hisbah – even seizes musical instruments and burns them. For example, in February 2015 ISIS circulated photos of instruments being burned in Barqa province in Libya. See MEMRI JTTM report, “ISIS Religious Police In Libya Burns Cigarettes, Musical Instruments,” February 18, 2015. More images of such activities (see below) were circulated in April 2015. Shamikh1.info, April 9, 2015.
[2] Youtube.com/watch?v=aZII-ds5B3g.
[3] Youtube.com/watch?v=uVjjTGuW_0c.
[4] Such as the following video of Koran 67: Ia801508.us.archive.org/33/items/67SuratAlMulk/67_Surat_Al_Mulk.mp3.
[5] Youtube.com/watch?v=Y8kUotvXfvE.
[6] Youtube.com/watch?v=nnMHqwqnAuU.
[7] Youtube.com/watch?v=SkFxkRDmaQk. See also MEMRI JTTM report: “New ISIS Nasheed In German By Rapper Deso Dogg: ‘Enemies of Allah, We Want Your Blood, It Tastes So Wonderful,”‘ April 15, 2015.
[8] Youtube.com/watch?v=gH-S2cQ-tTo. It should be noted that this song has become extremely popular throughout the Islamic world, and the Arabic Music Festival in Doha even chose it as the most popular song of 2014, to the consternation of ISIS, which does not recognize such events. Lerpesse.com, February 25, 2015.
[9] Archive.org/details/Ajnad.Ge2na.Gondn.Le.Allah.
[10]Youtube.com/watch?v=oQmx6IS_krI.
[11] Youtube.com/watch?v=on9NWMj41Go.
[12] Mnbr.info, February, 2015, Justpaste.it/jjtt, no date.
[13]Youtube.com/watch?v=r0pfp_02zkg.
[14]Al-masdar.net, January 1, 2015.
[15] Such as the video showing ISIS fighters training at the Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir base near Falluja. https://archive.org/details/ALmu3sker1
[16] Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009087590112&fref=ts.
[17] Youtube.com/watch?v=5xAhMe9FPYU.
[18] Archive.org/25/items/ml.a3tsam/mlahm1.mp4.
[19] Us.archive.org/25/items/ml.a3tsam/mlahm1.mp4.
[20] Youtube.com/watch?v=_iV0pJ-p_9o.
[21] See for example Al-’Adnani’s statements quoted in MEMRI’s JTTM report, “ISIS Spokesman Reaffirms The Group’s Victory, Says ‘We Want… Paris Before Rome… After [We] Blow Up Your White House, Big Ben, And Eiffel Tower,’” March 12, 2015.
[22] Videomega.tv/?ref=1GAR5N19E55E91N5RAG1.
[23] Archive.org/details/wa yashfi_sudor.
[24] Isdarat.org/7042.
[25] See MEMRI JTTM report, “Several Websites Hacked And Defaced By ‘ISIS Cyber Army,’” March 30, 2015.
[26] Youtube.com/embed/OUHKlkgX1cc.
[27] Youtube.com/watch?v=RIzAWLV6yvo.
[28] Archive.org/details/sya7a_jihad.
[29] Youtube.com/watch?v=HcphidxIK68
[30] Youtube.com/watch?v=qJSN1vJZ814.
[31] Youtube.com/watch?v=5R9oLqyt_rE.
[32] Youtube.com/watch?v=_ccEdiS7uzs.
[33] Archive.org/details/kadmat-haalab.
[34] Youtube.com/watch?v=35uNRq3GnZA.
[35] Ia601509.us.archive.org.

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