Syria's Khadddam creates tsunami in Damascus

An interview given by former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam Friday to al-Arabiya TV insinuating that Syria played a role in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and that President Bashar Assad should have known about it is causing a political storm in Damascus.

The Middle East, another year and still no democracy

Another year has been kept out of the Middle East, though not entirely. Turkey has made great strides as it gets ready to join the European Union - some time in the next decade or so, despite its Islamist-leaning government Ankara is implementing reforms. And Cyprus while still divided, is now part of the European Union. Well, at least the Greek half of the island.

Past and future predictions for the Middle East

Political analysts tend to go out on a limb and predict how U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East will fare over the next 12 months. This year I thought it would be interesting to compare past predictions, before making future prediction.

How Christmas has become un-PC

It's around this time of year when the American chapter of the Taliban awakens and becomes most active. Yes, little boys and girls, they do exist, even in the land of the free and the home of the brave! (And of the Braves, too.)

I am talking about the ultra-orthodox, the extremists, the politically correct polizei -- or in plain English -- the PC police.

Is Eurasianism an alternative to the EU?

For 50 years Turkey has been hoping to enter the European Community and for 50 years Brussels has been playing hard ball. for almost 50 years now. Finally,now the Turks are told they might be allowed into the EU, but only after an intense negotiation period of 10-15 years, during which time the Turks will be analyzed and scrutinized to make sure they finally comply with all the demands set forth by Brussels.

Meanwhile, Russian President Putin is pushing Eurasianism," said Zeyno Baran, director of the International Security and Energy Programs at the Nixon Center, a conservative think tank in Washington.

President Bush's strategy for victory in Iraq

The Bush administration claim that since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqis have had three elections, each one unfolding under better circumstances and with greater Sunni participation. Yet the reality is far from rosy. If Iraqis voted in larger numbers than ever, they voted according to ethnic divisions. Early returns indicate that divisions among Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds is greater than ever.

Syriana blurred lines

"Syriana," the new political thriller starring George Clooney, doesn't quite succeed in explaining the phenomenon behind the rise of Islamist terrorism -- and its weapon of choice, the suicide bomber.

US and the use of torture

Recent reprots that the United States used torture to obtain information and confessions from suspected terrorists tells us much on changing morals this country has undergone in the last 50 years. Compare what is happening today to the story of Italian POWs held in a U.S. military prison outside Cairo during WWII.

Fatah's double trouble

Moderate Palestinians -- and Authority President Mahmoud Abbas -- suffered a severe double setback this week. First, Hamas defeated Abbas' mainstream Fatah organization in the latest round of municipal elections in their own West Bank stronghold.

Egypt's offer to train Iraq troops refuted

The United States is overwhelmed in Iraq as it struggles to train Iraqi forces, hoping they will eventually replace American combat troops, in turn allowing for a gradual reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq.

Ahmadinejad's Tomfoolery

- Should the world take Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seriously? No, I mean seriously!

Consider his recent antics: First, Ahmadinejad declared to a group of students in Tehran in October that "Israel should be wiped off the map." Israel certainly takes him seriously.

Mideast clan mindset

Officials throughout the Middle East will confide in private that the United States has no friends when it comes to foreign politics; it has only interests. Of course the same can be said about Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq's fractured sectarian communities.

Today they killed my friend

Gibran Tueni, a prominent Lebanese writer and newly elected Member of Parliament, was killed Monday by a powerful car bomb just outside Beirut. Tueni was one of Lebanon's most outspoken opponents of Syria's Machiavellian interference in Lebanese politics. And as George Bernard Shaw was quoted as saying, "Assassination is the extreme form of censorship." Indeed, Tueni was censored.

Ahmadinejad's mistakes

Iran's new hard line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did it again.. What President Ahmadinejad has done again is open his mouth and insert his foot.

Who really owns the Middle East

At the end of World War I, France and Britain divided up remains of the Ottoman Empire by drawing straight lines in the sand. Mr. Sykes and Monsieur Picot folded up their maps and beleving their governments now "owned" the Middle East. They ever mistaken!

Saudi King Abdullah offers solutions

At 85 years, Saudi King Abdullah is full of ambitions. Having recently succeeded his brother, Fahd, as king, Abdullah now is running for the job of leader of the Arab and Islamic world.

Saudi King Abdullah seeks leading role

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia,Saudi Arabia's new King Abdullah is looking for a leading role in the Arab world.

War of words

A side effect of the war on terror has been a spun-off war of words, being fought via opposing mediums with pro- and anti-war publications firing editorials and cleverly worded stories at one another.

Bush on Iraq strategy

Are we seeing a changing trend in the war in Iraq? Since the start of hostilities President Bush and his administration have referred to the insurgency as though it was a single, unified force fighting the U.S.-led coalition. In the past the president always spoke of the enemy, without getting too specific.

Saad Hariri fears his life is threatened

Fearing that he too could be killed, Saad Hariri, the son of slain Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, has been living in self-imposed exile, moving around a number of Arab Gulf states for the last six months.

Change in Arab world

Arab movers and shakers -- along with quite a few Westerners too -- gathered in Dubai for a two-day conference focusing on the "Arab world and the Media, with emphasis on 'Getting it Right.'" But did they?

Bush on Iraq strategy

Are we seeing a changing trend in the war in Iraq? Since the start of hostilities President Bush referred to the insurgency as though it was a single, unified force fighting the U.S.-led coalition. In the past the president always spoke of the enemy, without getting too specific.

Regarding new dangers in Africa

The Polisario Front, the last remaining liberation movement fighting for independence in Africa, contested an earlier UPI report that it could be turning to Islamist organizations and organized crime.

Iran in the spotlight

The United States and the international community remain highly concerned by Iran's intentions to attain nuclear capability, come what may. As Tehran pursues its aim to join the nuclear club, it is slowly but surely isolating itself from the rest of the world.

New dangers in Africa

The Polisario Front - less known as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro - a group fighting for the independence of Western Sahara could be turning to radical Islamism and international crime, warns a European intelligence analyst.

Big Test for Palestine

The Palestinian Authority took its first step towards nationhood when it assumed control of the Gaza Strip's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, nearly three months after Israel closed it.

Bush and Hurricane al-Jazeera

The hurricane season is over but President George W. Bush is getting no respite. Having barely recovered from the fallout of Hurricane Katrina, the president is now facing the full brunt of Hurricane Al Jazeera.

A document leaked to the London Daily Mirror reported that Bush raised the idea of bombing Al Jazeera's main offices in Doha, but was restrained by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The British newspaper reported that Blair advised against such action.

Lebanon gives the world the alphabet & tabouleh

Gen. Michel Aoun came to Washington to drum up support for his bid for the presidency. He told a group of sympathizers gathered over lunch in Washington Tuesday that Lebanon is a country with great ingenuity; "We gave the world the alphabet and Tabouleh," said the former general.

North Korea assists Iran in building nukes

Iran is building nuclear-warhead capable missiles with help from North Korean experts in a vast underground complex near Tehran. The project, initiated at the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1989, involves dozens of immense tunnels and facilities built under the mountains near Tehran, Iranian opposition sources reported Monday. The information was first released in September, but the involvement of North Korean experts, and the report that Iran's missile production has reached an advanced stage, brings a new twist to Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

The two faces of Palestine

Assuming that peace is one day achieved between Israel and the Palestinians, the future State of Palestine will consist of two territories -- the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. But the two areas comprising what is known today as the Palestinian Authority could not be more dissimilar.

Major setbacks for Bush

PRESIDENT George W. Bush has suffered a number of political setbacks in recent weeks, the hardest of which was losing two key states to Democrats. Or was it the scandal involving his vice president's chief advisor? Or was it?

Jerusalem: Another brick in the Wall

Everything in the disputed Middle East, even naming something, is a complicated exercise. The Israelis call it the "security fence," the Palestinians refer to it as the "apartheid wall," and the United Nations calls it a "barrier." Others call it the "Jerusalem security envelope."

Interview with Bibi Netanyahu

Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, believes the rise of radical Islam is a real challenge to Israel and to the entire Western world. If left unchecked, Netanyahu cautions, the danger will only grow, and with dire consequences.

Gaza -- boiling away

Following Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, the area was left to its own demise.

Bashar Assad's game plan

Syrian President Bashar Assad may have raised the ante -- and the tension in the Middle East.

MOre to French riots than meets the eye

WHILE the 2007 French presidential elections are still a good 18 months away, campaigning has already started in earnest a little over two weeks ago in the troubled streets of blue-collared suburban townships ringing the French capital.

Al-Qaida claims Amman blasts

The three bombings in the Jordanian capital, Amman, demonstrates al-Qaida's persistence in pursuing its deadly plans in attacking American interests around the world while causing as many casualties as possible.

Bashar's choice

Bashar Assad is faced with a "Sophie's Choice" decision following a UN report naming his brother Maher and his brother-in-law Asef Shawqat as potential suspects in the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Women and a culture of peace

The role of women in a patriarchal society is a complicated one. Despite restrictions imposed by cultural traditions rather than religious diktat, Muslim women are not entirely the second-class citizens deprived of all rights, as so often portrayed in the West. And nor are non-Muslim women living in the Muslim world.

Paris-sur-Jungle

"Clichy-sur-Jungle" read an article in France's Liberation newspaper referring to the hooliganism, then in its second week, in the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, one of the many troubled blue-collar townships that ring the French capital.

Europe's immigration migraines

Decades of liberal open-door immigration policies are bearing their mark on Europe's domestic politics, not to mention the demographics of the Old Continent.

Rhetoric and reaction

PRESIDENT George W. Bush was in trouble last week facing what was possibly the worst week of his tenure in the White House. It seemed as though everything was going wrong until help arrived from unexpected quarters — from Iran’s new hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

How the Grinch stole Eid

Eid-al-Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan is traditionally a time for rejoicing and forgiveness. All across the Muslim world, governments grant pardons to prisoners, releasing those who have committed lesser crimes. Yet Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is showing no such holiday spirit. He plans to celebrate the Eid, this very holy end of Ramadan, by killing two Moroccans who worked for their embassy in Baghdad.

A changing Middle East

The Bush administration is putting pressure on Syria to introduce change at the same time growing opposition in Syria is doing the same.

Syria and the usual suspects

While no specific threats were aimed at Damascus by the U.N. Security Council, it leaves no room for ambiguity -- Damascus must cooperate with the international community or face sanctions, or possibly even sterner measures.

Bush in indebted to Iran's Ahmadinejad

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calling for Israel to be "wiped from the map" could not have come at a better time -- for George W. Bush -- and at a worse time for Iran.

The Hariri report and dangers of isolating Damascus

DAMASCUS is about to feel the heat of a joint US-French initiative at the United Nations to force the Assad regime to cooperate with the investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Syria's spring is fading fast

Syrian President Bashar Assad is going to face growing pressure from the international community with sanctions imposed on Syria as a result of its implication in the assassination of Rafik Hariri unless it cooperates.

Iran a clear and present danger

Fears over Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's election to the presidency of the Islamic republic was justified by his call on Wednesday for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

Iranian intelligence agents in U.S

Iranian spies have entered the United States to spread disinformation, according to the Iran Policy Committee, a group composed mostly of former U.S. government officials who are lobbying the Bush administration for regime change in Teheran

What's in store for Syria

The falloout from the U.N. report on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri are causing shockwaves in Damascus. "Assad is trapped," said a high-ranking Western diplomat in Washington, commenting on the 56-page report drafted by Detlev Mehlis, the U.N.'s German prosecutor investigating the assassination of Hariri.

Regime change is the order of the day

More catching than avian flu in Washington these days is the call for regime change.

UN Report: Hariri's assassination a terrorist act

It started with a meeting in Damascus between former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and President Bashar Assad on August 26, 2004. From there it appears to have gone down hill.

Syria under pressure

The Bush administration is taking new diplomatic steps against Syria, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, indicating that regime change was not out of the question. Rice said the United States was using diplomacy to urge change in Syria's behavior, but did not rule out military force.

They came in peace -- the Marines in Lebanon

Quite unlike the invasion of Iraq, the U.S. Marines came to Lebanon came in peace This Sunday, Oct. 23, will mark the 22nd anniversary of the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut where 241 U.S. servicemen, mostly Marines, lost their lives.

At 6:22 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23, 1983, a lone terrorist driving a yellow Mercedes-Benz stake-bed truck loaded with explosives accelerated through the public parking lot south of the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit Battalion Landing Team headquarters building, detonating about 12,000 pounds of hexogen. According to the official Department of Defense commission report, the force of the explosion ripped the building from its foundation. The building then imploded upon itself and almost all of the occupants were crushed or trapped inside the wreckage.

Saddam's day in court

The trial of Saddam Hussein starts later this week in Baghdad's so-called Green Zone, the heavily fortified enclave where the Iraqi government and U.S. officials live and work.

After the disaster

CALL out President George W. Bush's new secret weapon, the one meant to convince the sceptic Arab and Islamic world of America's good intentions. Send the super diplomat post haste to the Pakistani regions devastated by Saturday's mega-earthquake

Breeding ground for Jihadis

Unless the West acts very fast, areas of rural Pakistan affected by last Saturday's devastating earthquake will turn into breeding grounds for Islamist recruiters looking to sign up jihadis from among the hundreds of thousands of victims.

Is it the begenning of the end for Assad?

Is the suicide of Syria's Interior Minister Ghazi Kenaan the start of somehting bigger to come in SYria? Is it the beginning of the end of Assad's regime?

It's a bird, it's a plane...it's Karen Hughes

The devastating earthquake that killed more than 30,000 people offers President Bush's new under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, Karen Hughes, a rare opportunity to convince the skeptical Arab and Islamic world of America`s good intentions.

Pakistan's worst disaster kills 30,000 +

Seismic experts believe the devastating earthquake that hit Pakistan was caused by the same mechanism that created last December's tsunami.

The Huns are at Europe's gates

THIS is the second time the Austrians have tried to stop the Turks from entering Europe: the first time was in 1683 at the gates of Vienna and the second time was on Oct.3, 2005 at the gates of Luxembourg. The Austrians, however, were far more successful in their first attempt, as it kept the Turks away for about 300 years.

The Huns at the gates

THIS is the second time the Austrians have tried to stop the Turks from entering Europe: the first time was in 1683 at the gates of Vienna and the second time was on Oct.3, 2005 at the gates of Luxembourg. The Austrians, however, were far more successful in their first attempt, as it kept the Turks away for about 300 years. The second attempt worked less than 3 days.

Syria worries over U.N. findings in Hariri rreport

Lebanon and Syria are nervously expecting the release of the Detlev Mehlis report into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The report, expected at the end of October, will undoubtedly ruffle feathers in Damascus.

Madame president of the United States?

ABC's new political drama starring Geena Davis as the first female president in American history is a great show to address the nation's political daydreaming.

Austrians hold up Turks for 2nd time

Austria has managed to stop the Turks from entering Europe twice: The first time at the gates of Vienna in 1683, and the second time at the gates of Luxembourg on Oct. 3, 2005.

Turkey says "No" to Europe's no

Talks due to open Monday in Luxembourg over Turkey's entry into the European Union. For Turkey this is the beginning of a long road to Brussels.

Stand up and be counted

BETWEEN the rise of politicised Islam, galloping demographics and the uncertain future for graduating students in the Middle East - 100 million Arabs will enter the work force by 2013 - there is great urgency to address the region's ills. Left unattended, these problems will only grow in scope and size until the countries concerned - and that is most of them - explode from insurmountable internal social pressures. The question is how to grapple these issues before it becomes too late?

The back door into Europe

Refugees are always looking for a backdoor to freedom; be it political, economic, religious or simply greater social liberties where jobs are more available. In the past week, African refugees have attempted to flee via -- Ceuta and Melilla -- two tiny Spanish enclaves, the last bastions of European imperialism in North Africa.

Who will be the first to blink

Iran threatened economic retaliation against countries voting against its nuclear program. India was singled out over its backing of an International Atomic Energy Agency resolution that would send Tehran's case to the U.N. Security Council.

Saudis warn of danger of Iraqi breakup

The deterioration in Iraq is raising concern and frustration in Saudi Arabia.

The implications of a nuclear Iran for the Middle East

THE 60th anniversary of the United Nations celebrated last week at the World Headquarters of the international organisation, in which 151 of heads of state and government participated was a bittersweet victory; Much like the UN itself, it was neither a success nor a failure

Missed opportunities

The level of hatred permeating the Middle East conflict is so deep that it often blinds those involved in it. Israeli settlers and Palestinian refugees have more in common than either side will ever admit. Yet, neither seem to recognize that what the other side is living through has also happened to them.

King Abdullah Reaffirms Islam

Jordan's King Abdullah is on a campaign, a "jihad of sorts," to reaffirm the traditional principles of Islam. Jihad, one must remember, means "struggle" as well as holy war.

Iran preparing for war with U.S?

Is Iran preparing for war with the United States? Unthinkable, yes, but the U.S. invasion of Iraq has spooked Tehran's mullahs to prepare for the unthinkable.

Has the civil war in Iraq begun?

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi seems set on igniting a civil war in Iraq.

U.N. probes Syria

No easy assignment for Detlev Mehlis, the United Nations' German super-cop.

UN's probe and Syria's survival game

Detlev Mehlis' assignment was by no means an enviable one. It must have been the equivalent of stepping into a wasp's nest, stirring it up while at the same time asking for their diligent cooperation.

Iran's Nuclear Track

As Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in New York to attend the U.N. general assembly he was met by a flurry of protests and warnings that the Islamic republic is being seen as a growing threat to the United States.

Syria's Dilemma

Syria's President Bashar Assad will soon have to make one of the most difficult choices of his career when he will have in front of him a U.N. dossier on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri prepared by Detlev Mehlis.

Americans find it hard to forget 9/11

With the fourth anniversary of the Sept.11 attacks nearing, a majority of Americans are finding it hard to erase the scenes of carnage from their memories.

Americans find it hard to forget 9/11

Rifaat Assad aims to return to Damascus

Syria's President Bashar Assad is under mounting pressure from President Bush. But he can handle that. But the more imminent danger comes from his exiled uncle, Rifaat Assad.

Egyptians vote -- US-Style

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is widely expected to win the presidential election on Sept. 7, but it will be without the usual high percentile points he's been accustomed in previous balloting -- and where he was the sole candidate.

The Pandora’s box is open

AT FIRST glance it does not look like much of a challenge. On one side you have the president of the United States, most powerful man in the world, figuratively speaking of course, retrenched inside his Crawford, Texas ranch, secured by phalanxes of Secret Service agents armed to the teeth with deadly weapons and the latest gadgetry in James Bondry. On the other side is Cindy Sheehan.

A remake of "Z" In Beirut

The arrests of a handful of Lebanon's former top security officers could have been a scene borrowed right out of Costa Gavras' classic 1969 political thriller film, "Z."

Hellish day in Baghdad

A disaster of biblical proportion in Baghdad killed more than 700 Shiites conjuring images of hell

Democracy and Demagoguery

Democracy in the Arab world will be put to the test once again as Egyptians make their way to the ballot box to see if democracy can replace demagoguery.

Iran's missiles

Iran's Revolutionary Guard commander met secretly with A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb, in order to acquire nuclear-capable missiles with a range of 1,800 miles, according to former MeK officials.

Moqtada Sadr's comeback

- While Iraq`s Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis continue to haggle over the fine print of the constitution two weeks behind schedule and after three failed attempts, intra-Shiite disharmony has taken a turn for the worse.

The Aqaba attack

Khaleej Times
The Aqaba attack
BY CLAUDE SALHANI
ALTHOUGH they failed to hit their intended targets, last week’s triple rocket attack in Jordan’s southern seaport of Aqaba is a frightening development of terrorism — and not democracy — spreading beyond Iraq’s largely unguarded borders.

Is Libya seriously reforming?

The Libyan leader, once considered to be the black sheep among Middle Eastern leaders, is now turning a lighter shade of gray.

Terrorists strike in Jordan

The attempted rocket attack in Aqaba is a matter of grave concern.

Middle East Road Map at a Crossroad

A wrong turn in the Middle East Road Map could take both sides backward, possibly toward renewed violence.

The Gaza challenge

BY CLAUDE SALHANI

19 August 2005


DAMOUR, before the Lebanese civil war, was a pleasant little town on the Lebanese coast situated about half way between Beirut and Sidon. It was known as a pit stop for travellers heading to or from Beirut, a quiet place where they could pick up sandwiches, bananas and lemonade. After the war it became known as a favourite stomping ground of the Israeli air force out to retaliate for Palestinian attacks against its positions in northern Israel.

Is it a victory for Hamas?

Will Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip ironically be claimed as a unilateral victory by Hamas?

The Rolling Stones gather criticism

Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones suddenly find themselves delving into geopolitics -- and big-time criticism -- with the release of their latest album; one which the Bush White House finds none too amusing.

Iran Plays a Dangerous Game

Iran is playing with fire on two fronts.

Iraq's constitutional pains

The drafters of Iraq's constitution are having a hard time.

Fighting the war in Iraq and a wish list in Washington

BY CLAUDE SALHANI
10 August 2005
Khaleej Times
(for full story, click on above link.)

ADDRESSING the American Legislative Exchange Council in Grapevine, Texas, last Wednesday, President Bush told them he has "a strategy for success in Iraq." That should be welcome news. The country could use a good strategy in Iraq right about now, given recent developments. The total number of deaths in the US military in Iraq has reached the 1,800 mark. The Iraqis, of course passed that number a long time ago. But who’s counting?

Iran Plays a Dangerous Game

Al-Qaida's state-of-the-art weapons

Ayman al-Zawahiri appeared on a videotape last week with a state-of-the-art modern gun made in either China or North Korea.

Bush's Bizarre Strategy

President Bush said he has a strategy for Iraq.

A nuclear Iran?

Latest U.S. intelligence find Iran now a decade from being able to manufacture key ingredients allowing it to build a nuclear weapon.

New King in Saudi Arabia

Saudi King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz died Monday sending oil prices soaring over $61.02 a barrel.

What exit strategy for Iraq?

Despite statements that progress is being made in Iraq, the truth is, it really ain't.

The End of an era for the IRA

After nearly four decades of violence, killings, political assassinations, kidnappings and bombing campaigns, the Irish Republican Army has formally ordered an end to its policy of armed struggle.

Muslims must act

The time has come for Muslims to take an aggressive lead in fighting Islamist terrorism.

Tourism confronts terrorism

Tourists and terrorists in Europe and the Middle East.

Lebanon's troubles

Lebanon has always stood out from the pack.

Lebanon's brewing troubles

The Lebanese say they have learned the lessons of the 15-year civil war and that chances or a relapse is unthinkable.

Lebanon's blues

Beirut's bustling city center is proof the killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri have failed in their endeavor.

Europe's new terror

There are much similarities between the London Underground of July 7 and the Madrid train bombings of March 2003.

New Threats in Europe: The Recruit

Counter-terrorist specialists draw attention to a new danger in Europe.

Islamism in Africa is growing

Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network have found that a number of African countries offer alternatives and a gold mine of potential recruits.

Not in the name of Islam

The international Muslim community's reaction to the London bombings.

Is al-Qaida to blame for London attacks?

London's terrorist attacks carry the hallmarks of al-Qaida.

Tango Iraqi style

Progress in Iraq? Not according to the National Counter Terrorism Center.

Saudi declares war on terror

Saudi security services have made great strides in their battle against terror.

Saudi's Prince Bandar wants to leave Washington

Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States wants to resign.

Itan's Third Option

Washington hard-liners welcomed the election of Iran's new Islamist-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, thinking a hard-line policy toward Iran will be easier to sell to the Bush White House.

What Bush forgot to say

President Bush spoke to the nation Tuesday on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi people.

Who is Ahmadinejad?

Iran's new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is mostly unknown in the West.

Is it time for regime change in Iran?

The Bush administration has been talking about regime change in Iran but the mullahs beat him to it. Granted, it was not the change Bush, or many Iranians, expected.

Terror in Beirut

Intelligence sources believe hat only a handful of countries or special services could have carried out the recenet assassinations in Lebanon.

Kuwait allows women vote

It's been a long 20-year struggle for Kuwaiti women to finally have their say.

Lebanon's vote is murky

In his bid to re-enter Lebanese politics, Gen. Michel Aoun came in through the front door.

Iran's vote

President Bush denounced Iran's electoral system.

A Machiavelli for Lebanon

Many Lebanese remain divided over the former army commander, Gen. Michel Aoun, wondering if he is Niccolo Machiavelli's "Prince," or Antoine de Saint Exup?ry's "Little Prince?"

Bush junior is out of touch

The Daily Star

Commentary
Like father, like son: Bush junior is out of touch
Claude Salhani

Former first lady and current junior senator from New York Hillary Rodham Clinton’s much-hyped autobiography, Living History, hit bookstores June 9 with an unprecedented 1 million copies going on sale around the country.

Reading a passage where she describes her opinions of former President George Bush pere and the state of the country, it’s as if history is repeating itself in present-day, post-Iraq war America.

“George H. W. Bush was out of touch with most Americans. Although Bush’s popularity remained astronomical in the aftermath of the Gulf War, I thought his performance on domestic issues, particularly the economy, made him vulnerable. I had realized how unfamiliar President Bush was with many of the problems facing America when I spoke with him at an education summit he had convened of all the governors in Charlottesville, Virginia in September 1989.”

Fourteen years and one Gulf war later, much the same can be said about the state of the country, particularly the economy. The parallels with George Bush junior are indeed striking.

Much like his father, Bush junior has become engrossed with the Middle East, much to the detriment of the domestic economy. Bob Herber refers to Bush in the New York Times (NYT) as the “‘What, me worry?’ president,” in reference to Alfred E. Newman, the juvenile, grinning Mad Magazine character associated with that now famous phrase. Bush, writes Herber, is “having fun with his Top Gun fantasies, (as) the economy remains in the tank (and) finances are sinking to record lows.”

New York today has an official unemployment rate of 9 percent, but the NYT says the real rate is much higher. Applicants to join a metallic union which could lead to potential employment waited three days, with some people sleeping on the sidewalk, in order to get a jump on the long queue.

“In George Bush’s America, jobs get erased like chalk marks on a blackboard. There are currently more than 10.2 million unemployed workers in the US, including 1.4 million who have been discouraged and have stopped looking,” laments Herber, who gives the following depressing statistic: “4.8 million people work only part-time.” The NYT says nearly a quarter of a million jobs have been lost in the past two years. And taxes are going up all the time.

The faltering start-stop-starts in Iraq brought about by the early fiasco of the Jay Garner administration, closely followed by his replacement with J. Paul Bremmer, a more seasoned career diplomat, have had little success in providing security, water and electricity to large portions of the Iraqi public. US soldiers continue to die daily in clashes with Iraqis. Regardless, this does not seem to impact the American electorate, who for the most part, remain oblivious to the daily sufferings of the average Iraqi.

While the “war on terror” continues to preoccupy many Americans, the pending threats of attacks by terrorists acts as a unifying force, preventing the Democrats, or anyone else for that matter, from openly assaulting the Commander-in-Chief. The logic is that it would seem “unpatriotic” to criticize the president in time of crisis. Meanwhile, the country remains in a heightened state of alert, at code orange, the second highest status. Bush’s landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier last May, decked out as a Top Gun flyer, drew limited criticism -- mainly from the aging Democrat Senator Robert Byrd, and that was quickly drowned out.

The recent dual Middle East summits in Sharm el-Sheikh and Aqaba in fact strengthened Bush’s position at home, at least in the interim, and until Middle Eastern realities begin to set in. Bush was portrayed as a weathered politician, engaged in the honorable art of peace-making. Another one of his pet peeves, regime change in the Palestinian territories, appeared to have borne fruit, with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas taking center-stage as Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was finally sidelined.

By and large, it’s been a pretty good year for Bush. So far, the war in Iraq has been, overall, sort of a success -- at least as far as the American public is concerned. Even though Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction have yet to be found, or the deposed dictator himself for that matter -- not to mention Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar-- the vast majority of Americans continue to support the president’s war effort. Oh, what short-term memories we have.
As the country rejoiced in the return of its military from one of the longest deployments in decades, in its euphoria and flag waving much of the nation seems to have suddenly suffered amnesia, forgetting why it went to war in the first place. And that, despite a faltering economy. At least Hillary will do nicely given her $8 million advance.

Claude Salhani is foreign editor and a political analyst with United Press International in Washington, DC. He wrote this commentary for the Daily Star.
Copyright -- Daily Starz

Is Mubarak bluffing?

It is Mubarak's bluff, giving the illusion he is building democratic change while, in reality, he is consolidating his political base.

Egypt: Land of Contradiction

Islamic prayers blends with with the melody of an Arabic music band.

A culture of fear in Egypt

For decades, fear prevented Egyptians from voicing their opinion when it came to domestic politics.

Not much change in Syria

Syrian President Bashar Assad opened a much-anticipated Baath Party congress by urging reform and a fight against corruption.

Should Emile Lahoud go?

Enraged by thw turn of events in Lebanon, a growing number of Lebanese are demanding the resignation of President Emile Lahoud, whom they hold responsible for the deaths of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and of a prominent anti-Syrian journalist, killed last week by a bomb planted in his car. Lahoud is also seen as being to close to Syria.

Censorship ro the extreme

Samir Kassir's life was "censored" Thursday for voicing his opposition to Syria's political tutelage over Lebanon

Mideast, 38 years after

It will be 30 years since the outbreak of the Six-Day War in the Middle East.

Saudi succession troubles

The Royal House of Saud - has long been ruled by the "Sudairi Seven" -- seven powerful brothers who control the most of the kingdom.

French say 'non' to Europe

"The French saying 'no' to Europe, is similar to the English saying 'no' to beef, or the Russians 'no' to vodka.

Can Iraq be fixed?

At the start of the Iraq war Colin Powell warned the administration that the Pottery Barn rules would apply: "You break it, you own it."

How important is Zarqawi?

Rumors are flying around Iraq that Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been severely wounded and could possibly be dead.

Clinton: Making friends, not enemies

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton told a meeting of Nobel laureates in the historic city of Petra in Jordan to discuss global security and peace that the United States needed to make more friends and fewer enemies."

Gods of Petra give a sign of support

Days before the Petra conference on global security brought Nobel laureates, current and former world leaders archeologists uncovered the remains of an important 1st century monument holding the heads of 22 deities.

Clinton offers hope to Jordan conference

Former President Clinton offered the Petra conference a message of hope.

Shimon Peres, an interview

Israeli Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres said he was optimistic about the future of the Middle East, but worried about Iran's quest for nuclear weapons.

Nobel laureates meet for peace in Jordan

Jordan's King Abdullah II hopes to help forge a new process for global peace and security. Not a small order by any means, even for a king. Peace and security -- and the fight against terrorism -- were the underlying themes of the Petra Nobel Laureates conference, in which several Israelis, including Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, took part.

Politics & Policies: Flak vest diplomacy

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Published 5/17/2005 9:47 AM

AMMAN, Jordan, May 17 (UPI) -- Photographs of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, wearing body armor and a combat helmet during a surprise visit to Iraq, appeared on the front pages of many of the world's newspapers this past weekend. While Rice had previously visited Iraq, this was her first visit in her capacity as secretary of State.

This is not exactly gunboat diplomacy, but who really needs gunboats when you have 140,000 armed troops backed up by attack helicopters, thousands of tanks and armored vehicles, the world's most powerful air force on call, and, yes, plenty of gunboats too, floating in the nearby Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf.

Having muscle available helps back up your argument when trying to make a point in politics. The question is what is the argument? What would make risking the life of the secretary of State, sending her into a war zone, with or without Kevlar flak vest and helmet?

The answer is to push the Iraqis into decision-making. To convince new Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to speed up the formation of a working government, and to persuade the country's Sunnis they need to participate more actively in the shaping of the new Iraq. All in all, a process that is taking far too long, much to the displeasure of Washington.

"Sunnis must be represented in this constitutional process because this has to be an Iraq that that works for all Iraqis," Rice said. "That's the only way that everyone is going to see the political path as a way to a better future."

Meanwhile, the insurgency is stepping up efforts to destabilize the country, becoming more active and often, more daring. It has been increasing attacks against the United States and Iraqis, too. The number of attacks has reached a staggering 70 per day, up from about 40-50.

"We are fighting a very tough set of terrorists, who are, it seems, determined to stop the progress of the Iraqi people," Rice said.

The Bush administration would like to see Iraqis make more progress and take control of their own destiny, allowing in turn, U.S. forces to take a backseat in the day-to-day running of security matters in Iraq. A lower U.S. profile also means fewer U.S. casualties. And a stronger Iraqi central government could mean U.S. troops returning home sooner.

But none of this is likely to occur so long as the government in Baghdad remains weak, which it will as long as it does not get Sunni participation, and, incomplete with key positions, such as the minister of Defense, staying vacant.

Some Sunni leaders have indicated, however, their interest in participating in the new government and in drafting the constitution.

Iraqi politicians though appear to be taking their time. Washington is cognizant of the time factor, which could explain why the administration would take the risk of dispatching the secretary of State to the region.

What can Rice accomplish with her Kevlar flak vest diplomacy -- besides good public relations? Well, quite a bit actually.

For one, her visit to the field sends a clear and strong message to the Iraqis that the Bush administration remains committed to seeing security and stability established in Iraq. With its poor track record in maintaining focus in foreign policy issues, the United States can ill-afford to be seen reneging on earlier commitments it made in the Middle East.

Pacifying Iraq is taking far longer than the planners of the war initially intended. With three years left before George W. Bush leaves the White House, time for this administration to leave a positive legacy is beginning to run at a premium. If the insurgency continues along its current pace and if political bickering maintains its current course -- and nothing leads us to believe it should change anytime in the near future -- it could take more than three more years to settle Iraq. History is there to remind us that nothing in the Middle East ever moves at a Western pace.

At this point President Bush needs another major victory in Iraq, such as the capture or elimination of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the elusive terror master of Jordanian origin, who is believed to be responsible for much of the killing, mayhem and terror that has been taking place in Iraq.

Zarqawi's capture or death would demoralize the resistance while at the same time give the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq a much-needed boost, and help bring the Sunnis to the negotiating table.

There were hopes the recent U.S. offensive spearheaded by Marines against insurgents along the Syrian border would enable U.S. forces in Iraq to track down Zarqawi. In fact, one source believed the United States had managed to capture or wound him, and reported that U.S. officials had asked neighboring Jordan for blood and DNA samples.

But that was another false lead in what is turning out to be a long struggle against an elusive enemy.

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)
Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Politics & Policies: Saudi jails reformers

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

WASHINGTON, May 15 (UPI) -- A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced three prominent constitutional reformers to prison, handing down sentences ranging from six to nine years. The United States, which has been calling on countries of the Middle East to engage in greater political reform, has remained quiet over the ruling.

The reformers were charged with calling for a constitutional monarchy in Saudi Arabia to replace the existing absolute monarchy. The trial was adjourned several times earlier this year on request of the prosecutor who asked for more time to "collect additional evidence" against the three.

Ali al-Domaini was given nine years; Abdallah al-Hamed seven years and Matrouk al-Falih six years, lawyers and relatives said.

At the conclusion of the trial Sunday, Domaini's wife, Fawzia al-Ouni, described the proceedings as "the trial of reform in Saudi Arabia."

Arrested 14 months ago, the three were convicted of "stirring up sedition and disobeying the ruler," al-Ouni said.

The three, along with dozens of others, were arrested March 2004 for organizing petitions urging the kingdom's absolute monarchy shift toward a constitutional model and begin implementing political reforms.

Al-Domaini received two Freedom to Write awards from Pen USA and Pen New England in April and May.

Other reformers in prison include reformer lawyer Abdulrahman al-Lahim, and Mohna al-Faleh both detained without known charge or trial.

Pro-reform advocates are questioning the Bush administration's silence over the matter, which goes counter to the president's desire to see more freedom and reform implemented in the Middle East.

Part of the charges against the reformers included "introducing "Western terminology," according to the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia.

Ten other reformers, who were also arrested, were released after the Saudi government pressured them into signing affidavits agreeing not to petition or speak publicly about democratic reform, nor to travel outside the country.

The trial of the three accused took on additional significance when they requested court proceedings be open to the media and the public, a right that according to the law should be granted to defendants in the kingdom. However, reports from the kingdom say family members were prevented from attending the court session by order of the judges.

In an earlier statement, the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia described the detention conditions of the activists as "inhumane."

It claims there were "delaying tactics by the prosecution, and verbal acts of intimidation from the judge."

The democratic reformers have so far stood their ground and have refused to crack under intense Saudi government pressure to give up their demands, the group said.

"When we talk about Ali's trial, we shouldn't talk about it singularly," said al-Ouni. She said it was all of Saudi Arabia that was on trial.

Ali Alyami, the center's director, called on the Bush administration and the U.S. Congress to "stop regarding the Saudi royal family as sacrosanct and start holding them accountable for their violations of human rights.

"Defeating terrorism and eradicating religious extremism and intolerance require a genuine overhaul of Saudi political, social, religious, and economic institutions," said Alyami.

Reform advocates call this "troubling evidence and indicative of the Saudi regime's unwillingness to consider and implement much-needed reforms, like the institution of a written constitution and a bill of rights to protect the people's rights."

The court's grounds for the unwarranted conviction included vaguely defined allegations as "challenging the authority of the ruler," and "giving a chance to the nation's enemies to harm it."

A lawyer for the three recently sentenced indicated they would appeal. However, without any judicial transparency, the fate of the appeal and of the three reformers is uncertain.

"The Saudi regime is determined to stifle reasonable and peaceful voices for reform in the country, and the trial and conviction of these democratic reformers is an important part of the government's strategy to strengthen its control over the country and its captive population," the center said in a statement. "These developments reveal all claims that the Saudi regime intends to embark on a path of meaningful reforms as misleading and unfounded, and underline the need for clear and consistent international pressure on the authoritarian regime to respect human rights and accept genuine democratic change."

Alyami said it was time for the United States to act.

"Surely it is time for the Bush administration and the U.S. Congress to stop regarding the Saudi royal family as sacrosanct and start holding them accountable for their violations of human rights," Alyami said.

The center called on the U.S. government, Congress, the media, and all international human and civil rights organizations to publicly condemn the Saudi government for the sentencing of reformers who wanted to save their country from sliding into religious, political, economic and civil chaos, and to demand their immediate and unconditional release.

"More and more Saudis are demanding transparency," wrote Anthony Cordesman and Nawaf Obaid of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in a Feb. 5 report titled "Saudi Counterterrorism Efforts."

Saudi Arabia is trying to bring about change which, one well-informed intelligence official said "must start with the royal family."

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)
Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Politics & Policies: Stronger axis of evil

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Washington, DC, May. 13 (UPI) -- Remember the "axis of evil?" Of course you do. When the matter was first raised by President George W. Bush in his State of the Union address in January 2002, it seemed somewhat disproportioned. Now, the individual "cogs" of the infamous "axis" have taken on a new life.

In his much-publicized speech to the nation and the world, the president singled out Iraq, Iran and North Korea as deserving extra recognition for their evilness and their desire to become nuclear powers. The United States then went to war in Iraq based on the belief that Iraq's then strongman, Saddam Hussein, was harboring weapons of mass destruction.

Iraq, which at the time did not represent a threat to the national security of the United States, was invaded and Saddam was deposed. Not that Saddam deserves tears being shed over his removal from power; power he grossly abused. But subsequently we discovered there were no WMD in Iraq. Just as we were to learn there was no connection between Saddam and the 9/11 terrorists.

But now, you can safely bet that links between former Baathists and international terrorists exist in Iraq. The country has turned into a magnet, attracting all ilk of anti-Americanism, from international Islamists to Arab nationalists.

Notwithstanding Saddam's ruthlessness and complete disregard for human life, three years ago Iraq should not have been included in the "axis of evil." Given the intensity and cadence of terror attacks in Iraq, targeting both Iraqis and Americans, the country now represents one of the sturdiest cogs in the evil axis.

Iran is the second cog in the "axis of evil." If the situation in Iran could be color-coded, sort of like the Homeland Security's domestic threat assessment system, it would be turning from amber to a glowing bright red.

Much to the chagrin of the West, Tehran has all but admitted it intends to join the elite nuclear club. It is only a matter of time before the Islamic republic develops nuclear weapons, or in the very least, the capacity to produce them.

Tehran's mullahs are just a few steps away from acquiring those WMD that were being sought ... in Iraq.

Europe's "big three" -- Britain and France and Germany -- have been playing the "good cop" in a joint Euro-U.S. effort aimed at convincing Iran to drop its nuclear ambitions. The Europeans however, are now beginning to realize that negotiations will fail to stop Tehran from enriching its uranium, allowing them to manufacture weapons grade nuclear material.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair hinted it might be time to bring in the "bad cop," the United States. From the start of the crisis, the United States has viewed Iran's nuclear program with suspicion.

Memo to agents who were searching for Saddam's secret weapons stash: there were none in Eye-rack, but there might be some in Eye-ran, soon.

Blair said he would consider U.N. sanctions against Iran if Tehran went ahead with its threat to continue work on its nuclear program. "We certainly will support referral to the U.N. Security Council if Iran breeches its undertakings and obligations," said Blair.

France, Britain and Germany have offered Iran incentives -- both political and economic -- to drop its uranium enrichment program. But now more than a year since the talks have started, the Europeans are frustrated with little or no progress to show for it. Quite to the contrary, Iran last month said it would inform the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency its plans to pursue uranium conversion.

Tehran insists it only aspires to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, not to build a bomb. Blair said diplomacy could still work, and it is premature to consider military options.

Did he say military options? The very fact Blair made reference to "military options" is indication enough the idea is on the table -- or at least lingering somewhere underneath it.

Want to strengthen axis of evil cog number two? Deploy the military option. Think Iraq is bad? See what happens when Iranian nationalism kicks in.

Evil Axis Cog Number Three:

Talk about Evil Empires. The reclusive, megalomaniac Kim Jong-Il, the despotic leader of North Korea who is having a hard time feeding his people, wants to become a nuclear power.

The typically reclusive nation's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it had successfully removed 8,000 spent fuel rods from a nuclear power station in Yongbyon, in fact admitting it has "been taking steps to increase our nuclear arsenal."

North Koreans might go to bed hungry at night, but at least they can be proud to know their supreme leader can kick off a nuclear war anytime he wants. Talk about prestige.

And three years after the president first made mention of the "axis of evil," each one of the three cogs is now at a higher threatening level than they initially were.

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

Aoun opts for peace, dialogue with Syria

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Published 5/9/2005 9:42 AM

WASHINGTON, May 9 (UPI) -- Gen. Michel Aoun, a Maronite Christian whom some Lebanese regard as a renegade, others as a savior and who sees himself as the next president of Lebanon, returned to a hero's welcome Saturday after a 15-year exile in France.

Shortly after his arrival in Beirut, Aoun spoke with United Press International by cellular telephone. He discussed some of his plans for the future of the country.

"Democracy comes first," Aoun told United Press International. The former general and one-time prime minister explained that before Lebanon could become fully democratic, it would have to abandon its corrupt "old ways."

"Changes are important if Lebanon is to change for the better," said Aoun to UPI. "The Lebanese must change their ways; they must move away from the bad old habits."

Aoun said he would focus his energy on building a "new Lebanon."

"Lebanon's archaic, feudal and religious fanaticism as well as rampant corruption that in the past has destroyed the people must be done away with," Aoun said.

Addressing reports that he intends to run for the presidency, the former Lebanese army general said: "One must not aim for a specific post, or position. One must plan for a new society."

Aoun, who many blame for some of the worst fighting and violence of the Lebanese civil war, said he held great love for the Lebanese people. "I felt very emotional upon my return."

A crowd of some 400,000 people, according to Aoun supporters, greeted him Saturday in Freedom Square, previously Martyr's Square and the site where monster anti-Syrian demonstrations were held after the Feb. 14 killing of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Aoun, who was ousted by the Syrians in 1990, lobbied Washington for support in his quest to have Damascus remove its forces from Lebanon. He played a primary role in convincing the Bush administration to pass the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act of 2003, meant to impose economic sanctions on Damascus.

His actions brought accusations from the Lebanese pro-Syrian government of trying to foment discord between the two countries and of trying to incite religious discord.

"I have harmed no one. I have good intentions," Aoun told UPI. He indicated he wished peace with Syria.

"There is much Syria and Lebanon can profit from each other," he told UPI.

Aoun said now that Syria has quit Lebanon, his problems with Damascus are over.

"I have already pardoned those who fought me," Aoun told UPI.

The general said however, that his former enemies will not be recompensed unless they prove themselves.

"If they, those who opposed us, want to work with us in rebuilding the country, I am ready to work with them. I have good intentions for Lebanon," he told UPI.

"Peace cannot be waged by one side alone," Aoun said. "War can be waged by one side, but not peace. I hope Syria opts for peace."

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Should Iraq be divided

Daily suicide attacks, car bombings and shootings in Iraq.

Lebanon tries peace

Former Lebanese army general Michel Aoun returned to Lebanon to a hero's welcome.

Politics & Policies: Struggles with democracy

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Published 5/6/2005 8:18 AM

WASHINGTON, May 5 (UPI) -- As the Arab world struggles to accept and adopt concepts of democracy, recent action by two U.S. allies -- Tunisia and Saudi Arabia -- worry human rights and democracy advocates. The recent arrest and conviction of a Tunisian lawyer and three Saudi men is seen as a major setback for pro-democracy advocates in the Arab World.

Despite shortcomings, President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali's government seemed to be making progress as Tunisia appeared set on the path to showing greater respect for human rights. Georgie Anne Geyer, a well-respected nationally syndicated columnist who covers international affairs, called the pace of progress in Tunisia a "phenomenon."

"We didn't win over the (Islamist) fundamentalists in the 1980s with machine guns," Tunisian officials told Geyer.

But recently attorney Mohamed Abbou found himself on the wrong side of the legal bar when a Tunis criminal court sentenced him to 3? years imprisonment on April 28. His "crime" was publishing statements "likely to disturb public order" and for "defaming the judicial process."

Unfortunately, such verdicts are catchall phrases under which the judicial system becomes elastic, stretching laws to accommodate the political will and policies of government.

The charges brought against Abbou referred to an article he wrote in August 2004 comparing torture and ill treatment endured by political prisoners in Tunisia with the treatment suffered by U.S. detainees at Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq.

"The human rights community in Tunisia has been under sustained pressure from police and other state agents for years, who have thwarted the legitimate activities of judges and lawyers carrying out the duties of their profession and have violently attacked and intimidated these individuals and members of their families," claims Human Rights First, a non-governmental organization working to secure human dignity and respect of the rule of law.

"Mohammed Abbou has been sentenced to a harsh prison term for exercising his right to freedom of expression," Human Rights First said in a release.

But in a memo made available to United Press International, the Tunisian Embassy in Washington, claims there were two cases brought against Abbou.

The first case, the embassy said, "was initiated against Mr. Abbou by one of his female colleagues for severe violence against her. These acts led to the hospitalization of the latter at the emergency room and caused her, according to physicians, 10 percent permanent incapacity."

The second case refers to "defamation of the judicial authorities and spreading false information that may disrupt public order." The government further stated that there have been attempts "by extrazealous (sic) individuals" to disturb the court proceedings.

Neill Hicks, director of International Programs at Human Rights First, told UPI: "The Tunisian government are extremely dirty players in all of this." Hicks said that there was indeed an earlier assault charge, pending from 2002, which the judge added "at a very late date.

"The way the assault charge was introduced was completely unfair," said Hicks, adding Abbou's lawyers were given no time to check the facts of the first charge.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, whose Crown Prince Abdullah recently walked hand-in-hand with President George W. Bush when the de-facto Saudi ruler visited the Texas ranch in April, charged three Saudi reformers at a hearing held behind closed doors.

The three men -- Ali Al-Domaini, Matrook Al-Faleh, and Abdullah Al-Hamed -- were charged with calling for a constitutional monarchy in Saudi Arabia. The trial was adjourned several times earlier this year on request of the prosecutor who asked for more time to "collect additional evidence" against the three.

The three men were part of a group of 116 who in December 2003 petitioned the Saudi government for comprehensive reforms in the Kingdom, and among 13 people arrested on March 16, 2004, for introducing "Western terminology" in asking for reforms, according to The Center for Democracy & Human Rights in Saudi Arabia.

The other 10 were released after the Saudi government pressured them into signing affidavits agreeing not to petition or speak publicly about democratic reform, nor to travel outside the country.

The trial of the three remaining reformers took on special significance when they demanded their court hearings be open to the media and the public, a right awarded to defendants in Saudi Arabia -- on paper.

The Center for Democracy & Human Rights in Saudi Arabia describes their detention conditions as "inhumane." It claims there have been "delaying tactics by the prosecution, and verbal acts of intimidation from the judge."

The democratic reformers have so far stood their ground and have refused to crack under intense Saudi government pressure to give up their demands, says the Center for Democracy & Human Rights in Saudi Arabia.

"When we talk about Ali's trial, we shouldn't talk about it singularly. It is the trial of reform in Saudi Arabia," says Fawzia al-Ouni, wife of Ali Al-Domaini.

A judgment is expected within the next few weeks. Few observers, however, anticipate the three will be acquitted and released.

Ali Alyami, Director of the Center for Democracy & Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, called on the Bush administration and the U.S. Congress to "stop regarding the Saudi royal family as sacrosanct and start holding them accountable for their violations of human rights.

"Defeating terrorism and eradicating religious extremism and intolerance require a genuine overhaul of Saudi political, social, religious, and economic institutions," said Alyami.

--

(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Politics & Policies: French-U.S. ties closer?

Politics & Policies: French-U.S. ties closer?
By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Published 5/4/2005 8:57 AM

WASHINGTON, May 4 (UPI) -- The recent crisis in Lebanon has brought Paris and Washington closer than the two capitals have been since the outbreak of the Iraq war in March 2003 widened the gap between the Atlantic partners.

The Feb. 14 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close and personal friend of French President Jacques Chirac, and the ensuing crisis, narrowed the trans-Atlantic schism that had previously developed. No one on this side of the ocean is pouring Bordeaux wine or fine champagne into the gutters any more. At the same time, the attitude of the French toward the Bush administration, while far from being a love affair, has greatly improved.

Paris and Washington co-sponsored United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, calling on Syria to remove its military forces and intelligence units from Lebanon, and for Beirut to reclaim sovereignty over all its territory.

As Jean Francois-Poncet, a French senator and former foreign minister told United Press International at a recent lunch, the time for disputes is over. The French and the Americans had their differences, Poncet said, but that is "all in the past."

The two governments must now work together, stressed the French senator. And working together, Paris and Washington have been doing on a number of hot issues. France and the United States have cooperated on working to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, and they have been working particularly close on the situation in Lebanon.

Yet, despite the renewed rapprochement -- highlighted by the release of a joint French-U.S. statement Monday -- diverging views remain between France and the United States regarding the pace over which the follow-up to the Syrian pullout from Lebanon needs to be implemented.

Being more traditionalists, Europeans are used to slower-moving diplomatic initiatives. They tend to be somewhat more realistic when it comes to long negotiations and time constraints, principally when dealing in the Levant, where Europeans have centuries more experience than their U.S. allies.

"The Americans want to move at a faster pace," said a French diplomatic source, speaking to United Press International, on condition his name not be mentioned.

The joint statement on Lebanon delivered by U.S. Department of State spokesman Richard Boucher demonstrated that Washington and Paris see eye-to-eye, officially at least. In essence, both the French government and the U.S. administration agree, "Lebanon is a sovereign, independent state that aspires to freedom and democracy." Indeed. One rather wonders why this even needs to be stated.

Both countries, together with the "with the rest of the international community," pledged their support for Lebanon by drafting and passing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, calling on Syria to quit Lebanon, where its military and intelligence units have been stationed since 1976.

Complying with international pressures, Syria said it removed all its forces by April 30, and a U.N. team is now in Lebanon to verify the completion of the withdrawal.

The joint U.S.-French statement supports "the extension of the sole and exclusive control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory." It further states the two countries "stand ready to assist in this." The statement did not detail what form this assistance would entail.

What is particularly interesting in the joint statement, however, is what it does not say. The report makes no mention of anything relating to the Lebanese Shiite paramilitary organization, Hezbollah, or of disarming the Palestinian and other militias in Lebanon.

"No one forgot Hezbollah," the French diplomatic source told UPI. "They are just not a priority at the moment. The question of militias is mentioned in the political accords."

Matthew Levitt, an analyst with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, agrees. "There is no question of not dealing with Hezbollah," he told UPI. The statement makes no mention of the armed militias, because, said Levitt, "It's a recognition that 1559 has to get all (foreign) forces out of Lebanon."

If implementing the first part of 1559 -- calling on Syria to withdraw -- appeared relatively easy, addressing the issue of Hezbollah and its weapons will take much more astute political maneuvering. It is what the British would call a "sticky wicket."

The general consensus is that the issue has to be addressed but needs to be done intelligently and carefully, so as not to re-re-ignite the violence. The issue cannot be forced. A close aide of the former Lebanese prime minister told UPI Tuesday that the situation in Lebanon remained precarious.

"The intent is to have Hezbollah become more of a 'hizb' and less of a militia," said Levitt. (Hezb is Arabic for party, Hezbollah means party of God.)

"It has to be done politically," Levitt said. "No one believes you can disarm Hezbollah," (by force) added the Washington analyst.

France and the United States also expect the establishment of an international commission of inquiry to investigate the assassination of former prime minister Hariri "and the other murdered Lebanese citizens."

"The international community is ready to assist" Lebanon in organizing free elections. "France and the United States stand ready to respond to requests for assistance by a sovereign and democratic Lebanese government formed as a result of the forthcoming elections."

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Politics & Policies: Kosovo still disconnected

My idle laptop, unable to connect to the outside world, offered an appropriate analogy to the current political situation in Kosovo. The usual traffic of about 400 e-mails a day were not trickling into my computer, leaving me frustrated -- as many Kosovars I am sure must feel about political stagnation in their region. Both of us were waiting for something to happen. And in both instances, it felt as though the world was passing us by.

Europe's Islamist threats

The exact reach of Islamist extremism in Europe is difficult to identify, but the terror threat -- including nuclear terrorism -- is real, warns a report from the Brussels-based European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center.

Is Syria leaving Lebanon?

Syria's long occupation of Lebanon ended Tuesday with a cocktail party frorm the Lebanese who can turn even war and military occupation into a social event.

The Baghdad mantra

Chances aare if you keep repeating something long enough one of two things are likely to happen. First, you eventually start believing your own mantra, and second, in the long run the odds are that your predictions will come about.

Lebanon's renewed hope

Lebanon has a new government -- and with it, new hope.

Leaving Gaza is hard to do

Israel is beginning to realize that leaving the Gaza Strip is going to be harder than it was occupying it.

Chirac: AUx urnes, citoyens

"La Marseillaise," the French national anthem calls on France's citizens to arms -- "aux armes, citoyens." French President Jacques Chirac, while promoting the "yes" vote for Europe's constitution, might have used a similar line calling "aux urnes, citoyens;" to the ballot boxes, citizens.

Terror threat averted

Authorities in the U.S. this week indicted three Britons of South Asian origin for plotting an attack on financial institutions in Washington, New York and New Jersey. Last August, United Press International revealed details of the plot federal prosecutors outlined this week after the three men's arrest by British authorities.

Politics & Policies: Lebanon fears 'events'

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Published 4/13/2005 8:33 AM

WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- Thirty years ago this Wednesday was the official start of the Lebanese civil war. Fears of the conflict re-igniting have recently surfaced following the Feb. 14 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri and the turmoil that ensued.

"Lebanon's political class, notoriously fractured, could create fresh opportunities for outside interference and pave the way for domestic chaos," warns a report issued Tuesday by the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank.

The war destroyed large parts of the country, killed close to 150,000 people, forced thousands to flee and culminated with foreign occupations.

The 1989 Saudi-sponsored Taif Peace Accord -- which was never fully implemented -- eventually ended the conflict, and the country enjoyed a decade or so of prosperity. But in reality, much as the official debut of the war occurred sometime before April 13, 1975, so too the official end to the conflict remains unclear.

One of the dangers looming over Lebanon is that there was never really a resolution to the conflict. After years of fierce hostilities, it seemed as though the warring factions grew tired of fighting and the war sputtered and stopped, much like a car running out of gas. The causes behind the conflict were never addressed, and there was no attempt at reconciliation.

Not one monument was erected to the memory of the 150,000 casualties of the war, nor has there been any real effort to uncover what became of the 17,000 people who were kidnapped and remain missing. It's almost as though the country is in collective denial over the years of conflict.

Most Lebanese usually refer to the war as simply "the events."

Today the risk of more "events" is very real. In a report titled "Syria After Lebanon, Lebanon After Syria," the International Crisis Group stresses that "the Syrian regime, sensing its survival at stake, may lash out, using its remaining instruments and allies in Lebanon and beyond."

The threat to Lebanon's security is not purely external; there are ample dangers within. In a "country awash with weapons and on the verge of a major redistribution of power and resources, the means and motivations for violence abound," Reinoud Leenders, an analyst with the ICG points out.

There is also the danger, according to the ICG, that "the U.S., feeling its broader regional goals within striking distance, may well over-reach, triggering violent reactions from Syria, Hezbollah or militant Palestinian groups."

The Syrians worry that the Bush administration may attempt to push forward with its vision of regime change. Reacting to pressures from the Lebanese, the United States and the international community, Damascus began withdrawing its forces from Lebanon, where Syrian troops intervened in 1976 to stop the civil war.

Since the Syrians began their pullout, a number of bombs have exploded in Christian areas of Beirut; the obvious intention to spark dissent. But the Lebanese have been wise, so far.

"Most international and Lebanese actors have acted with welcome wisdom," reports the ICG. Marwan Hamade, a prominent opposition leader and former Cabinet minister in Hariri's government, told United Press International that recent events are not likely to re-ignite the Lebanese civil war.

Hamade, himself the target of an assassination attempt, told UPI "the ingredients for civil war are not there." The former minister said he feels this time things are very different and that "the Lebanese people are far more conscious of the situation. "There are neither the ingredients nor the seeds for a civil war," said Hamade. "Civil war is not at the door."

One of the factors working in Lebanon's favor has been the initiative shown by the Lebanese opposition in working together across sectarian and political divides, stressing national unity.

The assassination of Hariri -- which Yasser Accoui, editor-in-chief of Beirut's Executive magazine equated to nothing short of "a coup d'etat" -- resulted in an unexpected popular uprising demanding the withdrawal of Syria.

Syria acquiesced and began to pull out. However, as the ICG report points out, what Syria leaves behind remains uncertain.

In a country "accustomed to being a theater for proxy wars between Arabs, Palestinian and Israelis," the report states, "the means and motivations for violence abound."

For Lebanon to enjoy continued serenity and avoid falling back into civil strife, the Brussels group said it "will require the U.S. to curb its appetite, Lebanon's opposition to maintain its moderation, and Syria to avoid a scorched-earth policy.

ICG recommends a sundry list of steps be taken by Lebanon, the United States, the European Union, Syria, Israel and the United Nations.

It suggests Lebanese political forces, including the opposition and Hezbollah, adopt a joint platform to form an interim government to organize elections, pass a new electoral law, address unimplemented aspects of the Taif Accord and Security Council Resolution 1559.

It recommends that Lebanon take Syrian concerns into account while shaping policies toward Israel, conduct relations with Syria on the basis of equality between sovereign states, and prosecute persons found responsible for Hariri's assassination by the U.N. investigation.

It counsels the gradual integration of Hezbollah's military wing as an autonomous unit under Lebanese army control and the full disarmament of Hezbollah in the context of progress toward Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian peace agreements.

The full report can be seen on crisisgroup.org.

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Israel’s unsettlement policy

BY CLAUDE SALHANI
KHALEEJ TIMES

13 April 2005

AS ISRAEL prepares to evacuate the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements in the coming months, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon faces strong opposition at home, including threats of terror by Jewish extremists aiming to disrupt the evacuation.


Sharon was hoping his meeting with President Bush at the president’s ranch in Crawford, Texas on Monday, would give him additional political support. Instead, Bush talked tough strongly cautioning the Israeli prime minister against any settlement expansions.

"I told the prime minister not to undertake any activity that contravenes the Road Map or prejudices final status obligations," Bush told Sharon, reminding the Israeli prime minister that the Middle East road map calls for Israel to remove unauthorised settlements in the Palestinian territories.

The road map prohibits the creation of any new settlements as well as the expansion of existing ones including on the grounds of "natural growth."

Sharon assured Bush: "I will fulfil my commitment to you, Mr President, to remove unauthorised outposts. As to settlements, Israel will meet all its obligations under the road map."

But plans for expanding the West Bank settlement of Maaleh Adumim by some 3,500 apartments, which would link it with Jerusalem are likely to proceed, despite international criticism. Sharon sees this move as extending a carrot to those opposed to evacuating Gaza.

But if Israel was to proceed with the development, known as E-1, it could seriously affect the future of the peace process. Additionally, there are also real fears of potential terrorist attacks by Jewish extremists on the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in the occupied Jerusalem in order to disrupt the withdrawal.

Such attack would have a devastating effect on the peace process, setting it back and reviving the risk of all-out violence. An attack on the Muslim holy sites could trigger a Third Intifada, one that would be far bloodier and more harmful to all sides in the conflict. There would be no winners in the next round of Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Already, Palestinian resistance groups have threatened to end the ceasefire with Israel if Al-Aqsa Mosque — Islam’s third holiest Mosque — is attacked.

Indeed, the forced removal of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip is likely to test the Jewish state’s strength, resolve and unity as opponents of evacuating the occupied Palestinian territory are not about to make this an easy choice for Prime Minister Sharon’s government.

Several rabbis, right-wing groups and settlers are calling on Israeli security forces to refuse orders asking them to evict the settlers.

The Union of Rabbis for the People of Israel and the Land of Israel issued a statement last week asking "Tens of thousands of people to prepare" for a call up "to be with our brethren," in support of the settlers in Gaza who refuse to leave.

"It will not be easy," said Ehud Olmert, Israel’s deputy prime minister during a telephone conference last week, referring to the planned pullout. "It will be difficult," said Olmert, "it will be heartbreaking." In fact, what was not easy was maintaining and securing those settlements to begin with. Several thousands of Israeli soldiers were required to ensure the security of about 7,500 settlers.

Israel now plans to begin evacuating the Strip on July 20. The risk of violence from those opposed to the evacuation plan exists, said Olmert. "The danger is there. We hope it will be prevented."

"One must not help evacuate settlements in the land of Israel and give them to foreigners. This contradicts the Halacha (Jewish law), the Torah, ethics, and God forbid, one must not be partner to a transgression," declared former Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Avraham Shapiro last week.

Olmert’s response is that "Gaza was never part of historic Israel. "I don’t remember that Gaza was part of Israel. I don’t remember praying for Gaza," said Olmert. Olmert, who spoke prior to Sharon’s visit to the US, said giving up the settlements was a necessity to achieve peace with the Palestinians. "We trust the good will of Abu Mazen," said Olmert, referring to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas by his more familiar name. "He (Abbas) wants to make peace. There is no reason to doubt him."

Olmert admits that the Sharon government is taking a political gamble in applying such controversial policies as the withdrawal. "We have stuck our necks out politically, now is the time for the Palestinians to take risks," said Olmert.

But the risk the Palestinians fear most is that the Israeli evacuation from Gaza will not lead "Gaza First," but "Gaza only," and to a dead end in the Middle East Road Map.

In any case, Abu Mazen is sure to have his work cut out for him when he visits the US to meet with Bush possibly during the third week in April, according to sources in the Palestinian Authority.

Claude Salhani is International Editor and a political analyst with United Press International in Washington

Politics & Policies: Settlements unsettlement

Published 4/11/2005 9:00 AM

WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- Israel's forthcoming withdrawal from the Gaza Strip is likely to test the Jewish state's strength, resolve and unity as proponents and opponents of evacuating the occupied Palestinian territory are bound to clash -- in some instances quite literally.

A number of rabbis, right-wing groups and settlers are calling on Israeli soldiers and police to dissent, and to refuse orders that come down the chain of command, asking them to forcefully evict Jewish settlers from Gaza and four West Bank settlements.

The Union of Rabbis for the People of Israel and the Land of Israel issued a statement last week asking "Tens of thousands of people to prepare" for a call "to be with our brethren" in support of the settlers in Gaza who refuse to leave.

The issue of settlements will likely be among the topics Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will discuss with President George W. Bush when the two leaders meet at the president's Texas ranch, Monday, during the prime minister's six-hour stopover. An Israeli diplomat told United Press International that Bush and Sharon will discuss "the disengagement process and security concerns."

Among the president's concerns is Israel's E-1 plan to add about 3,500 apartments to Ma'aleh Adumim, connecting it with Jerusalem, a plan that was harshly criticized by the Bush administration.

However, in recent days new concerns arose. There are fears of a potential terrorist attack by Jewish extremists on the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in order to disrupt the withdrawal. Any such attack would set the peace process back, reviving the risk of all-out violence and re-fueling the intifada. Palestinian resistance groups have threatened to end the cease-fire with Israel if the mosque -- Islam's third-holiest site -- is attacked.

"If Zionist extremists carry out their threats of invading Al-Aqsa mosque, it will enflame the region and end the truce," the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a militant Palestinian group, said in a statement. The group has in the past claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks in Israel.

"Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque are a red line that no Zionist should be able to cross," the group warned.

Israel, which captured Gaza from Egypt during the June 1967 Six-Day War, plans to begin evacuating the Strip on July 20. About 7,500 Israeli settlers have made their home in the 225-square-mile territory -- an area slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C. -- and where about 1.3 million Palestinians live, a majority of them in poverty.

"It will not be easy," said Ehud Olmert, Israel's deputy prime minister during a telephone conference last week, referring to the planned pullout. "It will be difficult," said Olmert, "it will be heartbreaking."

Indeed, it was not easy maintaining those settlements in the first place, where thousands of Israeli soldiers were needed to ensure the security of the Gaza settlers.

The risk of violence emanating from settlers, and their supporters, wishing to resist the evacuation exists, said Olmert. "The danger is there. We hope it will be prevented."

"One must not help evacuate settlements in the Land of Israel and give them to foreigners," declared former Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Avraham Shapiro last week. "This contradicts the Halacha (Jewish law), the Torah, ethics, and God forbid, one must not be partner to a transgression."

Olmert's reply to those who argue that Israel is "giving part of the Land of Israel away," is that "Gaza was the base of aggression against Israel, and was never part of historic Israel. I don't remember that Gaza was part of Israel. I don't remember praying for Gaza," said Olmert.

"Even Moses took the long way to the Promised Land by avoiding going through Gaza when he guided the Jews out of Egypt," said one analyst.

Olmert, who spoke a few days before Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's visit to the United States, said that giving up the settlements was a necessity to achieve peace with the Palestinians. Olmert said he had "trust (in) the good will of Abu Mazen," referring to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas by his more familiar name.

"He is certainly different from Yasser Arafat," said the Israeli politician. "He (Abbas) wants to make peace. There is no reason to doubt him."

Not everyone in Israel agrees, or trusts, Abu Mazen as much. Olmert concedes that the Sharon government is taking a political gamble in applying such controversial policies as the withdrawal. "We have stuck our necks out politically; now is the time for the Palestinians to take risks," said Olmert.

Mahmoud Abbas is due to visit the United States possibly during the third week in April to meet with President Bush, according to a PA source. The Bush administration had in the past refused to meet with Abbas' predecessor, Arafat, accusing him of being tainted by, and supportive of terrorism. Abbas will come to Washington with a clean slate, but will leave with heavy baggage.

Olmert said he believed Abu Mazen would be forced, in the near future, to confront the "terrorist organizations." That is one issue President Bush will most likely raise with Abu Mazen when they meet.

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Saudis continue to battle terror

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Published 4/6/2005 1:44 PM

WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- Most analysts agree Saudi security forces have the upper hand in the kingdom's ongoing war on Islamist terrorism whose aim is the overthrow of the royal House of Saud and replace it with a strict Islamic theocracy.

While it is clear the Saudi government had made giant strides -- and enjoyed major successes in its own fight on terrorism -- the war against the pro-al-Qaida insurgency is not entirely over.

Following a fourth day of shootouts between Saudi security forces and Islamist militants, the last day being played out in the capital, Riyadh, one of the kingdom's most-wanted terrorists was killed Wednesday.

Anthony Cordesman, a national security analyst and intelligence specialist with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, says the Saudis have been overall very successful at fighting the threat of Islamist terror.

"They have systematically been able to roll up the terror threat," Cordesman told United Press International, adding, "by and large, al-Qaida in Arabia," the Saudi branch of the pro-Osama bin-Laden terrorist network "has not been convincing."

The kingdom has done a good job, points out Cordesman, but adds the reality is that infiltrating the desert kingdom from Yemen or other borders, across thousands of miles of unguarded frontiers, is relatively easy and to do and very difficult to guard against.

The raid in Riyadh occurred hours after the end of a similar assault that lasted three days in the remote desert town of al-Ras, some 200 miles northwest of the capital. The result, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry, left 14 terrorists dead and six captured; there were 14 casualties among Saudi security forces.

The suspect killed in Wednesday's shootout was identified by the Interior Ministry as Abdul-Rahman Mohammed Mohammed Yazji, number 25 on a government list of 26 most wanted. According to Saudi government sources, Yazji's death brings to 24 the number of terrorists either killed or captured. A second militant was apprehended in the raid, but the government did not identify him.

An Islamic Internet Web site announced the death of two other militants Wednesday -- Kareem Altohami al-Mojati, a Moroccan national, and Saud Homoud Obaid al-Otaibi, a Saudi Arabian, who it says died fighting Saudi security forces.

Saudi news sources believe al-Mojati was suspected of being connected to the May 2003 suicide attack in Casablanca, Morocco, that killed 33 people.

The town of al-Ras, where the militants sought refuge, is known to harbor pro-Islamist sympathies. Its remoteness, and the fact the insurgents chose it as a base would indicate Islamists are trying to keep a low profile, preferring to remain out of the major centers, say intelligence analysts.

Indeed, the Saudis have gone on the offensive against homegrown Islamist terrorism, launching a campaign last December across the nation to reach out to its citizens. Saudi television ran short docudramas depicting Islamist terrorists trying to recruit young Saudis, interlacing them with messages of nationalism, such as military parades, and footage showing the horrors caused by terrorist acts.

Giant posters depicting bomb-damaged buildings and bloodied corpses were prominently displayed in various parts of Riyadh. During a three-day anti-terrorist conference held in the Saudi capital last February, entire front pages of local newspapers displayed pictures of victims of terrorism.

A senior Saudi official told UPI the government had recruited thousands of undercover agents, deploying them in the field, and the results were being felt.

"We are fighting terrorism, those who support it and those who condone it," said Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz at the opening session of a first Counter-Terrorism International Conference, last February.

Once one of the safest countries in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia has been shaken by a slew of bloody attacks perpetrated by pro-al-Qaida Islamist militants. The attacks left a trail of terror and blood across the country. The violence reached a crescendo last summer with multiple car bombs and assaults by armed gunmen on compounds housing foreign workers and government buildings.

Analysts believe the Saudis are making headway in their war, though the figures and results remain hazy at best. One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told UPI that some estimates have put the number of Islamist insurgents in the kingdom at several thousands. That figure, however, could be confused with an earlier report from the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies, which in its Strategic 2003-4 Survey cited 18,000 potential al-Qaida militants worldwide.

A Saudi official, also speaking on background, told UPI he estimated the number of al-Qaida activists and supporters did not exceed 5,000. But that would include three tiers of terrorist supporters.

The first tier who probably number in the low hundreds, are the real "crazies," the ones that blow themselves up. The second tier, possibly several hundreds, are the "spotters" those who assist in operations. They are the ones who provide logistics and services and support for the bombers. And finally in the third tier are the sympathizers, those who do not directly engage in acts of terrorism, but who might offer a terrorist a room for a night, or hold onto weapons and explosives. Their number is believes to be the highest, possible a few thousand.

It is worth recalling that at its peak in the 1970s, the Irish Republican Army counted no more than 500 militants, of which maybe 150 were extremists. The West German Baader-Meinhoff gang had even fewer militants -- by some estimates as few as 50 hardcore activists. Yet both the IRA and the Baader-Meinhoff caused havoc for years.

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International

Politics of papal legacy

BY CLAUDE SALHANI
Khaleej Times
6 April 2005

POPE John Paul II will enter history books as one of the Catholic Church’s more conservative popes, something for which many Catholics criticised him. But at the same time he will be remembered as one of the most politically proactive popes who helped change the course of history. Already a majority of American Catholics thinks he deserves to become a saint.


The pontiff worked hard to impose his conservative philosophy on the world’s more than 1.1 billion Catholics. He adopted a tough stance on morality issues and was adamantly in favour of maintaining the all-male, celibate priesthood, a point critics say contributed to the children sex abuse scandal.

The pope opposed the use of condoms, even though medical and political authorities — particularly in the developing world — tried hard to encourage their use in preventing the spread of HIV/Aids, a disease that killed more than 30 million people, and continues to kill about 8,000 people a day.

The pope opposed stem cell research, asking US President George W. Bush when the two men met in he Vatican, not to simply limit the research, but to ban it all together.

Still, John Paul II will be remembered as one of the most influential popes of our time, if not as one of the more politicised pontiffs who did not shy away from using his authority and influence, particularly in his fight against communism.

Many things differentiate this pope. He is the first Polish pope; he is the first non-Italian pope in 455 years; and unlike previous popes who largely remained in the Vatican, he became the first pope to break with rigid traditions by taking his papacy to the road. Despite his fragile health and his age Pope John Paul II was a man who seemed to have unlimited energy.

Since becoming pontiff, he made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within the country. As Rome’s bishop he visited nearly every parish — 317 of 333.

During World War II, he worked in a quarry and then a chemical factory to avoid deportation to Nazi Germany. He began studying for the priesthood in 1942, was ordained in 1946 and eventually rose to become archbishop of Krakow in 1964 and cardinal in 1967. Following his election as pope on Oct. 16, 1978, he began the crusade against communism.

The Soviet Union long viewed the United States — and its military might — as the greatest threat to its empire. But it was John Paul II, who as pope played a major role in bringing about its demise.

In 1935 then French foreign minister Pierre Laval approached Soviet dictator Josef Stalin asking him to liberalise his views on religion, hoping to appease the church, which in turn would give the French government support from the pope in the buildup against Germany. Stalin was reported to have responded, "The pope! How many divisions has he got?" The fact that this pope did not have military divisions under his command did not stop him from defeating communism.

Less than a year after being elected to the throne of St. Peter, on June 2, 1979, the pope made his first visit back to his native Poland, then still under communist rule. In a landmark speech he told his fellow Poles, "Do not be afraid."

Polish police were given orders to prevent residents from reaching the site where the pope was to celebrate mass. Instead they helped broadcast his speech through loudhailers mounted on their patrol cars. That is believed to be the trigger that encouraged mass resistance to communism breaking the shackles of communist rule across Eastern Europe leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of Soviet empire.

In 1983, the Pope visited Poland for a second time in defiance of martial law imposed by the pro-Moscow regime. He survived an assassination attempt two years earlier, on May 13, 1981, when Mehmet Ali Agca, a Turkish national fired three shots at the pontiff in St. Peter’s Square. The pope was hit in the abdomen, the left hand and the right arm.

It is believed that Agca was acting under orders from the Bulgarian intelligence service, who in turn were most likely obeying directives from the Soviet KGB. The Soviets were beginning to feel the pressure from the Vatican. The pope later met with his would-be killer, though details of the encounter in an Italian jail cell were never made public.

John Paul II was also the first pope to reach out to other faiths. He became the first pope to enter a Jewish house of worship when he made an impromptu visit to Rome’s main synagogue, joining Rabbi Elio Toaff in prayer. His actions helped bridge almost 2,000 years of discord between the two faiths.

He also made history as the first pope to ever visit a mosque, when he visited the Syrian capital, Damascus, in 2001 stressing the importance of Christian-Muslim understanding.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement, "Muslims worldwide respected Pope John Paul II as an advocate for justice and human rights. His message of international peace and interfaith reconciliation is one that will reverberate for decades to come."

No wonder Muslim and Jewish leaders in the Middle East have been unanimous in praising the pope for his efforts to promote peace in the region.

Claude Salhani is international editor and a political analyst with United Press International in Washington.

Politics & Policies: Lesser Arab expectations

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

Published 4/5/2005 3:25 PM

WASHINGTON, April 5 (UPI) -- Once again the Arab world has been issued a report card -- and once again it has failed, trailing behind other regions. The report found the Arab world had less freedom, less democracy, and the slowness of tectonic plates in implementing reforms.

"Why, among all the regions of the world, do Arabs enjoy the least freedom?" the authors of a United Nations sponsored report ask.

The Third Arab Human Development Report published by the U.N. Development Programme, and titled "The Time Has Come: A Call for Freedom and Good Governance in the Arab World," was released Tuesday in Amman, the Jordanian capital. The results are both depressing and worrying.

The countries of the Arab world get failing grades in democracy, failing grades in freedom of the press, failing grades in freedom of speech and failing grades in movement towards political and social reforms. In some Arab countries -- the report points to Egypt, Sudan and Syria -- the state of emergency has become permanent and ongoing, while "none of the dangers warrant it."

In Cairo meanwhile, thousands of Egyptian university students demonstrated angrily against the government Tuesday, in the largest such protest yet to be staged. Egyptian students of Al Azhar University -- some of them veiled -- held up signs saying "No Emergency Law."

Islamists, liberals and nationalists, united under the umbrella of the "Kifaya" Movement, Arabic for "enough," want an end to Egypt's 24-year-old state of emergency, as well as an end to the presidency of Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981.

Continued application of so-called "Emergency Laws," and in many cases martial law, deny the citizens many constitutional rights. Basic civil rights and privileges, often taken for granted in most of the world, such as inviolability of the home, personal liberty, freedom of opinion, expression and the press, confidentiality of correspondence, rights of movement and assembly, are widely ignored across much of the Arab world.

While political stagnation generally has been the rule, some changes are creeping in. Lebanon has campaigned for the departure of Syrian forces from its territory, and Jordan's King Abdullah II Tuesday appointed a new prime minister, instructing him to speed up reforms.

In Syria, all hope for reforms now hinges on the forthcoming Baath Party regional conference, expected to take place in May or June. Rumors have it that some "very big changes" are on the way. "The biggest change Syria has seen in 50 years," report Syrian exiles.

SyriaComment.com, a usually well-informed blog site, quotes sources outside the country saying that these changes could include emptying all prisons, allowing a free press, authorizing new political parties, allowing the return of thousands of Syrian exiles and issuing Syrian passports to Kurds. Those are indeed great expectations.

The near-complete consensus among the authors of the report is "that there is a serious failing in the Arab world," the primary cause being political and not cultural reasons.

In a systematic survey of the pace of political change in the Arab world, the report, produced by an independent group of leading Arab scholars and intellectuals, found urgent need for reform.

It warns that violence could erupt unless "a rapid acceleration of democratic reform, with specific proposals for new regional human rights institutions, robust and freely elected legislatures, and truly independent judiciaries," are put into place.

The report recommends immediate steps be taken to:

-- Respect freedoms of opinion, expression and association.

-- End all types of marginalization and discrimination against social groups and minorities.

-- Guarantee the independence of the judiciary and ending reliance on military tribunals and other "exceptional" courts.

-- The end of "states of emergency" that have become permanent features of governance in the region.

In a highly critical appraisal of progress toward democratization in the Arab world, the report issues "a call for urgent corrective action." The authors warn that unless Arab governments move at a faster pace to implement reforms, they could face "chaotic" social upheaval.

The authors of the report warn, "If the repressive situation in Arab countries today continues, intensified societal conflict is likely to follow," leading to violence in "the absence of peaceful and effective mechanisms to address injustice."

The result could be "chaotic upheavals."

"There is a change in mindsets in the region," said Dr. Rima Khalaf Hunaidi, U.N. assistant Secretary-General and director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States in UNDP and the chief overseer of the Arab Human Development Reports. "We are moving with greater confidence in a new direction now, and there is a strong awareness of the irreversibility of change -- change driven by the Arab street, not change adopted from afar."

The popular movements urging political adjustment in Egypt and Lebanon are indications that the Arab world cannot continue to stand still while the rest of the world move along at an accelerated pace.

The continued usurping of power in the hands of Arab leaders, be they royalty, military dictatorship, or civilians elected without any real competition "has created a kind of political black hole at the centre of Arab political life," the authors say.

"By 21st century standards, Arab countries have not met the Arab people's aspirations for development." This status quo "is no longer sustainable."

The U.N. report cautions that if the Arabs themselves do not take real steps towards change, the global powers will step in and lead the process of reform from outside.

"Arab countries cannot ignore the fact that the world, especially the powerful players in the global arena, will continue to safeguard their interests in the region, the report stated.

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Copyright © 2001-2005 United Press International