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The legislation, which includes sanctions against Iran’s Central Bank and strict curbs on official diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran, was approved unanimously by voice vote of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.

The Committee chairperson and major sponsor of the legislation, Florida Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, said she hoped the whole House and the Senate would act quickly on the two bills so that their enactment would “hand the Iranian regime a nice holiday present”, presumably a reference to the Christmas holidays.

But lobbyists on Capitol Hill predicted that the Democratic-led Senate would be unlikely to act until after the New Year and that, barring any major new crisis between Tehran and Washington, the legislation’s more radical provisions would eventually be watered down.

Still, the fact that such draconian legislation is making headway in Congress is likely to further stoke rising tensions in the region, particularly in the wake of U.S. accusations last month that “elements” of Iran’s government plotted to assassinate the Saudi ambassador here and simmering press speculation that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is actively considering an attack on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.

Indeed, Israel’s test-firing Wednesday of a long-range ballistic missile – the first such test in more than three years – appeared designed to heighten the speculation. The fact that the test was overseen by Defence Minister Ehud Barak, who, along with Netanyahu, is reported to favour an attack, did nothing to dispel that notion, despite denials by the government.

According to some observers here, the war talk in Jerusalem may be intended primarily to encourage lawmakers here to support the strongest possible sanctions legislation, which Netanyahu has repeatedly called for over the last several years.

“My guess is that this sudden campaign on the part of the Israelis is intended to scare the U.S. and the Europeans into a very strong diplomatic and economic response when the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) report providing additional information on Iran’s weaponisation activities comes out next week,” said Barry Blechman, a nuclear proliferation expert at the Stimson Center here.

“The bluster on military strikes tends to coincide with periods in which new sanctions are considered,” noted Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, which opposed the legislation approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee.

“The Israelis push this on the U.S. and the EU (European Union) by arguing that, absent new strong sanctions, Israel will be ‘forced’ to do strikes, and the U.S. then uses that argument to push sanctions on other states in and outside of the (U.N. Security Council). We’ve seen this pattern several times before,” said Parsi, author of an award-winning 2007 book, “Treacherous Alliance”, on the history of secret dealings between the U.S., Israel and Iran since 1979.

If that indeed was Israel’s intent, it seems to have succeeded in the House Committee where Democrats joined Republicans in expressing the need to punish Tehran.

The first bill, the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Reform and Modernization Act, would impose penalties against any individual or company – foreign as well as domestic – that has facilitated the transfer of equipment that could be used in Iran’s nuclear programme. It also would bar access to the U.S. of any vessels that have visited ports of any of the three countries in the last two years.

The second bill, the Iran Threat Reduction Act, is more comprehensive.

Among other provisions, it would sharply reduce the president’s authority to waive existing sanctions against any individual, company or country doing business with Iran; expand existing sanctions against companies that sell Iran refined petroleum to include any barter transactions; and impose sanctions against any individual, company or country that conducts a transaction with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is believed to control as much as 40 percent of the Iran’s national economy.

Three last-minute additions to the bill also attracted special notice.

One provision would eliminate the president’s authority to waive, for humanitarian reasons, sanctions against companies that sell spare parts or repair services to Iran’s civilian aircraft industry, which has suffered more than 1,000 deaths in plane crashes over the past decade, in major part due to faulty or worn-out equipment.

A second provision would ban any contact between any person employed by the U.S. government and any Iranian official or agent unless the president certifies to Congress at least 15 days in advance that a failure to make such a contact “would pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the vital national security interests of the United States”.

“If enacted, this legislation …would prevent any exploration of ways to resolve disagreement over that Iranian nuclear program that we are supposedly so intensely concerned about,” wrote Paul Pillar, the U.S. intelligence community’s top Near East analyst from 2000 to 2005, on his blog on the nationalinterest.org website.

“…And it would prevent any diplomacy to keep U.S.-Iranian incidents or crises …from spinning out of control, unless the crisis conveniently stretched out beyond the fifteen-day notification period,” he added, noting that the nuclear stand-off between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Oct 1962 Cuban missile crisis lasted 13 days.

“It is impossible to imagine any purpose being served by such a provision other than enabling politicians to express once again how much they hate Iran and how implacable they are willing to be toward Iran,” noted Pillar, who now teaches at Georgetown University.

A third provision would require the president to determine within 30 days of the bill’s enactment whether Iran’s central bank is supporting the country’s alleged biological, chemical, nuclear, missile, or advanced conventional weapons programmes, supporting the IRGC, or aiding international terrorism.

If such a determination were made, the president would then be required to ban any foreign bank that does significant business with Iran’s central bank from engaging in economic activity in the U.S.

Even Washington’s European allies are known to have serious reservations about such a far-reaching step, which, administration officials have quietly warned, would almost certainly be challenged by Russia, China, and other major emerging countries, as well as provoke a nationalist response in Iran that would strengthen more hard-line factions.

“Today’s actions by the House Foreign Affairs Committee to legislate even more draconian, extraterritorial and unilateral sanctions on Iran …fly in the face of facts on the ground, the demonstrable failure of previous sanctions to achieve their stated purpose, and the basic rules of diplomacy among nations,” said Bill Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, a business association representing U.S. and foreign multinational corporations here.

“The Committee’s approach would foreclose any constructive engagement by the administration and put the United States on a forced march to counter-productive confrontation,” he added.

By Jim Lobe

03 November 2011

Inter Press Service

Jim Lobe’s blog on U.S. foreign policy can be read at http://www.lobelog.com.

On October 23 rd of this year, President Cristina Fernandez won re-election receiving 54% of the vote, 37 percentage points higher than her nearest opponent.  The President’s coalition also swept the Congressional, Senatorial, Gubernatorial elections as well as 135 of the 136 municipal councils of Greater Buenos Aires.  In sharp contrast President Obama, according to recent polls is trailing leading Republican Presidential candidates and is likely to lose control of both houses of Congress in the upcoming 2012 election.  What accounts for the monumental difference in voter preferences of incumbent presidents?  A comparative historical discussion of socio-economic and foreign policies as well as responses to profound economic crises is at the center of any explanation of the divergent results.

Methodology

In comparing the performance of Fernandez and Obama it is necessary to locate them in an historical context.  More specifically, both presidents and their immediate predecessors , George Bush in the US and Nestor Kirchner (deceased husband of Fernandez) in Argentina confronted major economic and social crises . What is telling, however, are the diametrically opposing responses to the crises and the divergent results.  On the one hand sustained growth with equity in Argentina and deepening crises and failed policies in the US .

Historical Context:  Argentina :  Depression, Revolt and Recovery

Between 1998 – 2002, Argentina experienced the worse socio-economic crises in its history.  The economy nose-dived from recession to full scale depression, culminating in double digit negative growth in 2001 – 2002.  Unemployment reached over 25% and in many working class neighborhoods, over 50%.  Tens of thousands of impoverished middle class professional lined up to receive bread and soup only blocks away from the Presidential palace.  Hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers, ‘ piqueteros'(picketers), blocked major highways and some raided trains shipping cattle and grain overseas.  Banks closed depriving millions of depositors of their savings.  Millions of middle class protestors organized radical neighborhood councils and linked up with unemployed assemblies.  The country was heavily indebted, the people deeply impoverished.  The popular mood was moving toward a revolutionary uprising.  Incumbent President Fernando De la Rua was overthrown (2001) scores of protestors were killed and wounded, as a popular rebellion threatened to seize the Presidential palace.  By the end of 2002, hundreds of bankrupt factories were ‘occupied’, taken over and run by workers.  Argentina defaulted on its external debt.  In early 2003, Nestor Kirchner was elected President, in the midst of this systemic crisis and proceeded to reject efforts to enforce debt payment or repress the popular movements.  Instead he inaugurated a series of emergency public works programs.  He authorized payments to unemployed workers (150 pesos per month) to meet the basic needs of nearly half the labor force.

The most popular slogan, of the multitudinous movements occupying the financial districts, factories, public buildings and the streets was “ Que se vayan todos ” (“All politicians get out’).  The entire political class, parties and leaders, Congress and presidents were rejected outright.  But while the movements were vast, militant and united in what they rejected , they had no coherent program for taking state power, nor national political leadership to lead them.  After two years of turmoil, the populace turned to the ballot box and elected Kirchner with a mandate to produce or perish.  Kirchner heard the message, at least the part which demanded growth with equity.

Context:  The US under Bush-Obama

The last years of the Bush administration and the Obama presidency presided over the worse socio-economic crises since the Great Depression of the 1930’s.  Unemployment and underemployment rose to almost a third of the labor force by 2009.  Millions of homes were foreclosed.  Bankruptcies multiplied and banks were on the verge of collapse.  Negative growth rates and a sharp decline in income, increased poverty and multiplied the number of food stamp recipients.  Unlike Argentina , discontented citizens took to the ballot box.  Attracted by the demagogic “change” rhetoric of Obama, they placed their hopes in the new president. The Democrats won the Presidency and a majority in both houses of Congress.  The first priority of Obama and Congress was to pour trillions of dollars in bailing out the banks, even as unemployment deepened and the recession continued.  Their second priority was to deepen and expand overseas imperial wars.

Obama increased the number of troops in Afghanistan by 30,000; expanded the military budget to $750 billion dollars; launched new military operations in Somalia , Yemen , Libya , Pakistan and elsewhere; augmented military aid to Israeli colonial armed forces; signed military pacts with Asian countries ( India , Philippines , Australia ) proximate to China .

In sum Obama gave maximum priority to expanding the militarized empire, depleting the public treasury of funds to finance the recovery of the domestic economy and reducing unemployment.

In contrast, Kirchner/Fernandez curtailed the power of the military, cut military spending and channeled state revenues toward employment programs, productive investments and non-traditional exports.

Under Obama the crises became an opportunity to revive and consolidate the financial power of Wall Street .  The White House augmented the military budget to expand imperial wars by deepening the budget deficit and then proposed to cut essential social programs to ‘reduce the deficit’.

Argentina from Crises to Dynamic Growth

In Argentina the economic catastrophe and popular uprising provided Kirchner with an opportunity to bring about a basic shift from militarism and speculative pillage to social programs and sustained economic growth .

The electoral victories of both Kirchner and Fernandez reflect their success in creating a ‘normal’ capitalist welfare state .  After 30 years of US backed predator neo-liberal regimes, this was a great positive change.  Between 1966 and 2002, Argentina suffered brutal military dictatorships culminating in the genocidal generals who murdered 30,000 Argentines from 1976to 1982.  From 1983to 1989 Argentina ‘s suffered under a neo-liberal regime (Raul Alfonsin) which failed to deal with the dictatorial legacy and which presided over triple digit hyper-inflation.  From 1989 – 1999 under President Carlos Menem Argentina witnessed the biggest sell-off of its most lucrative public firms, natural resources (petrol included), banks, highways, zoo and public toilets to foreign investors and kleptocratic cronies for bargain basement prices.

Last but not least, Fernando De la Rua (2000 – 2001), promised change and proceeded to deepen the recession that led to the final catastrophic crash of December 2001 and the closing of the banks, the bankruptcy of 10,000 firms and the collapse of the economy.

Against this background of total and unmitigated failure and the human disaster of US – IMF promoted “free-market” policies, Kirchner/Fernandez defaulted on the external debt, re-nationalized several privatized firms and  the pension funds, intervened the banks and doubled social spending, expanded public investment in production and increased popular consumption, on the road to economic recovery.  By the end of 2003 Argentina turned from negative to 8% growth.

Human Rights, Social Programs and Independent Foreign Economic Policy

Argentina ‘s economy has grown over 90% from 2003 – 2011, over three times that of the United States . Its recovery has been accompanied by a tripling of social spending, especially on programs reducing poverty.  The percentage of poor Argentines has declined from over 50% in 2001 to less than 15% in 2011.  In contrast US poverty has risen over the same decade from 12% to 17% and is on an upward trajectory over the same period.

The US has become the country with the greatest inequalities in the OECD with 1% controlling 40% of the country’s wealth, (up from 30% in less than a decade).  In contrast, Argentina ‘s inequalities have shrunken by half.  The US economy has failed to recover from the deep recession of 2008-2009, during which it declined by over 8%.  In contrast Argentina declined less than 1% in 2009, and has been growing at a healthy 8% (2010-2011).  Argentina has nationalized pension funds, doubled basic pensions and introduced a universal child welfare program to counter malnutrition and guarantee school attendance.

In contrast 20% of children in the US are now suffering from poor diets, drop-out rates are increasing for adolescents and malnutrition affects over 25% of minority children.  With more social cuts in health/education under way, social conditions can only worsen.  In Argentina the income of wage and salaried workers has increased over 50% over the decade in real terms, while in the US they have declined by nearly 10%.

Argentina ‘s dynamic growth of GNP has been fueled by growing domestic consumption and dynamic export earnings.  Argentina has a consistent large trade surplus based on favorable market prices and increased competitiveness.  In contrast domestic consumption has stagnated in the US , the trade deficit is close to $1.5 trillion dollars and revenues are wasted on non-productive military expenditures of over $900 billion a year.

While in Argentina the impulse for a policy of default with growth came about because of a popular rebellion and mass movements, in the US popular discontent was channeled toward the election of a Wall Street financial con-man named Obama.  He proceeded to pour resources into rescuing the financial elite instead of letting them go bankrupt and funding growth, competitiveness and social consumption.

The Argentine Alternative to Bailouts and Poverty

The Argentine experience goes counter to all the precepts of the international financial agencies (the IMF, World Bank), their political backers, and publicists in the financial press.  From the first year (2003) of Argentina ‘s recovery to the present, the economic experts have “predicted” that its growth was “not sustainable” – it has continued robustly for over a decade.  The financial writers claimed the default would lead to Argentina being shut out of financial markets and that its economy would collapse.  Argentina relied on self-financing based on export earnings and re-activation of the domestic economy and confounded the prestigious economists.

As growth continued, the critics in the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal claimed it would end once “unused capacity was exhausted”.  Instead growth earnings financed the expansion of the domestic market and created new capacity for growth especially to new markets in Asia and Brazil .

Even as late as October 25, 2011, Financial Times columnists still prattle about “the coming crises” in the manner of messianic fundamentalists who predict the pending apocalypse.  They harp on “high inflation”, “unsustainable social programs”, “overvalued currency”, and more predictions of “the end of prosperity”.  All these dire warnings occur  in the face of continued growth of 8% in 2011 and the overwhelming electoral victory of President Fernandez.. Anglo-American financial scribes should focus on the demise of their free market regimes in Europe and North America instead of denigrating an economic experience from which they might learn.

In refutation of the Wall Street critics, Mark Weisbrot and his associates point out (“The Argentina Success Story”, Center for Economic Bad Policy Research, Oct. 2011) that Argentina ‘s growth was based on the expansion of domestic consumption, increased manufacturing exports to regional trading partners as well as traditional agro-mineral exports to Asia .  In other words Argentina is not totally dependent on primary exports; it has balanced trade and is not over dependent on commodity prices.  In regard to high inflation, Weisbrot points out that “inflation may be high in Argentina but it is real growth and income distribution that matter with regard to the well-being of the vast majority of population”, (page 14) (my emphasis).

The US under Bush-Obama has pursued a totally perverse and divergent path to that of Kirchner-Fernandez.  They have prioritized military spending and expanded the security apparatus over the productive economy.  Obama and Congress have vastly increased the police state apparatus, reinforced their political influence over regressive budgetary policies while increasingly violating human and civil rights.  In contrast Kirchner/Fernandez have prosecuted dozens of human rights violators in the military and police and weakened the military’s political power.

In other words the Argentine Presidents have weakened the militarist pressure bloc which demands greater arms and security expenditures. They created a state more accommodative to their political project of financing economic competitiveness, new markets and social programs.  Bush-Obama revived the parasitical financial sector further unbalancing the economy.  Kirchner/Fernandez ensured that the banking sector financed the growth of the export sector, manufactures and domestic consumption.  Obama slashes social consumption to pay creditors.  Kirchner-Fernandez imposed a 75% “haircut” on bondholders in order to finance social spending.

Kirchner-Fernandez have won three presidential elections, each by a larger margin.  Obama may be a one-term president, even with the billion dollar campaign funding from Wall Street, the military industrial complex and the pro-Israel power configuration.

The popular opposition to Obama, especially the “ Occupy Wall Street movement ” has a long way to go to emulate the success of the Argentine movements that rousted incumbent presidents, blocked highways paralyzing production and circulation and imposed a social agenda that prioritized production over finance, social consumption over military expenditures.  The “Occupy Wall Street Movement” has taken a first step toward mobilizing millions of active participants necessary to creating the social muscle that turned Argentina from a US style client state into a dynamic independent welfare state.

By James Petras

31 October 2011

Countercurrents.org

James Petras is the author of more than 62 books published in 29 languages, and over 600 articles in professional journals.

In Beirut, I attend their events and was honored to play a small part in assisting with last spring’s AI research on the subject of disappeared Palestinians and Lebanese which resulted in AI’s excellent April, 2011 publication: Never Forgotten: Lebanon’s Missing People. This report documents one of the bitter legacies of the 1975-1990 civil war which is the thousands of people whose fates remain unknown.

I have crossed paths with AI researchers in the Middle East and recently during three months in Libya I followed their work which included the human rights problems of black Libyans, particularly from the Tawagha region but also in eastern and western Libya where blacks were often taken from hospitals never to be seen again.

AI rightly condemned the number of massacres and extra-judicial killings perpetrated by both pro-Gadhafi and NTC partisans, many of which, like the 53 recently executed Gadhafi supporters found at the Mahari Hotel in Sirte involved the kidnapping and murder of patients in hospitals. These grisly scenes have shocked the world’s conscience and all people of goodwill condemn them. They weaken substantially the moral authority of the group currently claiming power in Libya.

Despite its generally exemplary work, Amnesty International, like the rest of us, in not infallible.

This is evident in its 10/25/11 released 39 page report: Health Crisis: Syrian Government Targets the Wounded and Health Workers.

AI’s conclusion from its “research” in Syria, which consisted significantly of collecting Al Jazeera and Al Arabia type media accounts including the dubious reports on the same subject by CNN’s Arwa Damon, and sundry anonymous U-tube clips is virtually identical to what it concluded from its investigation in Libya on the same subject.

However, there is a great distinction between Syria and Libya, their medical professions and their current challenges.

AI claims this week, without convincing material, probative or relevant evidence that Syrian authorities, including Hospital administrators and staff, have since March 2011 turned Syrian hospital into instruments of repression in order to crush protests and demonstrations.

AI’s report claims that Syrian citizens wounded in protests or incidents related to the current unrest “have been physically assaulted in state-run hospitals by medical staff, and in some cases denied medical care, while others taken to hospital have been detained or have simply disappeared.”

AI offers as its proof of these claims the weakest and seemingly most competition-driven support of any Amnesty International reports I have read. It reeks of yet another orientalist double standard and ignores similar claims from citizens in western countries of similar actions by their governments.

This observer recently had the opportunity to visit with administrators and medical staff at some of Syria’s largest state-run Ministry of Health hospitals (Syria also has Higher Education Hospitals for university students and Ministry of Defense Hospitals, the latter being roughly equivalent to American Veterans Hospitals for the military,) which is Damascus General Hospital, established in 1952. Damascus Hospital sees approximately 800 patients daily and is one of 90 hospitals belonging to the Ministry of Hearth that together serve all of Syria with 14, 571 beds.

Among those I had the opportunity to meet with at Damascus Public Hospital and to discuss issues raised by Amnesty International were Dr. Mahmoud Naji (damahosp@mail.sy) who is the Director of the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit at Damascus Hospital and Dr. Adib Mahmoud, (damahosp@mail.sy), Damascus Hospital administrator.

Both the Syria Medical Emergency Association, of which Dr.Naji is a representative and the Syrian Medical Association, have large memberships with the reputation of being fiercely independent of and resistant to outside influences.

At the same time they have achieved individual treatment and medical ethics standards that help make Syria’s medical services the highest rated in the Middle East.

Amnesty qualifies its findings with complaints that it did not have access to Syrian hospital staff, and that it wanted to protect its “witnesses” by withholding some specifics such as time, place, and circumstances of alleged wrongdoing by members the Syrian medical community, as well as the unwillingness of alleged victims of abuse to come forward.

For their part, Syrian medical staff, more than two dozen I met individually with, complained to this observer that AI’s Report is deeply flawed and that in fact Syrian hospitals welcome foreign visitors for tours and dialogue with all questions honestly addressed. Syria’s medical profession has justifiably taken umbrage at what it considers, as one Physician described, “Amnesty International’s “gratuitous defamation of Syria’s medical community.”

According to Amnesty’s report, but without providing convincing collaborative evidence, wounded patients in at least four government-run hospitals had been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, both by medical workers and security personnel.

AI’s charges that Syrian medical staff humiliate or refuse to treat patients brought laughter from some care givers at Damascus Hospital, as they explained the strict procedure they abide by from the moment a patient arrives at the emergency entrance.

“We treat each patient to the best of our ability and we are strictly forbidden from questioning them about the circumstances of their injury,” Dr. Mahmoud Naji explained.

This observer was invited to literally follow arriving emergency room patients as they were admitted and treated and until they were assigned a bed in the appropriate ward.

A nurse, who was filling out a patient’s medical forms noted, “In certain cases if there was an auto accident, for example, and an injured person arrives while the accident is being investigated then we could contact authorities. However, our patient privacy rules are very strict in Syria and we can only ask medical and certainly not political questions, “according to one ER intern as she took the blood pressure of an arriving young woman who complained of stomach cramps.

One Physician who had trained at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston explained, “ I am sure there must be some abuse and especially in the middle of an area where there is fighting, but I have personally never heard of any physician or medical personnel doing what some Western media have alleged without submitting proof. He continued, “Do police officers sometimes come to the hospital? Yes but it’s like what you would see, for example, in America on a week-end night at the emergency room in maybe the 200 largest cities., isn’t it?

When I was training in Boston and with all that goes on in the early hours of the morning in big cities, one sees more police cars outside emergency rooms than ambulances.

While it’s not like that here, the police presumably sometimes have reason to suspect that a crime may have been committed and the arriving injured person might be the victim or the perpetrator and an officer has the duty to complete a police report. I believe it’s similar anywhere isn’t it?”

Another Dr. commented, “And yes, our medical profession has been criticized along with our government because it is claimed by some that some injured people may not want to come to our hospital thinking we might report them to the police. We will not. Does that not also happen in every society?

Someone is injured while doing something wrong or criminal and they are afraid of being arrested so they seek alternative treatment from friends or private clinics. Yes, that sometimes happens in our country. Every citizen can choose where they seek treatment.”

This observer also toured Syria’s Al Mouwasat government hospital, which like all government hospital in Syria is free to all, and met at length with a variety of staff just as AI could have and still can. It is Syria’s oldest and largest and has received dozens of patients over the past six months who had been injured during anti-government demonstrations.

Al Mouwasat, with approximately 850 beds was founded in 1946, the year the French occupiers left. 1946 was also the year US President Harry Truman promised to “take on that mean trust-the American Medical Association” and enact free health care for all Americans. Nearly 66 years later the gap between Syria and the US in terms of civilized and affordable medical care for its citizens is vast.

I participated in briefings from several physicians and staff including the Hospital administrator, physicians and nurses. We discussed at length any subject I raised including AI accusations. 

Among those who discussed rumors that some Syrian medical staff refused treatment or reported to authorities or intimidated patients were surgeon Dr. Osama Yousef Shahin, Dr. Ayham Obied vascular surgeon, Dr. Imad Alasha, Director of the ER Department, and ER surgeon Dr. D. Shadia as well as Mouwasat hospital’s Administrator and various staff.

All can be contacted directly, by AI or others, via the hospital email address which is info@almouwasat and arrangements can be made for visitors to come and see for themselves.

One doctor who appeared a bit offended by AI type accusations even offered to request from among scores of current or former patients their permission to provide AI with their phone numbers so they could discuss privately AI’s sweeping and unsupported allegations against the Syrian Medical community including the charge that they work in cooperation with various militias but also with government security services.

Dr. Alusha explained: “A few casualties from May are still hospitalized and others even come from “field hospitals” set up by opponents of the government. We do not ask them anything about where they received earlier treatment or their political views. We have not seen any of the claimed patient betrayal events described in some western media reports.”

Al Mouwasat has 4 ER operating theatres and routinely does about 50 operations per day. As with other hospitals visited, May 2011 was the most active month recently for Syria’s ER departments which are always open 24/7 with no cost to any patient, domestic or foreign.

Al Mouwasat hospital, like Damascus General Hospital and others, has received patients from Deraa, Homs, Hama, Idlib, and other communities according to Dr. Shahin who explained: “Any human being will be treated here without charge and without politics or the police being summoned and for as long as necessary until the patient regains good health. Jewish patients are also welcomed and while our government does not recognize the legitimacy of Israel, Israeli citizens will receive the same care as everyone else. Just yesterday we received Lebanese from the Bekaa Valley with gunshot wounds. They come here because our care is of high quality and it’s free ever for foreigners and without political complications. We specialize also in Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) which attracts patients from across Syria and abroad. I think I speak for almost every Syrian medical person what I insist that we are doctors and care givers with a variety of political views which we leave at home. We comply with our Hippocratic Oath which we take seriously.”

According to Syria’s Ministry of Health, it has not received any complaint to date, either from the patients or from their relatives about maltreatment or political pressure.

In its Report: “Health Crisis: The Syrian Government Targets the Wounded and Health Workers,” Amnesty International falls significantly below an objective standard and fails to shoulder its burden of proof for the charges it levels at Syria’s medical community.

The fact that AI appears to have been somewhat lazy in its work and continues hyping its deeply flawed “investigation” is egregious.

AI also failed to meet the standard of investigative work that we who will continue to support and endorse its human rights work expect from it.

By Franklin Lamb

31 October 2011

Countercurrents.org

President al-Assad to Rossiya 1 TV: Any Consideration of Aggression Against Syria Will Be More Costly than the World Could Afford

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – In an interview with Russia’s Rossiya 1 TV channel on Sunday, President Bashar al-Assad discussed developments in Syria and the region, Syria’s efforts to emerge from the crisis, the dangers and repercussions of any aggression against Syria or interference in its internal affairs, relations with Russia, and western sanctions.

Regarding the likelihood of the west waging an aggression against Syria and the idea that western military action against Syria is preplanned, President al-Assad said that the claims regarding the possibility of a western aggression against Syria is heard from time to time, particularly during crises between Syria and western countries within the past few decades, and that these claims aim at pressuring Syria to change its political stances.

President al-Assad said that Syria takes all possibilities into consideration even if this issue isn’t discussed in the media through leaks, noting that when the homeland is threatened in a military or security fashion, then the balance of power – who is stronger and who is weaker – has no value, adding “if you as a country represent a small and weak country and the enemy is big and strong, it’s natural to defend the homeland regardless of balance.”

He pointed out that others’ considerations regarding the scenario of aggression against Syria aren’t easy, and that Syria has a unique position in geographic, geopolitical, historic and other terms, as Syria is the meeting place of all or most the cultural, religious, sectarian and ethnic components of the Middle East.

President al-Assad elaborated by saying that Syria is the meeting place of two “tectonic plates” and that any attempt to destabilize these plates will lead to a massive earthquake that damages the entire region and affects the whole world, adding that any mention of such a scenario would be more costly than the world could afford, which is why it seems that the trend is moving towards political, political and economic pressure.

His Excellency said that there is no doubt that that Syria is counting on Russia, primarily because of the historic relations between the two countries and because Russia is a superpower and a permanent Security Council member, pointing out that Russia played an important role since the first days of the crisis and that the two governments were communicating directly, with the Syrian government explaining to Russia the details of the situation based on Syria’s importance and influence in terms of the situation in the Middle East and the region.

“Russia knew the dangers of the attempts at foreign interference in Syria, thus Russia played an important role in the international arena, with the most recent action in this regard being the Russian veto at the Security Council,” he said, adding that Syria is counting on the Russian stance and continuing support not just in defense of Syria, but also in defense of worldwide stability.

In response to a question on a Communist opposition figure thanking Russia for its veto while others burned Russian flags in Syrian cities, President al-Assad said regarding the first point that any Syrian citizen would have the same response as anyone with the least amount of patriotism would be grateful for Russia’s stance at the Security Council, adding that being in the opposition or a loyalist or somewhere in between doesn’t mean differing in political issues, as there is no difference in opinion with the opposition regarding Syria’s sovereignty and rejection of foreign interference and confronting terrorism; the differences lie in internal issues and political, economic, cultural and other issues.

“Regarding the burning of flags, I don’t believe we can put that in the frame of political work as it doesn’t represent opposition or anything else. It often represents individual cases that may be spurred from abroad to complete the media image of the big lie being promoted about Syria in foreign media, showing Russia as if it supports a state against the people… this is the supposed media game behind this action,” President al-Assad pointed out.

On the subject of who is represented by the opposition, President al-Assad said that such an issue would be more accurate after elections and the emergence of new parties, which would decide which sections of the society the opposition represents.

“We’re dealing with everyone; with all the forces on the Syrian arena because we believe that communication with these forces is very important, without specifying who has a popular base and who doesn’t,” President al-Assad said, stressing that a more accurate answer can be given after the elections which should take place in February 2012.

Answering a question on national dialogue, organizing elections and the establishment of a council in Istanbul by the opposition with their unwillingness to hold negotiations with the authorities, and whether there is a way to reach a peaceful agreement with them, President al-Assad said “The first thing is that in order to hold a dialogue you need more than one side, the other side should be able to hold dialogue… The other thing is that in order to hold political or formal dialogue with a side, there must be bases from which to start.”

President al-Assad asked “Are the forces we are willing to hold dialogue with accepted by the Syrian people? Are they manufactured abroad? Do they call for or accept foreign interference? Do they support terrorism? When we define all these bases, we can decide whether we hold dialogue or not.”

His Excellency stressed that the Syrian people reject foreign interference and oppose anything which come from outside the country, be it a political issue or stance.

“About the council that was formed in Istanbul, I don’t know a lot about it, but I can say that the accurate answer of this question comes from the Syrian people. When the Syrian people accept a council or a particular political structure, we as a state should hold dialogue with it,” President al-Assad indicated.

“As for the principle of accepting or rejecting dialogue or heading toward violence, I think the proper principle is adopting dialogue because it leads to solutions that stabilize any country. That is why we don’t comment a lot on that council, because the Syrian people didn’t care about it… When the Syrians consider a thing, the Syrian government will, subsequently, take it into consideration,” President al-Assad added.

On whether Syria will remain strong in the face of the economic sanctions imposed by the west and the US and regarding the Russian aid in this matter, President al-Assad pointed out that this siege, and particularly the economic and technical blockade, on Syria is decades old and isn’t new, saying “I don’t recall any period in which there weren’t under some sort of western blockade on Syria, but this blockade intensifies during crises, which is why we decided six years ago – in 2005 – to head towards the east.”

President al-Assad pointed out that the western sanctions and blockade primarily harm the Syrian people, not the state, but they will not smother Syria which relies on its own products and exports. “Syria has food and industrial production in addition to many other domains. As for the other materials that are not produced in Syria, we have neighboring countries. We are capable of overcoming this blockade by adjusting to the new status, which we’d already adjusted to in previous circumstances,” he elaborated.

About heading eastwards, President al-Assad said that Syria had always has relations with the west during recent decades despite the fact that the west, particularly France and the UK, was occupying a part of the east.

“Syria, Russia, India and China are east. There are many countries that have good relations with Syria whether in the east, in Latin America or in Asia. There are rising powers In Asia, such as, India, China and Russia which are playing an important worldwide role in the political, economic and technical fields. The west is not the only choice we have, and we must take advantage of our relations with these countries. Syrian-Russian relations, for example, were improved in rapid paces after 2005 when we decided to head eastwards. I think this crisis will further boost these relations, especially in the economic domain. We count on our relation with Russia and the Russian aid in the political aspects and the Russian-Syrian economic cooperation.”

On the attempt of Syria’s enemies to repeat the Libyan scenario in Syria and the Syrian plan to prevent that, President al-Assad said that Syria is different geographically, demographically, politically and historically from Libya, adding that such a scenario will be unviable and of exorbitant cost.

“First, a media was used to forge an external state against Syria, especially in the Security Council.  At that time, we were focusing on the internal aspect because it was not easy to show that there was an external plot, even to some Syrians. It was not easy to show that there were armed operations perpetrated against the state. Now, we have hundreds of army soldiers, policemen and security personnel killed,” President al-Assad said.

President al-Assad asked “Were they killed through peaceful protests? Were they killed by the shouting during the protests? Or were they killed by weapons? So, we’re are dealing with armed people, now the matter is clear and the Syrian people are now aware of the reality of the events in Syria.

“In the last two months, we’ve begun to focus on the external media, we’ve invited a large number of mass media establishments to come to Syria and inspect the reality of the events. The western media channels are biased in general not only during crises; they have a wrong preconceived notions and sometimes they express political agendas concerning the region,” President al-Assad said.

President al-Assad pointed out that “We are now trying to bring western media to inspect the reality but we are focusing on the friendly media to enable them to inspect and convey the image to their public in order for their governments to be able to take supportive stances regarding Syria. I think the basic direction now is towards media; we have to unmask the external plot against Syria and, and at the same time help these countries in aiding the local media.”

On whether there are sides assisting Syria’s enemies and the amount and sources of weapons at the disposal of these enemies, President al-Assad pointed out that during the first few months and particularly the first month of the crisis, it was difficult to find out the reality of what was happening and where the money or weapons was coming from, or even if there were actually money and weapons.

“After more than seven months since the crisis in Syria began, we gathered clean but incomplete information, but through recent investigations with terrorist it became irrefutably clear that weapons were being smuggled across the Syrian borders from neighboring countries and funds are being sent from people abroad… We have information about people leading these operations outside Syria and in several countries.

“We don’t have precise information about these people’s relations to countries, but it’s perfectly clear from the quality and scale of weapons and the amounts of money that the funding isn’t personal funding; rather there are countries behind this funding,” President al-Assad said, adding that specifying the countries responsible for this funding requires clearer information, at which point Syria’s won’t hesitate to uncover the facts.

Regarding the source of weapons and ammunition, particularly Israeli explosives, President al-Assad said that there are weapons from various countries including weapons of Israeli manufacture, but it’s impossible to pinpoint if their source is Israel or another country that possesses such weapons.

“There are bombs and mines placed in areas with civilians and may target civilians sometimes and they may target security forces or the police or the army… there are also-anti-tank weapons which is new and serious… so all things point to the fact that there are countries responsible for armament and not individuals who may actually be fronts for these countries.

“Where do the weapons come from… from neighboring countries… despite that fact we cannot accuse them of being involved in the smuggling as it’s difficult to control borders with surrounding countries, which applies in most countries around the world,” President al-Assad explained.

His Excellency concluded by thanking the Russian channel, saying that he believes that this program will play an important role in relaying the reality to the Russian viewer about what is happening in the world and the Middle East, and specifically what is happening in Syria.

By M. Nassr / H. Sabbagh

Armed Terrorist Groups Attack Ambulances and Medical Crews

HOMS, (SANA) – Armed terrorist groups on Sunday attacked ambulances and assaulted medical crews in Homs to prevent them from transporting injured people.

Ambulance driver Raafat Mousa told the Syrian TV that while he was transporting injured people from Bab Amro area along with Chief Warrant Officer Mahmoud Qmeiro, they came under heavy gunfire from armed terrorist groups, martyring Qmeiro.

In turn, ambulance driver Ahed Nemra said that while carrying out his duties, gunmen opened fire on his ambulance before reaching the Health Directorate traffic light, adding that the attackers were in a Kia Rio that had been pursuing them since they were in al-Qusour area.

By H. Sabbagh

Syrian Delegation’s Meeting with Arab Ministerial Committee Concluded

DOHA, (SANA) – The Syrian delegation’s meeting with the Arab Ministerial Committee which took place in Doha was concluded on Sunday evening, with honest dialogue prevailing while some points are left to be studied by the two sides and other points were agreed upon.

The Syrian delegation is headed by Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem and consists of Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad, and Syria’s Permanent Envoy to the Arab League Yousef Ahmad.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani, said that the meeting was serious and honest, and that the two sides formulated a work document dealing with all issues and the Syrian delegation asked to respond to the document on Monday.

Hamad said that a meeting will be held on Wednesday at the Arab League whether an agreement is reached over the document or not, hoping to receive an answer on Monday and to reach an agreement.

By H. Sabbagh

Mass Rally in Sweida Voices Support to Reforms, Rejection of Foreign Interference

SWEIDA, (SANA)_The people of Sweida gathered in a mass rally on Sunday at the Martyrs’ Square in Sweida city, voicing support to the comprehensive reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad.

The participants expressed adherence to the independent national decision, rejection of foreign interference and resolve to stand up to the conspiracy hatched by foreign powers and aided with internal tools, which target Syria’s support to resistance and pivotal role in the region.

The participants illustrated the Syrians’ awareness of the conspiracies against Syria, saluting the Syrian Arab army which offered sacrifices to safeguard the dignity of the homeland.

The banners raised at the rally thanked Russia and China and all friendly countries for their support to Syria in the face of pressure, underlining commitment to continue with struggle side by side with all Syrians to come out stronger from the crisis.

The People’s Assembly Member Abdullah al-Atrash said the Syrian citizens gathered here today to face the conspiracy and stress determination against any foreign interference in their internal affairs.

Al-Atrash called upon the Syrians to sacrifice all what they have to overcome the crisis and move forward with the reform process launched by President Bashar al-Assad to preserve Syria’s stability.

For his part, Father Philipe Mu’ammar thanked Russia and China for their noble stances, expressing gratitude for the martyrs who sacrificed their souls for their homeland out of their belief that reform can not be achieved through killing and sabotaging but with dialogue and hard work.

Sheikh Hamad Erar, 93 years old, condemned the acts of killing and chaos taking place in Syria, stressing that Syria will come out of the current crisis stronger.

The participants stressed that Syria will remain steadfast with the loyalty and firm will of its people, adding that the rally today is a message to the whole world that the homeland is most precious for all the Syrians.

They called upon the instigative TV channels to commit to the media code of ethics and stop fabricating news and stories about the events in Syria.

By M. Ismael/ R. Raslan /H. Said

Economic Dialogue National Forum Kicks off

DAMASCUS, (SANA) _The Economic Dialogue National Forum kicked off on Sunday at Conferences Palace in Damascus, with the participation of 300 figures representing the social spectrums as well as social, economic and scientific bodies.

The forum comes as part of the reform process to enhance dialogue on national issues on the basis of partnership and collective responsibility to materialize a joint vision on the economic and social reform-related.

In a speech delivered during the Forum, Prime Minister, Dr. Adel Safar said that the Forum is the fruit of extensive dialogues with the participation of all the social and economic and scientific segments in all the provinces.

Safar underlined the importance of the popular participation in addressing national issues and crystallizing a common vision that would help adopting practical reform measures in implementation of President Bashar al-Assad’s directions.

He stressed that the reform is an integrated process in its political, media, judicial and administrative dimensions, adding that the economic reform is a part of a more comprehensive process.

He added “It is a natural result that the Syrian economy is affected by the international economic changes and developments, therefore, we must remove all the obstacles which hinder the growth of the national economy and its competitive and export capabilities.

He pointed out that the process of economic reform doesn’t start from zero point as Syria achieved a great progress during the 10th five-year plan and the Government has worked on achieving the gradual shift towards the social market economy in the framework of the partnership principle between the private and public sectors.

He affirmed that the principles and directions of the economic reform will continue and what is required in this stage is to review the economic and social policy in a way that would guarantee a harmony between the economic competence and the social justice, in addition to following up the effects of these policies on the life of the citizens in general and on the citizens who have low income in particular.

“If we want our economy to be strong and competitive on the international level, we must liberate it from some of the burdens which restrict it,” Safar said, calling for reconsidering the support mechanisms and the services within more accurate programs.

He added that the Government has worked over the past few months on achieving a huge package of reform measures in cooperation with national cadres from all the spectrums, stressing that the notes, suggestions and topics to be discussed during the Forum will enrich the reform programs and would support the Economic and Social Reform Committee in materializing a reform vision that would rebalance the economic approaches.

He affirmed that the Government works on overcoming all the legal, administrative and social obstacles facing the reform process, adding that the foreign conspiracies aim at destabilizing Syria and undermining its economic potential.

He affirmed that facing the challenges which have become noticeably limited entails from all the Syrians to shoulder their national responsibility, adding that the awareness of the Syrian people and their national unity are the best way to go forward in the process of building and reform.

Evening Session of Economic, Social Dialogue Forum Discusses Issues of Agriculture, Unemployment

The evening session of Forum discussed issues of agriculture, unemployment, administrational reform, supporting production sectors, providing job opportunities and reconsidering the economic tendency.

The session also tackled issues related to fees, housing, purchasing power and unemployment among youths.

Activities of the forum will continue until Tuesday with morning and evening sessions.

By English Bulletin

Higher Elections Committee Discusses Local Council Candidacy Process

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Higher Elections Committee discussed on Sunday the candidacy process set to start on December 12, and the measures taken to guarantee honest, democratic elections according to the elections law issued by legislative decree No. 101 for 2011.

The committee decided to direct the sub-committees in the Syrian provinces to fully supervise candidacy applications, stressing the implementation of article No. 20 of the elections law which grants the right to run for the People’s Assembly and the local councils according to the standards provided by the new elections law.

The committee requested that the sub-committees should cooperate and coordinate with demonstrative apparatuses according to law to offer all facilitations for supervision to guarantee democratic and honest elections.

The Higher Committee also requested that authorities set up electronic screens in the squares of all provinces to display the counting of votes to preserve the transparency and honesty of elections.

The law provides that the elections campaign should not include any racial, sectarian ethnic or tribal indications and candidates should not use foreign media for their election campaigns, which should be halted twenty four hours before the elections date.

In a statement to SANA, Chairman of the Higher Elections Committee, Attorney General Khalaf al-Azzawi, said the committee would hold a meeting with the sub-committees before elections date to discuss the process of elections, the election propagandas, counting of votes and announcing the results.

The Higher Committee for Elections was formed under Law No. 374 for the year 2011, comprising 5 judges from the Court of Cassation whose responsibility is to fully supervise and conduct the election process.

The submission of candidacy applications started on October 28 and will last till November 3, 2011.

Lawyers and Academics: Local Council Elections Genuine Translation of Reforms

Several lawyers and academic figures stressed that the local council elections according to the new law is a genuine translation of the comprehensive reform program commenced by President Bashar al-Assad, adding that this is the first step on the way of enhancing democracy and reducing centrality in decision-making.

Member of the Bar Association –Daraa Branch, lawyer Imad Mansour, said the elections come in the framework of the reform steps which would make Syria emerge out of the crisis stronger and more immune.

For his part, lawyer Maher al-Mikdad said the local community in Daraa province believes the local council elections and the upcoming legislative elections are a new start in the political life of Syria, calling on citizens to participate in those elections.

Chairman of the Bar Association – Der-Ezzor Branch, Asaad al-Dandal, said the elections pave the way for honest and just competitions that meet the requirements of democratic life.

By F.Allafi/H.Said

Seven Army and Security Forces Martyrs Laid to Rest

DAMASCUS/ HOMS (SANA) – Seven army and security forces martyrs on Sunday were escorted from Tishreen and Homs Military Hospitals to their final resting place in their villages and cities after they were targeted by the armed terrorist groups in Homs and Damascus Countryside.

Solemn processions were held for the martyrs as they were covered with flowers and the national flag while the Military Band was playing the music of the “Martyr” and the “Farewell.”

The martyrs are:

•           Chief Warrant Officer, Mahmoud Mohammad Qmayro from Hama.

•           Sergeant Major, Mahmoud Isam Aoun from Tartous.

•           Sergeant, Issa Eido al-Khazem from Hama.

•           Conscript, Hussein Ahmad al-Juma’a al-Hadad from Aleppo Countryside.

•           Conscript, Yusuf Ma’auf al-Abbad from Deir Ezzor.

•           Conscript, Hossam Ahmad Taha from Aleppo.

Relatives of the martyrs expressed pride in their sons’ martyrdom who sacrificed their lives to defend their homeland in face of all the conspiracies targeting its steadfastness, dignity and pride.

They also called for prosecuting the criminals who are trying to undermine Syria’s security and stability, stressing that these criminals will fail to achieve their goals of undermining Syria’s stability and security.

By R. al-Jazaeri /

WFTU Delegation Stresses Support to Syria against Campaigns and Foreign Pressures

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), delegation on Sunday stressed standing by Syria in the face of the political campaigns and economic pressures aimed at undermining its national unity and independent decision.

General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), Mr. George Mavrikos, said their visit aimed at expressing solidarity with the Syrian people in the face of the conspiracy hatched against their country.

The remarks came during a meeting with Member of the Regional Leadership of al-Baath Arab Socialist Party, Osama Oudai.

“What is taking place in Syria is not a protest for reform, democracy, freedom or human rights, but it is a wave of foreign pressures and interferences in Syria’s internal affairs that depends largely on an organized international propaganda with the aim of breaking Syria’s will and undermining its national stances in support of the Resistance and the legitimate Arab issues,” said Mavrikos.

He underlined that targeting Syria is part of a plan against the whole Arab region to eliminate its resistant approach in the face of the colonialist plots backed by the international imperialism led by the USA, citing what has been recently published about the US attempts to fragment the region into 45 small cantons serving Zionist schemes in the region.

“Should Syria decide to give up the issue of restoring the occupied Golan and defending the Arab rights with the Palestinian cause on the top, it would be pictured by the misleading TV channels as the most democratic country in the world,” added Mavrikos.

He pointed out that the economic sanctions imposed on Syria target the workers and farmers in the first place for their standing against the international imperialism.

The WFTU Secretary General stressed the need for coordination with the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) in Syria to come up with serious and practical initiatives to support Syria.

For his part, Oudai said that the Syrian people’s awareness and wisdom have proved to the whole world that the Syrians are able to overcome the crisis and foil all foreign attempts at interfering in their affairs.

He added that Syria has passed the most difficult stage of the crisis, considering the continuous American and Western pressures and economic sanctions as evidence on their failure.

Oudai indicated that the killing, sabotaging and terrifying acts committed by the armed terrorist groups against citizens, army and security forces contradict the reform and popular demands to which the Syrian government responded to through a comprehensive reform program to build a strong and modern Syria.

He called upon the WFTU for taking practical steps against the sanctions imposed on Syria and condemning them at the international forums.

The delegation also met the GFTU Executive Bureau where Deputy Chairman of Cyprus Workers Confederation expressed the Cypriot workers’ solidarity with the Syrian people.

The Syrian GFTU Chairman Mohammad Shaaban Azouz hailed the unions’ stances in solidarity with Syria, highlighting the importance of the delegation members’ visit in terms of inspecting the reality of events in Syria in order to refute the lies and false news broadcast by the misleading media.

By R. Raslan/ H. Said

Syrian Communities Worldwide Continue to Express Support to Reform, Rejection of Foreign Interference

Capitals, (SANA)_ The Syrian students in Kuwait on Sunday organized a stand in solidarity with their homeland in front of the Syrian Embassy headquarters in Kuwait to express support to the reform program.

Head of the Syrian Students National Union’s Branch in Kuwait stressed the important role of every Syrian citizen to expose the crimes committed by the armed terrorist groups against the Syrian people.

The students participating in the gathering expressed their rejection of any foreign interference in the internal affairs of their country. Syria’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Bassam Abdel Majeed said that the situation in Syria is becoming more stable, which will provide the appropriate atmosphere to implement the issued laws and decrees.

Syrian Students ans Expatriates in Lebanon Condemn Attack against Syria

In Lebanon, the Syrian students and members of the Syrian community reiterated rejection of any foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs, stressing support to the comprehensive reform program.

The participants who gathered in front of the Syrian Embassy in Beirut condemned the aggressive attack against their country to undermine its pan-Arab and national stances as well as its unity and stability.

They raised a 100-meter long Syrian flag from the top of a building under construction down toward the street and posted banners which said “No for Foreign Interference” and “Thanks to Russia and China” on the Embassy’s wall and the neighboring shops.

They held up the national flags and chanted several slogans expressing support to reform and appreciation of the sacrifices offered for the sake of preserving Syria’s dignity and security.

Syrian Students in Egypt Reject Foreign Interference in Syria’s Affairs

The Syrian Students Association in Egypt organized a march outside the Syrian Embassy in Cairo to express their rejection of foreign interference in Syria, support to the reform program and dialogue and commitment to independent national decision and national unity.

The Syrian students studying at the Egyptian universities underscored their confidence that Syria will get out of the crisis stronger and victorious thanks to the awareness of its people and their adherence to national unity and belief in the reform program led by President al-Assad.

Holding up the Syrian flag and posters of President al-Assad, the marchers stressed their ability to solve their problems on their own and that the propaganda launched against their country and people by some media will not influence their stances and love for their homeland and leader, but rather it will strengthen their determination to offer all sacrifices to preserve the homeland’s dignity.

Syrian Students and Community Members in Romania Stress Standing by Motherland

In a march held outside the Syrian Embassy in Bucharest, the Syrian students and members of the Syrian community in Romania expressed their standing by their motherland Syria against the campaign which aims at destabilizing it and undermining its unity.

The participants expressed their support to the comprehensive reform program and their total rejection of the conspiracies and plots hatched against their homeland.

They also voiced their rejection of foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs, vowing to be best ambassadors of their country abroad to defend it against the misleading media campaigns targeting it.

Syrian Community in India Reiterates Commitment to Syria’s Independent National Decision

Members of the Syrian community in India on Sunday reiterated their standing by their homeland in the face of the ferocious campaign targeting its security, stability and national unity.

Gathered outside the Syrian Embassy in the Indian capital, New Delhi, the Syrian expatiates expressed commitment to the independence of Syria’s national decision and complete rejection of the attempts of foreign interference in their country’s internal affairs.

They voiced thanks to India and the all the other countries which supported Syria and its right in resolving its internal issues without external interference.

The participants in the gathering chanted slogans in support of the Syrian Arab Army and in appreciation of its sacrifices in defending Syria’s security and dignity, expressing support to the comprehensive reform process led by President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria’s Ambassador to India, Riyad Abbas, received a number of the Syrian community members and stressed Syria’s keenness on protecting its entity against foreign interference, calling upon the Syrian students studying in India to stand side by side to build the homeland and preserve the model of peaceful co-existence it embodies.

Syrian Community in Belgium Renews Support for Reform Process

Syrian Community and students studying in Belgium also renewed support for the reform process led by President al-Assad, stressing the depth of their belonging to the motherland, Syria and adherence to the national independent decision in facing the policies of outside interference in the internal affairs of Syria.

That came during a rally organized by the Association of the Syrian community and Syrian students studying in Belgium with the participation of representatives of the Arab expatriate communities and students organizations in Belgium.

Syrians in Moscow Reiterate Support to Reform Program

Representatives of the Syrian community in Moscow stressed support to the reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.

This came during the meeting of Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad with the Syrian community members, in which he gave a review of the latest developments on the internal, regional and international arenas.

Mikdad said that the Syrian people are past the major part of the crisis, thanks to their awareness of the schemes hatched against Syria carried out by groups with foreign affiliations which seek to weaken the Syrian role.

The members of the Syrian community voiced denunciation of any foreign interference attempt and the terrorist acts of the armed groups, hailing the Syrian-Russian relations and the importance of deepening them.

Syrian Community in the UK Reiterates Rejection of Foreign Interference

The Syrian students and members of the Syrian community in the UK stressed condemnation of the aggressive campaign against motherland Syria which is aimed at undermining its national unity.

In a mass rally outside the Syrian embassy in London, the Syrian community voiced support to the reform program under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad.

Rally for Syrian Students in Belgrade in Support of Reforms

The Serbian capital Belgrade witnessed on Saturday a rally organized by the Syrian students outside the Syrian embassy in Belgrade, in support of the comprehensive reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad.

The participants raised the Syrian flags and banners denouncing the foreign conspiracy against Syria. They stressed rejection of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs and support to the role of the Syrian Arab army.

Syrian Community in Czech Stresses Support to Reforms

The Syrian community in the Czech Brno city condemned the international campaign against Syria which is aimed at undermining its stability, national unity and weakening its national and pan-Arab role.

In a rally organized in cooperation with the National Union of Syrian Students- Czech branch, the Syrian community voiced utter rejection of all foreign interference attempts, denouncing the media campaign against Syria and the instigative calls for killings and vandalism by Arab and international media.

The Syrian community thanked the countries which stood by Syria in the face of foreign interference attempts, especially Russia and China.

Syrian Students in Jordan, Slovakia, Spain Voice Support to Reforms in Syria

The Syrian students in Jordan stressed their standing by motherland Syria against the fierce campaign which is aimed at destabilizing it.

The students stressed, in a solidarity event outside the Syrian embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman, their utter rejection of all forms of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs, and support to the comprehensive reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad.

Also, the Syrian students in Slovakia reiterated support to the reforms program in Syria under the leadership of President al-Assad.

In a rally organized by the National Union of Syrian Students-Slovakia branch, the participants denounced the criminal acts of the armed terrorist groups and the misleading media campaign against Syria.

They also thanked Russia and China for their support to Syria at international forums, raising the Syrian flags and President al-Assad’s posters.

In Spain, the National Union of Syrian Students-Spain branch, organized a gathering outside the Spanish Foreign Ministry in Madrid, expressing support to the reform program in Syria and rejection of the unjust European sanctions against it

In a letter handed to the Spanish Foreign Ministry, the participants expressed regret over the European stance on the events in Syria, calling the Spanish government to take into consideration the support of the sweeping majority of the Syrian people to the reforms led by President Bashar al-Assad.

Russians, Syrians Voice Support to Syria

A number of figures from Russia and League of Independent States affirmed their support and standing by Syria in the face of the western campaign targeting it, voicing their categorical rejection of any external interference in Syria’s internal affairs.

During their participation in a solidarity rally held in Moscow by the Syrian community, they hailed Russia’s principled position that supports Syria and the use of the veto against western attempts to pass a resolution against it, expressing their support for President Bashar al-Assad and the comprehensive reform program.

Delegation of Syrian Community in US Pays Solidarity visit to Syria

A delegation of the Syrian community in the United States visited their homeland to express solidarity with it and to inspect the reality of the events.

Members of the delegation condemned the misleading campaign targeting Syria to undermine its stability and national unity, stressing their support to the reform program and rejection of attempts of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs.

Expatriate Shiam Hadeed said “We’ve come to Syria to reiterate our support for our people and to the reform process.”

Another expatriate, Nazih Mehriz, said that the expatriates side with Syria and support the reform process under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad.

For her part, the US citizen Britney Doffe said that the reason of her visit is to express support for Syria and its reform process.

Syrian Community in Hungary Stresses Rejection of Foreign Interference

The Syrian community in Hungary held a sit-in in the Syrian Embassy in Budapest in support of the comprehensive reform program under the leadership of President al-Assad.

The participants expressed their rejection of the attempts of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs, adding that Syria will emerge from the crisis stronger.

By English Bulletin

Foreign Ministry Astonished at the Arab Ministerial Committee’s Reliance on Media Lies

Oct 30, 2011

DAMASCUS, (SANA)-An official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry on Saturday stated that Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem received a letter from Head of the Arab League Ministerial Committee late Friday including stances based on media lies broadcast by misleading instigation channels about what took place in Syria on Friday.

“It was supposed for the Head of the Ministerial Committee to contact Minister al-Moallem to verify the reality before announcing a stance by the Committee to be circulated by channels of instigation,” the Source said.

The source expressed the Syrian Foreign Ministry’s astonishment at adopting this way before one day of convening an agreed-upon meeting in Doha between the Syrian Government and the Ministerial Committee.

The source called on the Arab Ministerial Committee to benefit from the positive atmosphere that prevailed its meeting with President Bashar al-Assad, and to help ease the situation and reach a solution that contributes to realizing security and stability in Syria instead of string sedition.

The source underlined that Minister al-Moallem and the accompanying delegation will brief the Committee on the reality of the situation in Syria on Sunday.

By Mazen

Source: The Embassy of Syrian Arab Republic in Kuala Lumpur.

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – In an interview with Russia’s Rossiya 1 TV channel on Sunday, President Bashar al-Assad discussed developments in Syria and the region, Syria’s efforts to emerge from the crisis, the dangers and repercussions of any aggression against Syria or interference in its internal affairs, relations with Russia, and western sanctions.

Regarding the likelihood of the west waging an aggression against Syria and the idea that western military action against Syria is preplanned, President al-Assad said that the claims regarding the possibility of a western aggression against Syria is heard from time to time, particularly during crises between Syria and western countries within the past few decades, and that these claims aim at pressuring Syria to change its political stances.

President al-Assad said that Syria takes all possibilities into consideration even if this issue isn’t discussed in the media through leaks, noting that when the homeland is threatened in a military or security fashion, then the balance of power – who is stronger and who is weaker – has no value, adding “if you as a country represent a small and weak country and the enemy is big and strong, it’s natural to defend the homeland regardless of balance.”

He pointed out that others’ considerations regarding the scenario of aggression against Syria aren’t easy, and that Syria has a unique position in geographic, geopolitical, historic and other terms, as Syria is the meeting place of all or most the cultural, religious, sectarian and ethnic components of the Middle East.

President al-Assad elaborated by saying that Syria is the meeting place of two “tectonic plates” and that any attempt to destabilize these plates will lead to a massive earthquake that damages the entire region and affects the whole world, adding that any mention of such a scenario would be more costly than the world could afford, which is why it seems that the trend is moving towards political, political and economic pressure.

His Excellency said that there is no doubt that that Syria is counting on Russia, primarily because of the historic relations between the two countries and because Russia is a superpower and a permanent Security Council member, pointing out that Russia played an important role since the first days of the crisis and that the two governments were communicating directly, with the Syrian government explaining to Russia the details of the situation based on Syria’s importance and influence in terms of the situation in the Middle East and the region.

“Russia knew the dangers of the attempts at foreign interference in Syria, thus Russia played an important role in the international arena, with the most recent action in this regard being the Russian veto at the Security Council,” he said, adding that Syria is counting on the Russian stance and continuing support not just in defense of Syria, but also in defense of worldwide stability.

In response to a question on a Communist opposition figure thanking Russia for its veto while others burned Russian flags in Syrian cities, President al-Assad said regarding the first point that any Syrian citizen would have the same response as anyone with the least amount of patriotism would be grateful for Russia’s stance at the Security Council, adding that being in the opposition or a loyalist or somewhere in between doesn’t mean differing in political issues, as there is no difference in opinion with the opposition regarding Syria’s sovereignty and rejection of foreign interference and confronting terrorism; the differences lie in internal issues and political, economic, cultural and other issues.

“Regarding the burning of flags, I don’t believe we can put that in the frame of political work as it doesn’t represent opposition or anything else. It often represents individual cases that may be spurred from abroad to complete the media image of the big lie being promoted about Syria in foreign media, showing Russia as if it supports a state against the people… this is the supposed media game behind this action,” President al-Assad pointed out.

On the subject of who is represented by the opposition, President al-Assad said that such an issue would be more accurate after elections and the emergence of new parties, which would decide which sections of the society the opposition represents.

“We’re dealing with everyone; with all the forces on the Syrian arena because we believe that communication with these forces is very important, without specifying who has a popular base and who doesn’t,” President al-Assad said, stressing that a more accurate answer can be given after the elections which should take place in February 2012.

Answering a question on national dialogue, organizing elections and the establishment of a council in Istanbul by the opposition with their unwillingness to hold negotiations with the authorities, and whether there is a way to reach a peaceful agreement with them, President al-Assad said “The first thing is that in order to hold a dialogue you need more than one side, the other side should be able to hold dialogue… The other thing is that in order to hold political or formal dialogue with a side, there must be bases from which to start.”

President al-Assad asked “Are the forces we are willing to hold dialogue with accepted by the Syrian people? Are they manufactured abroad? Do they call for or accept foreign interference? Do they support terrorism? When we define all these bases, we can decide whether we hold dialogue or not.”

His Excellency stressed that the Syrian people reject foreign interference and oppose anything which come from outside the country, be it a political issue or stance.

“About the council that was formed in Istanbul, I don’t know a lot about it, but I can say that the accurate answer of this question comes from the Syrian people. When the Syrian people accept a council or a particular political structure, we as a state should hold dialogue with it,” President al-Assad indicated.

“As for the principle of accepting or rejecting dialogue or heading toward violence, I think the proper principle is adopting dialogue because it leads to solutions that stabilize any country. That is why we don’t comment a lot on that council, because the Syrian people didn’t care about it… When the Syrians consider a thing, the Syrian government will, subsequently, take it into consideration,” President al-Assad added.

On whether Syria will remain strong in the face of the economic sanctions imposed by the west and the US and regarding the Russian aid in this matter, President al-Assad pointed out that this siege, and particularly the economic and technical blockade, on Syria is decades old and isn’t new, saying “I don’t recall any period in which there weren’t under some sort of western blockade on Syria, but this blockade intensifies during crises, which is why we decided six years ago – in 2005 – to head towards the east.”

President al-Assad pointed out that the western sanctions and blockade primarily harm the Syrian people, not the state, but they will not smother Syria which relies on its own products and exports. “Syria has food and industrial production in addition to many other domains. As for the other materials that are not produced in Syria, we have neighboring countries. We are capable of overcoming this blockade by adjusting to the new status, which we’d already adjusted to in previous circumstances,” he elaborated.

About heading eastwards, President al-Assad said that Syria had always has relations with the west during recent decades despite the fact that the west, particularly France and the UK, was occupying a part of the east.

“Syria, Russia, India and China are east. There are many countries that have good relations with Syria whether in the east, in Latin America or in Asia. There are rising powers In Asia, such as, India, China and Russia which are playing an important worldwide role in the political, economic and technical fields. The west is not the only choice we have, and we must take advantage of our relations with these countries. Syrian-Russian relations, for example, were improved in rapid paces after 2005 when we decided to head eastwards. I think this crisis will further boost these relations, especially in the economic domain. We count on our relation with Russia and the Russian aid in the political aspects and the Russian-Syrian economic cooperation.”

On the attempt of Syria’s enemies to repeat the Libyan scenario in Syria and the Syrian plan to prevent that, President al-Assad said that Syria is different geographically, demographically, politically and historically from Libya, adding that such a scenario will be unviable and of exorbitant cost.

“First, a media was used to forge an external state against Syria, especially in the Security Council.  At that time, we were focusing on the internal aspect because it was not easy to show that there was an external plot, even to some Syrians. It was not easy to show that there were armed operations perpetrated against the state. Now, we have hundreds of army soldiers, policemen and security personnel killed,” President al-Assad said.

President al-Assad asked “Were they killed through peaceful protests? Were they killed by the shouting during the protests? Or were they killed by weapons? So, we’re are dealing with armed people, now the matter is clear and the Syrian people are now aware of the reality of the events in Syria.

“In the last two months, we’ve begun to focus on the external media, we’ve invited a large number of mass media establishments to come to Syria and inspect the reality of the events. The western media channels are biased in general not only during crises; they have a wrong preconceived notions and sometimes they express political agendas concerning the region,” President al-Assad said.

President al-Assad pointed out that “We are now trying to bring western media to inspect the reality but we are focusing on the friendly media to enable them to inspect and convey the image to their public in order for their governments to be able to take supportive stances regarding Syria. I think the basic direction now is towards media; we have to unmask the external plot against Syria and, and at the same time help these countries in aiding the local media.”

On whether there are sides assisting Syria’s enemies and the amount and sources of weapons at the disposal of these enemies, President al-Assad pointed out that during the first few months and particularly the first month of the crisis, it was difficult to find out the reality of what was happening and where the money or weapons was coming from, or even if there were actually money and weapons.

“After more than seven months since the crisis in Syria began, we gathered clean but incomplete information, but through recent investigations with terrorist it became irrefutably clear that weapons were being smuggled across the Syrian borders from neighboring countries and funds are being sent from people abroad… We have information about people leading these operations outside Syria and in several countries.

“We don’t have precise information about these people’s relations to countries, but it’s perfectly clear from the quality and scale of weapons and the amounts of money that the funding isn’t personal funding; rather there are countries behind this funding,” President al-Assad said, adding that specifying the countries responsible for this funding requires clearer information, at which point Syria’s won’t hesitate to uncover the facts.

Regarding the source of weapons and ammunition, particularly Israeli explosives, President al-Assad said that there are weapons from various countries including weapons of Israeli manufacture, but it’s impossible to pinpoint if their source is Israel or another country that possesses such weapons.

“There are bombs and mines placed in areas with civilians and may target civilians sometimes and they may target security forces or the police or the army… there are also-anti-tank weapons which is new and serious… so all things point to the fact that there are countries responsible for armament and not individuals who may actually be fronts for these countries.

“Where do the weapons come from… from neighboring countries… despite that fact we cannot accuse them of being involved in the smuggling as it’s difficult to control borders with surrounding countries, which applies in most countries around the world,” President al-Assad explained.

His Excellency concluded by thanking the Russian channel, saying that he believes that this program will play an important role in relaying the reality to the Russian viewer about what is happening in the world and the Middle East, and specifically what is happening in Syria.

M. Nassr / H. Sabbagh

Armed Terrorist Groups Attack Ambulances and Medical Crews

HOMS, (SANA) – Armed terrorist groups on Sunday attacked ambulances and assaulted medical crews in Homs to prevent them from transporting injured people.

Ambulance driver Raafat Mousa told the Syrian TV that while he was transporting injured people from Bab Amro area along with Chief Warrant Officer Mahmoud Qmeiro, they came under heavy gunfire from armed terrorist groups, martyring Qmeiro.

In turn, ambulance driver Ahed Nemra said that while carrying out his duties, gunmen opened fire on his ambulance before reaching the Health Directorate traffic light, adding that the attackers were in a Kia Rio that had been pursuing them since they were in al-Qusour area.

H. Sabbagh

Syrian Delegation’s Meeting with Arab Ministerial Committee Concluded

DOHA, (SANA) – The Syrian delegation’s meeting with the Arab Ministerial Committee which took place in Doha was concluded on Sunday evening, with honest dialogue prevailing while some points are left to be studied by the two sides and other points were agreed upon.

The Syrian delegation is headed by Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem and consists of Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad, and Syria’s Permanent Envoy to the Arab League Yousef Ahmad.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani, said that the meeting was serious and honest, and that the two sides formulated a work document dealing with all issues and the Syrian delegation asked to respond to the document on Monday.

Hamad said that a meeting will be held on Wednesday at the Arab League whether an agreement is reached over the document or not, hoping to receive an answer on Monday and to reach an agreement.

H. Sabbagh

Mass Rally in Sweida Voices Support to Reforms, Rejection of Foreign Interference

SWEIDA, (SANA)_The people of Sweida gathered in a mass rally on Sunday at the Martyrs’ Square in Sweida city, voicing support to the comprehensive reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad.

The participants expressed adherence to the independent national decision, rejection of foreign interference and resolve to stand up to the conspiracy hatched by foreign powers and aided with internal tools, which target Syria’s support to resistance and pivotal role in the region.

The participants illustrated the Syrians’ awareness of the conspiracies against Syria, saluting the Syrian Arab army which offered sacrifices to safeguard the dignity of the homeland.

The banners raised at the rally thanked Russia and China and all friendly countries for their support to Syria in the face of pressure, underlining commitment to continue with struggle side by side with all Syrians to come out stronger from the crisis.

The People’s Assembly Member Abdullah al-Atrash said the Syrian citizens gathered here today to face the conspiracy and stress determination against any foreign interference in their internal affairs.

Al-Atrash called upon the Syrians to sacrifice all what they have to overcome the crisis and move forward with the reform process launched by President Bashar al-Assad to preserve Syria’s stability.

For his part, Father Philipe Mu’ammar thanked Russia and China for their noble stances, expressing gratitude for the martyrs who sacrificed their souls for their homeland out of their belief that reform can not be achieved through killing and sabotaging but with dialogue and hard work.

Sheikh Hamad Erar, 93 years old, condemned the acts of killing and chaos taking place in Syria, stressing that Syria will come out of the current crisis stronger.

The participants stressed that Syria will remain steadfast with the loyalty and firm will of its people, adding that the rally today is a message to the whole world that the homeland is most precious for all the Syrians.

They called upon the instigative TV channels to commit to the media code of ethics and stop fabricating news and stories about the events in Syria.

M. Ismael/ R. Raslan /H. Said

Economic Dialogue National Forum Kicks off

DAMASCUS, (SANA) _The Economic Dialogue National Forum kicked off on Sunday at Conferences Palace in Damascus, with the participation of 300 figures representing the social spectrums as well as social, economic and scientific bodies.

The forum comes as part of the reform process to enhance dialogue on national issues on the basis of partnership and collective responsibility to materialize a joint vision on the economic and social reform-related.

In a speech delivered during the Forum, Prime Minister, Dr. Adel Safar said that the Forum is the fruit of extensive dialogues with the participation of all the social and economic and scientific segments in all the provinces.

Safar underlined the importance of the popular participation in addressing national issues and crystallizing a common vision that would help adopting practical reform measures in implementation of President Bashar al-Assad’s directions.

He stressed that the reform is an integrated process in its political, media, judicial and administrative dimensions, adding that the economic reform is a part of a more comprehensive process.

He added “It is a natural result that the Syrian economy is affected by the international economic changes and developments, therefore, we must remove all the obstacles which hinder the growth of the national economy and its competitive and export capabilities.

He pointed out that the process of economic reform doesn’t start from zero point as Syria achieved a great progress during the 10th five-year plan and the Government has worked on achieving the gradual shift towards the social market economy in the framework of the partnership principle between the private and public sectors.

He affirmed that the principles and directions of the economic reform will continue and what is required in this stage is to review the economic and social policy in a way that would guarantee a harmony between the economic competence and the social justice, in addition to following up the effects of these policies on the life of the citizens in general and on the citizens who have low income in particular.

“If we want our economy to be strong and competitive on the international level, we must liberate it from some of the burdens which restrict it,” Safar said, calling for reconsidering the support mechanisms and the services within more accurate programs.

He added that the Government has worked over the past few months on achieving a huge package of reform measures in cooperation with national cadres from all the spectrums, stressing that the notes, suggestions and topics to be discussed during the Forum will enrich the reform programs and would support the Economic and Social Reform Committee in materializing a reform vision that would rebalance the economic approaches.

He affirmed that the Government works on overcoming all the legal, administrative and social obstacles facing the reform process, adding that the foreign conspiracies aim at destabilizing Syria and undermining its economic potential.

He affirmed that facing the challenges which have become noticeably limited entails from all the Syrians to shoulder their national responsibility, adding that the awareness of the Syrian people and their national unity are the best way to go forward in the process of building and reform.

Evening Session of Economic, Social Dialogue Forum Discusses Issues of Agriculture, Unemployment

The evening session of Forum discussed issues of agriculture, unemployment, administrational reform, supporting production sectors, providing job opportunities and reconsidering the economic tendency.

The session also tackled issues related to fees, housing, purchasing power and unemployment among youths.

Activities of the forum will continue until Tuesday with morning and evening sessions.

English Bulletin

Higher Elections Committee Discusses Local Council Candidacy Process

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Higher Elections Committee discussed on Sunday the candidacy process set to start on December 12, and the measures taken to guarantee honest, democratic elections according to the elections law issued by legislative decree No. 101 for 2011.

The committee decided to direct the sub-committees in the Syrian provinces to fully supervise candidacy applications, stressing the implementation of article No. 20 of the elections law which grants the right to run for the People’s Assembly and the local councils according to the standards provided by the new elections law.

The committee requested that the sub-committees should cooperate and coordinate with demonstrative apparatuses according to law to offer all facilitations for supervision to guarantee democratic and honest elections.

The Higher Committee also requested that authorities set up electronic screens in the squares of all provinces to display the counting of votes to preserve the transparency and honesty of elections.

The law provides that the elections campaign should not include any racial, sectarian ethnic or tribal indications and candidates should not use foreign media for their election campaigns, which should be halted twenty four hours before the elections date.

In a statement to SANA, Chairman of the Higher Elections Committee, Attorney General Khalaf al-Azzawi, said the committee would hold a meeting with the sub-committees before elections date to discuss the process of elections, the election propagandas, counting of votes and announcing the results.

The Higher Committee for Elections was formed under Law No. 374 for the year 2011, comprising 5 judges from the Court of Cassation whose responsibility is to fully supervise and conduct the election process.

The submission of candidacy applications started on October 28 and will last till November 3, 2011.

Lawyers and Academics: Local Council Elections Genuine Translation of Reforms

Several lawyers and academic figures stressed that the local council elections according to the new law is a genuine translation of the comprehensive reform program commenced by President Bashar al-Assad, adding that this is the first step on the way of enhancing democracy and reducing centrality in decision-making.

Member of the Bar Association –Daraa Branch, lawyer Imad Mansour, said the elections come in the framework of the reform steps which would make Syria emerge out of the crisis stronger and more immune.

For his part, lawyer Maher al-Mikdad said the local community in Daraa province believes the local council elections and the upcoming legislative elections are a new start in the political life of Syria, calling on citizens to participate in those elections.

Chairman of the Bar Association – Der-Ezzor Branch, Asaad al-Dandal, said the elections pave the way for honest and just competitions that meet the requirements of democratic life.

F.Allafi/H.Said

Seven Army and Security Forces Martyrs Laid to Rest

DAMASCUS/ HOMS (SANA) – Seven army and security forces martyrs on Sunday were escorted from Tishreen and Homs Military Hospitals to their final resting place in their villages and cities after they were targeted by the armed terrorist groups in Homs and Damascus Countryside.

Solemn processions were held for the martyrs as they were covered with flowers and the national flag while the Military Band was playing the music of the “Martyr” and the “Farewell.”

The martyrs are:

•           Chief Warrant Officer, Mahmoud Mohammad Qmayro from Hama.

•           Sergeant Major, Mahmoud Isam Aoun from Tartous.

•           Sergeant, Issa Eido al-Khazem from Hama.

•           Conscript, Hussein Ahmad al-Juma’a al-Hadad from Aleppo Countryside.

•           Conscript, Yusuf Ma’auf al-Abbad from Deir Ezzor.

•           Conscript, Hossam Ahmad Taha from Aleppo.

Relatives of the martyrs expressed pride in their sons’ martyrdom who sacrificed their lives to defend their homeland in face of all the conspiracies targeting its steadfastness, dignity and pride.

They also called for prosecuting the criminals who are trying to undermine Syria’s security and stability, stressing that these criminals will fail to achieve their goals of undermining Syria’s stability and security.

R. al-Jazaeri /

WFTU Delegation Stresses Support to Syria against Campaigns and Foreign Pressures

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), delegation on Sunday stressed standing by Syria in the face of the political campaigns and economic pressures aimed at undermining its national unity and independent decision.

General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), Mr. George Mavrikos, said their visit aimed at expressing solidarity with the Syrian people in the face of the conspiracy hatched against their country.

The remarks came during a meeting with Member of the Regional Leadership of al-Baath Arab Socialist Party, Osama Oudai.

“What is taking place in Syria is not a protest for reform, democracy, freedom or human rights, but it is a wave of foreign pressures and interferences in Syria’s internal affairs that depends largely on an organized international propaganda with the aim of breaking Syria’s will and undermining its national stances in support of the Resistance and the legitimate Arab issues,” said Mavrikos.

He underlined that targeting Syria is part of a plan against the whole Arab region to eliminate its resistant approach in the face of the colonialist plots backed by the international imperialism led by the USA, citing what has been recently published about the US attempts to fragment the region into 45 small cantons serving Zionist schemes in the region.

“Should Syria decide to give up the issue of restoring the occupied Golan and defending the Arab rights with the Palestinian cause on the top, it would be pictured by the misleading TV channels as the most democratic country in the world,” added Mavrikos.

He pointed out that the economic sanctions imposed on Syria target the workers and farmers in the first place for their standing against the international imperialism.

The WFTU Secretary General stressed the need for coordination with the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) in Syria to come up with serious and practical initiatives to support Syria.

For his part, Oudai said that the Syrian people’s awareness and wisdom have proved to the whole world that the Syrians are able to overcome the crisis and foil all foreign attempts at interfering in their affairs.

He added that Syria has passed the most difficult stage of the crisis, considering the continuous American and Western pressures and economic sanctions as evidence on their failure.

Oudai indicated that the killing, sabotaging and terrifying acts committed by the armed terrorist groups against citizens, army and security forces contradict the reform and popular demands to which the Syrian government responded to through a comprehensive reform program to build a strong and modern Syria.

He called upon the WFTU for taking practical steps against the sanctions imposed on Syria and condemning them at the international forums.

The delegation also met the GFTU Executive Bureau where Deputy Chairman of Cyprus Workers Confederation expressed the Cypriot workers’ solidarity with the Syrian people.

The Syrian GFTU Chairman Mohammad Shaaban Azouz hailed the unions’ stances in solidarity with Syria, highlighting the importance of the delegation members’ visit in terms of inspecting the reality of events in Syria in order to refute the lies and false news broadcast by the misleading media.

R. Raslan/ H. Said

Syrian Communities Worldwide Continue to Express Support to Reform, Rejection of Foreign Interference

Capitals, (SANA)_ The Syrian students in Kuwait on Sunday organized a stand in solidarity with their homeland in front of the Syrian Embassy headquarters in Kuwait to express support to the reform program.

Head of the Syrian Students National Union’s Branch in Kuwait stressed the important role of every Syrian citizen to expose the crimes committed by the armed terrorist groups against the Syrian people.

The students participating in the gathering expressed their rejection of any foreign interference in the internal affairs of their country. Syria’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Bassam Abdel Majeed said that the situation in Syria is becoming more stable, which will provide the appropriate atmosphere to implement the issued laws and decrees.

Syrian Students ans Expatriates in Lebanon Condemn Attack against Syria

In Lebanon, the Syrian students and members of the Syrian community reiterated rejection of any foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs, stressing support to the comprehensive reform program.

The participants who gathered in front of the Syrian Embassy in Beirut condemned the aggressive attack against their country to undermine its pan-Arab and national stances as well as its unity and stability.

They raised a 100-meter long Syrian flag from the top of a building under construction down toward the street and posted banners which said “No for Foreign Interference” and “Thanks to Russia and China” on the Embassy’s wall and the neighboring shops.

They held up the national flags and chanted several slogans expressing support to reform and appreciation of the sacrifices offered for the sake of preserving Syria’s dignity and security.

Syrian Students in Egypt Reject Foreign Interference in Syria’s Affairs

The Syrian Students Association in Egypt organized a march outside the Syrian Embassy in Cairo to express their rejection of foreign interference in Syria, support to the reform program and dialogue and commitment to independent national decision and national unity.

The Syrian students studying at the Egyptian universities underscored their confidence that Syria will get out of the crisis stronger and victorious thanks to the awareness of its people and their adherence to national unity and belief in the reform program led by President al-Assad.

Holding up the Syrian flag and posters of President al-Assad, the marchers stressed their ability to solve their problems on their own and that the propaganda launched against their country and people by some media will not influence their stances and love for their homeland and leader, but rather it will strengthen their determination to offer all sacrifices to preserve the homeland’s dignity.

Syrian Students and Community Members in Romania Stress Standing by Motherland

In a march held outside the Syrian Embassy in Bucharest, the Syrian students and members of the Syrian community in Romania expressed their standing by their motherland Syria against the campaign which aims at destabilizing it and undermining its unity.

The participants expressed their support to the comprehensive reform program and their total rejection of the conspiracies and plots hatched against their homeland.

They also voiced their rejection of foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs, vowing to be best ambassadors of their country abroad to defend it against the misleading media campaigns targeting it.

Syrian Community in India Reiterates Commitment to Syria’s Independent National Decision

Members of the Syrian community in India on Sunday reiterated their standing by their homeland in the face of the ferocious campaign targeting its security, stability and national unity.

Gathered outside the Syrian Embassy in the Indian capital, New Delhi, the Syrian expatiates expressed commitment to the independence of Syria’s national decision and complete rejection of the attempts of foreign interference in their country’s internal affairs.

They voiced thanks to India and the all the other countries which supported Syria and its right in resolving its internal issues without external interference.

The participants in the gathering chanted slogans in support of the Syrian Arab Army and in appreciation of its sacrifices in defending Syria’s security and dignity, expressing support to the comprehensive reform process led by President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria’s Ambassador to India, Riyad Abbas, received a number of the Syrian community members and stressed Syria’s keenness on protecting its entity against foreign interference, calling upon the Syrian students studying in India to stand side by side to build the homeland and preserve the model of peaceful co-existence it embodies.

Syrian Community in Belgium Renews Support for Reform Process

Syrian Community and students studying in Belgium also renewed support for the reform process led by President al-Assad, stressing the depth of their belonging to the motherland, Syria and adherence to the national independent decision in facing the policies of outside interference in the internal affairs of Syria.

That came during a rally organized by the Association of the Syrian community and Syrian students studying in Belgium with the participation of representatives of the Arab expatriate communities and students organizations in Belgium.

Syrians in Moscow Reiterate Support to Reform Program

Representatives of the Syrian community in Moscow stressed support to the reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.

This came during the meeting of Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad with the Syrian community members, in which he gave a review of the latest developments on the internal, regional and international arenas.

Mikdad said that the Syrian people are past the major part of the crisis, thanks to their awareness of the schemes hatched against Syria carried out by groups with foreign affiliations which seek to weaken the Syrian role.

The members of the Syrian community voiced denunciation of any foreign interference attempt and the terrorist acts of the armed groups, hailing the Syrian-Russian relations and the importance of deepening them.

Syrian Community in the UK Reiterates Rejection of Foreign Interference

The Syrian students and members of the Syrian community in the UK stressed condemnation of the aggressive campaign against motherland Syria which is aimed at undermining its national unity.

In a mass rally outside the Syrian embassy in London, the Syrian community voiced support to the reform program under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad.

Rally for Syrian Students in Belgrade in Support of Reforms

The Serbian capital Belgrade witnessed on Saturday a rally organized by the Syrian students outside the Syrian embassy in Belgrade, in support of the comprehensive reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad.

The participants raised the Syrian flags and banners denouncing the foreign conspiracy against Syria. They stressed rejection of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs and support to the role of the Syrian Arab army.

Syrian Community in Czech Stresses Support to Reforms

The Syrian community in the Czech Brno city condemned the international campaign against Syria which is aimed at undermining its stability, national unity and weakening its national and pan-Arab role.

In a rally organized in cooperation with the National Union of Syrian Students- Czech branch, the Syrian community voiced utter rejection of all foreign interference attempts, denouncing the media campaign against Syria and the instigative calls for killings and vandalism by Arab and international media.

The Syrian community thanked the countries which stood by Syria in the face of foreign interference attempts, especially Russia and China.

Syrian Students in Jordan, Slovakia, Spain Voice Support to Reforms in Syria

The Syrian students in Jordan stressed their standing by motherland Syria against the fierce campaign which is aimed at destabilizing it.

The students stressed, in a solidarity event outside the Syrian embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman, their utter rejection of all forms of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs, and support to the comprehensive reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad.

Also, the Syrian students in Slovakia reiterated support to the reforms program in Syria under the leadership of President al-Assad.

In a rally organized by the National Union of Syrian Students-Slovakia branch, the participants denounced the criminal acts of the armed terrorist groups and the misleading media campaign against Syria.

They also thanked Russia and China for their support to Syria at international forums, raising the Syrian flags and President al-Assad’s posters.

In Spain, the National Union of Syrian Students-Spain branch, organized a gathering outside the Spanish Foreign Ministry in Madrid, expressing support to the reform program in Syria and rejection of the unjust European sanctions against it

In a letter handed to the Spanish Foreign Ministry, the participants expressed regret over the European stance on the events in Syria, calling the Spanish government to take into consideration the support of the sweeping majority of the Syrian people to the reforms led by President Bashar al-Assad.

Russians, Syrians Voice Support to Syria

A number of figures from Russia and League of Independent States affirmed their support and standing by Syria in the face of the western campaign targeting it, voicing their categorical rejection of any external interference in Syria’s internal affairs.

During their participation in a solidarity rally held in Moscow by the Syrian community, they hailed Russia’s principled position that supports Syria and the use of the veto against western attempts to pass a resolution against it, expressing their support for President Bashar al-Assad and the comprehensive reform program.

Delegation of Syrian Community in US Pays Solidarity visit to Syria

A delegation of the Syrian community in the United States visited their homeland to express solidarity with it and to inspect the reality of the events.

Members of the delegation condemned the misleading campaign targeting Syria to undermine its stability and national unity, stressing their support to the reform program and rejection of attempts of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs.

Expatriate Shiam Hadeed said “We’ve come to Syria to reiterate our support for our people and to the reform process.”

Another expatriate, Nazih Mehriz, said that the expatriates side with Syria and support the reform process under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad.

For her part, the US citizen Britney Doffe said that the reason of her visit is to express support for Syria and its reform process.

Syrian Community in Hungary Stresses Rejection of Foreign Interference

The Syrian community in Hungary held a sit-in in the Syrian Embassy in Budapest in support of the comprehensive reform program under the leadership of President al-Assad.

The participants expressed their rejection of the attempts of foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs, adding that Syria will emerge from the crisis stronger.

English Bulletin

Foreign Ministry Astonished at the Arab Ministerial Committee’s Reliance on Media Lies

Oct 30, 2011

DAMASCUS, (SANA)-An official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry on Saturday stated that Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem received a letter from Head of the Arab League Ministerial Committee late Friday including stances based on media lies broadcast by misleading instigation channels about what took place in Syria on Friday.

“It was supposed for the Head of the Ministerial Committee to contact Minister al-Moallem to verify the reality before announcing a stance by the Committee to be circulated by channels of instigation,” the Source said.

The source expressed the Syrian Foreign Ministry’s astonishment at adopting this way before one day of convening an agreed-upon meeting in Doha between the Syrian Government and the Ministerial Committee.

The source called on the Arab Ministerial Committee to benefit from the positive atmosphere that prevailed its meeting with President Bashar al-Assad, and to help ease the situation and reach a solution that contributes to realizing security and stability in Syria instead of string sedition.

The source underlined that Minister al-Moallem and the accompanying delegation will brief the Committee on the reality of the situation in Syria on Sunday.

By Mazen; Source: The Embassy of Syrian Arab Republic in Kuala Lumpur.

When it comes to China policy, is the Obama administration leaping from the frying pan directly into the fire? In an attempt to turn the page on two disastrous wars in the Greater Middle East, it may have just launched a new Cold War in Asia — once again, viewing oil as the key to global supremacy.

The new policy was signaled by President Obama himself on November 17th in an address to the Australian Parliament in which he laid out an audacious — and extremely dangerous — geopolitical vision. Instead of focusing on the Greater Middle East, as has been the case for the last decade, the United States will now concentrate its power in Asia and the Pacific. “My guidance is clear,” he declared in Canberra. “As we plan and budget for the future, we will allocate the resources necessary to maintain our strong military presence in this region.” While administration officials insist that this new policy is not aimed specifically at China, the implication is clear enough: from now on, the primary focus of American military strategy will not be counterterrorism, but the containment of that economically booming land — at whatever risk or cost.

The Planet’s New Center of Gravity

The new emphasis on Asia and the containment of China is necessary, top officials insist, because the Asia-Pacific region now constitutes the “center of gravity” of world economic activity. While the United States was bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan, the argument goes, China had the leeway to expand its influence in the region. For the first time since the end of World War II, Washington is no longer the dominant economic actor there. If the United States is to retain its title as the world’s paramount power, it must, this thinking goes, restore its primacy in the region and roll back Chinese influence. In the coming decades, no foreign policy task will, it is claimed, be more important than this.

In line with its new strategy, the administration has undertaken a number of moves intended to bolster American power in Asia, and so put China on the defensive. These include a decision to deploy an initial 250 U.S. Marines — someday to be upped to 2,500 — to an Australian air base in Darwin on that country’s north coast, and the adoption on November 18th of “the Manila Declaration,” a pledge of closer U.S. military ties with the Philippines.

At the same time, the White House announced the sale of 24 F-16 fighter jets to Indonesia and a visit by Hillary Clinton to isolated Burma, long a Chinese ally — the first there by a secretary of state in 56 years. Clinton has also spoken of increased diplomatic and military ties with Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — all countries surrounding China or overlooking key trade routes that China relies on for importing raw materials and exporting manufactured goods.

As portrayed by administration officials, such moves are intended to maximize America’s advantages in the diplomatic and military realm at a time when China dominates the economic realm regionally. In a recent article in Foreign Policy magazine, Clinton revealingly suggested that an economically weakened United States can no longer hope to prevail in multiple regions simultaneously. It must choose its battlefields carefully and deploy its limited assets — most of them of a military nature — to maximum advantage. Given Asia’s strategic centrality to global power, this means concentrating resources there.

“Over the last 10 years,” she writes, “we have allocated immense resources to [Iraq and Afghanistan]. In the next 10 years, we need to be smart and systematic about where we invest time and energy, so that we put ourselves in the best position to sustain our leadership [and] secure our interests… One of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment — diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise — in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Such thinking, with its distinctly military focus, appears dangerously provocative. The steps announced entail an increased military presence in waters bordering China and enhanced military ties with that country’s neighbors — moves certain to arouse alarm in Beijing and strengthen the hand of those in the ruling circle (especially in the Chinese military leadership) who favor a more activist, militarized response to U.S. incursions. Whatever forms that takes, one thing is certain: the leadership of the globe’s number two economic power is not going to let itself appear weak and indecisive in the face of an American buildup on the periphery of its country. This, in turn, means that we may be sowing the seeds of a new Cold War in Asia in 2011.

The U.S. military buildup and the potential for a powerful Chinese counter-thrust have already been the subject of discussion in the American and Asian press. But one crucial dimension of this incipient struggle has received no attention at all: the degree to which Washington’s sudden moves have been dictated by a fresh analysis of the global energy equation, revealing (as the Obama administration sees it) increased vulnerabilities for the Chinese side and new advantages for Washington.

The New Energy Equation

For decades, the United States has been heavily dependent on imported oil, much of it obtained from the Middle East and Africa, while China was largely self-sufficient in oil output. In 2001, the United States consumed 19.6 million barrels of oil per day, while producing only nine million barrels itself. The dependency on foreign suppliers for that 10.6 million-barrel shortfall proved a source of enormous concern for Washington policymakers. They responded by forging ever closer, more militarized ties with Middle Eastern oil producers and going to war on occasion to ensure the safety of U.S. supply lines.

In 2001, China, on the other hand, consumed only five million barrels per day and so, with a domestic output of 3.3 million barrels, needed to import only 1.7 million barrels. Those cold, hard numbers made its leadership far less concerned about the reliability of the country’s major overseas providers — and so it did not need to duplicate the same sort of foreign policy entanglements that Washington had long been involved in.

Now, so the Obama administration has concluded, the tables are beginning to turn. As a result of China’s booming economy and the emergence of a sizeable and growing middle class (many of whom have already bought their first cars), the country’s oil consumption is exploding. Running at about 7.8 million barrels per day in 2008, it will, according to recent projections by the U.S. Department of Energy, reach 13.6 million barrels in 2020, and 16.9 million in 2035. Domestic oil production, on the other hand, is expected to grow from 4.0 million barrels per day in 2008 to 5.3 million in 2035. Not surprisingly, then, Chinese imports are expected to skyrocket from 3.8 million barrels per day in 2008 to a projected 11.6 million in 2035 — at which time they will exceed those of the United States.

The U.S., meanwhile, can look forward to an improved energy situation. Thanks to increased production in “tough oil” areas of the United States, including the Arctic seas off Alaska, the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and shale formations in Montana, North Dakota, and Texas, future imports are expected to decline, even as energy consumption rises. In addition, more oil is likely to be available from the Western Hemisphere rather than the Middle East or Africa. Again, this will be thanks to the exploitation of yet more “tough oil” areas, including the Athabasca tar sands of Canada, Brazilian oil fields in the deep Atlantic, and increasingly pacified energy-rich regions of previously war-torn Colombia. According to the Department of Energy, combined production in the United States, Canada, and Brazil is expected to climb by 10.6 million barrels per day between 2009 and 2035 — an enormous jump, considering that most areas of the world are expecting declining output.

Whose Sea Lanes Are These Anyway?

From a geopolitical perspective, all this seems to confer a genuine advantage on the United States, even as China becomes ever more vulnerable to the vagaries of events in, or along, the sea lanes to distant lands. It means Washington will be able to contemplate a gradual loosening of its military and political ties to the Middle Eastern oil states that have dominated its foreign policy for so long and have led to those costly, devastating wars.

Indeed, as President Obama said in Canberra, the U.S. is now in a position to begin to refocus its military capabilities elsewhere. “After a decade in which we fought two wars that cost us dearly,” he declared, “the United States is turning our attention to the vast potential of the Asia-Pacific region.”

For China, all this spells potential strategic impairment. Although some of China’s imported oil will travel overland through pipelines from Kazakhstan and Russia, the great majority of it will still come by tanker from the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America over sea lanes policed by the U.S. Navy. Indeed, almost every tanker bringing oil to China travels across the South China Sea, a body of water the Obama administration is now seeking to place under effective naval control.

By securing naval dominance of the South China Sea and adjacent waters, the Obama administration evidently aims to acquire the twenty-first century energy equivalent of twentieth-century nuclear blackmail. Push us too far, the policy implies, and we’ll bring your economy to its knees by blocking your flow of vital energy supplies. Of course, nothing like this will ever be said in public, but it is inconceivable that senior administration officials are not thinking along just these lines, and there is ample evidence that the Chinese are deeply worried about the risk — as indicated, for example, by their frantic efforts to build staggeringly expensive pipelines across the entire expanse of Asia to the Caspian Sea basin.

As the underlying nature of the new Obama strategic blueprint becomes clearer, there can be no question that the Chinese leadership will, in response, take steps to ensure the safety of China’s energy lifelines. Some of these moves will undoubtedly be economic and diplomatic, including, for example, efforts to court regional players like Vietnam and Indonesia as well as major oil suppliers like Angola, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia. Make no mistake, however: others will be of a military nature. A significant buildup of the Chinese navy — still small and backward when compared to the fleets of the United States and its principal allies — would seem all but inevitable. Likewise, closer military ties between China and Russia, as well as with the Central Asian member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan), are assured.

In addition, Washington could now be sparking the beginnings of a genuine Cold-War-style arms race in Asia, which neither country can, in the long run, afford. All of this is likely to lead to greater tension and a heightened risk of inadvertent escalation arising out of future incidents involving U.S., Chinese, and allied vessels — like the one that occurred in March 2009 when a flotilla of Chinese naval vessels surrounded a U.S. anti-submarine warfare surveillance ship, the Impeccable, and almost precipitated a shooting incident. As more warships circulate through these waters in an increasingly provocative fashion, the risk that such an incident will result in something far more explosive can only grow.

Nor will the potential risks and costs of such a military-first policy aimed at China be restricted to Asia. In the drive to promote greater U.S. self-sufficiency in energy output, the Obama administration is giving its approval to production techniques — Arctic drilling, deep-offshore drilling, and hydraulic fracturing — that are guaranteed to lead to further Deepwater Horizon-style environmental catastrophe at home. Greater reliance on Canadian tar sands, the “dirtiest” of energies, will result in increased greenhouse gas emissions and a multitude of other environmental hazards, while deep Atlantic oil production off the Brazilian coast and elsewhere has its own set of grim dangers.

All of this ensures that, environmentally, militarily, and economically, we will find ourselves in a more, not less, perilous world. The desire to turn away from disastrous land wars in the Greater Middle East to deal with key issues now simmering in Asia is understandable, but choosing a strategy that puts such an emphasis on military dominance and provocation is bound to provoke a response in kind. It is hardly a prudent path to head down, nor will it, in the long run, advance America’s interests at a time when global economic cooperation is crucial. Sacrificing the environment to achieve greater energy independence makes no more sense.

A new Cold War in Asia and a hemispheric energy policy that could endanger the planet: it’s a fatal brew that should be reconsidered before the slide toward confrontation and environmental disaster becomes irreversible. You don’t have to be a seer to know that this is not the definition of good statesmanship, but of the march of folly.

By Michael T. Klare

6 December 2011

Tomdispatch.com

Michael T. Klare is a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College, a TomDispatch regular, and the author.

If American election campaign funders who support Israel right or wrong formed a circle and demanded that President Obama stand naked in the middle of it while they sang Hava Nagila (“Let us rejoice”), I am sure he would agree to do so. That thought came into my mind when I read the Reuters’ report, published in Ha’aretz, of what Obama said to a group of fundraisers in the Manhattan home of Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress.

Then, as my imagination let rip, I imagined Obama thinking to himself, while he was naked and they were rejoicing, something like, “Thank God they didn’t demand that I bombed Iran as the price of their money and votes.”

To be serious…

Rosen said at the meeting, “It would be remiss for me not to say there are many in the Jewish community who are concerned.” About what exactly?

According to the Reuters report, the concern, not in quotes from Rosen’s mouth, was about the relationship between Israel and the United States. But that’s a fig leaf. The real concern of those American Jews who are taken in by Zionist propaganda is that a second term Obama might, just might, decide to put America’s own real interests first and confront the Zionist lobby and its stooges in Congress in order to get a real peace process going. (Readers of the third volume of the American edition of my book Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews will be aware of what former President Carter told me. For those who are not aware, Carter told me that any American president has only two windows of opportunity to take on the Zionist lobby – “in the first nine months of his first term” and “the last year of his second term if he has one.”)

So far as the present is concerned, Rosen added, “America has never been as supportive of the state of Israel as President Obama and his administration.” Another way to put it would be to say that no previous American president has had his testicles so firmly gripped by the Zionist lobby as Obama.

In response to Rosen’s opening remarks, Obama said Israel was “the U.S.’s most important ally.” (So how do you explain Israel’s cold-blooded and murderous attack on the Liberty, Mr. President?) He went on: “I try not to pat myself too much on the back, but this administration has done more for the security of the state of Israel than any previous administration. We don’t compromise when it comes to Israel’s security … and that will continue.”

The problem with the American presidential fixation with Israel’s security is that it is based on a myth – that poor little Israel has lived in constant danger of annihilation, “the driving into the sea of its Jews.” As I document in detail in my book, the truth of history is that Israel’s existence has never, ever, been in danger from any combination of Arab force. Not in 1948. Not in 1967. And not even in 1973.

And what about the future?

Unless it provokes a confrontation – I am sure it will at some point – there is no prospect of Arab attacks on the nuclear-armed military superpower of the region. Yes, missiles might be fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip prison camp, but they do not and will not constitute a major or serious threat to Israel’s security. And they would not be fired if Israel’s leaders were interested in peace on terms which would provide the Palestinians with an acceptable amount of justice.

For reasons I have explained in previous articles, the notion that a Palestinian mini state on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip would pose a threat to Israel’s security is too silly for words.

And just as silly, even more silly, is the assertion that Iran poses a threat to Israel’s existence. Even IF it did possess nuclear weapons, there will never be an Iranian leadership that would launch a first strike on Israel. If it did the whole of Iran would be obliterated. (I do not myself believe that Iran is currently developing nuclear weapons, but I would be surprised if there are not forces in Iran, the Revolutionary Guards for example, which are arguing for a nuclear weapons program for deterrence).

The unknown about President Obama is whether he is aware that Israel’s existence has never been in danger and chooses to ignore the truth of history for self-serving political reasons, or whether he is ignorant.

If the latter is the case there would be some hope for the future and I have a suggestion to make. Could somebody with influence and access and who cares buy a copy of my book, or get one free from my American publisher, and hand it personally to Obama? It could have this inscription by the donor: “If, Mr. President, you get a second term, you must read this book.”

By Alan Hart

2 November 2011

@ Alanhart.net

Alan Hart is a former ITN and BBC Panorama foreign correspondent. He is author of Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews. He blogs at http://www.alanhart.net and tweets via http://twitter.com/alanauthor

Every grain of sand in the Syrian desert now knows there won’t be a “responsibility to protect”-enabled North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “humanitarian” intervention to provoke regime change in Damascus. A protracted war like in Libya is not feasible – even though those faultless democratic practitioners, the House of Saud, have offered to pay for it, lavishly.

Yet the fog of near war remains impenetrable. What is NATO really up to in Syria?

It was already established (see The shadow war in Syria Asia Times Online, December 2, 2011) that NATO had set up a command and control center in Turkey’s southern Hatay province – where British commandos and French intelligence are training the dodgy Free Syria Army (FSA). The target: to foment a civil war engulfing northern Syria.

Now comes the confirmation, via the website of former United States Federal Bureau of Investigation whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, that a pincer movement may be in effect, involving Jordan. [1]

Edmonds quotes local sources according to whom “hundreds of soldiers who speak languages other than Arabic” have been “moving back and forth … between the King Hussein air base in al-Mafraq” and “Jordanian villages adjacent to the Syrian border”.

Edmonds sustains none of this is being reported by US media because of a gag order from above that in theory expired this Tuesday. And don’t try asking King Abdullah of Jordan about it.

The base at al-Mafraq is virtually across the border from Dar’a. A lot of action has been going on in Dar’a recently – an epicenter of the anti-President Bashar al-Assad movement. As far as the Syrian news agency Sana is concerned, security forces have been routinely killed by “terrorist gangs”. As far as the “rebels” are concerned, these are patriotic army defectors attacking military supply lines.

Let’s hit plan B

By adopting this pincer movement, NATO in Syria is now actively diversifying into an Iraq-in-the-1990s strategy; to submit Syria to a prolonged state of siege before eventually going for the kill.

Yet as much as NATO would pray to Allah for the contrary, Syria is not Libya. It’s much smaller and compact, but more populated and with a real, battle-tested army. On top of being immensely estranged from each other by the current eurodrama, the Brits and former colonial power France have calculated they have everything to lose economically if they engage in the folly of a conventional war.

As for the Syrian opposition stalwarts – the Syrian National Council (SNC) – they are a joke. Most are Muslim Brotherhood, with a sprinkling of Kurds. The leader, Burhan Ghalioun, is an opportunist Paris exile with zero credibility (for the average Syrian) although in a recent Wall Street Journal interview he made all the right noises to appease the Israel lobby (no more ties with Iran, no more support to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza).

The FSA claims 15,000 army defectors. But it’s infected with mercenaries and what scores of Syrian civilians describe as armed gangs. The SNC, in thesis, is anti-guerrilla. But that’s exactly what the FSA is actively practicing, attacking Syrian soldiers and Ba’ath party offices.

The SNC key tactic for now is to sell Western public opinion the Libya-style “potential” nightmare of an imminent massacre in Homs. Not many are buying it – apart from the usual, strident, corporate media suspects. Although both are based in Istanbul, the SNC and the FSA can’t seem to get their act together; they look like a lethal version of The Three Stooges.

Then there is the Arab League, which is now controlled by The Eight Stooges; the six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council, aka Gulf Counter-revolution Club) monarchies plus “invited” GCC members Morocco and Jordan. The stooges are subcontractors of NATO’s Greater Middle East on (humanitarian) steroids. Nobody, though, is asking where were the stooges were when Beirut and southern Lebanon were destroyed in 2006, and when Gaza was destroyed in 2008 – in both instances by Israel. The stooges don’t dare question the divine rights of the US/Israel axis.

NATO’s tactics in Syria have been crystal clear for a while now. France, under neo-Napoleonic liberator of Libya President Nicolas Sarkozy, concentrates on turbo-charging escalation. A the same time, Paris is trying to position the rise and rise of the Muslim Brotherhood all across the Arab world as a strategic Western interest – as in curbing Iranian influence.

Then there’s the ongoing economic blockade – impossible without cooperation from Iraq (it won’t happen), Lebanon (it won’t happen) and Jordan (it could, but to Jordan’s detriment).

But NATO’s wet dream is really to push Turkey to do the dirty work. Irretrievably broke as they are, NATO countries – including the US – simply cannot launch yet another Middle East war that would send oil prices through the roof.

What NATO cannot fathom is the possibility of a sectarian Sunni-Shi’ite war re-exploding in Iraq. In this case, the only safe haven would be Iraqi Kurdistan. And that would strengthen Kurdish unity – from Iraq to Syria, from Turkey to Iran. Turkey in this case would have more pertinent fish to fry than to get embroiled in a war in Syria.

Turkey’s double game

Still, the great imponderable in this complex chessboard is Turkey – as in what precisely happened to their much-lauded foreign policy of “zero problems with our neighbors”, devised by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Faced with Riyadh’s impotence, and Cairo in turmoil, Ankara seems to have monopolized the mantle of Sunni leadership – or guardian of Sunni orthodoxy facing those Shi’ite heretics, mostly from Iran (but also Iraq, Alawis in Syria and Hezbollah).

 At the same time, to please NATO and the US, Ankara allows the deployment of missile defense in its territory – which is directed not only against Iran but most of all against Russia. Not to mention Ankara harbors the secret – forbidden – desire to “solve” the Kurdish question for good by establishing an autonomous zone in Syrian territory.

And Ankara also wants to make money; winners in Libya were British and French oil interests, while losers were the Italians and the Turks. But so far Turkey is also losing, especially in Hatay province near the Syrian border, as a free-trade agreement between both countries has been canceled.

To the West’s despair, the Assad regime is far from being strangled. To counteract the hefty package of Arab League/Turkish sanctions, the regime has accelerated trade with China – by bartering and bypassing the international financial system.

No wonder Washington is taking the long-haul approach. It has deployed back to Damascus its ambassador Robert Ford – a former assistant to the sinister former destabilizer of Nicaragua John Negroponte when he was ambassador in Baghdad, and a current enthusiast of the House of Saud counter-revolution.

Ford will have plenty of time to exchange e-mails with a Syrian opposition totally in bed with former colonial power France. Talk about a stooge festival; this one is bound to carve its own niche in the annals of Middle East infamy.

By Pepe Escobar

15 December 2011

@ Online Asia Times

Note

1. The report is here. An interview with Syrian journalist Nizar Nayouf is here.

Pepe Escobar is the author of Globalistan: How the Globalized World is Dissolving into Liquid War (Nimble Books, 2007) and Red Zone Blues: a snapshot of Baghdad during the surge. His new book, just out, is Obama does Globalistan (Nimble Books, 2009).

On Friday millions of workers and youth protested against military rule in Egypt and demanded the downfall of the US-backed Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) junta. In Cairo hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered on Tahrir Square. By the early afternoon, the square was packed with protesters chanting, “The people demand the removal of the field marshal,” “We will not go, he should go” and “Down, down with military rule.”

Throughout the day, mass marches kicked off from different locations in the capital, all converging in Tahrir Square. Thousands of marchers tore down the banners and posters of parliamentary candidates on their way to Tahrir, protesting the decision to hold parliamentary elections under the thumb of the SCAF junta, and denouncing the political establishment as a whole.

In major cities all over Egypt, hundreds of thousands took to the streets. In Alexandria tens of thousands of protesters gathered in front of Al-Qaed Ibrahim Mosque shouting against military rule and marching towards the Northern Military Zone near Sidi Gaber. Thousands of protesters gathered on Arbaeen Square in Suez. There were demonstrations in Tanta, Mahalla al Kubra, Sohag, Ismailiya, Damanhour, in the Upper Egyptian cities of Luxor, Minya and Assiut, and on the Sinai.

Friday’s mass demonstrations were the seventh day of continuous mass protests against the junta. Protests erupted last Saturday after the notorious Amn Al Markazi (Central Security Forces) violently attacked a small sit-in on Tahrir Square. Thousands of workers and youth poured into the streets to defend the sit-in against Mubarak’s generals, who have continued the same anti-social and anti-democratic politics as the ousted dictator.

The junta has launched a brutal crackdown against protesters since Saturday, killing at least 38 and wounding several thousand. Military and Central Security Forces have shot rubber bullets, birdshots and tear gas canisters at protesters. The latest autopsy records indicate that at least 22 protesters were shot with live ammunition. There is increasing evidence that the Egyptian military is also using armored vehicles against peaceful protesters. A Youtube video shows tanks chasing protesters through the streets of Ismailiya, an industrial city on the west bank of the Suez Canal.

The crackdown is closely overseen by Washington, the main sponsor of the Egyptian military. The ammunition used to kill and wound Egyptian workers and youth is labeled “Made in USA.” After the Tuesday speech by junta leader and de facto dictator Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the US State Department cynically criticized “excessive force” used by the junta but praised Egypt’s military leaders for pledging to hold elections and supposedly hand over power to civilians before July.

For the US and the Egyptian bourgeoisie, much is at stake. The situation in Egypt is the most explosive since the revolution began on January 25. The masses are demanding the overthrow of the junta that replaced Mubarak, and they are turning against the military—the backbone of the Egyptian state, defending Egyptian capitalism and the interests of imperialism in the entire region.

The junta and its imperialist backers are insisting that the SCAF must retain power and elections must take place under their control. At a Thursday press conference in Cairo, General Mokhtar Al-Molla and General Mamdouh Shahin stated that this would be a “betrayal” of the people’s trust and insisted that they would not be dislodged by a “slogan-chanting crowd.”

The biggest political group in the country, the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood (MB), distributed leaflets at Friday prayers supporting the elections. The MB did not take part in the protests, but organized their own protest in front of al-Azhar mosque.

In the eyes of masses of protesters, the MB is deeply discredited. On Monday one of their leaders, Mohamed ElBeltagi, was thrown out of Tahrir Square when he tried to enter to calm down protesters. The MB has established close ties with the US and the junta in the recent months and is collaborating closely with them to stop the revolution.

To achieve this aim, the Egyptian ruling elite is using a double strategy. On the one hand, violence against protesters continues. On the other, SCAF issued a cynical apology on Facebook “to the families of the martyrs throughout Egypt” and is trying to stabilize the situation. On Tuesday the chief of staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Sami Anan, met with various political forces in an emergency meeting. There have also been reports that SCAF approached Mohamed ElBaradei to form a so-called national salvation government.

On Thursday, Kamal El-Ghanzouri was named prime minister and charged with forming a new government. Like his predecessor Essam Sharaf, Ghanzouri is a former Mubarak official, having served as prime minister in 1996-1999. His cabinet championed free-market policies and included many figures now in prison, like hated former interior minister Habib El-Adly.

On Friday Ghanzouri spoke at his first press conference after his appointment, indicating that the new cabinet would be not much different from the previous one, including members of the former cabinet and possibly even his predecessor Essam Sharaf. “I’m keen to have some of those ministers and some newcomers,” Ghanzouri said.

Ghanzouri also made clear in his speech that he had been given more powers than his predecessors: “The powers given to me exceed any similar mandates. I will take full authority so I can serve my country.”

This only signals that the junta and the new PM are preparing even more violence against protesters to push through the elections.

Workers and youth on Tahrir Square rejected the junta’s latest maneuver, chanting “Illegitimate, illegitimate” after hearing Ghanzouri’s speech. Some 2,000 protesters immediately started a sit-in front of the cabinet building, to keep Ghanzouri from entering.

Protester Mohammed el-Fayoumi told AP: “Not only was he prime minister under Mubarak, but also part of the old regime for a total of 18 years. Why did we have a revolution then?” Another added: “The revolution was hijacked once. We won’t let it happen again.”

US President Barack Obama declared his full support for the new government and SCAF-controlled elections, stating that the US “strongly believes that the new Egyptian government must be empowered with real authority immediately. … Egypt’s transition to democracy must continue, with elections proceeding expeditiously, and all necessary measures taken to ensure security and prevent intimidation.”

The aim of the junta, the US, and large parts of the Egyptian bourgeoisie is to hold the elections at any price on November 28 as scheduled. They hope to use these elections to legitimize the state apparatus inherited from the former Mubarak regime and to protect the wealth and property of the Egyptian ruling class and the interests of imperialism in Egypt.

White House demands that “all necessary measures” should be taken to push through the elections amount to a blank cheque for the junta and the new government to use large-scale violence against the mass protests if they do not die down before the elections on Monday.

The Egyptian revolution is again at a turning point. Workers and youth understand that the elections under military rule are a farce, and that any “elected” government would be deeply reactionary and controlled by SCAF and the US. Friday’s mass protests show again that the Egyptian masses are willing to bring down the junta through revolutionary struggle. But for these struggles to be successful, a new, socialist perspective is needed.

The whole experience of the last 10 months has shown that only a government emerging directly from the struggle of the Egyptian workers and youth—that is, a workers’ government—can achieve the social and democratic aspirations of the masses. To fight for such a government to reorganize society on a socialist basis, workers and youth must build their own independent organizations of state power. They cannot and do not want to rely on a state apparatus controlled by the junta and its imperialist backers.

The most dangerous opponents of such a struggle are so-called “left” opposition groups, like the Revolutionary Socialists (RS), the Democratic Workers Party or the Socialist Popular Alliance Party. These groups participated in the Friday protests not to fight for a socialist perspective, but to disarm the working class politically and subordinate it to one or another wing of the bourgeoisie and thus to the junta itself.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the RS demanded the “immediate handover of power to civilian revolutionary rule […] without the parties and political forces which have accepted to sit down with the killer of the revolutionaries.” This is at least unconvincing, however, as many forces tied to the RS themselves have “accepted to sit down” with the junta. On Tuesday night Abou El-Ghar of Egypt’s Social-Democratic Party felt compelled to declare himself “truly sorry for participating in the meeting with the SCAF.”

Another statement published on their website called for “the formation of a revolutionary goverment […] to manage the transition period and determine the timeline for the transition to an elected democratic government.”

According to Al Ahram, “representatives of revolutionary movements” proposed Mohamed El-Baradei on Friday evening as the head of a government of national salvation at the Cabinet offices on Kasr El-Aini Street. They would also like to see Hamdeen Sabahi, leader of the Nasserist Karama Party and former member of the Guidance Bureau of the MB, Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Futtouh, in a cabinet led by ElBaradei.

All these people are experienced bourgeois politicians and announced presidential candidates who cooperated closely with the military regime in the recent months. If the junta decides to bring such a government to power, it would be installed to defend the interests of the Egyptian ruling elite and crush the protests and strikes even more ruthlessly than the junta dares to do it now.

By Johannes Stern

26 November 2011

WSWS.org

New Delhi watches warily as Doha-based Islamist scholar-activist Yusuf al-Qaradawi emerges as peace broker

Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a Doha-based Islamist scholar who once called on his followers to back jihadist groups in Jammu and Kashmir, has emerged as a key mediator in secret talks between the U.S. and the Taliban, government sources have told The Hindu.

In 2009, Mr. al-Qaradawi had issued a fatwa, or religious edict, asserting that “the Kashmiris were properly fighting jihad against the Indian army.” The jihad was legitimate, he argued, since mujahideen groups sought to create an Islamic state. Therefore, the edict concluded, it was incumbent on all Muslims to help Kashmiris gain their “freedom from Indian aggression.”

New Delhi, Indian diplomatic sources said, has been warily watching Mr. al-Qaradawi’s emergence as peace broker — fearful that his growing influence could help regional jihadist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad find new sanctuaries in a rapidly changing West Asia or a future Afghan regime which includes the Taliban.

Earlier this month, the sources said, Mr. al-Qaradawi helped draw a road map for a deal between the Taliban and the United States, aimed at giving the superpower a face-saving political settlement ahead of its planned withdrawal from Afghanistan which is due to begin in 2014.

In return for the release of prisoners still held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, the lifting of United Nations sanctions on its leadership and its recognition as a legitimate political group, the Taliban was expected to agree to sever its links to transnational organisations like al-Qaeda, end violence and eventually share power with the Afghan government.

Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s President, recalled his country’s envoy to Qatar after The Hindu broke news that negotiations to open a Taliban office had reached an advanced stage — angered, reports said, at the prospect of a deal that would have given Taliban legitimacy at a time when hardliners in its ranks are carrying out a lethal campaign targeting regime supporters. However, Kabul on Tuesday announced it would accept a Taliban liaison office in Doha — as long as the talks were “Afghan-led.”

Evidence that hardliners have increasing influence over Taliban decision-making, intelligence sources say, has been mounting. Earlier this year, for example, Sheikh Muhammad Aminullah — who was placed on a United Nations watchlist in 2009 for aiding acts of terrorism — was given command of its Peshawar shura, or command council. Born in 1973, Mr. Aminullah represents a new generation of Taliban commanders ideologically committed to al-Qaeda’s vision.

His predecessor, Maulvi Abdul Kabir, had only a peripheral military role, and was considered a key player in secret peace talks with the Afghan government and the United States.

Islamists vs. jihadists

Egyptian-born Mr. al-Qaradawi is seen by both the United States and the Taliban traditionalists as an ally in the battle against the growing influence of this new generation of commanders. Expelled from his homeland for his Islamist views, he has emerged over the last year as ideological pole star of the Muslim Brotherhood — now West Asia’s most influential political movement.

In 1993, Mr. al-Qaradawi issued a landmark edict endorsing democratic pluralism; the Muslim Brotherhood later cast its embrace of electoral politics in Egypt and elsewhere as a form of da’wa, or proselytising missionary work. Even though Mr. al-Qaradawi said he remained committed to “the spread of Islam until it conquers the entire world,” he argued this could be achieved peacefully.

He condemned 9/11 and, in September, 2005, described the Iraqi jihadist Abu Musa’ab al-Zarqawi as a “criminal.” In a 2009 book, he defended armed jihad under specific conditions — Kashmir, Iraq and, later, Libya were among those cases he endorsed — but lashed out at al-Qaeda for a “mad declaration of war on the whole world.”

Mr. al-Qaradawi explained his logic thus to Der Spiegel: “The [Muslim Brotherhood] have tried [jihad], but [jihad] has not been helpful, and we have not gained anything out of [jihad] other than detention, suffering, and victimisation.”

The Muslim Brotherhood’s decision to embrace electoral politics incensed al-Qaeda. In 2008, al-Qaeda’s now-chief Ayman al-Zawahiri lashed out at the Muslim Brotherhood for accepting the Egyptian constitution, rather than God’s word, as a source of law — a fundamental betrayal, he claimed, of the precepts of Islam. In many countries, Brotherhood cadre clashed with salafi-jihadist groups sympathetic to al-Qaeda.

The west’s embrace of Mr. al-Qaradawi for its Afghan negotiations marks the restoration of an old, but little-known, relationship. Key Brotherhood leaders like Said Ramadan, the historian Ian Johnson has shown, were cultivated by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency for anti-communist operations —along with several central and west Asian Islamists who fought with German fascist forces against the Soviet Union in 1941-1945.

Expelled by Egypt’s socialist rulers for his neo-fundamentalist views, Dr. Ramadan received a warm reception — and a radio programme — when he landed in Pakistan in 1948.

The Pakistani-Canadian scholar Tarek Fatah said Dr. Ramadan’s work “was instrumental in turning a secular Muslim country into a hotbed of Islamic extremism.” Dr. Ramadan also visited the White House in 1953, where he met with President Dwight Eisenhower.

By Praveen Swami

29 December 2011

@ The Hindu