Monday, May 28, 2012
The Syrian Regime’s Brutality Vs. The Free World's Indifference
By Elias Bejjani*
It is a well-known scientific fact and a proven reality that animals who are carnivorous predators do not hunt and kill their prey unless they are hungry and not because they love to kill or find a pleasure in hunting. These animals do not torture their prey but kill them on the spot within few minutes.
Based on these realities it is a deadly sin and a cowardly encroachment against every and each human value, faith, covenant and principle to say that those armed murderers (the "Shabeha"-Assad's family’s armed thugs, mercenaries, professional murderers and militias) who committed the Houla massacre in Syria last Friday are acting like animals. It is not fair at all and under any given reasons or circumstances to even relate their barbaric and savage acts to animals, or otherwise we would be genuinely and purposely insulting animals.
One can't really imagine or believe that there are still human beings in this 21st century who are actually vampires and Draculas, much, much worse than what was depicted in the 1897 novel, "Count Dracula" by the Irish author, Bram Stoker. Watching this scary and disgusting amateur video will display those real and actual human vampires and Draculas in action. What a shame on the free and civilized world to watch and just do nothing to forcefully topple the Syrian dictatorship and rescue the Syrian people.
Click on the link below, sign in to prove that you are 18 or older and watch (an amateur video) what the whole world is talking about, but just talking and doing nothing except issuing comedic and ineffective denouncement releases as well as toothless and sarcastic sanctions.
http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=/watch%3Fv%3DASi9wrUJc%26feature%3Dyoutu.be
Last Friday, 110 Syrian citizens were tortured and mutilated beyond all human imagination and then they were slaughtered like sheep. This barbaric crime took place in Syria's west-central area of Houla on the hands of Al-Assad regime "Shabeha" thugs in cold blood, and with dead conscience, numbed hearts and indescribable brutality.
The victims as per UN observers' reports were 50 children, 35 women and 20 elderly men. This gruesome massacre was denounced rhetorically by the UN General Council and the majority of the countries all over the world including Canada, but sadly nothing yet has been practically done on the ground to stop the Syrian regime from murdering its own people that has been mercilessly continuing on a daily basis for the last 15 months. According to the UN, 13.000 have been killed, 50.000 detained and thousands have disappeared with no knowledge of their fate.
Even the murderers themselves, their bloody leadership and criminal allies (the Syrian regime, Iranian mullahs, the Hezbollah terrorist organization) have issued statements of denouncement stupidly alleging that the Syrian revolutionists, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have committed this horrible crime and not them.
In an evil act of humiliation to the whole world, the Al-Assad dictatorial regime with extreme insolence and audacity has announced that it is has started a massive investigation campaign and that all those accountable for the crime will be put on trial to dearly pay for their atrocities.
Meanwhile, special UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan visited Syria on Monday and met with its criminal leadership, but there was nothing he could do except count the victims, uttering empty warnings and engaging in fruitless, Babylonian and endless talks. The same inept stance also applies to the Arab League and to all the Arab countries, as well as to neighboring Turkey which has loudly voiced many threats but never yet put any of them into action.
It is worth mentioning that the brutal Syrian regime has been in power for the last 42 years with the help, support and financing of the Western world, Iran, Arab countries and Russia. It was allowed to freely occupy neighboring Lebanon for 30 years and to slaughter its people, force them to leave their country, and destroy all its institutions. It was the Syrian regime that helped Iran to form the terrorist Hezbollah armed Shiite militia and to erect its ministate. It was also the Syrian regime turned the 17 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon into ministates. Meanwhile, the majority of worldwide terrorist groups, fundamentalist Salafists and Islamists were hatched, trained, used and exported by the notorious Stalinist and Nazi Syrian Secret Intelligence bodies.
It is time for the UN, Free World and Arab countries to speak about "force" and military intervention, the only language that Al-Assad and his thugs will understand and respond to. Force MUST be utilized sooner and not later to topple the brutal Syrian regime and rescue the victimized Syrian people as was the situation with Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, etc. Meanwhile, it doesn’t matter who is going to rule Syria after the Al -Assad era is over because in reality nothing could be worse than this Stone Age dictatorship.
In conclusion, there will be no peace in the Middle East and a reasonable and acceptable long-lasting solution for the Arab-Israeli conflict unless the Syrian butchering regime is toppled, as well as all the other dictatorships in the region which survive on hostility, enmity, hatred and fanaticism
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com/ & http://www.clhrf.com/
*Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Mr. Nousir Al Assad Lebanon And The Patritic Lebanese Will Miss you
Mr. Nousir Al Assad Lebanon And The Patritic Lebanese Will Miss you
Elias Bejjani/May Almighty God Bless the Soul of the Lebanese great Patriotic Journalist and thinker Mr. Nousir Al Assad who passed away last night. He was a great man and a genuine real patriotic and courageous Lebanese who strongly believed in a free, multi-cultural, united, democratic, independent and sovereign Lebanon. Lebanon and the Lebanese will miss him. I offer my deepest heartily felt condolences to his family and to the Cedar Revolution.
الرب أعطا والرب أخذ فليكن اسم الرب مباركاً
الياس بجاني/27 أيار/12/أتقدم من عائلة الكبير الصحافي نصير الأسعد بأحر التعازي القلبية واصلي للرب خاشعاً من أجل أن تكون روحه الطاهرة في فسيح جناته إلى جانب البررة والقديسين. خسار الأستاذ نصير الأسعد كبيرة للبنان ولثورة الأرز وللأحرار والسياديين فالرجل كان نموذجاً اعلامياً يقتدى به في المحبة وقبول الأخر والإنفتاح والوطنية والشجاعة والشهادة للحق وحب لبنان وهو رفض دائما إلا أن يكون لبنانياً لكل اللبنانيين ورافضاً بقوة لكل الدويلات والأصولية ومؤيدأ كبيراً للبنان الحر والسيد والمستقل والرسالة. رحمه الله
Elias Bejjani/May Almighty God Bless the Soul of the Lebanese great Patriotic Journalist and thinker Mr. Nousir Al Assad who passed away last night. He was a great man and a genuine real patriotic and courageous Lebanese who strongly believed in a free, multi-cultural, united, democratic, independent and sovereign Lebanon. Lebanon and the Lebanese will miss him. I offer my deepest heartily felt condolences to his family and to the Cedar Revolution.
الرب أعطا والرب أخذ فليكن اسم الرب مباركاً
الياس بجاني/27 أيار/12/أتقدم من عائلة الكبير الصحافي نصير الأسعد بأحر التعازي القلبية واصلي للرب خاشعاً من أجل أن تكون روحه الطاهرة في فسيح جناته إلى جانب البررة والقديسين. خسار الأستاذ نصير الأسعد كبيرة للبنان ولثورة الأرز وللأحرار والسياديين فالرجل كان نموذجاً اعلامياً يقتدى به في المحبة وقبول الأخر والإنفتاح والوطنية والشجاعة والشهادة للحق وحب لبنان وهو رفض دائما إلا أن يكون لبنانياً لكل اللبنانيين ورافضاً بقوة لكل الدويلات والأصولية ومؤيدأ كبيراً للبنان الحر والسيد والمستقل والرسالة. رحمه الله
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
12 years after Israel’s withdrawal from south Lebanon
12 years after Israel’s withdrawal from south Lebanon
By: Elias Bejjani and Charbel Barakat
There is no question that the withdrawal of a foreign army from any country should be hailed with a sense of relief and joy; even if it was an ally its withdrawal indicates that the country is self-governing and is capable of defending itself independently.
Meanwhile, the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon on May 23/2000 was not hailed by our people, because practically it was the beginning of a new tragedy that was added to the many Lebanese tragedies. Why was there this bitter feeling and why is it still painful after 10 years?
The other question is why our people who are patriotic and adore their land have decided at that time to leave their beloved country and go into exile in neighbouring Israel? Did they actually follow the withdrawing Israeli army?
The intention of this editorial is not to delve into many analyses, but to summarize the actual reasons that made our people hastily cross the border and seek refuge in Israel:
1-At that time Lebanon was still under the oppressive Syrian occupation and its mere decision making process was fully controlled by Syria, the occupier.
2- Hezbollah, an armed militia, which is totally affiliated to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was in control of Lebanon's Shiite communities culturally, ideologically, militarily and economically, especially in numerous parts of the south.
3- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stationed in south Lebanon failed in their duty of reassuring the citizens of their safety, did not show any interest in the outcome of the Israeli withdrawal, did not negotiate with the southern citizens in the absence of the Lebanese authorities or even ask for their opinion or protect them.
While Israel was logistically preparing for the withdrawal, Hezbollah waged a merciless and savage media campaign against the southern Lebanese citizens. The campaign was aired publicly on all local and international TV channels and radio stations. The most frightening threats were uttered personally by Hezbollah's Secretary General, Sheik Nasrallah, who savagely said, �We will enter their bedrooms, pierce their stomachs, slaughter them and slice their throats.
But Nasrallah’s threats did not frighten the South Lebanon Army (SLA), on the contrary this rhetoric was ridiculed on May 18/2000, six days before the Israeli withdrawal, when the Hezbollah militia tried to overcome and control one of the SLA posts at the "Hamra Bridge". The attack failed badly and Hezbollah suffered huge losses.
Facing this disastrous milieu and all the other uncertainties, southern citizens were left with two bitter options: to militarily defend their land, engage with Hezbollah and repeat the status that prevailed before 1978; or to succumb to Hezbollah, surrender their weapons and live under its authority. Encountering this dilemma, they decided to avoid more Lebanese bloodshed and to leave Lebanon, the country that they cherished, without a fight and take refuge in Israel.
As a result of the Israeli withdrawal, there has been an enormous global escalation of terrorism not only in the Middle East, but in many other countries. Progress of peace efforts suffered a remarkable setback and worldwide violence prevailed leading to the 9/11 attacks and to subsequent acts of terrorism throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
The Free World countries responded by waging a massive global military anti-terrorism campaign that primarily focused on both Iraq and Afghanistan. Subsequently, the international community tried to amend the fatal mistakes that were committed in Lebanon and issued UN Security Council Resolution 1559 that addressed three important issues:
1-Syrian occupation: It called for the immediate withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon.
2-Weapons of terrorism: It called for the disarming of all militias, and in particular, of Hezbollah.
3- Safeguarding Lebanon's democratic system: It called for free parliamentary elections without Syrian interference.
UN Resolution 1559 provided the Lebanese people with the incentives to take action. Accordingly, the Cedar Revolution emerged and the Lebanese people by the hundreds of thousands peacefully took to the streets forcing the withdrawal of the Syrian army.
Unfortunately, this revolution did not finish the job, which gave Hezbollah the route to brazenly escape and instigate a war with Israel in 2006. Sadly, due to the Lebanese authorities’ and politicians’ hesitation, poor judgment and lack of courage, they did not fully utilize the available circumstances to finish off the Hezbollah phenomenon. Instead Hezbollah besieged the government's headquarters, alleged a divine victory on Israel in the 2006 war, and on May 07 and 11/2008, invaded the western section of the capital Beirut and attempted to conquer the Shouf Mountain, enforcing a new national balance equation in a bid to abort the Cedar Revolution and circumvent and cripple UN Resolution 1559.
http://www.clhrf.com/un%20documents/1559.english1.htm
The Iranian endeavours for not allowing the disarmament of Hezbollah unveiled the actual elements of her plot:
1-A well set plan to expand Iran's hegemony on the whole Middle East.
2-The establishment of a military base In Eretria and Yemen.
3-The mobilization of the Shiite Houthis tribes on the Saudi -Yemeni border.
4-Supporting and instigation of instability in neighbouring Iraq.
5-The formation of numerous sleeping militant cells among the Shiite Arabian Gulf countries' communities.
6-Keeping Egypt unfocused on the actual Iranian scheme through instigation of strife between Egypt and other African countries that share the Nile River.
7- Playing with and tickling Muslims’ emotions and instigating religious fanaticism to fight Israel through Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
At the same time, Iran has been working day and night to become a nuclear power and possess a nuclear weapon that is intended to be used for intimidating the Middle East countries, control their resources and wealth and have a monopoly on the region's fate and decisions.
Hezbollah is pivotal for all of the above Iranian schemes and a primary source of manpower. Its militant members who number in the tens of thousands speak the Arabic language, are ideologically and religiously well prepared, and more than ready to carry out missions in any country as instructed.
There is no doubt that the current situation in the whole Middle East in general, and in Israel and Lebanon in particular, is much worse from the day the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon was implemented 10 years ago. The Iranian danger to both Israel and Lebanon is escalating. Lebanon did not enjoy any kind of stability despite the UN Resolutions, the bitter events' experience, the great sacrifices and the presence of new players (powers) on its arena.
Sadly, Lebanon is now living a repeat of same ghastly milieu that prevailed in 1982: tension, instability, chaos, and forced absence of any input on what goes on its land. The war-peace decision making process is again in the hands of Syria and Iran, while weapons of all kinds are smuggled to Hezbollah and to other Lebanese - Palestinian armed terrorist groups via Syria without any kind of control or impunity.
Based on all of the above, we request:
1- Lebanese officials to be prudent, patient, thoughtful and not to fall prey to the axis of evil’s schemes, terrorism, fanaticism, violence, intimidation, and whims of sabotage. Their patriotic duties and obligations as responsible Lebanese officials and leaders are to help in making Lebanon a country of peace, prosperity, freedom and stability in the region and not to be an arena and battlefield for Iran, Syria and their armed proxies. They must be aware that for the past 30 years, our Lebanese people have endured much more than they can tolerate, and as the saying goes: "He who does not learn from the past cannot make the future."
2- The Cedar Revolution’s masses to hold dearly to their solid faith in a free, sovereign and independent Lebanon that should not under any circumstances be an aggressor, but a peace maker and an advocate for human rights and democracy. We encourage the masses to actively help in preserving the historic Lebanese role in hailing the right of all countries and people in the region to live freely without any kind of oppression. Lebanon's mission and message are to protect the weak and the oppressed and not to hail the conceited and arrogant.
3- Neighbouring Syria to overcome its ongoing expansionism schemes and accept once and forever the reality that Lebanon is an independent and sovereign country and not a Syrian territory or satellite. Accordingly, the joint borders must be patrolled and all kinds of infiltration and smuggling permanently stopped.
4- Israel to re-evaluate the achievements and setbacks of her withdrawal decision; meanwhile, We agree fully with Moshe Arens's analysis of May 17/10, which stated: "Chief among the assumptions underlying the decision to withdraw unilaterally was that once Hezbollah had achieved its stated goal of freeing southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation, it would restrict its activities to the Lebanese political arena and abandon further military operations against Israel. Secondly, should Hezbollah, nevertheless, continue military actions against Israeli targets after the withdrawal, Israel believed it would then be free to respond with drastic military actions that would dissuade Hezbollah from engaging in further military activities against Israel. Well, wrong on both counts. After the Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah not only did not disband its militia but intensively armed itself, including the acquisition of large numbers of long-range rockets, and developed from a guerrilla band into a well-trained and -equipped military force."
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/withdrawal-right-for-the-wrong-reasons-1.290772
5-The Free World and Arab countries to completely support a free and democratic Lebanon and take a courageous stance in this regard before it is too late. A regime in Lebanon fully under the direct control of Syria or Iran or through their armed proxies is a dire threat to peace and stability to not only the Middle East but to the whole world.
6- Our people, the southern Lebanese citizens, who have been living a forced exile in Israel since May 2000 to remain as tall as Lebanon's Holy Cedars. They should know that the free Lebanese people hail their heroism, courage, peaceful inclinations, acceptance of others, tolerance, patriotism, sacrifices, love of their homeland and deeply rooted faith. We know that they have proudly, honourably and courageously defended their beloved land and rights and never attacked others. We assure them that Lebanon won’t have long lasting stability until their honoured and dignified unconditional return is achieved.
Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
*LCCC Face Book http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
Charbel Barakat
*Retired Lebanese army officer
*Renowned worldwide expert on terrorism.
*Human Rights Activist
*Author, analyst & political commentator
*Colonel Charbel Baraket's full English text testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Near Eastern & South Asian Affairs Subcommittee/14/6/2000/
http://www.10452lccc.com/special%20studies/barakatjune2000.htm
*Colonel Charbel Baraket's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Near Eastern & South Asian Affairs Subcommittee June 7/1997/
http://www.10452lccc.com/barakat/barakat.june.97.teste.htm
N.B: This study was first published on 23.05.10/Minor changes were made on this version for updating the dates
By: Elias Bejjani and Charbel Barakat
There is no question that the withdrawal of a foreign army from any country should be hailed with a sense of relief and joy; even if it was an ally its withdrawal indicates that the country is self-governing and is capable of defending itself independently.
Meanwhile, the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon on May 23/2000 was not hailed by our people, because practically it was the beginning of a new tragedy that was added to the many Lebanese tragedies. Why was there this bitter feeling and why is it still painful after 10 years?
The other question is why our people who are patriotic and adore their land have decided at that time to leave their beloved country and go into exile in neighbouring Israel? Did they actually follow the withdrawing Israeli army?
The intention of this editorial is not to delve into many analyses, but to summarize the actual reasons that made our people hastily cross the border and seek refuge in Israel:
1-At that time Lebanon was still under the oppressive Syrian occupation and its mere decision making process was fully controlled by Syria, the occupier.
2- Hezbollah, an armed militia, which is totally affiliated to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was in control of Lebanon's Shiite communities culturally, ideologically, militarily and economically, especially in numerous parts of the south.
3- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stationed in south Lebanon failed in their duty of reassuring the citizens of their safety, did not show any interest in the outcome of the Israeli withdrawal, did not negotiate with the southern citizens in the absence of the Lebanese authorities or even ask for their opinion or protect them.
While Israel was logistically preparing for the withdrawal, Hezbollah waged a merciless and savage media campaign against the southern Lebanese citizens. The campaign was aired publicly on all local and international TV channels and radio stations. The most frightening threats were uttered personally by Hezbollah's Secretary General, Sheik Nasrallah, who savagely said, �We will enter their bedrooms, pierce their stomachs, slaughter them and slice their throats.
But Nasrallah’s threats did not frighten the South Lebanon Army (SLA), on the contrary this rhetoric was ridiculed on May 18/2000, six days before the Israeli withdrawal, when the Hezbollah militia tried to overcome and control one of the SLA posts at the "Hamra Bridge". The attack failed badly and Hezbollah suffered huge losses.
Facing this disastrous milieu and all the other uncertainties, southern citizens were left with two bitter options: to militarily defend their land, engage with Hezbollah and repeat the status that prevailed before 1978; or to succumb to Hezbollah, surrender their weapons and live under its authority. Encountering this dilemma, they decided to avoid more Lebanese bloodshed and to leave Lebanon, the country that they cherished, without a fight and take refuge in Israel.
As a result of the Israeli withdrawal, there has been an enormous global escalation of terrorism not only in the Middle East, but in many other countries. Progress of peace efforts suffered a remarkable setback and worldwide violence prevailed leading to the 9/11 attacks and to subsequent acts of terrorism throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
The Free World countries responded by waging a massive global military anti-terrorism campaign that primarily focused on both Iraq and Afghanistan. Subsequently, the international community tried to amend the fatal mistakes that were committed in Lebanon and issued UN Security Council Resolution 1559 that addressed three important issues:
1-Syrian occupation: It called for the immediate withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon.
2-Weapons of terrorism: It called for the disarming of all militias, and in particular, of Hezbollah.
3- Safeguarding Lebanon's democratic system: It called for free parliamentary elections without Syrian interference.
UN Resolution 1559 provided the Lebanese people with the incentives to take action. Accordingly, the Cedar Revolution emerged and the Lebanese people by the hundreds of thousands peacefully took to the streets forcing the withdrawal of the Syrian army.
Unfortunately, this revolution did not finish the job, which gave Hezbollah the route to brazenly escape and instigate a war with Israel in 2006. Sadly, due to the Lebanese authorities’ and politicians’ hesitation, poor judgment and lack of courage, they did not fully utilize the available circumstances to finish off the Hezbollah phenomenon. Instead Hezbollah besieged the government's headquarters, alleged a divine victory on Israel in the 2006 war, and on May 07 and 11/2008, invaded the western section of the capital Beirut and attempted to conquer the Shouf Mountain, enforcing a new national balance equation in a bid to abort the Cedar Revolution and circumvent and cripple UN Resolution 1559.
http://www.clhrf.com/un%20documents/1559.english1.htm
The Iranian endeavours for not allowing the disarmament of Hezbollah unveiled the actual elements of her plot:
1-A well set plan to expand Iran's hegemony on the whole Middle East.
2-The establishment of a military base In Eretria and Yemen.
3-The mobilization of the Shiite Houthis tribes on the Saudi -Yemeni border.
4-Supporting and instigation of instability in neighbouring Iraq.
5-The formation of numerous sleeping militant cells among the Shiite Arabian Gulf countries' communities.
6-Keeping Egypt unfocused on the actual Iranian scheme through instigation of strife between Egypt and other African countries that share the Nile River.
7- Playing with and tickling Muslims’ emotions and instigating religious fanaticism to fight Israel through Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
At the same time, Iran has been working day and night to become a nuclear power and possess a nuclear weapon that is intended to be used for intimidating the Middle East countries, control their resources and wealth and have a monopoly on the region's fate and decisions.
Hezbollah is pivotal for all of the above Iranian schemes and a primary source of manpower. Its militant members who number in the tens of thousands speak the Arabic language, are ideologically and religiously well prepared, and more than ready to carry out missions in any country as instructed.
There is no doubt that the current situation in the whole Middle East in general, and in Israel and Lebanon in particular, is much worse from the day the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon was implemented 10 years ago. The Iranian danger to both Israel and Lebanon is escalating. Lebanon did not enjoy any kind of stability despite the UN Resolutions, the bitter events' experience, the great sacrifices and the presence of new players (powers) on its arena.
Sadly, Lebanon is now living a repeat of same ghastly milieu that prevailed in 1982: tension, instability, chaos, and forced absence of any input on what goes on its land. The war-peace decision making process is again in the hands of Syria and Iran, while weapons of all kinds are smuggled to Hezbollah and to other Lebanese - Palestinian armed terrorist groups via Syria without any kind of control or impunity.
Based on all of the above, we request:
1- Lebanese officials to be prudent, patient, thoughtful and not to fall prey to the axis of evil’s schemes, terrorism, fanaticism, violence, intimidation, and whims of sabotage. Their patriotic duties and obligations as responsible Lebanese officials and leaders are to help in making Lebanon a country of peace, prosperity, freedom and stability in the region and not to be an arena and battlefield for Iran, Syria and their armed proxies. They must be aware that for the past 30 years, our Lebanese people have endured much more than they can tolerate, and as the saying goes: "He who does not learn from the past cannot make the future."
2- The Cedar Revolution’s masses to hold dearly to their solid faith in a free, sovereign and independent Lebanon that should not under any circumstances be an aggressor, but a peace maker and an advocate for human rights and democracy. We encourage the masses to actively help in preserving the historic Lebanese role in hailing the right of all countries and people in the region to live freely without any kind of oppression. Lebanon's mission and message are to protect the weak and the oppressed and not to hail the conceited and arrogant.
3- Neighbouring Syria to overcome its ongoing expansionism schemes and accept once and forever the reality that Lebanon is an independent and sovereign country and not a Syrian territory or satellite. Accordingly, the joint borders must be patrolled and all kinds of infiltration and smuggling permanently stopped.
4- Israel to re-evaluate the achievements and setbacks of her withdrawal decision; meanwhile, We agree fully with Moshe Arens's analysis of May 17/10, which stated: "Chief among the assumptions underlying the decision to withdraw unilaterally was that once Hezbollah had achieved its stated goal of freeing southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation, it would restrict its activities to the Lebanese political arena and abandon further military operations against Israel. Secondly, should Hezbollah, nevertheless, continue military actions against Israeli targets after the withdrawal, Israel believed it would then be free to respond with drastic military actions that would dissuade Hezbollah from engaging in further military activities against Israel. Well, wrong on both counts. After the Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah not only did not disband its militia but intensively armed itself, including the acquisition of large numbers of long-range rockets, and developed from a guerrilla band into a well-trained and -equipped military force."
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/withdrawal-right-for-the-wrong-reasons-1.290772
5-The Free World and Arab countries to completely support a free and democratic Lebanon and take a courageous stance in this regard before it is too late. A regime in Lebanon fully under the direct control of Syria or Iran or through their armed proxies is a dire threat to peace and stability to not only the Middle East but to the whole world.
6- Our people, the southern Lebanese citizens, who have been living a forced exile in Israel since May 2000 to remain as tall as Lebanon's Holy Cedars. They should know that the free Lebanese people hail their heroism, courage, peaceful inclinations, acceptance of others, tolerance, patriotism, sacrifices, love of their homeland and deeply rooted faith. We know that they have proudly, honourably and courageously defended their beloved land and rights and never attacked others. We assure them that Lebanon won’t have long lasting stability until their honoured and dignified unconditional return is achieved.
Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
*LCCC Face Book http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
Charbel Barakat
*Retired Lebanese army officer
*Renowned worldwide expert on terrorism.
*Human Rights Activist
*Author, analyst & political commentator
*Colonel Charbel Baraket's full English text testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Near Eastern & South Asian Affairs Subcommittee/14/6/2000/
http://www.10452lccc.com/special%20studies/barakatjune2000.htm
*Colonel Charbel Baraket's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Near Eastern & South Asian Affairs Subcommittee June 7/1997/
http://www.10452lccc.com/barakat/barakat.june.97.teste.htm
N.B: This study was first published on 23.05.10/Minor changes were made on this version for updating the dates
Sunday, May 20, 2012
ضرورة تولي المحكمة الدولية الخاصة بلبنان ملف جريمة مقتل الشيخ عبد الواحد ومرافقه/الياس بجاني/20 أيار/12
ضرورة تولي المحكمة الدولية الخاصة بلبنان ملف جريمة مقتل الشيخ عبد الواحد ومرافقه
بقلم/الياس بجاني*
المنسقية العامة للمؤسسات اللبنانية الكندية
من كندا ندين ونستنكر بشدة مقتل الشيخ أحمد عبد الواحد ومرافقه محمد حسين مرعب على حاجز للجيش اللبناني اليوم في بلدة الكويخات – عكار في ظروف يكتنفها الكثير من الشكوك والغموض والريبة، في حين تعددت وتنوعت الاتهامات والروايات والأسباب، وكثرت البيانات الإنشائية والخشبية والبابلية والذمية التي لا تعالج لب المشكلة ولا تسمي الجهات التي تسببت بوقوع هذا الحادث الخطير جداً.
ولأن القضاء اللبناني معطل ومسيس وغير حر،
ولأن الدولة اللبنانية محتلة على كافة الصعد وفاقدة لاستقلالية قرارها وتابعة ومرتهنة بحكامها ومسؤوليها ومؤسساتها لميزاجية وإجرام وأطماع وحقد أباطرة دولتي محور الشر، سورية وإيران، ولمنظماتهما اللبنانية والفلسطينية الميليشياوية والإرهابية والأصولية المحلية من مثل حزب الله وغيره، ولأن لبنان المحتل لم يتمكن من التعاطي بجدية وحرية وعدل مع كل ملفات جرائم الاغتيال ومحاولات الاغتيال التي استهدفت قادة ومفكرين وناشطين سياديين أقله منذ العام 2005، وعددها يزيد عن 27 قضية بقيت دون معرفة هوية القتلة،إنه وبناءً على كل هذه المعوقات القانونية والأمنية والإرهابية وغيرها الكثير الناتجة كلها عن استمرار احتلال لبنان سوريا وإيرانياً نطالب مجلس الأمن الدولي أن يتخطى دولة لبنان المحتلة والفاقدة لقرارها ويتدخل فوراً لضم هذه الجريمة إلى ملف المحكمة الدولية الخاصة بلبنان الواقعة قانوناً تحت البند السابع واستلام الملف وعدم ترك القضاء اللبناني غير الحر أن يتولى التحقيق فيه. نتقدم بأحر التعازي القلبية من أهل الشيخ أحمد عبد الواحد ومرافقه محمد حسين مرعب وأهل البيرة ومن عموم أهالي عكار والشمال ونحثهم على ضرورة التعالي فوق الجراح وعدم الوقوع في فخاخ تُنصب لمنطقتهم تحديداً ولكل لبنان عموماً هدفها إشعال فتنة غير موجودة إلا في رؤوس حكام سوريا وإيران وعصابات مرتزقتهما المحلين الذين اعتادوا اللعب على التوازنات اللبنانية بغية تقديم أوراق اعتماد إلى المجتمع الدولي تساعد النظام الأسدي البعثي المتهاوي على إطالة عمره وتصويره باطلاً بحامي الأقليات ودول الشرق الأوسط من تمدد القاعدة وباقي المنظمات الجهادية والإرهابية.
معلق سياسي وناشط لبناني اغترابي
البريد الالكتروني Phoenicia@hotmail.com
الموقع الالكتروني http://www.10452lccc.com
تورنتو/كندا في 20 أيار/2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
To Destroy a Nation, Destroy Its Families' Code Of Respect
By: Elias Bejjani
May 10/2012
Lebanese proverb: "If you do not have an elderly figure in your house to bless you, go and search for one"
How true is this saying, because there will be no value, or meaning for our lives if not blessed and flavored by the wisdom, love and blessings of our parents and of other elder members in our families. He who does not honor the elderly in his family, especially his own parents is a person with a hardened heart, numbed conscience, no faith, no self respect and no gratitude.
History teaches us that the easiest route for destroying a nation is to destroy, its cornerstone, the family. Once the family code of respect is belittled and not honored, the family is divided and loses all its Godly blessings. "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls" (Luke 11-17"
One very important concept and an extremely wise approach MUST apply and prevail when reading the Holy Bible in a bid to understand its contents and observe the Godly instructions and life guidelines that are enlisted. The concept needs to be a faith one with an open frame of mind free from doubts, questioning and challenges.
Meanwhile the approach and interpretation MUST both be kept within the abstract manner, thinking and mentality frame, and not in the concrete way of thinking and interpretation.
We read in (Matthew 15/04: "For God said, Respect your father and your mother, and If you curse your father or your mother, you are to be put to death).
Do we have to read this verse concretely and take it merely in its verbatim content?
I posted this verse in both English and Arabic on my Face Book page and the kind of comments that it generated shocked me. Below are three of these comments:
1-"I pray that this does not apply to teenagers?"
2-"Who else would it apply to? From teenagers to adults to parents...Until their own parents die; then they weep and wail"
3- "Thank goodness because I think we would all be dead if it applied to teenagers at some point, just learning about the "teenage years" with my oldest"
This verse simply dwells on The Fifth Biblical Commandment: "Honor your Father and Mother". To grasp its meaning rightfully and put it in its right faith content one should understand that death in the Bible is not the death of the body as we experience and see on earth. DEATH in the Bible means the SIN that leads to eternal anguish in Hell.
The Bible teaches us that through His crucifixion, death and resurrection Jesus defeated death in its ancient human, earthly concept. He broke the death thorn and since than, the actual death became the sin. Those who commit the sin die and on the judgment day are outcast to the eternal fire. Death for the believers is a temporary sleep on the hope of resurrection.
Accordingly the verse "If you curse your father or your mother, you are to be put to death", means that those who do not honor their parents, help, support and respect them commit a deadly sin and God on the Judgment Day will make them accountable if they do not repent and honor their parents.
God is a Father, a loving, passionate and caring One, and in this context He made the honoring of parents one of the Ten Commandments.
Below are three Biblical verses that dwell on the Fifth Commandment
1-“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)
2-“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 5:16)
3-“You shall each revere your mother and father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:3)
In conclusion: The abstract and faith interpretation of Matthew 15/04 verse must not be related to children or teenagers who because of an age and maturity factors might temporarily repel against their parents and disobey them.
Hopefully, each and every one of us, no matter what religion or denomination he/she is affiliated to will never ever ignore his parents and commit the deadly SIN of not honoring them through every way and mean especially when they are old and unable to take care of themselves.
Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/
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