Not supporting the Lebanese Army is akin to supporting Iran and Hezbollah

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 washingtonexaminer.com -- As we mourn the loss of Maronite Patriarch Emeritus Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, we are reminded of his legacy of being a courageous defender of the sovereignty of Lebanon in the face of Syrian occupation. It is striking that he passed at a moment when tensions between Iran and the United States are running high and threaten to drag Lebanon into an unwanted conflict. Lebanon is a unique experiment in religious pluralism with religious freedom, freedom of the press, and a rich Christian history. Entangling foreign influence jeopardizes Lebanon’s sovereignty and causes instability, which could wreck Lebanon’s multiconfessional society. The only institution with the strength to defend Lebanese sovereignty is the Lebanese Armed Forces. U.S. support for the LAF is crucial to the role they play in providing stability and displacing other armed groups within Lebanon. With Congress in the throes of appropriation season, now is the time to consider what more we can do to strengthen the LAF as part of U.S. policy to counter destabilizing foreign influence and maintaining religious pluralism in Lebanon.

Lebanon, historically the heart of Christianity in the Middle East, is the last safe haven for Christians in the region. The current Lebanese political system, where Christians hold the presidency and half of the Parliament, is the only one in the Middle East where all religious sects share a delicate balance of political power. Iran, through its proxy Hezbollah, is positioning itself to force a realignment of power, by which Christians would lose their 50% share. If such a scenario were to be realized, it would result in a mass exodus of Christians from Lebanon. Given Iran’s growing presence in Syria and Iran's increasing influence in Iraq through proxy militias in Christian areas, Lebanon would become the final domino to fall in Iran’s Shia Crescent, granting it access to the Mediterranean and Israel’s border. Should Iran draw Lebanon into a regional conflict or indirectly take control of the government, the Christian community would suffer irreversible and fatal consequences.

Thankfully, Lebanon is not yet a proxy state of Iran, and Hezbollah is far from controlling the government, only holding one major ministry: the Ministry of Health. Lebanon’s legitimate security institution, the LAF, can be used to weaken Hezbollah from within, by depriving the terrorist organization of its mandate to protect the southern border and by unquestionably displacing Hezbollah in domestic security. For over 10 years, the U.S. has invested in making the LAF a professional fighting force. Now, U.S. security assistance should focus on giving the LAF the distinct and prohibitive competitive advantage over Hezbollah. This is the best way to declaw Hezbollah from within and to avoid a conflict, internal or external, that would cause unspeakable human suffering on all sides. In addition, the LAF has to maintain and increase its vigilance against other destabilizing armed threats, such as the many Palestinian armed factions and the infiltration of ISIS through the enormous 1.5 million displaced Syrians in Lebanon, creating a fertile ground for terrorist groups. The examples of terrorists sprouting from camps are numerous, such as Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, and consistently increasing. Lebanon must also secure its porous border with Syria, over which fighters and weapons cross almost unchecked.

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North Korea executes 5 officials over failed Kim-Trump summit: South Korean media

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President Trump meeting with Kim Yong Chol this past January 18 in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead, File)

by foxnews.com --North Korea has executed five officials for their part in the failed second summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to a South Korean newspaper. Citing the newspaper, Bloomberg News reported that Kim Hyok Chol, North Korea's special envoy to the U.S., and four other North Korean Foreign Ministry officials were executed in March because of the breakdown of the February summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Trump’s much-anticipated summit with Kim ended abruptly and without the two leaders signing any agreements over nuclear disarmament. Top Kim aide Kim Yong Chol is reportedly undergoing hard labor for his role in the breakdown. He had been Kim’s most trusted policy adviser and was removed from one of his posts. He even was seen in photos with President Trump at the White House over the past year, delivering letters from the North Korean dictator. Kim Yong Chol has been North Korea’s top nuclear negotiator and the counterpart of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo since Kim entered nuclear talks with the U.S. early last year.

Former Lebanese prisoners and families demand justice for jail time in Syria

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By Zeina Antonios and Leila Molana-Allen report -- In Syria, we often hear about opponents of the Assad regime who have been behind bars since the beginning of the country's civil war. But another group of detainees remain surrounded in secrecy. There are more than 600 Lebanese citizens still in detention in Syria, after being imprisoned by Damascus during neighbouring Lebanon's civil war. In some cases, their families are still waiting for news after more than twenty years.

Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji is the French Jasmine in new 'Aladdin' film

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by Nyree McFarlane --thenational.ae -- Lebanese soprano Hiba Tawaji, 31, found fame four years ago via the French version of talent quest, The Voice, and her latest career milestone also comes out of France. The Arabic singer is the voice of Princess Jasmine in the French version of Disney's new film Aladdin. She sang Parler (Speechless) and Ce Reve Bleu at the Paris premiere last week, and sings all of the numbers performed by Princess Jasmine in the film, which is dubbed into French for release in theatres in the French-speaking world. It is common for films to be dubbed into French in France, rather than played in cinemas with subtitles. After Tawaji announced that she was the voice of French Jasmine, she was congratulated by many of her Lebanese fans on social media, with one suggesting there should be an Arabic language dub of the film and songs too.

We spoke to Tawaji at the Mawazine Festival in Morocco last year, and she told us that she was avoiding going down the radio-friendly Arabic pop route, and wanted to stick to her more classical, east-meets-west style: “The crowds coming to my shows are growing, which is great considering I have been doing this now for ten years. But ultimately, I have come to view success not just as numbers, but to stay true to myself and not compare myself to anyone. I have my own path and I intend to take it.” Tawaji is well known in the Arabic speaking world for her many collaborations with composer Oussama Rahbani (the son of Mansour). The pair have made two albums together, and she is often the lead singer and actor in his musicals.

Lebanese cabinet finalises draft budget to cut deficit, hopes to avert crisis

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by By Tom Perry and Ellen Francis -- BEIRUT, (Reuters) - The heavily indebted Lebanese government approved a draft budget to cut its large deficit on Friday, aiming to ward off a financial crisis which top leaders have warned is bearing down on the country unless it carries out reforms. The draft 2019 budget, which will cut the deficit to 7.5% of GDP from 11.5% in 2018, is seen as a critical test of the government’s will to launch reforms that have been put off for years by a state riddled with corruption and waste. Lebanon’s bloated public sector is its biggest expense, followed by the cost of servicing a public debt equal to some 150% of GDP, one of the world’s heaviest debt burdens. The budget could help unlock some $11 billion in financing pledged at a Paris donors’ conference last year for infrastructure investment, if it wins the approval of donor countries and institutions. “Now, praise God, we are done. The budget is complete,” Information Minister Jamal Jarrah said after a cabinet session. One more meeting to seal the process will be held at the presidential palace on Monday before the draft is referred to parliament for approval.

Fears the budget would lead to cuts to state salaries, pensions or benefits triggered weeks of strikes and protests by public sector workers and military veterans. Measures to rein in the public sector wage bill include a three-year freeze in all types of state hiring and a cap on extra-salary bonuses. State pension will also be taxed. However a temporary public sector salary cut mooted by some early in the process was not included. A big chunk of the deficit cut stems from tax increases including a 2% import tax and a hike in tax on interest payments. The government also plans to cut some $660 million from the debt servicing bill by issuing treasury bonds at 1% interest rate to the Lebanese banking sector.

“THE JURY’S STILL OUT”

The final cabinet approval had been obstructed by a dispute over whether more needed to be done to bring the deficit lower. But Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, speaking to local media, said “all the clauses and articles” had been agreed. Nobody had raised any objections when Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said “we are done” at the end of the session, he added. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, who had been demanding further debate, signalled no objection to the cabinet decision. “We have started along the path of controlling the deficit and reducing it and we will continue through subsequent budgets,” Al-Jadeed television quoted him saying.

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Iraqi Christians need urgent aid, archbishop tells Britain’s foreign secretary

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by John Pontifex -- catholicherald.co.uk --Archbishop Warda says that, with the exception of Hungary, Western governments have failed to help An Iraqi Church leader has met Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and called on the Government to provide urgent help to prevent persecuted minority faith groups from dying out in their ancient homelands. At meetings in London on Tuesday, Catholic Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil appealed to the UK Government to provide direct aid to Christians and others who have suffered genocide in Iraq

The archbishop, who also met Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, went on to ask the UK to apply diplomatic pressure to the Government of Iraq to improve security and end institutionalised discrimination against Christians and other minorities. Later that day, at a meeting in the House of Commons organised by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the archbishop said UK “engagement” was vital if his people are to recover from “one of the darkest moments in our long history”. He thanked the Mr Hunt for conducting a global review into the persecution of Christians, saying he was “shocked and delighted” when he heard the news about the initiative, which he described as “unprecedented”.

Christians in Iraq numbered more than 1.5 million before 2003 and latest reports say that, following the ISIS genocide in 2014-17, Christians are now down to well below 150,000. Archbishop Warda said that during their occupation of ancient Christian villages in the Nineveh plains ISIS militants came close to destroying “the beating heart of our community”. He said that, with notable exception of Hungary, Western governments had failed to match words of sympathy with action and reported slow progress in the task of rebuilding schools and medical care, and declining security. In the meeting, which was co-chaired by MPs Chris Green and Mike Kane, Archbishop Warda said: “Rebuilding infrastructure is urgently needed but the government in Iraq has said it has no money. They have told us ‘You will have to rely on your friends’. But this surely should be the task of government.” He said that, with most governments failing to help, his community had been largely reliant on support from Church organisations, praising ACN. He said: “When Daesh [ISIS] invaded, our people left with nothing. But thanks be to God and thanks to ACN they were able to survive. “The help of ACN and other charities – through prayers and generous gifts – have reminded us that we have not been forgotten. This help has made a huge impact.” ACN has helped rebuild 2,000 homes in the Nineveh Plains and provided food, shelter and schooling for displaced Christians.