Saudi Arabia Ponders Its Syrian Conundrum
Joshua Teitelbaum – 23 February, 2012 – Hoover Institution

The Arab awakenings and assertive international role of Russia and China at the expense of the United States have created a new strategic situation for the rulers of Riyadh. Seen from Saudi Arabia, the US stood idly by at the ignominious toppling of its erstwhile allies, the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt. Its rival across the Gulf, Iran, is on its way to having a nuclear weapon and has attempted to assassinate its ambassador to Washington. Although the US has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran, the mullahs seem to be running circles around Washington with the connivance of Moscow and Beijing. Even though Riyadh has been successful in limiting the contagion at home through a combination of the stick of its security forces and the carrot of financial munificence, its satellite kingdom in nearby Bahrain is ablaze, with majority Shiites protesting against the Saudi-supported minority Sunni Al Khalifa family. The US appears confounded, and as a result the Saudis believe they need to take up a larger role in the region.

Onto this strategic playing field — enter Syria and the insurrection currently under way. Iran looms large in the background as Riyadh calculates its moves toward Damascus. The Al Saud rulers would dearly love to see the destruction of the pro-Iranian Assad regime. Iran, through its proxies Syria and Hezballah, have undermined the stability of Lebanon since 2005, when they connived to murder the staunchly pro-Saudi former prime minister of Lebanon, Rafiq al-Hariri, in February 2005. His successor and son, Saad, was undermined by a coalition of pro-Iranian forces and forced to resign as prime minister in January 2011. The result has been an increase in Syrian, Iranian and Hezballah control over Lebanon and the stymieing of Saudi (and US) efforts to bring about a stable and independent Lebanon. Riyadh would have no problem with Bashar Assad receiving his comeuppance.

The longer the Syrian stalemate continues, the greater the possibility that regional powers will be sucked into the maelstrom. Saudi Arabia sees itself as the protector of the world’s Sunnis as they face Shiite Iran. Tehran is giving money, military aid, and military advisors to prop up the minority Alawite regime as it battles Syria’s Sunni majority. In an impassioned speech on February 10, King Abdullah took Russia and China to task for vetoing a UN Security Council condemnation of Assad’s atrocities against Syrian civilians. Saudi papers have called for boycotting Russian and Chinese goods.

Saudi Arabia knows that the Arab League is powerless. The UN is stymied by China and Russia. There does not seem to be a way to get Assad to step down peacefully. The Saudis appear to already be funneling aid to the Syrian National Council, and led the Arab League in supporting a resolution calling for providing support to the Syrian opposition. What Saudi Arabia will now likely do is seek an alliance of Sunni states led by the Gulf Cooperation Council to funnel aid, perhaps via Turkey, to the rebels. Whether the US will help in this regard is still an open question. …more

Beautiful Acts of Resistance
By Bryan Farrell – March 2012 issue – The Progressive

Just moments after performing a dramatic final death scene, Palestinian playwright Abdelfattah Abusrour was back on stage delivering an afterword that was no less intense. Speaking softly, Abusrour told the small Parisian audience about his work back home in Bethlehem’s Aida refugee camp where he grew up and now runs the Al Rowwad Cultural and Theater Training Center.

“We are a beautiful people and we want to show our humanity to others, as well as ourselves,” Abusrour says. “We need to see beautiful acts of resistance. It’s not always linked to blood and martyrs and destruction.”

For Palestinians like Abusrour, who lived the hardships of occupation, resisting isn’t the question. “To exist is to resist,” as Palestinians often say. The question is how to resist.

“I firmly believe that nonviolence as a strategy will win,” he says. “And the way to do it is through building this culture of people who think they can create a world based on nonviolence and the strength of people power.”

Abusrour began building this culture through Al Rowwad (which means “pioneer” in Arabic) in 1998, when he returned home after nine years in Paris, where he studied for a Ph.D. in biological and medical engineering. He also took acting classes while living there and performed in many classics of the French theater, which has long been associated with its promotion of social change.

At first, Abusrour ran the center out of his parents’ house and split his time teaching biology at universities in Bethlehem and Ramallah. Abusrour points to his parents as the people who first set an example of nonviolence in his life. “My father and my mother never tolerated us talking badly of anyone, even if they were the worst person in the world,” he says. “One of their famous sayings was that even with a just cause, if you practice violence, you lose part of your humanity.”

When the Second Intifada began in 2000, they moved to a safer location in the middle of Aida Camp, out of the direct line of Israeli fire.

During the Israeli invasions of Bethlehem, starting in 2001, Al Rowwad became the camp’s main emergency clinic.

It ran twenty-four hours a day during the thirty-eight-day siege of Bethlehem in 2002. Al Rowwad was able to take care of almost 100 people a day from the camp and its neighboring areas, with the help of unarmed civilian peacekeepers from the International Solidarity Movement. …more

23 February, 2012 – by Jasim Husain – FIKRA Forum

In recent weeks, Bahrain’s Royal Court and mainstream opposition groups have exchanged communications regarding a way forward for Bahrain. Though a real dialogue has yet to commence, communications consisted of how a dialogue will proceed logistically.

It is widely believed that Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa stands behind the latest initiative. Unsurprisingly, he opted to include the Royal Court Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa and other adversaries from the onset, a marked difference from the strategy used last year.

Political groups led by Al Wefaq contend that opponents of the Crown Prince within the royal family succeeded in torpedoing his six week mandate for negotiations with opposition leaders in February 2011. These original discussions commenced on February 19, 2011 for a six week period, but they were cut short on March 14th upon the arrival of troops from neighboring Saudi Arabia.

Opposition groups took advantage of the latest opportunity for dialogue by submitting their proposal for a political solution, as detailed in the Manama Document. The main demands center on the formation of a parliamentary government, ensuring popular input and requiring fair electoral districts that meet the universal practice of “one person, one vote.” Other demands call for ensuring equal opportunity to all citizens, showing no tolerance for discriminatory practices, and allowing for free media.

Significantly, the meetings occurred in the lead up to the first anniversary of the uprising on February 14. Some fear that Bahraini officials were trying to assuage the opposition in advance of the anniversary by publicizing the renewed talks. Conversely, others view this act as a testimony to the success of anti-regime youths forcing politicians back to the negotiating table for a variety of reasons.

Still, those familiar with the initiative point out that the Minister of the Royal Court demonstrated an unwillingness to commit himself to specifics, including an agenda and dates for future meetings. Lastly, some maintain that the latest move by the Royal Court was primarily to ease international pressures from the U.S., UK, and EU calling for the Bahraini government to engage with opposition groups. As someone familiar with behind the scenes moves, I can confirm that both sides, namely the authorities and the opposition groups, are under pressure from the West—particularly the U.S., UK, and EU—to find a compromise.

Off the streets

On a positive note, recent communications are indicative of the main opposition groups’ willingness to engage in negotiations. Opposition groups firmly believe that the majority of Bahrainis look for a political solution to address challenges facing the nation.

Nevertheless, the views of the opposition and regime forces are not uniform; there are elements on both sides that adamantly oppose a compromise. Some in the opposition camp continue to press for regime change, while pro-regime hardliners inside and outside the royal court remain suspicious of Shiite opposition groups, who make up a majority of government opponents. …more

Saudi Arabia Ponders Its Syrian Conundrum
Joshua Teitelbaum – 23 February, 2012 – Hoover Institution

The Arab awakenings and assertive international role of Russia and China at the expense of the United States have created a new strategic situation for the rulers of Riyadh. Seen from Saudi Arabia, the US stood idly by at the ignominious toppling of its erstwhile allies, the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt. Its rival across the Gulf, Iran, is on its way to having a nuclear weapon and has attempted to assassinate its ambassador to Washington. Although the US has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran, the mullahs seem to be running circles around Washington with the connivance of Moscow and Beijing. Even though Riyadh has been successful in limiting the contagion at home through a combination of the stick of its security forces and the carrot of financial munificence, its satellite kingdom in nearby Bahrain is ablaze, with majority Shiites protesting against the Saudi-supported minority Sunni Al Khalifa family. The US appears confounded, and as a result the Saudis believe they need to take up a larger role in the region.

Onto this strategic playing field — enter Syria and the insurrection currently under way. Iran looms large in the background as Riyadh calculates its moves toward Damascus. The Al Saud rulers would dearly love to see the destruction of the pro-Iranian Assad regime. Iran, through its proxies Syria and Hezballah, have undermined the stability of Lebanon since 2005, when they connived to murder the staunchly pro-Saudi former prime minister of Lebanon, Rafiq al-Hariri, in February 2005. His successor and son, Saad, was undermined by a coalition of pro-Iranian forces and forced to resign as prime minister in January 2011. The result has been an increase in Syrian, Iranian and Hezballah control over Lebanon and the stymieing of Saudi (and US) efforts to bring about a stable and independent Lebanon. Riyadh would have no problem with Bashar Assad receiving his comeuppance.

The longer the Syrian stalemate continues, the greater the possibility that regional powers will be sucked into the maelstrom. Saudi Arabia sees itself as the protector of the world’s Sunnis as they face Shiite Iran. Tehran is giving money, military aid, and military advisors to prop up the minority Alawite regime as it battles Syria’s Sunni majority. In an impassioned speech on February 10, King Abdullah took Russia and China to task for vetoing a UN Security Council condemnation of Assad’s atrocities against Syrian civilians. Saudi papers have called for boycotting Russian and Chinese goods.

Saudi Arabia knows that the Arab League is powerless. The UN is stymied by China and Russia. There does not seem to be a way to get Assad to step down peacefully. The Saudis appear to already be funneling aid to the Syrian National Council, and led the Arab League in supporting a resolution calling for providing support to the Syrian opposition. What Saudi Arabia will now likely do is seek an alliance of Sunni states led by the Gulf Cooperation Council to funnel aid, perhaps via Turkey, to the rebels. Whether the US will help in this regard is still an open question. …more

This Week in Censorship: Syrian and Iranian Bloggers Under Threat, CPJ Calls for an Anti-Censorship Coalition
February 21, 2012 – By Jillian C. York

Iranian netizen under immedate threat of execution

According to a report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Saeed Malekpour, the 36-year-old web and circumvention tool developer who in January was sentenced to death, is now under threat of immedate execution. In the report, RSF writes: “The family of Saeed Malekpour [has reported] that his sentence order has been sent to the office responsible for carrying out sentences, which means that he could [be] executed at any time during the coming hours or days.” Malekpour is currently in solitary confinement in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.

EFF is extremely concerned for Malekpour. We stand with the scores of human rights and freedom of expression advocates in condemning his sentence issued by the Iranian state and urge Iran to reconsider Malekpour’s sentence.

Syrian blogger released, others remain imprisoned

As we reported last week, more than a dozen Syrian human rights activists were arrested on January 16 during a raid on the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression. Among them were bloggers Razan Ghazzawi (who was conditionally released on February 18) and Hussein Ghrer, both of whom were imprisoned in 2011 without trial. Ghrer remains in prison.

EFF condemns the Syrian state for these attacks on free expression, and calls for the immediate release of those arrested in the raid. We renew our call on the international community to take notice of these alarming events unfolding in Syria, and to demand the Syrian authorities to end their campaign of repression by continuing to discuss and publicize these events on as many online venues as possible.

89 “online” journalists imprisoned all over the world

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has released their 2011 annual ‘Attacks on the Press’ report, detailing the global threats to press freedom. CPJ’s research documented a total of 179 journalists imprisoned as of December 1, 2011, a whopping 89 of which were “journalists whose worked appeared primarily online.”

Though the entirety of the lengthy report is of interest to free expression advocates, Executive Director Joel Simon’s chapter, entitled ‘The Next Information Revolution: Abolishing Censorship’ will be of particular interest to those concerned with digital rights. The chapter elucidates the jurisdictional concerns pertinent to the globalized nature of the Internet, highlighting the need for a “broad global coalition against censorship that brings together governments, the business community, civil society organizations, and the media” to ensure that freedom of information is respected in practice. …more

Barak says Peres’ conduct similar to that in the early 1980s when he opposed bombing the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak.

Barak slams Peres for his objection to possible Israeli attack on Iran
By Barak Ravid – 24 February, 2012 – Haaretz

Defense Minister Ehud Barak strongly criticized President Shimon Peres on Thursday, after a Haaretz report revealed that Peres is expected to tell U.S. President Barack Obama that he does not believe Israel should attack Iran in the near future.

“With all due respect to various officeholders from the past and present, the rumor that there is [only] one government in Israel has also reached the United States,” Barak said sarcastically in private conversations, adding: “In the end, there is an elected [Israeli] government that makes the decisions and that is its responsibility.”

During Barak’s criticism of the Israeli president, he made reference to Peres’ conduct in the early 1980s when Israel attacked the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak, when Menachem Begin was prime minister.

“It’s the same Shimon Peres who in 1981 opposed the bombing of the reactor in Iraq,” the defense minister said.

“Peres argued then that Begin was leading us to a holocaust, and there are those who claim that, to this day, Peres thinks the attack on the reactor was a mistake. Imagine what would have happened if the Americans and their allies had attempted to get [Iraqi dictator] Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait if he had three atomic bombs. The Americans said in retrospect that Begin was farsighted,” Barak reportedly said.

Barak’s harsh criticism of Peres is unusual in that over the past three years, the defense minister has carefully accorded respect to Peres, even meeting with him every Sunday before cabinet meetings.

Nonetheless, tension between the two has been simmering for over a year on the Iranian issue, as far back as the tenure of former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

In Barak’s office, Ashkenazi – who opposed an assault on Iran – was thought to have enlisted Peres as a supporter of his stance during his dispute on the issue with Barak. …more

Revelations on NYPD Surveillance of Muslims Contradict Bloomberg Claims
by Justin Elliott – ProPublica – 22 February, 2012

The Associated Press published a story today detailing how, in 2007, undercover New York Police Department officers investigated the Muslim community in Newark, N.J., producing a secret report profiling mosques, Islamic schools and Muslim-owned businesses and restaurants.

The story, based on a copy of the 60-page report obtained by AP, concludes that the surveillance project was undertaken despite “no evidence of terrorism or criminal behavior. It was a guide to Newark’s Muslims.”

Besides being significant on its own, that conclusion contradicts claims by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg last year about how the NYPD operates.

In August, after AP published the first story in its series documenting the NYPD’s extensive surveillance and investigation of Muslims, Bloomberg denied that the NYPD launched investigations based on religion in the absence of suspicion of a crime.

“If there are threats or leads to follow, then the NYPD’s job is to do it. The law is pretty clear about what’s the requirement, and I think they follow the law,” Bloomberg said at an Aug. 25 news conference, the local news site DNAInfo noted at the time. “We don’t stop to think about the religion. We stop to think about the threats and focus our efforts there.”

In October, New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly made similar comments under questioning from the city council.

“We simply follow leads,” Kelly said. “Now, those leads may take us into religious institutions; it may be people in a particular religion. But we’re going to follow those leads wherever they take us. We’re not going to be deterred, but we’re certainly not singling out any particular group.”

AP’s previous stories showed the NYPD scrutinized Muslim communities in part based on ethnicity. Today’s story, as well as others earlier this month, showed the NYPD focusing solely on religion. …more

Bahrain’s ‘underground medics’ secretly treat injured protesters
By Bill Law – BBC News – 24 February 2012

Fearful of arrest when seeking treatment in Bahrain’s hospitals, injured protesters are turning for help to medics who have been forced underground, a Bahraini doctor has told the BBC.

Sixteen-year-old Mohammed al-Jaziri was seriously injured when he was struck in the face with a tear gas canister on February 18, in the Bahraini village of Sitra.

He was with a band of young Shia confronting riot police in a community that has been a hotspot of protest since an uprising against Bahrain’s Sunni Muslim rulers began a year ago.

In a video seen by the BBC, Mohammed is shown, together with other youths, hurling stones toward a line of police.

At a distance of less than 50m, one of the officers appears to aim and fire a tear gas launcher towards Mohammed who collapses clutching his head. Police then run forward and drag him off.

John Timoney, Miami’s ex-police chief, was hired by the Bahraini government to improve policing methods. When asked about the rules of engagement for tear gas, he told the BBC that police in America are trained not to fire head high and to either arc the canister into the air or roll it on the ground.

He said that the purpose for using tear gas in Bahrain is to keep the protesters at a distance and added “the police do not purposefully hit people with it”.

Mr Timoney said that a tear gas canister could be a lethal weapon but it was not intended to be used that way.
Hospital interrogation

But what is said to have happened next to Mohammed illustrates why so many Bahraini Shia protesters are afraid to seek help in the country’s hospitals.
John Yates (left) and John Timoney John Yates (left) and John Timoney are overseeing reforms to the Bahraini police

His elder brother Hussein says Mohammed was taken to a local clinic by police. From there an ambulance took him to the Salmaniya Medical Complex, the main hospital in the capital Manama.

Hussein says that within ten minutes of arriving police attempted to interrogate his brother who had been hit in the eye and was bleeding heavily.

Throughout that night, Hussein says, the police repeatedly attempted to interrogate Mohammed, even though he was only semi-conscious.

“I told them: ‘Please just leave us alone. Can’t you see he is in no condition to answer your questions?'”

The next day, Hussein alleges, his brother was subjected to a three hour interrogation by a public prosecutor who refused to give the family his name.

“We need to get him out of Salmaniya. He urgently needs an operation on his eye but we don’t trust them,” Hussein said.

Bill Law reports for Newsnight on fresh clashes between police and protesters

Hussein is hoping his brother can get treatment in a private hospital but believes Mohammed will lose the sight in one eye.

John Yates, the former assistant commissioner of Scotland Yard in the UK, was also brought in by the government. When told of the alleged incident at Salmaniya, he said that in the UK interrogation of suspects in hospital was highly unlikely to happen. “The health (of the suspect) comes first.” …more

Imprisoned Human Rights Defender Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, Calls EU Member States To Stand To Their Obligation To Protect HRDs in Bahrain

Human rights defender and previous MENA Coordinator for Frontline Defenders, Mr.Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (51 years old), has entered his 14th day on open hunger strike for freedom in his detention in Bahrain prison, which he started on February 8, 2012. His health is deteriorating as he has lost 9 kilos, and suffered an internal bleeding due to kidneys damage. He has been taken to hospital more than once in the past days due to a drop in his blood sugar, but he is continuing his hunger strike.

On a letter that he wrote to the Danish Forieng Minister, Danish-Bahrini human rights defender Alkhawaja called EU member states to take action as per the EU-Guidelines to protect human rights defender.

“As a human rights defender, regardless of being a Danish citizen, I am entitled for protection by EU member states in accordance with the EU Guidelines on the protection of human rights defenders around the world. Hence, I would suggest that the Danish authorities kindly put more efforts, in coordination with the other EU-State members, to take whatever possible action at the regional level as embassies, in Brussels institutions ad at the UN in Geneva, to address my case and the cases of other detained activists, calling for release, repartition and protection for human rights defenders in Bahrain. ”

Read AlKhawaja’s letter from prison HERE

khawajaAlKhawaj is detained since 9 April 2011. He has been sentenced to life by a military court in Jun 2011 along with another 20 activists and political leaders. His sentence was upheld in Sep 2011 by the military court of appeal. No date set yet for his case at the court of cassation. He is a victim of torture and a prisoner of conscience.

This is his second hunger strike with a gap of 2 days between the two (last strike began January 29 and ended February 5) and he was transferred to the hospital after a drop in his sugar level and blood pressure.

Family members have said that although Alkhawaja was in high spirits, he looked thin and weak and had obvious problems concentrating, during their visit to him on Feb 18, 2012.

Mr.Alkhawaja also confirmed that he had collapsed last Wednesday (Feb 15, 2012) and was transferred to the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital after a sharp drop in his sugar and blood pressure. He was first transferred to the Jaw Prison clinic but when medics saw his condition they quickly called for an ambulance. He was semi unconscious when he was transported via an ambulance to the hospital where he suffered from muscle spasms. He received treatment but refused to end his hungerstrike.
…more

Talking to Egyptian feminist Nawal Saadawi

Women and the revolution
Aline Sara – 24 January, 2012 – Lebanon NOW

On January 25, Egyptians will take to the streets for the one-year anniversary of their country’s revolution. Among them will be Nawal Saadawi, who has spent over 50 years fighting for women’s rights in both Egypt and the rest of the region.

Saadawi was imprisoned under slain President Anwar Sadat and was forced to spend time in exile during the rule of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. But today, at age 80, the psychiatrist, feminist and writer of over 25 books still has it. NOW Lebanon caught up with Saadawi in Cairo to talk about her country’s current situation and the challenges Egyptian women in particular face.

A year after the revolution, how do you feel about the situation in Egypt? How will the Muslim Brotherhood’s gains in recent elections impact Egyptian women?

Nawal Saadawi: Everything depends on the power of women themselves, because we were able to get rid of Mubarak, by the power of the revolution, which included women. So now we are establishing, or re-establishing, an Egyptian Women’s Union to unify the women’s movement, because [former first lady] Suzanne Mubarak, [former President Anwar] Sadat, and the Mubarak regime fragmented the women’s movement to weaken it. This is why they banned and censored all my work. The so-called first lady, Suzanne, wanted to be the leader of the Egyptian women’s movement, like all the queens or wives of presidents in the rest of the Arab countries. They want to become the leaders of the feminist movements, and this is why they exile the work of prominent thinkers like me.

Can you comment on the role of the Muslim Sisters, the women’s branch of the Muslim Brotherhood?

Saadawi: They are brainwashed. There is a play on their fears, and this fear kills creativity and rebellion. I have written several articles about it. One of them is included in [a recent] edition of Masry al Youm.

So what is a good strategy to empower women?

Saadawi: We are trying to undo what Suzanne Mubarak did—this fragmentation of the women’s movement.

Women’s fragmentation is the primary problem. The regime fragments women by creating thousands of NGOs funded by the government or by foreign money, either right or left wing. And when you are very independent, nobody funds you, so women are weak because of their fragmentation. You know, the “divide and rule” [concept.]

Then of course, [there is the problem] of the education system [being] against women, and the veiling of women by Islamic groups, the oppression of the regime, all that.

We as women can win if we unite. I believe power is related to unity.

How do you compare the situation of women in Egypt to women in the rest of the region?

Saadawi: Women in Egypt were avant-garde in the Arab world, but now because of the bad regimes of Sadat and Mubarak, and the domination of the US, the domination of Saudi Arabia—which is the US—they use religion to divide and rule. Today, Tunisian women are more advanced than Egyptian women. It is a tragedy. But I think we will be ok when we are united.

What type of grassroots efforts will help overcome the fragmentation of women?

Saadawi: It will come with unity and education. Women should be educated and not dominated by religious people. Women are veiled, they are obedient to the religious groups, they are brainwashed by the Mubarak regime. So if we have a union, and if we succeed, then things will change and will be alright. The most important factor is unity, and through this unity we can move onto education, empowering women economically, culturally and [so forth.]
…more

Speculation Surrounding Friends of Syria: How Will Syria’s Crisis be Addressed?
Charles Baeder – 24 February 2012 – Tunisia Live

Tunisia is holding the International Conference of the Friends of Syria

As diplomatic delegations and teams of journalists from around the world gather in Tunisia for the international Friends of Syria conference, many observers wonder whether the international community, through this summit, will finally confront Bashar al-Assad’s regime and respond to the battered Syrian opposition’s long unanswered calls for aid and recognition.

The lives of over 6,000 Syrians have been lost since the onset of the regime’s violent crackdown nearly a year ago, and demands for a coordinated international response to the crisis have reached an unprecedented level of urgency. After talks within the UN Security Council reached a standstill, the Friends of Syria conference was proposed by the Arab League as a means by which the international community could bypass the stalled process and draw up a peaceful resolution to the Syrian crisis.

However, now that the opportunity has presented itself, some experts are doubtful of the resolve of the international actors attending the summit to act decisively in halting the unrelenting violence in Syria.

“I’m hoping for the best, but I’m setting modest expectations,” stated Robert Zarate, the president of the Foreign Policy Initiative – a U.S. non-profit foreign policy advocacy group. Zarate noted his skepticism that clear, definitive measures would be put forth by the conference’s delegates to address the deteriorating crisis in Syria. “Ultimately, we are seeing a ‘least common denominator problem’ – a way to find the least controversial solution to the problem, ” he said.

According to a press release issued yesterday from the U.S. Department of State, three pillars have been outlined as areas of discussion to be touched upon throughout the conference. The first pillar concerns the provision of aid to humanitarian groups on the ground. However, determining what form this aid will take is likely to be a divisive subject, as many countries have expressed an unwillingness to support the opposition in Syria militarily for fear of an escalation of the conflict. …more

Canada’ Arms export licences triple to $12 billion –

Saudis used Canadian LAVs to quash Bahrain uprising
By Lee Berthiaume – 24 February, 2012 – Calgary Herald

Canadian arms companies were given free rein last year as the federal government tripled the amount of military weapons and ammunition licensed for export to foreign countries to more than $12 billion.

The largest benefactor at $4 billion was Saudi Arabia, which is believed to have used Canadian-made armoured vehicles to help put down anti-government protests in neighbouring Bahrain during the early days of the Arab Spring.

The government figures, tabled in the House of Commons a few weeks ago, do not say exactly what Canadian-made arms the government approved for export or how much was actually delivered. But the total in government-approved arms export licences for Saudi Arabia was more than 100 times the $35 million approved in 2010.

The Middle Eastern kingdom also has quietly purchased hundreds of LAV-3s from General Dynamics Land Systems in London, Ont., over the years and was expected to receive more than 700 last year.

The LAVS are synonymous in Canada with this country’s combat mission to Afghanistan, where the wheeled, armoured vehicles earned their stripes as the military’s main workhorse. Video and photos shot by protesters and media outlets in March 2011 showed Saudi troops using LAV-3s to suppress an uprising inspired by events in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya and opposed to Bahrain’s ruling Khalifa family.
…more

Leading opposition group pulls out of ‘Friends of Syria’ meet
24 February, 2012 – Al-Akhbar

One of the main Syrian opposition groups announced on Friday it was boycotting the international “Friends of Syria” meeting in Tunis, citing concerns about Western-led military interference.

The National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria (NCB) denounced what it described as attempts to leave the door open to militarize the uprising against the regime of President Bashar Assad.

It also criticized the favoring of the Western-backed Syrian National Council (SNC) over other opposition groups.

“We have seen a dangerous trend towards … specifying who represents the Syrian people … leaving the issue of armament vague and opening the door to accept the idea of foreign military intervention,” a statement said.

All that came “despite assurances from the Tunisian President [Moncef Marzouki] that opposition groups will be treated equally and that there will not be a recognition of one party at the expense of the others, and that foreign military intervention is a red line and that increasing militarization is dangerous,” it said.

The SNC, formed in exile, is a large umbrella opposition group that includes the Muslim Brotherhood and is popular with Western powers and the Arab monarchies.

The SNC have also established ties with armed rebels in Syria, lending its support to the militarization of the uprising, while the NCB insists on a pacifist revolution. …more