Walid Phares: Iraq Withdrawal a Catastrophe    

Phil Brennan
Friday, Feb. 23, 2007

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/2/22/214254.shtml?s=lh

Leaving Iraq with the job undone would lead to a catastrophe with as much as 30% of the world’s oil reserves in the hands of the Islamic jihadists, says the nation’s leading expert on Islam.
So says Dr. Walid Phares, author of “Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies […]

Riyadh invites Assad to Arab summit with Lebanon near top of agenda
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff
Monday, February 26, 2007
BEIRUT: Saudi Arabia extended an official invitation to Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday to attend the 19th Arab League summit, in a move that could help improve strained relations between Riyadh and Damascus and help break […]

Sfeir bemoans domestic arms race
By Maroun Khoury
Daily Star correspondent
Monday, February 26, 2007
BKIRKI: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir said Sunday that a rush by all Lebanese parties to arm themselves was reminiscent of the Civil War years and indicated that little has been learned from past bloodshed. The prelate touched on many matters of political urgency […]

Lahoud threatens to stay on beyond November
Politicians trade blame for failure to end crisis
By Hani M. Bathish
Special to The Daily Star
Monday, February 26, 2007
BEIRUT: President Emile Lahoud warned of a constitutional vacuum if agreement over a national unity government is not reached before the end of his term in office, which was already extended for […]

“100 trucks filled with “streetfight arms” to Nasrallah from Iran & Syria”
On February 21, Al Seyassah, an independent anti-Syrian daily, reported that: “Arab and western diplomatic sources in Beirut revealed yesterday that “in the last few months, Hezbollah was surprised to see that the arms lists which it periodically sent to Iran and [which was] […]

“Junblatt says: The Syrian-Iranian alliance has taken a dose of stimulants”
On February 19, the Lebanese National News Agency reported: “In his weekly “Viewpoint” column to be published tomorrow in the newspaper Al-Anba, organ of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Junblatt, MP and Leader of the Democratic Gathering, says: “After taking a new dose of stimulants, […]

Iraq: Jihadist Perspectives on a U.S. Withdrawal
By Fred Burton
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a nonbinding resolution to express disapproval of the president’s plan to send more troops to Iraq. Republicans in the Senate prevented a similar resolution from coming to the floor for a vote the next day. The congressional actions come […]

IRAN/ RUSSIA: Iran is prepared to settle any problems within 10 days regarding its alleged failure to pay Russia for construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, Mohammad Saidi, deputy director of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency, said. He added that Iran has transferred all necessary payments to Russian company Atomstroyexport, in accordance with the current […]

Gemayel says UN may get tough to create Hariri court
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff
Friday, February 23, 2007
BEIRUT: Former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel said on Thursday that it is highly likely that the international court to try those accused of assassinating former Premier Rafik Hariri will “be established under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter,” something […]

Israeli Army Chief: We Have to Deal with Hizbullah Attempts to Rearm
Israel’s new army chief Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi has said that Israel may have to confront Hizbullah to halt the group’s attempts to rearm after last summer’s war.
Ashkenazi said Wednesday that Israel delivered a tough blow to Hizbullah during the 34-day war, but the […]