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UN Security council imposes sanctions on Libya

Egypt Military High Council apologises after attack on civilians

Raymond Davis, CIA killer and mercenary

Protesters across Middle East express solidarity with Libya

Libya descends into chaos as Qaddafi launches war against protesters

Egyptian military retains old Mubarak regime

People's power drives Mubarak from presidency in Egypt

Daily News Analysis

UN Security council imposes sanctions on Libya

New York-Crescent-online

February 26, 2011-2220 DST

The UN Security Council passed a unanimous resolution on February 26 imposing sanctions on the Qaddafi regime freezing assets of the beleaguered ruler and his close associates as well as referring him to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague for war crimes.

The Security Council vote came following request by Libyan diplomats at the UN urging it to intervene and protect the people of Libya from this "fascist regime". Ibrahim Dabbashi, deputy head of Libya's UN mission in New York, told a press conference after the vote that he had urged the international community to take steps to prevent the massacre of the people.

A day earlier, the Libyan head of mission, in an emotional appeal to the Security Council, urged it to take immediate steps to save the Libyan people. He narrated his close connection with colonle Muammar Qaddafi describing him as a childhood friend but he said now he had become insane. After he addressed the council, many delegates hugged him.

On Friday (Feb 25) there were serious clashes in Tripoli, the capital city, on Friday where colonel Qaddafi still has some supporters, such as the militias and foreign mercenaries hired to defend his regime. The city was reportedly relatively calm on Saturday (Feb 26), according to the BBC.

Meanwhile, it was announced by opponents of Qaddafi's regime that Mustafa Mohamed Abdel Jalil, the justice minister who resigned in protest over the killing of civilians by the regime, was prepared to form a provisional government to prepare the country for elections within three months.

In Washington, US President Barack Obama said after talking to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the phone that Qaddafi should resign and "leave the country". He did not say where Qaddafi might go but it would certainly not be to Washington.

But as Marwan Bishara, writing on Al Jazeera website pointed out, Qaddafi insists he holds no formal position so there is nothing to resign from. Further, "you cannot resign from greatness"!

Qaddafi has always been known for his eccentricity but in the current crisis that threatens to bring down his 42-year-rule, he seems to have gone overboard. He has urged his supporters to arm themselves and kill his opponents. Despite many military personnel defecting to the opposition, Qaddafi's position is not dependent on their support. He relies on the "popular committees" and the militias he has formed for his protection.

This has led observer to surmise that Libya may be plunged into a civil war. The next few days will tell whether Qaddafi will spare his people more bloodshed or he will go down in history as the man who brought nothing but ruin to the Libyan people.

END

Egypt Military High Council apologises after attack on civilians

Cairo, Crescent-online

February 26, 2011 - 1100 DST

The Egyptian Military High Council apologised on February 26 about attacking civilians in Tahrir Square on Friday night. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force general and close confidante of the ousted President Hosni Mubarak, as well as other remnants of the Mubarak regime.

The protesters are adamant that Mubarak's appointees must be removed from government. They also want the military to hand over power to an interim civilian government to prepare for elections. They want the new elected assembly to approve the constitution. Their other demands include the lifting of emergency that has been in place for 30 years under which thousands of people--30,000 according to one estimate--are imprisoned without charge or trial, and the release of all political prisoners, past as well as those arrested during the 18-day uprising against Mubarak.

The military's true intentions, as an instrument of oppression and status quo, are beginning to emerge. Among the protesters, there are people that understand this clearly and are not prepared to give the military time to reimpose the status quo.

The people have a long way to go before they can achieve their aspirations. The US also continues to interfere behind the scenes by keeping in close contact with the Egyptian military high command. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been doing the rounds of the Middle East visiting Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait etc to assure allies that the US would back them up.

There is much unease and fear among the ruling circles of all Middle Eastern tyrannies that the US will abandon them just as it abandoned Mubarak. This fear is most palable in Saudi Arabia whose aged and ailing monarch returned to the kingdom last week after undergoing multiple surgeries in the US three months ago. He then spent time in Morocco to recuperate.

Upon King Abdullah's return to the kingdom, he immediately announced a $37 billion package to bribe people. He urged them to buy homes, cars, and get married (some presumably multiple times) and the government would pay for it. The message was, Be Happy, Enjoy yourselves and do not worry about staging an uprising.

Given the tight relationship between the monarchy and the religious establishment that has been completely co-opted, the chances of a major upheaval in Saudi Arabia are slim but then this was also said about Egypt. Events are moving at a very fast pace in the Middle East and nothing can be said with certainty about what occur next.

It is, however, heartening to note that the people of Egypt are aware of the distance they still have to travel before they gain true freedom and dignity from the US-zionist-backed imposed order in their country.

The people of Egypt have to be in the streets for a lot longer before they can say that they have secured their rights.

END

Raymond Davis, CIA killer and mercenary

Lahore, Crescent-online
February 25, 2011-2000 EDT

The Raymond Davis saga is beginning to assume the proportions of a spy thriller, literally.

Presenting himself as a security contractor with the US Consulate in Lahore, Davis has now been exposed as a CIA operative. It would be recalled, he shot and killed two Pakistanis in the old part of Lahore on January 27. After shooting the two Pakistanis in the back five time with a Glock gun--a restricted weapon in Pakistan--Davis casually strode to his car, pulled out his camera and photographed the men he had shot dead in cold blood.

Initially, the US Embassy in Islamabad remained mum but within 24 hours started making strident demands of the Pakistani government saying Davis had "diplomatic immunity" under the Vienna Conventions and should be immediately released.

While the US was maintaining Davis' diplomatic fiction, it was reported--finally--by the New York Times on February 23 that Davis was in fact working for the CIA. There is more to his storty than has so far been revealed. His cell phone had numbers of at least 17 Pakistani Taliban leaders and he had made phone calls to them. There are also reports that Davis had supplied them with radioactive material. This is serious business.

Questions are being asked as to why Davis was in touch with the Pakistani Taliban; what was his role in directing their attacks inside Pakistan and why did he supply them radio-active material? These all point to the fact that his mission was far more sinister. It was to create chaos in Pakistan, to undermine it and to blame it for spreading nuclear material to terrorists so that the US would have the pretext to force Pakistan to give up its nuclear program.

This also explains why the US is exerting so much pressure on Pakistan to release Davis.

The vehicle sent by the US Consulate in Lahore to rescue Davis after he murdered two Pakistanis in cold blood, ran over a pedestrian in the busy bazaar in Lahore by driving into a one-way street. The vehicle sped and despite repeated requests by the Pakistani police to question the occupants of the vehicle, the Consulate refused. It has now been reported that they were spirited out of Pakistan and are safely back in the US.

Davis had been photographing sensitive installations and madrassas for some time, the kind of intelligence gathering that spies do when scouting-out prospective targets. Pakistani papers have also reported that Davis coordinated drone attacks in Waziristan. These attacks have subsided considerably since Davis' arrest.

The Express Tribune, a Pakistani paper, reported on February 23 that Davis had close links with a number of terrorist organizations in Pakistan. It is now becoming clear that the CIA has been behind most terrorist acts in Pakistan. There is speculation that Davis and his CIA accomplices may also have been involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore as well as the November 2009 attack on Mumbai that has been blamed on Pakistan.

In its story on Davis, the Express Tribune wrote: "His cell phone has revealed contacts with two ancillaries of al Qaeda in Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Taliban of Pakistan (TTP) and sectarian Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), which has led to the public conclusion that he was behind terrorism committed against Pakistan’s security personnel and its people ....This will strike people as America in cahoots with the Taliban and al Qaeda against the state of Pakistan targeting, as one official opined, Pakistan’s nuclear installations." ("Raymond Davis: The plot thickens, The Express Tribune)

So it is now coming out into the open that Al Qaeda is CIA-created outfit and that it is working with "ancillaries of al Qaeda in Pakistan". Why are US media outlets silent about the CIA being in cahoots with al-Qaeda terrorists, or is it that they are cut from the same cloth?

Would the Pakistani authorities have the courage to expose the real doings of Davis and his ilk and rid the country of CIA terrorists operating with impunity in Pakistan?

END

Protesters across Middle East express solidarity with Libya

Washington DC, Crescent Online
February 25, 2011, 2000 PM DST

After Friday prayers, mass demonstrations were held in Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, with protesters voicing solidarity with the struggle in Libya and vowed their determination to continue struggling for their rights. Al Jazeera and Press TV coverage of Libya has inspired the Tunisians and Egyptians to continue demonstrating until real political change is achieved in their countries, and impelled the Yemenis, Bahrainis, and Jordanians to press for the kind of success gained by the former.

In Yemen, seventeen people have died in the past nine days of anti-Saleh protests. Saleh’s political future looks increasingly bleak, with the northern Shia Houthis declaring their participation in the demonstrations. Protesters in Egypt took to Tahrir square in the thousands to demand that the military purge the prime minister and other appointees of Mubarak. The army was forced to give assurances about free elections. Several thousand people demonstrated in Amman, Jordan, to demand political reforms. Hamzah Mansur, chief of the Islamic Action Front, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, told the crowds "reforms have
become a necessity that cannot be delayed." Meanwhile, the protests in Bahrain intensified, with people demanding an end to the Khalifa monarchy.

The intensity of the Middle Eastern protests, coupled with the outrage drawn by Qaddafi’s attacks on his own people, have applied pressure on international leaders to take measures to penalize Qaddafi. President Nicolas Sarkozy of France recently announced that Qaddafi must step down, and the US announced it would be imposing sanctions on Libya. However, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has criticized the plan to impose sanctions, pointing out that pressure needs to be applied on Qaddafi rather than collectively on the Libyan people, who are already suffering oppression from a brutal crackdown.

The protests in Libya, Bahrain, and Iraq have pressurized the imperial oil infrastructure, causing uncertainties that have resulted in the sky-rocketing prices of crude oil. In Manama, Bahrain, a memorial has been erected to commemorate the people who have been slain in the uprising. In Iraq, thousands of people have congregated to protest the corruption of local officials and the policies of Prime Minister Nuri-al-Maliki. Iraqi security forces have fired on and killed several protesters.

END

Libya descends into chaos as Qaddafi launches war against protesters

Washington DC, Crescent-online
February 25, 2010, 1800 EDT

The 10-day Libyan revolution has taken a bloody turn, as Qaddafi mobilizes paramilitary groups against protesters demonstrating for regime change. Even as Qaddafi gave speeches calling the protesters “drug addicts,” “rats,” “cockroaches,” and “Al-Qaeda” provocateurs, resistance to his 42-year despotic rule has spread throughout civil society and the armed forces.

Qaddafi has struck back against the protesters by ordering the Libyan Air Force to bomb them. Al Jazeera and Press TV have reported that a number of army colonels and generals have defected and joined the opposition. At the start of the conflict, a number of Libyan fighter jets landed on the island of Malta, and one pilot ejected from his jet, rather than massacre his people. Qaddafi has also executed 130 members of the army who refused to fire on protesters. With dissension in the ranks of the Libyan military, Qaddafi has resorted to flying in hired mercenaries from Chad to brutally put down the anti-government movement. Some observers fear that Qaddafi will unleash chemical weapons on the protesters.

Most of Libya’s eastern half is already in the hands of the protesters, and they are inexorably beginning to chip away at Qaddafi’s bases in the western half. Protesters have recently closed in on Tripoli, which has received the brunt of state oppression.

The US silence on Libya reflects the government’s tension over properly managing conflict over yet other breakaway site in its imperial geography. The US had barely managed to catch its second wind on Egypt, stridently attempting to shape the discourse of events unfolding on the ground by promoting “limited” forms of democracy. Obama then attempted to turn the world’s focus on Iran, criticizing the Islamic government for “killing” its protesters. When protests erupted in Libya and Bahrain, independent analysts sharply criticized the US for backpedaling on “democracy” and “freedom” for the peoples of the oil-producing states.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney reported that Obama is scheduled to speak with European leaders like Sarkozy about “options” for responding to the Libyan crisis. While The New York Times and other US media outlets declare that disruption in oil trade from Libya will not significantly affect the US economy, many analysts suspect that the case is otherwise. Saudi Arabia has already pledged to make up for the barrels of oil lost from Libya. The US is also discussing military option, considering the twin dangers posed by Qaddafi’s threats to blow up the oil facilities and the fact that the protesters have seized oil fields.

END

Egyptian military retains old Mubarak regime

Cairo-Crescent-online

February 13, 2011 - 2100 DST

The Egyptian military is exposing its true face. Two days after Hosni Mubarak was driven from power, the old regime, including the much-despised Omar Suleiman, has been retained. Earlier in the day, a military spokesman announced they were dissolving parliament and suspending the constitution but did not lift the state of emergency.

The just-dissolved parliament was dominated by Mubarak's cronies following rigged elections last November and December. In the previous parliament, the banned Muslim Brotherhood had 88 seats when its members ran as independents. In elections to the new parliament, the rigging was so blatant that they were not allowed to win a single seat. Mubarak's party, the National Democratic Party, claimed to have won 480 out of 518 seats. This was such a farce that even the military could not stomach it.

But refusing to lift the state of emergency that has been in place for more than 30 years, the military is clearly signaling that it has not abandoned the old ways. In any case, the top echelon of the military is stacked with generals beholden to Mubarak. They have also become extremely rich in the process and they will not relinquish their privileges so easily.

The military also said it would stay in power for six months, or until elections are held. This allows them to keep their options open and depending on how the situation develops, the military may be in power for a long time.

Emergence of riot police back on the streets has also led to friction with protesters many of whom have stayed in Tahrir Square. There were scuffles between the protesters and the army as the latter tried to remove people from the square.

A dedicated group of protesters has vowed not to leave the square until their demands are met including lifting the state of emergency, a clear road map toward writing a new constitution and firm promise to hold elections on time. A statement read out on state television said the higher military council said a new constitution would be drafted and put to a referendum for approval.

The prime minister, general Ahmed Shafiq, appointed on July 29 by Mubarak, said his cabinet's main priority was "security". The main threat to people's security comes from the riot police and the thousands of criminals that were let loose by the Mubarak regime to attack peaceful protesters on February 2. But when Shafiq talks about security, he means clamping down on people and sending them home so that the old system and its operatives can continue business as usual.

Despite Mubarak's removal from office, the people have a long way to go to regain their rights. The Americans and the Israelis are fully involved in manipulating the situation. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman US Joint Chiefs of Staff is currently visiting Jordan and Israel assuring the two regimes that Washington would protect them. Mullen is also in daily contact with Lt General Sami Enan, Egyptian Army Chief, while his boss, Robert Gates speaks to Egyptian Defence Minister Field Marshal Muhamed Hussein Tantawi.

It would be simplistic to assume that the removal of Mubarak also means the end of his oppressive regime.

END

People's power drives Mubarak from presidency in Egypt

Cairo-Crescent-online

February 12, 2011 - 0001 DST

After serving as the centre of protests for 18 days, Tahrir Square in Cairo became the place of thanks giving as hundreds of thousands of Egyptians offered their Fajr prayers on Saturday February 12. The announcement early the day before that Hosni Mubarak had resigned was greeted with outbursts of joy not in Cairo but throughout the country. Almost all major cities witnessed massive rallies of joy.

Friday had started with people resigned for a continued struggle but also a steely determination to see it through until Mubarak was forced out of office. The military had also issued a statement saying it would restore order. Many observers feared a blood bath if the army carried out its threat

Millions of people--8 million in Cairo according to one estimate--poured out of mosques after Juma Salat and gathered in Tahrir Square. Then they started a march toward the state television station as well as the presidential palace. The road to the palace was blocked by tanks with their gun turrets trained at incoming protesters.

This was the moment that people feared would start the biggest blood bath in Egypt's history. It appears as if the tank commanders decided not to challenge the sea of humanity. Given the people's anger and determination, they would have offered as many lives as necessary but not surrender to such brute force to keep an illegitimate and aging dictator in power.

Then, all of a sudden, the tanks turned around and started to head toward the presidential palace. There was a huge sigh of relief among protesters who had snatched another victory.

There was even greater news awaiting them. A little later, Mubarak's vice president Omar Suleiman came on state television to announce that Mubarak had decided to step down as president and hand power over to the Military High Council.

The news was greeted with jubilation throughout the country. People could hardly believe that they had brought down the tyrant who only a day earlier had stubbornly refused to quit saying his departure would lead to chaos. His continued presence at the helm of affairs itself was the biggest source of instability and chaos.

There clearly appeared to be a split in the higher echelons of the military. The final showdown was forced by the refusal of younger officers, such as the ones commanding tanks on the road leading to the presidential palace, not to shoot at unarmed demonstrators. This forced the military to intervene with Mubarak asking him to leave. The army high command could clearly see that if Mubarak continued to cling to power, the army itself would split. There was also a danger that some colonel might stage a coup bypassing the high command.

Mubarak's departure hardly solves the problems of the people. There are many hurdles still to cross not the least of which is how the military is going to behave. Will it cling to power and not institute the promised reforms under which the people would be able to freely elect their own representatives or relent to people's wishes? There are other uncertainties as well.

Will a credible transitional government be formed that would establish a new constitution so that the rights of the people are safeguarded? With no clear and identifiable leadership of the people's movement present, the movement may split into different factions that could easily be exploited by vested interests.

The next few days will show which way the country is going. For now the people are too euphoric at their victory--a truly remarkable one because of what they have achieved--to think much about the future but htey must put their heads together to see what they want to do next. If they leave the political arena to the professional politicians, the movement would simply have got rid of a tyrant but no change in the regime.

This is the big challenge facing the people of Egypt. They are not out of the woods yet. Their struggle has a long way to go to put in place a system that would be truly responsive to the needs of the people.

One indication of how the US might react, the country that had backed the Egyptian tyrant for 30 years, was given by a statement from Washington on February 11 saying the next Egyptian government must respect the peace treaty with Israel. This speaks volumes for who rules in Washington.

It is not Obama or the Democratic Party; it is the zionist lobby otherwise why would Washington's primary concern be Egypt's peace treaty with Israel that has not been accepted by the Egyptian people despite its being thrust down their throats?

Despite the difficult days ahead, the people of Egypt deserve credit for bringing about a remarkable change in their country through determination and patience over a period of 18 days. This is also a tribute to the people of the Middle East who have brought down not one but two tyrants in less than one month.

Which tyrant will fall next is the big question on everyone's mind but one can already read the signs. Saudi king Abdullah chastised the US for abandoning an old and trusted ally. He can clearly sense his own throne wobbling.

END

Mubarak refuses to quit despite massive protests

Cairo-Crescent-online
Feb 10, 2011- 2000 DST

Displaying mule-like stubbornness, Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's unpopular and beleaguered president, confounded critics and observers alike by refusing to quit even while his departure was much anticipated throughout the day on February 10. This appeared to be the result of intense power struggle within the ruling circles and for now, the Mubarak faction appears to have held ground.

The showdown was between Vice President Omar Suleiman and the military high command led by Defence Minister, Field Marshal Muhamed Hussein Tantawi. The latter is known to be a Mubarak loyalist and not very bright or brave. Suleiman was able to browbeat Tantawi into submission, at least for now.

In leading upto Mubarak's 11 pm (local time) or 1600 DST address on state television, there was intense speculation and an air of expectancy that he would announce his resignation. In his address, he listed the great things he had done for Egypt and while announcing he was transferring some of his powers to the vice president, Mubarak refused to quit. The euphoria of protesters in Tahrir Square turned to disgust halfway through Mubarak's speech when they realized he was not resigning.

There were chants of "Down with Mubarak", and protesters waved their shoes in disgust. Thousands were reported to be heading towards the presidential palace some distance away.

Mubarak blamed protesters for the worsening economic situation. He conveniently glossed over the billions of dollars stolen by his family, according to one estimate $70 billion, from the country. If this loot were returned, Egypt's problems would be over. This also partly explains why Mubarak thinks quitting is not an option because he and his family would not be able to enjoy the stolen billions. The people will come after them.

The pro-democracy protesters have vowed, with firm conviction, that there is no turning back and they will not go home until Mubarak is driven from power.

Mubarak will ultimately be forced out but whether Suleiman takes over or the military, this will not serve the people's interests. The youth-led protest movement must understand that they must not rely on the military or anyone from the existing system because they are all part of the establishment. The issue is not whether Mubarak resigns or stays but that the entire system and regime must be abolished.

The system is so corrupt that it cannot reform itself. It must be totally dismantled Iran-style and a new system built from scratch. Nothing short will fulfill the aspirations of the people.

END

Crescent Magazine

Daily News Analysis

UN Security council imposes sanctions on Libya

Egypt Military High Council apologises after attack on civilians

Raymond Davis, CIA killer and mercenary

Protesters across Middle East express solidarity with Libya

Libya descends into chaos as Qaddafi launches war against protesters

Egyptian military retains old Mubarak regime

People's power drives Mubarak from presidency in Egypt

Mubarak refuses to quit despite massive protests

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