U.S. speeds up arms sales to its ME Gulf allies

The Obama administration is quietly working with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies to speed up arms sales in a bid to thwart future military attacks by Iran,

March 14 calls for massive turnout on Feb 14 ’s Hariri commemoration

March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soueid said at the end of the Bristol meeting: We want to turn the black pages and open a new page of hope. We want a state where we can combine both accomplishments … liberation and second independence.
Soueid called for a massive turnout on February 14 commemoration to mark the fifth anniversary of the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri.

Was Pakistani Taliban leader killed?

The Pakistani military on Sunday was looking into a local report that the region’s Taliban leader had died, officials said.
State broadcaster PTV reported that Hakimullah Mehsud, the Taliban commander in Pakistan, was wounded in a drone attack this month, and that he died and was buried last week. PTV cited local sources and its correspondent in North Waziristan.
But military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told CNN that “we cannot yet confirm” Mehsud’s death.
Pakistani officials said Sunday they were investigating the reports
Rumors of Mehsud’s death have been swirling for days, and officials had been largely dismissive of the reports.

Lebanon bids farewell to the wife of French ambassador

Lebanon bid farewell today to Marla Sanchez Pietton, the wife of the French ambassador to Lebanon who died in the Ethiopian Airlines flight ET409 crash.
The Ethiopian plane , bound for Addis Ababa, crashed into the Mediterranean minutes after takeoff from Beirut at 2:37 am (0037 GMT) during a raging thunderstorm last Monday.
All 83 passengers and seven crew are presumed dead. Only 14 bodies, including those of two toddlers, and some body parts have been found so far.
US navy destroyer the USS Ramage reportedly picked up the signals of the flight recorders late Wednesday approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) west of Beirut airport at a depth of 1,300 metres (4,265 feet) below sea level.
The funeral Mass which was held at The Saint Louis Church of the Capucins was attended by the leader of the “Lebanese Forces , Samir Geagea, the Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad al-Hariri, Minister of Defense Elias Murr, as the representative of President Michel Suleiman, Dr. Mahmoud Berri as a representative Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, former president Amin Gemayel and a large crowd of lawmakers and political officials .

Israel kidnaps a Lebanese citizen in south Lebanon

The Lebanese army command center has issued a statement in which it confirmed that an Israeli patrol has kidnapped Lebanese citizen Rabih Mohammad Zahra 18 near the Bistra farm in South Lebanon’s Kfar Shouba region. The army condemned the kidnapping calling it a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty .
The army said UNIFIL and the army are working on his immediate release

March 14 holds its meeting at Bristol

The meeting of March 14 alliance at the Bristol hotel which aims at preparations for February 14 , commemoration , the date that will mark the 5th anniversary of the assassination of of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has started.

Sunday’s meeting is the first for the March 14 alliance since May 26, 2009.

Prior to the meeting March 14 general-secretariat coordinator Fares Soueid aid Soai said invitations have been sent to all March 14 supporters. The only negative reply came from Nassib Lahoud’s Democratic Renewal movement which announced that it would not attend the Bristol meeting although it would participate in the Feb. 14 event.
The Democratic Gathering bloc which is headed by MP Walid Jumblatt did not also attend. In a statement the bloc said after its own meeting which was chaired by Jumblatt that it is determined to “stay out of political alignments and past divisions.”

There were rumors that Prime Minister Saad Hariri will also not attend Sunday’s meeting, but he surely did prove the rumors wrong . Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Deputy speaker Farid makari and former Lebanese president Amin Gemayel and a large number of MPs attended also

Jumblatt’s bloc skips March 14 meeting at Bristol

The Democratic Gathering bloc which is headed by MP Walid Jumblatt did not attend the March 14 gathering at Bristol Hotel on Sunday .
In a statement the bloc said after its own meeting which was chaired by Jumblatt that it is determined to “stay out of political alignments and past divisions.”
February 14 , the date that will mark the 5th anniversary of the assassination of of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is a different story according to the statement .
“February 14 is an opportunity to express both loyalty to Hariri and commitment to reconciliation and national agreement”

Geagea says Christians opposed to popular democracy

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has said during a conference for LF businessmen that Lebanon’s Christians will not accept the concept of popular democracy ( 1 man 1 vote ) because they have already agreed on division of powers between Christians and Muslims.
He said that all Christians in Lebanon agree on the issue.
Geagea called on Christians to have faith in themselves , not to be fearful, and let history play its role.”
Geagea also urged businessmen to confront economic crises and encouraged them to invest in Lebanon to create more jobs.

Karzai urges Taliban talks before US, Nato leave

Taliban fighters should drop their demand that US and NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan before peace talks can be held, President Hamid Karzai said on Sunday, saying talks would make it easier for troops to leave.

Yemen rejects cease-fire offer, fighting continues

Yemen rejected a ceasefire offer from Shi’ite rebels on Sunday and said fighting was continuing, as neighboring Saudi Arabia accused the insurgents of mounting sniper attacks inside its territory. The conflict with the northern rebels, who complain of social, religious and economic discrimination in the southern Arabian state, has rumbled on since 2004, but intensified last year and drew in oil-rich Saudi Arabia.
Yemen is also struggling against al Qaeda and southern secessionists, and Western powers fear it could become a failed state.
Yemeni soldiers clashed with rebels in the northern provinces of Malahidh and Saada, killing 20, including a leader responsible for training, state media reported on Sunday.
Rebel leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi said on Saturday he was prepared to accept government conditions for a truce, days after he made a ceasefire offer to Saudi Arabia and said his fighters had withdrawn from Saudi territory.
But a government official said on Sunday: “The Houthi offer is rejected as it does not vow to end attacks on Saudi Arabia and because it sets as a condition an end to military operations (by the government) first.” Reuters