Iraq PM warns of Syria crisis spillover

Speaking with the Associated Press, Iraq's prime minister Nouri al-Maliki stressed the importance of a 'peaceful solution' regarding the current civil war in Syria.  This Syrian civil war is between extremist and the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.  Maliki stated that a 'peaceful solution' can only be achieved through dialogue among the parties.  Maliki stated the possibility of detrimental consequences if the Syrian government does collapse.  According to Maliki "the most dangerous thing in this process is that if the opposition is victorious, there will be a civil war in Lebanon, divisions in Jordan and a sectarian war in Iraq.  The possible consequences of the collapse of the Syrian could possibly lead to dire circumstances in a region that already lacks in stability.  Iraq has attempted to maintain a neutral position in regards to the civil war in Syria because Iraq felt that needs of the Syrian people should be met through peaceful means and dialogue rather than violence.  But, Iraq is calling upon the global community, especially the United States to assist in settling this conflict peacefully and to avoid regional repercussions.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/02/201322812730766202.html

I found this article interesting due to the critical balance of this region.  The entire world is interconnected and repercussions are felt globally but any sort of relative action in this region causes detrimental consequences many other countries within the region.

Weapons to Syria

Saudi Step Up Help for Rebels in Syria With Croatian Arms

A NYTimes article states that  according to American and Western officials, "Saudi Arabia has financed a large purchase of infantry weapons from Croatia and quietly funneled them to antigovernment fighters in Syria in a drive to break the bloody stalemate that has allowed President Bashar al-Assad to cling to power." The weapons are attained via shipments through Jordan. 

·      Signals shift among several governments to a more activist approach to assisting Syria’s armed opposition and to counter shipments of weapons from Iran to Mr. Assad’s forces

·      One Western official familiar with the transfers said that participants are hesitant to discuss the transfers because Saudi Arabia, which the official said has financed the purchases, has insisted on secrecy. 

Both the Saudi Arabian and Croatian governments are denying these claims. It will be interesting to see what the Arab League will say about them during their March summit this year (after SERMAL).

Water in Palestine

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics publishes official reports over a plethora of topics such as agriculture, water, finance, energy, environment, trade, water, and foreign investment. I am starting to research for the upcoming conference and I found some really great data and information on some of the topics that will be covered in the Council of Economic Affairs Ministers. Keep in mind that the documents are mainly in Arabic but if you scroll down to the bottom, there usually is a summary in English.

Here is a pdf of the most recent report (2008) on water statistics in the Palestinian Territory.
http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_PCBS/Downloads/book1596.pdf

It emphasizes the significance of water issues in the Middle East. What makes it even more sensitive in Palestine is that Palestinians have no control of water resources (they are controlled by Israeli authority), which has resulted in limited supplies of water. The main supplier of water purchased is from Israeli Water Company Mekorot and the rest of the water is from wells and springs in the locality.

The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) is the main regulatory and policy making body for water resources management and development in the West Bank and Gaza. One of its projects is to standardize water tariffs. However, it has not yet come to fruition. K. Issa, Director of the Tariff and Economy Department of the Palestinian National Authority stated in 2005 that there are many tariff systems existing in the West Bank alone with each municipality having its own system and applying its own structure. "The blocks they used are chosen in random way and prices are determined as the municipality council decides. Each one put minimum limit as it wants without taking the consideration of the consumer's conditions. The result was unjust tariff systems. The poorest were not supported. The prices are not affordable for some blocks. Some tariff systems are not covering the cost." 

A standardized tariff system with less dependence on Mekorot would be ideal for Palestine. I am unsure how the Arab League could address this problem, since water supply is already a concern for the entire region. If any has suggestions on research or information on the subject, please let me know!

According to Islamist sources foreign Jihadi Salafists in Syria have begun attempts at an expansion of the supposed holy war into countries like Jordan,Lebanon and Turkey. Abu Sayyaf leader of the Jordanian Jihadi Salafist movement states that they supported all Jordanian men, all Muslims to fulfill their duty by protection the Muslim nation from crimes of the regime of Assad. Abu Syaff also mentioned that there is not jihad in Jordan as well as any plans for jihad in Jordan.Any talk of military actions in neighboring  states is just Syrian- Zionists propaganda. It is reported that dozens of foreign jihadi Salafists cross into Syria each day, Islamist sources report that pressure is rising to transform a battle of "liberation" to a regional holy war. Halabi concludes his statements saying that the original intent was to defend families against a Godless regime not the establishment of a global jihad, but each day of bloodshed brings us closer in that direction. Syrian Jihadi Salafists ‘setting sights’ on Jordan

Tunisian Turmoil

Tunisia, widely considered the very birthplace of the monumental Arab Spring movement, has once again descended into political turmoil and civil strife following the assassination of a highly-regarded political figure, Shokri Belaid, who was leader of the leftist opposition party.  The murder has led to renewed anger over what many citizens consider to be the slow pace of reform in the newly-parliamentary state, as well as growing concerns over the very potential for democratic governance in the North African nation.  The current, conservative ruling party, Ennahda, has faced sharp public criticism since the assassination, being accused of not cracking down on Islamist groups thought to be responsible for the killing of the secular Belaid.  Tunisia's PM Jebali, of Ennahda, has stepped down in the face of criticism from the public and within the party.  Ali Laarayedh, one of the least conservative members of Ennahda, has been selected as the new PM.  Controversially, Mr. Laarayedh, as leader of Tunisia's police, has faced much of the criticism for not doing more to prevent the killing of Belaid.  Tunisia's situation is certainly one to take notice of, as for many other Arab states it has served as the model for relatively peaceful democratic revolution; the effects of the current turmoil could truly be wide-ranging.  




Sources:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2013/02/20132717129261103.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/world/africa/tunisia-party-names-premier-candidate.html?_r=0

Somalis forced out of Kenya for anger against peacekeepers

I also found this in the last article I blogged about. Somalis are pushing against aid being sent by Kenya, and consequently Kenyans are ordering all Somalis out of their cities and forcing them to go home or into a refugee camp. I found this topic when I was googling information on the Al Shabaab as well.


In the last year Kenya has suffered dozens of terror attacks by Somalis angry about Kenyan peacekeepers going into Somalia (to suppress al Shabaab attacks on northern Kenya). Kenya recently responded by ordering all Somalis out of the cities and forcing them to either return to Somalia (which many are doing) or to the Dadaab refugee camp (a much less popular destination). To speed this process the police have (unofficially) been permitted to harass, extort and plunder Somalis who do not leave. The government is planning to round up those Somalis who still refuse to leave and forcibly move them to the Somali border or Dadaab. That camp is itself being emptied out much to the consternation of foreign aid groups, who still do not feel safe operating in Somalia (where bandits and warlords see foreign aid workers are a source of plunder, not aid).

Al-Shabaab describes itself as waging jihad against "enemies of Islam", and is engaged in combat against the TFG and the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Alleging ulterior motives on the part of foreign organizations, group members have also reportedly intimidated, kidnapped and killed aid workers, leading to a suspension of humanitarian operations and an exodus of relief agents.

The aid Somalia needs is not going to come if those who are bringing the aid continuously get intimidated and killed.

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia/articles/20130224.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shabaab_(militant_group)

Al Shabaab in Somalia

There are lots of events happening in Somalia that are all somewhat linked back to the al Shabaab. The al Shabaab is-- the Somalia-based cell of the militant Islamist group al-Qaeda, formally recognized in 2012.^[3] As of 2012, the outfit controls large swathes of the southern parts of the country,^[4] where it is said to have imposed its own strict form of Sharia law.^[5] Al-Shabaab's troop strength as of May 2011 was estimated at 14,426 militants.

As of right now it is still dangerous to take a ship near the Somali coast. Most of the pirate gangs there have shut down but many are still trying to use aggresive tactics to catch and destroy ships that pass by. The pirates are currently holding four ships and 108 sailors. Thankfully, due to the anti-piracy patrol there have not been any ships captured in the last nine months.


The defeat of al Shabaab in the last year has led several hundred foreign terrorists, who had earlier fled from defeat in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and elsewhere, to leave the country. Many are then showing up in Yemen and Kenya, two places that are easy for them to reach. The Kenyan border is not hard to sneak past since it is not heavily guarded and smugglers regularly move people from Somalia to Yemen. "Yemen defeated an al Qaeda insurrection last year but the Islamic radicals sill have sanctuaries in some remote villages. About 11 percent of 43 million Kenyans are Moslem, and most live in coastal cities like Mombasa (where about a third of the population is Moslem). Most of those Moslems are ethnic Somalis and many have been in Kenya for generations. But several hundred thousand are Arabs. Inside Somalia, many of the al Shabaab deserters are going back to their clans and rejoining the clan militia. While some of these men were disillusioned with al Shabaab, many were not and are just biding their time, waiting for another opportunity to join an Islamic radical group. Some of these deserters, including those who joined the army as part of their rehabilitation, are now secretly carrying out or supporting terrorist attacks. Some of these men are still willing to be suicide bombers. Not a lot, but several times a month al Shabaab suicide bombers are in action, a reminder that al Shabaab is defeated but not destroyed. This has forced the Somali Army to become more accurate in screening al Shabaab deserters, especially those willing to join the military."

I was confused when I read the word "Moslem" in this article and wondered about its spelling. I googled it and found that ---
According to the Center for Nonproliferation Studies,"Moslem and Muslim are basically two different spellings for the same word." But the seemingly arbitrary choice of spellings is a sensitive subject for many followers of Islam. Whereas for most English speakers, the two words are synonymous in meaning, the Arabic roots of the two words are very different. A Muslim in Arabic means"one who gives himself to God," and is by definition, someone who adheres to Islam. By contrast, a Moslem in Arabic means"one who is evil and unjust" when the word is pronounced, as it is in English, Mozlem with a z.
For others, this spelling differentiation is merely a linguistic matter, with the two spellings a result of variation in transliteration methods. Both Moslem and Muslim are used as nouns. But some writers use Moslem when the word is employed as an adjective.

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia/articles/20130224.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shabaab_(militant_group)
http://hnn.us/articles/524.html

Egyptian/Libyan Border Traffic

From February 14th to February 18th, the borders that Libya shares with Tunisia and Egypt were closed to help prevent violence on the second anniversary of the start of the Libyan Revolution. There were calls for protests to be held nationwide, and citizens were arming themselves to protect their neighborhoods in case of any violence.

Ever since the reopening of the borders, locals on the Egyptian border have been blockading the border. Libya has announced that there have been no changes to the visa requirements needed to cross the border. Egyptians living on the border used to be able to cross without them, but this has been stopped.

Protesters on the Egyptian side of the border burning tyres (tires), and traffic is still being blocked in both directions. Negotiators have been sent in to talk with the protesters.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201302230126.html

http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/02/22/mounting-traffic-chaos-on-egyptian-border/

From what I have read, the issue that the civilians in Libya have is that there has not been an adequate push for reform by the new government, and that some people even want to have a second revolution in Libya. They want change to happen, and they have decided to make it an international issue in the hopes of finally getting the reforms that they want. I think Libya has more hopes of making these reforms happen because of their working relationships with Europe (mainly France), but I'm not really sure where I think this one is heading yet.

According to a variety of newspapers, in the last week the government of Egypt decided to flood Gaza smuggle tunnels used by Hamas. It appears as though these tunnels provide some (not much) economic aid for those living there: "Much of the blockade has been loosened over the years, but residents still rely on the tunnels to get vital goods that are otherwise difficult to obtain in Gaza, such as construction materials and cheap fuel." In fact, "The tunnels have kept a modest construction boom flowing in Gaza that employs thousands of people, while an estimated 2,000 men and boys work in some 250 border tunnels."According to a second source I read, it appears as though this pattern isn't new. In fact, "Less than 270 tunnels are operating now, down from around 1,200 tunnels in 2010," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity." This really hurts Palestine, like REALLY hurts them.


This will certainly strain ties between Egypt and Hamas. However, it is an essential platform for the President of Egypt to take seeing that it may result in more legitimacy/support/backing from Western Europe. Nonetheless, Egypt may now be a role model for democracy due to its transformation under the Arab Spring. The work of Egypt may instill peace or democracy perhaps as long as they keep their head up right. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20130219/ml-gaza-egypt/?utm_hp_ref=chicago&ir=chicagoH#
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hnt-o4NSpq96GCOkWAPeCzuvODNA?docId=CNG.f62819774b83bf3f5e494aa1f429620d.311

Kuwait Update

According to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Mexico and Kuwait are expected to sign a agreement to boost and protect investments between the two countries as a part of a bilateral trade agreement. This trade agreement will protect and encourage Kuwaitis to create businesses overseas and will eventually add a provision allowing for the full compensation of damages incurred to Kuwaiti entrepreneurs. This agreement will also allow for the settlement of trade disagreements through international arbitration. This trade agreement will be the result of a memorandum signed by the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Kuwait in July of 2010. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any specifics of this trade agreement as it is still being fine-tuned, however I did find that both Kuwait and Mexico are oil producers, which might have lead to their cooperation. The visit by the Kuwaiti Prime Minister came at a time when Mexico was on the UN Security Council and many issues concerning Kuwait were being discussed, furthermore the UN Climate Change Conference was to be held in Mexico later that year. I found it very interesting how these two oil producing countries were able to create this trade agreement and come together even though they are both from very different areas of the world.

Kuwait remained South Korea's number 2 oil exporter in January for the third straight month.

Recently a report published showed that more than 27% of Kuwaitis are diabetic, and of that number 6% have foot infections which could lead to amputations, if left untreated. Compared to the US, only 8.3% of all Americans have diabetes and only about 6% of the population has had this type of foot infection (however I do not know if this is a correct statistic).

For further reading:
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/156923/reftab/96/t/Kuwait-and-Mexico-sign-memos-on-cementing-ties/Default.aspx
http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093612310/Kuwait-Mexico-Sign-Agreement-to-Boost-Investments
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/193406/reftab/36/t/Over-27-pct-of-people-in-Kuwait-suffer-from-diabetes/Default.aspx
http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093612012/Kuwait-remains-S-Koreas-key-crude-oil-supplier

UAE denies rights to detainees

UAE authorities had detained 13 Egyptians with alleged ties to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood between November 21, 2012 and January 7, 2013. The Egyptians were isolated and were not allowed to communicate with anyone from the outside world, including their families.

However, even though local media has claimed that the Egyptians had formed a secret Muslim Brotherhood cell attempting to establish a foothold in the UAE, there have been no charges pressed against them yet. Among these detainees are doctors, engineers, and university professors whom have lived and worked in the UAE for many years.

Many of the detainees have been given no opportunity to challenge their detention. "This case proves yet another sad example of the UAE authorities' ignoring due process of law and basic legal protections," said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

Furthermore, the family members detainees have complained that Emirati security services went to the Egyptians' homes with no warrants, arrested them, and confiscated papers and computers. The detention of these peoples violates Emirati, as well as international law. 

Algeria Says 2012 Oil Discoveries Don’t Offset Output Decline

Although the oil discoveries in Algeria last year are important, the decline in production will not be offset according to the energy minister. Sonatrach, the state run energy company made 31 oil and gas discoveries both alone and in cooperation with foreign partners.

In addition to the Menzal Ledjmet East fields that began production about a month ago, the El Merk field is expected to start production sometime this year. Last month, Algeria produced 1.2 million barrels of crude a day last month according to the OPEC production survey compiled by Bloomberg. That brings them down from 1.26 in the past four years and from 1.6 million in 2006. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-20/algeria-says-2012-oil-discoveries-don-t-offset-output-decline.html

Increasingly Sectarian Syrian Conflict

Syrian rebels and the opposition have accused the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah of attacking Syrian villages. The SNC claims Hezbollah has attacked three villages near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah continues to deny these claims against them. 

According to the SNC and Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC) opposition groups "The Hezbollah force moved on foot and was supported by multiple rocket launchers. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) had to call in two tanks that had been captured from the Assad army to repel the attack," SRGC spokesman Hade al-Abdallah told Reuters news agency. According to a report in a Lebanese newspaper An Nahar, this attack is being referred to as an "unprecedented invasion." 

"Hezbollah's invasion is the first of its kind in terms of organization, planning and coordination with the Syrian regime's air force," Miqdad was quoted as saying. An unnamed Hezbollah spokesman was reported as confirming the three Shia deaths, but without saying whether they belong to the group. AFP news agency quoted the spokesman as saying the dead fighters had been acting "in self-defense."

UN human rights investigator says it is time that the UN Security Council referred the war crimes to the International Criminal Court. 

EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels renewed sanctions - including an arms embargo - against Syria, while agreeing to provide more non-lethal support to rebels "for the protection of civilians."

The UN has estimated 70,000 people have been killed in conflict since the uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad began nearly two years ago. 

Hezbollah Threatens Israel, Attacks Syria

Hezbollah Condemned for Attack in Syria

Kuwait- Involvement in Israel's Prisoner X

Recently a prisoner held in Israel's Ayalon prison was found dead by apparent suicide in December. A Kuwaiti newspaper, al-Jarida, has implicated this prisoner in the assassination of a Hamas leader in Dubai in January of 2010. Unfortunately I was not able to directly read the article in al-Jarida since it was only written in Arabic, however I was able to find an English summary in the Middle East Monitor. According to al-Jarida, Prisoner X, otherwise known as Ben Allon, was a member of a team which killed a leader of Hamas in Dubai in 2010. According to al-Jarida, who got their information from "Western informed sources", Allon attempted to tell the authorities in Dubai about what happened to this Hamas leader in exchange for protection, when Israel head of this they apparently kidnapped Allon and placed him in custody. All of this news is purely speculation at this point because there is still a partial gag order in place in Israel, preventing the full story of this prisoner from being broadcast.

Hezbollah

Fighters from Hezbollah attacked a group from the Free Syrian Army(FSA) operating along the Syria-Lebanon border. The border is un-marked and frequent incursions are made by militia's from Lebanon into Syria. This incident is the first instance of conflict between the FSA and Hezbollah. It appears that Assads regime is beginning to crumble as more and more frequently the FSA is coming into conflict with foreign fighters.

While Hezbollah is not representative of the government of Lebanon it does wield significant political power within the country and has received weapons from Iran along smuggling lines that used to run through Syria. The growth of the revolution within Syria and the potential for a Syria led without Assad may cause problems for Lebanon's ability to repulse Israeli attacks as well as continue mortar and rocket attacks against the same.

Criminalized Libel in Somalia

This week in Somolia, criminalized libel puts a journalist into jail for interviewing a rape victim. Here, libel is a criminal matter not a civil matter. "The Committee to Protect Journalists reported earlier this month (and Roy Greenslade blogged) that Somali freelance journalist Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim was sentenced to a year in jail because he reported about about a woman who claimed she was raped by soldiers. The charge: Insulting the government."

There is a serious problem with the aspect of criminalized libel for journalists who's job it is to report news stories. This is a problem not only in Somolia but other places as well. The International Press Institute has a campaign to get Caribbean countries to change their laws. (IPI Campaign to Repeal Criminal Defamation in the Caribbean). Even if the information that the journalists are sharing is in fact true- people, organizations, or the government can ask for criminal penalties against them simply if one person doesn't like the story. There is no truth as a defense to combat libel in these places.


http://worldjournalism.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/criminalized-libel-in-somolia-puts-journalist-in-jail-for-interviewing-rape-victim/
 

 

For the Arab League conference, I get to be in the Environmental Affairs committee.
I am somewhat excited about the topics because I don't know too much about Maritime policy  andfishing which are two of the major issues discussed in our agenda:

1. Developing sustainable fishing policies and trade regulations in order to protect fish populations and ecosystems and to promote regional food security

2. Addressing the environmental risks of overland and maritime transportation of hydrocarbons

3. Utilizing public-private partnerships in the areas of infrastructure, regional awareness and educational campaigns, development, and natural resource extraction with the goal of greater environmental protection

4. Developing comprehensive Arab League policies regarding animal welfare and animal living conditions and addressing the role of Arab countries as destinations or transit points for the illegal trafficking of animals

I found this link on the Food and Agricultural Organization that discusses fisheries activities by location. In this case, there's a small section on the Arab League:

http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/X8002E/x8002e08.htm

TABLE 12
League of Arab States: fisheries and aquaculture production, food balance and trade

	1986	1990	1994	1998
Aquaculture production
Inland production ('000 tonnes)	53	69	65	139
Percentage of world total	0.9	0.8	0.5	0.7
Marine production ('000 tonnes)	0	2	6	20
Percentage of world total	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.2
Fisheries production
Inland production ('000 tonnes)	188	234	271	320
Percentage of world total	3.2	3.6	4.0	4.0
Marine production ('000 tonnes)	1 244	1 315	1 596	1 574
Percentage of world total	1.6	1.7	1.9	2.0
Fisheries and aquaculture production
Combined total ('000 tonnes)	1 486	1 620	1 939	2 052
Percentage of world total	1.6	1.6	1.7	1.8
Food balance
Total food supply ('000 tonnes)	1 089	1 234	1 470	...
Per capita supply (kg)	5.4	5.5	6.0	...
Fish as share of animal protein (%)	8.1	8.6	9.7	...
Trade in fishery commodities
Total imports (US$ millions)	244	213	323	457
Percentage of world total	1.0	0.5	0.6	0.8
Total exports (US$ millions)	612	878	985	1 124
Percentage of world total	2.7	2.5	2.1	2.2
Note: ... = data not available.

Something to note is to see the dramatic increase in the 90s over a course of a few years. Furthermore, as the FAO website states: "The League of Arab States has no subsidiary body or institution that deals exclusively with fisheries matters." I would suggest that the reader look at the link and find resources and some organizations mentioned to really dig deep into this subject matter further

Breaking up of "terrorist cell" in Bahrain..or...?

Well, here goes another shot to understanding what exactly is going on in Bahrain. The government claims they broke up a "terrorist cell," arresting 8 Bahrainis. Stating that they were supported by Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. The Interior Minister, Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa reported that the they underwent such an arrest with "the help of a brotherly country." They did not state who that country was but I'm guessing the brotherly country of Saudi Arabia. Not only was this a significant event because well, it was the breaking up of a "terrorist cell" but also because of the circumstances in which it occurred. Only hours before had the government been accused of human rights violations after hundreds of protestors were attacked with tear gas and stun guns following attempts that preceded a funeral to go to "Pearl Square" (the equivalent of "Tahrir Square to Bahrainis." Another significant fact, the funeral was for a 16 year old boy, Hussein Al-Jazari, who died after being shot by security forces during an earlier protest. Protests have re-sparked since Thursday leaving many to question the stability of Bahrain and how far the government will go to repress the Shia led movements. 

If you want to be really cynical, as some are, this "terrorist block" arrests could be perceived as a way to get others off the back of the Bahraini government for the violent oppression of these protests, or even just another way to scare the opposition into conceding due to fear. Or, it could really be a "terrorist block." It will be interesting however to find out if these 8 Bahraini's were Shia...but that is just the conspiracists in me talking. 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/02/20132177290497676.html

Christian Missionaries Arrested in Libya

On Saturday, February 16th, four people were arrested in Benghazi, Libya on charges related to spreading Christianity. There is currently an investigation under way, and there was 45,000 books (Christianity related) found in their possession, in addition to another 25,000 that have already been distributed. It is not being released where these missionaries are being held.

The missionaries are from South Korea, South Africa, Eqypt, and the other is a Swedish American. The Swedish Foreign Ministry has confirmed the arrest of someone with Swedish citizenship on an American passport. The US embassy in Libya has declined to comment.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/02/16/libya-christian-missionaries/1925003/

Spreading Christianity is considered a crime in Libya, where the population is predominately Muslim.
I like to think I understand why a country would have a law such as this, but in an age where we have 
increased globalization, this sort of thing is inevitable. If people are open to Christian ideology, then 
they are never going to be completely Muslim. Though e government tries, I don't believe this is 
something they are going to be ale to stop if their people truly want it. But like I said, I like to think
I understand this law from the stance that they are trying to protect something that they view as a 
defining factor of their lives and heritage.

Update (2-18-13):
The charges of being a missionary and distributing Christian literature potentially carry death
sentences. A security official told Reuters that in a "100% Muslim country" like Libya, trying to 
spread Christianity has an affect on national security.

An important quote from a lawyer/human rights activist:
"It is disrespectful. If we had Christianity we could have dialogue, but you can't just spread Christianity, the maximum penalty is the death penalty. It's a dangerous thing to do."

Today (Sunday), the de facto head of state in Libya pledged that shari'a law would be incorporated into the future Libyan constitution.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/17/libya-arrests-suspected-foreign-missionaries

Serbia and Kosovo to discuss north status

Serbia and Kosovo are in a bind over discussing the issue of the north and who it belongs to. The status of northern Kosovo remains an outstanding obstacle that the EU said will only be solved through the ongoing dialogue between the two countries.

The EU is asking for three dialogues. One between Pristina and Belgrade, one between Pristina and Serbs in the north, and the last between Serbs from both sides of the Ibar River. They have to have a solution upon which both should agree.

Kosovo Serbs held a protest rally on the 30th of January stating again they do not recognize Pristina institutions, demanding Belgrade guarantees implementation of agreements reached in Brussels thus far.

Oliver Ivanovic, former Kosovo ministry state secretary said the north will always be different. "The north will not secede from the rest of Kosov, but Kosovo cannot secede from Serbia either," Ivanovic siad.

Article here

Bahrain and a new 'National Dialogue"

As we all know the 'Arab Spring,' as it has been dubbed by the media, sparked major protests in different parts of the Arab world over the last two years. Bahrain has been no exception. If you do not know much about Bahrain here are a few facts:

1) British protectorate until it gained independence in 1971, located in the Gulf
2) the capital is Manama
3) Constitutional monarchy (the al-Khalifa family basically rules every aspect of the government)
4) political parties prohibited BUT political societies allowed since 2005
5) constantly plays a balancing act in foreign policy (esp. with Saudi Arabia and the U.S.)
6) Bahraini (46%) non - Bahraini (54%) (according to 2011 census)

Biggest problem (right now): the Sunni minority and the Shia majority. Basically, the government and the few elites in the country are Sunni and since the 1990's there have been minor protests by Shia to push for reforms against discriminatory practices affecting them. Today, these issues still continue despite efforts by the government in the past.


The opposition has been growing in Bahrain. Recently they have formed a coalition in order to start talks with the government in order to implement a new round of reforms. This is deemed a 'national dialogue' and last took place in 2011 after several protests occurred in the country. However, it resulted in the opposition walking out. Now the opposition wants any recommendations or changes to be placed into a referendum for the country to vote on, hoping this will opt for quicker and more comprehensive change.

A spokesman hoped the event "will represent new achievements and add value to the reforms projects and democracy in Bahrain."

The biggest fear for the Sunnis : a more democratic government with a stronger Shia base. This correlates with another fear of the current Bahrain administration (and Saudi Arabia) - Iran. The question arises that if a larger Shia majority is implemented in the government, will Iran become a dangerous ally and the United States a new foe?


And to be honest, if this is the case, the US would try everything to prevent such a "disaster." Or is the efforts of even the U.S. not enough to stop such a situation? First, let's just see if the 'national dialogue' carries through and we can take it from there...


https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/flagtemplate_ba.html
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/8f91e27a-737f-11e2-9e92-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F8f91e27a-737f-11e2-9e92-00144feabdc0.html&_i_referer=#axzz2KXtm7OcP

Radical Islam in the Balkans

An interesting facet of Balkan society, and one that I feel has been largely overlooked in our research on Albania, is the large percentage of Muslims in the region; Islam has a long history in the Balkan states.  In Albania, demographic polls and studies have indicated the percentage of Muslims in Albania ranges anywhere from 43-79.9%.

https://worldview.gallup.com/default.aspx

The differing religious identities of the myriad Balkan states surely has affected - alongside severe ethnic tensions - the composition and history of the region, and I feel that understanding this is key to understanding relations amongst the Balkan states and their ties to Western Europe.  While Sunni Muslims are prominent in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo (once part of largely-Christian Serbia), Christian majorities exist in Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.  

In the news as of late is the propagation of radical Islam - with ties to al Qaeda and other groups - in the majority-Muslim Balkan states.  An interesting news article explaining this phenomena "largely overlooked by the West" can be found here: http://www.wnd.com/2013/02/radical-islam-surging-in-balkans/?cat_orig=faith
 

Albania Cancels Vetro Oil Offer

Albania has nullified the winning bid by Vetro Energy to buy out Albepetrol. The winning bid was worth 850 million euros, or $1.1 billion. The reason for the nullification was because Vetro wasn't able to pay its initial payment of 170 million euros. The agreed price could have significantly helped Albania slash their deficit and public debt. Next in line was the Chinese consortium, Win Business, who had an offer of 298 million euros. The Albanian government has offered to sell all of Albpetrol's above-ground assets. One of Albepetrol's biggest shareholders, Rezart Taci, was shocked about the announcement, saying that the deal was close to being finalized.

TAP submits ESIA to Albanian Govt

In congruence with Albanian law and with the Environmental and Social Policy of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the ESIA (environmental and social impact assessment) report was developed. This is following the submission of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline environmental and social impact assessment report for the proposal by the Albanian section to the National Licensing Centre in Albania.

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is currently having the ESIA report disclosed to any communities that will be affected along the pipeline route. The route will begin in Bilisht Qendër in Korca region at the border of Albania and Greece and it will run for about 209 km. There will be a number of public hearings organized by local authorities on this report by the end of this month. 

So far the TAP has received endorsement from the senior ministers of host countries including: Greece, Italy, and Switzerland at the meeting held in Davos, Switzerland.

The E.ON Ruhrgas Chairman of the Board of Management, Klaus Schäfer believes that because of  the support of host countries will help to get the TAP passed in June 2013. He hopes that the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline's Intergovernmental Agreement will be signed by the governments of Greece, Albania, and Italy by the end of this month as well.

The TAP will transport natural gas from the Shah Deniz II development in Azerbaijan and ship it via Greece and Albania across the Adriatic Sea into Southern Italy. This will continue further into Western Europe. It is designed to expand the capacity being transported from 10 to 20 Bcm/a, depended on the amount of supply and demand. It will also enhance Europe's energy security by helping to contribute to diversification of the gas supplies in the southern areas of Europe. 

http://pipelinesinternational.com/news/tap_submits_esia_to_albanian_govt/079800/

Albania: EU Integration Within Reach?

Šefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, visited Albanian officials in Tirana on the 4th of February. He stressed that Albanian aspirations for joining the EU are within reach, however this would depend on the actions of Albania's politicians. He stated, "Albania's entire process of EU-related reforms needs to be sustainable, inclusive and consensus-driven – for the benefit of all Albanian citizens."

The commissioner also mentioned that Albania's upcoming parliamentary elections would be a test in determining whether it could maintain its democratic institutions. 

Here's the link: 

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-62_en.htm?locale=en#PR_metaPressRelease_bottom

"NATO against forming of Kosovo Army"

It has been reported that NATO itself is the main obstacle for the formation of Kosovo's own army.  This is contributed to four member states of NATO that do not recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state.  Kosovo desires to turn the KFOR (Kosovo Force, also known as the Security Force) into the Kosovo Army but NATO is not supportive of that action.  The KFOR is a NATO led international peacekeeping force that entered Kosovo in 1999 under a United Nations mandate.  The formation of the KFOR into Kosovo's Army is still a topic debated within NATO.  An official of NATO stated the alliance was looking for a solution for this situation as KFOR troops cannot stay within Kosovo for forever.  Kosovo would also not risk transforming the KFOR into Kosovo's army without the consent of NATO.  Kosovo has received support from Turkey regarding the formation of its own military.

I found this article very interesting because NATO entered Kosovo in 1999 in order to stop the grave humanitarian crisis that was occurring within the country.  Because of NATO's intervention it is questionable to why NATO would not support the formation of Kosovo's own army.  Kosovo has very strong ties with Albania, which is another reason for NATO to consider supporting the formation of Kosovo's own army.  Albania is a relatively new member of NATO but since its membership Albania has been actively engaged and demonstrating leadership qualities as well within the organization.  Albania also has close ties as well.  The formation of Kosovo's own army would increase regional security.  It is hard to fathom that NATO's reluctance is primarily contributed to four member states decision to not recognize Kosovo as a state.





http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2013&mm=02&dd=09&nav_id=84610

China-Romania

News coming from out of nowhere. China's embassy in Bucharest just recently honored the last chief of Romania's despised, communist-era secret police. His name, Iulian Vlad, the Securitate chief from 1987 to 1989, was given an award by the embassy this past Sunday for "his role in developing relations between the two countries," but this news didn't emerge until Wednesday.
Romania is a member of both the European Union and NATO, yet it still holds strong traditional links with China.
"This award 'is like a phantom from the past,' said Stelian Tanase, a political commentator, suggesting that the Chinese rewarded those who suppressed dissent rather than encouraged democracy. Romania is still coming to terms with the Securitate, which had an estimated 760,000 informants, and whose files have never been properly opened."
According to the article, Vlad was sentenced to 25 years in prison for suppressing the 1989 anti-Communist revolt, but was released after four.

I was surprised to see that Romania and China had strong ties with one another, especially after the communist era was much despised by the Romanian people. Vlad, who Romania is still coming to terms with, is currently deputy chairman of the Romanian-Chinese House, a bilateral friendship group. I wonder why China would choose to, at this moment in time, pull this topic back up and honor a leader that was not well received in Romania and who had even been thrown into prison. Hopefully they know what they are doing and don't upset too many of their current relations with Romania.

Kuwait- Offending the Emir or Repressing Freedom of Speech?

On February the 5th, three former parliament members were convicted of "offending the emir". The courts found the defendants guilty based on speeches they had made in October and they have since sentenced all three to three years in prison each. The defendants have all appealed their sentences, however there is serious concern that there will be no change in their sentences. At least 25 people have been charged and six have been sentenced with "offending the emir". Even though this is a violation of the freedom of speech given to Kuwaitis in their constitution, there is an article under the Penal Code of 1970 which allows a maximum of five years in prison for those who publicly "object to the rights and authorities of the emir or faults him". The reasoning behind taking these men into custody was because their speeches, given in October of 2012, "pitched [the emir] to the rank of an average person". However the court did not specify the parts of the speeches which violated the law. It is very concerning that in Kuwait, often seen as a beacon of freedom in the Middle East, the constitution and freedoms of the people can be thrown aside in order to keep the image of the emir high.
[News taken from Human Rights Watch- Kuwait: Quash Convictions for "Offending the Emir"]

Spain in the news: Nationalizing Banks

Spain was in the news today in the Wall Street Journal for plans on nationalizing a regional lender Banco CEISS after the bank had a negative external valuation of 288 million Euros. Spain plans on injecting 604 million Euros into the lender, nationalizing CEISS by taking out all existing shareholders. 

The article also talks about Spain's serious economic slump and large recession in the housing market as the main culprits of poor bank performance and in turn, the Spanish government has resorted to bailing out many lenders. It even asked the EU for a loan of 40 billion Euros to help pay for the mess.

Spain's banking industry is at a current low and with the government bailing out several regional and national banks, Spain is struggling to gain capital. This means that there is less money in other governmental sectors. It will be interesting to see how Spain will support future NATO projects and programs in the following years. Spain is a supporter of many NATO programs, like the current involvement in Afghanistan, but its ability to contribute financially is something to keep in mind. Although there are many other ways a government can help support a NATO mission abroad, the biggest indicator that the fellow NATO members look at is the percentage of military spending on GDP. We shall see if these percentages will change in the coming years.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324590904578291961709520762.html

On a side note: Good luck to everyone attending the NATO conference! 

The Czech Republic in Mali

For those not familiar with the situation in Mali, here is a link to an earlier post about France's presence in Mali (written by Jade Womack).

http://vtrio.blogspot.com/2013/01/so-why-is-france-in-mali-great-question.html

Also, here is a link to one of my earlier posts about the Czech Republic military and their 
involvment in a large number of NATO and EU operations.

http://vtrio.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-czech-republic-and-nato-defense.html

Yesterday (wednesday, February 6th), the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic announced:
"Up to 50 soldiers from the army of the Czech Republic will take part in the training of mechanized and foot troops of the Malian army, generally of groups the size of one battalion. A condition is that the mission will last for 15 months, as planned by the European Union.”

This deployment is part of an effort lead by France to get African troops to be able  to deal with the Militant Islamists themselves. The troops are supposed to arrive mid-February, while French troops are supposed to pull out sometime in March.

The EU soldiers that are going to Mali certainly have a good plan/idea, but there are two sides to what I think could happen. On one hand, we have the EU's plan of what is going to happen. The EU troops are going to go in to teach, the troops in Mali are going to learn, and then we are going to leave them to successfully take of themselves while we keep an eye on the situation. On the other hand, everything could fall apart. The militant Islamists could gain more power, Mali's troops could fail, etc. It is the EU, and not NATO, that are controlling this operation, so there is the possibility that it could become more than just a peacekeeping mission (which is what NATO would probably do). Mali is close enough to Europe that the country is geographically important, but if something happens not according to plan, it just remains to be seen how important it is. I know all of these situations are not necessarily likely, but we always have to keep them in mind. Thoughts?

http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/pm-announces-deployment-of-czech-military-instructors-to-mali

Well, I am off to NATO and I am going to be in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.
What is that you may ask? Well, I have a binder full of information to tell you.

The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council is a 50 nation multilateral forum to talk about Allies and Partner countries. More or less, it is the political framework for NATO's cooperation with partner countries. Therefore, conversation about political and security issues such as Kosovo and Afghanistan are spoken about--especially if not only NATO, but partner countries are deployed (particularly peacekeeping).

Also there's 28 Allies and 22 Partner countries as stated before.

Side note, there's something called the Partnership for Peace programme where partner countries can petition the help/resource of NATO...this is done exclusively with the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.

Nonetheless I am somewhat concerned that I know nothing about Afghanistan/Iraq.
However, please note we haven't pulled out our resources yet.

That's it for now.
There's a lot more reading I need to do before I can write something with intellectual merit on here.

Best,
Jade


France.
Same sex marriage. Score.
I found this article interesting about the rise of Islamic converts and how that will challenge France's identity. France hasn't  been super supportive of religious dress. However, if there soon becomes a  majority of eligible voters with this set cultural/religious belief--I imagine it will have an impact on the system.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/04/world/europe/rise-of-islamic-converts-challenges-france.html?_r=0

Albania's Sex-Selective Abortion

There has been a rise in Albania's sex-selective abortion due to the country's preference for male heirs. Males are seen as protectors, as well as financial supporters of the family, whereas females are there solely for emotional support. This article reports that more than 15,000 female fetuses have been aborted between 2000 and 2010.

Sex-selective abortion, which is illegal in Albania, has been linked to the widespread gender gap and declining fertility rate in the country. Albania's sex ratio leans more towards males than India. That is a considerable amount considering India's large population. This also brings light to another issue: women's rights and inequalities.

Should something be done to reduce the number of sex-selective abortions in Albania?

http://womensenews.org/story/abortion/130125/sex-selective-abortion-trending-in-albania#.UQ7pWaU1bFI 

European Partners' Shortcomings Exposed Through Mali

As others have mentioned, the continually-widening spending gap amongst Alliance member states has been condemned as of late by NATO leadership, including Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.  While the Alliance has established (since 2006) a policy requiring all member states to invest 2% or more of their GDP into defense appropriations, only four nations are currently meeting this objective.  In recent years, with over a decade of U.S.-led operations fresh in the collective European memory, the issue has largely been ignored by NATO leadership.  However, with the rise of European-state led campaigns in Libya and now Mali, the issue has risen to the forefront of NATO policy concerns.  

Why is this spending disparity now a rising concern?  The French-led operations in Mali have exposed the incapacity of the French military - as well as partnered European NATO states - to independently conduct combat operations without the support of U.S. warfighting assets.  As the U.S. is increasingly taking a more conservative stance in military operations closer to the European continent, the future of NATO success rests on the ability of European member states to acquire the necessary support assets essential to modern, deployed combat operations.  The spending disparity, along with a shifting U.S. policy stance, may finally highlight the shortcomings of European states dangerous to future combat success and lead to a more equitable North America-Europe power balance in NATO affairs. 

Iceland's horse meat sales on the rise

Horse meat sales have increased 36.8% since 2007.

"Of the 24,865 tons of meat sold in 2012, poultry accounted for 7,800 tons, a year-over-year increase of 10.7 percent. Lamb made up 6,659 tons, an increase of 11.5 percent. Pork was the third highest-selling meat with sales of 5,612 tons, a decrease of 4.1 percent, followed by beef with 4,110 tons, an increase of 6.6 percent, and horse meat with 682 tons."

This, coupled with the pick up that the fishing industry has had, should help better their economy after the plummet they took in the recent stock market crash.

http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Horse_Meat_Sales_Increase_in_Iceland_0_397446.news.aspx

Denmark Funds Somaliland Grant Plan

With what our country has been blessed with, even in the midst of the world recession, we have pledged millions of dollars and resources to impoverished communities and nations. As of this week, we have pledged over 8million dollars through the Somaliland Business Fund-SBF. We are determined to participate in the economic development of Somaliland by funding businesses and entrepreneurs in this fairly new independent country in cooperation with the World Bank. Grants will be given to participants over a period of time after a phasing process.

Economic development is a priority under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with the development of security, anti-piracy, governance and Somalia/Somaliland living standards. The Danish International Development Agency-DANIDA head, Mr. Zorem Rasmussen, discussed Denmark's interests in Somalia/Somaliland in an interview stating, "The allocation of this fund is geared towards fulfilling Denmark's intentions for promoting local economic growth and creation of unemployment opportunities.

However, politically, Denmark is not interested as of yet. While the struggles between Somalia and Somaliland still continue, we have pledged our support in a non-political way until requested otherwise.  Rasmussen reiterated this, "Although we are currently involved at any level, the government in Copenhagen is closely following proceedings and will not hesitate to provide assistance if deemed necessary or upon request."

It has to be asked though whether resource support of the kind mentioned in this post can NOT have political repercussions, ulterior motives or other outcomes than that desired. There still exists a UK travel ban in Somaliland and political tension remain high, but one cannot predict the future. Is it possible for governmental funds such as those provided by the Denmark government remain pure of political complications or ugly outcomes?

http://somalilandsun.com/index.php/development-aid/2240-somaliland-denmark-allocates-8m-towards-economic-growth

Lithuanian Leadership in NATO

The Secretary General of NATO met with the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.  The meeting primarily focus on acknowledging the leadership role that Lithuania has partaken in since Lithuania joined NATO in 2004.  Lithuania has shown great leadership in regards to the stabilization of Afghanistan.  With regards to Afghanistan, Lithuanian soldiers established a Provincial Reconstruction Team in the Goh province.  Lithuania was also a leader in regards to energy security.  The Centre of Excellence in Energy Security established by Lithuania received NATO accreditation in October 2012.  NATO is also looking to Lithuanian to emerge as an economic leader in Europe as well.

Lithuania's leadership participation in NATO demonstrates the emergent of new countries eager to partake more in the happenings of the world.  It has been predicted that more and more countries will emerge, similarly to Lithuania, to participate more in establishing world policy.  Lithuania's participation in NATO demonstrates also a possible power shift that could occur.  The days of particular states dictating global affairs could be ending within this century.  

NATO Chief urges increase in Defence Spending
http://euobserver.com/defence/118914 NATO chief discussed the urgent necessity of an increase in spending from EU countries in order to work efficiently and in a pragmatic manner with their North American allies. In the past five years, the US went from accounting 68% in defense spending to 72% recently in 2012. Relative to my practice country, the article also states that Portugal reduced its spending on military equipment by nearly 60% in addition to withdrawal of military programs. Amidst economic difficulty and anxiety, NATO is urging its EU members to step up and serve a little bit more on their plate in order to maintain a worthwhile political relationship of solidarity with the United States.

Suicide bomber at US Embassy in Turkey

Yesterday, a suicide bomber walked into the US Embassy in Turkey killing a security guard and injuring three others. NATO Secretary General Rasmussen released a statement strongly condemning the bombing on ally territory of another ally. 

A Marxist group with a history of violence in Turkey claimed responsibility for the bombing. They released a statement calling the US "the murderer of the peoples of the world." The group condemned Turkey for its cooperation with the United States and for its policy of supporting Syrian rebels fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The Turkish authorities identified the suicide bomber who killed himself along with a Turkish guard as Ecevit Sanli, also known as Alisan Sanli. Sanli was a convicted terrorist who had already made attacks on the government in Istanbul, but was released from prison under and amnesty program. 

http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-86364-NATO-slams-blast-at-US-embassy-in-Turkey