Excerpts: Arab face needed for fighting. ISIS methods subduing Sunni Muslim
tribes. Erdogan calls U.S. 'impertinent'(only interested in oil),Israel
busts Hamas cell planning Jerusalem attacks. U.S. slams Assad for Regime
raids. Jordan King,Pres.Obama to meet Dec. 5.IAEA money-short for monitoring
nuclear deal extention. Russia medical aid to Gaza via Jordan November 27,
2014

+++SOURCE: Al Arabiya News 27 Nov.’14:” Fight with ISIS needs ‘Arab Face’,
U.S.,lawmaker”, Associated Press
SUBJECT: ‘Arab face needed for fighting ISIS
QUOTE:”A Republican lawmaker says the battle against the Islamic State group
needs to have ‘an Arab face,’ even as the U.S. leads airstrikes to help
defeat the militant group”

FULL TEXT: A Republican lawmaker says the battle against the Islamic State
group needs to have “an Arab face,” even as the U.S. leads airstrikes to
help defeat the militant group.

Congressman Rob Wittman said he agrees with a comment made by King Abdullah
II while Wittman and other lawmakers were visiting Jordan this week.

“The U.S. can help, but this effort needs an Arab face,” said Wittman, who
chairs the readiness subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.

Wittman called Abdullah a key ally in the fight against the Islamic State,
which has seized territory in battles across Syria and Iraq. Jordan is one
of five Arab nations participating in a U.S.-led airstrike campaign.

Abdullah is scheduled to hold talks with President Barack Obama at the White
House next week.

“All the Arab and Muslim nations need to come together to combat ISIS,”
Wittman said, using an alternate acronym for the group. He spoke in a
telephone interview after returning from a five-day trip to Qatar,
Afghanistan and Jordan.

Wittman called the Islamic militant group a “formidable force,” but said the
U.S. and its allies have made progress to degrade it.

Still, airstrikes alone are not enough to defeat the militants, he said. But
Wittman said he does not see a need for U.S. ground troops in Syria.

Obama this month authorized the deployment of up to 1,500 more American
troops to Iraq. That could more than double the total number of U.S. forces
to 3,100.

+++SOURCE: Al Arabiya News 27 Nov.’14:”With incentives and brute force, ISIS
subdues tribes”, Associated Press
SUBJECT:ISIS methods subduing Sunni Muslim tribes

QUOTES:”The Islamic State group is employing multiple tactics to subdue the
Sunni Muslim tribes in Syria and Iraq under its rule.”, “ ‘seeing a
large-scale uprising against ISIS is a fantasy’ “

The Islamic State group is employing multiple tactics to subdue the Sunni
Muslim tribes in Syria and Iraq under its rule, wooing some with gifts -
everything from cars to feed for their animals - while brutally suppressing
those that resist with mass killings.

The result is that the extremists face little immediate threat of an
uprising by the tribes, which are traditionally the most powerful social
institution in the large areas of eastern Syria and northern and western
Iraq controlled by the group.

Any U.S. drive to try to turn tribesmen against the militants, as the
Americans did with Sunnis during the Iraq war, faces an uphill battle.

Some tribes in Syria and Iraq already oppose the Islamic State group. For
example, the Shammar tribe, which spans the countries’ border, has fought
alongside Kurdish forces against the extremists in Iraq. The U.S. and Iraqi
governments have proposed creating a national guard program that would arm
and pay tribesmen to fight, though the effort has yet to get off the ground.

But in Syria in particular, tribes have no outside patron to bankroll or arm
them to take on IS, leaving them with few options other than to bend to
Islamic State domination or flee.

“There are people who want to go back and fight them,” said Hassan Hassan,
an analyst with the Delma Institute in Abu Dhabi. “But the circumstances now
mean that you can’t provoke ISIS because the strategy they’ve followed and
tactics are to prevent any revolt from inside.”

The rulers of the self-styled caliphate have mastered techniques of divide
and rule. Tribes are powerful institutions that command the loyalty of their
members across the largely desert regions of Syria and Iraq. But they are
also far from cohesive. Large tribes are divided up into smaller sub-tribes
and clans that can be pitted against each other. Such divisions also emerge
on their own, often in connection to control over local resources like oil
wells or land.

Also, the Islamic State group itself has roots in the tribes. Though
hundreds of foreign fighters have flocked to join the group, most of its
leaders and foot soldiers are Iraqis and Syrians - and often belong to
tribes.

In eastern Syria’s Deir el-Zour province, for example, the Ogeidat is one of
the largest tribes. One of its major clans, the Bu Jamel, has been a staunch
opponent of the extremists. Another, the Bakir, long ago allied itself to
the group.

IS operatives use threats or offers of money or fuel to win public pledges
of loyalty from senior tribal sheikhs. The group has also wooed younger
tribesmen with economic enticements and promises of positions within IS,
undermining the traditional power structure of the tribe.

“They offer many sweeteners,” said Abu Ali al-Badie, a tribal leader from
the central city of Palmyra in Syria’s Homs province. “They go to the tribes
and say, ‘Why are you fighting against Muslims? We’ll give you weapons and
cars and guns, and we’ll fight together.’“

“They offer diesel and fuel. They bring barley and animal feed from Iraq,”
he said. “They build wells at their own expense for the tribes and they say,
‘Others have neglected your needs.’“

In Syria, IS has won the acceptance of many tribesmen in Raqqa and Deir
el-Zour provinces by ending chaos that reigned when the areas were
controlled by a patchwork of rebel warlords. IS provides services including
electricity, fuel, water and telephone lines, as well as flour for bakeries,
said Haian Dukhan, a researcher at the University of St. Andrews Center for
Syrian Studies.

“Things have started to become stable to a degree, and this is something
that people were really desperate about,” said Dukhan.

The group has “tribal affairs” officials to handle relations with the
tribes, calibrating its style to local dynamics. Often they will allow loyal
tribesmen to run their communities’ services, said Hassan.

The group also has removed its own commanders who caused tension with tribes
in their areas. The idea, Hassan said, is “to remove some of the toxins.”

At the same time, the group sends a clear message to those who resist.

In August, IS militants shot and beheaded hundreds of members of the
Shueitat tribe in eastern Syria. Activists reported death tolls ranging from
200 to 700. Photographs in the Islamic State’s English-language “Dabiq”
magazine showed black-clad fighters shooting prisoners said to be Shueitat,
lined up on the sandy ground.

In Iraq, IS killed more than 200 men, women and children from the Al Bu Nimr
tribe in Anbar province, apparently in revenge for the tribe’s siding with
security forces and, in the past, with American troops. It has also shot
dead several men from the Al Bu Fahd tribe.

“Everyone is hiding or fled. They will chop us in pieces if they see us,”
said Sheikh Naim al-Gaoud, a leader in the Al Bu Nimr. “They want us to
support them and to join their fight. In return, they say they will let us
live in peace.”

As a result, Dukhan says there’s little chance for a revolt unless tribes
are confident the extremists are losing.

“I think that for the time being, seeing a large-scale uprising against IS
is just a fantasy


+++SOURCE:Sauadi Gazette 27 Nov.’14:”Erdogan attacks U.S. ‘impertinense’,Agence
France Presse
SUBJECT: Erdogan calls U.S.’impertinent’
QUOTE:”Erdogan: ‘They [U.S.] don’t have any sensitivities. They have only
one sensitivity. oil, oil, oil’ “
FULL TEXT:ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday
slammed US "impertinence" on the Syrian conflict, exposing the extent of
strains between Washington and Ankara days after his key meeting with US
Vice President Joe Biden.
Ties between the the US and Turkey have soured in recent months over the
reluctance of Turkish leaders to intervene militarily in the US-led campaign
against the Islamic State fighters, who have taken control of swathes of
Iraq and Syria.

In an indication of the tensions that remain between the two NATO allies,
Erdogan accused the US of being "impertinent" for pressuring it to help save
the besieged Syrian town of Kobane, which is within sight of the Turkish
border

"Why is somebody coming to this region from 12,000 km away?" Erdogan said
during an address to a group of businessmen in Ankara, in a clear reference
to the US."I want you to know that we are against impertinence, recklessness
and endless demands," he said.

Biden had personally stung Erdogan last month by suggesting his policies in
supporting rebel forces in Syria had helped encourage the rise of the IS
militant group, a slight that prompted Erdogan to warn his relationship with
the US number two could be "history".

Washington is pressing Ankara for the use of the Incirlik air base in
southern Turkey by US jets launching assaults on IS.But Turkey has refused
to bow to the pressure, setting several conditions for playing a greater
role in the coalition.

"They looked on as the tyrant (President Bashar) Al-Assad massacred 300,000
people. They remained silent in the face of Assad's barbarism and now they
are now staging a 'conscience show' through Kobane," Erdogan said."We will
resolve our problems not with the help of a 'superior mind' but with the
help of our people," he said.

Biden wrapped up a three-day visit to Turkey on Sunday[23 Nov.] without a
breakthrough on military cooperation in the Syrian crisis.But Erdogan's
comments contrasted with the relatively upbeat assessment of US officials
that the meeting with Biden had brought closer the two sides' positions.

On Monday[24 Nov.], Erdogan accused the West of coming to the region for
"oil"."I'm always meeting with them but it does not go any further than what
I say. They don't have any sensitivities. They have only one sensitivity:
oil, oil, oil..." he said. — AFP





+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 27 Nov.’14:”Israel Says it Busted Hamas Cell
Planning Attacks” ,by Associated Press
SUBJECT Israel busts Hamas cell planning Jerusalem attacks

QUOTE:”Israel's Shin Bet security service said Thursday[27 Nov.] it had
uncovered a vast Hamas network in the West Bank that was planning
large-scale attacks against Israelis in Jerusalem.”

FULL TEXT:The Shin Bet said it arrested more than 30 Hamas militants who
planned to kidnap Israelis and carry out attacks against Jerusalem's light
rail and its largest soccer stadium, among other targets. It said the men
were trained and recruited in Jordan and Turkey and that various arms and
explosives were recovered.

While the Islamic militant group Hamas rules the Gaza Strip, the West Bank
is run by Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The arrests come amid Israel's worst sustained bout of violence in nearly a
decade. Eleven Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks over the
past month, including five people who were killed with guns and meat
cleavers in a bloody assault on a Jerusalem synagogue last week. Most of the
violence has occurred in Jerusalem, along with deadly attacks in Tel Aviv
and the West Bank.

Hamas did not immediately comment on the arrests.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the Shin Bet for
thwarting the attacks, saying that if carried out they could have exacted a
heavy toll of casualties.

"This is one operation that has been published but there are many more that
remain secret," he said of Israel's intelligence work. "These foiling
activities are against terrorists and against Hamas, which challenges the
existence of a Jewish nation-state and the existence of Jews in general."


+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 27 Nov.’14:”U.S. ‘Horrorfied’ by Syrian Regime
Raids, Slams Assad”, by Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: U.S.slams Assad for Regime raids
The United States said Wednesday[26 Nov.] it was "horrified" by Syrian
regime air strikes in the stronghold Raqa that killed at least 95 people,
slamming the government for its "continued slaughter."

The bombing Tuesday[25 Nov.] was the deadliest by President Bashar Assad's
air force since Islamic State jihadists seized the city last year and
declared it their capital.

It was not clear how many Islamic States members were killed, but the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said more than half of the dead were civilians.

The US State Department condemned the strikes, and said the regime had no
value for human life.

"We are horrified by the reports that the Assad regime's airstrikes
yesterday in Raqa, Syria killed dozens of civilians and demolished
residential areas," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a
statement.

"The Assad regime's continued slaughter of Syrian civilians further exposes
its callous disregard for human life."

She said Assad had lost his right to rule, and said his actions should be
held accountable.

"We've been clear that Assad long ago lost all legitimacy to govern and that
the Syrian regime must be held responsible for its brutality and atrocities
against the Syrian people."

Psaki blamed Assad's government for continued human rights abuses and
violating international law, accusing the regime of "murder, hostage-taking,
enforced disappearances, torture, rape, sexual violence and the
indiscriminate use of barrel bombs."

The United States has built up a coalition of more than 60 countries in the
fight against the Islamic States militants who have seized swathes of
territory in Iraq and Syria.

U.S. President Barack Obama has rejected an alliance with Assad against the
Islamic State group, arguing that any such pact would backfire.

Obama has said communication with the Assad regime was limited to informing
them when they use Syriyan air space in operations against the Islamic State
jihadists.

+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 27 Nov.’14:King to meet U S president December 5
SUBJECT:Jordan King, Pres.Obama to meet Dec.5

FULL TEXT:AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah will meet US President Barack
Obama on December 5 at the White House during an upcoming working visit to
the United States.

Both leaders will discuss ways to advance the US-Jordanian strategic
relationship in various fields, a Royal Court statement said on
Wednesday.[26 Nov.]

His Majesty and the US president will address the latest developments in the
Middle East, including efforts to deal with the escalating violence in the
region, and ways to resume peace negotiations between Palestinians and
Israelis based on the two-state solution.

Talks will also cover the conflict in Syria, its impact on Jordan, as well
as means to enhance cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

In addition, the King will discuss key issues related to cooperation between
both countries, especially in the political, economic and military fields.

King Abdullah will also meet with key US administration officials, House and
Senate leaders and Washington-based think tanks.

The White House has issued a similar statement quoted by the media on the
upcoming meeting between the King and Obama.

The two sides will also discuss "steps to calm tensions in Jerusalem", the
statement was quoted as saying by USA Today, in reference to ongoing
tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the holy city.

Jordan has joined a US-led coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic
State positions in Iraq and Syria.

The King and the president last met in September on the sidelines of the
NATO summit in Wales.


+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 27 Nov.’14:”IAEA says it needs more money to monitor
extended Iran nuclear deal”, Reuters
SUBJECT: IAEA money-short for monitoring neuclear deal extention
FULL TEXT:VIENNA — The UN atomic agency will need more funds from member
states to help pay for its monitoring of an extended interim nuclear deal
between Iran and six world powers, it said on Wednesday.[26 Nov.]

Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia
failed to meet a November 24 deadline for resolving a 12-year-old dispute
over Iran's nuclear programme and gave themselves until the end of June for
further negotiations.

As a result, a preliminary agreement reached late last year, under which
Iran halted its most sensitive nuclear activity in exchange for limited
sanctions easing, will remain in force. It was designed to buy time for the
talks on a final settlement.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has seen its workload increase
significantly under the preliminary accord, including its inspectors
visiting Iran's uranium enrichment facilities of Natanz and Fordow daily,
compared to about once a week before. The preliminary accord was initially
due to run for six months from January but first extended in July and again
this week.

The IAEA did not say how much more money it would need. It earlier this year
asked for voluntary financial contributions of about 6.5 million euros to
cover its extra Iran-related costs.

Because of the deal's political importance, diplomats have said there should
be no problem raising the required funds.

"Taking into account the extension period, additional contributions will be
required," senior IAEA official Serge Gas said in an e-mail. "The agency
will communicate with member states as soon as we identify our needs."

The UN agency's "verification effort in Iran has doubled" under the interim
accord, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano told the United Nations General
Assembly this month.

Iran denies Western allegations it has been seeking to develop the
capability to make nuclear weapons. But its refusal to scale back its
uranium enrichment programme has drawn international sanctions hurting its
oil-dependent economy.


+++SOURCE:Jordan Times 27 Nov.’14:”JHCO receives Russian assistance aircraft
for Gaza”

SUBJECT: Russia aircraft carries medical aid to Gaza via Jordan

FULL TEXT:AMMAN — The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) on
Wednesday[26 Nov.] received an aircraft-load of humanitarian assistance from
Russia to assist the Palestinian people.

The aircraft laden with medicines and medical equipment was received by
Rajab Zubeidah, JHCO’s acting secretary general and Russia’s Ambassador to
Jordan Boris Bolotin.

The assistance will go to hospitals and clinics in Gaza

=============
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA