Excerpts: Bibi right re Iran. Jordan's P.M. Ensour mandate solidified.
Jordan-Israel gas deal objectors. Jordan Arab League presidency March 05,
2015

+++SOURCE: Al Arabiya News 5 March ’15:”President Obama,Listen to Netanyahu
on Iran”, by Faisal J.Abbas
SUBJECT: Bibi did get it right re Iran

QUOTE:”one must admit Bibi did get it right, at least when it came to
dealing with Iran”

FULL TEXT:It is extremely rare for any reasonable person to ever agree with
anything Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says or does.

However, one must admit, Bibi did get it right, at least when it came to
dealing with Iran.

The Israeli PM managed to hit the nail right on the head when he said that
Middle Eastern countries are collapsing and that “terror organizations,
mostly backed by Iran, are filling in the vacuum” during a recent ceremony
held in Tel Aviv to thank outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz
for his role during “challenging” times.

In just a few words, Mr. Netanyahu managed to accurately summarize a clear
and present danger, not just to Israel (which obviously is his concern), but
to other U.S. allies in the region.

What is absurd, however, is that despite this being perhaps the only thing
that brings together Arabs and Israelis (as it threatens them all), the only
stakeholder that seems not to realize the danger of the situation is
President Obama, who is now infamous for being the latest pen-pal of the
Supreme Leader of the World’s biggest terrorist regime: Ayottallah Ali
Khamenei. (Although, the latter never seems to write back!)

Threat bigger than nuclear ambitions
Just to be clear, nobody disagrees that ridding Iran of its nuclear
ambitions is paramount. And if this can be achieved peacefully, then it
would be even better. However, any reasonable man CAN’T possibly turn a
blind eye to the other realities on the ground.

Indeed, it is Mr. Obama’s controversial take on managing global conflicts
that raises serious questions. A case in point is his handling of the Syrian
crisis, where according to his own philosophical views, Obama probably takes
pride that he managed to rid the Assad regime of its chemical weapons
arsenal without firing a single bullet.

In just a few words, Mr. Netanyahu managed to accurately summarize a clear
and present danger, not just to Israel (which obviously is his concern), but
to other U.S. allies in the region

Of course, in theory, this could be quite an achievement (which only another
war philosopher, such as Sun Tzu, would applaud); but in reality, the
problem with what happened is that the REAL issue hasn’t been resolved; as
such, the Syrian regime continues – until this day – to slaughter their own
people (albeit, using conventional weapons, you know… your everyday bullets,
missiles and barrel bombs!)

As such, the real Iranian threat is not JUST the regime’s nuclear ambitions,
but its expansionist approach and state-sponsored terrorism activities which
are still ongoing.

What is noteworthy, is that whilst in the past Tehran plotted and
implemented most of its terror activities in secret (apart from a few
obvious examples such as the 1983 Beirut attack on U.S. Marines); the
Islamic Republic seems so at ease today that, as noted by renowned media
columnist Diana Moukalled recently, it went public with documenting the
appearances of Iranian General Qassim Soleimani, commander of the Quds
Force.

In her latest column, Moukalled wrote the days of the few, amateur shots of
the infamous Commander are long gone.

“Since a few months, photos of Qassim Soleimani have become plentiful and
available in High Definition.”

“Soleimani is no longer that secretive personality whose role over the past
two decades has lingered been between myth and reality. He is now telling us
bluntly: Yes, I am Iran’s strongman who is responsible for the Iranian
military's expansion in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine,” she
wrote.

A photograph posted by Mashregh News, an Iranian outlet close to the
country's Revolutionary Guards Corps, that shows top Iranian general Qassem
Soleimani (R) embracing the leader of Iraq’s Shiite Badr militia Hadi
al-Amiri. This picture is not dated, but is thought to have been taken in
2014.

Among his many handlings, Soleimani is the godfather of Iraq’s infamous
“Asaa’ib Ahl Al-Haq” (AAS) brigade, a Shiite paramilitary terrorist group
responsible for dozens of atrocious attacks and murdering of both Iraqis and
Americans.

Iran supports al-Qaeda
Not only is Iran responsible for sponsoring Shiite terrorist groups, but
Sunni ones too.

In fact, according to the U.S.’s own State Department, Tehran was home to a
number of Al-Qaeda facilitators and high ranking financiers. These
accusations are also backed by findings of the U.S. Treasury Department as
well.

Not only is Iran responsible for sponsoring Shiite terrorist groups, but
Sunni ones too

Now, some would argue that it would be biased and/or naive to leave out Arab
countries, such as Saudi Arabia, out of the equation and blame most of the
regions problems on the mischievous Iranian regime.

On the contrary, it would be biased and/or naïve NOT to blame Iran for such
problems. After all, yes there are terrorists in Saudi Arabia and there are
people who financed terrorism, but these are officially outlaws, who are
either in jail, being hunted down or are hiding in the caves of Tora Bora or
some other remote area.

The same, sadly, doesn’t apply to the terrorists of Iran; these are in
uniform, hold government positions and are not bothering to hide their evil
plots anymore!

____________
Faisal J. Abbas is the Editor-in-Chief of Al Arabiya English, he is a
renowned blogger and an award-winning journalist. Faisal covered the Middle
East extensively working for Future Television of Lebanon and both Al-Hayat
and Asharq Al-Awsat pan-Arab dailies. He blogs for The Huffington Post since
2008, and is a recipient of many media awards and a member of the British
Society of Authors, National Union of Journalists, the John Adams Society as
well as an associate member of the Cambridge Union Society. He can be
reached on @FaisalJAbbas on Twitter



+++SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 5 March ’15:”Jordanian cabinet reshuffle solidifies
PM Nnsour’s mandate”,by Reuters

SUBJECT: Jordan’s PM Ensour mandate solidified

QUOTE:”Jordan’s Prime Minister Ensour…mandate to accelerate economic
reforms…crucial to meet the US-allied country’s challenges”

FULL TEXT:AMMAN — Jordan's Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour announced a
cabinet reshuffle this week that will solidify his mandate to accelerate
economic reforms seen as crucial to meet the US-allied country's challenges.

The move affected the planning, tourism, labor, energy, industry,
telecommunications and higher education portfolios. It left the key
interior, finance and foreign ministers in place and maintained a lineup
dominated by a mix of technocrats, conservative politicians and tribal
loyalists.

Until reform-minded Ensour was appointed by King Abdullah in October 2012,
the country was beset with constant government changes that critics say have
hampered decision making.

Some officials say the reshuffle was a sign the monarch, who appoints prime
ministers, was happy with the performance of the government of the US and
French-trained economist.

Ensour took office the height of an economic crisis when the heavily
indebted country came close to the brink of insolvency, forcing authorities
to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $2 billion standby
arrangement.

Shortly after taking up his post, Ensour imposed unpopular cuts in fuel and
hikes in electricity that sparked violent protests but were needed as part
of the budget tightening required under the IMF deal.

Ensour's willingness to take bold measures has helped cut the deficit and
raise growth, which is set to reach four percent in 2015 despite the strain
of receiving a flood of over 600,000 UN-registered Syrian refugees.

He has faced criticism from the conservative establishment dominating
parliament, which accuses him of a pro-Western reform agenda that promotes
harsh IMF-dictated cuts in subsidies that will worsen the plight of the
poor.

Jordan, which has stepped up its role in the US-led military campaign
against Islamic State, risks being drawn into a long conflict with radicals
threatening the country's internal stability.

Ensour has also been accused by liberals and Islamist opponents alike of
failing to improve governance and or pursuing genuine political reforms.

The past year saw a tough crackdown on political dissent as the powerful
security force, emboldened by the suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood in
Egypt, imposed more restrictions on the Jordanian offshoot of the Islamist
group. — Reuters


+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 5 March ’15:”Friday march planned against Israel gas
deal” by Merza Noghai
SUBJECT: Jordan-Israel gas deal objectors
FULL TEXT: AMMAN — Members of the Jordanian National Campaign to Thwart the
Gas Deal with the Zionist Entity on Wednesday announced that they will
organise a demonstration on Friday to pressure the government not to sign
the agreement.

The march is scheduled to start at 1pm from the Professional Associations
Complex and end at the Prime Ministry at the 4th Circle, with the
participation of around 27 political parties, professional associations and
popular movements, Hisham Bustani, the coordinator of the campaign, said at
a press conference to announce the rally.

“There will be other demonstrations in the Irbid, Zarqa, Karak, Madaba and
Maan governorates at the same time as Friday’s march to protest the deal,”
Bustani told reporters at the Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU).

He expressed the campaign’s objection to buying “stolen” Palestinian gas
from Israel, and its condemnation of the Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance
Project deal, signed with Israel late last week, since these agreements
“will put the country under the control of the Zionist entity”.

JWU President Tahani Shakhshir, also a campaign member, said signing a gas
deal with Israel supports the occupation, and called for cancelling the Wadi
Araba peace agreement with Israel.

In September 2014, the state-owned National Electric Power Company (NEPCO)
signed a letter of intent with Noble Energy, which owns 39 per cent of the
Leviathan natural gas field in Israel, to buy gas over a period of 15
years — starting late in 2017 — at a total cost of $15 billion.

MP Rula Hroub, also a campaign member, called on people to join the
demonstration to deliver a message to the government that Jordanians are
against the deal.

The government has several available alternatives, and does not have to sign
the deal, Hroub said, referring to the liquefied natural gas terminal and
the nearly ready liquefied petroleum gas terminal in Aqaba.

“By 2017, the government will have finished its economic reform programme,
completed raising electricity prices and addressed NEPCO’s losses, which
provides it with other options than the deal with Israel,” she said.

Hroub added that the Lower House has always called on the government to
consider renewable energy resources, noting that natural gas will be
available at lower prices, with the total international investment volume
during the next five years expected to reach around $270 billion.

Retired colonel Salem Khudeir, a campaign member, said the deal would
provide Israel with extra money to finance aggressive practices against
Palestinians and build illegal colonies.

“Israel’s purpose... is to legitimise its occupation and ownership of
Palestine’s resources, in addition to reduce reliance on US support,”
Khudeir said, arguing that the deal affects Jordan’s sovereignty.

The deal, if signed, will cost the country $15 billion, $8 billion of which
will be paid by Jordanian taxpayers.

Ahmad Merei, vice president of the federation of independent labour unions
and a campaign member, suggested relying on renewable energy resources such
as solar energy, especially since the Kingdom has more than 300 sunny days
in the year.

He also noted that Jordan’s shale oil reserves are enough to produce 800
billion barrels, a number that equals the oil reserves of a country like
Iraq.




+++SOURCE:Jordan Times 5 March ’15:”Jordan to assume presidency of Arab
League”, by Petra
SUBJECT: JordanMar.9 to Sept.Arab League presidency

FULL TEXT:AMMAN — Jordan will assume the rotating presidency of the Arab
League at the level of foreign ministers and permanent representatives as of
March 9 and until September.

Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh will chair the Arab League ordinary session,
scheduled to commence on Sunday[8 Mar. at the Arab League General
Secretariat in Cairo.

Several issues will be dealt with during the session, such as the
Palestinian question, the Arab-Israeli conflict, pan-Arab security,
anti-terrorism efforts and the situation in Syria, Yemen and Libya.

Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al Araby is scheduled to visit Jordan to
hold talks with Judeh and coordinate on these issues.

Talks will also address the issues the next Arab Summit will deal with.

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