'With or without West': Saudi Arabia ready for unilateral action on Syria!

Saudi Arabia intends to pursue an independent policy in the Arab world after the US resorted to a diplomatic solution to the Syria and Iran crises. The Saudi envoy to UK says the kingdom is ready to ensure “regional peace” without Western support.

The kingdom’s ambassador to London, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, said that the Western approach to the region is a “dangerous gamble” that jeopardizes stability in the Middle East.

Instead Riyadh, a geopolitical rival of Iran and Syria, wants to independently arm the Syrian insurgents, saying the country “cannot remain silent, and will not stand idly by,” Abdulaziz wrote in a New York Times commentary.

The prince accused the US coalition of allowing “one regime to survive and the other to continue its program for uranium enrichment, with all the consequent dangers of weaponization."

The accusations come despite global efforts, led by Russia and the US, for a peaceful resolution to the drawn-out Syrian crisis. The international community is placing high hopes on the Geneva-2 peace conference on Syria, scheduled for Jan. 22, which is set to bring the sides of the Syrian conflict to the negotiation table.

They also follow recent critical statements by some Western politicians and media, saying Saudi Arabia has already been providing military support to the Syrian rebels and thus fueling the raging conflict in the Arab country.

In regards to Syria, Abdulaziz said that despite international effort to destroy the weapons of mass destruction the “West must see that the regime itself remains the greatest weapon of mass destruction of all.”

Saying that the kingdom has “global responsibilities,” Abdulaziz claimed that Riyadh “will act to fulfill these responsibilities, with or without the support of our Western partners.”

Despite standing “shoulder to shoulder” for years “this year, for all their talk of 'red lines,' when it counted, our partners have seemed all too ready to concede our safety and risk our region’s stability.”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a former Italian prime minister Massimo D'Alema blamed Saudi Arabia and Qatar for “supplying weapons and equipment” to the rebels in Syria, as cited by Itar-Tass.

In November, The Washington Post citing senior Gulf officials, reported that Saudi Arabia was trying to independently provide military support to the rebels after previously aligning itself with US interests in the region.

“The Saudis plan to expand training facilities they operate in Jordan and increase the firepower of arms sent to rebel groups that are fighting extremist elements among them even as they battle the Syrian government,” the paper reported.

Reuters / Molhem Barakat

Recent reports by International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College estimated that over 1,000 Saudi fighters are fighting with the radicals in Syria from a total number of some 11 thousand, including many EU nationals.

The top five countries-contributors are all in the Middle East: with up to 2,089 from Jordan, followed by Saudi Arabia (1,016), Tunisia (970), Lebanon (890), and Libya (556).

But, according to The Washington Post, negotiations were also under way between several Gulf countries of setting up a “parallel operation” independent of the US.

Media reports said that Western diplomats hinted during a summit of opposition backers in London last week that they don’t really mind if Syrian President Bashar Assad stays in power, at least during a transition period.

“Our Western friends made it clear in London that Assad cannot be allowed to go now because they think chaos and an Islamist militant takeover would ensue,” an unnamed senior member of the Syrian National Coalition, close to officials from Saudi Arabia, told Reuters.

“Some do not even seem to mind if he runs again next year,” the source told Reuters, wondering whether the West has forgotten that Assad “gassed his own people.”

A Free Syrian Army fighter runs to avoid snipers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in old Aleppo (Reuters / Mahmoud Hebbo )

A rift between the US-Saudi Arabian foreign policy was relevant on Sunday, when a former head of Saudi intelligence, Prince Turki al-Faisal, voiced concern that Saudi Arabia is being isolated from the diplomatic negotiations with Iran.

“It is important for us to sit down at the same table,” he said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.“We have been absent.” Speaking at World Policy Conference in Monaco same day he said, "What was surprising was that the talks that were going forward were kept from us.” "How can you build trust when you keep secrets from what are supposed to be your closest allies?"

Meanwhile, Russia and US continue their joint effort to stage the Geneva-2 conference in January 2014.

Saudi blogger may face death penalty for apostasy!

Saudi blogger and activist, Raif Badawi, currently serving his 7-year prison term for “insulting Islam”, may soon appear in a higher court on graver charges of apostasy. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to death.

 Raif Badawi

Bringing Badawi back to court to face graver charges was recommended by a judge in Saudi Arabia, the activist’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, told CNN recently. The news has caused an uproar in social media.

Raif Badawi is the founder of the Free Saudi Liberals website, created in 2008 to discuss the role of religion in Saudi Arabia freely. Badawi’s persecution for what was described as “insulting Islam” started the same year the site was set up. The blogger then fled the country to escape arrest. He returned when the charges against him were dropped, but was eventually jailed in June 2012.

In July 2013, a criminal court in Jeddah found the man guilty of insulting Islam through his online forum and of violating Saudi Arabia’s anti-cybercrime law. Badawi was sentenced to 600 lashes and 7 years in prison.

The court’s ruling was condemned by international human rights watchdogs.

Tarek Fatah @TarekFatah

Follow

A choice Muslims have to make: Will you demand the freedom of blogger Raif Badawi or will u back the Saudi regime?

8:21 AM - 26 Dec 2013 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

56 RETWEETS 10 FAVORITES

“This incredibly harsh sentence for a peaceful blogger makes a mockery of Saudi Arabia’s claims that it supports reform and religious dialogue,” said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

“A man who wanted to discuss religion has already been locked up for a year and now faces 600 lashes and seven years in prison.”

Maryam Namazie @MaryamNamazie

Follow

Saudi Arabia: release @raif_badawi now. We won't accept anything less. He needs to join his lovely wife and kids. He must be free.

2:38 AM - 26 Dec 2013

Badawi’s possible retrial is the latest episode in the country’s crackdown on dissent. Four members of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) were jailed in 2013. 

In the most recent case in December, 24-year-old Omar al-Saed was sentenced to four years in prison and 300 lashes after calling for political reform. Amnesty International called for the activist’s immediate release.

“Amnesty International considers Omar al-Hamid al-Saed to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for his peaceful activities as a member of ACPRA and calls on the Saudi Arabian authorities to immediately and conditionally release him and to ensure that he is not subjected to flogging or any other corporal punishment,” the group’s public statement , released on December 19 reads.

Earlier, the watchdog criticized Saudi Arabia for failing to follow up on any of its promises to improve the country’s human rights record. The pledges were made following a 2009 review, issued by the UN Human Rights Council.

“Four years ago, Saudi Arabian diplomats came to Geneva and accepted a string of recommendations to improve human rights in the country. Since then, not only have the authorities failed to act, but they have ratcheted up the repression,” Philip Luther, Director of Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International said in October.

Amnesty’s criticism however did not prevent Saudi Arabia from being elected to the UN Human Rights Council in November. Its three-year term in UNHRC starts January 1, 2014.

Pictures From 2013 Calabar Xmas Carnival!

Woman ran over boyfriend for refusing her choice of restaurant!

A woman was arrested after running over her boyfriend - because he refused to go to McDonalds with her.

Crystal Greer Brooks

Crystal Greer Brooks is alleged to have hit her other half three times with a pickup truck following the row in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Police were called to the scene of the collision shortly after midnight,where they found 33-year-old Brooks' partner with cuts to his arms and back.

His clothing was also torn, "consistent with being dragged on the pavement".

Witnesses told police that Brooks, her boyfriend and a friend had been drinking on a night out when they decided to get something to eat.

But Brooks allegedly disagreed with the choice of restaurant, with one witness saying she "was mad they didn't stop at McDonalds".

She demanded her boyfriend pull over at the side of the road, but as he got out of the vehicle she got behind the wheel and then allegedly drove forward, knocking her boyfriend to the ground.

Witness statements claim she then accelerated twice more, hitting him again.

Brooks denied hitting the man, saying he had jumped on to the car bonnet, but she was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.

Her boyfriend, who is also the father of Brooks' child, was taken to a friend's house and given a domestic violence form.

 



Source: Kingston - Times news

PROGRESSIVE GOVERNORS' FORUM PRESS STATEMENT; Nigerians Must Seize and Shape Their Destiny in 2014!

By Nasir El-Rufai




As we come to the end of another turbulent year, marked by growing insecurity, worsening poverty and the creeping dictatorship and intolerance in the country, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) wishes to express its solidarity with the Nigerian people and commend their patience, resilience and dogged resistance in the face of a federal government that has lost touch with the dreams and aspirations of citizens.

We gladly observe that even as 2013 recedes into the annals of history as one of the worst years in Nigeria’s history, a few developments point to the fact that a new hope is emerging on the horizon, notably the merger of opposition parties and the growing commitment of progressives and patriotic political leaders to unite under the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the single-minded determination of rescuing Nigeria from a federal government that not only condones corruption, but has elevated graft into an art form.

There is no doubt that the merger of opposition parties today represents a major source of hope for the nation and our people are full of expectations that our party, APC, its leadership, elected representatives and governments will take the right step and measures to move the country away from all the multitudes of crises, halt the current movement towards collapse, restore the credibility of institutions of governance at all levels and respect and recognize the value of the human person. This demands that all political leaders in the country must be ready to make sacrifices.

We therefore wish to acknowledge and commend our party (APC) leadership for demonstrating high resolve to set aside all their personal positions and aspirations in order to provide the needed leadership to unite all Nigerian progressives. As Progressive Governors, we are proud of the achievements of our party and will continue to support our leaders towards rescuing our dear nation, Nigeria.

Against the background of today's federal government that steers the affairs of the nation based on convenience rather than constitutionality, Nigerians have been reduced to helpless observers of a presidency that is only efficient in weakening its moral authority, making it difficult to relate with other levels and tiers of government in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The hard and incomprehensible reality is that the Presidency, federal government and ruling PDP have become reckless, dishonest and completely insensitive to minimum requirement of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians. Government, as far as the conduct of the federal government shows, is all about the political aspirations of functionaries of government, notably Mr. President. This is unfortunate and the consequence is the increasing wave of both intra-party and wider national political crises without any visible demonstration of capacity by the federal government and the ruling party to manage or resolve the crises.

Given the severity and intensity of the crises facing our dear nation, it is clear that rescuing Nigeria will have to commence with a strong commitment to a national agenda of reconciliation in order to resolve grievances of citizens and bring forth a clear roadmap for nation building founded on respect for our diversities. Such a commitment should be founded on the principles of acknowledging deep-seated anger of citizens and recognizing that it is in the first place a product of injustices over years of bad governance. As a result, governments at all levels at different times have infringed on the rights and liberties of citizens. Citizens, have in turn, been abused and in many instances, violated. It is the view of the PGF that reconciliation, founded on the principles of forgiveness with governments demonstrating a strong commitment to break away from the past culture of infringements must form the foundation of a new Nigeria.

Together with our party leadership, we wish to reaffirm our unflinching commitment to move Nigeria forward. The nation cannot continue to be run the way it has been since 1999; something must give. True, the resilience of the Nigerian people has been tested severally by the antics of a government that has continually defrauded the people at the ballot box, continues to play politics with ethnic and religious sentiments while proffering no solutions to tackle insecurity, poverty and unemployment, yet, it is not the people, but this government that must give way.

After fourteen (14) years under democracy, our electoral system has continued to be a major source of national disappointment. The elections in Delta and Anambra have clearly rolled back the small progress that was recorded in Edo and Ondo states. With state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe and the declaration by INEC that it will not be able to conduct elections in those states, democratic rule in the country is under threat and all democrats must rise to the occasion and save our democracy.

Our national economy has crashed to a level that is hardly explainable with reference to all rational economic theories. The common scorecard shows a nation that is efficient in mismanaging unmatched resources and wanton profligacy. Reversing this trend is not a mission that any group can accomplish alone. It requires the support of Nigerians. It is a difficult task, but we are confident that with your support, we shall seize the initiative and return Nigeria to a land where votes count, and where government will be accountable to the governed.

As Progressive Governors, we hereby restate our commitment to make all our states models of good governance with records of rapid human development and progress founded on the principles of social democracy in line with provisions of our party constitution and manifesto. In 2014, we shall take all the necessary steps to roll out programmes that will facilitate development of synergy, experience sharing and collaboration by all progressive states.

Once more, the Progressive Governors Forum felicitates with all Nigerians this festive season and reiterates its commitment to the advancement of democratic rights and freedoms while putting in place genuine programs to tackle insecurity, fight crime, and destroy all vestiges of corruption. This would be the basis of our programs for massive infrastructure project that would create jobs, stimulate economic activity, reduce inequality and diminish poverty.

A Merry Christmas to all Nigerians and a prosperous New Year!

Python kills man outside luxury hotel!

A security guard has been killed by a python near a luxury hotel in Bali, Indonesia.



Ambar Arianto Mulyo, 59, was helping to capture the 15ft-long snake outside the Bali Hyatt hotel and secured its head and tail, putting it on his shoulders, when the python wrapped itself around his body and strangled him to death, AP reports.

The incident happened at around 3am on Friday on the popular holiday island after the deadly reptile was spotted crossing a road near the hotel, which is closed for renovations until 2015.

Mulyo was a security guard at a local restaurant in the Sanur area.

Agung Bawa, an assistant security manager at the hotel, told AP: "It happened so fast. We were sad because we could not do anything to help him."

The python escaped into nearby bushes as police searched for it.

Woman claims to be Kate Middleton after crashing car!

A woman who crashed her car on a highway in New Zealand after allegedly speeding the wrong way claimed to be the Duchess of Cambridge to evade prosecution.



The 44-year-old refused to let emergency workers help her after crashing on State Highway 45 in Taranaki, UPI reports.

The car overturned and she escaped with minor injuries.

Senior Constable Grant Kennard told Stuff.co.nz: "She thinks she's Kate Middleton. She was saying 'you can't touch me because I'm royal'.

The woman was reportedly driving more than 80kmh.

"It's lucky there was nobody coming the other way," Kennard added.

"She's obviously someone who is not in a fit state of mind to be driving."
The woman was assessed by mental health professionals. It is not clear whether she will be prosecuted.