US Has Respected New Ambassador To Bahrain, But Opponents Still Attack Him
Good day from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Tuesday, December 28, 2021! There's an interesting development in the United States (ugly, but interesting) about a highly-qualified new U.S. ambassador to Bahrain, career diplomat Steven Bondy, who, even after he has been confirmed by the United States Senate, continues to be attacked by a diverse group of critics, diverse except they all have leanings toward former U.S. President Donald Trump.
It was Trump who always suspected the U.S. State Department of being the principal plotter in a "deep state" that controls American affairs. (Note: We can assure you there's no "deep state," at least not one that's effective. Washington is too disorganized to be deep.)
Then there's news about the French tourist arrested in Iran for flying a remote-controlled mini-helicopter, and an American teacher released from Libya after being arrested for being in an "area of tension." Iraq's cleric Muqtada al-Sadr can now form a government, and there's still confusion about which Middle East countries might operate Afghanistan's airports, maybe trilateral with the UAE, Turkey, and Qatar. More.
The new U.S. ambassador to Bahrain: He's confirmed, but now there's much backwash and backbiting. Career State Department diplomat Steven C. Bondy is the new United States ambassador to Bahrain.
The State Department praises Bondy, vigorously defends him, and cites his award-winning 30-year career. The former U.S. ambassador to Bahrain, Adam Ereli, says Bondy "served with distinction" and is a "fair and honorable public servant."
But a stream of negativism persists, mostly from a cabal of people associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Then Politico, an influential Washington publication, wrote the backstory against Bondy, with allegations that he disparaged Arabs, which Bondy denies. The story highlights claims from a retired general who had clashed with Bondy.
But Bondy won confirmation from the United States Senate, and, known as an experienced, highly-regarded, by-the-book diplomat, he awaits his move to Manama.
Here, for the record, are the Politico story that's causing such a stir, and two rewrites by the New York Post and London's notorious Daily Mail. (Note: Ambassador Ereli calls the Politico article "a piece of trash.")
Politico, Inside an explosive whisper campaign that tried to sink a Biden ambassador pick.
New York Post, Biden's new Bahrain envoy accused of 'disparaging' Arab staff: report.
Daily Mail, Biden's ambassador to Bahrain Steven Bondy used insulting and racist language about Arabs "all the time" and Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan believes he treats people 'like garbage,' a new report claims.
Iraq's Supreme Court paves the way for the influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to form a government. The court upheld the results of October's parliamentary elections, which gave al-Sadr's party more seats than any other group. The court case had stalled formation of a new government, but now al-Sadr is poised to choose the next prime minister.
The court ruling defeated efforts by a losing alliance of Iran-aligned militias, led by the Fatah coalition, to overturn the election. The militias were handily beaten by al-Sadr's party.
New York Times, Iran Confirms Election Gains For Shiite Leader Seen as Potential U.S. Ally.
Agence France Presse, Iraq's top court rejects fraud claims, ratifies election results.
A French citizen was arrested for flying a remote-controlled mini-helicopter in Iran's desert. Now he's been in jail for 18 months and is starting a hunger strike. Benjamin Briere, 36, was arrested last year near the Iran-Turkmenistan border and charged with spying against Iran.
His family said Briere is an innocent tourist who set out in a camper on a road trip that started in Scandinavia and headed overland towards Iran. French authorities are in close contact with Briere, but, according to his Iranian lawyer, prosecutors said he would be tried for espionage. In Iran, a conviction for espionage is punishable by death.
Al Jazeera, French national jailed in Iran since 2020 goes on hunger strike.
Saudi Arabia executed a man who planned a suicide attack under the direction of the islamic state. The Saudi military said the man had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The death sentence was carried out Monday in Riyadh.
Gulf News, Saudi Arabia executes Yemeni for plotting suicide attack.
Yemen's president fired the governor of the oil-rich province of Shabwa for criticizing the presence of United Arab Emirates troops. The troops had been at a liquefied natural gas plant in Balhaf, Shabwa. The governor, Mohammed bin Adyo, said he had then been offered appointment as adviser to the president, but turned down the position. Yemen President Abdu Mansur Hadi appointed Sheikh Awadh Mohammed Alaulaqi as the new governor.
Bloomberg, Yemen President Fires Governor of OIl-Rich Shabwa Province.
The United Arab Emirates plans to remove advantageous monopolies from some of its biggest families and give foreign companies a better chance to distribute goods. At issue is a system that automatically renews commercial agreements for imports that are held by a number of leading families. "It no longer makes sense for individual families to have such power and preferential access to easy wealth," an Emerati official said.
Business Times, UAE plans to scrap import monopolies of some big merchant families: FT.
A joint delegation from Qatar and Turkey is reported to be in negotiations with Afghanistan's Taliban to operate Kabul International Airport. A Taliban spokesman said the talks were under way but that the two sides had not made progress. Another Taliban official said the talks will continue and if they reach agreement, all domestic and international flights would resume.
AviationPros, Taliban, Qatar and Turkey Hold Talks to Run Kabul Airport.
Add the United Arab Emirates to the list of countries that may operate Afghanistan's airports. Turkey's foreign minister said the Taliban administration indicated it "would receive proposals from different countries." Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that before the Taliban takeover, Turkey had led the Kabul airport's military wing and a UAE company led the civilian part.
Airport operations in Afghanistan were discussed when Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was in Turkey last month. According to Cavusoghu, the Emerati leader said "We may operate the airport trilaterally."
Daily Sabah, 'Turkey, Qatar, UAE may operate Kabul airport trilaterally.'
Afghan businessmen are urging the Taliban government to sign a contract with a United Arab Emirates company to operate Kabul's airport. The reason cited is that many Afghans have investments in the UAE and are fearful that their access might be restricted. "This contract should be given to the UAE," the head of the Afghanistan traders' council in the UAE said. "If the flights between Kabul and UAE are halted, the traders will face serious problems."
IANS, Afghan businessmen urge Taliban to sign Kabul airport contract with UAE after Qatar, Turkey seek to take control of operations.
Saudi Arabia and the United States wrapped up a joint air exercise in western Saudi Arabia. The Royal Saudi Air Force and the U.S. conducted exercises at King Abdullah Air Base to develop military collaboration, and a Saudi announcement said the drill was "implemented as planned in advance with high skill and precision."
Menafn, Saudi Arabia, US air forces hold mutual fight readiness exercise.
Iran and Iraq pledged years ago to build a railway connecting the countries, but never did. Now the two countries have signed a new agreement for the Basra-Shalamcheh railway. A joint venture will be established between the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways and Iraqi Republic Railways to complete the project in two months.
The distance between Basra in southern Iraq to Shalamcheh in western Iran is only about 30 kilometers, or 18 miles.
Al-Monitor, Iran and Iraq again agree to connect their railway networks.
Iran will send a new ambassador to Yemen following the death of Hasan Irlu from Covid 19. Iran blamed Irlu's death on Saudi Arabia for failing to help evacuate him quickly, a charge Saudi Arabia has denied. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said "We are in the process of announcing a new ambassador."
Reuters, Iran to Announce New Ambassador in Yemen After Predecessor's Death.
A monitor group said 3,746 people were killed in Syria's civil war in 2021. The war has been continuing for 11 years. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the number includes 1,505 civilians, 360 of whom were children. About 600 Islamic State members were killed and 158 from the Syrian Democratic Forces.
NPR, More than 3,700 people were killed in Syria's civil war this year.
Lebanon's president wants an urgent national dialogue including a defense strategy that is the state's role, hinting against Hezbollah and its arsenal. President Michel Aoun, without naming Hezbollah, said "the state alone puts in place the defence strategy."
Aoun is a Lebanese Maronite Christian, and his party and the Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah have an alliance that has shaped Lebanese politics for 16 years. There have been indications of a realignment, however, before parliamentary elections in May.
Reuters, Lebanon's Aoun calls for defence dialogue, hinting at friction with Hezbollah
An elections committee for Libya's eastern-based parliament wants a new government established before a new date for a presidential election. A committee report didn't set a new election date but urged the legislature to create a new roadmap toward elections within a constitutional framework.
Reuters, Libyan parliament committee wants new govt before elections.
Egypt has returned to the United States a 62-year-old man who fled in 2014 after being charged with defrauding the Kuwaiti Embassy in Washington. The suspect, Ahmed El-Khebki, is accused of submitting phony invoices for health services to the embassy, where co-conspirators signed checks payable to shell companies. Two former employees of the embassy pleaded guilty in 2016 for conspiring to launder the embezzled money.
Arab News, Egypt sends suspect to US to face charges of defrauding Kuwaiti Embassy.
In a rare court appearance in Egypt, the imprisoned former acting leader of the Muslim Brotherhood complained of solitary confinement and mistreatment at Aqrab Prison. "I have been blindfolded all the way from the prison to this courtroom today," 77-year-old Mahmoud Ezzat, a professor of epidemiology, said. The Muslim Brotherhood, outlawed in Egypt, has denounced cases against Ezzat as "politically motivated."
MIddle East Eye, Egypt: Detained Brotherhood leader decries prison conditions in rare court appearance.
An American teacher who has been held in Libya for more than six weeks has been released. Fernando Espinoza, 29, who had accepted a job to teach English at an international school in Tripoli, was first detained for " being in areas of tension without permission" and then charged with violating his visa limitation.
"They were making a lot of false accusations...of espionage, covert ops, interfering with elections, things like that. So they definitely scared me."
CNN, An American teacher held in Libya for 6 weeks is now home in the US.
NEWS YOU MISSED:
The Middle East may finally be turning a page. Iraq is an example, transforming from the region's epicenter of violence to one of progress, even brokering the rare talks between rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. But as conflict dies down, another geopolitical fault line appears. The region has become a political and economic battleground between the United States and China.
CNN, Middle East is stuck in the crosshairs of a worsening US-China rivalry.
Now that Iraq has conducted its parliamentary elections, the question arises: Can the emerging political makeup advance Iraq's sovereignty? This comes at a time when Iran, the United States, and Gulf Arab states are all engaged in a struggle over the future of Iraq.
Voice of America, In 2022, Iraq to Struggle for Sovereignty Amid Tug of War.
Four months into the presidency of Ebrahim Raisi in Iran, he shows a greater willingness to comply with the recommendations of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei than his predecessor Hassan Rouhani. Raisi has no trouble advancing his proposals in the Irani parliament and enjoys direct support from Khamenei himself, But Iran's crises are generated by a regime and aren't controlled by the president. There are parallel agencies and institutions that answer to Khamenei, not the president.
Asharq Al-Awsat, Raisi: Khamenei's Shadow in Office.
Syria is in a water crisis, suffering its worst drought in 70 years, as the Middle East struggles as one of the world's regions most affected by climate change. The rainy season in Syria has been two months late and ended two months earlier than usual. And the situation is exacerbated by insufficient flow of water from the Euphrates River, directly impacting the lives of millions
Deutsche Welle, Conflict and climate change drive Syria's water crisis.