Monday, 9 February 2015

Lebanese-American Marine facing trial a decade after vanishing in Iraq


CAMP LEJEUNE, United States: A U.S. Marine who vanished from his post in Iraq a decade ago and later wound up in Lebanon chose Monday to have his case decided by a military judge instead of a jury.


Court was recessed until Tuesday, when opening statements are expected in Cpl. Wassef Hassoun's trial on charges of desertion, larceny and destruction of property before the judge, Marine Maj. Nicholas Martz.


Hassoun also formally conceded that his second disappearance began with an unauthorized absence, entering a guilty plea to the lesser offense.


Prosecutors will still seek to prove the more serious desertion accusations against Hassoun and that he stole a pistol that was later lost. They have dropped an accusation related to a military vehicle that went missing.


Defense attorneys maintain Hassoun was kidnapped in 2004 by insurgents and later became tangled up in Lebanese courts. Prosecutors allege Hassoun fled his post because he was unhappy with his deployment and the treatment of Iraqis by U.S. troops.


Hassoun, a 35-year-old native of Lebanon and a naturalized American citizen, faces a maximum sentence of 27 years in prison if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said.


Defense attorney Haytham Faraj said the plea on the lesser charge will simplify the debate about Hassoun's decision to go to Lebanon in early 2005 after briefly returning to the U.S. The lawyer says Hassoun didn't intend to stay away permanently - a component of the desertion charge - but had his passport taken by Lebanese authorities.


Hassoun's case began in June 2004, when he disappeared from a base in Fallujah, Iraq. Days later, he appeared blindfolded and with a sword poised above his head in an image purportedly taken by insurgents. An extremist group claimed to be holding him captive.


Not long after that, Hassoun turned up unharmed at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, saying he'd been kidnapped. But officials were suspicious, and he was brought back to Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina, in 2004 while the military considered charging him.


After his return, Hassoun was allowed to visit family in Utah. With a military court hearing looming, Hassoun disappeared a second time in early 2005. Hassoun traveled to Lebanon but was arrested by that country's authorities after Interpol issued a bulletin triggered by his deserter status, Faraj said. The defense says court proceedings in Lebanon lasted until 2013, and Hassoun turned himself in after the government there lifted travel restrictions.


Prosecutors have said his whereabouts were unknown for years.


The judge denied a defense motion Monday to prevent prosecutors from calling an Iraq native now living in the United States.


Faraj argued that the witness interacted with his client long before the disappearance and those conversations weren't relevant.


But the prosecutor, Capt. Chris Nassar, said Hassoun made incriminating comments to the witness, including that he didn't want to die in Iraq and wanted to leave the Marines.


The judge denied a prosecution motion seeking to bar the defense from referring in opening statements to the video that purportedly shows Hassoun being held by insurgents, nor mention Lebanese government documents related to court proceedings against Hassoun in that country.


The judge allowed the evidence to be mentioned in opening statements, but warned that the defense must later show the trustworthiness of those documents.



President Obama Hosts Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, "One of Our Strongest Allies"


President Obama and Chancellor Merkel Participate in Joint Press Conference (1)

President Barack Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany participate in a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 9, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)




President Obama hosted German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House earlier today, holding a bilateral meeting and a working lunch to discuss some of our countries' most pressing issues.


"Germany is one of our strongest allies, so whenever we meet, it's an opportunity to coordinate closely on a whole range of issues critical to our shared security and prosperity," President Obama said in a joint press conference. "As Angela and our German friends prepare to host the G7 this spring, it's also important for us to be able to coordinate on a set of shared goals."


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Building Trust Between Law Enforcement and the Communities They Serve and Protect


Ed. note: This is cross-posted on the U.S. Department of Justice's blog. See the original post here.


Over the last several months, I have been fortunate to travel across the country to convene a series of roundtable discussions aimed at strengthening and fostering enduring relationships between America’s brave law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.


These discussions have brought together diverse groups of local leaders, police officials, civil rights advocates, United States Attorneys, students, faith leaders, and community members to examine what we can do to restore trust wherever it has been eroded – and to build trust in places where it never existed. The resulting conversations – in Atlanta, Memphis, Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia – have been challenging, enlightening, and often deeply moving. And each has been vitally important in enabling the Justice Department to take this important, national dialogue to a new level.


I recently continued this effort in Oakland and San Francisco, California. In Oakland, I was proud to join a group of over 50 leaders and engaged citizens in an inclusive conversation about the challenges they’ve faced throughout the metropolitan area, as well as the promising work that’s underway to address those challenges. In San Francisco, I had the privilege of visiting the Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club, where I spoke with a small group of local teenagers and a number of courageous police officers and academy recruits from the San Francisco Police Department.


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Here's a Terrifying Robot Dog to Ruin Your Day


Watch this video, then go home and hug your real dog. Stroke your real dog, walk your real dog. Give your real dog real dog bones. Be thankful that your real dog is wagging its real tail the moment you walk in the door. Appreciate that your real dog takes real shits that you get to pick up off real grass. Everything about the below video is depressing. Yes, it is impressive! The technology is frighteningly realistic. Do you see the way Spot instantly regains his footing after the man in the video kicks him in his robot ribs? It's amazing! Also, why is this video simulating the act of kicking a dog in the ribs? Spot is the latest robot monster from Boston Dynamics, an engineering firm owned by Google that is currently working with the U.S. military.


Did we mention that Spot doesn't have a head?


[H/T: Business Insider]



The Best Writing on the Anti-Vax Movement Comes from Amazon Reviews


It's hard not to see, in the recent outbreak of measles in Southern California, a symbol for the intellectual and moral failures of our moment. A problem which was not only solvable, but solved, has returned because of stupidity and selfishness. The sanctity of individual choice has trumped the collective safety. Scientists, despite their complete consensus on the matter—and it is absolutely complete, without a single dissenting voice that hasn't been utterly discredited—have been unable to stop the spread of the idiocy though able to stop the spread of the disease. It's the kind of situation that generates more despair the more you think about it. If this is how human beings deal with a no-brainer like vaccination, how the hell are we going to deal with global warming?


It's also the kind of situation where writing—thinking, making arguments, trying to persuade people—doesn't help. If people are so convinced about the dangers of vaccines that they're not going to immunize their kids even though a medical professional is standing over them saying "your children might die if you don't do this," what the hell can they possibly read that is going to sway them? And it isn't a particularly interesting argument to make, defending vaccination. What do you say after you've said "Everybody who knows what they're talking about has the same opinion."


Which is why it was so refreshing to find truly great writing about the anti-vax movement, and in the unlikeliest of places: The customer reviews of the Amazon entry to an anti-vax book for children. The book in question is "Melanie's Marvelous Measles," which is pretty much what it sounds like. From the author's description:


Melanie's Marvelous Measles was written to educate children on the benefits of having measles and how you can heal from them naturally and successfully. Often today, we are being bombarded with messages from vested interests to fear all diseases in order for someone to sell some potion or vaccine, when, in fact, history shows that in industrialized countries, these diseases are quite benign and, according to natural health sources, beneficial to the body.


Again, there's really no point arguing with Stephanie Messenger. I mean, if you wanted to you could cite the World Health Organization, and the fact that sixteen people an hour die from measles, but who the hell are they, other than global experts?


The reviewers on Amazon have a found a better way to respond. The most popular:



And closely following it:



What else needs to be said? You can read all the reviews here, and you should. The final joke, however, isn't in the comments. It's in the "Customers Who Viewed This Also Viewed" link. The title there? My Parents Open Carry by Brian Jeffs.



Rai, Girault discuss presidency in Rome


Rai, Girault discuss presidency in Rome


Lebanon’s presidential deadlock was at the center of talks in Rome between Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai and the...



EU grants Lebanon access to exclusive programs


BEIRUT: Lebanon will be allowed to participate in European Union programs originally intended exclusively for member states following an agreement signed in Brussels Monday, the Foreign Ministry announced.


“Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini signed a special protocol that allows Lebanon to participate in EU programs restricted to member states,” said a statement released by Bassil's media office.


The protocol, which allows Lebanon to participate in 12 programs, was signed at the European Council’s headquarters in Brussels following an EU-Lebanon Association Council meeting Monday.


The statement did not specify what the 12 programs were or what they would entail. But the general theme of the meeting revolved around security, political and economic ties between Lebanon and the EU.


"We had a day of fruitful talks between Lebanon and the European Union," Bassil said in a joint news conference with Mogherini after the meeting.


“We discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, which witnessed a remarkable development recently.”


Bassil noted that the meeting took stock of achievements of the EU-Lebanon partnership and defined joint priorities for future cooperation.


The future prospects for cooperation, according to the Lebanese foreign minister, will commensurate between the capabilities of Lebanon and the EU.


Mogherini said the EU was willing to increase its support to Lebanon amid its security threats.


“We are aware of the severity of security challenges Lebanon is facing because of the Syrian crisis,” she said, adding that the protocol agreement for the 12 programs contributes to achieving reform.


Economy Minister Alain Hakim and Energy Minister Arthur Nazarian attended Monday’s meeting alongside Bassil.


In October 2014, Hakim and former European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule inked a memorandum of understanding setting the priorities and financial allocations for EU-Lebanon cooperation for 2014-2016.


At the time, officials said the focus of EU-Lebanese cooperation for 2014-16 would center on three priority sectors: justice and security system reform; social cohesion, sustainable economic development and vulnerable groups; and sustainable and transparent management of energy and natural resources.


At the news conference, Mogherini said the EU Neighborhood Policy seeks to turn Lebanon into a "safe humanitarian zone."


During the Lebanese-EU association meeting, Hakim called for increasing support to the Army through military aid, and distinguishing between aid pledged to Syrian refugees and host communities.


He also urged the EU to involve the Lebanese government in the management of aid given to refugees.



State Political Parties Blames Congress For Lack Of Funds



Audio for this story from Morning Edition will be available at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET.





With all the cash pouring into politics, there's one group of losers: state parties. Big donors are turning to outside groups, and many state parties watch their budgets and clout dwindle.




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Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.


NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.



Ukraine Is Just 1 Foreign Policy Challenge On Obama's Agenda



Audio for this story from Morning Edition will be available at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET.





President Obama is expected to submit to Congress what's called an AUMF, an authorization for the use of military force against ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State.




Copyright © 2015 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.


Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.


NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.



Lebanon must distance self from regional conflicts: Maronite bishop


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Boot Daher from March 14 over 'sectarian' remarks: Kataeb minister



BEIRUT: Deputy Kataeb Party leader and Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi Monday called for the ousting of north Lebanon MP Khaled Daher from the March 14 bloc after controversial remarks over the removal of religious banners.


Angry over the removal of Islamic banners in the northern city of Tripoli, the Salafist-inspired Daher told followers Sunday that Christians should be the first to remove their religious emblems from public spaces.


“How can a deputy who attends Future Movement meetings, and even March 14 meetings, make such sectarian and offensive remarks against Christians?” Azzi, who is also a part of the March 14 coalition, said in comments published by local newspaper Ad-Diyar.


“The least we can ask for is a decision to remove this MP from all cadres of the Future Movement and the March 14 coalition,” he stressed, adding that Daher does not resemble March 14 or the Future Movement in any way.


Daher strongly condemned the removal Sunday of religious banners from the northern city of Tripoli, saying the measure was offensive against Islamic symbols that have decorated the city since the 1980s.


“If they want to remove [religious banners] let them start with the Christ the King statue and posters of [Christian] saints,” Daher said from Tripoli’s Nour Square Sunday.


The removal of religious banners and political posters in Tripoli as in line with an agreement reached during dialogue sessions between the Future Movement and Hezbollah to defuse sectarian tensions in the country.


The Muslims Scholars Committee, a gathering of Salafist sheikhs, and Tripoli’s Dar al-Fatwa also contacted Sunday Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, demanding the preservation of religious banners in the Al-Nour Square.


In response, Machnouk vowed that no religious banner would be removed from the area.



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UN Syria envoy arrives in Beirut en route to Damascus


Vanishing Lebanese-American Marine goes to trial


A U.S. Marine who vanished from a base in Iraq and later wound up in Lebanon is set to face trial more than a decade...