Libya disbands “illegitimate” militias

Late Saturday, in response to public frustration, Libyan army chief, Yussef al-Mangoush, and national assembly leader, Mohamed Magrief, have ordered "illegitimate" militias to disarm and disband, giving the groups 48 hours before the army uses force. Libyans frustrated with insecurity against Islamist militias participated in major rallies on Friday. Two main Islamist militias in the eastern town of Derna, known as a hotbed for Islamist militancy, announced they were disbanding on Saturday after tens of thousands of protesters stormed the compound of Ansar al-Sharia driving the group from Benghazi, the site of the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate which some believe was headed by the Islamist militant group. The Libyan army raided several militia outposts in the capital of Tripoli on Sunday. Libyan officials have been plagued by militias since the revolution that toppled Muammar al-Qaddafi, but have been able to pull some groups under the Libyan army’s control and use them to fill security gaps where the young and weak central government has limited reach.

Syria

Syrian warplanes bombed two buildings in the Maadi district of Aleppo, killing at least eight people, including three children from the same family. More casualties are likely to be found as rubble is removed from the site. Fighting has proceeded since July in Aleppo, a city crucial to both the Syrian regime and the opposition. Clashes were also reported in Sheikh Miskeen in Dara province, near the military air base of Tabaqah in the northern Raqqa province, and in the capital of Damascus. Meanwhile, a U.N. expert panel has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Human Rights Council condemning human rights abuses, which will come to a vote later this week. Also, U.N. and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will brief the U.N. Security Council on discussions held with President Bashar al-Assad. On Sunday, representatives from 20 opposition parties met in Damascus calling for a peaceful end to the Assad regime. However the Free Syrian Army dismissed the meeting saying, it was a "silly plot to mislead the international community to think there is a negotiation in place." In a move aimed at tightening its command structure and bolstering support from abroad, the Free Syrian Army has moved its headquarters from Turkey into "liberated areas" in Syria. The announcement has been met by fighters in Aleppo with disdain. Abdullah, spokesman for the most significant opposition unit in Aleppo, the Al-Tawhid Brigade said, "The arrival of one single new fighter would be more useful than the Free Syrian Army chiefs."

Headlines  

• The United States is set to remove the Iranian dissident group Mujahedeen Khalq (MEK), or People’s Mujahedeen, from its terrorist list after an intense public relations and legal campaign.
• The German engineering company Siemens has denied planting explosive devices in nuclear equipment sent to Iran saying it has had no business dealings with the country since 1979.
• The World Health Organization has release a warning after a SARS-like virus was detected in two men who traveled in Saudi Arabia.

Arguments & Analysis 

‘Navigating the Nile‘ (George Joffé, Foreign Affairs)

"At first glance, the political situation in Egypt today looks bleak: The liberal revolutionaries of Tahrir Square have been marginalized, the Coptic minority is under threat, and uncertainty clouds the future of the three-decade-old peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Last week’s protests in Cairo — set against the backdrop of spreading anti-American unrest in the region — have stirred anxieties in Washington.

…But such criticisms overstate both the dangers of Egypt’s new Islamist government as well as Washington’s ability to shape events in the Middle East. In fact, whether by luck, sound judgment, or a combination of the two, Obama has deftly handled the U.S. response to the Egyptian revolution. The most recent evidence: a $1 billion debt forgiveness package for Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s government, even though its delivery might now be delayed due to the recent protests. And that comes alongside a $3 billion aid deal from the International Monetary Fund that the White House helped to assemble. Setting aside the dire headlines about protests for a moment, these financial moves establish a solid foundation for U.S.-Egypt relations far into the future."

‘Libya’s re-birth‘ (The Daily Star)

"The Libyan government directive for all militias to either come under state control or to disband represents a courageous and crucial step forward for the country.

The move, seemingly inspired by popular opinion, saw Benghazi residents storming Friday the headquarters belonging to various armed groups in the city. This move, in turn, followed the tragic events of last week, when extremists attacked the U.S. consulate in the city, killing the ambassador.

For months the militias of Libya have acted as miniature armies, tolerated by the new regime, which manipulated their differences to strengthen its own position."

‘Egypt’s New Leader Spells Out Terms for U.S.-Arab Ties‘ (David D. Kirkpatrick and Steven Erlanger)

"On the eve of his first trip to the United States as Egypt’s new Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi said the United States needed to fundamentally change its approach to the Arab world, showing greater respect for its values and helping build a Palestinian state, if it hoped to overcome decades of pent-up anger.

A former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mr. Morsi sought in a 90-minute interview with The New York Times to introduce himself to the American public and to revise the terms of relations between his country and the United States after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, an autocratic but reliable ally."

–By Jennifer Parker and Mary Casey