Pro-democracy activists in Bahrain stage 'Flood Manama 3' [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
Bahraini Interior Minister Rashed bin Abdullah al-Kahlifa admitted that Bahraini security forces continue to be deployed across the country to counter the protest movement. Meanwhile, Bahraini protestors launched a series of activities this morning dubbed "Flood Manama Three," which include closing the financial district and main streets in the capital. This news comes as Bahrainis continue to stage protest rallies and demonstrations condemning the government's sectarian polices as well as demanding national unity. Secretary General of al-Wefaq National Society Sheikh Ali Salman said that the Bahraini crisis is politically motivated, and that the protests will continue until their demands are met.

Reporter, Male #1
The political crisis in Bahrain has once again entered the bottleneck, amid the government's weak response. The political body in Bahrain confirmed that their mobilization will remain peaceful under the umbrella of national unity. Secretary General of al-Wefaq National Society Sheikh Ali Salman said the Bahraini crisis is politically motivated, and that the protests will continue until all of their demands are met.

Guest, Male #2 (Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary General of al-Wefaq National Society)
We, as political blocs, continue to demand the reinstatement of all dismissed workers, the release of all prisoners, and compensation for all victims. Having said that, these issues are not the ultimate solution, as we will continue to press ahead with our mobilization toward change. We urge the regime not to impose this as a solution on the people and the opposition.

Reporter, Male #1
Salman demanded the Bahraini Foreign Minister testify as a defense witness on behalf of the dozens of protestors who were sentenced to long or life prison terms. The foreign minister told the Egyptian media that the goal of the movement in Bahrain was to achieve demands and not to topple the regime.

Guest, Male #2 (Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary General of al-Wefaq National Society)
The foreign minister issued a statement today. We would like to ask the minister to appear as a defense witness on behalf of the defendants who received life sentence on charges of attempting to topple the regime. We urge Sheikh Khaled to cooperate with the defense attorneys and testify that the toppling of the regime was not one of the movement's demands.

Reporter, Male #1
The Bahrain movement has rejected the sectarian policy adopted by the authorities. Meanwhile, the protestors continue to stage rallies across Bahraini cities and villages, condemning the regime's attempt to stir sectarian strife among the Bahraini people. They also stressed the importance of upholding Islamic brotherly relations and rejecting the authority's attempt to create division between Sunnis and Shiites. The protestors are planning more rallies under the theme "national unity." Security forces continue to quell the protest movement using tear gas and firing live and rubber bullets, as well as the internationally-banned shuzen ammunition. During Bahrain's "jewelry exhibition," the opposition warned the participants that the regime may use the event to strike against the protest movement. They also welcomed all visitors to Bahrain provided they don't take part in quelling the uprising.

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Yemen forces clash with protestors, kill eight [Press TV, Iran]

In Yemen, forces loyal to embattled ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh have attacked anti-regime protestors in the central city of Taiz. Dozens were injured after regime forces fired on protestors calling for Saleh's resignation. Forces also clashed with opposition fighters in some parts of the city. The fighting comes one day after regime forces killed 8 people. Anti-regime protests continue in several cities across the country. Mass rallies have been held in the capital Sanna and the southern city of Hodeidah. The protestors are calling for the trial of Saleh.

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'Freedom Waves' set sail to besieged Gaza [Press TV, Iran]

Israel says it is getting ready to intercept a Gaza-bound aid flotilla which has set sail from Turkey. Hamas meanwhile has denounced that threat, calling it Israel's official piracy. Activists say the Canadian and Irish boats are carrying 27 people including journalists and crew members along with 3,000 dollars worth of medicine. The activists say they did not publicize their action which is called the Freedom Waves to Gaza, to prevent Israel from stopping it. They say they are unarmed and will defend the flotilla through non-violent means.

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Two Palestinian militants killed in clashes with IDF along Gaza border [IBA, Israel]

In our top story, an exchange of fire along the border with Gaza. Following two days of relative quiet in the south, Palestinian terrorists opened fire at a group of IDF soldiers working on the security fence in the Western Negev. No injuries were reported among the IDF troops but a military vehicle sustained light damage. The soldiers returned fire and Palestinians sources claim two members of that terror cell were killed in that exchange.

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Media speculation grows on US, UK, Israeli strike on Iran [IBA, Israel]

Several powerful Western nations and Israel are stepping up contingency plans for a potential military strike on Iran, at least according to numerous media reports circulating worldwide. Here at home, former Mossad chief Meir Dagan is under assault by Cabinet ministers who accused him of breach of trust for speaking out on the Iranian issue. The US and the UK are reportedly drawing up plans to attack Iran, following reports that the republic now has enough enriched uranium for four nuclear weapons. Media speculation has the US and its allies, including Britain and Israel launching a missile attack on Iranian uranium enrichment facilities in the next 12 months.

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IDF holds military drills amid speculations of attack on Iran [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Male # 1
Israel conducted military maneuvers in Tel Aviv, simulating ways to deal with a nuclear attack in the center of the country. The Israeli army said the maneuvers were scheduled a while ago.

Presenter, Female # 1
Israel holds a number of such maneuvers every year. However, this exercise coincides with rising speculation over the possibility of Israel launching strikes against Iran. The Israeli army denied a link between the current exercises and the issue.

Reporter, Male # 2
The Israeli army says these are yearly exercises meant to train civil defense teams to keep up with Israel's response to any attacks, with both traditional and non-traditional weapons. And even though these exercises are customary, observers of Israeli army affairs linked the maneuvers to the growing internal speculations about the possibility of directing a preventative strike against Iranian nuclear sites. According to leaks by the Israeli media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to convince leaders of his government to allow a military strike against the Iranian nuclear program, under the pretext that it plans to produce nuclear weapons. A media report indicates that Netanyahu is working with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to gain the support of skeptic members of his government who oppose attacking Iranian nuclear sites. Successive developments revealed that Israel will be ready to strike if it increases its military maneuvers across different parts of the country and maintains its missiles in a state of complete alert. This was clear yesterday when Israel test-fired a self-propelled ballistic Jericho missile that has a 6,000 kilometer range and is capable of holding nuclear warheads. And not only did Israel make preparations within its borders, it also used its military warplanes for a drill with Italian warplanes over the island of Sardinia last week, as confirmed by Israeli military leaders. One Israeli pilot said the training provided Israeli military airplanes a simulation of long-range missions. Meanwhile, a poll conduced by Ha'aretz newspaper revealed that 41 percent of Israelis support an Israeli military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, while 39 percent oppose the strike. Fifty-two percent of Israelis said they are relying on Netanyahu to solve the Iranian issue while 37 percent said the opposite.

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Libya continues to face medical supply shortages [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male # 1
International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi was involved in the planning of attacks on civilians in Libya and in hiring mercenaries to prevent the downfall of Colonel Gaddafi. Ocampo also said he has information that indicates some mercenaries are trying to help Saif al-Islam flee Libya. He called on all states to obstruct the plan.

Reporter, Male # 2
This was Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi's last public appearance after Tripoli's fall at the hands of the Libyan National Council's forces. And just as he suddenly appeared, Saif al-Islam disappeared again and became a fugitive in Libya; a fugitive alongside Intelligence Chief Abdullah al-Senussi. Both men are accused of committing crimes against humanity. Libya's new rulers want to see them behind bars, and the same applies for the International Criminal Court. The court's chief prosecutor spoke of negotiating Saif al-Islam's surrender terms after discussing the issues the man will face if he is imprisoned or decides to surrender.

Guest, Male # 3 (Luis Moreno-Ocampo, ICC chief prosecutor)
Saif, alongside Muammar al-Gaddafi, is accused of waging a killing and persecution campaign against political dissenters. These two crimes were carried out as part of a wide-scale organized campaign against civilians. These are crimes against humanity according to the seventh article of the Rome Statute. Al-Senussi is responsible for killing or commanding the operation of shooting and killing civilians.

Reporter, Male # 2
Ocampo also expressed fear over Saif al-Islam's ability to flee with the help of mercenaries to a state that does not recognize the ICC. It seems Algeria is a possibility. On one hand, Algeria does not recognize the ICC, and on the other, several Gaddafi family members have sought refuge in the country. The man then spoke of the accusations directed against the former Libyan regime. But he did not discuss the accusations against NATO and the Transitional Council's forces of committing war crimes. NATO has repeatedly denied the accusations of targeting civilians while the Council vowed to hold responsible all those convicted of killing or violating the rights of al-Gaddafi's supporters.

Presenter, Male # 1
This comes as the Libya health sector is facing severe shortages in medicine, supplies, and medical staff after months of fierce battles. As the country attempts to recover from the devastating effects of war, this important sector still faces various problems.

Reporter, Female # 1
This is the scene in the central hospital in the city of Misurata that witnessed fierce battles between pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces in an attempt to control the city through its port. This hospital received thousands of injured and killed amid a suffocating siege by al-Gaddafi's forces and a shortage of medicine and supplies. The medical sector still suffers from this shortage in the third largest Libyan city.

Guest, Male # 4
In Misurata, we are enduring a shortage of everything. Doctors, nurses, and others. We lack doctors who have very specific expertise like neurosurgery and hearty surgery. We also have a severe shortage in medical devices.

Reporter, Female # 1
The same situation is seen in the city's other hospitals, where the medical staff is forced at times to operate without enough members. As calls increase for aiding the medical sector in Misurata, the road to recovery is still a long one in a city that has lost over 1,300 individuals in months of shelling and battles.

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Syria violence defies peace deal [Future TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Female #1
On the first day following the Syrian regime's acceptance of the Arab initiative to stop the bloodshed in the country, the situation didn't meet world's expectations. The Syrian regime failed to stop its killing machine unleashed on civilians. Today, 20 residents were killed and nearly 1,000 others were arrested in Homs' Baba Amer neighborhood. In addition, Syrian tanks stormed the area of Qala'at al-Madiq in Hama. Tomorrow, Syrians will hold massive popular protests in a rally dubbed the "Friday of peaceful protests" to question the regime's commitment to honoring the Arab initiative.

Reporter, Female #2
The ink denoting Syria's acceptance of the Arab initiative has not even dried, as Assad's brigades resumed the shelling of Homs with various weapons, killing and injuring dozens of civilians. It seems as though Homs was not part of the agreement. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that several civilians were killed by Assad's brigades in Homs. In addition, Syrian army tanks heavily shelled Baba Amer neighborhood in the city. In Deir Ba'alaba in Homs, eyewitnesses spoke of heavy gunfire and simultaneous explosions rocking the area. In addition, tanks were seen patrolling major city streets, as members of Assad's regime cut off power to the area. In Jamiyah, social media websites showed images of security reinforcement followed by fierce shelling of the city. Several protests were also staged in Huran and its neighborhoods, most notably in Hirak, Jassem, and Dael. Protests were also held Tadmur, Latakia, Homs, and other Syrian cities, despite the cold weather and heavy rain. The protestors called for the downfall of the regime and the execution of President Assad. They also chanted slogans in solidarity with the besieged cities, condemned the Arab League, and accused it of trying to throw Bashar al-Assad a lifeline. Schools in various Syrian cities observed a general strike to protest the brutality of Assad's brigades against the civilians. In the countryside of Damascus, Assad's brigades carried out major sweeps, most notably in the Eastern Ghuta region, Thaqba, Kafr Batna, and Hamuriyah. Syrian activists confirmed yesterday's death toll has risen to 25. Most victims died of gunfire wounds inflicted by Assad's brigades and shabeha, who carried out a series of raids and crackdowns across various regions, including Homs, Daraa, Hama's countryside, and Ma'arat al-Na'aman. The Local Coordination Committees of Syria said that 21 people were killed in Homs and another four died in Deir ez-Zour, Arbeen, Idlib, and Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced earlier that among the fallen victims in Homs were 11 workers killed in the town of Kafr Laha by the gunfire of armed assailants loyal to the regime. In addition, a woman's body was discovered in the Shams neighborhood near a parking lot. A YouTube video posted by activists shows the bodies of several victims blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs near Kafr Laha. In another development, Syrian television released pictures of a pro-Assad protest in the coastal Kournch area, adding that the protest was staged to support the national resolution and to reject foreign intervention. Meanwhile, the Local Coordination Committees of Syria called for staging peaceful protests tomorrow to test the regime's intentions.

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Is the US Iraq withdrawal a gift to Iran? [Al-Iraqiya TV, Iraq]

Presenter, Female #1
US public and political circles have warned that the US troop withdrawal from Iraq is premature because it will leave a security void in the country.

Presenter, Male #1
Meanwhile, some Americans support the deployment of US forces in the Arab Gulf countries in order to maintain security in the region.

Reporter, Female #2
The painful Iraq war will be over in nine weeks. This is the overall reaction of the American public. However, American newspapers and politicians in Washington believe that the decision was premature, as the US troop withdrawal from Iraq by the end of the year will likely leave a large security vacuum in the region. Time magazine reported that the US must bolster its number of forces in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, in order to maintain a power balance in the region, especially amid claims that the US is delivering Iraq on a sliver platter to Iran. Meanwhile, experts in Washington believe that the US will not abandon Iraq and will not allow anyone to shake its stability.

Guest, Male #2
Even though US troops will be pulled out of Iraq, the US will increase the number of its forces in the Gulf in order to reinforce security in the region. For example, there are ground and air forces deployed in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain. The US administration is trying to deliver a message to Tehran that the US presence will remain in the region.

Reporter, Female #2
However, in a New York Times article entitled "A complicated close for U.S. in Iraq," John F. Burns argued that while the security situation in Iraq may not meet US ambitions, it's still balanced to a large degree. Burns added that previous arguments about the eruption of a civil war or the emergence of a new dictator are no longer sound, adding that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki insists that the new Iraqi institutions, including the armed forces and the supremacy of parliament, are sufficiently rooted deep within Iraqi society.

Guest, Male #3
There appears to be a school of thought here in the US, as seen in US media, which believes Iraq is stable and nothing will change that. However, other schools believe that Iraq is not stable and that it is possible the situation may even get worse. For example, from the US perspective, the regime may change from a democratic to an authoritarian or military system. Some expect the security situation to take a turn for the worse after the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq; then later it may either improve or deteriorate further. So there appear to be three schools of thought in the analysis of Iraq's future in the aftermath of the US troop withdrawal from the country.

Reporter, Female #2
Most US newspapers confirmed that the US withdrawal decision was an Iraqi internal affairs issue, and that Iraq's future and security hinges on the performance of the government in Baghdad. They added that Washington will continue to monitor the situation remotely, especially considering the US has used everything in its power, including lives and money, to compensate for its mistake of occupying Iraq, according to some. They say, however, that Washington will not abandon democracy in Iraq.