March 14 Officials Seek to Appease Geagea as Maarab 'Reconsiders' Ties
A minister from the March 14 alliance will visit Maarab in an attempt to shore up strained ties between the Lebanese Forces and al-Mustaqbal movement, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Thursday.
The daily said that the envoy, who was not named, would discuss with LF chief Samir Geagea the issues that were a source of contention between him and the rest of his allies in March 14.
Al-Joumhouria quoted an LF official as saying that Geagea was currently silent and adopting a wait and see approach after his allies decided to participate in the government of Prime Minister Tammam Salam.
Geagea had been adamant to stay out of the cabinet, saying he would not share power with Hizbullah.
He has also reportedly expressed dismay at the recent rapprochement between al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri and his foe Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun.
“Something happened lately and it provoked us,” the LF official told the newspaper. “We cannot overcome this yet we won't take a hasty stance from it.”
“We need to reconsider the past stage and the current issues,” the unidentified official said, adding “We will study the benefit of the continued alliance between us.”
An Nahar newspaper said that a meeting was held on Wednesday between al-Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora, MP Marwan Hamadeh and several other lawmakers, in addition to March 14 general-secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid.
The talks came to complement a meeting held with Geagea on Tuesday and a telephone conversation held between him and Hariri, the daily said.
It quoted the sources of the conferees as saying that March 14 was united despite the different viewpoints on the government.
10 years
Both Mustakbal's stance and the LF's stance are indispensable.
Mustakbal for pragmatism: We cannot keep the country without government.
LF for true resistance: LF are doing the patriotic resistance against the party of weapons which has taken over Lebanon.
Both are necessary.
10 years
obstruction and confrontation, that's all he's good for. when one side closes all doors to cohabitation, he leaves only one possible outcome.
10 years
Mowaten u are being double standard. Geagea gave up his weapons in 90 and stopped the heroic christian.resistance against pals and Syrians.
Why doesn't the HA milicia drop its weapons too?
10 years
LOL.... Taef exempted HA from handing its weapons?!!!! Was there even HA when Taef was inked!!!LOL
For the sake of remotely appearing credible, please post the Taef article that refers to HA keeping its weapons.
10 years
for the same reason people should not waste their time and listen to your propaganda.
10 years
@-_Flamethrower_-, I have a copy of the Taef and nowhere in the text of the document does it state HA is exempt. You may fabricate exemptions to your heart's content to suit your desire to justify your fantasy but it will never make HA weapons legitimate. If your copy of the Taef says something different then the one I have, please share it with the rest of us or stop your rampant truth twisting. It is simply dishonest and you know it.
10 years
Karim Geagea represent the majority of Christians not the megalomanic self serving kleptomaniac Aoun
10 years
@ popeye, Taef specifically exempts HA. Please read its text. Just google it.
10 years
@jabal10452, can you please provide a link to the text as that exempts HA? The one I have contradicts what you are saying! Please this is important, if I am wrong I like to know and learn and I will admit I am wrong:
http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/lebanon/taif.htm
10 years
@jabal; nonsense, sorry! Every country has the right to liberate its land through resistance or any available means not only in Taef but also in international law. It does not mean it has to be HA.
10 years
Bandoul sorry I did not see your post until now. First off, I am the one who was a little too quick to write "specifically". Hezhollah is not specifically named in Taef, but article C says " Taking all the steps necessary to liberate all Lebanese territories from the Israeli occupation ...." and this is what Hezbollah argued as sufficient reason to remain armed back then, and the argument was accepted by the state that classified HA as resistance (this is why HA is officially referred to a "Resistance" and as "militia"). Now HA still claims that Lebanon is not liberated (Shebaa) and therefore their arms as still legal. And this is why Syria still resists delivering documentation that Shebaa is Lebanese. Why? because Shebaa is probably Syrian. But should Syria admit to it, HA's weapons would become illegal. Again, not trying to wiggle out of this. My fault for writing a little too fast. Mea culpa.
10 years
And NOT as "militia"*
10 years
Fal ya7kom al ikhwan!
10 years
Fal yakun.
10 years
Hakeem W' Bassssss!
10 years
LF and Mustaqbal are the same. so there is no worries :)
10 years
He is the only real true patriot left in this country. I don't agree with Mustaqbal joining the government with a terror party unless they commit to the following:
1. Withdraw from Syria and issue a public apology to the Syrian and Lebanese People
2. Surrender all weapons to the State
3. Dissolve the sectarian militia and pursue politics only if they desire
4. Compensate the victims of war in Lebanon and Syria
5. Arrest Nassrallah and put him on trial by the people
6. Build camps to rehabilitate all HA current followers so they may be reintegrated into normal civilized society
7. Ban all religious manifestations that preach revenge and violence
The above list will be a good start.
10 years
May I add a few of my own to your list, please:
8* Have them commit to celebrate Ramadan on the Same day as the Sunnis
10 years
lol ok and that too)
10 years
lol keep dreaming. in the mean time, the fake doctor is rotting alone in maarab.
10 years
Mowaten. He is hardly rotting in Maarab. He is stating his political position, and backing it with totally civilized, legal and democratic action. He should be proud. Whether you agree with his politics or not, you know where he stands, and he is not willing to compromise his stance just to have a seat at the ministerial table.
10 years
legal maybe, but civilized and democratic definitely not.
democracy means including everyone and not trying to eliminate rivals but he refuses all possibilities of cohabitation and discussion.
10 years
lol at the paid mouthpiece! does your democratic militia which claims it is defending Lebanon include everyone in its pursuit of democracy? LOL
10 years
mowaten,
Democratic does mean everyone
but everyone does not include armed thugs and outlaws 9ie. HA and others like them).
10 years
Mowaten: The LF didn't obstruct anything. They just chose not to play this game, and accepted that the show goes on without Them. They neither burned tires nor fired shots in the air in outrage. They just accepted that in a democracy, if you can't beat your opponents and you have fundamental differences with them, your only option is to stay out of government. They oppose Hezbollah with words, not arms. If you can't call this civilized, I don't know what is.
10 years
I am always amused when the mowatens of this world talk of democracy. Democracy calls for including everyone in the democratic process that results in the formation of the executive branch of governance. Once that is done, democracy calls for submitting to the will of the majority and not using arms and intimidation to reverse the will of the people. Please, don't quote me your infamous popular vote results. Your party accepted the results of the elections.
10 years
One comment. In which democratic country does a govt include EVERYONE? Democracy is the winning team ruling. In the US, do democrats have the blocking third in the cabinet if a republican wins? How about in Canada? With the liberals and the conservatives? Britain? France? ANY? Your definition of democracy is skewed.
10 years
Popeye, you are an inspiration for us all due to your commendable impartiality, cool-headedness, and anger management initiatives. God bless!
10 years
nice compliments coming from you, mowaten)
10 years
You have a very unhealthy obsession with mowaten popeye. Yout paranoia is understandable given you operate multiple mouthpieces ))
10 years
Nice wish list popeye. We all wish it can be implemented one day so we can live in peace.
10 years
very wise points popeye
10 years
lol. bye ua fake hakim ya one-track record obstructionist drone. ishalla ma trja3
10 years
Come again? And make sense this time.
10 years
who cares....
10 years
saad fell in the trap of hizb: now mustahbal has to fight terrorism for hizballah..he gave them interior and justice and thought they won??????????????the war will be SUNNI/SUNNI now...not bad for hizb no??
10 years
well said! Now he has to clean the mess they created. a no win situation..
10 years
Geagea knows nothing will change as long as HA cannot be trusted. HA jihad in Syria will lead to counter Jihad in Lebanon and they cycle is endless.
10 years
Time will tell, when government honeymoon is over shortly, Hakim will emerge victorious … Ma bi sih their el sahih
10 years
LF will need to be armed to defend the Christians that are being kidnapped in Syria because of Hizbollah war in Syria, they are interfering in a Syrian business same as the Syrian army entered Lebanon and would not leave post the civil before it kidnapped, threaded and assassinated every anti-Syrian as well as planted their own agents in every institution of the Lebanese state which is the result of the current unstable and weak Lebanese state. The language the terrorist speak will need to be spoken so that they can be stopped and repelled.
10 years
Cedar,I am in the Lebanese Forces, and I have been in it since the very beginning through thick and thin. We have learned one thing: armed conflicts are a huge mistake. Lebanon's Christians cannot ever again isolate themselves in an armed ghetto extending from a little north of Jbeil to the Green Line in Beirut, and from Mount Lebanon to the sea. We are in this county to stay and thrive, not to insulate ourselves. Let's work to make all those 10452 sq. km a better place to live instead of isolating ourselves (even mentally) in 2000 sq. km.
We have to work to make our state capable of defending all its citizens. No more miltias, thank you.
10 years
jabal. in theory u are right.
in practice it all depends on the future behavior of sunni and chiite bearded cartoon characters.
10 years
This is politics. It is fluid and it is dynamic. Those who cannot go with the flow have no chance to direct the flow of events. Dinosaurs move from dominance to extinction.
Geagea has taken a principled stand. It is to be commended. However, principle is not the engine that makes politics move or flow in Lebanon. Lebanon is a game of real politik and unless you are an adapt player, then you are out, isolated and targeted for extinction in the most extreme cases.
10 years
Sure FT, its a principled stand. But I think Geagea, the tactician extraordinaire walked his way too far off on a limb to be able to credibly come back in when conditions changed, and so he is left out there, now trying to find a way back. Mustaqbel's job now is to let him save face and come back.
10 years
In my humble opinion its not about the government that the LF is maneuvering for right now. They made the decision not to join. It is the PRESIDENTIAL SEAT that is in the scope right now.
10 years
Samir for president? No thank you. Too polarizing. We need a president to bridge our differences, not amplify them.
10 years
presidential seat without FPM,HA,AMAL and druze votes ? get real...
With his cv ? Geagea is not presidentiable...
10 years
presidential seat without FPM,HA,AMAL and druze votes ? get real...
With his cv ? Geagea is not presidentiable...
Oh no, they need to appease the fake doctor with the 5 MPs! Quick, someone appease him!