Geagea Says March 14 Shouldn't be Indifferent to Presidential Polls
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has urged the March 14 alliance not to be indifferent and to work on guaranteeing the election of a coalition candidate for the presidency.
“The March 14 alliance can't confront an important event such as the presidential elections with indifference,” Geagea told a delegation from Jbeil that visited him at his residence in Maarab.
The coalition “should exert all necessary efforts to bring its candidate to the presidency,” he said.
Geagea was asked by delegation members, who the March 14 candidate was.
“The answer is that democracy should say its first and last words,” he replied.
No one has yet officially announced his candidacy for the presidency as President Michel Suleiman's six-year term expires in May.
Geagea told his visitors that the LF considers the presidential post as a means to reach objectives.
“We are not in existence to become presidents,” he said, shying away from directly announcing his candidacy.
“We are a traditional party and we are not after posts,” Geagea added.
Constitutionally, the parliament should start convening March 25 to elect a new president.
Several names have been mentioned for the post, including Geagea's arch foe Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.
10 years
outleb, u sound a real patriot, but a naive one...
Do u really think LAF will implement any order given by president ?
If it was the case, wouldn't have Sleiman done it already ?
10 years
outleb, if LAF fights HA, it will be in urban warfare, ie high soldiers and civilians casualties.
Pro-HA soldiers will defect with weapons and vehicles. Plus pro-HA army intelligence will give positions of anti-HA soldiers to pro-HA soldiers.
Who wants HA fighting with our M60 and M113 ?
Who wants a situation similar to Syria ?
Why do u think that LAF did not move at 7 ayar ?
Army command didn't want to risk a division within the LAF.
Thats why Sleiman, Hariri, Salam are keeping quiet, to save Lebanon and Lebanese...
10 years
I feel so sorry for some of the people who post there dreams on here. lol If "lady GaGa" aka the guy who invented drug dealing and murder in lebanon becomes president, he will suffer so much, and so will his supporters from there own hands.and lebanon will go back 30 years. definitely will not happen.
10 years
Oh well don't be jealous normzz117...your hezboz friends have now the monopoly of the market...
10 years
we need a strong president
so we have to alter taef and give back some powers to the president
the same powers that geagea signed off in taef
10 years
Hanoun, I would say, return all the powers back to the presidency. We have seen now what a limited presidential mandate does. Suleiman despite all the limitations to his mandate, has managed to work wonders, and why? because Suleiman is a real patriot, who does not sell his country like those who were there before him, such as Hrawi and Lahoud, or masalan those exceedingly greedy politicians of both M8 and m14. Suleiman if he had the powers hitherto Taef or Doha could have changed the equation for the better, for the people and this by default means against the interests of the parties or the militias. Suleiman is State first, but let's give him the powers, all of them.
10 years
These days I am convinvced by the positions that Geagea takes, these are times when Geagea is capable of taking difficult decisions and stick by them. There were times when I profoundly dissagreed with him in the past, but I also cannot dispute the fact that this man does show the kind of courage and grit so needed when the going gets tough. As secy general of the LF and the only one left around in M14 with guts, I do take his positions in good faith and I also trust them. But the moment anyone calls for his election as president, I would advice caution. No, not because of anything particular, but because Geagea was a warlord, so just as the principles applies to people like general Aoun, we now all must distance ourselves from people of the war, to people of the peace.
10 years
LF, basically we are nearer in views than might be anticipated. I bear no hostility towards Geagea but comprehension. and even though if in the past we did disagree, especially on giving arms to Aoun. My worry is that people like Geagea and Aoun will have problems uniting the people around them, they would within their own spheres of influence, but the collateral would inveitably be at the expense of more divisions generally than can be afforded. hat's my only point of contention, otherwise Geagea is as always, a man who says things as they are, which is why in such a case, I see Sami Gemayel as good, given that he too has grit, guts and is not tainted by war.
10 years
I agree with Phoenix and Leb4ever... No to blindly support Geagea for the post just because he is the Leader of the FL. Personally, I would not accept someone with blood on his hands by principle.
FT the Goon.. hush up! Everyone's not like you!
10 years
I'm a neutral and they erase mine too.
10 years
(1). Outleb, you are right bro, everything you said receives my OK, but the word warlord in a sense is related to commanders or people that commandeered constituencies or the like during our war years. If it's any comfort, I came to Lebanon right in the very thick of it in September 1975 by fishing boat from Larnaca. I was in my teens, a kid afraid of the sounds of guns. My family is close to the Gemayels, particularly Pierre Gemayel Snr. So I joined the Kataeb with Sheikh Bachir then to the LF itself. I came with 17 young men, today only 8 still live.
10 years
(2). Outleb. Believe me, we saw it all. Soon enough Iw as given a unit to command, so I am a living witness to all the things you mentioned, imagine the terror we felt when at the front facing hundreds of crazed men from all over the globe shouting, "Al Mawt lil kouffar, al mawt lil In3izaliyen, Allahoul Akbar, Allahoul Akbar", in fact, just as we are seeing today with the Takfiris in Syria. Gaddafi made them even more crazy when he announced a bounty on every Christian head they'd bring. But where is Gaddafi now? Did he die in his bed? And what about Yasser Arafat? Bala shamety, what is happening today to the son of Hafez Al Assad and his people? And what happened to his brothers and uncles?
10 years
They delete me whatever I say.... ridiculous!
10 years
(3). Bachir was my teacher, and he taught me a lot, to be tough when we have to be tough, and be moderate when those standing in front of me are moderate. So, bro, despite my disagreements with Geagea, like that thing about the general Bi Moun, it still drives me angry, but overall, Geagea after all was trained by Bachir, so it all comes with the experience, unlike several top ranking leaders in Lebanon, Geagea is solid and does not stab in the back. But I also know that as far as my experience is concerned, Geagea and Aoun do not fit the bill, if we want to keep Lebanon united, at least let's give peace a chance. The day when guns are turned against us, then that will change everything, then Geagea comes to fit the bill again, and he will find people like me still around to rally to what we the Lebanese Forces keep getting constrained to do. let's give the Army a chance, till when it is Not allowed to do its work. We are still around Outleb, as LF as ever.
10 years
FT, there's no need for all this, surely we can all do better than this ma heyk khaye?
10 years
Thanks FT, my respects to you bro, and NO, I don't report, stay blessed bro.
10 years
Stop reading then.
Does Geagea really want to run and prove by a staggering defeat just how irrelevant he really is ???