Heated Debate and Counter-accusations between Raad, Saniora on Proliferation of Arms
Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad and al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora exchanged accusations on the spread and smuggling of arms during the national dialogue session held at Baabda palace on Monday, media reports said.
In his statement, Saniora blamed Hizbullah’s arsenal for the spread of arms in Lebanese cities and towns. “The resistance’s arms led to the proliferation of other weapons,” he said during the four-hour meeting that was chaired by President Michel Suleiman.
But Raad snapped back, accusing al-Mustaqbal movement of smuggling arms to Syria and seeking to establish a buffer zone on the border with the neighboring country.
“It’s the language of incitement that led to the proliferation of arms and ships,” he said in reference to the interception by the Lebanese navy of the Lutfallah II vessel that was allegedly smuggling arms from Libya to Syrian rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar Assad.
The Hizbullah lawmaker also accused ex-Premier Saad Hariri’s movement of criticizing the army and preventing it from deploying in northern Lebanon following deadly clashes in the city of Tripoli between the residents of mostly Alawite Jabal Mohsen and majority Sunni Bab al-Tabbaneh.
The armed fights threatened to push Lebanon to the brink of war and were a sign that the Syrian crisis was spilling over to the country. Assad belongs to the Alawite sect that rejects the mostly Sunni led uprising against him.
“If you want the army to play its role, then MPs, former ministers and prime ministers from al-Mustaqbal movement should make statements and stress their protection to the army and throw their political weight behind it,” the head of Hizbullah’s parliamentary bloc said.
But Raad’s accusations drew a counter-attack by Saniora, who said: “We reject arms that are outside state legitimacy and we are also against the smuggling of arms to Syria and to Lebanon too.”
A heated debate also erupted after Raad accused Saniora, who was Lebanon’s prime minister during the 2006 war with Israel, of seeking to bring in multinational troops to be deployed in south Lebanon to limit Hizbullah’s power in its stronghold.
almost 12 years
I fully agree with both of you. They contribute zero to the well being and reputation of the country. Our basketball team contributes ten times more for example..
almost 12 years
“The resistance’s arms led to the proliferation of other weapons,”
no need to be a politician to know that: it s mathematical! since one party is allowed to arm itself then the others will feel the need to do the same!
you cannot authorize to one what you deny the other!
the root of all the problems in lebanon are the weapons of this militia...
those who say the contrary are in big denial and blind....
almost 12 years
How dare this shabby looking punk drug dealer to appear before the President with unbuttoned shirt. Even the Iranians dress neatly. How low can some one sink? Filth begets filth
almost 12 years
what they met for and agreed upon is not what they advised.
it seems there is something big they have been made aware of (all of them) which involves the country as a whole.
the renewed call by the UAE for non travel t lebanon and others is a serious warning of somthing is going to happen, and it is going to be extremely big.
almost 12 years
During St Maroun's mass, Aoun and his his supporters staged a stunt where they delayed Auoun's arrival till after the president entered the church, and made a massively bigger applaud for him, the only point of breaking the protocol this way is to humiliate the president. Hizbullah invaded Beirut and acted liked a militia killing and destroying properties on May 7th. Shame on the president, shame on March 14th for sitting with these people who humiliate them and offend them. The only class in this act was Geagea, but he seemed to be flip-flopping between wanting to join and not join the dialogue. I agree with FlameThrower; all our leaders should be thrown out. We need to build a class of leaders with a vision for the future, not people from the past working to settle their differences today.
almost 12 years
This discussion table is like the movie 'The Godfather' where all the organized crime families met to agree on keeping the peace (although in the movie the mafias keep their word, in reality Hizbullah promises something and changes its mind the next day).
almost 12 years
I agree, we need a new government who stand for lebanon alone and it's people and one without the resistance and it's arms which is crippling the country. Enough is enough, the Lebanese people and their children deserve a bright, safe and secure future in Lebanon.
almost 12 years
if hiwar fails, fakhamto is shortening his presidency
almost 12 years
So when its in north Lebanon, Hezbollah demands that the Army maintain border security, but in south Lebanon, its the "resistance" that must secure the border. And if there is a disturbance in Tripoli the Army must wade in and restore order, but when there is a disturbance in Dahyeh, then the Army cannot go, but only Hezbollah may do the security work.
And they call this a country??
almost 12 years
hezb can do whatever they want but deny others to do the same : it s called democracy the M8 way with the benediction of FPM....
almost 12 years
The resistance in Francce liberated the whole country (not just the South) from Germany and once the job was over a Democratic State wass created and all the power is in the Stat and their army. Now if you want to break away and form the South Lebanon Welayat El-Faqih State then that can be discussed but do not subject all Lebanese to your Iranian style rule just because you fought Israel. THank you for liberating and act like a good Lebanese citizen and build the nation you liberated.
almost 12 years
The people of the South did liberate their land from the Israelis. The Cedars revolution and the struggle of LF and FPM did liberate Lebanon from the Syrians. Everyone sacrificed, but no one owes anything to anyone. No one tasked Hizbullah with anything, they acted out of their own freewill and the Lebanese paid dearly for their adventures even if one single outcome was positive. They have no right to take other Lebanese freedom and livelihood. No one gave Hizbullah the right to launch a war and destroy Lebanon in 2006. No one gave Hizbullah the right to invade Beirut and kill, burn, and destroy. Lebanon is not indebted to Hizbullah for anything, nothing at all. They are not the masters of the Lebanese, they are the masters of their own homes and properties which they fought for, that's it, just like every other Lebanese is.
almost 12 years
@anonymetexasusa, that about sums it up. After all that, Hezbollah's line now is "trust us". Please explain how?? When they are out of power in the government they resort to any and all means to first obstruct those who are in power and then use their weapons to intimidate others into conducting a coup (read Jumblatt's interview). When they are in power, then its a different story, all must comply with the writ of government when they control it. This is not a country.
In a pluralistic society, the government is to always be respected, regardless of which party controls the administration of government. This is not possible when one party is armed and can force its political will outside of the political processes by force of arms.
So M8/FPMers/Hezbolli, stop with this pleading for dialogue and normal processes. You are the cause and the source of the abnormality by insisting on being armed. Turn your weapons over to the state, this is step one in instituting a strong state.
almost 12 years
exactly! M8 philosophy is do as we say and order but do not do as we do!
almost 12 years
Do you want us to kneel for them coz they killed 1500 lebanese for 3ezza
tfeh on bashar and Aoun and hassan
almost 12 years
FT , I have to disagree with you here. Politics is not about flip-flopping. There is something called 'evolution of principle' that even the greatest leaders in history sometimes go through it (like Abraham Lincoln on slavery and Ronald Reagan on women's rights and taxes), but siding with your sworn enemy to gain money or power is something else, it is trashing your principle and belief in search of material gain. That is political prostitution. As to the constructive way to evolve toward the future, it is to respect the results of democracy and build a democratic state. March 14 won the last election and their win was stolen from them at gun point. What's the point of dialogue, there are government institutions, there are the results of democracy that have to be respected. It's not by acting like mafias chatting around a table that nations are built.
almost 12 years
We don't need a REVOLUTION! We need an EVOLUTION! The first order of business is to deploy the army throughout Lebanon and collect foreign and domestic weapons that aren't under the control of the state. These should be the top demands of any movement. Next, all politicians will have to be elected by the people by a popular vote. No appointments! No exceptions! Let's see how many politicians who won't agree to these terms make it to office.
ليس لطاولة الحوار اي صفة قانونية. من الواضح ان لا احد ملزم بتطبيق قراراتها. اي قرار يصدر عن هذا الحوار هو توافقي يجمع عليه الجميع يجب تحويله فورا الى قانون يصدر عن مجلس النواب او الى قرارات عن مجلس الوازراء مع تحديد المسؤوليات و الفترة الزمنية للتنفيذ. غير ذلك هو بيع حكي و ضحك عالناس.