Jumblat: Defense Strategy Must Serve Lebanon Alone, Not Hormuz Strait
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat praised on Monday President Michel Suleiman’s “important political positions” on Army Day, most notably his remarks that “there can be no partnership with the army and forces responsible for maintaining Lebanon’s security.”
He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine: “We are seeking arms for the defense of Lebanon alone. We don’t want a defense strategy for the Hormuz Strait or any other area.”
“It’s true that we had said in past ministerial statements that we support the cooperation of the people, army, and resistance, but clarifications should be made over how this cooperation would take place,” he continued.
“This cooperation should be aimed against Israel and not serve any other purposes,” remarked the Druze chief.
Jumblat stressed the need for devising a defense strategy for Lebanon “that would prevent the country from once again becoming an open ground for political messages, as it did during the days of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Syrian hegemony.”
Addressing head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili’s visit to Lebanon, the MP noted: “It would be best to remind people of these issues given his visit to the country.”
“We acknowledge his security and strategic concerns, but if only he had catered to the internal affairs of his country, where the price of chicken has become more expensive than rockets … instead of spreading weapons arsenals here and there,” he stressed.
Commenting on Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s recent remarks that Lebanon is need of a liberation strategy in addition to a defense one, Jumblat said: “This demand requires first and foremost the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border, as stipulated during previous national dialogue sessions.”
“This will help prevent Lebanon from once again becoming a pawn in international nuclear negotiations or regional developments,” he added.
On the Syrian crisis, the MP noted: “The weapons used by the regime against its people could have been used to liberate the occupied Golan Heights several times.”
Furthermore, he said that the “global conspiracy against the Syrian people, has started to take on a new turn, whereby instead of arming the revolutionaries, international powers are beginning to speak of suicide bombers and jihadists” who have infiltrated Syria.
“Such a theory helps the regime and it was the first side to speak of it in order to serve its interests,” he said.
“The Syrian people, who have presented so many sacrifices, do not need such fighters,” remarked Jumblat.
over 11 years
I humbly submit that when the Syrian regime is occupied elsewhere, Jumblat feels safer and less likely to be assasinated which permits him to speak his mind. It is only when he his threatened directly that he shifts his stances towards M8.
over 11 years
don't count, never count on this guy! He will stab you in the back in a second..... he has no shame and no honor!
over 11 years
whatever his reasons, Jumblat is again saying what a true Lebnaese feels.
over 11 years
as I said: whatever his reasons, and if you do not understand it: I do not care what are his reason.
what he is saying now is correct: why should we pay for iran? we have nothing to do with these farsi.
over 11 years
As usual you show your stupidity through such comments that mean nothing.
the end result is that yur end is closing, fpm were nothing, are nothing, and will be nothing.
over 11 years
@FlameThrower: Your understanding of economics is wanting to say the least. Not even the US economy manufactures all it needs, why? Because when another country can manufacture something cheaper you just buy it. It is old communistic ideal that you propose which has stopped working long ago.
Besides, Lebanon does not have the basic raw material required to manufacture all it's needs. How would you propose handling this other than procurement from outside.
Wake up and work hard to leave the 19-20th century and join the 21st habboub.
over 11 years
well our ennemy is craving to do peace with us. We should be negotiating maritime borders and lobbying the west to give money and immigration to the palestinians of the camps instead of doing the futile exercice of fighting israel and aligning ourselves with iran, the roguest country in the world because 1/3 of our population has the same sect
over 11 years
start by reading it but not in iranian books :)
over 11 years
Never a truer word spoke. If only Lebanon could look around and see what advantages there would be for it if she had peace with Israel.
All those gas reserves in the Med could be utilised to the advantage of the the two countries with plenty left over for export bringing in plenty of foreign currency. Peace would mean additional tourism, trade, etc. etc. It is only Hizballah which prevents this.
over 11 years
Fortunately we have somebody like Jumblat to color our lives and add quality to our thinking and food for thought to our brains. I am one who always listened to what Jumblat had to say because this man is the man of the moment and his opinion is worth a million dollar all the times. Jumblat is once again trying to assert that Lebanon can’t be an open field for the Iranians and the Syrian and time has come for us to work hand in hand to build Lebanon on a new basis God willing. The Syrians regime will be toppled within the coming couple of weeks and the Lebanese arena will be difficult for the Iranians to penetrate. We are happy for that not because we hate the Iranian; it’s because we need our country to be neutral and far away from regional conflicts. Enough is enough.
over 11 years
nice one, agree 100
over 11 years
Iran, north Korea, Iraq, Syria, and hezbollah combined cannot help us defeat the Israeli firepower because the western world and russia is backing them. Why fight a fight we cannot win? Let's just live our lives and move on.
over 11 years
WE DO NOT NEED TO FIGHT ANYONE. WE DO NOT NEED ANY " RESISTANCE".
Let us keep repeating this till it sticks in the minds of those who are still fooled by Hezbollah's claims while they are sold cheaply to the service of the Iranian regime.
The Iranian sectarian and oppressive regime should have no common cause with any lebanese.
over 11 years
You are a newcon American zionist. ALL the Lebanese consider you and the zionists as ENEMIES. We need to protect ourselves from YOU.
over 11 years
By saying not Hormuz strait he means that the US should get the hell out from there:)
over 11 years
If you don't like what Wally says, why do you want to keep him in your government? Aha! Gotcha right there!!!!!!!!!
over 11 years
@benzona, are you seriously trying to reason with this psuedo wannabe revolutionary, who advocates the shooting of M14 supporters in the head and dissolving them in acid? The only way to get rid of this pile of dung is to give it the silent treatment.
over 11 years
There are condescending pricks on this forum who use the word 7abboub like a snake uses venom...khallik shimten w'3amb titma2ta3 fina ya wateh...your day is coming...keep it up.
over 11 years
true leader should fear nothing & be honest to his followers. Sorry I can never trust Mr. Walid jumblat.
over 11 years
Yes, it will be all over for those who will sign a peace treaty with you Zionists masquerading as Lebanese. Just as the SLA traitors. As Hariri said, Lebanon will be the LAST country to make peace with the Israeli Terrorist state, and by then it would have been renamed PALESTINE.
over 11 years
I could not agree with you more.
I'm not sure what's going on in Jumblat's world or what he has been smoking or the lack their of, but over the last few months he's being saying all the right things, could he be sensing is about to happen in Syria so he feels the need to change his policies/positions, only time will tell but I like what he's saying.