Geagea: Assad Regime in Its Final Days, Our Hand is Always Extended to Hizbullah
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has stressed that Syrian President Bashar Assad's embattled regime “will not survive and it is definitely in its final days,” noting that “Hizbullah will not become more open to dialogue if the regime in Syria falls.”
In an interview on Al-Arabiya satellite TV network, Geagea said: “Hizbullah will not become more open to dialogue if the regime in Syria falls. Our hand is extended to Hizbullah all the time and I believe that there will be a major impact for the regime's fall but it will take time to manifest itself on the ground.”
Commenting on a recent statement by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, Geagea said “remarks about ‘a world war if Assad falls’ are the greatest evidence that General Aoun feels the threat the Syrian regime's fall would subject him to.”
Asked about Monday’s visit to Beirut by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council chief Saeed Jalili, Geagea said: “Dialogue with Mr. Jalili over a serious solution to the issue of Hizbullah's arms might be more effective than dialogue with the Lebanese parties.”
“Whatever Mr. Jalili’s intention might be, we in Lebanon cannot comply with any of the demands he is carrying,” Geagea added.
Asked how the March 14 forces were affecting the government’s decisions concerning the Syrian crisis, Geagea said: “Had it not been for the effect of March 14's opposition, the current government would have declared its total support for the regime in Syria, just like Iran, and it would have maybe backed the regime logistically and militarily and in security and foreign policy.”
Asked about the government’s so-called self-dissociation policy towards the Syrian crisis, the LF leader said: “In principle, the self-dissociation policy is not bad, but unfortunately the Lebanese government declared this policy and did not act accordingly, whether at the international forums or domestically.”
“Where is self-dissociation in the latest deportations?” Geagea wondered, in reference to Lebanon’s latest controversial deportations of 14 Syrians to their strife-torn country.
The General Directorate of General Security has stressed that the deportations were not politically motivated, noting that those deported were convicted of crimes committed in Lebanon.
A Human Rights Watch representative in Beirut said some of the deportees had expressed fears of persecution on their return, adding that one of them might be a political activist.
Asked about the recent kidnap of 48 Iranians in Damascus by a Syrian armed group, Geagea said he is “against kidnap operations.”
“In the context of the grand confrontation between the rebels and the Syrian regime, kidnap operations are taking place in a bid to exert pressure on Iran,” he noted.
Asked how the March 14 forces and the Progressive Socialist Party are helping the Syrian opposition, Geagea said they are offering moral and political support.
“Without any equivocation, we cannot but support the popular uprising in Syria. At the political level, we are supporting them through our Arab and international relations and telling all sides that what is happening is a popular revolution, rather than acts by terrorist groups, and that the world must stand by this revolution.”
“We’re not doing more than that, since we are citizens who live in a state and obey its laws,” Geagea added.
over 11 years
karim-m1 you my friend just decribed every political figure in lebanon......
over 11 years
To be fair, they should be all locked up. But in Lebanon they stay, and are given another chance at screwing up lebanon.
over 11 years
Yes lock up the whole country but leave HA and March 8 alone roaming the street.It's always his fault.
over 11 years
Hahaha... Ok FT... whatever... Retard!
over 11 years
Wrong.
The Syrian uprising is the result of decades long anger against a regime that denied basic political and civil rights to most of its population. Just because some foreign forces seek to take advantage of the uprising does not mean that we should not support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.
The regime is undoubtedly responsible for crimes and violations of human rights even prior to the uprising. In some context, there is a geopolitical battle between the West and Russia/China, but the fundamental issue is that the Syrian people wanted change.
over 11 years
The opposition is divided, and some have close ties to foreign forces. No denying that.
But the regime, because of its past and current violations of human rights (and my sources are from credible NGOs) is illegitimate and should thus take the first step to step down.
over 11 years
More and more politicians have been saying in the last few days that ASSad is almost done. Something is cooking. The killer of Damascus will be removed......people like flame thrower, the Hezz, and Aoun don't want to face reality. ASSad will be gone.....the Hezz will be cutoff from re-supply, and they will have a new regime in Syria that knows he sent killers to Syria.
over 11 years
I needed to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoyed
every bit of it. I have got you saved as a favorite to look at new things you post
over 11 years
lol
over 11 years
I think that Iran know that they lost syria... they will now concentrate on keeping Lebanon where their sect is much more in numbers... and armed.
over 11 years
Geagea for president!
over 11 years
Ya Karim, You dont build and protect a nation without blood. And that is exactly our problem is that there was not any blood spilled in 1943 so it had to be done in 1975. Go check the world history to better understand this concept.
If you think Geagea is a wahabi then you dont know Geagea and you are barking up the wrong tree...so either you get your facts straight or go back in your hole and be quiet.
over 11 years
As usual, FT and Karim, repeat the same song, and as usual, full of stupidities, which makes me wonder.....
Geagea is such a threat to M8, as he has proven himself to be a stetesman and a person with a vision.
aoun and his associates are just thugs, murderors, and traitors to Lebanon, and each day they prove it.
over 11 years
the more you talk about wahabism, the more stupid you confirm you are :)
go play in the corner with your syro/iranian masters, who will soon discover there is nowhere for them to hide from the grunt of the Lebanese people.
over 11 years
What a Statesman!!! It takes guts to be neutral in this region!
But Offering support to the armed terrorists in north lebanon coming from all over the region helps our country regain sovereignty and respect (being sarcastic)... Meddling in the affairs of other countries is exactly what should Lebanon do (the middle east switzerland)!!!
Bunch of idiots.
over 11 years
Karim_m1..you are stuck in a time-warp. The Lebanese war is long over, so about time you let it go, as well. Is Samir Geagea the only one who has blood on his hands, or are your "people" clean and sanitized? He is not selling the Christians, you idiot..Michel Aoun tried to sell them to Hizb'Shai'toun long ago, when he returned from 'exile', his Royal Coward. Long live Freedom and Democracy for sure, but NOT under the tutelage of your boss, the Little General or his friend living 6 floors underground with the rats, and their supervisors from Tehran. No way...those days will soon be over....wake up...
over 11 years
Karim, is an idiot, paranoid simpleton.
over 11 years
so you mean to say hiding under ground is different than hiding in another country.
(p.s. wasnt your tincan general living comfortably abroad for over a decade while the lebanese were struggling for the end of the same regime's occupation?)
over 11 years
The Syrian uprising is a US and EU versus Russia and China showdown? I have been reading your comments on this forum for the past year, and wondering if you noticed just how many people, in addition to ME, constantly vote "thumbs down" on everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that comes out of your stupid mouth. Were you raised in the gutter or with Hassan Nasrallah? As for your comment, 'small people will remain small people', that statement can only be applied to YOU!!!! You are one of the dumbest people I have ever heard of in this beautiful world of ours. Where in God's name did you come from? Wherever you were hatched from, please go back, sit down in the corner, and SHUT THE HELL UP....In addition to constantly and consistently NOT agreeing with EVERYTHING you say here, have you also noticed people in this forum are laughing AT you, not WITH you. Do you know the difference? You are making a FOOL of yourself....you ARE a fool....go away....
over 11 years
Hakim is the smartest and most respected patriotic Lebanese politician..may god protect him...
over 11 years
Extending hands to a filthy militia ? No good. Only when they unarm and turn themselves to a political party.
over 11 years
Another important prediction by Dr. Wiseacre Blahblahji.
ya Karim, this is Samir Geagea and not Michel Aoun, just to bring it to your attention.