Suleiman Says No to Randomly Spread Arms, Supports Prosecution of those who Target Army
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday threw his weight behind the Lebanese army’s decision to bring to trial those who target the military and rejected arms spread randomly across the country.
In his Army Day speech at the Shukri Ghanem barracks in Fayyadiyeh, a suburb of Beirut, Suleiman said: “The judiciary should issue verdicts against those who targeted the army without any fear.”
He was referring to a decision by the military on Tuesday to prosecute al-Mustaqbal’s Akkar MP Moeen al-Merehbi for attacking the military establishment and slandering army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji.
On the other hand, the army is a fair and capable force that works in accordance with the law and “accepts being held accountable through legal means,” he said.
The military “protects and does not attack, it builds and does not destroy.”
The killing of Sunni Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahed and his companion Mohammed Merheb at a military checkpoint in the Akkar town of al-Kweikhat in May has sparked widespread anger among opposition ranks, it led to road closures and calls for referring the case to the Judicial Council.
“No to arms spread randomly,” the president said as he called for steering Lebanon clear of the policy of regional axes and conflicts.
Suleiman also refused turning Lebanese territories into a corridor for arms and gunmen and said the state will reject forcing the army into giving up its duties in any part of Lebanon.
In a reference to highly sectarian tensions, the president called for political coexistence and rejected mini states spread on the sidelines of the Lebanese state.
On the controversial national defense strategy, Suleiman said the strategy should be based on the army to confront the enemy’s plots against Lebanon.
The issue has been a high source of contention between Hizbullah and the March 14 opposition which calls for integrating the party’s arms with the state.
Prior to his speech, Suleiman laid a wreath at the memorial of army martyrs.
The 67th Army Day ceremony, which saw the graduation of officers, was also attended by Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, cabinet ministers, Qahwaji and other top political and military officials.
01 August 2012, 11:07
03
God bless our army and ISF ,and I hope the army can control all of Lebanon and rid the sreets of the scum .lebanon for all Lebanese ,no to outside control ..
01 August 2012, 18:43
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the army is respected as long as it is neutral and defends our borders.
01 August 2012, 19:18
11
Are Hezbullah the only people in Lebanon who believe in civil rights? I assume that they do since they are working in government instead of using their military power to overrule a regime which, by the Taef Accord, treats them as sub-humans, each Muslim only worth (under law) a fraction of what a Christian is worth. That's assuming that Shiite Muslims alone are 50% of the population and all Christians combined are only 25%. Yet the Christians get half the seats in Parliament. No wonder Sunnis and Shiites compete so frantically. Civil rights would solve all these problems, just as they would in Israel.
01 August 2012, 20:03
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"Shiite Muslims alone are 50% of the population" WONG!!! Buddhists are alone are 50% of the population and Hindus make up the other 68%, I know because it I read in on the internet.
01 August 2012, 20:08
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chrisrushlau please stop engaging in the ashura self-flagellation and headbanging rituals it had cause extensive damage your less than complete brain.
01 August 2012, 22:56
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chrisrushlau do you know the meaning of civil rights?
The American people agree that:
Wyoming population: 568,158, will have two senators.
Maine population: 1,328,188, will have two senators.
California population: 37,691,912, will have two senators.
Each U.S. state is represented by two senators, regardless of population.
The Lebanese people agree that:
Lebanon's parliament will have 64 Muslims and 64 Christians regardless of the numbers.
Why is that a problem with you, a foreigner who obviously have no knowledge of Lebanon. The time of westerners showing us the "correct" way to behave went with the colonial imperialists, we don't need a neo-colonial imperialist like you to revive the trend. Maybe you think the Lebanese Shiites are imbeciles who cannot think for themselves and need your more intelligent enlightened output to set them straight.
