LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 27/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10,17-27. As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.You know the commandments: 'You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.'" He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to (the) poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through (the) eye of (a) needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Receiving the President, Waiting for the Republic-By: Ghassan Charbel-Dar Al-Hayat 26/05/08
Is Lebanon a real nation, or just a collection of interest groups?The Gazette (Montreal 26/05/08
Message to Mars: Is there Cappuccino there?By Walid Phares 26/05/08
New president sent all the right signals on his first try-The Daily Star 26/05/08
Pro-Syrian, Hezbollah-friendly General to become Lebanese President W. Thomas Smith Jr. 26/05/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for May 26/08

Nasrallah speech marks eight years since IDF withdrawl from Lebanon-Jerusalem Post

For Lebanon's New President, the Same Puzzle-TIME

Bush Invites Lebanon's New President Suleiman to Washington-Bloomberg

Gunfire welcomes Lebanon's new leader-Times Online

MI: Syria still transferring arms to Hezbollah-Ha'aretz

New rules for the Middle East-International Herald Tribune
Russia welcomes election of Lebanese president-Xinhua

Indonesia welcomes Suleiman's election as Lebanon president-Xinhua

Lebanon president to appoint PM on Wednesday-International Herald Tribune

Lebanon to pick new Prime Minister-Reuters

Arab League chief in Syria for Lebanon talks-AFP

New Lebanese president assumes office-The Associated Press

Celebrations welcome Lebanon's new President-Euronews.net

Lebanon peace deal highlights Qatar's prominent peacebroker role-International Herald Tribune

Israel: UNIFIL is ignoring Hezbollah violations in south Lebanon-Ha'aretz

Hezbollah is viewed as a rising threat-Baltimore Sun

Lebanon elects president to ease divide.By: Robert Worth 26/05/08

World hails Lebanon vote as first step to reconciliation-AFP

Israel says Hariri case too weak-Ha'aretz

UN chief welcomes election of Lebanese president-Xinhua

Suleiman elected president, goes straight at toughest issues-Daily Star  
Visiting dignitaries, local officials react warmly to election-Daily Star  
'I've had enough:' Siniora looks forward to leaving prime minister's office-AFP
Nahr al-Bared victory launched Suleiman to Baabda-Daily Star  
Presidential powers as defined by the Constitution-Daily Star  
Election of Suleiman ends political deadlock-The National

Eastern Promises-Times Online

Neutrality fuels rise of Lebanon's new president-The Associated Press

LEBANON: Suleiman supports fight against Israel-Los Angeles Times

Michel Suleiman sworn in as president of Lebanon-Los Angeles Times

Lebanese Prisoners Association officially marks Liberation Day
Harvard students visit Sidon, Ain al-Hilweh camp-Daily Star  
NASA names planets after award-winning Lebanese-Daily Star  
AUB, US university team up to study health effects of narguileh-Daily Star  

Beirut's world musicians take the stage for series of shows at Babel Theater-Daily Star
Olmert says Jewish state 'serious' about peace talks with Syria-AFP
Iranian-born Israeli charged as spy for Tehran-AFP

Mideast governments increasingly ignore U.S. views
Mon 26 May 2008,
By Jonathan Wright
CAIRO, May 26 (Reuters) - The governments of the Middle East, from Iran to Israel and beyond, are increasingly ignoring the wishes of a U.S. administration which has only eight months left in office, going their own way in regional diplomacy.
U.S. President George W. Bush's latest speech on Middle East policy, made in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh last week, shows how the gap has grown between what Washington would like and what is happening in the region. It is part of a wider picture of Washington's declining clout, accelerated by its debilitating deployment of more than 100,000 troops to Iraq for the past five years.
France has had contacts with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, for example, and Israel has had indirect talks with Syria, which Washington is trying to isolate.Bush said in Sharm el-Sheikh that all nations in the region should stand together against Hamas, a group which he said was attempting to undermine efforts at making peace. But the Egyptian government, his host and a longstanding friend of the United States, was simultaneously, and with U.S. consent, trying to mediate a truce between Gaza and Israel.
Israeli commentators said the Egyptian mediation amounted to indirect negotiations between the Israeli government and Hamas, a group with which the United States refuses to have dealings. The Islamist organisation, which controls the Gaza Strip, was offering Israel a long-term truce which could make it easier for the rival Palestinian group Fatah to reach an agreement with Israel -- a goal which the United States says it is promoting.
In his Sharm el-Sheikh speech, Bush also attacked the Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah, calling it "terrorists funded by Iran" and "the enemy of a free Lebanon".
HEZBOLLAH'S CENTRAL ROLE
Three days later in the Gulf state of Qatar, Hezbollah and other Lebanese groups reached an agreement ending the political crisis that had paralysed Lebanon for months. Hezbollah had defeated its rivals in Beirut in short order this month when Washington's allies in the Lebanese government tried to challenge some of the privileges it enjoyed as the force which helped drive Israel out of south Lebanon.
The new political arrangement in Lebanon, symbolised by the election of Michel Suleiman as president on Sunday, tilts the balance of power significantly in Hezbollah's favour and underscores its central role in Lebanese politics.
Bush maintained his confrontational attitude towards Iran and Syria, saying: "Every peaceful nation in the region has an interest in stopping these nations from supporting terrorism." On the same day of the Lebanese agreement, Israel and Syria disclosed they had held indirect talks mediated by Turkey -- the closest they have come to serious negotiations since talks brokered by the United States collapsed in 2000.
The Bush administration walked away from high-level contacts with the Syrians after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in 2005. The United States says it suspects Syria of the killing, a charge Syria denies. Bush's audience included Gulf Arab officials whose governments have maintained working relations with Iran, defying to some extent Washington's attempts to isolate Tehran. Years of U.S. policy, including sanctions and a debate about the possibility of military strikes, have not persuaded Iran to abandon its ambitions to produce its own enriched uranium.
DIALOGUE WITH IRAN
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that in his talk about Iran's nuclear programme Bush had again failed to address the nuclear activities of Israel. It is widely believed to have some 200 nuclear warheads.
Mohamed ElBaradei, Egyptian head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the same conference in Sharm el-Sheikh that Washington was maintaining double standards on nuclear weapons, and dialogue with Iran was the right approach. Bush argued that "terrorist organisations and their state sponsors" are the main opponents to democracy in the Arab world. "(They) know they cannot survive in a free society, so they create chaos and take innocent lives in an effort to stop democracy from taking root," he said. But civil society and human rights groups say that governments friendly towards the United States are some of the most determined obstacles to democracy, repressing peaceful Islamist groups which seek power through democratic elections.
In Egypt, for example, where Bush was speaking, the authorities prevented the non-violent Muslim Brotherhood from standing in local elections and some parliamentary elections over the past two years, ignoring occasional U.S. criticism. Without naming names, the U.S. president did criticise his friends in the Arab world for holding political prisoners. But five years after Bush launched his campaign for political change in the Middle East, Arab leaders have learned that the price for ignoring him on human rights is low. "We've heard these speeches before," said an Egyptian official who asked not to be named.
In Cairo three years ago U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the time had come for the rule of law to replace emergency decrees. But this week the Egyptian parliament is expected to extend for another year a system of emergency law that has been in force for more than 26 years. (Writing by Jonathan Wright)
 

President Bush Congratulates Michel Sleiman on Election as President of Lebanon
White House News
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
I congratulate Michel Sleiman on his election as President of Lebanon. I am confident that Lebanon has chosen a leader committed to protecting its sovereignty, extending the government's authority over all of Lebanon, and upholding Lebanon's international obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions, including 1559, 1701, and 1757. I am hopeful that the Doha Agreement, which paved the way for this election, will usher in an era of political reconciliation to the benefit of all Lebanese. We look forward to working with President Sleiman in pursuit of our common values of freedom and independence.

New head of state picks up 118 votes out of 127 cast
BEIRUT: Lebanon's Parliament elected the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Michel Suleiman as president on Sunday, ending six months of presidential vacuum. Suleiman got 118 out of the 127 votes cast, with six blank ballots and three invalid ones. The votes counted as invalid were cast for Nassib Lahoud, Jean Obeid and "slain former Premier Rafik Hariri and the martyred MPs."
The election took place in the presence of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, his Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, members of the Arab ministerial committee which brokered the recent Doha agreement, Arab League chief Amr Moussa, and a number of senior Arab and international figures
After Suleiman was sworn in, the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora resigned in line with the Constitution but will stay on in a caretaker capacity.
Suleiman arrived at Parliament shortly after the election accompanied by Speaker Nabih Berri, who left the Parliament building after the vote and returned with the newly elected president in line with protocol.
After taking the presidential oath, Suleiman delivered an inaugural address that dealth with several contentious issues, including Lebanese-Syrian ties and the deadly clashes that struck Lebanon earlier this month. He called for good and balanced relations with Damascus - whose foreign minister, Walid Moallem, was in attendance - based on mutual respect.
"Both Lebanon and Syria should also respect each other's borders," the president added.
In an indirect reference to the recent clashes between opposition and pro-government supporters, Suleiman said Lebanon's weapons should only be directed at the Israeli enemy.
Prior to Suleiman's address, Berri congratulated the new president and praised the patience and sacrifices of the Lebanese people. "This is a historic moment," Berri said. "I ask God to help you succeed in steering the Lebanese ship to a safe haven ... today no one in the world can turn Lebanon into a fighting arena," he added, addressing Suleiman.
Berri thanked various countries, including Russia, France, Italy, Spain as well as the Arab League for their help in bringing an end to the 18-month old political crisis.
But he took a swipe at Washington, saying: "I thank the United States nonetheless, seeing that it seems to have been convinced that Lebanon is not the appropriate place for its New Middle East plan." He was referring to comments made by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who described the plight of Lebanon during Israel's 2006 war against it as part of the "birth pangs of the New Middle East."
After Suleiman's inaugural address, Qatar's emir delivered a speech to the Parliament and international guests. "I want to tell you that there is a victor and a vanquished in Lebanon today ... Lebanon is the victor and internal strife is the vanquished," Sheikh Hamad said.
"Two years ago, I saw the courage and strength of the resistance in Lebanon when resistance was necessary ... today, I am seeing another form of courage ... it is the courage of wisdom," he added.
Sheikh Hamad appealed for Arab unity while stressing the role of the Arab League in solving inter-Arab disputes. "Our similarities are far more than our differences," he said.
Suleiman, who met separately with Berri and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at Parliament, was to spend the night at his home before heading to the Presidential Palace on Monday morning.
Mottaki also met Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal at the Parliament.
The newly elected president is expected to start parliamentary consultations on Tuesday in a bid to name a new prime minister, who, in turn, will hold his own consultations on the lineup of the next cabinet.
Prior to the election, MPs Butros Harb, Hussein al-Husseini, Nayla Mouawad and George Adwan voiced reservations about the procedure of used to elect Suleiman, describing it as "unconstitutional."
The lawmakers said they preferred to see Suleiman elected after amending Article 49 of the Lebanese Constitution. The article bans the election of grade one officials unless they have resigned two years prior to being elected to the country's top post.
Berri responded that the election process was in line with Article 74 of the Constitution. The article stipulates that if a presidential vacuum occurs, Parliament should immediately meet and elect a president. - With AFP

Qatari emir congratulates Lebanese on ending crisis
BEIRUT: "The dangerous political crisis that threatened to lead to the collapse of Lebanon has ended, and we hope this crisis is the last," Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah al-Thani said in an address to the Lebanese Parliament and newly elected President Michel Suleiman on Sunday.
With myriad local and foreign dignitaries crowding Lebanon's reconstructed Parliament building for back-to-back election and inauguration ceremonies, the Qatari emir stressed that the dangers facing the Arab world "do not permit the renewal of conflict between parties every now and again."
"The fate of nations, more important than factional dis-putes, is at stake in our region," added Sheikh Hamad, who helped pressure feuding Lebanese factions into the recent Doha talks that ultimately resulted in an accord after the country seemed on the brink of another civil war.
A recurrent theme during the emir's address to the House was his allusion to the "no victor, no vanquished" staple of Lebanese politics, as he at once hoped that the Doha talks transcended that approach, "which buries rather than solves crises," and stated that the Doha agreement saw to it that "Lebanon vanquished strife" by resorting to dialogue."All the [Doha process] did was to provide a locale for dialogue in the absence of pressure, and I believe the chance afforded by such a dialogue reached its natural conclusion," the Qatari ruler added.
In characterizing the Doha agreement as an achievement for Lebanon, Sheikh Hamad also stressed the "broader meaning of success, as the crisis was taken from the verge of disaster to an arena of dialogue." The emir continued by saying that hosting the Lebanese dialogue "was an honor for us," and added that the Qatari capital would remain "open, unconditionally, as a space for dialogue.
"The Arab world is endowed with institutions and organizations - the Arab League, above all - capable of creating an atmosphere for dialogue," the Qatari leader added.Sheikh Hamad concluded by declaring: "That which unites [Lebanese] parties transcends the divisions between them. This is our belief and our goal, so that God may preserve Lebanon." - The Daily Star

Inaugural address ranges far and wide
BEIRUT: "I swear by Almighty God to observe the laws of the Lebanese nation and maintain the independence of Lebanon and its territorial integrity," President Michel Suleiman declared Sunday, taking an oath of office that ended a six-month presidential vacuum.
After calling for a moment of silence in honor of those who have died for Lebanon, Suleiman delivered his inaugural address, laying out the governing vision for the coming six years of his term.
Suleiman spoke of strengthening Lebanon's constitutional institutions, minimizing incendiary political rhetoric, preserving the rights of diaspora Lebanese and pursuing constructive and balanced relations with Syria.
"One of the more dangerous developments of the last few years has been the basing of political discourse on the rhetoric of treason," he said, underlining the political divisions that have paralyzed Lebanon since the summer war with Israel.
Suleiman stressed the importance of balanced development, which he described as "a pillar of state integrity," adding that this could be achieved through "more thorough administrative decentralization at all levels in addressing the social, economic and cultural imbalances" between various regions of the country.
"Emerging from our state of stagnation and stimulating the economic cycle requires security and political stability, as well as the state's encouragement of competitive production," added Suleiman. "The president touched upon the rights of the diaspora, linking the issue to the controversial debate over citizenship in Lebanon, saying that "Lebanese abroad have more of a right to citizenship than others."
In discussing foreign policy, Suleiman expressed his belief that Lebanon should "respect all United Nations decisions" and stressed the importance of following through with "the international tribunal pertaining to the assassination of [former Prime Minister] Rafik Hariri."The manner in which the Hariri tribunal is pursued remains a controversial issue, and much of the dispute has to do with the country's role in the region and its relations with its neighbors. Suleiman tackled these issues in his speech, steering the careful course that marked his tenure as Lebanese Armed Forces commander. The new president said a strong defense strategy is "necessitated by Israeli aggression," calling for a composed dialogue aimed at creating such a strategy, which he said should "utilize the capabilities of the resistance." Suleiman added that Lebanese-Syrian relations should be "brotherly," with mutual respect for the "boundaries of each sovereign country." Suleiman also argued that "the Palestinian struggle cannot be used as a pretext" for terrorism and that "the gun should never be aimed inward, but should always point toward our enemies."President Suleiman, coming to office amid a long-running political stalemate in Lebanon and on the tail of deadly clashes between feuding rival parties, also noted that the Lebanese "have paid a high price for this unity ... Let us strive to preserve it." - The Daily Star, with agencies

Berri takes pointed swipe at US policy during speech
BEIRUT: Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri took a swipe at the United States on Sunday following the election of a new president, saying that Lebanon was not a playground for Washington's policy in the region. Berri, an opposition stalwart, thanked various countries, including Qatar, Iran, Turkey, Russia, France, Italy, Spain as well as the Arab League for their help in bringing an end to Lebanon's 18-month old political crisis.
"I thank the United States nonetheless, seeing that it seems to have been convinced that Lebanon is not the appropriate place for its New Middle East plan," Berri said. "This plan will not find any place in the entire Middle East," he added. He was referring to comments made by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who said while on a visit to Beirut during Israel's war on Lebanon in summer 2006 that the war was part of "birth pangs of the New Middle East."
"This is a historic moment," Berri said, while introducing the president. "I ask God to help you succeed in steering the Lebanese ship to a safe haven ... today no one in the world can turn Lebanon into a fighting arena."Berri described as a "great honor" the fact that the election was taking place on May 25, which happens to be the date of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon eight years ago.
"May 25 happens to be the eighth anniversary of the victory of our heroic resistance and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from most of Lebanon's territory expect for the Shebaa Farms and the Kafar Shuba Hills," Berri said. "It also happens to be the fist anniversary of the victory of our army against terrorism in Nahr al-Bared," he added, referring to last year's clashes between the army and Islamist militants at a Palestinian refugee camp in the North of the country.
Berri also recalled "lawmakers who sacrificed their lives" in the past few years. Since 2005, Lebanon's Parliament has lost seven lawmakers, six of whom were assassinated. Addressing the president, Berri said that Suleiman was the eligible person to sponsor a dialogue on adopting a defense strategy for Lebanon. - The Daily Star, with AFP

World leaders welcome Lebanese election
WASHINGTON: US President George W. Bush led the international community on Sunday in hailing the election of Michel Suleiman as Lebanon's new president as a first step in reuniting the divided nation. "I am confident that Lebanon has chosen a leader committed to protecting its sovereignty, extending the government's authority over all of Lebanon, and upholding Lebanon's international obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions," Bush said.
"We look forward to working with president Suleiman in pursuit of our common values of freedom and independence."
Suleiman, Lebanon's army chief for the past 10 years, was sworn in on Sunday after a parliamentary vote that many hope will turn the page on an 18-month political feud that threatened to plunge the nation back into civil war. The vote was held just days after the government and the opposition agreed to a deal after talks in Doha to end the political crisis. Bush said he was "hopeful that the Doha agreement, which paved the way for this election, will usher in an era of political reconciliation to the benefit of all Lebanese." British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the election was "an important step forward for Lebanon" and pledged his government's support for the new president.
"We will continue to support Lebanon's stability, integrity and independence, and we look forward to president Suleiman working with a unity government to bring Lebanon out of its current fragility," he said in a statement.
German President Horst Koehler said he welcomed "this bold step" toward resolving Lebanon's political crisis and wished Suleiman luck in his new role. "I wish you lots of success, the necessary strength and good luck for the big challenges that lie ahead of you," he said in a statement.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged full support for Suleiman and said he hoped the election would allow Lebanon to take a significant step forward and "confront the challenges that await." His Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner applauded Suleiman as "courageous" in calling for the UN tribunal being set up to try suspects the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to continue its work.
He applauded Suleiman's election but said he had hoped it would have gone more smoothly adding he preferred "democracy without weapons," in reference to the gun battles which gripped the country in the run-up to the vote.
Jordan's King Abdullah II said the vote was a "positive step for the people of Lebanon and for national unity," according to a statement from the royal palace. "Jordan stands alongside the Lebanese in their desire and their efforts to preserve their independence and their stability," he said.
Morocco's King Mohammed VI congratulated Suleiman. "Thanks to your wisdom, your skills and human qualities, you are going to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly people of Lebanon in strengthening national unity," he said. - AFP

Suleiman elected president, goes straight at toughest issues
By Hussein Abdallah -Daily Star staff
Monday, May 26, 2008
New head of state picks up 118 votes out of 127 cast
BEIRUT: Lebanon's Parliament elected the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Michel Suleiman as president on Sunday, ending six months of presidential vacuum. Suleiman got 118 out of the 127 votes cast, with six blank ballots and three invalid ones. The votes counted as invalid were cast for Nassib Lahoud, Jean Obeid and "slain former Premier Rafik Hariri and the martyred MPs."
The election took place in the presence of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, his Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, members of the Arab ministerial committee which brokered the recent Doha agreement, Arab League chief Amr Moussa, and a number of senior Arab and international figures (see the complete list of attendees on page 8).
After Suleiman was sworn in, the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora resigned in line with the Constitution but will stay on in a caretaker capacity.
Suleiman arrived at Parliament shortly after the election accompanied by Speaker Nabih Berri, who left the Parliament building after the vote and returned with the newly elected president in line with protocol.
After taking the presidential oath, Suleiman delivered an inaugural address that dealth with several contentious issues, including Lebanese-Syrian ties and the deadly clashes that struck Lebanon earlier this month. He called for good and balanced relations with Damascus - whose foreign minister, Walid Moallem, was in attendance - based on mutual respect.
"Both Lebanon and Syria should also respect each other's borders," the president added.
In an indirect reference to the recent clashes between opposition and pro-government supporters, Suleiman said Lebanon's weapons should only be directed at the Israeli enemy.
Prior to Suleiman's address, Berri congratulated the new president and praised the patience and sacrifices of the Lebanese people. "This is a historic moment," Berri said. "I ask God to help you succeed in steering the Lebanese ship to a safe haven ... today no one in the world can turn Lebanon into a fighting arena," he added, addressing Suleiman. Berri thanked various countries, including Russia, France, Italy, Spain as well as the Arab League for their help in bringing an end to the 18-month old political crisis.
But he took a swipe at Washington, saying: "I thank the United States nonetheless, seeing that it seems to have been convinced that Lebanon is not the appropriate place for its New Middle East plan." He was referring to comments made by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who described the plight of Lebanon during Israel's 2006 war against it as part of the "birth pangs of the New Middle East."
After Suleiman's inaugural address, Qatar's emir delivered a speech to the Parliament and international guests. "I want to tell you that there is a victor and a vanquished in Lebanon today ... Lebanon is the victor and internal strife is the vanquished," Sheikh Hamad said.
"Two years ago, I saw the courage and strength of the resistance in Lebanon when resistance was necessary ... today, I am seeing another form of courage ... it is the courage of wisdom," he added.
Sheikh Hamad appealed for Arab unity while stressing the role of the Arab League in solving inter-Arab disputes. "Our similarities are far more than our differences," he said. Suleiman, who met separately with Berri and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at Parliament, was to spend the night at his home before heading to the Presidential Palace on Monday morning.
Mottaki also met Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal at the Parliament.
The newly elected president is expected to start parliamentary consultations on Tuesday in a bid to name a new prime minister, who, in turn, will hold his own consultations on the lineup of the next cabinet.
Prior to the election, MPs Butros Harb, Hussein al-Husseini, Nayla Mouawad and George Adwan voiced reservations about the procedure of used to elect Suleiman, describing it as "unconstitutional."The lawmakers said they preferred to see Suleiman elected after amending Article 49 of the Lebanese Constitution. The article bans the election of grade one officials unless they have resigned two years prior to being elected to the country's top post.
Berri responded that the election process was in line with Article 74 of the Constitution. The article stipulates that if a presidential vacuum occurs, Parliament should immediately meet and elect a president. - With AFP

Nahr al-Bared victory launched Suleiman to Baabda
By Anthony Elghossain -Daily Star staff
Monday, May 26, 2008
Biography
BEIRUT: On Liberation Day, May 25, at 5:30 p.m., a six-month presidential vacuum came to an end as Michel Suleiman surrendered his post as Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) commander and became the 12th president of Lebanese Republic. One-hundred and eighteen members of the Lebanese Parliament, which had been shut down since late 2006, voted to elect Suleiman president, formalizing what had been a foregone conclusion since a truce was arrived at by competing Lebanese political factions in Doha, Qatar.
Former MPs Nassib Lahoud and Jean Obeid received one vote each, and a symbolic vote for assassinated former Prime Minister "Rafik Hariri and all martyred MPs" was also cast during the session.
The vote was clear, but saw the abstention of six legislators, notably Butros Harb, who, objecting on the grounds that the process used to elect Suleiman was unconstitutional, declared his intent to abstain. Indeed, the opening minutes of the parliamentary session saw former Parliament Speaker Hussein Husseini and MPs Nayla Mouawad and George Adwan lodge similarly motivated objections to the election process as well.
Article 49 of the Constitution precludes "Grade One" civil servants, including Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) commanders, from ascending to the presidency without first resigning two years prior to their election. In any case, this objection failed to prevent Suleiman's rise as a candidate, which occurred as the inability of Lebanese leaders to agree on a compromise regarding the presidency slowly eroded the credibility of candidates from either side of the aisle.
President Michel Suleiman was born on November 21, 1948, in the village of Amchit in the Jbeil district of Mount Lebanon. The young Suleiman joined the LAF in 1967 and graduated from the military academy in 1970.
Remaining in the army throughout the 1975-1990 Civil War, Suleiman was appointed head of military intelligence for the Mount Lebanon governorate in late 1990s. Over the next decade or so, the general held posts as staff secretary, 11th Infantry Brigade commander and 6th Infantry Brigade commander, before being appointed LAF commander in 1998.
During his decade as LAF commander, Suleiman managed to tread carefully through the political minefield that is Lebanese politics, particularly after the end of the Israeli occupation in most of South Lebanon in 2000 and of Syrian "tutelage" in 2005 saw the emergence of a territorially independent Lebanon for the first time since before the Civil War.
Although his ascent through military ranks during Syrian dominance of Lebanese political and security affairs likely would not have taken place in the absence of good relations with Damascus, Suleiman stood aside as mass rallies against the Syrian presence in Lebanon took hold in early 2005, thereby increasing his credibility among supporters of the March 14 coalition.
After the summer 2006 war, which resulted in the deployment of Lebanese Army troops throughout Lebanese territory for the first time in some 30 years, Suleiman refrained from clamping down on an opposition sit-in against a government backed by the March 14 coalition itself. Suleiman's stance in 2006 further strengthened a view of the LAF as an institution above the internal political fray.
Despite managing to steer a communally diverse army through two political watersheds, Suleiman remained a long-shot for the presidency coming into 2007. Indeed, while various legislators and political leaders saw the rise and fall of political fortunes, it was often thought that Suleiman would have to lead a caretaker cabinet or even military administration should a failure to agree on a president result in a vacuum.
Then came the battle of Nahr al-Bared. The struggle between the Lebanese Army and Islamist militants based in the Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Tripoli claimed the lives of around 170 Lebanese troops and sent nationalist sentiment soaring.
As leader of a multi-confessional institution that has traditionally served as a populist platform, Suleiman's star began to soar in the aftermath of the 106-day conflict.
The end of former Emile Lahoud's term on November 23, 2007, brought about a vacuum as the various presidential candidates were shot down by either of the competing political coalitions, with March 14 backing MP Butros Harb and former MP Nassib Lahoud, while March 8 and the Free Patriotic Movement supported MP Michel Aoun. In a surprise move, the March 14 coalition later declared its support for Suleiman's candidacy, converging with March 8, which had pushed for the army commander as its back-up choice for the presidency.

Presidential powers as defined by the Constitution
Monday, May 26, 2008
Editor's note: The Constitution of Lebanon defines the authorities and powers of the president as follows:
Article 49 [Presidential Powers]
(1) The President of the Republic is the head of the state and the symbol of the nation's unity. He shall safeguard the constitution and Lebanon's independence, unity, and territorial integrity. The president shall preside over the Supreme Defense Council and be the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces which fall under the authority of the Council of Ministers.
(2) The President of the Republic shall be elected by secret ballot and by a two-thirds majority of the Chamber of Deputies. After a first ballot, an absolute majority shall be sufficient. The President's term is for six years. He may not be re-elected until six years after the expiration of his last mandate. No one may be elected to the Presidency of the Republic unless he fulfills the conditions of eligibility for the Chamber of Deputies.
(3) It is also not possible to elect judges, Grade One civil servants, or their equivalents in all public institutions to the Presidency during their term or office or within two years following the date of their resignation or their leaving office for whatever reason.
Article 50 [Oath]
Upon assuming office, the President of the Republic shall take an oath of fidelity before the Parliament to the Lebanese Nation and the constitution in the following terms:
"I swear by Almighty God to observe the Constitution and the laws of the Lebanese Nation and to maintain the independence of Lebanon and its territorial integrity."
Article 51 [Promulgation of Laws]
The President of the Republic promulgates the laws after they have been approved by the Chamber in accordance with the time limits specified by the constitution. He asks for the publication or these laws, and he may not modify these laws or exempt anyone from complying with their provisions.
Article 52 [Negotiation of International Treaties]
The President of the Republic negotiates international treaties in coordination with the Prime Minister. These treaties are not considered ratified except after agreement of the Council of Ministers. They are to be made known to the Chamber whenever the national interest and security of the state permit. However, treaties involving the finances of the state, commercial treaties, and in general treaties that cannot be renounced every year are not considered ratified until they have been approved by the Chamber.
Article 53 [List of Additional Presidential Powers]
1. The President presides over the Council of Ministers when he wishes without participating in voting.
2. The President designates the Prime Minister in consultation with the President of the Chamber of Deputies based on parliamentary consultations which are binding and the content of which the President formally discloses to the Prime Minister.
3. The President alone issues the Decree which designates the Prime Minister.
4. He issues, in agreement with the Prime Minister, the decree appointing the Cabinet and the decrees accepting the resignation of Ministers.
5. He issues, on his own authority, the decrees accepting the resignation of the Cabinet or considering it resigned.
6. He forwards to the Chamber of Deputies Bills that are delivered to him by the Council of Ministers.
7. He accredits ambassadors and accept the credentials of ambassadors.
8. He presides over official functions and grants official decorations by Decree.
9. He grants particular pardons by Decree, but a general amnesty cannot be granted except by a law.
10. He addresses, when necessary, letters to the Chamber of Deputies.
11. He may introduce, from outside the agenda, any urgent matter to the council of Ministers.
12. He may, in agreement with the Prime Minister, call the Council of Ministers to an extraordinary session, whenever he deems this necessary.
Article 54 [Countersignature]
The decisions of the President must be countersigned by the Prime Minister and the Minister or Ministers concerned except the Decree designating a new Prime Minister and the Decree accepting the resignation of the Cabinet or considering it resigned. Decrees issuing laws must be countersigned by the Prime Minister.
Article 55 [Dissolution of Parliament by Decree]
(1) The President of the Republic may, in accordance with the conditions stipulated in Articles 65 and 77 of this constitution, ask the Council of Ministers to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies before the expiration of its mandate. If the Council, based on this request, decides to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies, the President issues the Decree dissolving it, and in this case, the electoral bodies meets as provided for in Article 25, and the new Chamber is to be called to convene within fifteen days after the proclamation of the election.
(2) The administrative staff of the Chamber of Deputies continues to function until the election or a new Chamber.
(3) If elections are not held within the time limit specified in Article 25 of the constitution, the Decree dissolving the Chamber is considered null and void, and the Chamber of Deputies continues to exercise its powers according to the stipulations of the constitution.
Article 56 [Promulgation Time Limits]
(1) The President of the Republic promulgates the laws which have been adopted within one month of their transmission to the Government. He must promulgate laws that were declared urgent by a special Decision of the Chamber within five days.
(2) The President issues decrees and requests their promulgation; he has the right to ask the Council of Ministers to review any Decision that the Chamber has taken within fifteen days of the decision's transmission to the Presidency. If the Council of Ministers insists on the Decision or if the time limit passes without the Decree being issued or returned, the Decision or Decree is considered legally operative and must be promulgated.
Article 57 [Presidential Veto]
The President of the Republic, after consultation with the Council of Ministers, has the right to request the reconsideration of a law once during the period prescribed for its promulgation. This request may not be refused. When the President exercises this right, he is not required to promulgate
this law until it has been reconsidered and approved by an absolute majority of all the members legally composing the Chamber. If the time limits pass without the law being issued or returned, the law is considered legally operative and must be promulgated.
Article 58 [Urgent Bills]
Every Bill the Council of Ministers deems urgent and in which this urgency is indicated in the decree of transmission to the Chamber of Deputies may be issued by the President within forty days following its communication to the Chamber, after including it on the agenda of a general meeting, reading it aloud before the Chamber, and after the expiration of the time limit without the Chamber acting on it.
The President of the Republic may adjourn the Chamber for a period not exceeding one month, but he may not do so twice during the same session.
Article 60 [Responsibility]
(1) While performing his functions, the President of the Republic may not be held responsible except when he violates the constitution or in the case of high treason.
(2) However, his responsibility in respect of ordinary crimes is subject to the ordinary laws. For such crimes, as well as for violation of the constitution and for high treason, he may not be impeached except by a majority of two thirds of the total membership of the Chamber of Deputies. He is to be tried by the Supreme Council provided for in Article 80. The functions of Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Council are performed by a judge appointed by the Supreme Council in plenary session.
Article 61 [Suspension after Impeachement]
Should the President of the Republic be impeached, he is suspended from his functions. The presidency remains vacant until the Supreme Council has settled the matter.
Article 62 [Vacancy]
Should the Presidency become vacant for any reason whatsoever, the Council of Ministers exercises the powers of the President by delegation.
Article 63 [Remuneration]
The remuneration of the President of the Republic is determined by a law. It may not be increased or reduced during his term of office.

Election of Suleiman ends political deadlock
Kaelen Wilson-Goldie and agencies
Last Updated: May 25. 2008 11:09PM UAE / May 25. 2008 7:09PM GMT
Michel Suleiman speaks with his mother Josephine at his family home in Feyyadieh, east of Beirut, after he was sworn in as president of Lebanon. AFP
BEIRUT // Lebanon’s new president, Michel Suleiman, appealed for unity on Sunday night as he was sworn in after a parliamentary vote formally ended a leadership crisis that had threatened to erupt into civil conflict. Mr Suleiman, the nation’s former army chief, was elected by 118 of the 127 legislators who voted, sparking rounds of celebratory gunfire and fireworks on the streets of the capital.
The parliamentary bloc led by Fouad Siniora, the prime minister, and the Hizbollah-led opposition had earlier endorsed Mr Suleiman, 59, as part of an Arab League-brokered deal struck in Qatar.The election represents the end of a political crisis that sparked the worst fighting since the 1975-1990 civil war and takes the nation a step closer to forming a unity government.
Mr Suleiman replaces the Syrian-backed Emile Lahoud, whose term ended in November but was not replaced despite 19 attempts to convene a parliamentary vote. “Let us unite ... and work towards a solid reconciliation,” he said after being sworn in.
“We have paid dearly for our national unity. Let us preserve it hand-in-hand. I call upon all of you, politicians and citizens, to start a new phase called Lebanon and the Lebanese ... in order to achieve the interests of the nation.”
He vowed to protect the country’s constitution, sovereignty and independence and urged the Lebanese to put their differences aside to bring about a new era.
Almost immediately after the swearing in, the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers convened an informal meeting, ending months of growing tension between them.
Prince Saud al Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, and Manoucher Mottaki, of Iran, who played behind-the-scenes roles in the political crisis, were seen speaking in the parliament. Saudi Arabia has been a strong backer of Mr Siniora, while Iran is the primary backer of Hizbollah.
Legislators greeted the president with a standing ovation after the vote. World leaders were also quick to offer their support.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, sent a cable of congratulations, as did Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The leaders of Western nations including Britain, the US and Germany also pledged their support for the new leader.
As a result of the election, the cabinet automatically resigns. However, Mr Suleiman asked Mr Siniora to remain in a caretaker capacity until a new government was formed, according to a statement from the presidential palace.
Despite the show of unity, citizens on the streets spoke with caution, some fearful that the vote would not be enough to bring much-needed stability to the country.
“I’m relieved in the short term but I’m worried in the long term,” said Akram Zaatari, an artist and filmmaker. “I’m worried that they are shooting in the air right now, because it’s very stupid.”“Nothing has been resolved,” said Monika Borgmann-Slim, the co-founder of Umam Documentation and Research, a cultural centre in Haret Hreilk. “If Hizbollah comes up with an intelligent answer to why they turned their arms on the population, then maybe something will be resolved.
“It’s good for every state to have a president, but it’s not enough,” she added.
“I’m not sure if I am relieved or euphoric,” said Jeff Asmar, 33. “But I’m still waiting for all the dust to settle down.”
Fighters allied with Hezbollah’s political party stormed Beirut neighbourhoods on May 7 after Mr Siniora threatened to shut an airport surveillance system and dismantle a once-secret telephone network operated by the Shiite Muslim group.
During six days of talks last week Hizbollah and allies secured enough cabinet seats to ensure veto power in a new government, while refusing to discuss disarmament sought by Mr Siniora and his US backers. Mr Suleiman must now oversee discussion of the future of Hezbollah’s militia. Under two United Nations Security Council resolutions, passed in 2004 and 2006, Hizbollah is required to disarm. Backed by Iran and Syria, Hizbollah insists the militia is needed to protect Lebanon from Israel.

Eastern Promises

From The Times-May 26, 2008
Will the peace accord in Lebanon last longer than its predecessors? General Michel Suleiman, the head of Lebanon's Army, was yesterday elected the country's President, ending six months of wrangling and growing political tension since the office was vacated in November. His election follows the agreement brokered in Qatar last week by all Lebanon's warring factions, giving Hezbollah a veto over Fuad Siniora's Government and entrenching the power that the Iranian-backed militants established in the streets of west Beirut. The deal, which has the warm backing of the United Nations Security Council, comes after the worst civil violence that Lebanon has seen since the l6-year civil war ended in 1990, and offers some respite for a country that appeared trapped in old animosities and about to slip back into factional violence and economic collapse. It is an eleventh-hour reprieve; but no one should see the deal as anything other than a temporary compromise that entrenches extremism.
As so often, what happens in Lebanon depends largely on wider struggles across the Arab world. The small country is the cockpit where Sunni and Shia, Iran and the West and religious extremists and Arab modernisers fight out their differences. Only a week after President Bush declared in Jerusalem that the Middle East should not appease those who used force, two of the countries most hostile to US interests, Iran and Syria, have made deals that leave them stronger and American influence weaker. Lebanon is central to both. Mr Siniora's reluctant acceptance of Hezbollah in a government of national unity, without disbanding its military wing, entrenches Iranian power in the Arab world. And Syria's readiness to start formal talks with Israel, through Turkish intermediaries, eases the US pressure on President Assad over the presence of Hamas and other Palestinian militants in Damascus, Syria's porous border with Iraq and Syrian involvement in the assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister.
The two deals, seemingly separate, are linked. Damascus has felt under growing pressure over Lebanon: both in its funnelling of weapons to Hezbollah and, especially, in desperately trying to avoid indictment by the UN or the Beirut government over Hariri. At the same time it is worried that its close association with Iran is stirring anger at home and within a suspicious Arab world. The Assad Government has been attacked by the country's Sunni majority for the growth of Shia influence in eastern Syria and feels suffocated by Iran's tight embrace. Opening talks with Israel is a clever diversion - just as the prospect of talks with Damascus is a deflection for an embattled Ehud Olmert from domestic pressure in Israel. For Hezbollah and Iran, however, such a move is worrying, especially if the talks lead to a Syrian cut-off of weapons and an expulsion of radical leaders in Damascus. Hezbollah therefore came under strong pressure in Qatar to capitalise on its recent street victories and cut a deal now, while it is militarily strong.
Amid these swirling pressures, General Suleiman will have a tough job to hold his country together. His success in holding together the Army - at the price of refusing to disarm Hezbollah militants - gives him nominal support from all sides. Whether this is enough to restore calm enough to allow Lebanon to continue its political and economic reconstruction remains to be seen.

Neutrality fuels rise of Lebanon's new president
By HUSSEIN DAKROUB – 2 hours ago
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Military commanders often ride to power atop a tank. But in Lebanon, the key to army chief Michel Suleiman's rise to the nation's top job has been keeping his men out of the fight. Suleiman hasn't taken sides in the long struggle for power among Lebanon's feuding politicians — those allied with the United States and the West, and others backed by Syria and Iran. And that's what made him the compromise candidate for Lebanon's top post. Suleiman was elected Sunday by parliament, and later was sworn into office. The spot had been empty since President Emile Lahoud left office in November.
During his nine years as army commander, the 59-year-old Suleiman has seen many crises. But he kept the army unified through three years of political turmoil that have pushed the country to the brink of civil war. That has earned him the respect of both the majority and the opposition, despite some occasional misgivings.
Suleiman also kept the army out of sectarian street fighting that erupted this month between Hezbollah's Shiite supporters and pro-government Sunni loyalists in Beirut and other areas. That has kept the army unified. But some politicians in the parliamentary majority have criticized the military for watching as Hezbollah swept Sunni areas of Beirut. Suleiman defended the army's neutrality, saying his stance is what prevented further bloodshed. Rival leaders struck a deal brokered by Qatar to elect him and form a national unity Cabinet — part of a peace deal that ended the fighting.
"By not resorting to the gun to preserve civil peace ... it was meant to spare blood and prevent a further split in internal unity," Suleiman said a statement issued last week.Suleiman is the third military commander to become president since Lebanon's independence from France in 1943. Graduating as an officer five years before Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, Suleiman rose in the ranks to become head of Lebanon's army in 1998. He was appointed then because he was considered a supporter of Syria, which dominated Lebanon for 29 years with thousands of troops stationed there.
Syria had backed Lahoud, also an army commander, to be elected president.
But as Damascus' power diminished, Suleiman emerged more independent, earning respect from supporters of both Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and the opposition. His reputation as a neutral protector began three years ago, when massive street demonstrations against Syria's rule were sparked by the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Some blamed Syria for Hariri's killing — a claim Damascus denies.
Suleiman refused to use the military to put down the rallies, which helped force Syria to withdraw its troops and end its control over its tiny neighbor.
But since then sectarian tensions have increased, with Sunni Muslims largely backing Saniora's anti-Syrian government, Shiites supporting the pro-Syrian opposition and Christians divided. That exploded into street fighting earlier this month.
In January 2007, Suleiman imposed a curfew to put down a flare-up of Sunni-Shiite clashes that killed 11 people.
He later earned admiration over the summer for the army's defeat of Fatah Islam, an al-Qaida-inspired militant group that fought in a Lebanese Palestinian refugee camp. The battle left hundreds dead. Suleiman also sought to distance his military from Hezbollah, while deftly continuing to support the militant group's aim of defending Lebanon against Israel. In 2006, he raised the country's flag on a ridge overlooking the Israeli border and vowed to prohibit attacks from Lebanon that could undermine the cease-fire that ended the 34-day Hezbollah-Israel war.
But he is not without his detractors. The military, lacking equipment, stayed on the sidelines of that war, unable to counter either Israel or Hezbollah. Others criticize the military, saying it has not done enough to stop weapons smuggling to Hezbollah along the Syrian border.
Suleiman warned recently that dragging Hezbollah into internal battles would only serve Israel, which he described as the "enemy."
Suleiman is a Maronite Catholic. Lebanon's power-sharing political system requires the president to be a Christian, alongside a Sunni prime minister and Shiite parliament speaker.
(This version CORRECTS that Syria, not Suleiman backed Lahoud as president)

LEBANON: Suleiman supports fight against Israel
The United States along with most other countries enthusiastically supported the ascent of army Chief of Staff Michel Suleiman as president of Lebanon.
To many, he appears to be a beacon of stability for the country. But don't expect the Maronite Christian to change the country's position on the staunchest of U.S. allies in the Middle East, Israel. In his inaugural speech to parliament today, he affirmed the right of the Hezbollah-led "resistance" to confront Israel and obtain a disputed piece of property under Israeli occupation called the Shebaa Farms: 
The continuing occupation of Shebaa Farms and the breaches and threats by the enemy [Israel] compel us to find a defense strategy that protects the nation coupled with a calm dialog to benefit from the competence of the resistance so that the achievements of the resistance are not consumed in internal struggles. And this way we can preserve its values and its national position.
He also said Lebanon would continue to refuse to grant the 400,000 Palestinians living in Lebanon passports in order to keep alive their dream of returning to a viable Palestinian state:
Our rejection of giving them nationality is not a rejection of hosting of our brothers the Palestinians and caring for their human rights, but an establishment of their right of return when a viable state is formed.
But much of Suleiman's speech was focused on healing the country's recent self-inflicted wounds. Below are more excerpts from a rough, unofficial Los Angeles Times translation:
We would have liked to start our mandate with minutes of joy, but I am sure that our silence will be hailed by the spirits of our martyrs who are close to our God, since it establishes a new promising phase for the children of the nation who are awakening from a sleep, thanks to their awareness and their rejection of killing one another, and thanks to the work of the loyal ones and the brothers for bringing down the sins and wiping out the repercussions.
Today through my constitutional oath, I call on you all, political forces and citizens, to start a new phase with Lebanon and the Lebanese as its headline, and with a commitment to a national project we agree on with a progressive mind that serves the nation and its interests as a priority before our sectarian interests.
The political stability we are looking for compels us to empower constitutional institutions, where political ideas and differences should remain, in order to reach common aspects guaranteeing the interest of the nation and its children.
The political dispute and the constitutional complications it generated should constitute an incentive to us not only to find solutions to what we might fall into in the future but also to reach the needed balance between rights and duties so as to allow institutions including the presidency to fulfill their duties.
Lebanon the nation, the message, characterized by bringing civilizations together and by its distinguished diversity, drives us to work together to repair our political and administrative situation as well as the economic and security ones, and to bring the nation back on the world map and play an exemplary role reflecting its uniqueness and its usual brightness. . . .
Eminent lawmakers, the people have entrusted us to fulfill their ambitions and not to puzzle them with our narrow political disputes. What was most dangerous during the last years were political speeches revolving around betrayal and accusations leading to distance and dispute, especially among the youth.
Therefore, we should be aware and work on consolidating the nation and unity by promoting the dialogue of cultures and not by turning it into an arena for struggles.
The main quality of democracy is the rotation of power through free elections. It's important to adopt a fair electoral law that strengthens the relationship between the voter and the elected and guarantees that the choices and the visions of the people are achieved. But what is more important is accepting the results of these elections and respecting the will of the people.
The independence of the judiciary safeguards justice and provides a haven for every righteous person. . . . It is our responsibility to encourage young talents to join the public sector to prevent it from wearing out and to allow us to reach a more efficient and younger administration. . . .
Ladies and gentlemen, dissipating the fears of young men and women is achieved by building a nation they feel proud to belong to and that rises with their capacities, their experiences and their participation in finding solutions. Let them, they who resisted terrorism and occupation and revolted for independence, lead us out of our failures. They are the future. . . .
Getting out of recession and strengthening the economic cycle requires political stability and security as well as sponsoring from the state that encourages and promotes a competitive productive process. Attracting investments and finding a friendly environment for that leads to fighting unemployment and containing emigration. . . .
Abiding by the charter of the United Nations and respecting its decisions is the result of our solid belief in international legitimacy, which is derived from right and justice. We emphasize our participation in the establishment of the international tribunal for Prime Minister [Rafik] Hariri's assassination. . . .
This day coincides with the national anniversary of the liberation and the victory. Let this be an incentive for us to be more aware of the traps and to renew our attachment to freedom and democracy. . . .
And here comes the role of perseverance to liberate our prisoners and uncover the fate of the disappeared and bring back our sons who have sought refuge in Israel. The nation is wide enough for everybody.
We have always been keen on strengthening the bonds that link us to our brothers the Arabs, and in this respect we look strongly for brotherly relations between Lebanon and Syria based on mutual respect, sovereignty and diplomatic ties. . . .
The state cannot ignore any violation of security and peace and will not allow in any case that some would be used as a fuel for terrorism and that some use the holiness of the Palestinian cause to arm themselves leading to insecurity, like last year when the army was attacked. . . .
The armed forces and mainly the army have gained the trust of the Lebanese people during the last years for their historical and important achievements: preserving democracy and civil peace, deploying in the south after more than three decades, and facing the enemy and terrorism. And they paid their best men as a price. But the latest security incidents left a feeling that the armed forces did not carry well their duties. Therefore keeping a minimum level of entente and providing a political cover are important in preventing incidents in the future. . . .
Lebanese men and women, a lot is awaiting us, my oath is a commitment from my side. . . . We won't drown in promises. We will approach the realities on the ground with our capacities and taking advantage of the support of our brothers and friends to overcome difficulties. Let's unite and move forward toward a firm reconciliation to provide our children with hope and launch pioneering and creative initiatives and work to achieve a capable civil state based on the respect of public liberties, beliefs and freedom of expression. We paid a dear price for our national unity. Let us preserve it together, and God stands with the community.
Long live Lebanon.
—Raed Rafei in Beirut

Michel Suleiman sworn in as president of Lebanon
The former army chief of staff takes over a country torn between U.S.-Saudi support and Hezbollah.
By Borzou Daragahi, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
1:28 PM PDT, May 25, 2008
BEIRUT -- Backed by most of Lebanon's major communities and their international patrons, former army chief of staff Michel Suleiman ascended to the presidency of this volatile Mediterranean country today. The 60-year-old Maronite Christian general took the oath of office amid high hopes that he would help heal the country's festering political rift between the U.S. and Saudi-backed government and the opposition, led by Hezbollah, the Iranian and Syrian-backed Shiite militant and political movement.
Suleiman's election by lawmakers, viewed as a temporary fix to a months-long political crisis, came days after Hezbollah gunmen stormed West Beirut and subsequently won an agreement that it remain armed and have enough Cabinet seats to veto major government decisions.
Many hope, however, that Suleiman, with strong ties both to Hezbollah and the support of the Western-leaning March 14 movement, will be able to pull the country together.
Fierce bursts of celebratory gunfire and canons erupted throughout the capital after the parliamentary vote and fireworks filled the night sky.
"I call on you all, political forces and citizens, to build a Lebanon we all agree on, setting the interests of Lebanon above our individual interests," he told lawmakers and assembled dignitaries in a televised address. "We paid a dear price for our national unity. Let's preserve it."
Present in the parliamentary chamber were officials representing all the major foreign powers that have tried to resolve the crisis, including a delegation of U.S. lawmakers and the foreign ministers of Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and France. All consider Lebanon part of their cultural, economic and political sphere of influence.
Hezbollah and its allies crippled the government by pulling out of the Cabinet and setting up protest tents around the capital in late 2006. They demanded veto power over government decisions. The crisis deepened last November when President Emile Lahoud's term expired without a successor. Hezbollah's audacious military takeover of West Beirut this month, after a Cabinet decision that scrutinized the group's telecommunications and intelligence assets, ultimately forced the government to grant it the veto power it coveted.
The situation in Lebanon exacerbated already smoldering tensions between Washington and Tehran. But with Suleiman's ascent comes a rare example of détente. Both the U.S. and Iran have been fighting for influence over Lebanon through political proxies but backed Suleiman for president, a largely ceremonial position but key to the functioning of the government.
The vote for Suleiman could also result in a diplomatic breakthrough between Syria and Lebanon. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, sitting next to his Iranian counterpart, Manoucher Mottaki, was the first Damascus official to visit Lebanon since his country's troops were forced to vacate under international pressure in 2005. His presence was a possible sign of rapprochement between the countries.
Qatari Emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who brokered the deal involving Hezbollah that ended the crisis, received a round of applause, a sign of that country's growing diplomatic stature in the face of diminished U.S. and Saudi clout.
Lebanese of all political and religious stripes praised Suleiman's rise. Giant portraits of the popular general loomed over squares in Christian as well as Muslim quarters in cities and the countryside. Red, white and green Lebanese flags hung from street lamps in display of patriotic fervor.
Since the deal in Qatar, share prices for Solidere, the firm that developed the city's elegant downtown, jumped 30% while black-market prices for weapons have collapsed. "It's like a big dream come true," said Antonie Lahoud, deputy mayor of the coastal town of Amchit, Suleiman's birthplace. "It's a wedding ceremony for Lebanon." The upbeat mood was a stunning contrast to the gloomy national sentiment less than a week ago, after Hezbollah's takeover, which set off political and sectarian clashes that pushed the country toward civil war.
Six days of talks in the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar ultimately produced Wednesday's agreement, which left Hezbollah's arms untouched and gave the militant group enough Cabinet seats to veto major government decisions, in what many analysts described as a defeat for forces friendly to the U.S.
Under Lebanon's confessional power-sharing system, a Christian serves as president while a Sunni serves as the more powerful prime minister and a Shiite as head of parliament. Suleiman must now confer with parliament to appoint a Cabinet that will last until parliamentary elections next year.
The agreement swept under the rug what many analysts consider the underlying causes of Lebanon's strife, including a rising Shiite population and political clout and a power sharing system that bolsters the power of community leaders over national interests.
It also failed to mention Hezbollah's status as an armed political force sometimes overshadowing the power of the Lebanese state in its stated mission to confront Israeli and U.S. supremacy over the region.
But many hope Suleiman can keep the peace, or at least keep Lebanon functioning smoothly through the lucrative summer tourism season.
Suleiman is from a prominent Christian family that has produced powerful officials including an ambassador and a governor.
From his earliest years, he shined, said his friends and relatives in Amchit, a picturesque coastal city of 30,000. "You could tell he was a child who was bigger than where he came from," said Wahid Saadi, an 88-year-old teacher who tutored Suleiman.
In the army, Suleiman served as a field commander who managed to refrain from taking sides in Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war. He earned plaudits for holding the army together as it fought and defeated Al Qaeda-inspired rebels in northern Lebanon last summer.
"As commander, he understands the important role of staff," said Nizar Abdul-Kader, a retired army general and military expert. "He is always working with his staff and seeking advice and from his team."But Suleiman was also widely criticized by pro-government politicians for failing to confront Hezbollah during its recent offensive. And March 14 supporters, despite their apparent enthusiasm, whisper that he may be too close to Syria, which dominated Lebanon's domestic politics until a 2005 popular uprising. He has frequently adopted the rhetoric of Hezbollah in describing the importance of Lebanon's "resistance" to Israel.
Still, Suleiman has displayed flashes of independence. He revived the practice of sending officers to the U.S. and Europe for advanced training instead of Syria. And he refused to crush huge 2005 demonstrations that hastened the withdrawal of Syrian forces.
"We say that every person is a child of his environment," said Bahjat Lahoud, a cousin of Suleiman and a retired diplomat. "Amchit was never a sectarian town. It was never a part of Lebanon's wars."daragahi@latimes.com

Pro-Syrian, Hezbollah-friendly General to become Lebanese President W. Thomas Smith Jr.
25 May 2008
Barring some catastrophic series of events in Lebanon (in that country, one never knows), in a few hours, the commander-in-chief of the Lebanese armed forces, Gen. Michel Sleiman — also spelled, “Suleiman” – will become president of Lebanon.
There’s so much here regarding his ascendancy from the highest post in the Lebanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) to the Presidential Palace that it would take a book to detail. And I won’t go into his military career, because there are multiple English-language versions of his bio presently being published worldwide.
What I will say is that I have had personal interaction with the general: I met with him for over two hours one-on-one in his office at the MoD in Beirut, last fall. I was personally invited by the general to attend two special functions. I met and was personally briefed by many of his generals and his chief of intelligence. Sleiman granted me complete access – though reluctantly in the beginning – to Lebanese Army infantry units on the Israeli border, and those in the north (Tripoli), as well as Lebanese special forces. And I have learned from sources closely connected to Sleiman, that he made two international phone calls to Washington (after I had returned to the U.S.) in an attempt to determine why I was not always writing favorable things about him (We will touch on some of those unfavorable things in a moment.). I have no way of independently confirming the context of those phone calls. But the information comes to us from very reliable, high-ranking sources within the Lebanese leadership.
But let’s first take a look at one or two of the more serious problems associated with Sleiman’s becoming president of Lebanon, which he probably will be by the time this is published. When I was in Lebanon back in September and October — weeks before it was assumed he was in fact destined for the presidency — several of my sources (some within the Cedars Revolution, some within the Army) predicted that Sleiman would indeed become president. But, they said, there would first have to be a constitutional amendment before a sitting Army commander could become head of state. Those sources also told me, “Watch and see, Gen. Sleiman will either maneuver around the constitution, or there will be an amendment. Either way, he will become president.”
What they told me eight months ago is now coming to pass. Sleiman’s ascension to the presidency is part of the recent Arab League deal that was cut between a frightened Lebanese government (which has been unable to elect a president in multiple attempts) and a bullying, threatening, murdering, Iranian-proxy terrorist-army (supported by Syria), Hezbollah. After launching a campaign of terror against the Lebanese state this month, Hezbollah was granted all sorts of concessions, including the authority to continue to operate its extensive telecommunications system in Lebanon (which the government wanted to shut down), and the terrorists were granted new veto powers in government decisions. And as previously mentioned, Sleiman will become president as part of the deal.
But here’s one of the problems: Sleiman has apparently skirted an amendment of the constitution.
In this regard, the World Council for the Cedars Revolution issued a statement, a portion of which reads:
“… It is important that the sole candidate, General Michel Sleiman, refuses the current process before the Lebanese Cabinet of Fuad Siniora initiates it. For the election could be deemed unconstitutional by future parties. If that is the case, the Parliamentary election of the next President could be taken to courts, both internal and international. …”
So what does this mean? Well, several things, not the least of which a non-constitutionally appointed president of Lebanon will be a president who, if he ever makes a decision Hezbollah doesn’t like, the terrorist group (which – along with their allies – also holds seats in the cabinet and parliament) can make the claim that Sleiman is “an illegitimate head of state,” thus (in their minds) any unfavorable decision he makes about Hezbollah won’t constitutionally hold water.
Or Hezbollah can simply veto the decision. The terrorist group now has that power.
Or Hezbollah can do what it has always done: Murder people, blow up things, and burn property, like they did this month, which is the terrorist group’s political action of choice.
So what about the aforementioned unsavoriness surrounding Sleiman, the man?
First, Sleiman is a pro-Syrian commander of the Lebanese Army, and I can tell you from my personal conversation with him, he is also pro-Hezbollah, believing that Hezbollah’s Taliban-like kingdom within the sovereign state of Lebanon is acceptable because, as he told me, they “resist foreign aggression” and “they were here before the army.”
Well, guess what, Gen. Sleiman: Hezbollah also attacked the Lebanese people – including women, children, and the elderly – and you all but refused to repel the attack, which ultimately gave Hezbollah the upper hand. And, yes, the post-attack decision-making is now awarding you the presidency.
Then there are Sleiman’s Syrian connections: First, Sleiman was appointed army commander when the Syrians’ had overt control over Lebanon (I say overt, because Syria certainly has a covert operational hand in Lebanon today). Second, Sleiman has reportedly trained with Syrian military forces in Syria. Third, Sleiman’s brother-in-law, Gebran Kuriyyeh, was press spokesman for the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad (and a couple sources tell us Kuriyyeh is also a former press officer for Assad’s son, current Syrian Pres. Bashar Assad.).
There is so much more to this story, and more to come.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.
[This article was originally published in World Defense Review]

New president sent all the right signals on his first try
By The Daily Star
Monday, May 26, 2008
Editorial
President Michel Suleiman's inauguration speech at Parliament on Sunday was unusual for several reasons, all of them positive. Previous addresses of this sort have tended to be vague, but this one was both comprehensive and specific in detailing the numerous daunting challenges facing this country. It was also forthright in acknowledging the issues that have recently divided Lebanon's political parties. Perhaps most importantly, the new president clearly indicated - by both his choice of words and his tone of voice - that he intends to take charge of the reconciliation process.
As all holders of the office have discovered, being president of Lebanon has never been an easy job. Competing interests, both foreign and domestic, and the manner in which they have traditionally been pursued have often required occupants of Baabda Palace to perform all manner of political acrobatics. In addition, long periods of internecine conflict, outside interference and foreign occupation have only complicated the work of the presidency. The situation Suleiman inherits contains some of the same ingredients, but it also has some different ones, not least a chance for Lebanon to enjoy broader independence and to exercise greater sovereignty than has ever been the case.
With these opportunities come heavier responsibility, and while it is impossible to predict after less than a day what Suleiman's presidency will accomplish, his first words as head of state were not those of someone who intends to shirk. He tackled some of the thorniest issues on the Lebanese agenda - above all the need to settle on a new national defense strategy that deals with the weapons of the resistance without squandering the gains they were used to obtain - and did so with both authority and balance.
Overall then, Suleiman has got off to a good start. He is about to receive a crash-course in the ceaseless maneuverings of the Arab world's most raucous political class, though, so he will need all his experience to keep its denizens from slipping back into their old habits. One way or the other, he will also have to redefine the Lebanese presidency so that its form and function are in keeping with shifting realities.
In short, Suleiman's term in office has the potential to be the most important Lebanon has ever seen. The country has just passed through a long moment of high drama and mortal peril, and he will preside over a transition to the next phase. How he does so will help to determine what that phase looks like - and so whether Lebanon can begin at last to provide all of its citizens with the homeland they deserve.

Thank Qatar's emir for Lebanon's chance to resurrect itself
Editorial-Daily Star
Lebanon has a new president, as well as a chance to get its house in order, and for both it owes more than it can ever repay to the tiny Gulf state of Qatar. It was the Qatari leadership that made it possible for Lebanon's feuding political parties to stave off the threat of civil war, and Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani's speech on the occasion of General Michel Suleiman's election as president Sunday showed why. Playing on the common theme of compromise in which there is "no victor and no vanquished," Sheikh Hamad advised the people of this country that the only domestic enemy they need to defeat is a tendency toward inter-communal strife. "Unite," he said, and almost nothing will be beyond the capacity of Lebanon and the Lebanese.
It is too soon to know whether his advice will be followed, but the emir was greeted as a beloved benefactor. This was a far cry from the controversy that greeted him in 1999, when his address to Parliament was boycotted by Hizbullah MPs who objected to Qatar's maintenance of low-level diplomatic contacts with Israel. As it turns out, Doha's willingness to eschew dogma and pursue closer ties with apposite actors in the region has been a big part of the standing and position that allowed its mediation among the Lebanese to succeed where so many others had failed. Qatar has friendly relations with each of America, Iran, France and Syria, and it has recently resolved its differences with Saudi Arabia, too: All of those countries were intimately involved in the Lebanese power struggle, any one of them might have scuttled the deal, and only the Qataris are on good terms with all of them.
Despite these credentials, Sheikh Hamad assumed considerable risk by undertaking to help Lebanon's politician negotiate their way of out the cul-de-sac into which they had dragged themselves and all of their compatriots: Their failure would have reflected negatively on him. The emir's wager was not a reckless one, however, because he had confidence in what he brought to the table and because he did his homework on what the Lebanese would bring, too. His prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, injected enormous energy into the talks. The latter's exertions were adroitly informed, too, by the deputy premier and oil minister, Abdullah Attiyah, whose expertise on Lebanon is unparalleled.
The emir's strategy worked: Sensitive areas were identified and dealt with, ensuring that the overall process was not derailed by the devilish details. It is up to Lebanon's own leaders to fully exploit the opportunity they have been granted, and they have a Qatari prince to thank for their chance to address the Lebanese agenda on Lebanese soil and from strictly Lebanese perspectives. He "adopted" four towns in the South following the devastating war with Israel in 2006, and now he has taken the entire country under his wing, coaxing its leaders to abandon their self-destructive habits.
Apart from vindicating the wisdom of Doha's foreign policy over the past decade or so, the successful brokering of intra-Lebanese agreement also confirms that Qatar has well and truly "arrived" as an indispensable player on the regional stage. Lebanon can learn a lot from this example because it proves how much can be achieved by even a small country when its leadership adopts cogent policies driven by national interests. Qatar's energy wealth has also been instrumental in making this level of influence possible, but it would not have sufficed on its own: Without the necessary vision to direct that wealth, its impact would have been drastically reduced. Lebanon is rich in other ways, and as decades of internal strife have illustrated, possessing plenty of anything is no guarantee that it will not be destroyed, squandered and/or stolen.
On the bilateral level, the episode cannot help but to consolidate a relationship that has been growing by leaps and bounds - and this to the benefit of both sides. The number of Lebanese expatriates living and working in Qatar is believed to have multiplied tenfold, to more than 50,000 people, in the past five years. The Qatari contribution to Lebanon's reconstruction and development efforts has also expanded exponentially, and the investment can be expected to accelerate if the political process stays on the right track. Qatari investors will find no shortage of opportunities in this country, and given their government's assistance at such a crucial juncture in Lebanon's history, they can expect to be welcomed with open arms.
The foundation has been laid, and now it us up to the Lebanese to take advantage of a changed situation. The euphoria prompted by the Doha agreement will evaporate unless this country's leaders take seriously the need to change their ways, implement long-overdue reforms and develop an independent judiciary that provides a trusted forum for the resolution of all manner of disputes, large or small, without regard for the political or economic stations of the parties involved. Work must begin, also, on a new national defense strategy that deals with Hizbullah's weapons in a manner that respects and builds on the accomplishment of the resistance, restores balance and trust to the process of improving and maintaining stability, and enhances Lebanon's ability to deter foreign aggression for any purpose and from any quarter.
The onus is on President Suleiman to help politicians of all stripes rid themselves - and Lebanon as a whole - of their fractious ways. A unity government is about to be formed, one whose missions will include establishing more permanent rules for the conduct of political competition in a legitimate manner that seeks solutions to problems instead of exacerbating their effects. No Lebanese Cabinet has ever embarked on so ambitious and necessary a project, and since this one will be in office for less than a year, it cannot be expected to undo several generations' worth of poor statecraft and poorer leadership. It can, however, lay down a new course toward a more productive brand of politics, a more sensible ordering of national priorities, and a brighter future for all Lebanese.

Is Lebanon a real nation, or just a collection of interest groups?
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=21f4842f-888b-4fd3-a73c-7b0084b5d758
There is a political entity called Lebanon but some days it's hard to call it a nation
HARRY STERLING, The Gazette
Does Lebanon really exist as a nation?
Admittedly, there is a political entity called Lebanon recognized by the world community.
But does Lebanon exist in the hearts and minds of its own citizens, a nation whose people have a shared vision of their own country?
Many would dismiss such questions as ludicrous. However, the recent violence in Lebanon and a deal announced May 21 to end inter-communal fighting there has focussed attention on whether Lebanon is truly a unified nation or simply a conglomeration of competing religious and ethnic groups, rival political factions, warring clans and self-perpetuating power-brokers, some with private militias, all individually intent on pursuing their own interests regardless of the bloody consequences for Lebanese society.
For some, this month's fighting has sadly demonstrated that there is not one Lebanon but rather several, each pursuing its own narrow objectives regardless of the devastation inflicted upon Lebanon's 13 million people.
Although the formal state of Lebanon obviously exists - and has all the normal trappings of an independent state, including a parliament - Lebanon remains a highly divided and fractured society, a society lacking in a sense of shared nationhood and shared values
In fairness, Lebanon's never-ending divisions are, to a certain extent, a result of the Middle East's own turbulent history and the creation of artificial states by colonial powers, notably Britain and France.
What is now called Lebanon was a magnet for other cultures, resulting in the arrival of once persecuted Maronite Christians, Muslim Druze, Kurds, Armenians, Greeks, Arabs, culminating in the domination by the Turkish Ottomans from the 16th century until the end of the First World War when France was given Lebanon as a colonial mandate.
Although a Lebanese republic was established in 1926, Free French forces occupied Lebanon from 1941-45. Full independence was achieved in 1945.
Paradoxically, independence only exacerbated long-simmering tensions and rivalries between Christians and Muslims over who should control Lebanon. Those tensions were aggravated by the presence of Palestinian refugees who fled there after Israel's 1948 independence.
The fighting between Christian and Muslim communities eventually unleashed full-scale civil war between 1975-90, resulting in intervention by Syria, which always considered Lebanon part of a greater Syria.
If Lebanon's internal divisions weren't already serious enough, the arrival of the Palestine Liberation Organization led to Israeli military attacks, including Israel invading Lebanon's southern region in 1978 and again in 1982 when it occupied the southern border area until forced to withdraw by the fundamentalist Hezbollah.
While the intrusion of outside countries into Lebanon's domestic affairs, especially that of Syria, Israel and Iran undermined the country's precarious stability, the various rival Lebanese factions deserve much of the blame for the endless violence and devastation inflicted upon the country.
There is a political entity called Lebanon but some days it's hard to call it a nation
HARRY STERLING, The Gazette
While their competition for power originally pitted Christian groups against Muslim groups, it was never quite so black and white. The rise of the Shiite Hezbollah movement made it a major opponent of the traditional Sunni establishment.
Muslim and Christian groups have even joined alliances with traditional adversaries to achieve political gains. (The Phalangist Christian militia even aligned itself with Israel.)
During this month's fighting Hezbollah was joined by Maronite Christian and Sunni elements in their showdown with the Sunni-Christian dominated government bloc.
Much of Lebanon's domestic instability arises from a power-sharing arrangement from 1943 that attempted to balance the competing groups by dividing power between a Maronite Christian president, a Sunni prime minister and a Shiite speaker of parliament.
However, determined to increase its power after its unprecedented military successes against Israel in 2006, Hezbollah quite Lebanon's shaky unity coalition last autumn because its demand for more cabinet seats was denied.
For reasons that remain unclear, Prime Minister Siniora chose this month to challenge Hezbollah by ordering the dismantling of its unauthorized telephone network and firing the pro-Hezbollah security chief at Beirut airport.
Siniora's action resulted in Hezbollah militia erecting barricades in Beirut and seizing control of Sunni facilities, wuth 65 people killed in subsequent fighting.
Although the two sides have now agreed on a new cabinet- sharing deal that enables Hezbollah to block unwanted legislation and Hezbollah and other militias have agreed not to use weapons against one another, such deals are only short-term measures, incapable of resolving Lebanon's longstanding problems.
The deals only prolong the influence of traditional power brokers at the expense of society at large. This situation won't change until ordinary Lebanese people jettison their allegiance to narrow sectarian groups, and demand leaders who govern in the best interests of the entire population. This should involve greater central control of the country's infrastructure, ending the interference of factions.
At that point, Lebanon might finally evolve into being a unified nation with a common vision of itself, not merely a geographical entity beholden to special interest groups.
Harry Sterling, a former diplomat, is an Ottawa-based commentator.
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008

Receiving the President, Waiting for the Republic
Ghassan Charbel Al-Hayat - 26/05/08//
A few students at military academies are hit by De Gaulist symptoms. One may dream of playing the hero; the savior, believing that he has to listen carefully to pick a ciphered message; a call of distress from the heart of his nation; a call to save the ship and its passengers. Usually, he ends up with more stars on his shoulder but the call never comes. The dreaming officer retires with a grudge at time. This is not to mention that who fall for an illusionary call of distress, an illusion of believing that he is the chosen one; he then pounces ahead amidst the wreck only to hasted the fate of the drowning ship.
It is the honor of the general to be summoned by his nation; to be called, to be pointed at by the finger of the nation; to be chosen; to be trusted, to be entrusted with its pains and hopes; to be expected to end the nation's decline, disintegration and demise. Whoever is chosen is both lucky and misfortunate; lucky because he has won the cup; misfortunate because he has to drink from it.
General Michel Sleiman;
The presidential schedule will be packed with suitors tomorrow. The operator's office will suffocate with incoming calls. The palace will be overcrowded with visitors after an era of isolation and neglect that has left the dust accumulating in the president's office and allowed spiders to build their webs and settle in its corners. Honest people will show up tomorrow, so ask them and listen to them. So will hypocrites with rosy talk and craving for the meal; those are the corruptors of republics and offices; one wants to slip into the cabinet; another to parliament; a third into the entourage. The applauders are the plague of presidential terms, so avoid listening to them.
Let us be frank with you. You are not March 14's candidate. They preferred someone else. They prefer a man who is loyal to their book of fears, demands and desires. Your features are not similar to theirs. You are not March 8's candidate either. They preferred someone else; a president who is more dedicated to their agenda. Your features do not resemble theirs. You are the candidate of the need for you; a need that was born out of the failure of either camp to carry its candidate to office; the need of the republic for a man who knows that only the language of reconciliation will keep the dream of the republic alive or possible, even if the rubble postponed the realization of dreams; a need born out of how you conducted yourself along the fault lines that started with the assassination of Rafik Hariri; a need that was born out of the credibility of the institution that you have led and which remains the last symbol of unity in this country, even when some of its glamour has recently been lost to a few tests.
You are not their candidate by they have admitted their need for you. This is why you are not obliged to return favors. You are not weak either. They are strong; this is true; they are strong within their sectarian communities or regions, or in parts of them. They rely on sectarian bonds that are far more powerful than those placing their bets on you; but your delegation is far greater than theirs. The delegation of each of them ends at the line of demarcation, at the borders of the sectarian community, region, or confession. You are the one who possesses the inter-sectarian and inter-regional delegation; the delegation of the need for you to prevent the bloody adventures and the domination of the republics of revenge and rubble.
You are fortunate because your nation has called and summoned you; and misfortunate because your job is no less than rebuilding the country. I know that you have to roll this boulder in a reckless country amidst a turbulent region. You are not a dictator who orders to be obeyed; your prerogatives are modest, but I know that the size of the delegation granted to you is far greater than that granted to anyone else. This delegation makes you a symbol and a founding father if you do not allow the others to diminish the size of your delegation.
Let us be candid with you. This is not a country. The collapse has transformed it from a group of sectarian communities into splinters. It fears and accumulates fear, anger, grudges, and arms before waiting for the right moment to pounce and engage in combat. Your mission is no less than to retrain these splinters that are loaded with crude ambitions or oversized fears to coexist after giving up on their secret dreams that this country cannot afford. You have to guard the splinters against their own despair, madness, and the temptation to dominate, divorce, and commit suicide.
General Michel Sleiman,
You will be elected today under oath. May God assist you! Your mission is challenging, tedious and almost impossible. Your mission is no less than building a republic that has room for Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Nabih Berri, Saad Hariri, Walid Jumblat, Amin Gemayel, Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea; a republic that can accommodate all of them without leaving martyrs in domestic wars and without making anyone of them feel marginalized, intimidated or threatened over their choices or existence.
The president has come, but where is the republic? He has to free the splinters and retrieve them from fear and adventures. He has to retrieve the rights of the republic and the state, and the dignity of the constitution. Go ahead general to the battle for finding the republic. The domestic delegation is sizable; the regional and international delegation is sizeable; your weapon is the citizen's need for a day without fear, for a republic in which the security of a single citizen and the dignity of a single foot of land are not violated
 

Message to Mars: Is there Cappuccino there?
By Walid Phares

http://english.daralhayat.com/opinion/OPED/05-2008/Article-20080526-23e3e04d-c0a8-10ed-01e2-5c7338bce922/story.html

Just thoughts..on lighter but deeper matters..
When I wrote that I have just landed on Mars on my Facebook, few hours ago, friends thought at first I was posting a joke on my wall. But soon enough I explained that it wasn’t. Rather it was about my name, which was inscribed on a plate -along with many other American names- inside a rocket flying since last year to eventually land on the red rock.
Indeed Sunday night on 6:30 PM (EST), my name penetrated Mars’ skies. The NASA spacecraft landing there has a list of names packed with a typed message from Earth. Just in case Aliens shows up? In fact it is only a symbolical plate to commemorate the landing for future explorers. It was August of last year. The Mars Phoenix Lander lifted off aboard a Delta II rocket. When the spacecraft arrives on the red planet, the lander’s robotic arm will be used to dig through the top soil layer to the water ice below and ultimately bring both soil and water ice back to the lander platform for analysis.
It is just the idea that something that belongs to you, your name for example, would be going that fast and that far in space to reach another world. The idea on the mind of the great folks at NASA is to send messages to the unknown laying ahead of us in that deep cosmos. I was always fascinated by the Universe’s issues, when I wasn’t analyzing terror wars on this Planet. What a shame: had humanity not wasted time and resources to defend itself against these totalitarian scourges for a century, instead of names, we could have had real humans landing there. But that’s another story. I hinted about it in my last book, The Confrontation: in my maths it doesn’t look we’re going to finish this global conflict very soon.
Since the chances to have some Martians checking the 4×4 NASA vehicle and finding that list of humans is almost zero, the only function of these licence-plates looking things is probably to be read by future generations of explorers and by far-future settlers on that planet. Then most likely they will hyper-Google these names and check them out. Maybe over a cappuccino in an end of century Mars’ Starbucks. Who knows?
I must thank NASA for this honor. It gives you a moment of reflection away from the daily brouhaha of the political jungle we’re in. Just think about it: something is actually moving on Mars tonight (or today). The rocket which carried the Landing craft passed the Moon last year, in just nine hours. And here on Earth, we’re still debating if Jihad means conquest or Yoga. Deep breath..
****
Walid Phares is an author and space observer.