General Michel Sleiman was just elected president.
Parliamentary Speaker Nabih al Berri stole the limelight, and is behaving as if he is running the show. He is accompanying President Michel Sleiman everywhere, as if he is a child whom Berri must escort around. It's as if he is a North Korean minder. Given that Berri is the Syrian regime's most powerful Lebanese ally, images of assassinated President Rene Muawad keep coming to mind when I think of President Sleiman trying to veer away from Berri.
Berri refused to elect Sleiman in accordance with the Lebanese Constitution, despite protests from 3 Christian legislators, and also Shia legislator Hussein Husseini. Berri singlehandedly makes decisions on the Constitution, it seems. He decided that the Siniora government was unconstitutional, and now he has decided that a senior Lebanese civil servant can be directly elected president, despite the Constitution noting that such a person must be out of office for at least two years prior to being elected president. Even the Syrians followed the Lebanese Constitution when electing and extending the term of former President Emile Lahoud.
Despite the Lebanese Army asking citizens not to fire their weapons in the air in celebration of Sleiman's election, automatic weapons fire can be heard all over Beirut. A journalist friend in the downtown had to hide under a bridge to avoid getting hit by bullets returning to the ground. A bullet landed approximately 2 meters away from him.
The streets of Ras Beirut are empty. However, there is plenty of noise. Televisions tuned to the parliamentary session blare from apartment windows. When Sleiman was elected, clapping could be heard all over.
The Emir of Qatar seems to have assumed the role of protector of Lebanon. The Syrians did a horrible job in that position. In 2005, Lebanese politicians petitioned the United States and Iran to take over Syria's overlordship. Both countries realized that taking such responsibility was not to their benefit. Qatar stepped in, not just to broker between Lebanese politicians, but to bargain with their regional political sponsors: Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab League. It's seems that Qatar's strategy and balancing act - cooperating with Israel and Hezbollah, the United States and Iran - is paying off. They now have a greater regional prominence, but it is yet to be seen if Qatar will gain anything but grief in return.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
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3 comments:
having read a few of these posts, i see they reflect a Neo Kon perspective.
As to the constitutional issue, once an objection is made, then the chair makes a ruling, following that there are parliamentary ways to challenge the chair's decision. Obviously the overwhelming consensus was to proceed. The legal ground for the chair's decision was that the rule did not apply because there was a presidential VACANCY.
You should give thanks to the Emir of Qatar. He told the poobahs that failure was not an option and that they would not be permitted to depart Qatar without an agreement. Likewise the victims of the Civil War had demonstrated in Beirut that they would not allow the politicos to return without an agreement.
An Italian Lady Journalist confronted your hero, the convicted murderer Jaja in Doha over one of his inane comments. He had said Lebanon needed an Arab peace keeping Army. she asked him if he meant one like the one that had recently been there for 25 years. He failed to reply.
Long live Nasrallah and Aoun- the two honest men of Jabal Amel and Jabal Lubnan
Good post, Charles.
While I fail to see what is so "Neo" or "Con" about your piece, I think the use of such a moniker to describe this post may be but a poor attempt at polemics. I also fail to see how the above post indicates whether you are a friend to "Jaja"... But I find it interesting to see how much support those Honest men find among those who cower away from the mess they have created.
That said, you are right to state that what was required by the Constitution, such as it is, was a simple formality; a vote on a constitutional amendment BEFORE the actual "election", to make sure the technicalities are "legit". Berri should RTF Constitution, not re-write it.
What does the constitution say about removing a Speaker from office? There has to be a method of getting rid of Berri.
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