DAILY SCOPE: Army to Protect Peaceful Protests, Landfill Crisis Unsolved Yet

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Damascus Seeking a Complete Offer...

Siniora to Aoun: You are Acting Recklessly, Thus Destroying the Army

Al-JOMHOURIA:

Berri Says Aoun Has Right to Demonstrate but not to Block..

Al-AKHBAR:

Berri and Aoun: Ibrahim on impossible relation line
Iraq: Uprising of People and Not Politicians

AL-BINAA:

Lavrov: No Dual-Standards in Fighting ‘Daesh'...Obama to Impose Syria Solution

Lebanese newspapers highlighted the different domestic files as Lebanon remains with no president for the 443rd day, as the different issues are keeping the Lebanese politicians in crisis.

Army to Protect Peaceful Protests --- AL-JOMHOURIA

A well-informed source told al-Jomhouria newspaper that ‘the decision of the army is clear and will not change, as it intends to protect the peaceful protests belonging to any Lebanese side, and safeguard all protesters.' Yet, according to the source, the army ‘will not allow the protesters to block the streets or attack the state's institutions or the interests of the citizens in such a manner that would undermine the country and its stability.'

The source further pointed out that ‘the army is a one united body, and that provoking its general will not affect his morals and will not sow strife among its lines, because the priority is to confront terrorism and not to enter internal conflicts.'

Aoun called on Saturday on his supporters to get ready to stage demonstrations after Defense Minister Samir Moqbel issued decrees to extend the terms of the military commander, the chief of staff and the head of the Higher Defense Council.

Arsal Proposal for Waste Crisis Ignored?! --- AN-NAHAR

Sources following up on the waste management crisis expressed surprise through An-Nahar Lebanese daily that none of the Lebanese officials paid any attention to the offer that was presented from Arsal's municipality on the landfills that includes around 320 kilometers square which can take in the wastes of months if not years.

According to the source, the companies involved in the discussions of waste management will need at least 6 months to start working, at the time the Arsal municipality can directly transport the wastes of the Matn and Keserwan areas in one day to Arsal's barren and rocky lands.

In addition, the sources said that the Arsal solution would save at least half of the amounts that would be spend in the plan currently being studied, not to mention that trucks are also available for transporting the wastes and there are great capabilities to directly start in the sorting process. As to safeguarding security especially in a sensitive area like Arsal, the source said that the process can take place under the supervision of the Lebanese army located in the area.

Drifts of un-recycled rubbish had piled up on Beirut's streets due to the closure of the city's landfill on July 17th. Although smothered in white powder, the rotting rubbish stank, attracted flies, mice and rats, and was a serious health hazard at a time when tourists and tens of thousands of Lebanese expatriates flooded the country.

The existing landfill is full to capacity; nothing has been done to develop new sites, and villagers living in mountainous areas reject the creation of new landfills in their neighborhoods. The Beirut municipality has called on the government to authorize the hiring of specialized firms to dispose of the waste abroad.

Berri: Aoun Waged Wrong Battle --- AL-AKHBAR

Speaker Nabih Berri has said that Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun lost the opportunity of bringing Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, who is the Commando Regiment chief as army chief by rejecting the names proposed by Defense Minister Samir Moqbel.

Berri, whose remarks were published in al-Akhbar and other local dailies on Monday, told his visitors that an opportunity, which will not come again, has been lost.
He said Aoun "waged the wrong battle and his representatives [in the cabinet] did not take the advantage of Moqbel's proposal of a series of candidates for the army leadership."

The House speaker told his visitors that he would have backed Roukoz's appointment along with Hizbullah, the FPM's allies and possibly Kataeb ministers.

Yet, Berri said it is now difficult to meet Aoun's demand to appoint Roukoz as army leader following Moqbel's decision to extend the terms of the military commander, the chief of staff and the head of the Higher Defense Council.

The speaker denied that he has launched an initiative to resolve the dispute on the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials, adding that Aoun has the right to call for demonstrations to express the FPM's stances on condition that he does not paralyze the life of the people.

The FPM leader called Saturday on his supporters to get ready to stage demonstrations against the military extensions.

Source: Al-Ahed News, Edited by website team