Beyond Hariri’s Return to Lebanon: Saudi Carrots and Sticks!

Local Editor

Much have been circulated about the return of former Lebanese PM Saad Hariri to Lebanon.

Questions were raised about the aims and timing. However, a clear answer floats to the surface and this time from one of the man's "March 14" allies: Loukman Slim.

On his website, Slim known for his ties with the US circles, particularly intelligence ones - narrated the details of the return of the Hariri - the son:

"Following the death of the Saudi king Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, a series of domestic Saudi "disgraces" involving several high profile individuals gave ample indication that things weren't only changing in the kingdom, but for Saad Hariri and his family members as well.

During that time, Saad Hariri continued to "sit tight" in Saudi Arabia hoping to see some miraculous improvements in his personal [business] and political circumstances."

He further uncovered aspects of the Saudi order given to Hariri:

Saudi officials and other concerned notables hinted to Hariri that if he truly wanted a "second chance", it would not happen if he remained sequestered in Riyadh.

Accordingly, he was advised to resolve the financial problems he was experiencing with his brothers and reassert himself in Beirut - as the primus inter pares of Lebanon's Sunni community.

In this context, a Saudi diplomat told Slim in fall 2015:

It seems that Saad, like a large number of our Lebanese friends, had a problem believing that SA [Saudi Arabia] is at war.

Consequently, they missed the basic idea that friendship works in times of peace. But in times of war, you need to be an ally."

While Hariri remained intransigent, Saudi calls for his return were being echoed by a number of certified Saudi mouthpieces.

Some of the most urgent calls - based on Hariri's ally - were made by Ahmad Adnan, a former counselor to Abdul Aziz Khoja who served as the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon from 2004 to 2009...

Adnan, who between assignments was a journalist, wrote several editorials in which he disclosed some of Saad's businesses shortcomings [tantamount to the proverbial "stick"] and offered advice on Saudi Arabia's expectations of him [akin to "carrot"].