After Attacking Army, Jumblatt Suspends Participation in Strategic Defense Committee

 
Source: Al-Manar TV, 08-02-2009

The latest TV interview of the head of the Democratic Gathering MP Walid Jumblatt continues to having here and there...
Jumblatt, who announced during the interview that he wants appeasement but attacked everyone including the military institution, indeed received negative feedbacks from the part of President Michel Suleiman as well as Army Commander Jean Kahwaji based on the principle that "attacking the army was a red line."

However, Jumblatt didn't seem comfortable with the reactions to his speech. His reaction was, in turn, quick: he actually decided, too simply, to suspend his party's participation at the Strategic Defense Committee created by the national dialogue participants.

According to Lebanese daily An-Nahar, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) representative at the committee, Sharif Fayyad, will no longer participate in committee meetings. Sources from Jumblatt's Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc clarified to the daily that this development is in response to Defense Minister Elias Murr.

Last Monday Cabinet discussed the sensitive issue of government wiretapping during which Minister Murr criticized, according to the sources, the role and delegation of Colonel Daniel Faris to the Ministry of Telecommunications.

"Following the meeting Minister Murr defended the delegation of Col. Faris," Democratic Gathering sources said, adding that more political clarity is required in order to better understand what goes on inside the military and defense institutions.
The information was confirmed on Sunday by PSP officials, namely State Minister Wael Abu Faour and Information official Rami Rayess. Both of them made sure, however, to say that President Sleiman was not the one concerned with the PSP's decision.

On Friday, Suleiman responded indirectly to Jumblatt's stances and stressed that Lebanese Armed Forces soldiers and officers had proved their loyalty to the military establishment.

"The saying that the army is divided has long gone. The army, its officers and elements are loyal to the military establishment and the country," Suleiman said. "Lebanon always accepts military aid without any political conditions," he said. He called on the military and security forces in the country to prove their full credibility in not interfering in the legislative elections.
Military Source To Al-Manar: Army Is Solid!

A well-informed military source commented on the issue and told Al-Manar that the Lebanese Army would not engage in quarrels, stressing that the military institution was solid and firm. "The army officers are known for their loyalty to the nation and they can't fulfill the passions of the changeful ones," the source added.

It noted that the speeches of Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Army Commander General Jean Kahwaji on Friday were not only a response to Jumblatt's TV interview but to everyone who attempts to target the Lebanese Army and doubts its officials' loyalty to the nation. The source concluded by addressing those and saying: We are the solid and you are the changeable because the issue is not a delivery operation.