|
'US, Israel culprits of Lebanon crisis'
Iran's Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar says the US and Israel are the main reason behind regional violence and instability. "Washington is intensifying the Lebanese crisis in a bid to thicken the layers of Israel defense," said Major General Mohammad-Najjar in a Tuesday meeting with senior defense officials. "The United States paints itself as an advocate of peace and stability whilst using all political and military power to foment violence in the region," he added. Mohammad-Najjar warned against foreign interference in Lebanon and called on the country's political parties to resolve the ongoing crisis through dialogue and negotiations. "Foreign interference would benefit the enemy at the expense of the Lebanese nation and its Resistance Movement," he explained. The Iranian Defense Minister stressed that the key to a lasting regional stability lies within the localization of stability as well as a greater unity among Middle Eastern countries. Tensions mounted among the feuding Lebanese parties and their supporters after the pro-US ruling coalition decided to ban Hezbollah telecommunications network and sack Beirut Airport Security Chief on Tuesday. Hezbollah says its telecommunication network played a vital role during the 33-day war with Israel. The war inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Zionist regime. Earlier on the day, the US president, ahead of his trip to the region, said that his country is prepared to strengthen the Lebanese army so it could disarm Hezbollah. "I don't see how you can have a society with Hezbollah armed up the way they are," George W. Bush said, adding "The first step of course is to make sure that the Siniora government has got the capacity to respond with a military that's effective," he said. Posted by: Fred 2008-05-14 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=239016 |