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Aoun Links Cabinet with Presidential Elections, Says he 'Nominates' Geagea
[An Nahar] Free Patriotic MovementDespite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic... leader  Michel Aoun...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah... has made a clear connection between the formation of a new government and the election of a president which he said should garner a huge support by the rival political parties. Aoun told An Nahar daily in an interview published on Saturday that he agreed with Lebanese Forces A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb... chief  Samir Geagea... Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005 ... on the need for a strong president. Geagea "considers himself strong. So I nominate him," Aoun said mockingly. He reiterated that he wasn't a candidate for the presidency but "he wouldn't give up his tasks if decision-makers wanted" him to reach the country's top post. Asked about a possible vacuum if parliament failed to elect a new president, Aoun said: "The extension of (President Michel Suleiman ...before assuming office as President, he held the position of commander of the Leb Armed Forces. That was after the previous commander, the loathesome Emile Lahoud, took office as president in November of 1998. Likely the next president of Leb will be whoever's commander of the armed forces, too... 's) mandate means vacuum." Posted by: Fred 2013-12-01 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=380802 |