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Sunday, May 08, 2005 

Aoun: Lahoud shouldn't resign

Returning warlord Michel Aoun has attempted to divide Lebanon's opposition further.

He says that Lebanese President Emile Lahoud should not resign. That's despite the unrelenting opposition cries for him to step down. He is seen as being at the centre of curruption in Lebanese politics. And recently he's become the number one target for the opposition. But not, it seems, for the self-proclaimed 'grandfather of the opposition' Aoun.

Aoun wants to stand for President. But he doesn't want Lahoud to resign before a Presidential election, because then the replacement would be picked by current Parliamentarians. And of course Aoun isn't in Parliament yet, and has little support from Lebanese MPs so he wouldn't be in the running.

Aoun watch: One day after return: Aoun's selfish greed already supplants the wishes of the opposition.

And it seems Lebanon's opposition realises this: "Until now I haven't heard [from any of the opposition leaders]...I assume silence after a certain period means rejection" he said today.

Your fade into irrelevance beckons Mr Aoun.

And of course Aoun isn't in Parliament, so he wouldn't be in the running.

For your posts to be credible, you should learn the basics.
You don't have to be an MP to become a president.

LAHOUD wasn't smarty....

Thanks for your comment. I've changed the post to make it more clear. What I am saying is that because Aoun isn't in Parliament he wont have any impact on the decision which will be made by MPs. MPs select the President.

What I am saying is that because Aoun isn't in Parliament he wont have any impact on the decision which will be made by MPs. MPs select the President.

This is also irrelevant...

I am not pro-Aoun, and he's not my choice for president and I firmly believe that Lahoud should resign right after the election, but let's discuss your post.

First I agree that the way things are going, and unfortunately, there is a good chance that the opposition will be divided.
If Lahoud is ousted now, the same parliament that elected Lahoud could elect someone even worse. Remember that the opposition does'nt carry a majority in the Parliament. Hence it's a stupid move now, and better to wait until a new parliament is elected, and the opposition admits it. So the fight now is over how to contain and control the presidential election, and specifically from allowing Aoun to get to it.

Second, Lahoud is the number one target now; this is an election campaign speech and I expect it to last for a while. What major point could they ride their election campaign on :
Syrian withdrawal? Done.
International Investigation ? Almost done.
Intelligence officers? Done.
Economic revival? hmmmm, beyond their expertise.
Corruption? God, No!!!

and of course they're not going to attack each others in the oppostion, so Lahoud is the safest target to divert attention from the handicapped electoral law, and keep the pressure until after the election.

But the Opposition was holding it together pretty well (apart from a few scuffles) until Aoun returned.

Now with Aoun back, and him taking the opposition in his own hands, and claiming ownership of it, he has already ruffled a few feathers.

He speaks as if to utter policy statements for the opposition, which he has no right to do.


He wants to be President and he'll stop at nothing to get it, even if he goes against what the rest of the opposition want. Most opposition leaders haven't even contacted him since his return - so he has turned to Hizbollah. The last cry of a desperate man? Or maybe just a demagogue? He stands for nothing that they do, but he needs them. And who cares what the mainstream opposition thinks of that.

Just remember who he turned to in the Civil War. Saddam Hussein.

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