Geagea Starts Preparations for Presidential Bid, Threatens to Withdraw from March 14
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Lebanese Forces formed a 12-member committee to draft a detailed presidential election program to prepare the candidacy of its leader Samir Geagea as he is threatening to withdraw from the March 14 alliance over the policy statement row.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday that the 12-member committee comprises experts in various fields.
The newspaper said that the LF's executive commission is holding intensified meetings to develop a comprehensive presidential program that meets the aspirations of the Lebanese people.
President Michel Suleiman's tenure ends in May 2014, but the constitutional period to elect a new head of state begins on March 25, two months prior to the expiration of Suleiman’s mandate.
The daily said that Geagea informed March 14 leaders that he will withdraw from the coalition if they agreed on the March 8 alliance's proposal regarding the ministerial policy statement.
The March 8 coalition wants to legitimize Hizbullah's arms in the resistance clause but March 14 is demanding that the resistance be put under the state's authority.
The row has led to the failure of a seven-member ministerial committee tasked with drafting the blueprint to complete its work.
The constitutional deadline for the cabinet to draft it's policy statement to refer it to the parliament for confidence vote ends on March 17 as Prime Minister Tammam Salam is warning that the row over the resistance article is threatening to topple the cabinet.
14 March 2014, 08:43
58
If HA's motto is to protect Lebanon from any Israeli aggression (or so we believe) then what better than being under the command of the Lebanese army so that both could defend the borders of Lebanon. There is no better way of defending Lebanon except through unity which is the ultimate power. It's logical and simple. Anything that allude to leaving HA alone in defending Lebanon is against the will of all of the Lebanese, including the majority of the Shia.
14 March 2014, 09:09
128
No. Not the Lebanese people. Just some. Either way, some Lebanese people will be upset.
14 March 2014, 09:09
139
We will not accept to be put under the Saudi invasion anymore, either.
15 March 2014, 01:17
00
And we don't want to be under any invasion. Saudi, Persian or Israeli.
The people through their "respected" elected representative must decide who to court for Lebanon's financial, economical and security objectives.
14 March 2014, 09:10
129
Geagea is a convicted criminal, he was pardoned not proven innocent.
Therefore he cannot be a moukhtar and local municipal member let alone and MP, Minister or President.
14 March 2014, 10:20
66
Agreed on your first statement, the second noy so muh because pretty much all the leaders that matter have blood on their hands and that's how power was achieved in the past mostly. Having said that, I also share the opinion that he will not be a good asset for the country in his present form.
14 March 2014, 10:54
911
how childish! Grow up flamethrower! We all know you are angry but that's not an excuse for your behavior!
14 March 2014, 14:11
89
I await the day when I will read ONE meaningful post, ONE counter argument, ONE credible or mature info from you -Flamethrower-- , but alas!
14 March 2014, 10:17
86
Josephani, I respect your take on things and the positions you hold because your debates are interesting and rich content wise, but I want you to elaborate more as to why you think geagea will make a good president. There are certain criteria to he met and the first is to be bold, most of the candidates fulfill that criterion except amin gmeyel anr harb etc. But thr second and unarguably more important criterion is the public support and specifically the christian support. The man has 5mps while aoun has some 20 something. That will probably remain if new parliamentary elections were held, which they should. But as long as he remains in m14 or aoun remains in m8, neither of them would meet all criteria but geaea less so. If he were to join m8 or otherwise bridge his differences with aoun, i'd support him for president as well like you. But to stay divided and unrepresentative (e.g 5 elected mps), I don't think he will be good or stabilizing or prosperous for the country. Thank you.
14 March 2014, 09:20
88
when aoun becomes Lebanese and not Iranian then that will happen for sure.
14 March 2014, 09:44
66
Then if you had any principle why do accept a speaker with blood on his hands? Why do you accept a resistance with blood on its hands? Why do you hope for Aoun who also has blood on its hands? Why do you support a Syrian with the blood of Lebanese on his hands.
I am not saying I think Geagea should be president. Just pointing out your lack of any principles or intelligence. And showing us all your excellently washed "brain". If you want to call it that.
14 March 2014, 10:42
96
Take it easy geha. Even though you vent on here, I'm still kinda ok with your rudeness because you might have a heart attack otherwise if you fail to find an outlet to vent. But if you could be just a bit more reasonable, it would be appreciated.
14 March 2014, 10:26
96
How many fake flamethtowers do we need? Verdict's still out it seems.
Anywho, it's pretty evident. Just above he says aoun is iranian and it's irrelevant. He also hates shias and advocates killing civilians in 'ha strongholds' and like, countless other posts that haven't been removed, lol.
14 March 2014, 11:23
75
Geagea is a war hero. All lebanese territory was under foreign occupation at the end of the 1975-1990 war except for the free zone (territory held by his militia). When he disbanded his militia under the terms of the Taif accord, he handed his positions to the Lebanese national army.All you Geagea haters; eat your heart out losers.
14 March 2014, 11:45
73
U think u have a better chance of becoming porn star than the eels winning a premiership
14 March 2014, 13:02
61
I'm only a reflection of yourself... less the spread of fire, death, destruction and hate.
You're the 0, I'm the 1 ! We live in a binary world !
14 March 2014, 14:26
71
Joseph, enough of this ban request, let everyone posts as he or she wishes, all that matters is to stay respwectful and stay well clear of insults, opinions as varied as they are should be allowed.
14 March 2014, 14:36
65
No way, no way. No Geagea, No Aoun, No Frangieh, no warlords or the sons of warlords for God's sake!!! Is it that bad with us in Lebanon, that with all those excellent men and women that we have in Lebanon, we can't but revert to those same people that hail from the war? What is so bloody wrong with us Lebanese always grinding on the samwe old dead stone, we have some of the best people here, young, dynamic and patriotic, yet all we keep doing is look backwards instead of forward? Shame, shame, shame. Might as well go back to the days of the dinosaurs, since we wish to keep living as cavemen.
14 March 2014, 14:40
14
why does it show 94 comments on this.. then when i open the article it shrinks back to 34... is it bcoz naharnet is just deleting everyones comments??????
14 March 2014, 15:14
02
With all due respect to Dr. Geagea and General Aoun, can't the Christians find anyone else to support?. The 2 of them have divided the Christians more so than anyone else. The current Christian situation is basically this in a nut shell... Half of them support Hezbollah and the other half support moderate Muslims!!! Is the Christian community serious??? Aren't there any young, educatated and free thinking Christians (Maronites) left for the Christian community to unite around? This goes for all sects... Can't the lebanese get rid of the civil war mentality? Every zaim has blood stained hands! Enough of following these incompetents like Demi gods!
14 March 2014, 15:59
06
The people that would have united the Christians were killed/assassinated/murdered! The hero in my avatar is one example.
14 March 2014, 17:35
41
L4E, I am with you 100%, Geagea and Aoun are definitely the WRONG candidates for the presidency, their role in the Christian fratricidal will never be forgotten nor forgiven on them two men. They caused us as much harm as the Syrians and Palestinians have caused us. They ravaged us to the bone marrow. In war they were useless and in peace they are even more useless. They want to keep at the helm of their parties, fine by me, but they are the worst thing that could happen to the presidency, I would rather see Suleiman continue, or General Qahwaji replace him, but never again see another warlord sit on that seat. Geagea is having diabetes for the seat, and Aoun is having stomach seizures in turn, let both keep well away. May God bring about Demianos Kattar, whose shoes are worth all of them warlords, Masalan.
14 March 2014, 17:39
44
FT, neither bro, neither, for the love of God and nation, neither, no more warlords, even their sons are not acceptable. Give me Demianos Kattar, or Ziad Baroud, or Ziad Rahbany, we have many, many great people, but No, no, no, no no no to either Geagea or Aoun, astaghferoulah malyoun marrah.
14 March 2014, 15:22
02
This "he said, she said" between posters on naharnet displays the level of wisdom in the Lebanese society and in our political leadership. Yet you ask why are our leaders messed up? Look at yourselves, either discuss meaningful discussions like civilized human beings or stop acting like kids and saying "ban him, ban this, delete this, delete that" like your own leaders.
14 March 2014, 15:28
07
So after the civil war some 30 years ago, we are left to choose between Geagea and Aoun as our next president. Great. Well done Lebanese people.
14 March 2014, 20:21
22
@Dr. Geagea, I am shocked you are considering this action. I will not belabor a point made several time above but I am telling you, NO to you for president, NO to Aoun, NO to Franjieh and NO to Gemayel Sr. Lebanon will never rise from the ashes as long as civil era warlords who caused major pain for parts of the population insist on being president of the republic. All of you are better served and chairmen of your political parties, nothing more and nothing less. We need uniters and the lot of you are dividers.
14 March 2014, 20:23
22
Very well said Bandoul, my hat off to you, well said bro, well said.
15 March 2014, 03:52
00
Christians (and all sane Lebanese), run for your lives! The takfiris will be coming! The takfiris will be coming!
