Geagea to Propose Partnership with Hizbullah if Elected as President
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea revealed on Friday that he will propose to Hizbullah if he was elected as president “real partnership,” considering that the theory of “vacuum at the presidential post is better than choosing a weak head of state” has crumbled after he ran for the presidency.
“I will suggest real partnership with Hizbullah to build a state that is capable with the army's weapons as the only means to protect all the citizens,” Geagea said in an interview with As Safir newspaper.
He noted that the “Shiites are the ones mostly harmed by the ongoing status-quo in the country.”
“The army and with its available capabilities could replace Hizbullah's role in the conflict with Israel as the elite forces could deploy and engage in operations according to the necessary needs,” the Christian leader added.
Geagea stressed that his run for presidency is “serious,” admitting that his “journey to the Baabda Palace would be hard.”
“I realize all this... but there's nothing impossible in politics.”
Concerning consultations with the March 14 allies over his decision, the LF leader told As Safir that “he is mulling with his allies his chances,” noting that “al-Mustaqbal movement's decision will be according to its convictions.”
Geagea denied that his move “was to embarrass (Mustaqbal movement) leader Saad Hariri and block the way before other March 14 candidates.”
“If I didn't have the minimal level of contacts with my allies and if I wasn't convinced that I have at least crossed half the road to gain their support, I wouldn't have run for the presidency.”
He warned the political arch-foes from boycotting a parliamentary session set to elect a new president, saying: “they will pay a high price.”
“I advise the March 8 alliance not to cause vacuum at the presidential post as it will be the biggest loser,” Geagea said.
However, he told the daily that the theory of “vacuum is better than a weak president has crumbled as the March 14 coalition has a strong president candidate, who is me in principle, and the March 8 camp will have another strong candidate, who hasn't been revealed yet.”
He predicted that head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun will run for presidency on behalf of the March 8 alliance.
Geagea considered that “the political power in the country is currently in favor of the March 14 coalition.”
President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ends in May but the Constitution states that the parliament should choose a new head of state within a two-month period, which was on March 25.
Geagea was the first to announce last week that he will run for the presidency.
Lebanese media have in recent weeks identified other presidential hopefuls as Kataeb party leader and ex-president Amin Gemayel, MPs Boutros Harb and Robert Ghanem, who are like Geagea members of the March 14 anti-Syria movement.
Other potential candidates are Hizbullah allies Aoun and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh.
Lebanese presidents are always chosen from the Christian Maronite community.
- H. K.
- G. K.
11 April 2014, 08:46
92
Lol so a partnership that would destroy one of the partners existence....
11 April 2014, 14:19
39
At least he honestly served his time. Unlike some who took a 15 year vacation in France...
11 April 2014, 11:47
17
I think a Geagea- HA partnership will be more solid and has better chances of increasing political stability in Lebanon coupled with economic growth. The question is what are the chances of this happening??
11 April 2014, 08:55
92
"the political power in the country is currently in favor of the March 14 coalition"
Wrong lol
11 April 2014, 09:22
35
we need new and clean blood to the presidency.
Damianos Kattar for president
11 April 2014, 17:08
23
New blood for all the seats. Otherwise, the new blood at a single seat facing 2 warlords/mafia boss/dinosaur or whatever you want to call them will get eaten alive. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying don't bring Damianos in as a pres. I am saying, he should be the start of the purging of the rest of the individuals who are the root cause of our problems. Damianos is where we should start but we must keep going. Cannot stop there under any circumstance.
11 April 2014, 10:07
53
ambitious:does anything to succeed but with honor and principle
arriviste :does anything to succed even selling his honor and principles
11 April 2014, 11:49
26
This is a dilemma really... we all agree for new blood, and at the same time, we need a strong president (which would not be the case of Khattar of Barud because they have no political support). No one fits this equation of new blood and strong, so alas, at the end, and like as usual, we will be faced with 2 choices : Aoun or Geagea.
Aoun is too demented, unstable, irrational and a traitor. I will go for Geagea...
11 April 2014, 12:07
43
he knows he'll never get shia votes, just trying to reinsure sceptical sunnis/christians that are afraid he'll open a civil war with HizbIran...
He openly said that he would back Aoun if the general is patriot enough to do it...
11 April 2014, 13:13
23
Now this is no joke, I still remember vividly a couple of New Year eves ago, on a well known Lebanese TV station when a well known Lebanese astrologer or fortune teller said that Geagea will in the future forge an alliance with Hezbollah. I laughed my heart out at the forecast, but now I am seriously beginning to think, is the future happening now?
11 April 2014, 13:49
42
@Ralphonsoo, I bow my hat in respect and salutes to an excellent post. There's nothing one can add, but thank you for a very objective post. Stay around, we need people like you here.
11 April 2014, 13:55
12
Political maneuvering at best. Give and take is what politics is. The art of stretching and bending and no one plays it better that these dinosaurases.
11 April 2014, 14:17
13
This is realistic, only if they understand that below the cover of a state, they did'nt need to go ensure their ammo lines in Syria.
11 April 2014, 14:28
34
@ralph, strong means political backup. Unfortunately, it is what our constitution requires in order for the President to have some power and leverage. Remember Barud as a Minister... all the clans where fighting to impose their men, their ideas, their will on him... at the end, he had to back up.This is unfortunate, but as long as we have such a weak constitution, an isolated President will not bring an impulse.
11 April 2014, 14:36
35
Taef diminished the credentials of the President enough... we cannot afford a shallow one...like another Army General or an isolated candidate...alas!
11 April 2014, 17:36
00
All political games bla bla bla....kalam fadi,NO one can stand HA in lebanon....including ouwett,so plz !!!! Lets b honnest they are all waiting for the zionist to take care of HA but its taking a lot of time.
11 April 2014, 19:50
14
Well said M11er.
Do not expect Fifi to understand. He is paid to support the Iranian militia in Lebanon.
11 April 2014, 19:56
22
sure neither geagea nor ANYONE that participated actively in the civil war should run for president! that excludes aoun and frangie too....
11 April 2014, 19:57
31
M11er, I am with you on Demianos and Ziad, how much I wish one of them takes the seat, time for new blood, enough of the old parasite infested blood, just fresh new people with a different view of life.
11 April 2014, 20:20
00
Correct you are M11er, Some people feel that for a president to be strong, he would need armed people besides him. Personally i would dispute that, a strong president would need a strong personality, and hands totally free from both blood and corruption, which is why I very much believe that Demianos and Ziad are good candidates.
11 April 2014, 21:00
00
prime minister comes from the biggest representation of sunni in the parliament of the sunni s
parliament president comes from the biggest representation in parliament of the chia s
president of the republic must be the same for the Christian vote
just for the sake of equality and this most representation of Christian is that gives power to the president
and if some does not accept put the three presidencies on rotation
every six years ie
president : Christian , sunni , chia
prime minister:sunni chia Christian
president of parliament :chia ,Christian sunni
propose this and everybody will be equal
and it will be a step towards secularisme in the country
11 April 2014, 22:30
12
@FT do you really think this is relevant now or are you a total retard?
11 April 2014, 22:35
12
Or maybe Chehab became President after Taef in which case I should review my history.....Retard!
12 April 2014, 03:08
00
What is that in your mouth that you are not enjoying and speaking up.
12 April 2014, 11:35
21
It is a shame that someone like him is even nominating himself for presidency
