Geagea Says to Stay in Race 'until the End' Regardless of Aoun's Nomination
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed Thursday that he will stay in the presidential race “until the end” regardless of the candidacy of Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.
“I will carry on with my nomination until the end and this has nothing to do with General Aoun's candidacy,” Geagea told LBCI television, during a weekly show dedicated to interviewing the major presidential hopefuls.
Reminiscing the 2005 period, Geagea said he “seriously thought of nominating Aoun for the presidency in 2005, because he was the only candidate back then.”
“But that was rejected by the LF's top officials,” he added.
Commenting on the controversy over his nomination, Geagea said: “My past is not absurd, my past is part of Lebanon's past. Some parties want to launch unjust accusations against me and I had apologized because war is ugly, regardless of its form.”
“Unfortunately, no one wants to remember that everyone took part in the war. They only want to remember Samir Geagea, who was the last to join the war and the first to leave it,” he added, referring to ballots cast by some MPs during Wednesday's presidential vote, which carried names of victims of murders Geagea is accused of having orchestrated during the 1975-1990 civil war.
“I do not claim that no mistakes had occurred during the war and I had apologized over these mistakes. I apologize again and again but let no one accuse me of 'crucifying Jesus' or inventing the war,” said Geagea.
Asked about Wednesday's vote, he added: “The main thing I felt while watching yesterday's session was the fact that Lebanese MPs were voting for a president through their free will. I also felt appalled and disgusted at those who exploited worthless judicial verdicts that had been issued during the Syrian occupation era.”
“Nine years after the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon, I regret to say that some parties are still emulating it,” Geagea lamented.
Asked about the fact that some March 14 MPs did not attend the voting session and that others did not vote for him, Geagea said: “An MP told me that there is a great friendship between him and MP (Henri) Helou and that he would vote for him in the first round. However, during the serious sessions, (ex-PM Saad) Hariri, (MP) Oqab Saqr and others will all attend.”
“I'm afraid that the other camp will not attend the second round of voting on a new president. They are telling us 'you either vote for our candidate or we won't attend',” Geagea said, referring to the second round of voting that be held on April 30.
“We in March 14 and the LF have a project to build a state. Never before has a president come and proposed a clear program with such controversial topics. There is a need to make a landmark shift in Lebanon through a presidential program,” said Geagea.
Addressing Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, who has nominated MP Helou for the presidency, Geagea said: “I tell Walid Beik that he played a central role in Lebanon between 2005 and 2010 and all his struggle was for the sake of reaching a strong state."
"I have nominated myself to continue the project that he wants. The Druze, the Christians and all Lebanese have no alternative other than a strong state that belongs to everyone. I advise him to seek this solution through his vote," he added.
Asked whether a certain party or state had demanded that he nominate himself, Geagea said: “No one asked me to nominate myself and what pushed me to seriously mull this option is the fact that the situation in Lebanon has become intolerable.”
Commenting on the issue of the Syrian refugee crisis, Geagea said “a decision must be taken to stop taking in more Syrian refugees.”
“I'm willing to engage in dialogue with Hizbullah, but dialogue must happen in the form of an official meeting between the president, the ministers of defense and interior, and Hizbullah's officials. We would tell them it is unacceptable to start any war and that the decision must be in the hand of the state,” he added, when asked about Hizbullah's controversial arsenal of weapons.
Y.R.
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24 April 2014, 23:12
Geagea: I'm willing to engage in dialogue with Hizbullah, but dialogue must happen in the form of an official meeting between the president, the ministers of defense and interior, and Hizbullah's officials. We would tell them it is unacceptable to start any war and that the decision must be in the hand of the state.
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24 April 2014, 22:36
Geagea: A decision must be taken to stop taking in more Syrian refugees.
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24 April 2014, 22:10
Geagea: No one asked me to nominate myself and what pushed me to seriously mull this option is the fact that the situation in Lebanon has become intolerable.
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24 April 2014, 22:00
Geagea to Jumblat: I have nominated myself to continue the project that he wants. The Druze, the Christians and all Lebanese have no alternative other than a strong state that belongs to everyone. I advise him to seek this solution through his vote.
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24 April 2014, 21:58
Geagea: I tell Walid Beik that he played a central role in Lebanon between 2005 and 2010 and all his struggle was for the sake of reaching a strong state.
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24 April 2014, 21:51
Geagea: We in March 14 and the LF have a project to build a state. Never before has a president come and proposed a clear program with such controversial topics. There is a need to make a landmark shift in Lebanon through a presidential program.
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24 April 2014, 21:49
Geagea: I will carry on with my nomination until the end and this has nothing to do with General Aoun's candidacy.
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24 April 2014, 21:48
Geagea: I'm afraid that the other camp will not attend the second round of voting on a new president. They are telling us "you either vote for our candidate or we won't attend."
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24 April 2014, 21:47
Geagea: An MP told me that there is a great friendship between him and MP Helou and that he would vote for him in the first round. However, during the serious sessions, Hariri, Oqab Saqr and others will all attend.
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24 April 2014, 21:46
Geagea: Nine years after the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon, I regret to say that some parties are still emulating it.
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24 April 2014, 21:45
Geagea: The main thing I felt while watching yesterday's session was the fact that Lebanese MPs were voting for a president through their free will. I also felt appalled and disgusted at those who exploited worthless judicial verdicts that had been issued during the Syrian occupation era.
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24 April 2014, 21:44
Geagea: The person who called the lawmakers "the MPs of shame" is now wanted by the STL. We cannot take this attack seriously and we know how many times they have attacked the president.
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24 April 2014, 21:43
Geagea: I do not claim that no mistakes had occurred during the war and I had apologized over these mistakes. I apologize again and again but let no one accuse me of "crucifying Jesus" or inventing the war.
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24 April 2014, 21:42
Geagea: Unfortunately, no one wants to remember that everyone took part in the war. They only want to remember Samir Geagea, who was the last to join the war and the first to leave it.
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24 April 2014, 21:41
Geagea: My past is not absurd, my past is part of Lebanon's past. Some parties want to launch unjust accusations against me and I had apologized because war is ugly, regardless of its form.
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24 April 2014, 21:37
Geagea: Before anything else, I recall to mind the Armenian massacres and the Armenians who are still suffering until today, from Lebanon to Armenia and even Kassab. I stand by them, away from any circumstantial political stance.
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24 April 2014, 21:34
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in an interview on LBCI: I seriously thought of nominating Aoun for the presidency in 2005, because he was the only candidate back then, but that was rejected by the LF's top officials.
24 April 2014, 21:44
42
thank you president gaga, lololllolooolollooloooooolllll.
idiots
24 April 2014, 21:46
42
HAHAHHHAAAAHHAHAAHAAA, I cannot stop laughing for this clown and his jokes. gaga lies as he breath
24 April 2014, 21:49
42
LOLOLOLOLOL hahahahahah, Liar eh,? keep your lies for yourself and your clan. 52 votes in 14 march and you got only 48, most of them are lying, good for you president gaga.
24 April 2014, 22:01
414
Hakeem W'Basssssssss! The man of the hour, habeeb al malayeen!!!
24 April 2014, 22:01
24
According to March 8, Geagea is the only individual who took part in the Civil War.
Berri? Jumblat? Nope, jus' Geagea.
24 April 2014, 22:06
412
They hate him for his unwavering positions, they hate him because they are afraid of him, they hate him because they feel inadequate in front of him, they fear him because they are cowards. Allah yi7mik hakim
25 April 2014, 01:24
27
Convicted by occupiers in a kangaroo court. The Nazis did it all the time to people who resisted them in occupied Europe. I'm NOT saying that he did not make terrible mistakes, but to refer to him as "convicted" means that you accept the justice of the Syrian occupier. Do you?
25 April 2014, 02:34
26
How is Jamil al Sayyed's suit going Fifi?
Funny thing, it's been going on for a couple years, and he hasn't won a thing. Weird huh?
It's only idiots like you who think that the act of "filing" a lawsuit against authorities somehow means you are innocent of other charges against you.
His lawsuit is all for show. He hasn't won a thing, and he won't win squat.
24 April 2014, 22:08
145
You're right Geagea, you're not the only politician who committed crimes in the past - but you still did commit crimes in the past.
Real question should be why Lebanese have such a short memory and keep voting in warlords to be our representatives.
25 April 2014, 00:40
37
@gcb you are correct they all have committed crimes. Unless we can get rid of them all this argument is still null and void.. At this present time Geagea is the most capable one to lay the foundations for a better Lebanon. steering away from controversy and the tough issues in nominating a consensual president only results in a stagnate country not pushing forward and not realising it's potential. in summary we are no better of then when we started. Geagea is the most abled president to challenge the status quo and shake up the nest, he is planning to tackle what most Lebanese have been complaining about over the last 20 years yet he is portrayed by the M8 marketing dept as an evil man. Henri helou himself said he had not planned to nominate himself for this presidency as he saw it as a vacuum.
25 April 2014, 00:40
37
I personally want a president that is happy to take control of our future and not shy away from the real issues, in Helou's own words a consensual president would be ineffective as you cannot hope to please both sides when there is such a divide. By tackling the tough issues that M8 clearly are not at ease with would clearly result in a proper foundation for then a Helou or other to take the reins.
25 April 2014, 00:59
26
thank God for spell check flam otherwise there is no way in hell you or your likes could ever spell conscience..Hypocrite.
25 April 2014, 02:32
22
Flamethrower
Allow me to disagree with you. I think it is very limited when you say M14 lacks conscience. Please do not tell me M8 politicians have conscience. I would agree with you when you both M8 and M14 lack conscience or better yet all our current politicians lack conscience
24 April 2014, 22:27
22
Hakim please stop appolgizing. We are proud of your history and our history: the history of the lebanese forces. God bless you Hakim . We are with you to the end. You want war, we are ready to fight. You want peace,you got it but only if it is not on the expense of the christian existance
24 April 2014, 22:46
185
Mr. Texas cowboy, none of your questions are related to my comment, neither this interview. My following answer is: Nothing. I will not give you the satisfaction, since i know more garbage words would be posted by you. The parliament will answer all your questions soon enough.
24 April 2014, 22:47
411
desabilization and chaos and division to better rule the country... programme? what programme? none, inexistant as their brains.....
24 April 2014, 22:53
47
Sure, M8ers are prone to make believe that there was only geagea during the civil war! LOL only geagea to make massacres killings and so on... but no one from M8 ever did anything bad! LOL sure by repeating it like parrots they tend to forget all what their leaders did too! only geagea was a criminal but none from M8! as if no one from M8 were involved in the civil war! hahaha! how stupid the yare!
typical thinking of brainwashed idiots....
24 April 2014, 22:57
412
The speaker of the parliament is more of a criminal than anybody else.
24 April 2014, 23:11
14
This is the only country in the world where they cast their votes before the voting date. I vote for you next week, you vote for me 2 weeks from now. What a shame.
25 April 2014, 00:45
23
But aoun will not run if Geagea is running..his words..but then again what is agreed on like real men and what aoun does for self preservation are two conflicting things..this has been aoun's trademark and legacy..
25 April 2014, 00:49
34
well put M11er unfortunately some people cannot or choose not to argue credible points but rather their self interested propaganda, even when history cannot be re-written and the facts are for all to see they still purposely misled mis quote and mis interpret for their own ego's..
25 April 2014, 00:51
33
he said he will not run if Geagea is running so given Geagea has confirmed he is still in the race, my money is aoun will run given what he says and what he does for self preservation are two conflicting things..
25 April 2014, 01:22
32
how effective have our presidents been over the last 12 or so years? these were consensual and nominated by both sides. do we really want another consensual president happy to tow the line and for Lebanon to make little to no progress. Suleiman was consensual and acted the part for most of his tenure, trying to please both sides meant he sat on the fence and made very little progress,and finally when he grew a back bone and spoke his mind all we saw and heard was hezb attacking him, M8 marketing dept spit rubbish about how he has done nothing etc etc.. unfortunately we cannot have our cake and eat it too. not in modern day Lebanon. if we are happy to keep complaining about the status quo then by all means lets have a consensual president, if we want progress we need to make descisions..doing* the same old thing will get us the same old result.
25 April 2014, 01:28
34
You call him a mass-murderer because the Syrians convicted him of murders. And of course, to you, Syrian justice is supreme and unquestionable. Your leader Hassan Nasrallah has caused the death of thousands of innocent Lebanese by single-handedly declaring war on Israel and not giving a damn about what the State of Lebanon has to say about it. Of course, you don't call that murder. You call it divine victory. I fail to understand your logic, Hezbollah supporters.
25 April 2014, 02:08
22
I Agree however, if you note Geagea's approach he is offering an olive branch to hezb to discuss how best to utilise their capabilities. their issue is that they want to remain independent. Nothing restricts him from implementing his policies and creating opportunities whilst still negotiating/convincing hezb to integrate. These can be mutually exclusive. My opinion is once we have some social,educational and economic traction the natural course would be less reliance on conflict minded people and we can then through a consensual president transition to a weapons free population. The biggest difference in Geagea v someone else is that I don't see Geagea as someone that can be intimidated by other influemces to complete his reforms, not talking about hezb weapons this is clearly a more complicated issue.
25 April 2014, 02:36
32
flam too funny cause you carefully choose what you want to read and what you want to answer, tip toeing around questions or ignoring them completely does not make for a constructive nor a convincing argument. I was the first to say Geagea is not the best presidential candidate but given the circumstances the most suiteable. you are under an assumption that because I support the Lebanese Forces I do so blindly and without regard, however whilst you may do this as proven in your many arguments or lack there of, LF is not an individual (eg.aouniey) but an ideology hence our allegiance to this ideology of a free and just country not to a single individual till death do us part...
25 April 2014, 12:51
32
Habib, I usually tacitly support some of your views, but in the case of Sabra and Shatila, Samir Geagea and the mainstream LF had nothing to do with it. The Syrians were behind it all, to give the impression by the LF for the murder of Bachir. The Israeli troops then in the area, found lots of equipment, part of it telecoms material they did not need, so they spoke to the LF command in Bikfaya if they wanted it. The LF confirmed yes. But Elie Hobeika with his Syrian bosses intercepted the message and ordered Charles Hobeika to go to the area wearing LF uniforms. Militiamen from the SLA mostly Shiites too, joined Charles. The Israelis believing that it was the real LF coming to collect the equipment, let them in, little did they know then that such a massacre would be taking place, till too late. The rest we know, much of it Syrian fabrication to discredit the Israelis and start dismantling all hopes for an LF-led presidency.
25 April 2014, 12:52
22
** To give the impression of revenge killing by the LF for the murder of Bachir...**
25 April 2014, 13:00
41
Then we have the bombing of the church. That was pure fabrication by the Syrians and their Lebanese lackeys, to frame and put the final death knell on Geagea's fate. The assassination of Rashid Karameh was orchestrated not only by Geagea, but led mainly by Amin Gemayel and the then intelligence chief Johnny Abdo. As Geagea ordered the assassination being part of the bigger planners, both Amin and abdo withdrew at the last minute leaving Geagea alone in this ploy. Till now both men deny their roles leaving the blame on Geagea who got stabbed by them.
25 April 2014, 13:03
41
Geagea did not know of Amin and Abdo's withdrawal until after Karameh's assassination. The reason for the assassination was to prevent Karameh signing a bill that was deemed giving too much power to the Syrian occupying forces, at the expense of the LAF which Amin was trying to rebuild.
25 April 2014, 13:08
42
Please, if anyone has a counter argument to what I wrote, then please do post it, otherwise let us stop blaming everything on Geagea, he is no saint, far from that, but also, those he faced were the nearest thing to evil. I am no great fan of Geagea either, but to see so much stereotypical accusation of him whenever his head pops up, yet ignoring his wartime foes smacks of profound hypocrisy. Even Aoun whose supporters wish to exonerate, is not free from blood, he too participated in the blood letting, just as all those wartime leaders. Either we look at both sides of the coin, or we shall forever be ignoring a vital part of our sad history. Might as well face off with our evils.
25 April 2014, 19:45
00
Eh walah, gharib ya lack of parents Wolf Rear how you look so similar to your other illegit brother born from the same Mama Al Fanik Maarouf.
25 April 2014, 13:42
32
I very much liked Mrs. Haddad notice: "the shadow of General brought more votes than el Hakim so what if General was in.."
haram hakim i can imagine him standing in front of baabda's gate closing the way to GMA but he didn't notice that the Tsunami!! is coming loooll!!
25 April 2014, 15:13
22
Even Mystic's posts are being removed and he is not getting personal with anyone. WTF! Who I'm I supposed to debate with? Ghosts?
25 April 2014, 16:17
21
I'm not crazy about Geagea and I've been with the LF since it's foundation. You can agree with an ideology without agreeing with everything that the leader of the party does. Contrary to popular belief, not all of us fblindly follow our leaders in the LF.
25 April 2014, 18:10
00
His presidential bid: he is way too polarizing and will cause the country to be divided even more. We someone with whom HA can have a dialog. The ARE Lebanese and they are menna ou fina. We don't like their crazy ways of weakening the state and holding this country hostage. We need patient dialog. Plus I'm still disappointed about the way he backtracked on the orthodox law. We had a deal with the FPM and the Marada. Hariri piled pressure on Geagea, and the latter folded. Not in line with someone who likes to present himself as principled and steadfast.
25 April 2014, 23:57
00
I would prefer that who ever is reporting ft's post does not do so unless he slips and uses uncivil language. otherwise the real value in our discussions are lost. I thought the debate that has now been deleted was constructive, even though someone was being a bit elusive.:).. I for one enjoy understanding the opinions and arguments from the other side, and whilst often shake my head at the name calling and side stepping of certain questions feel they too are necessary for us all to understand each other better..my 2 cents..
