Geagea: Arab Spring Will Create Societies that Will Better Serve Christians' Development
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea noted on Thursday that major revolutions cause pain to all those involved, especially Christians because they are smaller in numbers than the rest of the population in the Arab world.
He said in an interview to the BBC: “The Arab Spring will however produce open-minded societies that will provide better development for the Christians.”
“Christians will be able to meet their potential in these societies rather than in the totalitarian and autocratic ones, such as that of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein or Syrian President Bashar Assad,” he remarked.
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Lebanon will provide the Christians in Lebanon and the Middle East with a “moral boost,” he added.
“The Assad regime will be replaced with moderate Sunnis and minorities of Christians, Druze, Kurds, and Alawites. Such a combination cannot be extremist,” he said of fears that the current regime in Syria may be replaced with a fundamentalist one.
“There can be no talk of the role of Christians or Muslims in the region under the rule of the Baath regime in Syria,” remarked the LF leader.
On whether the fate of Christians in the region is in jeopardy, Geagea said: “I believe they have overcome the most difficult phase of the Arab Spring.”
“The future will be better. Christians can prosper in open-minded societies and I am optimistic on the long-run even though several obstacles await us,” he stated.
Moreover, he also ruled out the possibility of the partition of Syria.
“Even if does go down that path, I do not think it will impact Lebanon,” he added.
The Vatican and Maronite church are doing all they can to combat the dangers facing the Christians in the region, he continued.
“The very existence of the Maronite church is a major encouragement to the Christians in Lebanon. The rest is up to the politicians to provide them with freedom, democracy, and necessary economic factors,” he noted.
13 September 2012, 17:43
411
Arab Spring would help the christians,
Doctor did you ask the Asyrians and other christians in Iraq
their numbers dewindled from 1.5 million to barely 50.000
or did you ask the Coptic and other christians in Egypt
Hakeem you are so brainwashed by Saudi and Hariri millions
14 September 2012, 01:21
40
Why don't you have more kids, except about whining about you numbers dwindling, you Christians are finished and you have nobody but yourself to blame.
13 September 2012, 17:43
412
Arab Spring would help the christians,
Doctor did you ask the Asyrians and other christians in Iraq
their numbers dewindled from 1.5 million to barely 50.000
or did you ask the Coptic and other christians in Egypt
Hakeem you are so brainwashed by Saudi and Hariri millions
13 September 2012, 18:11
36
geagea doesnt strike me as someone who is here to make money and want to retire on an island
14 September 2012, 01:25
31
I don't agree with arab bateekh , but I believe An Islamic state would benefits all, first of all crime, corruption, killing murder, all of that won't be widespread like today, there will be real justice, you might be scared if thieves hands cutting off, but why, are u a thief, shariah is just cutt his hand off there is a judge and the value of product is taken In To consideration, but before that the state has to provide employment for it citizens so they wouldn't have to steal, there would be real justice.
14 September 2012, 01:29
31
It may sound stange to you and you might think your democracy and capitalism, communism, and damn ism is better than shariah, but look what happened in the western economy because they use Usury, they are bankrupt, so many nations, Greece, iceland, Italy, Spain, there citizens are forced to leave to go seek employment abroad, sounds like Lebanon too, your star can't even provide people with basics rights of human being, and when Islam ruled the world for over a thousand years, you think they had all this poverty , and hungry people
14 September 2012, 02:21
13
@bistonie
Please, go read an economics textbook and see why an Islamic economy would not work. The problems in Europe have very little to do with the interest rate. Your level of knowledge of economics seem very low.
Religion and politics should simply not mix. The most prosperous countries throughout all of history are those that had a secular state with strong political institutions that respected human rights and unleashed the potential of its citizens via free markets.
Finally, your comment that "Christians should have more kids" says alot about your immaturity in politics.
I can go on and on, but I won't even bother until you show a bit more education in that level.
13 September 2012, 17:28
00
Really? seems the salafist jihadists in Syria do not even tolerate their sunni brothers in arms!!! they are killing each other to the delight of the Assad regime. Gea Gea really believes that when those thugs take power they will include minorities?? A single minority in government throughout the Arab world? Egypt post revolution.. only 1 COPT minister!!!! a scandal!! Gea Gea, oh please be quiet ..
13 September 2012, 18:04
413
I have to disagree with you on this one Hakeem sorry but the fate of Christians in the entire apart from Lebanon is in great danger.
13 September 2012, 18:44
113
Salafists, extremists, Al quaeda....pffffff... Sure, a Democracy takes decades to immerge, momo and FT think that if a perfect democracy does not pop out immediately after a revolution, then it is a failure... Pfffff...
Those people have nothing to do with "salafists". Salafists are a teeny tiny bit of the syrian population. Take your propagande elsewhere! You are ridiculous!
13 September 2012, 19:38
24
Phoenician, I admire you for your honesty. Many commentators on this site are just paid to advance an agenda. Not you.
Let me remind that Geagea goes periodically to Saudi Arabia. On 27 dec 2011, naharnet reported that "The LF leader also met with Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, and the Director of General Intelligence Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz".
What for? why meeting with the top Saudi authorities, including the chiefs of security and intelligence? Geagea's party looks well off, his residence is both a forteresse and a luxurious mansion. I assume there must be many wealthy Christians supporting him.. Or maybe the Saudis paid him a check to make sure that at least some Christians are there to mask the Gulf agenda in Lebanon?
14 September 2012, 10:55
11
mowaten...it's a joke right?
You saw how the regime tried to manipulate the UN observers, it would have been the same.
If the dictator wanted the good of his country, he would have resigned and presented himself as a legitimate candidate. He would have stoped this bloodshed! When there's a will there's a way mowaten, you should know better...
13 September 2012, 21:22
03
@Mowaten I completely disagree with you. even if the salafis take power in syria for more than one term (very unlikely), lebanon is not in trouble. We have so many minorities, we are so open to the west, we are so impregnated by our diaspora, that salafism is a minor issue here. Just start drilling for gas, get some money into tripoli's economy and salafists and farsis will be able to kiss our A$$ goodbye. salafis and farsis wont be able to afford to buy our people anymore.
14 September 2012, 01:34
20
Apart from you in Lebanon, I don't mean all Christians in Lebanon, I've met many christains there which have more honesty, manners, and respect than a lot of Muslims, but unfornutely lebanons always been a hotspot of some major traitors, that even don't care to put there hands with Jews , only god knows how many spies and sellouts you have there. I
13 September 2012, 18:16
00
Funny, I am a strong LF/ Phalange fan but find this speech well misguided.
Will take Shia domination over sunni domination any day. And I am sunni!
on the base of which evidence to date does the "hakim" find that sunni-ruled society are minority-friendly?
13 September 2012, 18:18
37
There is another force that noone is talking about: the force of globalization of shopping malls of pervasive money and american influences, of MONEY... This force at work in Naharnet: the most read article is not geagea or aoun or HA. It is about the iphone5.
So the real conflict is not moslem christian or sunni chiite. We are all plus or minus the same. It is a conflict between left and right, between tax the rich or tax the poor. The rich moslem of Jnah has much more in common with the rich christian of Ashrafieh than with the poor moslem of Ouzai... All these manufactured differences and sects are moot issues to keep the people excited. "l'opium du peuple"
13 September 2012, 18:22
11
ana sme3et heda l makal mobechar, w l2ayto bikel mawdou3iyi memtez w khsoussi bel 2ekhir bass ye7ki 3an 2adiyit felstin w nate2ij el rabi3 3el 3arabi 3ala Israel. 3anajd tefkiro ktir sa7i7.
l meshekli 3endak bel balad kella l 3alam ta2ifiyin. w 3ala toul l siyessiyin bi khawfo l masi7iyin!! 2enno halla2 heda l nizam 7emi l masi7iyin!! FAUX et ARCHI FAUX!
1/heda l nizam fessid w 2aktar nizam 2aza l masi7iyin, 2/ l masi7iyin mawjoudin bi haydi l mant2a men zamen w abel heda l nizam! 3/ min bya3rif shou jeyi ba3ed heda l nizam, 4/ l masi7iyin henni yalli lezim ydef3o 3an l 7oriyet wel 3adeli w ykoun awal l ness ded l nizam
13 September 2012, 20:55
03
tu m'as manqué du respect dans le passé mais je compte te répondre d'une manière civilisé étant donné que ta réponse montre une bonne foi. Je ne suis vraiment pas d'accord avec ton analyse et les "évidences". Monsieur moi je ne distincte pas entre musulman et chrétien! ce régime tue et massacre son peuple! peu importe la religion! d'autant plus qu'en tant que chrétien je ne peux que m’opposer à ce régime. Ajoutons à cela (merci de rafraichir ta mémoire) qu'il nous a causé plein de malheur! alors je refuse catégoriquement de soutenir ce régime!
Au niveau géopolitique ( parce que tout à l'heure c'était au niveau personnel et humanitaire), le régime va s'effondrer, c'est fatale c'est l'histoire c'est une évidence comme tu le dis, ainsi on a toi et moi intérêt à préparer le NEXT!
13 September 2012, 22:47
03
Merci pour ton point de vue!
tu ne te rends même pas compte!!! mais pour qui se prend il se régime pour se permettre de rester au pouvoir avec toute cette révolte! Je refuse toute comparaison avec la révolte! Ce régime n'a pas le droit de rester une seconde au pouvoir! c'est un barbare c'est tout!!
Et puis tu ne sais rien de l’après ce régime. alors il ne faut pas spéculer! moi personnellement je vois un meilleur régime.
Sur le Liban, pour quoi pas rester neutre (ça se défend). perso je crois et je suis quasiment certain que notre pays dépend de la situation en Syrie et que nous sommes censés avoir une très bonne relation avec la Syrie, ne stresse qu'économiquement on est très dépendant et que une bonne Realpolitik devrait préparer le terrain pour l'après et donc surtout pas défendre ce régime comme le font certain chez nous au Liban!!!
13 September 2012, 22:53
02
sinon je suis épaté de ta maitrise des trois langues! je suis même jaloux. bien joué!
13 September 2012, 19:31
25
Well he can't go lower, so in egypt the 12 million christians have made a great difference and now there is a laic state down their, in iraq all is well since alquaieda invaded the country in algeria the murdered trapist monks were all aounist and thus they deserved to be butchered by the salafis! Come on sir stop calling yourself a doctor, a christian , a leader accept tha fact that you are an illetrate judas who rule only the villages of bcherreh and deir el ahmar, and please go spend your 30 silver coins there or in some veeeeeery remote island
13 September 2012, 19:39
23
Phoenician, I admire you for your honesty. Many commentators on this site are just paid to advance an agenda. Not you.
Let me remind that Geagea goes periodically to Saudi Arabia. On 27 dec 2011, naharnet reported that "The LF leader also met with Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, and the Director of General Intelligence Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz".
What for? why meeting with the top Saudi authorities, including the chiefs of security and intelligence? Geagea's party looks well off, his residence is both a forteresse and a luxurious mansion. I assume there must be many wealthy Christians supporting him.. Or maybe the Saudis paid him a check to make sure that at least some Christians are there to mask the Gulf agenda in Lebanon?
13 September 2012, 21:23
04
@ Spartacus
I totally agree with you and i dont see any problem with that if ( drrab tabel) wants to help the Christians of Lebanon so be it,am sorry sounds selfish but thats the truth. Its a bigger fish then it looks believe me when i say that America and Saudi are working on this together,
SAS and CIA are behind enemy lines in Syria. Iran and Syria were getting to big for the Saudi's including Bahrain and Saudi dont want that. Saudi will be the undisputed power in the middle east very soon on one condition,the Christians to be protected at all costs and the middle east will be remaped partitionning will happen.
13 September 2012, 21:31
04
And i think it should we have tried to coexist for the past 1400years IT DIDNT WORK,some of my best friends are muslims and they agree with me. Lebanese politicians have done absolutely nothing but bicker for the past nearly 40years,my parents receive 3hours of electricity a day and they cant even solve that problem its 2012 for God's sake. Am sorry if i offended anyone but thats the honest truth.
14 September 2012, 11:05
10
lol... by peace freedom and democracy you mean Hezbollah right?? lol
13 September 2012, 21:53
12
Phoenician, i am not sure i understood well. You said that Saudi help for Geagea is welcome. although the Saudis finance the radical sunni extremist who will soon establish Sharia next door, in Syria. But maybe I misunderstood.
I disagree with our estimate about the Saudi relevance. In my view, they will not be the undisputed power of Middle East, for many reasons. 1)They have a population of just 16 millions. 2) they lack a functioning society or a modern political system (everything is controlled by one family) and the elite is less than optimal 3) the country is undermined by the fact that it relies upon 10 millions expatriates, who actually provide the technocracy that the country cannot produce itself. 4) they have no honest and clear policy toward the region 5) they depend 100% on the US for everything concerning technology and defense 6) Their system is simply untenable (think of the female condition).
13 September 2012, 21:53
04
Even if the Wahabi kingdoms will play a big role the region, I think this no good news for Christians in the Middle East.
13 September 2012, 22:53
12
@Spartacus
Sharia law is imminent in that region regardless,the Sunnis Shites Druze and Christians will get their fair share geographically its the only answer look at Iraq and the blood shed on daily basis between Sunnis and Shites. Saudi Arabia will be the regional power in politics under the guidance of US nothing else and have been for 50 years Our Lebanon is the way it is now because of them and the US who is oil hungry and Saudi happens to be oil rich. As for Saudi's technocracy, social, acadamic influence they are at least 50 years behind Lebanon infact Lebanon is one of the leaders not only in mideast but in europe too.
14 September 2012, 01:31
11
Why are lying, nobody is massacring the Christians in syra, a lot of Christians in syria, are conservative god fearing people, and they kill them too and bomb there churches, we' ve been living side by side for thousands of years, so stop telling fairytales
14 September 2012, 06:59
11
Phoenician, I think that FT is right about KSA. They are wek and dependent from the US in everything.
Your idea of geographical fair share is frightening. It means that you wish/accept that 12 million Copts will have to endure the Sharia? Don't forget that the Egyptians were largely Copts until mass forced conversions occurred, lately during the Ottoman rule. OR you want all of them emigrate to Europe, or worse the Christian half of Lebanon?
Your idea of geopraphical fair share on religious basis seems to match perfectly with Israel's narrative and strategy, and not with the interest of the Christians in the region, nor with the Pope's view. Your idea implies decades of sufferings, emigration, violence and deportation for the minorities. Look only in the smal Lebanon how much harm this caused, and wha are the results?
