Bassil Says Army Command Won't be Vacant if Qahwaji Retired

by Naharnet Newsdesk 05 July 2013, 07:45

Free Patriotic Movement caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil stressed on Friday the military institution will not be hit by vacuum if Army commander General Jean Qahwaji was referred to retirement.

“All the public institutions, in particular the security agency, can't suffer from vacant posts as the hierarchy prevents it,” Bassil said in comments published al-Akhbar newspaper.

He pointed out that the Internal Security Forces didn't suffer from any vacancy after ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi was referred to retirement.

Acting ISF chief Brig. Gen. Roger Salem took over the post of Rifi after his retirement, who was succeeded in turn by Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous last month.

“Only exceptional circumstances justify the adoption of exceptional decisions,” Bassil told al-Akhbar.

He noted that the caretaker cabinet, which established an elections committee to supervise the upcoming parliamentary polls, can appoint a new Army commander if a new government wasn't formed.

Al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Nouhad al-Mashnouq said for his part that “the bloc is holding onto ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri's stance over the extension of Qahwaji's term.”

“We are looking for an adequate way to approve the extension draft-law,” al-Mashnouq said.

The FPM led by MP Michel Aoun has openly opposed attempts to extend the tenure of Qahwaji, criticizing al-Mustaqbal for seeking an extension.

Aoun said that since the post was reserved for the Maronite sect, then Christians had the priority before Hariri, head of al-Mustaqbal movement, to give their opinion on it.

But Hariri snapped back, saying the army was not owned by one sect.

Qahwaji's term ends this September when he turns 60, the maximum age for the post of the army commander.

Sharp dispute also emerged between the FPM and Hizbullah over the matter.

Comments 7

helicopter 05 July 2013, 08:41

Aoun said that since the post was reserved for the Maronite sect, then Christians had the priority before Hariri, head of al-Mustaqbal movement, to give their opinion on it................
If that is so, then the Sunnis should have priority opinion on who the PM should be and how to form the Cabinet.
Some want to reduce us to tribes..... Shi3a already have that privilege with Mr. Berri.

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benzona 05 July 2013, 19:23

They're sectarian to the bone.... It's the same rhetoric Bachar is applying in his wasteland country.

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geha 05 July 2013, 09:24

another example of sectarian activities by m8: the head of the ISF should be a sunni and appointing a Christian in his place, even interim, goes to show what m8 are doing: vacate all key positions of sunnis to exclude them totally from the state.
this is not acceptable and we are heading fast to civil war instigated by such actions of m8.

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--karim_m2 05 July 2013, 13:31

Just because you hate Christians, it doesnt mean that they are not entitled to their share of posts.

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helicopter 05 July 2013, 20:19

You are doing a personal attack and you are off track.
When Shi3a choose the Parliament speaker (Berri), and Sunni choose P.M, and Christians choose President and Army chief.......... then what sort of a Democratic republic will that be? Shi3a are already behaving choosing their leaders (intimidating their Hi3a opponents) and on top of that they decide through their proxy (Aoun) who the new army chief get to be, and hold Cabinet formation hostage to their demands and threats.
A day will come when justice prevails without the agony of a civil war........ I always think of Ghandi and Mandela as role models.

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