Geagea Slams Aoun's 'Failed Wars', Says Extension Better than 'Toppling the State'
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Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea launched a scathing attack on Wednesday against the Change and Reform bloc led by MP Michel Aoun, accusing it of seeking to “change the political system” and noting that the LF voted for extending the parliament's term in order to prevent the fall of the state.
“It has become obvious that the aim of the Change and Reform bloc is toppling all state institutions as a prelude to changing the entire political system through a constituent assembly,” Geagea said at a press conference in Maarab, hours after the parliament voted to extend its own term for another 27 months.
The LF's MPs were among 95 lawmakers who voted in favor of extension.
The Change and Reform and Kataeb blocs boycotted the session while the two MPs of the Tashnag Party voted against the move.
“The constituent assembly was a dangerous and destructive idea that we couldn't accept from the (Change and Reform) bloc, so we found ourselves obliged to approve the extension decision,” Geagea explained.
“Between extension and elections, we choose elections, but between extension and toppling the state, we choose extension,” he pointed out.
“A member of the (Change and Reform) bloc said that 'what happened today was a robbery of the parliament,' but the decision to hold the polls was in the hand of the entire government, not only in the hand of the interior minister,” Geagea noted, arguing that the bloc could have pressed for holding the polls through its ministers in the cabinet.
Continuing his criticism of Change and Reform, the LF leader said that “for the sake of a presidential candidate, they left the country without a president for five months.”
“Why didn't one of their ministers tell the government that they can't continue to take part in a cabinet that did not prepare for elections?” Geagea asked.
He charged that the Change and Reform bloc “is lamenting extension while it was one of the parties that colluded to torpedo the elections.”
“The Change and Reform bloc was at least standing idly by if we don't want to say that they colluded” to prevent the organization of the polls, added Geagea.
Describing Aoun as “the champion of failed adventures and wars,” the LF chief noted that the rival Christian leader “had several times admitted that we cannot hold elections in these circumstances.”
“How can you accuse the LF of breaching Christian consensus after your Christian allies (Marada bloc) voted in favor of extension? Who said that extension is a Muslim demand and its rejection is a Christian demand? The LF's men were killed during the war under the excuse of abolishing militias while today, during peace times, you have an agreement with militias,” Geagea added, addressing Aoun and his bloc.
Noting that the LF was “the only Christian party to submit a draft electoral law to the parliament,” Geagea dismissed as “lies” claims that his party had breached “Christian consensus” over the controversial electoral law proposed by the Orthodox Gathering -- under which each sect would elect its own MPs.
“We must return to Bkirki's statement” in this regard, Geagea said.
“The 2013 extension occurred due to (the dispute) over the electoral law and today the reason behind extension is your obstruction of the presidential vote,” the LF leader added.
“All your acts are an attempt at deceiving people and you didn't want elections in the first place,” he said, addressing Change and Reform.
Last year, the parliament extended its term until November 2014 after the MPs failed to agree on a new law and claimed the security situation did not guarantee violence-free elections.
The Baabda Palace has been vacant since the expiry of President Michel Suleiman's term in May. The rival MPs have failed to elect a new head of state over their differences on a compromise candidate.
The majority of the March 8 camp's lawmakers have boycotted the sessions, insisting that there should be consensus on a candidate first.
But their boycott has also been seen as a sign of their rejection of Geagea's candidacy, which was officially endorsed by the March 14 forces before the coalition suggested agreeing on a compromise nominee.
Y.R.
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05 November 2014, 16:59
Geagea: Berri promised us to call meetings for the parliamentary committee tasked with drafting an electoral law and said that if we don't agree on a law within a month, he would ask the parliament to convene to discuss all draft laws.
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05 November 2014, 16:57
Geagea: If the Change and Reform bloc is truly against extension, let them move to elect a new president.
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05 November 2014, 16:55
Geagea: A minister from the Change and Reform bloc said that the bloc will file appeals, but why didn't you refrain from signing the government's decrees? All your acts are an attempt at deceiving people and you didn't want elections in the first place.
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05 November 2014, 16:52
Geagea: The 2013 extension occurred due to (the dispute) over the electoral law and today the reason behind extension is your obstruction of the presidential vote, as well as parliamentary elections, at least in Kuwait and Australia.
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05 November 2014, 16:50
Geagea: Where is your role in the government? Why are you accusing the interior ministry of thwarting the parliamentary elections?
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05 November 2014, 16:50
Geagea: Claims that we breached consensus over the Orthodox law are lies and we must return to Bkirki's statement.
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05 November 2014, 16:49
Geagea: When did we hold Christian meetings to discuss extension? The problem is that the Change and Reform bloc considers itself the sole representative of Christians and that any other party that opposes its decisions would be violating Christian consensus.
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05 November 2014, 16:48
Geagea: Lamentation is not justified and you were the ones who stabbed Christians in their hearts while today you are trying to justify the presence of militias.
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05 November 2014, 16:47
Geagea: The only Christian party that submitted a draft electoral law to the parliament was the LF and we managed to secure a majority of votes for it.
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05 November 2014, 16:46
Geagea: How can you accuse the LF of breaching Christian consensus after your Christian allies voted in favor of extension? Who said that extension is a Muslim demand and its rejection is a Christian demand? The LF's men were killed during the war under the excuse of abolishing militias while today, during peace times, you have an agreement with militias.
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05 November 2014, 16:44
Geagea: Aoun is the champion of failed adventures and wars and he had several times admitted that we cannot hold elections in these circumstances.
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05 November 2014, 16:42
Geagea: The Change and Reform bloc was at least standing idly by if we don't want to say that they colluded (to torpedo the elections).
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05 November 2014, 16:40
Geagea: We contacted the Lebanese communities in Kuwait and Australia and they said the foreign ministry did not inform them of anything. All embassies are not aware of any measures aimed at holding expat parliamentary polls.
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05 November 2014, 16:39
Geagea: The Change and Reform bloc is lamenting extension while it was one of the parties that colluded to torpedo the elections.
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05 November 2014, 16:38
Geagea: For the sake of a presidential candidate, they left the country without a president for five months, so why didn't one of their ministers tell the government that they can't continue to take part in a cabinet that did not prepare for elections?
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05 November 2014, 16:38
Geagea: A member of the (Change and Reform) bloc said that "what happened today was a robbery of the parliament," but the decision to hold the polls was in the hand of the entire government, not only in the hand of the interior minister.
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05 November 2014, 16:37
Geagea: Between extension and elections, we choose elections, but between extension and toppling the state, we choose extension.
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05 November 2014, 16:36
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in a televised address from Maarab: The constituent assembly was a dangerous and destructive idea that we couldn't accept from the (Change and Reform) bloc, so we found ourselves obliged to approve the extension decision.
05 November 2014, 17:21
54
The FPM are part of Salam government and they had every opportunity to press on with the issue of parliamentary elections had they really wanted it. The truth to the matter it is all political posturing and they had already agreed to the extension with nasrallah. What we see today is typical "change and reform" antiquated tactics that no longer fool anybody.
05 November 2014, 17:22
57
lol, they tried @norma.jean but failed. They will try again you can count on that.
05 November 2014, 17:29
54
marada is an M8 christian party that voted for the extension... LOL
05 November 2014, 18:32
22
" Lamentation is not justified and you were the ones who stabbed Christians in their hearts while today you are trying to justify the presence of militias."
"The LF's men were killed during the war under the excuse of abolishing militias while today, during peace times, you have an agreement with militias."
ABSOLUTLY
05 November 2014, 19:04
21
Exactly!
it's not a question of principles. JUST POWER and PROPAGANDA!
05 November 2014, 19:11
49
Aoun has had only one purpose: weaken Christians in Lebanon in order to force them to leave Lebanon.
he is a traitor.
05 November 2014, 19:25
45
Geagea: When did we hold Christian meetings to discuss extension? The problem is that the Change and Reform bloc considers itself the sole representative of Christians and that any other party that opposes its decisions would be violating Christian consensus.
--saying it how it is
05 November 2014, 19:28
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Geagea: How can you accuse the LF of breaching Christian consensus after your Christian allies voted in favor of extension? Who said that extension is a Muslim demand and its rejection is a Christian demand? The LF's men were killed during the war under the excuse of abolishing militias while today, during peace times, you have an agreement with militias.
--very true
05 November 2014, 19:32
44
Geagea: For the sake of a presidential candidate, they left the country without a president for five months, so why didn't one of their ministers tell the government that they can't continue to take part in a cabinet that did not prepare for elections?
Great question. On top of that, LF isn't even in the cabinet. Aoun with all his ministers should have pressured the rest of the cabinet to prepare for elections if they really wanted them to take place
05 November 2014, 20:36
21
The state that Dr. Geagea who is firmly defending are composed of outdated reactionary sectarian political elites that are all fiercely defending the current social order that they call Lebanon.
05 November 2014, 20:52
47
If you support the vision of the Patriarch, call on FPM a MPs to head to parliament and vote for a president cause that is the Patrirack's ultimate vision.
05 November 2014, 21:17
13
"toppling the failed state is way better than keeping the status quo.."
Good one and a classic, it's what the Lebanese left, Arab and Syrian nationalists told themselves back in 1975 and it was a good enough reason for them to conspire with the PLO in murdering Christians
05 November 2014, 22:23
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defacto if you insist on posting as kesrweneh at least don't have him repeat one of your older post almost verbatim three minutes after you post using the defacto handle no cool man no cool
05 November 2014, 23:10
42
The Tayyar starting from the Top is corrupt and obeing to Iran orders.
06 November 2014, 01:21
42
Dont hate me because i dont have to stoop to ur level to make a living. ;) sorry bro, i knwo the truth and theitiful life you lead.
