Suleiman Asks Security Forces to Protect Towns on Border with Syria, Congratulates Egypt on Referendum
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
President Michel Suleiman on Sunday announced that he has asked security forces to protect Lebanese towns near the border with Syria “from any attack.”
“Suleiman has asked military and security officials to take all the necessary measures to protect Lebanese villages and towns near the border with Syria,” said a message published on the president's Twitter account.
“Protecting Lebanon's regions and residents is a priority in the face of any attack, whichever side it may come from,” Suleiman added.
Nine people were killed on Friday in a rocket attack on the border town of Arsal. Five of the killed were children from the same family.
Several other people were also wounded when rockets landed in nearby towns in northern Bekaa.
Separately, Suleiman congratulated Egypt's Interim president on the outcome of the latest referendum on the Constitution.
In a telephone conversation with Interim president Adly Mansour, Suleiman welcomed the choice of the Egyptian people, who sought for moderation and democracy.
Suleiman also hailed the leading role that Egypt plays in the region and the world.
He hoped for stability for the Egyptian people and their country.
Egyptian voters have approved a new constitution by 98.1 percent, the elections chief said Saturday, in what the government declared a popular endorsement of the army's overthrow of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.
The result of the Tuesday-Wednesday vote had never been in doubt, as Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists boycotted it, but the authorities wanted a large turnout in the first democratic test since the ouster in July.
19 January 2014, 13:26
154
shame on u president, lauding this farce, even if it could bring stability, should have kept quiet...
19 January 2014, 21:39
12
Thank goodness the mighty snore has returned… you were ranting that the Iranian militia should take control of Lebanon many times. You did not mention elections or referendums them.
19 January 2014, 13:43
122
97.62% of the Syrian people "voted" for Bashar in the 2007 presidential elections.
98.1% of the Egyptian people "voted" for a military drafted constitution in 2014.
Nothing suspicious in those numbers at all. I'm sure both Syria (in 2007) and Egypt (2014) held free and fair votes, that are the envy of the West.
19 January 2014, 17:24
28
No f.t.,
A better comparison would be to the 32.6% of voters who approved the Morsi constitution. The current one has 4% higher approval rating.
The Arab world is stuck between dictators and religious crazies causing brain drain in the Arab world.
19 January 2014, 18:40
80
Yes FT, so 35% of the Egyptian people get to determine the future of the rest of the country?
By your logic, the Lebanese parliamentary elections of 1992 was been free and fair (and almost every one since), although at least half the country was kept out of the democratic process.
19 January 2014, 14:00
00
in Lebanon what was the percentage in the election in sunni and chia blocks?
19 January 2014, 16:46
19
I am one who will join the president in congratulating Egypt for this referendum. Egypt at least has been sparred the worst, Morsi was definitely taking Egypt back to the 18th century. In so short a time Morsi polarized Egyptian society, brought near famine conditions to the common Egyptian and was bringing Egypt the nearest to a civil war. The US wanted Morsi because the last strong Arab country had to be transformed into a backwards weak and divided society, the last Arab nation that could stand in the face of Israel. Maybe Al Sisi doesn't represent the ideal solution, but given what's happened to many so called Arab Spring countries, Egypt at least now has a sense of direction. Mabrook.
19 January 2014, 17:15
91
'the last Arab nation that could stand in the face of Israel'
well, i'm interested to know how could egypt resist israeli drones,f15/16, german submarines and its 300 nuclear warheads...
19 January 2014, 17:27
09
cedre,
Are you pro-Morsi? Do you like what the MB was doing in Egypt?
19 January 2014, 17:40
91
i'm not pro-morsi or pro-mb.
Morsi is one of the worst politician I ever saw, but this idiot was elected and kidnapped...
19 January 2014, 17:43
29
Cedre, Egypt alone has all the weight of both military and logistics, thus the famous saying, No war against Israel without Egypt and no peace without Syria. Sisi was appointed by Morsi, and 4 days before Morsi was about to embark on a very controversial deal backed by the US, among which was the dismissal of his COS Sisi, Sisi removed Morsi and prevented what could have been a totally disastrous outcome for all Arab countries. I still see Sisi as the savior of Egypt and the Arab countries, and yes, let Israel try its luck on Egypt's military, walaw, you forgot Egypt has almost the same weaponry? And do you want to dismiss its military as being incapable? I would think again if I was you.
19 January 2014, 17:47
28
Brother Roar, please read @Awireless' post, good post it is. Morsis's brotherhood filled with KSA cash simply stole Egypt's revolution and the voices of the people with better organization and money. Walaw Roar, can't you see what KSA money was doing in Syria? Can't you see another people's revolution stolen because people are never well organized and the Brotherhood always ready to pounce on unsuspecting people? Morsi on paper won, but on the ground he is hated like the devil, this is why Al Sisi is seen as the savior of Egypt. Why do you think now in Syria the Takfiris are facing one reverse after the other? Check the links to that bro.
19 January 2014, 19:57
12
(2). Brothers Roar, Cedre, Marhaba, Proud, whereas it comes to democratically elected people, I can assure, we are on the same side, but whereas it pertains to how people like Morsi got about to winning, that's an entirely different matter altogether. I was one of those millions who embraced changes in the Arab world, into a true democracy and away from dictatorships, but then, not at all costs. People like Morsi come from very well financed dubious parties, they made NO sacrifices of any kind, it was all along sacrifices from the people, a revolution by the people and results that were hoped would be for the people. The brotherhood just came in when things were well ironed out, and with their powerful finances, just filled a place that was being made by the people.
19 January 2014, 20:03
12
(2). Look at what happened in Tunisia before then, who stole the people's voices there but the Islamists? I am sorry, the last thing for me is today to lambast the KSA and Qatar, but then both countries had a common plan which was to turn the region into Islamic regimes, so please, nothing in such a plan went anywhere near the word democracy. It's clear now that both countries, after having seen the nefarious effects and results of radical Islam, have started their move drifting away from supporting radicals in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria and why may I ask? That's because they created a monster that was to engulf their own regimes, simple. Morsi, was on his way to turn Egypt into a theocracy, so they are lucky, Egypt unlike us Lebanese, they still have men, real men, and Sissi is one such man. Today some may not like his ways, but already Al Sisi has gained enormous popularity, none less than from those who once were fooled by Morsi.
19 January 2014, 20:30
21
'Morsis's brotherhood filled with KSA cash'
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, phoenix do u really live in M.E. ?
With all respect, what u wrote is so funny and ridiculous anybody with 1 gram of knowledge on MENA would know that ksa and MBs hate each others for decades. KSA and UAE recognized Sisi as president after few hours, sending hin billions to help egyptian economy.
With no offence, u dont seem to have a clue about what happened and happens in the region...
19 January 2014, 20:56
01
@cedre
It Qatar that financed the MB not KSA. However, the rest of @phoenix1 comment remains true. Our societies have not yet reached the level of education and enlightenment to exercise true democracy hence why Sisi is, on balance, better than Morsi and the MB in Egypt.
Was it not for Ataturk (Mustafa Kamal) Turkey would still be in the dark ages.
19 January 2014, 21:25
01
Cedre, you made me laugh with your asking me if I lived in the M.E, I needed the cheer trust me. You're right bro, I don't live in the M.E, I live in Lebanon.
19 January 2014, 22:13
31
thats what i said lebnanfirst , u got the ksa-uae anti-mb, and the turkey-qatar pro-mb axis...
To say ksa supported MB, is like to say vatican supported serbs...
19 January 2014, 18:38
81
The Egyptian people voted Morsi into power. I am also of the opinion they made the wrong decision. But, at least my belief in democracy is absolute, and I don't believe in military coups.
Also, the brotherhood were never able to take Bassem Youssef of the air, while the army did it after one episode parodying a few of its supporters.
If only the army held new free and fair elections, then maybe Egypt would move forward. Right now though, the country is only becoming more polarised, with supporters of a legitimate and popular movement being labeled terrorists. How is there a future with such a situation?
19 January 2014, 17:21
104
Another farce of an Arab election. Tsk tsk. I understand why the president made his statement though.
19 January 2014, 18:30
80
No one said that the brotherhood have a majority. But holding free and fair polls would've legitimised the anti-brotherhood movement in Egypt (which came to power through a military coup).
This farce only polarises Egypt, keeping the brotherhood out of the fold and encouraging its extremist elements.
20 January 2014, 07:52
00
Do you have a life, a job, a hobby other than posting here 27/7 like Seven Eleven! Please, I plead with you to respect the rules of debate and take a break.
