Suleiman: Defense Strategy Beginning to Take Shape through Saudi Grant to Army

Mr. President, did the Saudis ever tell you, what they wanted in return?

We will see what they require from Lebanon in return.

May be to strengthen the army to the point that we need not tolerate outlaw militias.

Mr president
in order to tell hizb to leave its arms and adopt defence strategy
the LA should have weapons like hizb and better , and I agree that in order to relax big powers just ask for defensive weapons so nobody will give an excuse that offensive weapons may be used to attack
so just defensive ie: anti aircraft , anti war ship , anti tank missiles and drones to controle our borders from south to north
god bless lebanon

How did your interview go?

(1). When the army becomes strong, the state becomes strong and the militias become weak. When the state becomes strong it will impose its will through strong and stable constitutional institutions. Once these show their capacity to endure its will on the people, the militias will see their roles diminished with every passing month, to the point where the militia can no longer convince anyone of their need but their demise. When the state becomes strong through its army, then the law becomes for all, then new people will appear, willing to serve the nation, then we shall see fresh young faces from our youth, ready to prove that Lebanon needs not old dinosaurs to lead but to move out of the way.

(2). Let the LAF be given all it needs, if its the devil that's giving it the means so be it, but for heavens' sake, help us get rid of those damn militias, since independence day we saw nothing but them, damn them, we want the state and nothing else, pure Lebanese, for the Lebanese. The hell with militias, and I care less who they are, the hell with them all. The proof is that they've never done anything but mess this whole country up, to the point we don't know what it looks like anymore. We've seen countries where the state is strong, their people live well, why should we Lebanese be condemned to be ruled by militias and not by a state with powerful institutions? Are we any different from normal human beings? Is our country a dumping ground for all the causes but Lebanese ones? The hell with them all, we just want a Lebanese where we could live head high, not head down, eupht wloh shou ftilitkoun tawileh, wloh!!!

**We just want a Lebanon where we could live....***

There MUST NOT be an LAF/HA conflict at any cost. Let's talk, and keep talking until we come to a formula where HA's armed wing is placed under the exclusive authority of the state. And I don't care how long it takes to get there. No civil war, thank you. We paid enough.

We are a diverse country. We cannot exist without embracing every sect. No one must be left behind, being Sunni, Shia, Christian or Druze. We have arrived at this point precisely because the Shia were left behind to fend for themselves ever since independence.

I keep hearing talk about winners and losers. M14 will win and M8 will lose, and vice-versa. Has it crossed your minds that the only viable solution is a win-win that will involve compromise of all involved?

In the 60's and 70's, Lebanese Christians took arms to protect themselves from the Palestinians aggression. Now Shia's are taking arms to protect themselves from the Israeli/takfiri aggression. Until the army is strong enough to protect all sects, its going to be this way.

roar pretends that any changes in lebanon will affect his life in some way, the truth is that no matter what happens here he will always have his welfare housing in australia, his welfare cheque and his welfare food stamps.