Aoun Calls for Curbing Salam's 'Behavior', Says Army Command behind 'Attack' on Protesters
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Thursday called for “reining in” Prime Minister Tammam Salam while accusing the Army Command of being behind the scuffles that erupted with the FPM protesters on July 9.
“The premier's behavior must be brought under control,” said Aoun in an interview on LBCI TV, accusing Salam of infringing on the Christian president's powers in the absence of a head of state.
“A minister is abusing his jurisdiction, because the decision belongs to the entire cabinet,” Aoun added, referring to Defense Minister Samir Moqbel.
“We will continue the battle over the (security) appointments in order to put an end to the legal flaws in governance,” Aoun underlined.
The issue of the appointments of senior security and military officials is a key point of contention that has led to a thorny debate over the cabinet's decision-making mechanism in the event of a presidential vacuum.
Aoun has been lobbying for the appointment of Commando Regiment commander Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, his son-in-law, as army chief.
“The army commander cannot demand the extension of his own term,” Aoun told LBCI, accusing Army chief General Jean Qahwaji of making such a request.
“Christian rights are not limited to the appointments. There is the Christian representation in parliament, and the Taef Accord and the Constitution stipulate equal power-sharing in the parliament. The electoral law must preserve the foundations of coexistence,” Aoun noted.
He stressed that the 24 ministers should take decisions “collectively” in the cabinet.
“The entire cabinet must assume the president's powers, not two thirds of the members,” he said.
“I'm not seeking to eliminate Qahwaji, the others and Qahwaji are seeking to eliminate me,” said Aoun when asked whether he is opposing an extension of Qahwaji's term with the aim of blocking the latter's possible election as president.
“Let us do a referendum and ask people about their favorite candidate for the army chief post or let the cabinet choose after reviewing the CVs of the top 3 candidates,” Aoun suggested.
He noted that “there is something fishy in the insistence on extending the army commander's term, as no one would violate the law without awaiting certain benefits.”
Turning to the stalled presidential elections, Aoun noted that the so-called top four Christian leaders had agreed with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi that the president “should represent Christians.”
“We do not want a president who is not representative,” he added.
“I'm not in a battle against anyone and as long as I'm present, I'm a presidential candidate,” said Aoun.
Separately, Aoun accused army troops of starting the confrontations with the FPM protesters on July 9 near the Grand Serail, putting the blame squarely on “the Army Command.”
“Our youths were surprised that army troops blocked their way and I will soon disclose the names of the army personnel who attacked us,” he explained.
“Who are the army troops whom the Command said were wounded?” Aoun asked, referring to a communique in which the Army Command announced that seven soldiers were injured in the scuffles.
Addressing the regional situations, Aoun noted that “there are indications that a solution is being prepared for the region and it would involve ending the presence of Daesh (Islamic State group) and (Qaida's Syria franchise) al-Nusra Front.”
“It seems that an international decision has been taken to liquidate them, the same as there was a decision to create them to perform certain missions,” said Aoun.
Y.R.
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23 July 2015, 23:12
Aoun: There are indications that a solution is being prepared for the region and it would involve ending the presence of the IS and al-Nusra Front. It seems that an international decision has been taken to liquidate them, the same as there was a decision to create them to perform certain missions.
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23 July 2015, 23:10
Aoun: I'm not to blame regarding the obstruction in the army commander issue and I will not elect a president who does not represent the “Christian leadership.”
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23 July 2015, 23:08
Aoun: There is something fishy in the insistence on extending the army commander's term, as no one would violate the law without awaiting certain benefits.
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23 July 2015, 23:05
Aoun: We are defending the army, not its Command which took it to a confrontation.
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23 July 2015, 23:05
Aoun: Who are the army troops whom the Command said were wounded?
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23 July 2015, 23:04
Aoun: Our youths were surprised that army troops blocked their way and I will soon disclose the names of the army personnel who attacked us.
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23 July 2015, 22:59
Aoun accused army troops of starting the confrontations with the FPM protesters on July 9, putting the blame on “the Army Command.”
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23 July 2015, 22:57
Aoun: Let us make a referendum and ask people about their favorite candidate for the army chief post or let the cabinet choose after reviewing the CVs of the top 3 candidates.
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23 July 2015, 22:54
Aoun: I'm not seeking to eliminate Qahwaji, the others and Qahwaji are seeking to eliminate me.
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23 July 2015, 22:41
Aoun: Hariri is not impotent but some parties are interfering in his affairs and he cannot fulfill his promises.
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23 July 2015, 22:39
Aoun: The door is open for a reconciliation with Berri.
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23 July 2015, 22:32
Aoun: The entire cabinet must assume the president's powers, not two thirds of the members.
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23 July 2015, 22:30
Aoun: The 24 ministers should take decisions unanimously in the cabinet and this is the mechanism.
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23 July 2015, 22:29
Aoun: The cabinet session was “extended” to Tuesday and were we supposed to clash with the government?
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23 July 2015, 22:19
Aoun: Christian rights are not limited to the appointments. There is the Christian representation in parliament, and the Taef Accord and the Constitution stipulate equal power-sharing in the parliament. The electoral law must preserve the foundations of coexistence.
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23 July 2015, 22:14
Aoun: The army commander cannot demand the extension of his own term.
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23 July 2015, 22:12
Aoun: We will continue the battle over the appointments in order to put an end to the legal flaws in governance.
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23 July 2015, 22:06
Aoun: No authority can extend its own mandate unilaterally and the parliament that extended its own term is illegitimate.
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23 July 2015, 22:05
Aoun: They don't want any just law because they are usurping the rights of the Christians and they want to continue with that.
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23 July 2015, 22:04
Aoun: We want an electoral law that is fair for everyone and electoral justice can only be achieved through a law based on proportional representation.
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23 July 2015, 22:02
Aoun: A minister is abusing his jurisdiction because the decision belongs to the entire cabinet.
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23 July 2015, 22:01
Aoun: The Lebanese people are aggrieved and I'm defending them.
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23 July 2015, 22:01
Aoun: I'm not in a battle against anyone and as long as I'm present, I'm a presidential candidate.
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23 July 2015, 21:57
Aoun: The premier's behavior must be brought under control and the president must not be neutral.
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23 July 2015, 21:55
Aoun: We agreed with Patriarch al-Rahi that the president should represent Christians. We do not want a president who is not representative.
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23 July 2015, 21:37
Aoun: Why aren't we represented in power like the Sunnis and the Shiites?
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23 July 2015, 21:37
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in an interview on LBCI: I never said, “either me or nobody.” They are the ones saying, “anyone other than General Aoun.”
23 July 2015, 21:54
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عون: يقول الإمام علي ان "المحايد هو لم ينصر الباطل إنما المؤكد انه خذل الحق".
hehehehe! More shia than the shias is michel aoun!
23 July 2015, 21:57
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عون: حسب وثيقة الوفاق الوطني فالقانون يراعي العيش المشترك ويؤمن صحة التمثيل وهذا لا يحصل اليوم.
Oh I see.... did you take the العيش المشترك into consideration when you issued the one way ticket to a man who represents 90% of his sect..... ?
23 July 2015, 21:59
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عون: في اي انتخابات رئاسية في العالم يفوز المرشح من أحد الحزبين وعندما يصل الفائز يصبح رئيساً لكل الناس.
Great, now head to parliament and elect yourself and become president for all Lebanese.
23 July 2015, 22:04
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عون: التسوية قد تفضي لانتخابي رئيساً من قبل المجلس النيابي الحالي ويصبح كأنه مجلساً تأسيسياً لإعادة تكوين السلطة.
Aoun has no problem being elected president by a parliament he considers ILLEGAL.
23 July 2015, 22:21
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عون: العرف هو الميثاق ومثلما تسمي الكتلة السنية رئيس الحكومة والكتلة الشيعية رئيس مجلس النواب على الكتلة المسيحية ان تسمي رئيس الجمهورية.
laughable.... the norm does not say the Sunnis nominate the PM or the Shias nominate the Speaker. The constitution calls for nomination of the PM by every MP in parliament through consultations conducted by the President.
23 July 2015, 22:26
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عون: إذا طلبتم مني ان أصف الرئيس الحيادي قد أكون انا الرئيس الحيادي.
but you previously said you were part of the iranian-syrian-resistance axis, so how is that being neutral;))
then he says"
عون: انا متمايز بالمواقف عن الجميع وأنا أدعم "المقاومة" ضد إسرائيل وأنا مع "المقاومة" ضد الإرهاب ومن يجرؤ ان يقول غير ذلك فليرفع يده.
that sure sounds you are neutral:)
23 July 2015, 22:44
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عون: هناك سفالة كبيرة في التعاطي معنا من الصحافة.
are you sure? maybe you should watch yourself in the video below and what you said to the MTV female reporter @1:30-1:33 in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=95&v=9JS9w7l8rtE
24 July 2015, 08:33
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lol, aoun could not find one verse from the Bible or from the disciples or from Jesus Christ to use;) Only Imam Ali, wow.
24 July 2015, 15:44
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Qahwaji seems to have ordered troops to attack unarmed FPM protesters without reason.
Saudis instructed him to do this, because they did not want his party to appear so enlarged.
24 July 2015, 08:49
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ريفي: أصروا أن الفريق المسيحي مهمش.. فذكرتهم كيف ضربوا الشراكة بحكومة ميقاتي
23 July 2015, 22:17
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Aoun: No authority can extend its own mandate unilaterally and the parliament that extended its own term is illegitimate.
Yet, this illegitimate parliament will be very legitimate if it elects you as President.
Aoun: The Lebanese people are aggrieved and I'm defending them.
We are aggrieved by you and no you are defending your own personal and family interests.
24 July 2015, 08:58
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Aoun Calls for Curbing Salam's 'Behavior', Says Army Command behind 'Attack' on Protesters
he attacks and undermines the army when he likes.... traitor!
