Jumblat: Defense Strategy Must Serve Lebanon Alone, Not Hormuz Strait
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat praised on Monday President Michel Suleiman’s “important political positions” on Army Day, most notably his remarks that “there can be no partnership with the army and forces responsible for maintaining Lebanon’s security.”
He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine: “We are seeking arms for the defense of Lebanon alone. We don’t want a defense strategy for the Hormuz Strait or any other area.”
“It’s true that we had said in past ministerial statements that we support the cooperation of the people, army, and resistance, but clarifications should be made over how this cooperation would take place,” he continued.
“This cooperation should be aimed against Israel and not serve any other purposes,” remarked the Druze chief.
Jumblat stressed the need for devising a defense strategy for Lebanon “that would prevent the country from once again becoming an open ground for political messages, as it did during the days of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Syrian hegemony.”
Addressing head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili’s visit to Lebanon, the MP noted: “It would be best to remind people of these issues given his visit to the country.”
“We acknowledge his security and strategic concerns, but if only he had catered to the internal affairs of his country, where the price of chicken has become more expensive than rockets … instead of spreading weapons arsenals here and there,” he stressed.
Commenting on Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s recent remarks that Lebanon is need of a liberation strategy in addition to a defense one, Jumblat said: “This demand requires first and foremost the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border, as stipulated during previous national dialogue sessions.”
“This will help prevent Lebanon from once again becoming a pawn in international nuclear negotiations or regional developments,” he added.
On the Syrian crisis, the MP noted: “The weapons used by the regime against its people could have been used to liberate the occupied Golan Heights several times.”
Furthermore, he said that the “global conspiracy against the Syrian people, has started to take on a new turn, whereby instead of arming the revolutionaries, international powers are beginning to speak of suicide bombers and jihadists” who have infiltrated Syria.
“Such a theory helps the regime and it was the first side to speak of it in order to serve its interests,” he said.
“The Syrian people, who have presented so many sacrifices, do not need such fighters,” remarked Jumblat.
Source: Naharnet
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