Geagea Says he's Not Maneuvering in Endorsing Aoun Candidacy
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea denied that the LF was maneuvering on its possible backing for Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun for the presidency.
“We are not maneuvering on our choice to back Aoun as a candidate,” al-Joumhouria daily on Wednesday quoted Geagea as saying. “We have many reasons for taking such a decision.”
According to the newspaper, Geagea told LF officials that endorsing Aoun's candidacy for the presidency would contribute to limiting tension among Christian parties.
The LF chief began mulling to support Aoun after his ally al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri stood firm on his support for Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh.
Franjieh is Aoun's ally but relations between them reached an all-time low after Hariri met with the Marada chief in Paris late last year to strike a deal with him on the presidency.
The deal lied in bringing Franjieh as president in return for allowing Hariri, a former prime minister, to lead the government.
Lebanon's top Christian post has been vacant since the term of former President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014. The rivalry between Aoun and Geagea is partly to be blamed for the vacuum at Baabda Palace.
Asked whether he thought that the Change and Reform chief would re-consider the LF as its rival after his possible election as president, Geagea said: “Who can guarantee the other?”
“We are engaging in dialogue with Aoun on all controversial issues … Our official decision to back his candidacy would not be made without a final and clear agreement.”
“The coming days will reveal more deals,” Geagea added.
13 January 2016, 10:42
12
I think its great that these two main christian leaders seem to have found a lot of common ground lately. Just a pity that it didnt happen a bit earlier, before Franjieh entered the fray.
13 January 2016, 11:39
73
Well Geagea killed Franjiehs family with his phalangist groups during the civil war.
No way will he ever accept Franjieh, that Hariri let go off Geagea remains a mystery, maybe because he thought he could break the March 8 alliance that way.
Not to mention Franjieh is a personal friend of Bashar Al Assad, what is Hariris fishy plans?
13 January 2016, 12:08
57
....and you are now killing the whole country...do you realize the harm you are doing???
13 January 2016, 12:20
46
@humble, none of these iranians consider Lebanon as their country. It's like a farm for them, they cultivate, use it and abuse it.
13 January 2016, 13:06
23
The Resistance is saving Lebanon from your Saudi backed salafis from Nusra and isil.
13 January 2016, 13:54
15
Hariri's plan was simple show the world how the hypocrites Iranian ISlamic terrorist mercenaries will keep refusing to elect the Maronite Lebanese president even if he's their long term most loyal trusted reliable ally. Geagea on the other hand knows that even with all seven of his MPs voting for Aoun the deserter will never get enough votes to be elected.
13 January 2016, 12:20
44
Simply put for a Christian:
-Caporal is an agent. His hands are tied because of the multi millions he received
-Caporal is likely to accept a Mutelateh
-Caporal is a liar and cannot be trusted
-Caporal sees his inrerest (+family) before the general interest
-Caporal is a mentally ill person who sees himself as a divinity
-Caporal is not intelligent ("IQ next to zero" US Report)
-Caporal is really a coward and lacks courage.
Most important: take example of this blog = even if Geagea supports the Caporal he will still be hated by the Caporal followers...
13 January 2016, 12:21
35
Geagea is making an immense mistake....huge...
Hakim is REACTING not acting.
13 January 2016, 12:59
42
This is almost humorous to me, to all of the hardcore followers of Hakim. I am all about being pro Christian and pro Lebanese. I support the historic LF just not sure Geagea was presidential. It is funny to me though nothing has changed with HA or Aoun the past two years regarding their stance in Lebanon. Why leave a vacuum for two years to give in now? Horrible politics. The funny thing is, I can't wait to go to church on Sunday to see the guys that get upset if I even wear an orange tie. Lol
13 January 2016, 13:06
32
Because Geagea would rather bow down to Aoun, than let the son of the Tony Frangieh he murdered in Ehden become President.
It's as simple as that. Geagea feels betrayed by Hariri aswell.
13 January 2016, 14:46
42
Mystic. Geagea feels betrayed by Hariri, yes! But this is Deja vue 1990s when he was betrayed after Syria took out Aoun in 1991! This time he has realized earlier that divided we fall! I hope we can all unite against the thieving foreigners who have never lived in Lebanon. Who's allegiance is to foreigners or who's allegiance is to those that pay or guarantee their fiefdoms.
The killers of Tony Frangieh are still not truly known! Suliman Franjieh is objected to only coz how he was appointed by foreigners!
13 January 2016, 19:27
00
Mystic, tx for explaining. Could you also explain a little bit about Berris stance. Is he really giving his MPs freedom to vote, or is he just washing his hands to make it look like he is not the one that refuses Aoun?
13 January 2016, 13:29
00
It's funny how you all want to mention and use the massacre as his excuse why not the fact that Lebanese politics is noticeable now that idiots and liars tend to always stick together so they don't expose each others BS. My opinion being a Christian is that the two who spilt the Christians becouse of a war together are being selfish again and turned out to be the scums of the Christians, un like frangihe he always had little to say and didn't bark out loud becouse he is much smarter and understands that both off those idiots are all in it just for their personal interest.
13 January 2016, 19:49
01
it is relatively safe to make all of these rapprochements between the LF and FPM because they will lead nowhere. As long as KSA and Iran are and remain at serious odds in the region neither will allow their clients in Lebanon to act. KSA will not all Future to move forward with Frangieh and Iran will not allow the Aoun candidacy to go forward either.
Lebanon is held hostage to its mortgagees, the regional powers who financially support the Lebanese political class.
So sure, Geagea and Aoun can talk, shake hands, make agreements, killun, so what?? Until the Patrons decide, there is no decision and in the meantime the veneer of unity can be helpful
