Sunday, April 30, 2006

Aoun Lambasts the Parliament - But Why?

Tayyar.org and Naharnet report that Aoun has now blamed parliament for the current impasse in Lebanese politics, and has recommended that new parliamentary elections be held as his most preferred solution.

I hate being hard on Aoun because too many people already are, but what the hell is the point of new elections? Is parliament an active institution today? Or has it been replaced by this parallel political institution we call Hiwar el Watani, which completely neutralizes majorities, minorities and all the other institutions and processes that parliaments offer?

I seriously doubt a third of Aoun is sitting on that table, half of Hariri, a third of Nasrallah, etc... The only thing that Parliament actually contributes to the Hiwar table is that it prevented idiots like Arslan and Franjieh from attending. And that's it.

So let us assume, for Pete's sake, that we hold parliamentary elections tomorrow. Aoun gets a larger share, Hizballah and Amal get a little more seats, and Jumblatt and Hariri get smaller shares. Will the "Hiwar" table look any different? I don’t think I need to answer that question.

The simple fact of the matter is that Parliament is irrelevant. The first political institution in the country that was effectively liberated from the grip of Damascus has been shut down. Syria, Hizballah and the rest of them have done their best to discredit it, and bypass it in the political process. That is the reason our dear Nabih Berri (of all people) decided to shut down the institution he heads and come up with these pathetic Hiwar sessions.

Aoun, my friend, I don't know why you've made this recent political declaration. A more friendly parliament will not get you anywhere.

So now I’m left with the question of Why? Why have you made these obviously ridiculous claims?

20 comments:

Raja said...

>>The present govermnent is paralyzed as it is obsessed by taking revenge on Lahoud and anyone who does not hate the syrian.<<

You have not been keeping up to date on the news, my friend. The majority now claims that it can live with Lahoud. It is now Aoun who cannot live with him.

>>They are also obstructing any move to open the corruption and the bloody hand files. Most of the present government were syrian stooges and have benefitted from their masters before turning their vest.<<

Bloody hand files? Hmmm. Are you talking about the civil war? Not even Aoun's hands are not stained with blood. Moreover, what about Gebran, Samir, Rafic, Bassil, and the others who were murdered by Hizballah's allies in Damascus? Is Hizballah completely innocent of those murders?

With regards to corruption and former allegiances, your remedy is the disposal of the entire political class - except for Hizballah, Franjieh, Murr, Arslan, etc....

There are two elements of that plan that a considerable number of Lebanese disapprove of:

1. hypocrisy.

2. naiveté. i.e. why doesn't Aoun focus on reforming our country and implementing his programs as opposed to obsessing about the impossible task of overthrowing the entire political elite.

Either Aoun should adjust his strategy to reconcile it with his own political allegiances, or adjust his political allegiances to reconcile them with his declared strategy.

Hassan said...

Raja,

"The only thing that Parliament actually contributes to the Hiwar table is that it prevented idiots like Arslan and Franjieh from attending."

You need to take a better look around my friend. Many idiots on that table. Start off by counting everyone from the Feb 14 camp who fell for the Berry/Nasrallah trap, as the "victims" now call it. Add Michel Murr if you want.

"why doesn't Aoun focus on reforming our country and implementing his programs as opposed to obsessing about the impossible task of overthrowing the entire political elite."

I don't think reform is possible with Lahoud/Jumblat/Hariri/Berry and their gangs still roaming around free after all they've done to our economy.

Ramzi said...

New Parliament = Better chance to get the votes for President.

It's always about that chair Raja... always.

Anonymous said...

I donnow why he wants a new election and I don't care much.
However I want a new electoral law that is at least fair.
And once I have that I wouldn't mind a premature election.
A new election with the current law would be as bad no matter who gets how many more votes ...
Pat

Dr Victorino de la Vega said...

Dear Râdjah,

I’m at loss for words for Gen. Aoun’s stance makes perfect sense.

Far from being a “democratic template for the Arab world”, Lebanon’s Parliament is the fruit of the dubious 2000 electoral law (heavy on anti-Christian redistricting) drafted by Soviet-trained Syrian “legal experts” and imposed at gunpoint on Lebanon by General Hafiz-al-Asad and Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd: none of them was actually known as a friend of democracy in Middle-East…

General Michel Aoun is right to say that faux sheikh Hariri and his gullible March 14 friends are shooting on the wrong target: they focus their ire on hapless/impotent figures such as president Lahoud and a weakened Syrian regime on the brink of collapse, which is no threat to Lebanon’s sovereignty anymore…while blindly ignoring the mounting threat posed by a totalitarian regime such as Saudi Arabia.

Given the current composition of our Wahhabi-controlled Parliament whose members were “elected” by way of shameless Gerrymander cooked in Riyadh’s dirty political kitchen and petrodollar-based vote rigging, it is IMPERATIVE TO AVOID BY ALL MEANS having the Al-Sa’aud stooges designate our country’s next president.

We need to pass rapidly a fair electoral law based on midsize voting districts, dissolve this puppet Parliament and hold new elections under the supervision of EU and UN monitors.

shades9662 said...

I was wondering where Dr Vic disappeared to. Simple message Vic (or whatever your name and title may be): either conribute something useful to these blogs or forever hold your tongue.

Actually, stick around, if only to highlight the ignorance of those who share your pathetic thoughts.

Raja said...

You all don't get!

It doesn't matter how "fair" the elections are. It doesn't matter what the outcome of the elections are either.

What has transpired over the past year has effectively nullified lebanon's democratic insitutions. The parliament doesn't matter anymore.

Anonymous said...

Raja,

True and the longer this Hiwar goes on the more damaged parliament will be.

In the future will all difficult situations lead to the shutting down of parliament and the reopening of the round table?

The Feb 14 camp won a majority of parliament then they gave that away to join this round table. And at the round table they are conceeding one position after another... There is no strength or leadership in Feb 14th.

I mostly blame Said Hariri. But what did we expect from a young kid, with only business experience? But i guess such is the risk of hereditery politics in the MidEast..

Anonymous said...

> The parliament doesn't matter anymore.

Raja, maybe you are switching cause and effect
Maybe the parliament doesn't matter anymore BECAUSE it does not represent the people and the way to make it matter IS to make it represent the people again.

Even if it means the idiot you hate will be represented.
Pat

Anonymous said...

The parliament doesn't matter anymore.

Correction: It never mattered.

With regards the hiwar, it may be a joke, but it is a necessary joke. I would rather our wannabe-leader gangsters discuss things face to face than to wage countless verbal wars through TV.

Lazarus said...

Hezbollah has NEVER resorted to killing lebanese

Interesting ... incorrectly glorifying Hezbollah will get you nowhere.

all christians will realize that they better rely on Aoun and Hezbollah than on Hariri, Jibril and all the confused and impotent so called 14 march politicians.

I'm sorry why-discuss but I beg to disagree. "All christians"? First of all, Aoun and Hezbollah are not exactly better than the "impotent ... 14 march politicians". More disturbing however, is that you seem to believe that you know what is best for ALL christians ...

Anonymous said...

raja, you are way too soft on Aoun... he's an outright megalomaniac who is bad news for Lebanon, and you should not be bashful about stating that.

hassan, people like you are the reason we have such a hard time achieving anything. the stars will never be perfectly aligned just as the tiny braincells you claim to own will never be fully functional... if your only argument to defend one corrupt politician is to point the finger at the rest of the corrupt clan, then congratulations... you've just earned the maximum-rhetoric-minimum-value award. the check's in the mail.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Nick, ya dee3an el 3ilim feek.

Do you seriously consider that Aon would make a credible, reliable public official?

FGA

Anonymous said...

Turd Sandwich,

Very nicely stated!

FGA

Anonymous said...

the taif agreement called for the creation of a senate, and the de-confessionalisation of the chamber of deputies.

I think this hiwar would make an excellent senate, if properly implemented. Not only will it give the religious communities some participation in politics, it will also eliminate the resistance to de-confessionalising the parliament.

just a thought...

Anonymous said...

why-discuss

Better Lahoud for one more year than Aoun for six. The man is so fixated on the chair, that's all he sees and dreams of. I find him to be divisive, unwise, and moody. Throws tantrum when cann't get what he wants. His hate and jealousy of the Hariris are abvious. He started the war of insults from the airport on his arrival last year. He pretends to be the victim when he is the abuser. A day hardly passes without his attacks on the government. He will use anything and everything to get to power. He cares not for the people but will exploit them for his personal gains. He did everthing to keep Lahoud in office, and turned around and blamed 14 March. If he was sincere he would have joined the government and really worked for the change we all are looking forward to.

Lebanon is a country riddled with problems. History of wars, destruction, and foreign occupation. Right now we have internal, regional, and international conflicts. It is unrealistic and unfair to expect Saad Hariri to solve these crisis and in just few months when we still have a Syrian agent in Baabda(he even boasts about keeping in touch with Bashar on a daily basis).

We want to get this country out of sectarianism and you are talking what's best for Christians! Why not wanting what's best for the Lebanese as a whole for a change?

Dalal

Anonymous said...

Dalal wlak yslam tmek ana..

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @6:29

I had to take few words off my chest. Thanks:)

Dalal

Anonymous said...

whydiscuss

This country will not move forward as long as there are leaders like Aoun and people with your mentality. That's all I have to say.

Dalal

Anonymous said...

Dalal,
empty talk ...
If the people who have been IN CHARGE for 15 years keep blaming the OPPOSITION who has not been in charge for their failing and their Debt, and the Syrians they collaborated with.
As long people like you beleive them this country will never move forward.