The smart can understand
By: Minister Issam Abu Jamra
19/2/03

We will not ask officials of the Syrian-installed regime in Beirut, or their political and media trumpets, to justify the regional circumstances behind the Syrian Army's redeployment in North Lebanon that was announced on Tuesday.

We will not ask despite Israeli's current actions in Palestine, the potential Israeli transfer of thousands of Palestinians to Lebanon, the looming American-led war against Iraq, and the military preparations in this regard. We will not ask despite the unavoidable outcome of this war on Iraq itself and on its neighboring countries. Apparently Syria gave its instructions, and the Beirut regime said: "Yes sir, your wishes are our orders."

We wonder how the men of the regime in Beirut are going to justify the withdrawal of 4,000 Syrian soldiers from North Lebanon. No matter what their reply or their justifications will be, our response is: "We are extremely delighted by the Syrian decision that will lead to this second withdrawal of some of their troops from Lebanon, even if this withdrawal is small."

We strongly believe that the Lebanese Army is solely responsible and fully capable of enforcing security and stability in all of Lebanon. We believe, as always, that Syria needs its army inside Syria, more then it needs it inside Lebanon.

Lastly we are happy that Syria apparently has picked up the signals and acted on them, although only in partial implementation of what they ought to do. Our joy and the joy of all the Lebanese will not be complete until the full withdrawal of the Syrian Army from all of Lebanon has taken place.

(Translated by: Elias Bejjani/ LCCC Media Chairman)