US Senator John Ensign introduces new Senate Resolution calling for Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon
25/09/04 - tayyar.org
Mr. ENSIGN. Madam President, the last few years have seen an enormous amount of change in the make up of the Middle East. Thanks to the will of President Bush and the skill and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, Afghanistan and Iraq have been freed from the shackles of oppressive dictatorships. Democracy is taking root, with free elections on the way.
Tragically, there are some countries which choose to oppress rather than liberate the spirit of the people. Syria is one of these countries.
On September 2, U.N. Security Resolution 1559 expressed support for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon's upcoming presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence. On September 3, according to numerous reports, the Government of Syria exerted undue influence upon Lebanese government officials to amend the constitution to extend the term of Syrian-backed President Emile Lahoud.
That was wrong, but hardly surprising given the role of Syria in Lebanon. In 1976 Syrian armed forces entered Lebanon to help prevent a Muslim attack on local Christians. But when the threat of attack subsided, Syrian troops remained. Today 20,000 of them continue their stranglehold on Lebanon.
The time has come for Syria to release her grip on Lebanon. Lebanon is a sovereign nation. It should be allowed to exercise control over its territory--all of its territory--and not be hampered by the continued presence of Syrian military forces. The United States has long supported the political independence of Lebanon, as has the international community.
Syria has been in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 520, demanding that ``all non-Lebanese forces'' leave Lebanon since September 17, 1982. That is why I believe it is particularly important that President Bush for implemented sanctions on Syria pursuant to the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003, demonstrating U.S. resolve to address the Syria's continued military presence in Lebanon and its support for terrorism.
I implore my colleagues to recognize the importance of keeping pressure on Syria . This resolution urges the United Nations to seek a firm, negotiated timetable for complete withdrawal of Syrian armed forces from Lebanon, in order to facilitate the restoration of Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence. It calls upon the Government of Syria to immediately withdraw its troops from Lebanon in accordance with United Nations resolutions. It demands that the Government of Syria cease its support and armament of terror groups such as Hezbollah and facilitate efforts by the legitimate government and armed forces of Lebanon to disarm all nongovernmental armed groups and militias located in Lebanon and extend central government authority throughout that country. And it condemns all efforts to derail the democratic process and interfere with the legitimate election process in Lebanon.
Like all nations, Lebanon deserves the right to chart its own destiny, to have free and fair elections, and to be free of foreign occupation.