amongst the Lebanese rivals as they worked out various mathematical formulas to resolve the impasse.

Moussa revealed at the airport as he was leaving to Cairo that the math formula he suggested for forming the government is:

10 - 7 - 13
10 ministers for the Hezbollah-led opposition
7 for the president
13 for the ruling majority

According to reports that leaked out from the quartet meeting General Michel Aoun who represented the Hezbollah-led opposition during the meeting said he would accept the formula but on one condition. The condition was: One of the 7 ministers allocated for the president should be chosen by the opposition. The opposition will give the president a list of 3 names and he will chose one.

In other words one of the ministers allocated for the president will be a member of the Hezbollah-led opposition. This will give the opposition 11 out of 30 ministers. In other words the opposition will be able to veto any decision of the government. So it is not really about math, it is mostly about trust.

Aoun also suggested another proposal
10 10 10
10 ministers for each, the Hezbollah-led opposition, the president and the ruling majority on condition the president guarantees consensus on major decisions

Aoun also suggested 11 - 6 - 13
11 for the opposition, 6 for the president and 13 for the majority

The majority, represented by former President Amin Gemayel and Future Movement leader Saad Hariri rejected Aoun's proposals on the basis that all amount to a veto power for the opposition. In the case of 10 each formula they rejected the preconditions for the president as unconstitutional.

The three point Arab league plan is very clear. It does not want the opposition to have the power of veto. After all the opposition has been fighting for the veto power since November 2006 and the Arab league knows that the majority does not trust the opposition to have the power of veto because many of the government decisions such as the decision on International Tribunal could be voided. The other reason also is that the government could be overthrown if Hezbollah-led opposition exercises the right of veto.

At the same time the three point Arab league plan is very clear in not wanting to give the majority absolute power of two third. This is why they inserted the president there to ensure consensus.

Moussa said before leaving Beirut that all factions agreed to the first clause of the Arab initiative that calls for the election of Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president. Suleiman was appointed to current position by the Syrians during the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, but the majority has nominated him on the bases that he will be a compromise candidate. Suleiman was not the first choice for the majority; they would have preferred either Boutros Harb or Nassib Lahoud, but Suleiman is well respected by all the Lebanese and this is why he was nominated.

In nominating Suleiman the majority anticipated that he will be immediately accept by the opposition without any reservations or conditions, since he is after all Syria's man. But this is not what actually happened. The opposition wanted more than Suleiman. They also wanted to control the new government, in addition to controlling the parliament through its speaker. Not only that, but the opposition also wants to pick the successor of Suleiman in the army and all the key appointments that the president should make as soon as he is elected. The majority rejected the demands of the opposition on the bases that all these demands will bring to the presidential palace a president that is completely handcuffed, since all decisions will be made for him by others and this will completely undermine his role.

What is the solution?

There are three solutions to the Lebanese problem:
First: Trust
Second: Trust
Third: Trust

Just like in business we say location, location, location, in Lebanon we must say trust, trust, trust. The Lebanese are not fools, they understand math formulas well, but they get suspicious when there is an obvious agenda behind the math formula.

How to overcome the issue of trust

Confidence building: The rival leaders need to sit down and talk to build confidence amongst themselves without Moussa or anybody else. Talk as Lebanese leaders that are concerned about Lebanon, its future, its citizens, its economy, its survival, its independence, its sovereignty and freedom. This is all what this is about. They are going to find a lot in common, if they all think Lebanon first, and they all should.

The Lebanese should be smart enough to know that no one cares about Lebanon more than they do. Once they start talking about the issues that concern all the Lebanese they will be able to realize that the Lebanese problems concern them all equally and the solution to Lebanon 's problems are within their reach.

The Lebanese everywhere in the world are known to be leaders in solving problems. Time to solve our own problems. Time to talk to one another, before its is too late ... before we lose Lebanon.

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