Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea told Future TV on Tuesday that the upcoming Sunday rally will be ” Cedar Revolution II” in Lebanon since the ” first one did not achieve its objectives.”
March 14 marks the 6th anniversary of the Cedar revolution when over 1 million Lebanese gathered in down Beirut to protest against the murder of the the late PM Rafik Hariri and called on Syrian troops to leave Lebanon. The Syrian troops withdrew in April 2005, but the Syrian regime retained its influence through Hezbollah and its March 8 allies
The March 14 coalition is holding the rally on Sunday March 13 “to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of the Cedar Revolution” , according to a Future Movement statement
Geagea accused Syria of playing a role in the January toppling of Saad Hariri’s government.
“According to my information, Syria was a partner in the coup against Saad Hariri’s cabinet,” Geagea said
The Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah brought down PM Saad Hariri’s government on January 12 over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s imminent indictment which is widely expected to implicate Hezbollah members in the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri in 2005
Geagea stressed during the interview that “Lebanon cannot advance in any field with the presence of Hezbollah’s arms, ” adding: ” The Lebanese people deserve a state that can take care of them”
“I believe that Lebanon will be exposed to Israel if Hezbollah remains armed because the world community considers the arms as Iranian ,” he added, warning that “Lebanon will be dragged into any military confrontation between Iran and the West.”
Geagea said the” strategic decision over the use of Hezbollah arms is in the hands of Iran and Syria and this is catastrophic for Lebanon ”
Geagea said that the Lebanese army should be in charge of the confrontation with Israel. “According to my humble military expertise the Lebanese army has the ability to defend its land. Hezbollah is not stronger than the Lebanese army,” he added.
“Try to imagine the consequences if the Adeisseh incident had involved a party other than the Lebanese army, the situation remained under control because the party involved was the Lebanese army,” Geagea said of the August 2010 border clashes between the Lebanese army and Israeli forces.
Geagea said March 14 coalition might call for early parliamentary elections, describing such step as “one of the possible options.”
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