WikiLeaks cables published by al-Joumhouria newspaper on Tuesday exposed the dislike for Hezbollah and Syria by their current allies . Aoun predicted back in 2005 that the Syrian regime will collapse, while Mikati called Hezbollah a cancer and Jumblatt said Berri is a liar
Hezbollah cancerous
Lebanese PM designate Najib Mikati has reportedly described Hezbollah in a January 12, 2008 as “cancerous” and called for ending the state within the state that the party has built to allegedly safeguard Lebanon.
Mikati reportedly told former U.S. ambassador Michele Sison that Hezbollah is a “cancerous tumor” and called for removing its statelet, regardless whether it was “malignant or benign.”
He warned that Hezbollah could drag Lebanon to a “sad end.”
Mikati also reportedly called for better U.S. ties with Lebanon and Syria to “contain” Hezbollah, warning that the main objective of the Shiite party was to form an Iranian military base on the Mediterranean.
The dream of Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Khomeini of exporting the Iranian revolution needed a “launch pad” which is Lebanon, he said. Achieving this objective requires a lot of time but Hezbollah is “patient,” he added.
Asked by Sison if he thought peace with Israel would contain such intentions, Mikati said that peace would lead to a “happy ending,” but wondered whether Syria would engage in talks with the Jewish state without a green light from Iran.
Mikati also unveiled that there was no major support by the Lebanese army leadership and former Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir to President Michel Suleiman’s presidency , saying “Sfeir is not in love with” him.
Mikati also revealed that the Lebanese army supports Hezbollah and Aoun
“The Lebanese Armed Forces sympathize with the March 8 forces at a time when most officers back Hezbollah and (FPM leader) Gen. Michel Aoun,” Mikati reportedly told Sison, according to the cable.
Syrian regime will collapse
Aoun was already allied with Hezbollah in 2008 but in a WikiLeaks cable from Paris dated May 4, 2005 he described several parties in Lebanon as corrupt “mercenaries” who are after power and have no credibility.
Aoun said that his only ambition behind his return to Lebanon from a 15-year exile was to bring back democracy to the country.
Aoun also revealed that his efforts to reach agreement with PSP leader Walid Jumblatt, the Hariri family and traditional Christian leaderships failed. They are “mercenaries,” he said.
About Hezbollah, Aoun said the Shiite party enjoys “some type of popular support” and so far is not corrupt. For such reasons, the MP said he could cooperate with the group to encourage it into handing over its weapons to the Lebanese army and becoming a political party.
Aoun reportedly bragged of being the only opposition leader directly supporting U.N. Security Council resolution 1559. Ever since Aoun signed an agreement with Hezbollah has become an opponent of 1559.
In another cable dated April 29, 2005, Aoun expressed concern that he would be used by the Syrians or those backing the Assad regime.
In a third cable dated March 31, 2005 Aoun was quoted as saying that the collapse of the Syrian regime is “inevitable ” adding that the security institutions in Lebanon should be restructured because they are a copycat of Syrian apparatuses.
Berri a liar
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt has reportedly described President Michel Suleiman in a WikiLeaks cable dated September 17, 2008 as a “weak personality surrounded by supporters of the Syrian regime.”
Jumblatt also described Speaker Nabih Berri as a “big liar.”
In another cable dated August 19, 2006, Jumblatt reportedly said: “We don’t need democracy right now. We need money.”
He unveiled that Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri had given him 1 million dollars which he described as “nothing,” saying “I can spend the money within two months or three.”
The U.S. embassy noted in the cable that Jumblatt was most probably frustrated because he had previously said that former PM Rafik Hariri used to give him 3 million dollars per year .
About the Shiites in general , the PSP chief expressed concern that the Shiite sect was losing its Lebanese and Arab identity and becoming more Persian.
All the above 3 leaders are currently allied with Hezbollah and Syria.
The The Iranian and Syrian -backed Hezbollah brought down PM Saad Hariri’s government on January 12 over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s (STL) imminent indictment which is widely expected to implicate Hezbollah members in the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri in 2005.
Mikati was appointed in January as the PM designate with the backing of the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance , MPs Walid Jumblatt and Mohammad Safadi . March 14 leaders have repeatedly stated that intimidation from Hezbollah’s weapons helped secure the parliamentary majority for Mikati’s nomination.
Jumblatt and his PSP parliament members reportedly switched allegiance to Hezbollah’s PM candidate, following threats by Hezbollah.
Jumblatt, Mikati and Safadi were all elected on March 14 electoral tickets during the 2009 parliamentary elections.
March 8 is now claiming the parliament majority .
According to observers , up until now Hezbollah has been hiding behind FPM leader Michel Aoun in creating obstacles for Mikati .
Source: Naharnet, al-Joumhouria
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