"The 13th of October"
By: General Michel Aoun
(Translated by: Elias Bejjani)
13 October 1997

On this date, seven years ago, Lebanon witnessed the biggest piratical regional and international military operation. In the same regional-international realm, many countries joined forces in the largest modern coalition under the slogan of "liberating the state of Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation." This mighty coalition contradicted itself when, at the same time as it was liberating Kuwait, it granted Syria approval to conquer and occupy free Lebanon.

As a result of these two events, the world kissed goodbye to the charter of the United Nations, international human rights laws, as well as the principles of the Arab League. Arabism was assassinated at the gaits of Baabda, the free capital in the era of darkness and cruelty.

The Lebanese puppets imposed by Syria played their classic role with the treacherous regime. They masked the foreign decision to invade and occupy their country, then falsely posed as the decision-makers. The question is, was there a decision to surrender?

The Cairo Accord, the creation of the Arab Deterrent Force, the Taef Accord, and other previous "peace treaties" were all haphazard agreements which accelerated the collapse of Lebanon and turned out to be disastrous mistakes regretted later even by their makers.

As a result of these agreements] the Palestinian Resistance was downsized and the political Lebanon vanished. Syria will not survive the consequences of all these deceptive agreements.

Lebanon as a hostage will be a disaster for Syria. Lebanon would be unable to help Syria in regaining its rights (whatever Syria believes these rights are).

The ugliest part of this crime is that its "heroes" are still practicing cunning tactics in their process of communication with the Lebanese people. They claim that the Taef Accord was good, but the process of its implementation has been bad. This mockery reminds us of the words carved on Cardinal Mazaran's tombstone:

"Here lies a Cardinal that has done very little of virtue, and a great deal of evil. His virtuous acts were performed in a bad manner, and his evil in a good one."

These installed puppets who lack the courage to face the evil of the Taef Accord are, not unexpectedly, hiding in the shadow of its few virtues. They should not lack the courage again to admit their responsibilities and confess their sins. I say to these puppets: start begging for forgiveness, before it is too late!
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