"Intimidation or Crisis Display?"
By: General Michel Aoun
(Translated by: Elias Bejjani)
6 March 1998

Mrs. Danielle Pleteka, assistant for US Senate foreign relations committee chairman Jesse Helms, met in Beirut during her recent visit to Lebanon with Lebanese officials. After the meetings, she became more convinced that they are merely puppets in the hands of the Syrian regime and its intelligence bureau.

She bravely expressed the truth and her statements were extremely vocal in describing the agony and bitterness the Syrians have inflicting on the Lebanese people. They are longing to reclaim their country's Syrian confiscated free decision, independence, sovereignty and devastated economy.

Her statements created a psychotic and frenetic panic among the Lebanese official puppets, who considered them humiliating and insulting to the regime and to their national dignity. They ignored the fact that their dignity has been downtrodden from day one when they chose to deal with the Syrians as collaborators and not as respectable neighbors.

Some of these puppets responded to Mrs. Pleteka's statements anonymously by camouflaging (as always) their statements (to the press) as coming from "reliable and close sources." They insisted that America pressured Syria in 1990 to outcast General Michel Aoun and remove his legitimate government by force from the presidential palace of Baabda.

Such statements apparently sought to clear Syria of responsibility for the historical transgression committed at Baabda , but in reality it was a frank incrimination of Syria in this regard. Syria, which as always claimed to be the beating heart of the Arab world and continuously criticized the pro-Zionism policies of America, acted in 1990 as an executive instrument of this policy when it invaded and conquered Lebanon in accordance with an American request.

The document signed by the Syrian installed puppet Lebanese government in 1990 asking for Syria's military intervention against the legitimate Lebanese government is a tiny leaf to cover the Syrian-committed crime. As a result of the Syrian military invasion, Lebanon has become completely crippled in all domains. It is currently unable to reclaim either its decision-making freedom from the Syrians, or its occupied land from both Syria and Israel.

Presently, Lebanon is experiencing financial and economic disasters, while its agriculture and industry have become vulnerable with no protection. The worst has yet to come, thanks to sister Syria!
My dear fellow Lebanese enjoy today the best graces that Syrian brotherhood has to offer.

The question is: What are the possibilities for a change in international policies toward the Lebanese crisis once the Americans fully comprehend this monumental failure and eroding condition of Lebanon and its people under the prevailing Syrian-imposed status quo?
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