"Elections! What Elections?"
 By: General Michel Aoun
 (Translated by: Elias Bejjani)
 14 August 1998

The main advantage of democracy is that it provides people with a peaceful and meaningful process for changing officials. Through elections, the main component of democracy, people vote into office candidates they believe are honest and capable of fulfilling their national objectives in the domains of reform and administration. In Lebanon, we made the word "democracy" null and void of all meaning and gave it numerous definitions, except for the internationally recognized meaning.

 The most striking example in this regard is the so-called "election" of the republic's president. Newspapers in Lebanon speak simply but extensively about this coming election. They talk about the role of Syria (the biggest voter), France and the American position in the process. Everything that takes place is against Lebanon's will, outside its borders and against its people's wishes.

 In spite of this mockery, they still speak shamelessly about a Lebanese "election". What election? Our tiny republic has been made into an international corporation with shares sold on the stock market. Lebanon has become Solidere.

 Who is actually accountable for normalizing wrongdoings and filling people's minds with them? Is it the collaborating politicians? Is it the media fabrications that have become the means of psychological war waged by the Syrian Intelligence Services to spread their rumors and poison people's minds? The Syrians are trying viciously to instigate ordinary people, inflict despair on intellectuals and frustrate the country's labor force.

 All are dishonored and none of them are shameful anymore for their overt collaboration and subservience to the occupier. They act lamentably and cheaply as brokers for financial Mafia and shareholders in international stock markets. Aren't all of the above the real voters in Lebanon?

 How can the Lebanese people dream of any change while the current occupation remains. The ruler (the Syrian occupation) remains the same, puts in office through fraudulent elections unused agents instead of used and abused ones to serve his interests, not those of Lebanon or its people. The occupier anaesthetizes people's minds with illusionary hopes by naming them as Prime Ministers, Ministers, MP's and high-ranking officials. These puppets are used as pillars for the current occupation regime of disgrace. This process of official replacement, including the President of the republic himself, is deceitful and bogus. The change is only a mirage from the outside, while the inside core and essence remain the same.

 The Lebanese people cannot in any way trust the occupant's choices or build any hopes on his integrity. The election mockery will continue to unfold as long as the occupant remains the first and final voter.

 The people of Lebanon must deal with reality, not fantasies, in order to deserve the right for electing a President for their republic. If they really want a president, not a Syrian puppet and servant, they have first to force the occupants to withdraw from their country. If the status quo remains unchanged, Syrian authorities will appoint the new President and all other governmental officials. Under such a status, Lebanon will become a Syrian government and its official puppets will be replaced by Damascus when needed in accordance with their loyalty, submission and subservience to the Syria's scheme of annexing Lebanon.

 Dear fellow Lebanese, do not raise your hopes high, or otherwise you shall be disappointed. The worst is still to come. Do not ever forget that Salvation is achieved only through liberation ... anything less is a continuation of bondage and exploitation.