No Peace In
Lebanon Unless its border with Syria is patrolled by UN Deterrent Forces
By: Elias Bejjani
September 23/08
It is quite clear to any observer of Lebanese and Middle Eastern affairs that
Lebanon’s core problem, as well as its derivatives and complexities, is mainly
due to its oppressive neighbor Syria, specifically in the mentality of its
rulers who are detached from reality and who lack both insight and discretion,
contrary to reason and logic. They are unable to comprehend the changes in the
balance of power which followed the dismantling and fall of the Soviet Union.
The Syrian regime insists on behaving as if it were a regional power, a role
that has been revoked by the international community after the overthrow of
Saddam
Hussein’s regime and the suppression of the Baath throughout the region.
Driven by this illusion, the rulers of Damascus obstinately refuse, till this
hour, to deal with Lebanon on the basis of an independent sovereign state. They
idiotically reject the delineation of common borders, as well as the
establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. They
continue to smuggle arms and men to their Lebanese and Palestinian militias
which they planted and nurtured to inhibit the rise of a Lebanese state that
could exert its authority through its own national forces. The Syrian regime is
also spreading incitement and sedition and is working hard to turn the Lebanese
against each other and spread divisions amongst them.
Therefore, the cornerstone in any effort to reconstitute the Lebanese State lies
first and foremost in the control of the Syrian-Lebanese borders via well armed
international forces in sufficient numbers and with a clear mandate to use all
ways and means of deterrence.
It is equally important at this juncture not to place the command of these
international forces under the Lebanese government because, despite recent
reforms,
the State administration and practices are still an extension of Syrian
influence along with its militias, intelligence network, and political
organizations. The
Lebanese security administration at Beirut International Airport is the best
example of the “Syrianization” of Lebanese institutions. The Lebanese government
has been up until today unable to change the security apparatus at the country's
only civilian functional commercial airport that is greatly infiltrated by Hezbollah and other
Lebanese parties loyal to Damascus.
The fierce opposition by Hezbollah and other old-new pro-Syrian Lebanese
parties and officials, including the Lebanese Syrian-appointed president, General Emile Lahoud, to
the deployment of international forces along the Syrian-Lebanese borders has
been both obvious and expected. They will with no doubt use arms to
sabotage such deployment unless they sense a seriousness in the international
resolutions and a willingness by the Free Nations who enacted them to use force.
Would Hezbollah and its allies stand idle while their supply lines are dissected
and their mini-states, cantons and private security zones dismantled? The answer
is a definite "NO".
President Assad's aid request made to European nations to help
police Syria’s borders with Lebanon and stop trafficking, his verbal
assurance to UN Secretary General Annan in which he committed to deploying
additional Syrian troops to police the border, his communication with
the
Italian Prime Minister in which he agreed to the deployment of international
troops on the Lebanese side of the border, then his denial of ever making
such promise the next day, and his statement that such action will be considered
a hostile act against Syria, all tell the real story of the Syrian rulers'
deception and viciousness towards Lebanon.
Syrian plans are echoed by
threats from Assad’s allies in Lebanon including Hezbollah cabinet members and
members of Parliament,
militias, Jihadists, President Lahoud and partisans against the deployment
of the international forces on the borders with wicked “Sister Syria”.
All these Syrian false promises, denials, and contradictions, echoed
harmoniously by its accompanying Lebanese mercenary orchestra, show with clarity
that the integrity of the last Baath regime and its Lebanese tentacles is
totally lacking and that it only aims to procrastinate, camouflage and
outmaneuver UN Resolution 1701 to void it, then devour it.
Assuming the Syrian intentions about requesting European aid to control its
frontiers with Lebanon are honest, which is doubtful, and in case the Security
Council backed by the European Union agrees to such aid, then urgent guarantees
are required to impose the required military, logistic and legal controls.
Two years ago, during a recorded telephone interview addressing the insolence of
Syria’s covetousness and plans against Lebanon, a prominent Lebanese exiled
leader told me: “Regardless of all efforts to save Lebanon, our Syrian neighbor
can sink us in its swamps, and we shall never rest as long as the Syrian regime
is in control of our destiny”. This leader added: “A successful solution consists
of building a barrier between us to deter and control the Syrian regime.” In
other words, that leader was calling for effective control of the
Syrian-Lebanese border. Strangely and disappointingly, though, this same leader
has effected a 180 degree turn on those positions and reneged on all his theses
and declared convictions since his return from exile, apparently sinking in to
his greedy ambitions for political
power, since he currently vehemently opposes the deployment of international
forces on Lebanon's border with Syria.
The priority in this matter should focus on the international efforts and UN
resolutions that were issued to control the borders with Syria militarily
through international forces under Security Council authority, even if it
requires the issuance of a new resolution under Chapter Seven of the United
Nations Charter. As to Syria’s idea of expanding its forces and the European
Union proposal to deploy “civilians” on the border is tantamount to asking the
wolf to guard the sheep.
*Elias Bejjani
Chairman for the Canadian Lebanese Coordinating Council (LCCC)
Human Rights activist, journalist & political commentator.
Spokesman for the Canadian Lebanese Human Rights Federation (CLHRF)
E.Mail phoenicia@hotmail.com
LCCC Web Site
http://www.10452lccc.com
CLHRF Website http://www.clhrf.com
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*The lccc is a
Federal umbrella for the following nonprofit municipal, provincial and federal
Canadian registered groups:
Canadian Lebanese Human Rights Federation, (CLHRF), Canadian Lebanese Free
Patriotic Movement (FPM-Canada), Phoenician Club of Mississauga (PCOM),/Canadian
Phoenician Community Services Club (CPCSC),Canadian Lebanese Christian Heritage
Club (CLCHC),World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU)-Canadian Chapter.