128-1089: [REDACTED] Free Patriotic Movement [REDACTED] March 8 Alliance [REDACTED] Amine Gemayel [REDACTED] Samy Gemayel [REDACTED] Pierre Gemayel [REDACTED] Nadim Gemayel [REDACTED] Samir Geagea [REDACTED] Sethrida Geagea [REDACTED] Saad Hariri [REDACTED] Fouad Siniora [REDACTED] Walid Jumblatt [REDACTED] Camille D. Chamoun [REDACTED] Ziad Majed [REDACTED] Gebran Tueini [REDACTED] Michel Aoun [REDACTED] Bashar al-Assad [REDACTED] Muhammad Naji al-Otari [REDACTED] Hasan Turkmani [REDACTED] Ali Habib Mahmud [REDACTED] Omar Karami [REDACTED] Hassan Nasrallah [REDACTED] Mohammad Raad [REDACTED] Gebran Araiji [REDACTED] Assaad Hardan [REDACTED] Nabih Berri [REDACTED] Suleiman Frangieh Jr. [REDACTED] Assem Qanso The Cedar Revolution ( Arabic : ثورة الأرز , romanized : thawrat al-arz ), also known as
256-678: A crowd of protesters that the current government of Lebanon was unconstitutional, claiming that the government had "made corruption a daily affair" and called for the resignation of the government. Hundred of thousands of supporters of this party, Amal Movement , and Hezbollah , according to the Internal Security Forces (ISF), gathered at Downtown Beirut trying to force Fouad Siniora to resign. On 11 July 2008, FPM members, Issam Abu Jamra as deputy-prime minister, Gebran Bassil as minister of telecommunications, and Mario Aoun as minister of social affairs were appointed to
384-626: A "massive popular gathering" on 8 March supporting Syria and accusing Israel and the United States of meddling in Lebanon's internal affairs. Nasrallah also criticized UN Resolution 1559 saying "The resistance will not give up its arms... because Lebanon needs the resistance to defend it", and added "all the articles of U.N. resolution give free services to the Israeli enemy who should have been made accountable for his crimes and now finds that he
512-511: A Syrian pullout from Lebanon and an open and international investigation of the Assassination. Jumblatt's comments are not without controversy; the BBC describes him as "being seen by many as the country's political weathervane" – consistently changing allegiances to emerge on the winning side of the issues de jour through the turmoil of the 1975–90 civil war and its troubled aftermath. He was
640-399: A boat heading for PSP controlled port at Jieh. This precipitated a series of indiscriminate artillery barrages, with Amal shelling East Beirut harbour and Jouneh port, and Aoun's army brigades shelling Souk El Gharb . On the 12 March, Aoun ordered the closure of Beirut International Airport and two days later launched an hour-long bombardment of East Beirut, which killed 40 civilians. At
768-435: A campaign of beatings and arrests that was characterized by extreme ferocity. On 14 February 2005, the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was assassinated in a truck bomb attack, which killed 21 and wounded nearly 100. Former Minister of Economy and Trade Bassel Fleihan later died as well from injuries sustained in the blast. This attack sparked huge demonstrations that seemed to unite large numbers of citizens from
896-880: A decisive operation against Aoun, invading his strongholds including the Presidential Palace in Baabda and killing hundreds of Lebanese soldiers and civilians. Aoun fled to the French Embassy in Beirut where he declared his surrender and was later granted asylum in France where he lived in exile for 15 years. In exile, Aoun founded the Free Patriotic Movement , and advocated for the Syria Accountability Act by testifying in
1024-463: A demonstration was held at Beirut's Martyrs Square (also referred to by protesters as "Liberty Square"), in addition to the constant daily gathering of Lebanese there. Similar demonstrations by Lebanese immigrants were also taken place in several cities across the world, including Sydney – Australia (where over 10,000 people demonstrated in the city), San Francisco , Paris , Düsseldorf , Montreal , and London . [REDACTED] Member State of
1152-514: A historic page in intra-Christian relations when the former March 14 presidential nominee officially endorsed on Monday Aoun's candidacy for the presidency. "I announce after long consideration, discussions and deliberations between members of the executive body of the Lebanese Forces, our endorsement of the candidacy of [former] General Michel Aoun for the presidency," Geagea said in joint news conference with his March 8 rival. Speaking from
1280-530: A home in Lebanon's Rabieh district, where he was visited on 8 May by a large delegation from the disbanded Lebanese Front (LF), who were among Aoun's former enemies. Aoun and Sethrida Geagea , wife of the imprisoned LF leader Samir Geagea (since given amnesty), publicly reconciled. Other prominent visitors included National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun , Solange Gemayel , Nayla Moawad (widow of assassinated President René Moawad ), and opposition MP Boutros Harb . Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir of
1408-474: A key by-election in the Baabda – Aley constituency against the state-sponsored candidate, Henri Helou . Aoun ended 15 years of self-imposed exile when he returned to Lebanon on 7 May 2005, following the withdrawal of the Syrian Army from Lebanon after the assassination of Rafic Hariri on 14 February 2005. Hariri's killing was a catalyst for dramatic political change in Lebanon. The massive protests of
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#17327650584661536-534: A list in alliance with Kamal Kheir. Moreover, whilst FPM and the Amal-Hezbollah coalition parted ways nationally, joint lists were presented in Beirut II, Mount Lebanon III (Baabda), and Bekaa II (West Bekaa-Rachaya). In Bekaa III (Baalbek-Hermel) FPM had hoped to form a list together with former speaker Hussein el-Husseini , but the project fell apart as el-Husseini withdrew from the electoral process. In
1664-472: A longtime ally of Hezbollah and a member of Aoun's reform and Change parliamentary bloc. For weeks Hezbollah remained silent over Hariri's proposed settlement, as Franjieh sought to win the support of its allies. Hezbollah finally broke its media silence Dec. 29, 2015, and reaffirmed its support for Aoun's presidential bid. In the first official statement since Hariri's initiative emerged, Hezbollah's Politburo Chief Sayyed Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed announced from
1792-422: A mutual recognition agreement between Lebanon and Israel along with a joint defense pact, and was accompanied by Israeli officers in his patrols. He also had a meeting with Israeli Minister of Defence Ariel Sharon . On 22 September 1988, 15 minutes before the expiration of his term, the outgoing president Amine Gemayel appointed Aoun as Prime Minister, heading a military government to be formed by six members of
1920-499: A new election to take place. Karami said in his announcement: "I am keen the government will not be a hurdle in front of those who want the good for this country". The tens of thousands gathered at Beirut's Martyrs' Square cheered the announcement, then chanted "Karami has fallen, your turn will come, Lahoud, and yours, Bashar". Opposition MPs were not satisfied with only Karami's resignation, and kept pressing for full Syrian withdrawal. Former minister and MP Marwan Hamadeh , who survived
2048-447: A new electoral law and compliance with international resolutions were among the key points agreed upon between the LF and FPM, Geagea said. As he read the key points of his understanding with Aoun, Geagea paused for a moment to tell joke. With humor, the LF leader asked Aoun to urge his son-in-law Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil to act in accordance with the sixth point of their agreement. Geagea
2176-543: A number of former opponents, including some pro-Syrian politicians like Michel Murr and Suleiman Frangieh, Jr . Aoun's party, the Free Patriotic Movement, made a strong showing, winning 21 of the 58 seats contested in that round, including almost all of the seats in the Christian heartland of Mount Lebanon . Aoun also won major Christian districts such as Zahle and Metn. Aoun himself was elected to
2304-538: A pivotal issue after decades of animosity. Geagea, the former March 14 presidential candidate, was caught by surprise when his ally Future Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri reportedly nominated Marada Movement Chief Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency. Geagea has staunchly opposed the deal, which stirred up controversy both within the March 8 and 14 camps. Aoun, on the other hand, had shown no signs of giving up his presidential ambitions in favor of Franjieh,
2432-586: A political caretaker government, and feeling that judges "can't defend themselves", he opted for a military cabinet. Indeed, Amine Gemayel had recognized that his own nemesis throughout his presidency, the militia his slain brother Bachir Gemayel had founded, the Lebanese Forces, would also attempt to undermine the authority of a caretaker government. Backed by Syria and its local allies, Al-Hoss declared his dismissal invalid. Two governments emerged, one civilian and mainly Muslim in West Beirut, headed by Hoss as
2560-744: A real popular representation and marginalizes many communities especially the Christian one throughout the country. Aoun opposed this electoral law choice and was fought by a quadruple alliance grouping Anti-Syrian (the Future Movement , the Progressive Socialist Party , the Lebanese Forces and some other parties) and Pro-Syrian (Amal and Hezbollah) main political parties against the Free Patriotic Movement headed by General Michel Aoun. In this context, Aoun surprised many observers by entering into electoral alliances with
2688-607: A request by the Security Council , sent a team of Irish, Egyptian and Moroccan specialists, led by Ireland's deputy police commissioner, Peter FitzGerald , to investigate the assassination. Even before the FitzGerald Report was published, Annan has said a further, more comprehensive investigation may be necessary. FitzGerald thanked the Lebanese government for its cooperation before departing. The report cites
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#17327650584662816-412: A similar car bomb attack on 1 October 2004, said "I accuse this government of incitement, negligence and shortcomings at the least, and of covering up its planning at the most... if not executing". On 23 March, Michel Abu Arraj, the Lebanese magistrate responsible for the internal Lebanese investigation of the assassination asked to be excused, citing a heavy court schedule. The Judicial Council of Lebanon
2944-476: A supporter of Syria after the war but switched sides after the death of former Syrian president Hafez al-Assad in 2000. His account is quoted, but not confirmed, in the UN 's FitzGerald Report . The report stops short of directly accusing Damascus or any other party, saying that only a further thorough international inquest can identify the culprit. The Lebanese government has agreed to this inquiry, though calling for
3072-523: Is a Lebanese political party. Founded by Michel Aoun in 1994, the party is currently led by Aoun's son-in-law Gebran Bassil since 2015. For many years, while Michel Aoun was and exiled in Paris and on 14 July 1994, he established the Free Patriotic Movement in what he called "The National Conference". He returned to Lebanon on 7 May 2005 after the Cedar Revolution forced the withdrawal of
3200-656: Is a Lebanese politician and former general who served as the 13th president of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 to 30 October 2022. Born in Haret Hreik to a Maronite Christian family, Aoun joined the Military Academy in 1955 and graduated as an artillery officer in the Lebanese Army. In 1984, he became the youngest Commander of the Army , at the age of 49. On 22 September 1988, during the fourth phase of
3328-627: Is being rewarded for his crimes and achieves all its demands." CNN noted some news agencies estimated the crowd at 200,000, the Associated Press news agency estimated that there were more than 500,000 pro-Syrian protesters, while The New York Times and Los Angeles Times simply estimated "hundreds of thousands". Al Jazeera reported a figure of 1.5 million. The predominantly Shi'ite protesters held pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and placards reading, in English, "No for
3456-495: Is nicknamed 'Orange TV' due to its orange logo, which has been linked with the FPM, whose logo is also orange. The party also opened their own radio station called Sawt Al Mada ( English :Voice of Scope) on 1 June 2009. Former party member, Elias Bou Saab , has full ownership of the radio owning directly 24% of the shares and 75% through his holding Jets Holding SAL. Tayyar.org is an online news platform established in 2001 to promote
3584-570: Is the Liberation?" ( Arabic : متى التحرير؟ ) in which he said: "Till the day of actual liberation becomes a reality, we refuse to participate in festivities of freezing and leave its ecstasy for the drug addicts". In 2001, Aoun started working with the Council of Lebanese American Organizations and the Lebanese expatriates in order to change the American public opinion regarding Lebanon. At
3712-461: The 17 October Revolution , Neemat Frem, Chamel Roukoz and Michel Moawad left the bloc. Michel Aoun Commander of the Army Leader of FPM President of Lebanon 2016–2022 Une certaine vision du Liban [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Michel Naim Aoun ( Arabic : ميشال نعيم عون , Lebanese Arabic: [miˈʃæːl naˈʕiːm ʕawn] ; born 30 September 1933)
3840-485: The Cedar Revolution helped achieve the withdrawal of Syrian troops and security forces from Lebanon, and a change in governments, paving the way for return of Aoun to Lebanon. Aoun held a short press conference at Beirut International Airport before heading with a convoy of loyalists and journalists to the "Grave of the Un-named Soldiers and Martyrs". After praying and expressing his gratitude and blessing to
3968-553: The Independence uprising ( Arabic : انتفاضة الاستقلال , romanized : intifadat al-istiqlal ), was a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon (especially in the capital Beirut ) triggered by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri . The popular movement was remarkable for its avoidance of violence, peaceful approach, and its total reliance on methods of civil resistance . The primary goals of
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4096-599: The Lebanese Civil War , the departing President Amine Gemayel appointed him as the interim Prime Minister of a Military Government after the parliament failed to elect a new president, and dismissed the current government headed by the Acting Prime Minister Selim Hoss. This controversial decision saw the rise of two rival governments contending for power at that time, with Aoun being supported mainly by Christians and Iraq , while
4224-408: The Lebanese Forces , Future Movement , Progressive Socialist Party as well as Hezbollah to become the thirteenth President of Lebanon. He is the oldest president, taking office at the age of 83 years. After his election, he was sworn in and succeeded Michel Suleiman . In 2019, the country descended into chaos with a popular uprising , bringing millions of Lebanese in Lebanon and abroad to take to
4352-833: The Orange Revolution of Ukraine , and the Purple Revolution of Iraq . Other names include the Cedar Spring ( Arabic : ربيع الأرز – Rabi' el Arz ), referring to the season when protests first broke out, and also as an allusion to famous freedom and independence movements such as the Prague Spring and Damascus Spring . The names used by the local media, like the LBC and Future TV , to describe this event include Lebanon Independence (Istiqlal Lubnan), Lebanon Spring (Rabi' Lubnan), or Independence 05 . It
4480-656: The Shiite -dominated Amal -Hezbollah alliance. The FPM won 21 seats in the parliament, and formed the largest Christian bloc in Lebanon, and second biggest bloc in the Lebanese Parliament. In 2006, Michel Aoun and Hassan Nasrallah met in Mar Mikhayel Church, Chiyah, a venue that symbolizes Christian–Muslim coexistence as the Church, located in the heart of the mainly Muslim Beirut southern suburb,
4608-832: The presidency for a Maronite Christian, and as the Prime Minister assumes the powers and duties of the President in the event of a vacancy, it would be proper to fill that office temporarily with a Maronite. Gemayel referenced the historical precedent of 1952, when General Fouad Chehab, a Christian Maronite, was appointed as prime minister of a transition government following the resignation of President Bechara El Khoury . On 15 February 1989 General Aoun launched an offensive, with those Lebanese Army Brigades loyal to him (30% of whom were Sunni ), against Geagea's Lebanese Forces (LF) positions around Christian East Beirut. Nine days later, 24 February, with seventy people killed and
4736-475: The same day attacks . After some hesitation about going, Aoun did travel to the United States, and met with several senators and representatives, but could not enter the congress because of the anthrax attacks . His talks did not lead to the result that he was seeking. Although the Bush administration refused dealing with Aoun initially, they sent him a delegation of officials responsible for Lebanese affairs from
4864-639: The "Strong Metn" list together with the SSNP and Tashnaq. After the split between the Future Movement and the Lebanese Forces, a joint list for Beirut I of the Free Patriotic Movement, Tashnaq and the Hunchaks was conceived supported by the Future Movement. In Bekaa I FPM, Future, Tashnaq and independents fielded a joint list. In North I (Akkar) and South II (Saida-Jezzine) FPM formed electoral alliances with al-Jamaat al-Islamiyya . In North II FPM fielded
4992-591: The 1989 Taif Agreement rather than making it dependent on Resolution 1559. Algerian foreign minister Abdel-Aziz Belkhadem discussed the consensus ahead of the summit, stating that "we all agreed to demand the implementation of the Taif Accord with respect to international legitimacy". Controversially, the crisis in Lebanon was not included on the agenda for the summit, which almost half of the Arab leaders did not attend. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called for
5120-695: The Acting Prime Minister, the other, military and Christian, in East Beirut, led by Michel Aoun as the Interim Prime Minister. Aoun held the additional portfolio of minister of defense . Gemayel's move was of questionable validity, as it violated the unwritten National Pact of 1943, which reserved the position of prime minister for a Sunni Muslim . Gemayel argued, however, that as the National Pact also reserved
5248-504: The American Intervention". Some media sources noted that it was likely that many of Lebanon's approximately 500,000 Syrian guest workers participated in the rally. In addition to demonstrating the extent of popular support for Syria among Shi'ites, the demonstration reiterated Hezbollah's rejection of Resolution 1559, whose call for the disbanding of all Lebanese militias threatens the continued existence of its military wing,
Cedar Revolution - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-578: The American invasion of Iraq. I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world". Free Patriotic Movement Commander of the Army Leader of FPM President of Lebanon 2016–2022 Une certaine vision du Liban [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Free Patriotic Movement ( Arabic : التيار الوطني الحر , at-Tayyār al-Waṭanī al-Horr )
5504-570: The Arab League [REDACTED] Lebanon portal Daily protests against the Syrian occupation attracted 25,000 people. While in the 1990s most anti-Syrian demonstrations were predominantly Christian and were put down by force, the new demonstrations were distinctly non-sectarian and the government did not respond with force or intimidation. On 28 February, the government of pro-Syrian prime minister Omar Karami resigned, calling for
5632-548: The Christian leaders who fought a devastating war in 1990. On 31 October 2016, General Michel Aoun was elected by the Lebanese parliament as Lebanon's president, ending a 29-month presidential vacuum. On 30 October 2022, President Michel Aoun left office a day earlier than when his six-year mandate ended. in November 6, 2020, the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Gebran Bassil , head of
5760-410: The Christian part of Beirut than the previous 15 years of civil war. It ended with the LF remaining in control of East Beirut, the harbour and Kisrawan province. Around 1000 people were killed and both East and West Beirut left without electricity and badly damaged water supply. The Gulf War had its repercussions on Aoun's government. Aoun had asked for help and the only unconditional help he received
5888-945: The Commander of the Command and Service Company and Commander of the Administrative Detachment in 1970. At the start of the civil war, Aoun was the commander of the Second Artillery Corps of the Army. He took part in the Tel al-Zaatar massacre , claiming that he developed and planned the siege of the camp and its storming. He directed the attack, which resulted in destruction of it, and the Palestinian refugees being displaced. In 1978, he went to France again for more military training at École Supérieure de Guerre. In 1980, Aoun returned to Lebanon and
6016-411: The FPM came up with a detailed political program which contained economic and political reform plans and gained the support of many Lebanese Christians. The FPM won 21 seats in the parliament, and formed the second biggest bloc in the Lebanese Parliament. Being the leading Christian bloc after the election, it joined the March 8 Alliance. In 2008, Michel Murr left the change and reform bloc. Despite
6144-435: The Free Patriotic Movement, member of the Lebanese Parliament, and son-in-law of Lebanese President Michel Aoun . The penalties are due to its role in corruption in Lebanon according to Magnitsky's Global Human Rights Accountability Law. US Secretary of State Stephen T. Munchen: "Systematic corruption in the Lebanese political system represented by Bassil has helped undermine the foundations of an effective government that serves
6272-468: The Future Movement parliamentary bloc Fouad Siniora. Following his meeting with the patriarch, Siniora stressed the need to elect a president who enjoys the support of all Lebanese factions. "We have to work hard to elect a person who can unite all Lebanese people from all political affiliations and promote coexistence among them," said Siniora. Geagea's endorsement of Aoun is the first time the country's two leading Christian parties have come together on such
6400-469: The Future Movement would react to this initiative. Before his arrival to the LF's headquarters, Aoun met with Maronite Patriarch BecharaRai, who has repeatedly voiced his support for initiatives aimed at breaking the presidential deadlock. "We came to inform the patriarch of the agreement," Aoun said from the seat of the Maronite church. Earlier in the day, Rai had met with former Prime Minister and head of
6528-605: The Hariri family and other groupings) and was trumpeted by the different private media, namely Future TV , a private enterprise part of the media empire controlled by Hariri's family and the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation LBCI , generally aligned with the Lebanese Forces, the right-wing Christian party. The demonstration occurred in Martyrs' Square, the site of Hariri's grave and a center of
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#17327650584666656-640: The LF's headquarters in Maarab where he had met with Aoun shortly before the news conference, Geagea read a 10-point understanding that summarized the key points of the Declaration of Intent struck between the LF and FPM in June. The commitment to the implementation of the Taif Accord, the need to stop the flow of arms and militants across the Lebanese-Syrian border in both directions, the ratification of
6784-498: The Lebanese government wanted to take him to trial. After months of negotiations, he was given conditional amnesty and left to Cyprus and then to France on a French warship on 29 August 1991, where he started his exile. On 14 July 1994, he established the Free Patriotic Movement in what he called "The National Conference". On 27 May 2000, two days after the Resistance and Liberation Day Michel Aoun wrote an article titled "When
6912-592: The Lebanese government. FPM members, Issam Abu Jamra as Deputy-Prime Minister, Gebran Bassil as Minister of Telecommunications, and Mario Aoun as Minister of Social Affairs were elected into government. It is the Movement's first participation in any Lebanese Government. The results of the 2009 elections granted the FPM 27 parliamentary seats. One of them was won by Aoun from Keserwan . In November 2009, and after 6 months of strong political pressure by General Michel Aoun himself, by refusing any participation in
7040-548: The Lebanese people. This designation also demonstrates that the United States supports the Lebanese people in their continuous calls for reform and accountability." 4 out of 21 MP from the bloc voted for Nabih Berri in the 2022 Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament election . On 23 June 2022, Tashnaq and Yehya named Najib Mikati as prime minister unlike the rest of the bloc. On 10 September 2022, Gebran Bassil kicked out ex-MP Ziad Assouad and ex-MP Mario Aoun . On 10 November 2022, Hagop Pakradounian criticized his colleague in
7168-485: The Maronite community sent a delegation to welcome him, and even the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah Party sent a delegation. In the election at the end of May 2005, the political leaders of the Syrian occupation imposed to run the elections with the 2000 electoral law; a law that Critics argue was implemented by Syrian intelligence chief Ghazi Kanaan and Rafic Hariri , that does not provide for
7296-511: The Martial Court, three of which are Christian and three are Muslims. He also dismissed the civilian administration of acting Prime Minister Salim al-Huss . The Muslims refused to serve, and submitted their resignations on the next day. Gemayel accuses Syria of forcing them to do so, claiming that they accepted their roles when he contacted them. He also says that he considered forming a cabinet of judges or politicians. Having failed to form
7424-599: The National Assembly. The FPM failed however to win any seats in Northern Lebanon due mainly to the 2000 electoral law that gave the pro Hariri Muslim community of Tripoli an easy veto over any Christian candidate in its electoral district, thus falling short of its objective of holding the balance of power between the main "anti-Syrian" opposition coalition (formerly known to be Syria's strong allies) led by Saad Hariri (which won an absolute majority) and
7552-524: The Parliament. In 2006, he signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah , starting a major alliance that has remained ever since. Despite the bloody history with the regime of Hafez al-Assad , father of Bashar al-Assad , Aoun visited Syria in 2008, ending his long rivalry with Damascus . In 2016, Aoun reconciled with Geagea after signing the Maarab Agreement , and was endorsed by
7680-770: The State Department, and explained the American position on the issue. Later on, tensions grew between the United States and Syria, with the latter being accused of supporting terrorism and not standing by the United States in the War on Terror. Engel introduced the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act in the House of Representatives on 12 April 2003. Aoun was invited to testify in congress, which he did on 17 September. In his testimony, he criticized Syria in several ways. Aoun's testimony
7808-579: The Syrian Arab forces stationed in Lebanon, at the request of Lebanon and under an Arab mandate, have fully withdrawn all their military, security apparatus and assets." On 27 April 2005, the Lebanese People celebrated for the first time their first day free from Syrian omnipresence. Also on 27 April 2005, The Washington Post reported that "Syria has not withdrawn a significant part of its intelligence presence in Lebanon, undermining its claim yesterday to have ended its 29-year intervention in its western neighbor, U.S., European and U.N. officials said." This claim
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#17327650584667936-447: The Syrian forces, and then contested the legislative elections held in late May in early June although it placed him on the head of the largest Christian group of deputies. In 2006, the FPM signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah organizing their relation and discussing Hezbollah's disarmament, given some conditions. The second and third conditions for disarmament were the return of Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails and
8064-607: The Syrian leader. Dakhlallah said that Syria will merely move its troops to eastern Lebanon. Since then, Syria has declared that Resolution 1559 will be fully complied with, and in a matter of months rather than years. On 15 March, upon hearing purportedly leaked information that the United Nations' special investigation may have found that the Lebanese authorities covered up evidence of the murder, columnist Robert Fisk alleges that Hariri 's two sons fled Lebanon, reportedly after being warned that they too were in danger of assassination. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan , in response to
8192-456: The Syrian presence in Lebanon as a factor contributing to the instability and polarization that preceded the assassination. The report also criticizes the Lebanese government and intelligence agencies for the handling of their own investigation into the affair, calling it flawed and inconclusive. The Lebanese government in turn has described the report as "alien to reality" and criticized the UN team for not seeking broader government participation in
8320-412: The UN reported the last Syrian troops and intelligence agents had crossed the border in withdrawal from Lebanon. The Syrian government officially notified the United Nations that it had withdrawn its troops in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1559 , adopted in September 2004. In a letter to the UN, Syrian foreign minister Farouq al-Shara said his country "would like to officially inform you that
8448-416: The US Congress. In 2005, a chain of widespread demonstrations triggered by the assassination of Rafic Hariri erupted in Lebanon, resulted in the withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country. On 7 May, Aoun returned to Lebanon. Aoun was elected to the Parliament for the first time in the same year, while his party won 21 seats in the parliament, forming the largest Christian bloc, and second biggest bloc in
8576-449: The activists were the withdrawal of the Syrian troops which had occupied Lebanon since 1976, the replacement of a government heavily influenced by Syrian interests by more independent leadership, the establishment of an international commission to investigate the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri, the resignation of security officials to ensure the success of the plan, and the organization of free parliamentary elections. More generally,
8704-440: The agenda of its former leader and former President of Lebanon, General Michel Aoun . The Orange Room - FPM forum was hosted on Tayyar.org under the domain name forum.tayyar.org until October 2012. On 5 October 2012, FPM forum was shut down due to a disagreement between the founder of the forum and FPM which caused Orange Room and FPM to part ways and move the forum to an independent host oroom.org that remained online until it
8832-423: The anniversary of the ignition of the Lebanese Civil war, the last remaining Syrian troops left Lebanon, ending their 30-year presence. Several Arab states also joined in with the withdrawal demands. As Assad arrived in Saudi Arabia for emergency consultation with then Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdelaziz , Assad was told in no uncertain terms that Syria must comply with UN Security Council demands immediately. It
8960-523: The bloc Jimmy Jabbour for participating in a memorial to the martyrs of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Akkar . On 6 December 2022, Tashnaq kicked out MP Bouchikian which shrunk the Strong Lebanon bloc to 20. Elias Bou Saab was reportedly kicked out of the Free Patriotic Movement bloc in April 2024 in which FPM sources cited political disagreements since the beginning of the 2022 parliament. Disagreements mostly include choice of presidential candidates and ideological differences. In August 2024, Alain Aoun
9088-448: The cabinet. It was the Movement's first participation in the Lebanese Government. Despite the strong media and political war against the Free Patriotic Movement, the results of the 2009 Elections granted the FPM 27 parliamentary seats. The FPM's bloc is the second largest in the Lebanese parliament. The FPM gained 7 more seats than in the 2005 elections , earning at least triple the number of deputies of any other Christian-based bloc in
9216-620: The current government of Lebanon was unconstitutional, claiming that the government had "made corruption a daily affair" and called for the resignation of the government. Hundreds of thousands of supporters of this party, the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, according to the Internal Security Forces (ISF), gathered in Downtown Beirut trying to force Fouad Siniora to abdicate. On 11 July 2008, Aoun's party entered
9344-404: The demonstrators demanded the end of the Syrian influence in Lebanese politics. At the start of the demonstrations, Syria had a force of roughly 14,000 soldiers and intelligence agents in Lebanon. Following the demonstrations, the Syrian troops completely withdrew from Lebanon on 27 April 2005. With the resignation of the pro-Syrian Karami government on 19 April, the 2005 general election , and
9472-507: The elaboration of a defense strategy to protect Lebanon from the Israeli threat. The agreement also discussed the importance of having normal diplomatic relations with Syria and the request for information about the Lebanese political prisoners in Syria and the return of all political prisoners and diaspora in Israel . On 1 December 2006, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun declared to
9600-539: The end of the month Aoun announced a ceasefire with the issue of the militia run ports unresolved. The area had seen the worst violence for three years, with over 90 people killed and several hundred wounded. In October 1989, Lebanese National Assembly members met to draw up the Taif Agreement in an attempt to settle the Lebanese conflict. This accord was later revealed to have been prepared two years earlier by Rafic Hariri. Aoun refused to attend, denounced
9728-571: The end, the Free Patriotic Movement candidates joined the list led by the former regional secretary of the Baath Party, Faiz Shukr. In South III the Future Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Democratic Party supported a joint list called "The South is Worth It", with two FPM-supported independents. Following the announcement of results, Gebran Bassil stated that FPM and its Strong Lebanon bloc would form
9856-627: The establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon , the main goals of the revolution were achieved. The opposition used the white-and-red scarf and the blue ribbon as its symbols. The most popular motto of the movement was Hurriyyeh, Siyedeh, Istiqlel ( Freedom , Sovereignty , Independence ). The main goal of the Cedar Revolution was the ending of the Syrian military occupation of Lebanon, which had lasted about 30 years (since 1976). In addition, many Lebanese called for
9984-594: The force credited for the liberation of south Lebanon from Israeli occupation. Nasrallah also held demonstrations in Tripoli and Nabatiyé on 11 and 13 March. Ten days after his resignation, Omar Karami was reappointed prime minister and called on the opposition to participate in government until the elections slated for April 2005. On 13 March, tens of thousands protested in the southern city of Nabatiyé in support of Syria and opposition to UNSCR 1559, according to reports. The Tripoli protests were canceled. On 14 March,
10112-409: The full participation, not supremacy, of its own agencies and the respect of Lebanese sovereignty. (See international reaction below.) On 21 February 2005, tens of thousands of Lebanese protesters held a rally at the site of the assassination calling for an end of Syrian occupation and blaming Syria and the pro-Syrian president Émile Lahoud for the murder. In the subsequent weeks, nearly every Monday,
10240-459: The government that was inferior to the 2008 participation, Prime Minister Saad Hariri eventually gave in. The Free Patriotic Movement nominated three ministers to join the first government headed by Saad Hariri, who would receive the ministry of telecommunications, the ministry of energy and water, and the ministry of tourism. Aoun and his allies got one third of the government, but were one minister short of having veto power. On 12 January 2011, in
10368-503: The importance of having normal diplomatic relations with Syria and the request for information about the Lebanese political prisoners in Syria and the return of all political prisoners and diaspora in Israel . After this event, Aoun and his party became part of the March 8 Alliance . On 1 December 2006, Michel Aoun declared to a crowd of protesters that the current government of Lebanon
10496-582: The intervention of the Maronite Patriarchate the LF agreed to hand over to Aoun control of Beirut's port's fifth basin with its estimated $ 300,000 per month tax revenue. Suleiman Frangieh , in the north, also returned control of Ras Salaata port in Batroun District The following month, Aoun launched a blockade against the unregulated seaports south of Beirut at Jieh and Khalde . On 8 March 1989 Aoun's patrol boats intercepted
10624-482: The investigation. The government has agreed to a further, more comprehensive international inquiry, but insisted that any future inquiry would have to work with the government. At a press conference on 25 March, then Lebanese Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud said the inquiry would be expected to work within an established framework "in co-operation with the state". On 2 March 2005, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad announced that his troops would leave Lebanon completely "in
10752-473: The largest bloc in parliament (a role previously played by the Future Movement). Bassil stated that FPM would gather up to 30 MPs, including Talal Arslan and Tashnaqs . The 29 MP bloc named Strong Lebanon was formed by FPM (19), Tashnaq (3), Moustafa Hussein (1), LDP (1), Chamel Roukoz (1), Neemat Frem (1), Elie Ferzli (1), Michel Daher (1), Michel Moawad (1). At the beginning of
10880-637: The men by the Australian Federal Police tested negative for explosives. Within 48 hours, the Australian Federal Police absolved the six of any involvement in the assassination, giving little credibility to claims of the Lebanese officials. Despite the lack, to date, of any actual substantial evidence implicating any party or individual, the Syrian government has borne the brunt of Lebanese and international outrage at
11008-462: The men had tested positive for traces of explosives, and that they were traveling without luggage. The Australian Federal Police interviewed ten individuals in Sydney upon the arrival of the flight, and found the men they questioned did have luggage. Although Sydney airport security sniffer dogs trained to find explosives did react to aircraft seats occupied by the men, test swabs taken from three of
11136-459: The murder, because of its extensive military and intelligence influence in Lebanon, as well as the public rift between Hariri and Damascus just before his last resignation on 20 October 2004. The day after Hariri's resignation, pro-Syrian former prime minister Omar Karami was appointed prime minister. Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt , a recent adherent to the anti-Syrian opposition, emboldened by popular anger and civic action, alleged in
11264-470: The newly reconstructed city rebuilt in large part through Hariri's efforts. During the Lebanese civil war, factional infighting between the groups united in Martyrs' Square had turned the area into an impassable moonscape. The Lebanese protesters demanded an international inquiry into Hariri's murder, the firing of Syrian-backed security chiefs in the Lebanese government, and a total Syrian pullout from Lebanon. Beginning in March 2005 and continuing throughout
11392-775: The next few months". Responding to the announcement, opposition leader Walid Jumblatt said that he wanted to hear more specifics from Damascus about any withdrawal: "It's a nice gesture but 'next few months' is quite vague – we need a clear-cut timetable". On 3 March, Germany and Russia joined those calling for Syria to comply with Resolution 1559. German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said: "Lebanon should be given an opportunity for sovereignty and development and this can only be achieved by complying with Security Council resolutions that stipulate immediate Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon." The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov , stated that "Syria should withdraw from Lebanon, but we all have to make sure that this withdrawal does not violate
11520-430: The one-month memorial of the assassination of former prime minister Rafic Hariri , hundreds of thousands of Lebanese rallied in central Beirut on Monday chanting "Freedom, Sovereignty, Independence" and carrying a huge Lebanese flag. They flocked from throughout the country, many unable to even enter the city due to heavy traffic. The demonstration was called by the different factions of the anti-Syrian opposition (including
11648-455: The other being supported by Muslims and Syria . Aoun declared the War of Liberation against Syrian Army forces on 14 March 1989, opposed the Taif Agreement , refused to recognize the newly elected presidents René Moawad and Elias Hrawi , clashed with the Lebanese Forces led by Samir Geagea , and survived an assassination attempt on 12 October 1990. On 13 October, the Syrian forces launched
11776-521: The parliament due to geographical distribution. The total seats won by the March 8 alliance were 57 out of 128, which led to a defeat for the FPM. In November 2009, the Free Patriotic Movement nominated five ministers to join the first government headed by Saad Hariri . The five ministers included: In June 2011, the Change and Reform bloc led by Aoun nominated eleven ministers to join the second government headed by Najib Mikati , gaining more than double
11904-402: The parliament due to geographical distribution. The total seats won by the March 8 alliance were 57 out of 128, which led to a defeat for the FPM. The 27 MP bloc named Change and Reform was formed by FPM (19), Marada (3), Tashnaq (2), LDP (2), Emile Rahme (1). In 2013 Marada, Emile Rahme and LDP left the bloc which caused the bloc to shrink to 20 MP. The electoral slogan of the party
12032-431: The people, he went on to the grave site of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri . Then, he visited Samir Geagea who was in the 11th year of a lifetime jail sentence, condemned for alleged and disputed responsibility for politically motivated assassinations during the 15-year civil war. His journey continued to Martyr's Square where he was greeted by supporters of the Cedar Revolution . After his arrival, Aoun moved into
12160-535: The politicians who did so as traitors, and issued a decree dissolving the assembly. After the Taif accord was signed over his opposition, Aoun further denounced it for not appointing a date for the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon. After it signed the Taif Accord (in Taif, Saudi Arabia), the assembly met to elect René Moawad as president in November. Despite heavy-handed pressure from Syria to dismiss Aoun, Moawad relented; his presidency ended 17 days later when he
12288-475: The return of former president Michel Aoun , in exile since 1991, and the release of the imprisoned Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea . Additional goals of the revolution are: The name "Cedar Revolution" is a term that was coined by the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula J. Dobriansky in a news conference, and used to draw a comparison with the Rose Revolution of Georgia ,
12416-687: The revolt, and resulted in the arrest of hundreds without legal justification, during the tenure of the pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud . On that day, the security forces attacked hundreds of young activists, mainly from the Christian parties, including the Free Patriotic Movement , the Lebanese Forces , the National Liberal Party and other non-partisan neutral activists in front of the Justice Palace in Beirut and engaged in
12544-475: The seat of the Maronite patriarchate that his party is committed to supporting the presidential bid of its ally Aoun. Aoun and Geagea kicked off talks a year ago. The talks culminated in a Declaration of Intent that paved the way for a surprise visit by Geagea to Aoun's residence in Rabieh in June. The Declaration of Intent has since brought Aoun and Geagea closer together, putting an end to the bitter rivalry between
12672-464: The share they had in the former government. The eleven ministers were: Ministers with portfolios: Ministers without portfolios: In February 2014, the Change and Reform bloc led by Michel Aoun nominated four ministers to join the national unity government headed by Prime Minister Tammam Salam . The Free Patriotic Movement had two ministers: Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea and Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Founder MP Michel Aoun turned
12800-431: The streets, mainly caused by the liquidity crisis , political corruption and sectarianism . With family origins from Haret el Maknouniye, Jezzine, Aoun was born in the mixed Christian- Shiite suburb of Haret Hreik , to the south of Beirut . His father was Naim Aoun who worked as a butcher, while his mother was Marie Aoun, a Lebanese woman who was born in the United States. His family was generally poor. In 1941, he
12928-489: The strong media and political war against the Free Patriotic Movement, the results of the 2009 Elections granted the FPM 27 parliamentary seats. The FPM's bloc is the second largest in the Lebanese parliament. The FPM gained 7 more seats than in the 2005 elections 3 of those seats belonged exclusively to the Marada Movement party, earning at least triple the number of deputies of any other Christian-based bloc in
13056-487: The time, the United States supported the Syrian occupation and viewed Syria as an important factor for the stability of Lebanon. He contacted Eliot Engel , an American representative, to propose a bill that would help ending the occupation. In July 2001, he was invited to attend a symposium on the Middle East, and after further delays from the State Department, he was granted an entry visa on 11 September, right before
13184-425: The usually fractured and sectarian Lebanese population. It was the second such incident in four months: former minister and MP Marwan Hamadeh had survived a car bomb attack on 1 October 2004. Within hours of the assassination, Lebanese prosecutors issued warrants for the arrest of six Australian nationals who flew out of Beirut to Sydney , Australia three hours after the explosion claiming that seats occupied by
13312-484: The very fragile balance which we still have in Lebanon, which is a very difficult country ethnically." On 5 March, Syrian leader Assad declared in a televised speech that Syria would withdraw its forces to the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, and then to the border between Syria and Lebanon. He did not provide a timetable for a complete withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. On the weekend of 9 and 10 April, on
13440-547: The wake of the assassination that in August 2004 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatened Hariri , saying "[ President of Lebanon ] Lahoud is me. ... If you and Chirac want me out of Lebanon, I will break Lebanon." He was quoted as saying "When I heard him telling us those words, I knew that it was his condemnation of death." The United States , the EU and the UN have stopped short of any accusations, choosing instead to demand
13568-608: The withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the disarming of Hezbollah thriving in Southern Lebanon. At one point there seemed to be confusion about the extent to which Syria was willing to withdraw from Lebanon. Arab League head Amr Moussa declared that Syrian president Assad promised him a phased withdrawal over a two-year period, but the Syrian Information Minister Mahdi Dakhlallah said that Moussa had misunderstood
13696-446: The year, a series of bombings and assassinations rocked Lebanon. Several political and intellectual figures vocally critical of Syrian interference in Lebanese politics, including Samir Kassir , George Hawi , and Gebran Tueni were killed. In addition, Christian areas were targeted by bombs. These bombings remain unsolved. The attacks did not end in 2005. The next year, gunmen killed MP Pierre Amine Gemayel , and in 2007, Walid Eido
13824-502: Was 'A Strong [FPM] for a Strong Lebanon'. The party formed a number of local coalitions with a wide array alliance partners around the country. In North III FPM fielded the "Strong North" list, headed by Gebran Bassil , in alliance with the Independence Movement and the Future Movement. In Mount Lebanon I (Byblos–Kesrwan) FPM fielded the "Strong Lebanon" list led by Chamel Roukoz . In Mount Lebanon II (Metn) FPM fielded
13952-497: Was also known as Independence Uprising ( Arabic : انتفاضة الاستقلال , romanized : intifāḍat al-istiqlāl ). The word Cedar refers to a national emblem , the Cedar of Lebanon , a tree featured on the flag of Lebanon . In Alphabetical Order: An Anti- Syrian occupation demonstration took place in Lebanon on 7 August 2001 , which turned violent when the joint Lebanese-Syrian security System tried to repress
14080-603: Was appointed later as the interim commander of the mainly Christian 8th Infantry Brigade , that is credited for protecting the Palestinian refugee camp of Borj Al Barajneh from the sinister fate of Sabra and Chatila, and fought against the pro-Syrian Druze and Palestinian militias at the Battle of Souk El Gharb during the Mountain War . During the Israeli invasion, Aoun's office was at the Museum Crossing. He
14208-509: Was assassinated. Elias Hrawi was elected in his place. After assuming office as president, Hrawi appointed General Émile Lahoud as commander of the army and ordered Aoun out of the Presidential Palace. Aoun rejected his dismissal. In February 1990 General Aoun launched an offensive against Samir Geagea 's Lebanese Forces (LF) in East Beirut. The three months of intermittent fighting caused more destruction of property in
14336-468: Was chosen by General Michel Aoun as the new leader for the Free Patriotic Movement. No elections were done because it could have possibly led to fracturing the party, and so Alain Aoun stepped down from candidacy in order for Bassil to be assigned as the new leader. On February 28, the party elected his political bureau members: On 1 September 2019, Gebran Bassil was re-elected as FPM leader and May Khreich
14464-418: Was closed on 21 June 2022. The FPM Electronic Army ( Arabic : الجيش الإلكتروني للتيار) also known as FEA is one of the biggest electronic armies in Lebanon with over 100k followers on Facebook, headed by Jay Lahoud their slogan is "An Army of PRINCIPLES can Penetrate where an ARMY of soldiers cannot", they have been sharing pro FPM articles under the domain "Siyese 101". At the time of the 2005 elections,
14592-723: Was condemned by the Lebanese Council of Ministers and pro-Syrian politicians and organizations, and he was accused of plotting with the Zionist Lobby against Lebanon, Syria and the Arab Nation. The bill was approved by both the Senate with an 89–4 vote on 11 November, and the House with a 408–8 vote on 20 November, and was signed by President George W. Bush on 11 December. In the same year, an avowed Aounist candidate, Hikmat Dib , came surprisingly close to winning
14720-431: Was elected as vice president. On 25 August 2023, Gebran Bassil retained FPM leadership by acclamation, Martine Najm Koutayli and Ghassan Khoury were elected vice-presidents for political and administrative affairs. Naji Hayek became vice-president for foreign affairs. The Free Patriotic Movement launched its own broadcasting channel, Orange TV (OTV) on 20 July 2007 where currently the Aoun family directly owns 50%. It
14848-440: Was expected to rule on his request the next day. His resignation and the consequent need to replace him raised the possibility of a delay in the investigation. Hariri's murder triggered increased international pressure on Syria. In a joint statement, U.S. President George W. Bush and French president Jacques Chirac condemned the killing and called for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 , which requires
14976-472: Was expelled from FPM for his lack of alignments with the parliamentary bloc, like refusing to vote for Jihad Azour in the 2022–2024 Lebanese presidential election . On 7 August 2024, Simon Abi Ramia resigned from the Free Patriotic Movement citing "individualism" within the party and disagreements with its leader Gebran Bassil . FPM internal elections to elect the party Leader take place every 4 years since 2015. On 17 August 2015, Minister Gebran Bassil
15104-658: Was forced to leave the house where he was living, as it was occupied by British and Australian forces. He finished his secondary education at the College Des Frères Furn Al Chebbak in 1955 and finished a degree in Maths. He enrolled in the Military Academy as a cadet officer, and graduated as an artillery officer in the Lebanese Army three years later. After his graduation, Aoun joined the Second Artillery Regiment in 1958, and
15232-547: Was from Saddam Hussein , who until 1989 was an ally of the West. On 2 August 1990, Hussein launched his invasion of Kuwait and the US established a coalition against Iraq to liberate Kuwait. President Hafez al-Assad of Syria sided with the coalition, a choice rewarded with a "green light" to crush Aoun's revolt. On 12 October 1990, Aoun survived an assassination attempt as he was addressing his supporters from his balcony. The assailant
15360-501: Was identified as Lebanese Communist Party member, Francois Halal, emerged from the crowd wielding a pistol and shooting twice but missed him. Minutes later he continued his speech. On 13 October Syrian forces attacked the presidential palace in Baabda . The same morning, Aoun took refuge at the French Embassy, where he radioed his units to surrender to Lebanese Army Units under General Lahoud, who had pledged loyalty to Hrawi and his government. France granted Aoun political asylum, but
15488-706: Was killed by a car bomb in Beirut. Most recently, politician Antoine Ghanem was assassinated when a car bomb exploded, killing him on 19 September 2007. He is the 6th independentist minister assassinated since Hariri's death. According to sources, the bombing and assassination were in later years linked to Hezbollah's assassinatin squad - Unit 121 . Following the international investigation of Rafic Hariri's assassination, Unit 121 activity came up, as well as names of main figures in it, such as: Salim Ayyash , Mustafa Badreddine , Hassan Habib Merhi, Hussein Hassan Oneissi. On 26 April 2005, international news agencies and
15616-407: Was preserved throughout the wars. The FPM signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah organizing their relation and discussing Hezbollah's disarmament given some conditions. The second and third conditions for disarmament were the return of Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails and the elaboration of a defense strategy to protect Lebanon from the Israeli threat. The agreement also discussed
15744-521: Was promoted to General and appointed as the tenth Commander of the Armed Forces on 23 June 1984, succeeding General Ibrahim Tannous . At the age of 49 years, he was the youngest Commander since the establishment of the position. According to French journalist Alain Ménargues , Aoun had strong relationships with Bachir Gemayel and Israel . He suggested that Aoun proposed to Gemayel signing
15872-504: Was referring to his understanding with the Former general over "the need to adopt an independent foreign policy that guarantees Lebanon's interests and complies with international law." For his part, Aoun thanked Geagea for his support and said he would extend his hands to all political parties. Geagea's official endorsement of Aoun's nomination would provide a significant boost for the former general's presidential bid but it remains unclear how
16000-415: Was reiterated by US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice on 25 May. Both participants and observers of the Cedar Revolution demonstrations have asked if the movement was influenced by recent local and regional events supporting democracy . Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt remarked to a reporter of The Washington Post , "It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of
16128-499: Was reported by the opposition Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star that Assad offered to remove most of the 15,000 troops Syria has stationed in Lebanon during the talks, but insisted on leaving a force of 3,000 in the country. This has not been independently corroborated. The annual Arab summit, which took place on 23 March in Algeria , did not ask Syria to withdraw, which would have given the pullback an Arab endorsement as envisaged in
16256-689: Was sent to France to receive further military training at Châlons-sur-Marne . He finished it the following year, and was promoted to Second Lieutenant on 30 September. He was serving during the failed coup of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party in 1961, and was decorated for that. He was trained at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, and became the Assistant of The Commander of the Second Artillery Battalion,
16384-415: Was unconstitutional claiming that the government had "made corruption a daily affair" and called for the resignation on the government. Hundreds of thousands of supporters of this party, the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, according to the Internal Security Forces (ISF), gathered at Downtown Beirut trying to force Fouad Siniora to abdicate. On December 1, 2006, Michel Aoun declared to a crowd of protesters that
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