Elie Aoun/Open Letter to Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil/رسالة مفتوحة من ايلي عون إلى وزير الخارجية جبران باسيل

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Open Letter to Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil
Elie Aoun/December 11/17

I am writing regarding your speech at a meeting of foreign ministers at the Arab League in Cairo on December 10, 2017.

Firstly, you called for a “unified popular uprising” that “should not stop before the implementation of all the stipulations of the Arab League Initiative…” If that measure is implemented in Lebanon, could you please explain to us what would happen to Lebanese security and governance if “popular uprisings” take place on Lebanese soil and do not stop until the objective you mentioned is achieved, if it is achieved?

Secondly, you said that Arab countries are facing two choices: “Revolution or the death of a dormant nation.” In reality, a revolution (the type you are calling for) is death. Can you provide us with a list of “revolutions” which did not devour or betray their own, so that we can imitate them? Can you remind us about the outcome of the “Arab Spring” revolution?

If what you called for is beneficial and logical, would you be willing to initiate a revolution or an uprising from your hometown of Batroun to achieve the objective you mentioned? If not, why would you call for an action which you yourself will not implement?

Thirdly, you called for diplomatic, political, economic, and financial measures against the United States. Really? How specifically do you propose to accomplish that? Do you want the Lebanese Diaspora to join in that process? Would it be unpatriotic for a Lebanese-American or an Arab-American not to boycott the political, economic, and financial sectors in the United States?

Neither America nor Israel is an enemy, but the true rulers of America and Israel are an enemy. As a matter of fact, the best hope for the Arabs is for each Arab country to implement a similar form of a Bill of Rights and common-law principles upon which the United States was founded — and which empowered the United States to become a superpower in less than 200 years. However, no Arab politician would explain that distinction to the people. Why? Who benefits when the Arabs (by deception and blind hatred) are made to hate that which is the most beneficial to them?

Mr. Foreign Minister, you are taking advantage of people’s anger to point them in a destructive path. It is certain that you aim to profit from their ignorance and that you do not care about them. The implementation of what you called for would be irresponsible, leading to disastrous implications. There are many constructive alternatives, but it would be a waste of time to elaborate on them since there are no good intentions to pursue constructive options.

Those who want to be Palestinians more than the Palestinians are free to relocate to Gaza or the West Bank to launch any uprising, revolution, or sanctions they deem to be necessary. No one is restraining them from doing so.

Those who believe in the Palestinian, Syrian, or Iranian cause have a Palestine, Syria, or Iran to go to, acquire their citizenship, and pursue their objectives. But those who believe in the Lebanese cause do not have another Lebanon to go to. Therefore, any non-Lebanese cause cannot be pursued from Lebanon.

In the same manner that we, as patriotic Lebanese, respect their opinion to rally behind whatever cause they choose, they also have to respect our opinion when we rally behind the Lebanese cause and oppose anything that threaten the well-being of the country.

Why would you want to pursue measures from Lebanon that would threaten it when you have available means to pursue those same measures from elsewhere without threatening Lebanon? If other territories do not permit you to go there and pursue those measures which you claim are for their benefit, why would you want to jeopardize Lebanon’s well-being to benefit them?

Those who have ideals beyond the realms of Lebanese sovereignty have available to them other citizenships and territories from which to pursue those ideals. They have to preserve Lebanese territory solely for Lebanese ideals — and go elsewhere wherever they are welcomed to pursue their regional bravado.