Salam from Yarze: Security Plans Yielded Security, We Defeated Strife through Military Naharnet/May 11/15/Prime Minister Tammam Salam hailed on Thursday the role of the military institution in achieving stability and security in Lebanon, while saluting its ongoing efforts to protect the country against foreign threats. He said: “The security plans have yielded stability in Lebanon and we succeeded in defeating strife through the military.” He made his remarks from the Defense Ministry in Yarze where he met with Minister Samir Moqbel, Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji, and other military officials. “We are facing several challenges and have been doing so for years,” added the premier. “Our success is the product of great efforts. Our enemy has devised terrorist plots against us, but we have thwarted them,” he declared. “We succeeded in uprooting all plots to create strife among us,” stated Salam, while highlighting that Lebanon has faced and still faces the threat of Israel. “It has never relented in plotting against us,” he said of the Jewish state. Addressing the situation along Lebanon’s eastern border, Salam remarked: “The army is combating threats along the border with all possible means.”“It knows how to act on the ground and how to defend the nation,” he stressed. Moreover, the prime minister emphasized: “We are seeking to supply the military with modern weapons to help it protect the border.” “The atmosphere within the military institution itself contributed to its success, whereby it has not been tainted by sectarianism,” he explained. “I will not spare any effort to support the army,” he added. Lebanon’s eastern borders have in recent months been facing the threat of extremists from Syria. In the past few weeks, clashes have erupted between Hizbullah fighters and Syrian regime forces in al-Qalamoun against extremist groups.There have been growing concerns that the jihadists would spill over into Lebanon, particularly the northeastern border town of Arsal, where they took hostage a number of Lebanese soldiers and policemen when they overran the town in August 2014.
Qahwaji Warns of Cabinet Standstill, Says Situation in Arsal Stable Naharnet/May 11/15/Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji warned Thursday that the paralysis of the cabinet harms the country’s security as ministers should continue to endorse decisions to fortify the situation in Lebanon. Qahwaji’s remarks came during a meeting with a delegation from al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Wednesday. He stressed that the situation in the northeastern border town of Arsal is stable, noting that the residents of the town are staunch supporters of the army. The army chief soothed fears over battles between jihadists and Hizbullah fighters backed by Syrian army troops, saying: “Clashes are on the Syrian side of the outskirts.”“Army units and intelligence information didn’t observe any battles on the outskirts adjacent to Arsal yet,” sources close to the delegation quoted Qahwaji as saying in comments to al-Mustaqbal newspaper. He pointed out that the army will continue to conduct patrols in the village and on high alert according to the military estimates. Hizbullah has succeeded recently in achieving gains against al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on the outskirts of Syria’s al-Qalamoun, compelling fighters to retreat from their positions. The party insists it is fighting in Syria to prevent extremist groups from entering Lebanon. On Wednesday, Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared that al-Nusra Front has suffered a “major defeat” at the hands of his group’s fighters in the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal, announcing that the battle against the IS group has started in the border region. The Mustaqbal delegation so far met with Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam, former President Michel Suleiman, outgoing Kataeb party chief Amin Gemayel, and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. The bloc aims at rallying political parties against Free Patriotic Movement’s decision to paralyze cabinet if security and military appointments failed to take place and to discuss the situation in Arsal.
Interpretations of Salam’s visit to the military differ
Hasan Lakkis| The Daily Star/June. 12, 2015
Politicians were divided over Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s visit to the Defense Ministry in Yarze, which occurred against the backdrop of Gen. Michel Aoun’s campaign to unseat Army chief Gen. Jean Kahwagi. Aoun and his Change and Reform parliamentary bloc consider extending Kahwagi’s term illegitimate and illegal.March 14 MPs said that Salam’s visit, “though overdue,” affirmed that the extension of Kahwagi’s term would be lawful. The coalition added that Salam’s visit fell within his responsibilities to support the Army and bolster the military’s morale. They said the visit could also be interpreted as a clear message from Salam that the extension of Kahwagi’s term by two years is a settled matter, considering the absence of an agreement over the appointment of his successor.
Over the past two days, several ministers have signaled their opposition to appointing a successor to Kahwagi before the election of a new president, March 14 representatives say. The opposing ministers include eight from the Consultative Gathering – which includes ministers affiliated with former President Michel Sleiman, Kataeb Party ministers, Telecommunications Minister Boutros Harb and Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon – two from the Amal Movement, and others from the Future Movement such as Salam and Environment Minister Mohammad Machnouk. Representatives for March 14 say this further supports the Future Movement’s demand that a new military chief cannot be appointed before the election of a president.
They also described Salam’s visit as a show of support for Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Samir Moqbel, after Free Patriotic Movement leader Aoun publicly defamed him and threatenedto withdraw the confidence granted to him by the Change and Reform bloc in Parliament, and warned him against issuing a decree to extend Kahwagi’s term.Conversely, March 8 MPs say Salam must lead by consensus to preserve the stability of his government. They note that he is no longer as accommodating with Aoun and Hezbollah as he was and they point out that Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk’s tone when dealing with the FPM leader has especially toughened.
March 8 MPs did not refute that that Salam’s Yarze visit was directed toward Hezbollah, which they say has completed “military victories” along the border, protecting Christian Lebanese areas. They say Salam is trying to assert that it is the military that protects the country, and the government supports the Army in its endeavors, as reflected in the government’s policy statement. The March 8 MPs – and especially the Christians among them – expressed their displeasure with Salam’s visit, saying that it would not placate Aoun’s enmity toward Kahwagi, but would further provoke it. They say the visit does not change the premise of Aoun’s objection: that the extension of Kahwagi’s term is illegal and will remain illegal because he has served 44 years in the military, the maximum length permitted.
The MPs had hoped that Salam’s visit would be a farewell to Kahwagi to voice appreciation for his military service, saying this would pave the way for the appointment of a new Army chief in accordance with the law.
March 8 MPs offered some praise for Salam’s speech at Yarze, but said it remained wanting of an acknowledgement of Hezbollah’s sacrifice to confront terrorism. They say Hezbollah has paid in martyrs and blood to return the border areas to security.
