Napoleon Returns
Published May 09, 2005
Lebanese General*/Prime Minister*/President* (*depending on his mood) Michael Aoun has returned to Beirut. I've come to save you, it's ok now - let's continue where we left off 15 years ago: "Today is a day for joy, a day for jubilation. I'm back."
Now, where exactly did we leave off 15 years ago. Ah yes, he extended the Civil War by a year, prolonging the suffering of Lebanon. Aoun was installed as interim Prime Minister in 1988 to help work towards elections. But as a supporter of democracy, he ignored the elections, insisted that he should stay on as PM and exploited his position to help his military campaign. And this is the man who might run for office this month.
Even after a new PM was elected, he still didn't accept that he should step down, so he set up the the 'alternative Presidential Palace' - Lebanon had two Presidents. Some say the Civil War would have ended a year earlier if he had not persisted - his extra year of war was the bloodiest since the war began in 1975.
A year before he fled the country in his pyjamas, the rest of Lebanon had said enough - they agreed to stop fighting, and all elements of Lebanese society eventually signed up to the Taef Peace Accords - except, that is, our friend Michel Aoun.
Some of his biggest enemies are in the Christian community. They believe he sacrificed them for his personal ambition, and left them divided and in a weaker political position coming out of the war.
When he arrived back in Lebanon yesterday he was driven to Martyrs' Square to speak to a packed audience. Except that nearly all of the protesters took their camps down a week ago. Only Aoun's FPM party was left standing.
He has promised to fight corruption (oh, there's that word fight again) even though he was convicted of embezzling state funds.
"I am the grandfather, the father and the son of the opposition" he proclaimed. That's interesting. I'd say the grandfathers of the opposition are the hundred and fifty thousand people who died at the hands of warlords like him, the millions who've painstakingly rebuilt Lebanese society, the people of the camps and slums and prisons who fought an Israeli occupation, and Syrian military presence. Was Aoun, with his baguettes and his panoramic apartment overlooking the Sienne really the inspiration for Lebanon's opposition?
Aoun with his civil war mentality, who hasn't witnessed Lebanon's revitilisation, reconciliation and rebirth, will do whatever it takes to finally make something of himself. Even if that means trampling over the bones of the man who rebuilt Lebanon: Rafiq Al-Hariri. Aoun really is the anti-Hariri.
Robert Fisk: "Life in [Aoun's "liberated"] East Beirut was becoming more like life in Baghdad than a 'free' Lebanon."
Daily updates on The Syrian News Wire.
- Napoleon Returns
- Published: May 09, 2005
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Politics
- Writer: Sasa
- Sasa's BC Writer page
- Sasa's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
Shlonik, ya Sasa!
Nice initial offering, I think most of us could benefit from hearing more about Middle East politics from people in the Middle East.
I don't have an opinion about Aoun, I guess we will all have to watch and see how much support he gets.
An Arab without a political opinion?! Not possible! Thanks for your comment Sfc Ski, nice to have you on board.
I know what you mean, Arabs could be said to argue over anthing for its own sake. If you add a soccer game, a cup of shai, and a shisha to the argument, it is not a bad way to spend the day.
Argue over anything? No we don't! Oh, and it's 'nargileh', not 'shisha'.
Sorry, it's the Maghrebi influence.
inside basball, dig it
While Aoun is certainly no prize, I ought to point out that the author of this piece appears to be a pretty dedicated Syrian apologist, and from what I've read about Syria no one is likely to be blogging from Damascus without full approval of the Assad regime.
Dave
That's interesting. Take a look at my friend Ammar's blog, or you might like to try Karfan's blog. They certainly don't have the support or approval of the government! We disagree on Syrian politics, but accept each other's opinion.
It's ironic that some people outside Syria think that every Syrian person must share a violently anti-government agenda. If they don't then they must be in the pocket of the government. Well, no. We have as diverse a range of thoughts and opinions - and blogs - as the rest of the world does.
Dave, if you read my blog, you'll find that I criticise the government as much as I voice support for them. I support a reform agenda.
Just because I don't reject every action made by my government doesn't make my opinions invalid.
That's interesting. Take a look at my friend Ammar's blog, or you might like to try Karfan's blog. They certainly don't have the support or approval of the government! We disagree on Syrian politics, but accept each other's opinion. Sasa, I'll be the first here to defend the Assad government. As repressive dictatorships go it's a cut above most of the competition. And I say this knowing my reputation for being a big fan of dictatorship as a form of government.
It's ironic that some people outside Syria think that every Syrian person must share a violently anti-government agenda. If they don't then they must be in the pocket of the government. Well, no. We have as diverse a range of thoughts and opinions - and blogs - as the rest of the world does. And I have a list of the whole range of Syrian blogs on
I'm actually surprise they let you blog from Syria at all, but it's a good example of what I've said before, that a nice, corrupt secular dictatorship is a hell of a lot better for its people and their liberties than a fundamentalist theocracy.
That said, I did read a good portion of your blog, and it seemed kind of Syrian nationalistic and rather down on Lebanon - but not in an extreme crazy way. I didn't want to suggest that you're anything like the North Korean bloggers we get visiting BC from time to time who are straight-out crazy propagandists.
Dave
Thank you Dave. It's just sad that you use the 'apologist' brush to tar a writer. I agree, there's a lot wrong with Syria, but I will always defend secular government, social and economic freedoms. There are pressures for change from the grass-roots of the party, and the President is a reformer held back by a dinosaur generation who still think we live in the Cold War.
I absolutely reject your claim that I am 'down' on Lebanon. I am a huge fan of our neighbour. We have a lot to learn from them. My heart is with the opposition, people like Walid Jumblatt and Patriarch Sfeir. I would be the first one to cheer when the puppet President Lahoud is forced out of office.
But Dave I am delighted that you read my blog, that is all I can ask of you, and I hope we are able to continue an exchange of ideas.
P.S. If you really think that Syria is so closed as to restrict blogging then I really think it's time you paid a visit to Damascus. Ok, I'll quit now before I sound like the Syrian Tourist Office!
I did my time in Damascus many years ago, but it might be fun to go back as an adult and see if it's as I remember it. I'd really like to take my kids for a vacation in Lebanon - I have fond memories of the beaches - but I'm afraid that option may not really be viable before they get too old for it.
Dave
Fantastic! What were you doing in Damascus? Working? Studying? Which part of the city? How long ago? How many foreigners were here back then? So many questions!
If I can do anything to describe what Damascus is like now then I'd be delighted. Ok, Damascus in two lines: mobile phones everywhere, satellite dishes on every roof, only one Hakawati (story-teller) left in the old city, servees (minibuses) replaced big buses, eastern european cars replaced old American cars, and Shalaan and Maliki filled with restaurants and cafes to rival Beirut and Paris (better than Paris and London from my experience!).
I don't know too much about Lebanese beaches, I'm not much of a swimmer! But we have a great group of beaches up near the Turkish border.
I was born in Lebanon and lived in Damascus when I was a very small and then visited briefly when I was older and we were living in Jordan. My parents were in the US foreign service. My memories of Damascus are pretty old and faded, but it's one of the places I'd like to revisit.
Dave
All the best and most prized photos are old and faded. And that goes for memories too.
Memories of places are so tied up with memories of people, and of growing up and learning and developing and exploring. It must have been fantastic growing up in the Foreign Service, although quite disjointed too.
Ah so you are Lebanese (almost!) - ahlan wa sahlan Dave. You'd be most welcome in Damascus. I'd be the first to greet you.
I'd love to visit Lebanon and Syria, and while it looks unlikely right now,
16 years ago I never thought I'd get to East Berlin without going through Checkpoint Charlie, or walk along the Tigris either.
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very interesting perspective Sasa - thanks and welcome all the way from Syria!