Outcry against Aoun
Exiled General Michel Aoun plays Washington's tune and adds fuel to the fire of mounting pressure on Syria and Lebanon. Mohalhel Fakih reports from Beirut
Former Lebanese Army Commander General Michel Aoun's testimony at a United States Congressional hearing against Damascus on 17 September raised a storm of protests in Beirut, with pro-Syrian politicians branding the exiled opposition leader a "traitor", while opposition figures described his testimony as "harmful". But Aoun's testimony on Capitol Hill, coupled with mounting US pressure on Lebanon and Syria, have been a source of concern here.
Hours after Aoun struck a raw nerve in Washington by telling US legislators that Syria has been providing "fertile" ground for "terrorism" in Lebanon, politicians in Beirut were demanding that the exiled leader be punished. Following a cabinet meeting that was chaired by President Emile Lahoud and attended by Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Lebanese government on Thursday condemned Aoun's testimony, and denounced the fact that some of its nationals had become "tools in the hands of the Zionist lobby that presented the [legislative] act".
The Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which was introduced in 2002, has so far received the support of 264 (out of 435) congressmen, and 73 (out of 100) senators. The proposed bill calls on Syria to end its support of "terrorism", withdraw from Lebanon, and stop its alleged production of weapons of mass destruction. If Damascus does not comply, it risks facing economic and diplomatic sanctions. Although the Bush administration has not signalled its support of the bill, Under Secretary of State John Bolton said that Washington must keep open the option of using "every tool" to stop Syria and others from seeking chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons.
In an attempt to convince the legislators that Syria posed a security "threat" to the US, General Aoun told the hearing that Syrian agents were behind the 1982 bombings in Beirut that targeted American troops and interests. He promised them "developments on the ground" if the bill is approved. "Aoun has not changed his position. He always wanted this bill to proceed. His reason has constantly been the presence of Syrian troops [on Lebanese soil]," prominent Lebanese analyst Ahmed Ayash told Al-Ahram Weekly.
But Aoun's testimony left officials and opposition leaders in Beirut stunned. A chorus of pro- Syrian opposition leaders and state officials branded Aoun a traitor and accused him of supporting "the Zionists" against his own nation. His testimony prompted Prosecutor General Adnan Addoum to threaten an investigation into whether Aoun violated the law by "harming" Lebanese ties with a "brotherly" country, "tarnishing" the country's image, or contacting the Israeli "enemy". Aoun, who has been in exile since 1990, faces legal charges of embezzling public funds and usurping power after he launched a "war of liberation" against Syria at the end of the Lebanese civil war.
"Help from outside will not help resolve hanging problems between Lebanon and Syria," said former President Amin Gemayel, a staunch critic of the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon. He added that the US Congress has "no executive powers", and foreign policy-making is the job of the White House. Gemayel, who is close to Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney, told Al- Mustaqbal daily that he had information indicating that the dialogue between Washington and Damascus has not stopped, despite public spats.
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, now seen as the main opposition voice to Syria's role in Lebanon, sounded a note of caution. "Lebanon and Syria are neighbours and hostility harms everyone," said Sfeir in an interview with BBC radio. Sfeir, who has been cautious in dealing with Syria, opposed any pressure on Damascus during the Iraq war, while insisting that Lebanon win its "sovereignty".
The reaction of Lebanese officials overshadowed Syria's response to the Capitol Hill hearing. "America has too many demands. If they are reasonable and realistic, Syria is ready to cooperate," Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa said. Vice President Abdel-Halim Khaddam told reporters on Saturday that Syria would stand by its regional positions, including its support of Iraqi sovereignty.
Aoun's testimony came fast on the heels of his unprecedented participation in Lebanon's by- elections on 14 September, in which a candidate he backs, Hikmat Deeb, received 3,276 votes. Aoun had previously refused to recognise successive post-war governments, and it was the first time that his supporters in the Free Patriotic Movement partook in elections, which have been charged by sectarian rhetoric since the civil war ended. Aoun said he would return to Beirut and participate in the next legislative elections in 2005.
