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During General Aoun's historical visit to Australia last year, a Lebanese citizen, a friend of mine, living in Sidney, approached me and whispered in my ears: "I thought Aoun was a pompous and conceited leader, but to my surprise, I found him to be extremely humble, humane, authentic and down to earth in his behavior. He added:
His closeness to people makes you love him,
His concepts are extremely conceivable and logical,
His argument is strong and makes you respect his analytical predictions and admire whatever he says.
He is the brave, educated leader whom the Lebanese people have been waiting for years, to save them from the conspiracy and open their eyes to the truth. The truth that has been shadowed by collaborators, puppet officials, mercenary media men, opportunists and all those betraying Lebanon and its people for their own interests.
Since then, my friend has been calling me regularly whenever he reads any of Aoun's articles, or listens to any of his speeches. He calls to express his admiration and to remind me of his positive impressions after he met the leader. Last week my friend was fascinated by Aoun's article (published in The Middle Herald) under the title, "Waiting Is a Sickening State". Aoun in his article differentiated clearly between an empty, aimless waiting, where there is no effort or courage involved, and waiting that is hope-filled, patriotic, with genuine handwork involved in the aim of achieving the final goals.
The zeal of my friend made me go back to the book I published under the title "Aoun, a Lebanese Awakening State", and chose from its contents some opinions focusing on my friend's observations.
Michel Aoun was one of the few Lebanese Army officers who were accepted to the Military Academy without any mediation from influential politicians. Aoun said in this regard: "After I wrote the Military Academy entrance test, the Mayor of Haret Hrayek, (a suburb in South Beirut, Aoun's home town) visited my father and asked him in my presence why he does not call on Mr. Henry Traboulsi to talk to the Academy and ensure my acceptance? My father declined from doing so, and looked at me to hear my opinion in the presence of the Mayor. I said "dad, in case you did ask Mr. Traboulsy to mediate and as a result of his mediation I was accepted, don't you think I will be for the rest of my life a hostage to his favor; at the same time I shall never know the reality of my success: was it because of my qualifications and aptitude or because of the mediation, I refuse to be accepted as a result of mediation".
Late Colonel Khalil Kenaan, a close friend to Aoun, described him by saying: " General Aoun is one of the few Lebanese Army officers who were very successful in their military higher studies in France. It is a rule that officers who do well abroad are good ones. Aoun was never an opportunist or a coaxer. He was, and still is, a brave, honest, humble, intelligent, patriotic and open minded man. He is a straightforward man in his attitudes, always seeks the truth and never, ever compromises his beliefs or convictions".
From his day one, at the Military Academy, Aoun refused to accept the traditional concept that a soldier is a slave, and an officer is a God. He believed the military life is an interacting process between subordinates and their seniors and between soldiers and officers based on loyalty and on the respect of the subordinate to his superior. At the same time he believed it is based also on the superior's understanding to his subordinate and on a genuine will for help and support. Aoun stressed the fact that, a relationship based on fear between subordinates and superiors does not build an effective and strong army, but bodyguards and appeasers.
Mr. Fayek Khoury, Aoun's friend for thirty years, said: " Michel Aoun's relationship with his friends was extremely good. We were like brothers with each other and Aoun was very proud of his past and his family. He always said proudly and openly:'"I am the son of Naiem Aoun the farmer." Aoun is very humble, does not speak about himself and never brags about what he has achieved. His speech is logical, analytical and down to earth, although he does not speak much."
Aoun's cook, "Im Elias", said: " Aoun was never picky, he is a very humble and an ordinary man. He did not have any food preferences, he used to eat happily whatever I cooked, and most frequently one or two courses only."
In this regard Mr. Al -Akhtar Al -Ibrahemy, the Arabic envoy, once said after meeting and having a meal with Aoun at the Baabda Palace: " I have had the poorest meal ever, but with the most honest man."
An army officer told me this story: Mr. Naiem Elias Aoun, General Michel Aoun's nephew applied to the Military Academy during General Aoun's reign (as Prime Minister 1988-1989). Mr. Naiem wrote the designated Academy entering exam, and fulfilled perfectly, all other pre-requisites. General Aoun personally insisted on participating actively in the preparation of that test. He made it very tough and decided on a high average for acceptance.
A few days later, after the results of the examination were known, but not officially announced, I took the list of those who scored the needed average, and went with some colleagues to see General Aoun, at the presidential palace. I approached him, and whispered in his ear: I have the Academy potential cadets passing list, what do you want us to do in regards to your nephew? Speak loudly, he said, did Naiem pass? I answered, according to the required average, no, he did not. Aoun responded: then he failed, and there is no need to continue discussing the matter. One of my colleague officers intervened to say: General, Colonel Naief Kalaas, has joined General Lahoud's forces, why don't we replace his son with your nephew? Aoun replied: my dear friends, Kalaas's son is qualified to enter the Academy, not my nephew, this is the end of the matter.
When we started the Central National Co-ordination Bureau in 1988, General Aoun told us: Do not focus on money, because if you do, the track of your objectives will be lost. Money is used to serve the needs only, otherwise it becomes tiresome and a burden. You earn one thousand, and start thinking how to earn more, and more. You spend the rest of your life anxious, restless, unhappy and endeavoring to save a fortune; you become a slave to your money.
A few weeks after his appointment as Prime Minister, the Libyan ambassador to Lebanon called asking for an urgent appointment, which he got within a week. During his meeting with General Aoun, the ambassador said: General, in the name of the Libyan Republic, and Colonel Mohamar Khadafi, I extend my congratulations, and the Colonel asks you to accept this cheque, as an initial aid for your Excellency. Aoun refused to accept the cheque (Millions of Dollars). He said to the ambassador: I genuinely thank you, and his Excellency the Colonel, for your greatly appreciated gesture. Please tell the Colonel on my behalf, that I would like our relationship to be of a different type. We ask him to help Lebanon by cutting his financial and other aids to the Lebanese militias, help we need badly. Our relationship as brothers, Aoun added, I hope will be built on solid basis and mutual convictions...the financial help would then be appropriate.
A delegation from the northern town of Mezraya's immigrants visited Aoun in his office at the Baabda Palace. While discussing with them the critical Lebanese situation and answering their inquiries. a member of the delegation whispered in my ear: look the General's socks are loose and not fancy. General Aoun noticed what was going on, he smiled and said: this what we have, a man's value is not in his shoes or socks.
General Aoun told us this incident: in the year 1978, he was appointed a member in an official military delegation assigned by the Lebanese army to visit the USA and negotiate with the Pentagon, the needed aids for rehabilitating the Lebanese army. In Washington Aoun met with a high rank USA military officer in-charge of the Lebanese affairs.
The officer asked Aoun:
Why do you want to strengthen the Lebanese army and provide it with modern weapons? Aoun replied: to be able to liberate our country from foreign occupations.
The officer responded: Your country is occupied, and more than fifty thousand foreign troops are present there. How could you force them to leave, and you are a small country?
Aoun quietly but surely answered: Every body knows the USA, the mightiest nation on earth, had sent thousands of its troops to fight the Vietnamese revolution. At the end you were forced to leave, and Vietnam the small country was victorious.
One day, the well-known Lebanese journalist Fawzi Mubarak, came to visit General Michel Aoun at Marseilles, France, after Aoun was forced into exile in 1990. While both men were chatting with each other in my presence, Mubarak said: General Aoun, Mr. Elias Hrawi (Syrian installed Lebanese president) has arrived to Paris today on an official visit, and at this hour, he is delivering a speech on democracy and freedom. Aoun responded instantly, he is like the man who is attending his wife's wedding". Mr. Mubarak, who was surprised by the response, asked Aoun for more explanation. Aoun said: as you can see, the installed officials in Lebanon have sold every thing, the country, their honor, democracy and freedom. What is really sarcastic, added Aoun, is they are bragging now, and talking about things that do not exist any more, except in their fantasies. their status applies to a Lebanese popular proverb that says: a man sells his wife and his honor, then dresses the best of his cloth and attends her wedding with apparent pride.
In 1985, General Aoun was celebrating, as he used to do every year, the St. Elias day, at his friend's house, Mr. Joseph Chosen, Abu Elias. He noticed a portrait hanged near the door entrance portraying a verse from Gobran Khalil Gobran. It read: God help a nation that believes a tyrant could be fair. Aoun said to his friend, it seems Gobran did not encounter other hardship. He took a pencil and wrote beside Gobran's verse: God help a nation that sacrifices its youth for the sake of its elderly.
Aoun always loved the Lebanese proverbs, because he believed they genuinely portrayed the Lebanese sufferings throughout history. These proverbs delineate clearly the Lebanese stubbornness, resistance and courageous endurance of pain and grievance. At the same time Aoun frequently expressed his disgust from some of the proverbs that do not represent the actual Lebanese character, like: lying is the salt of men, it is a shame to say the truth, kiss the hand that you cannot defeat, and pray it would be fractured. Aoun hated these proverbs because they belittle the Lebanese intelligence and courage. He commented on the last proverb by said: instead of praying the hand would be fractured, we have to build our efforts to be able to fracture it.
At the beginning of the liberation war in 1988, a journalist asked Aoun: how could you fight Syria, and you know very well its army, is much more stronger than ours? Aoun responded: The weaker always wages wars of liberation against powerful tyrants, and always the weaker is victorious because his cause is righteous...We have to be perseverant, fight courageously, never give up, cling to our rights, defend our freedom and maintain our faith and self confidence. The regional and international status will change one day, and the world will come to our support in liberating our country after recognizing the righteousness of our cause. Aoun one day told us the story of the sickle-toothed bird, which personifies persistence and perseverance. He said: one day while I was hunting in an area close to the borders known as Tim Lobia, I saw a sickle-toothed bird fighting for his nest, he was attacking a big venomous snake who was trying to get into the nest and eat his eggs. He kept attacking the snake, although he knew, she was stronger and more powerful, he refused to give up. I was fascinated by his perseverance and shot the snake to save the nest.
Aoun is a very courageous individual, he never feared death, he believed it is always in the hands of God. He frequently repeats this verse from the bible: the hair of your head is counted, and not even one hair falls without God's will. When I visited him in Marseilles, France, after he was forced into exile, I found his faith as strong as it always was, he was full of faith, and hopeful more than ever in the ultimate victory. He told me this incident, he said: while I was trying to get to the French embassy at the Hezmieh area, after leaving the Baabda palace on the 13th of October 1990, and while seeing hundreds of bombs exploding all over the area, I envisaged the thousands of the Lebanese people praying and asking God for victory and liberation outside the Baabda palace. I contemplated their holy faces and felt their faith. When I reached the embassy safely, I was sure that their prayers saved my companion and me.
After the unsuccessful coup d'état of the Syrian Socialist National Party (SSNP) on New Year's Eve of 1961, Lieutenant Junior Michel Aoun was assigned responsibility for the two arrested captains (coup d'état leaders), Chawki Khair-Allah and Fouad Awad. A few days after the coup, the Intelligence Bureau came to take the two arrested Colonel's for torture, but Aoun refused to allow it, and considered the act illegal. Aoun's stance annoyed the Lebanese army leadership, who failed to mistreat the two officers while under Aoun's custody.
To change Aoun's assignment, the leadership sent him on a meaningless mission to the City of Sidon. Aoun, on discovering the nature of his sudden redirection, and on learning about the torture of the two officers in his absence, became extremely angry, and described the act as Nazi and unacceptable. Dr. Chauki Khair-allah remembered with gratitude Aoun's noble conduct. He wrote an article in February 1989, under the title "Aoun is the army spiritual leader", in which he said: "Some officers in the Lebanese army refused to supervise the torture inflicted on the SSNP members, like Abdel Latief Hajj, Michel Aoun, Khalil Khanaan, Issam Bu Jamra and Kana Kanaj".
Colonel Fayez Karam told me this incident: In 1988, in the midst of the liberation war against the Syrian occupation troops, and while the area under Aoun's control was under heavy shelling, Aoun called Colonel Karam at 1 a.m. in the morning. Karam thought something very urgent must have forced Aoun to call him at that time, but was surprised when Aoun asked him to investigate an alleged report stating that a Lebanese army officer had assaulted an Egyptian worker at a gas station. Aoun asked Karam to reprimand and punish the officers if found guilty.
Michel Aoun was humane in his life, and in all his acts and conduct. He did not believe in revenge, or in injustice. He refused adamantly to be involved in the assassination dirty game. He always said: "Blood inherits blood, and nations cannot be built on avenge and revenge".
In 1969, Captain Michel Aoun protested against the Cairo Accord (signed between the Lebanese government and the Palestinians). Aoun said openly and loudly the agreement was an infringement on the Lebanese sovereignty. He was the only Lebanese army officer to protest against the Accord in writing. He wrote to the army leadership saying: "my acceptance of this illegal Accord means dishonoring my military oath".
When Aoun's protest letter reached the headquarters of the army leadership, his supervisor was called and exposed to a lengthy investigation. The supervisor after the investigation called Aoun to say: "What is going on, Captain Aoun, why you are talking politics and creating problems?" Aoun response was: "Sir, I had no intention to talk politics, or to create problems for you. What I wrote was in response to your request for the army officers to give their opinion in the Accord. If you do not like what I wrote, tear up the letter, and put an end to this issue".
After the approval of the Cairo Accord, the Lebanese army had to fight with the armed Palestinians in 1973, The fight ended after reaching a new Accord between the two sides, known as the "Melcart Accord". Aoun found this new accord to be a new infringement on the Lebanese sovereignty, and a fragile truce that will fall apart soon.
Aoun was right and the clashes between the two sides escalated. Aoun even wrote a play based on the ongoing clashes between the Lebanese army and the Palestinians. Al Sherah Magazine spoke about Aoun's play in an article it published. It said in the artillery day in 1974, a group from the Lebanese army presented a play written by Lieutenant Michel Aoun.
The play portrayed a story of tourists who were visiting numerous historical locations in Lebanon. They saw a group of armed men in training. They were not soldiers in the Lebanese army. The tourists asked the Lebanese guide who was escorting them, are these armed men soldiers in the Lebanese army? The guide answered no, they are not, they are Lebanon's enemies and have made themselves a substitute for the army. One of the tourists responds, what is your army doing? The guide said, our politicians want the army to do everything, but without providing him with anything.
Lieutenant Michel Aoun clashed with the Palestinians several times and in more than one location. He wrote in his diary: "My battles were not with the Palestinian revolution, but those with infringing on the law, and jeopardizing security and peace in my country". Aoun in his capacity as an army officer arrested many Palestinians breaking the law, but to his surprise all of them were released by the second day, without being exposed to any legal measures. He always respected those he arrested and refused to infringe on their human rights, he respected rights and never humiliated or tortured any of them.
Aoun's noble conduct left positive impressions among many Palestinians. Many of them still maintain friendly relationship with him. Even in the midst of the Tal-Zaatar Palestinian siege and fierce battles between the Lebanese Arm and Palestinians, Aoun kept his good relationship with the Palestinians and was able with their cooperation to solve many mutual problems, and to rescue and save many of them.
Colonel Sami Al-Chidiac served with General Aoun at Lebanon's South border in the late sixties. He quoted Aoun describing the Lebanese situation as follows: " The Lebanese people are dancing on the tenth floor, while the fire has reached the eighth floor, and the stairs are burning".
Lieutenant Adel Sasyn, chief of the Military police, served with Captain Michel Aoun at Sidon City in the late 1974 when he was still a junior lieutenant. According to Sasyn, Aoun one day took him with a group of army officers to a location overlooking Tel-Az-zatar Palestinian camp in the suburbs of Beirut and told them to thoroughly study the entrances, roads and exits of this camp. Pointing to the camp, Aoun said to the officers, "If the Palestinian continue with their atrocities, and the Lebanese leadership keeps its negligent and indifferent stance by ignoring the imminent dangers, the first battle is going to take place here and very soon".
In the mid eighties, Captain Antoine Sawan, told me this incident. In 1975, I was serving with Michel Aoun in Sidon City, and both of us had the same military rank. Following the raging of the civil war in that year numerous promotions and news appointments took place in the military institution, most of them were against the law. At the same the country went into a security crisis resulting in widespread killing, kidnapping, assassination and other infringements. Aoun was extremely annoyed at the way the regime officials were handling such a critical situation. He submitted to the Army leadership an extensive report addressing the deteriorating security status. Aoun presented in his report, a scientific vision for the unfolding events and cautioned of the security crisis' consequences. He proposed numerous practical solutions to contain the infringements and correct the defects.
Captain Sawan added, "In my capacity as in-charge for the recruiting Department I went to see Brigadier Simon Saied, the South region chief, and get his signature for some purchasing and organizational forms. When I entered his office I found him busy arguing and debating with a group of army officers. I asked what is going on, and why every body is tense and angry? One of the officers answered, 'Look how much is your friend, Michel Aoun, is pessimistic'. He submitted an official distressing report scares even those who have never experienced fear in their life. Adding, according to him the war is going to last for fifteen years, 'who knows if we will survive at the end or not'. I said this is his opinion. He responded, 'his opinion is right, but he must be reasonable, there is no need for all this pessimism'. What is happening is a transient cloud, it will soon dissolve".
Captain Sawan continued his anecdote by saying: "the same day after I went back to my office, I met Captain Michel Aoun at night. I asked him, Michel, what you have done? His response was, 'what do you mean? I answered: your report has created a state of confusion and an angry debate at the headquarters. Aoun smiled and said, 'my friend, it is their problem, why they have to be confused and angry, I gave them my opinion in what is happening and tried to propose means for preventing imminent hazards and dangers.
My friend Antoine, Aoun added, the problem with most of our army officers is that they don't read, and when they do, they don't memorize. When they memorize, they don't comprehend, and when they do comprehend, they do not assimilate. When they do assimilate, they don't take any precautions; they forget and simplify events and issues. They avoid bearing any responsibility and don't possess any readiness to work. Accordingly disaster happens, the army suffers, people pay high prices, many lose their lives and chaos prevails before action is taken. When they do take action, it is always retarded, and through enthusiasm for holding meetings and formation of committees in a bid to put forth plans for defense and confrontation. Unfortunately, all their interest takes place after disasters already have hit the country and the people'".
That evening, Captain Sawan added, "Aoun explained to me the contents of his comprehensive courageous report as well as his vision for the needed solutions and ended by saying, 'My dear Antoine, if things remain as they are, God help us, and help the country'. Captain Sawan ended his story by saying: ' I swear all Aoun's predications and anticipations have happened through the first ten years of the Lebanese war. Myself, and my colleagues used to remember Aoun with each and every incident, remember with admiration, what he said and he wrote in 1975'".
In the beginning of 1976, after the Syrian troops entered Lebanon, Colonel Michel Aoun, criticized the stance of the Lebanese Intelligence Bureau chief, Joul Bostani. Although Aoun had respected and admired Bostani a great deal, for his patriotism, efficiency and devotion, he could not standstill while Boustani was promoting the Syrian military role and portraying it to be in Lebanon's advantage. Aoun said openly, and in my presence: the Syrians have deceived Colonel Bostani,, they used him, like they did with others to achieve their aims. Aoun added, but there will be no significant future role for Bostani or other Lebanese officials or military personnel as long as the Syrian troops remain in Lebanon. The Syrians used Bostani and then, he was disposed of. Aoun elaborated more by saying: the entrance of Syrian, Israeli or any other foreign troops to Lebanon is a frank and blunt occupation act, it will weaken the state's authority and paralyze Lebanon's army role. The solution, as I see it, is through an Arabic-international consensus, yielding a serious commitment through which an effective embargo can be imposed on all support for all factions involved in the war. An effective role, that will strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese troops, army, police and security forces. Aoun ended by saying: I feel sorry for Colonel Bostani, his role is finished, he has lost his credibility. Since that date, Colonel Bostani, lost both, his power and status. Boustani had played an effective and vital role in building the army, maintaining the unity of the Intelligence Bureau, and in supporting and training the army youth to be able to confront the conspiracy.
Michel Aoun predicted the Gulf war would take place one year before it happened. He cautioned the Arab world against its devastating consequences and called on them to show more interest in Lebanon as an effective precautionary measure. He asked them to help solve the Lebanese conflict and put an end to its ordeal or it would bounce back on them.
Aoun in most of his statements and speeches stressed and confirmed the fact, that with the Taef Agreement, Lebanon would cease to be a free, sovereign independent, democratic, liberal country. The current Lebanese status quo confirms the righteousness of his predictions. During a news conference he held at the People's Palace (Baabda Presidential Palace, during his reign between 1988-1990) a female journalist kept bombarding him with irritating and instigating questions. She was aiming to embarrass him, and show that his Taif opposing stance was wrong. Aoun quietly and with self confidence responded by saying: Listen my friend, now, feel free to ask any question you want, the way you like and take advantage of this opportunity as much as you can. As from this moment I can tell, you would not be able to do so, when the Taef Agreement that apparently you support, is imposed on the country. When the time comes, I want you to remember what I have just said today. You, as well as other journalists will not be allowed such kind of freedom
Who from the Lebanese people can forget Aouns numerous appeals and calls to Dr. Samir Jaja (Leader for the Lebanese Forces). He called on Jaja not to be a Trojan horse in the eastern region of Lebanon ( The free region under the control of the legitimate military government headed by Aoun between 1988 and 1990). He said to Jaja: You are cornered, and in a no win situation. Do not bombard the presidential palace, this palace is your safe gate, if you win, you will surrender, and if you lose you will surrender too. Ask yourself why you are fighting the Lebanese army, and be sure if you win, you shall never take over my place, the Taef is between us, it will take over. In case I lose, this shall mean the end of the free Lebanon.
Last year, in a friendly conversation, with General Aoun, at the Haute La Maison, in France, we talked about the last year of his reign, and recalled the unfortunate events that lead to the Syrian invasion. Aoun said: As a rule of thumb, man surrenders in a bid to avoid a fight, nobody in the world has waged a war because he wanted in advance to surrender. It has never crossed my mind that there will be a deviation from this general global rule. I was quilty of believing that no one would fight in a bid to surrender. The Lebanese Forces, followed this odd deviation; they fought the Lebanese Army to surrender to the Syrian troops.
The military mail, has never ever in the history of Lebanon, carried more letters from Diaspora as it did, during Aoun's reign. The letters brought financial donations from Diaspora to support the army and commended the nationalism and courageous stance of its leadership. One morning, in 1989, General Aoun, asked me, if I knew Mr. Fouad Nemaan Al-Khoury, a Lebanese immigrant poet living in Australia. Definitely, I do, was my spontaneous reply, he was my classmate, and comes from a neighboring village in North Lebanon. Where did you meet him, I asked? I did not have that honor, Aoun replied, but today I received a letter from a group of Lebanese immigrants living in Australia with a poem he wrote. With tearful eyes, Aoun handed me the letter, and said passionately: How great are our Lebanese people, it is crime for anybody to deceive, mislead, cheat or manipulate them. A leader can not even maneuver with them; they are so eager to learn the truth. They shall admire, respect and support leaders who fulfil their eagerness and patriotic aspirations. Leaders who betray their cause and underestimate their intelligence and devotion shall be doomed and alienated.
Upon his return from an Arabic summit, President Sheik Amin Jomayal, handed to General Aoun, the army chief, an official Syrian invitation to visit. Aoun accepted and paid an official visit to Damascus shortly after. The Syrians received him with great respect, in a ceremony, usually given to visiting presidents only. They made their best to make him feel at home and extremely welcomed. A member of the delegation that escorted Aoun in his visit told me this anecdote: During a banquet the Syrians held in Aoun's honor, Syrian Minister for Defense, General Mustafa Talas said to Aoun: General Aoun, the Lebanese dignitaries as a general rule carry too many gifts and presents when visiting us, it is clear you did not bring us any thing. Aoun smiled, and replied spontaneously: Your Excellency, believe me, you left us nothing in Lebanon, that could be offered as a gift.
In a session with mediators, General Aoun said: "My dear friends, the Syrians are requesting a kind of significant relations with Lebanon. We are more than ready to respond positively to their request, but we can't do so, until after the withdrawal of their army from our country. Please do convey to the Syrians this advice from Michel Aoun: Lebanon is a land of quick sand, all those who attempted to mingle with Lebanese affairs unfairly were sucked in by it, they ought to be aware of this fact."
In his capacity as Chief army commander, during the last few months of President Amin Gemayal's reign, General Aoun met with an American official delegation at his residence in the Al-Rabieh area. The delegation was composed of Mr. David Newton, Mr., David Sutterfield and the USA Military attaché in Lebanon, Mr. Renekia. The delegation informed General Aoun that an agreement was reached between the USA envoy, Mr. Richard Murphy, and the Syrian President Hafez Assad to appoint Mr. Michael Al-Daher President for the Republic of Lebanon. Aoun's response was: "It is great to be able to have agreements between you and the Syrians, we are really happy for you." Aoun continued to say: "but in regards to the Lebanese President, we request a free election session under the auspices of the Lebanese Army. We ask for Washington's help in this matter and we have no objection to the session being under the American's supervision. In my capacity as army chief commander, Aoun added: "I shall accept happily the outcome of the election. You [Americans] have to be very cautious in what you are requesting, because it is a dangerous precedent. You are recognizing a Syrian role in Lebanon for an unlimited time frame. Accordingly, I insist you avoid such recognition for a Syrian role that will lead for endless Syrian hegemony over Lebanon." Aoun ended by saying: "What you are trying to impose will be a dangerous precedent and will set an unfair model for other places in the world in future international affairs.
The American delegation rejected Aoun's proposal and stressed the fact that the Syrian-American agreement is final, and accordingly there is no chance at all for any change or even slight modification. Aoun told the members of the delegation: "Your decision puts us on a war track because we refuse to give up our sovereignty and independence. We would have loved to thank you for assisting us in executing a free presidential election, not to impose on us a president." Aoun went on to say: "This is a shame, you claim to be protectors for freedom and defenders for democracy and still impose on us such an agreement? What you are trying to do is not acceptable on the verge of the twenty- first century. We are not a herd of sheep; we are a deep-rooted civilized people and will resist this infringement on our rights."
That day when I came to Aoun's residence accompanied by a group of dignitaries, we found the place crowded with military and political personnel. The main topic was the shameful Murphy-Assad agreement. Aoun's eldest daughter Mira was furious for what has been going on. Out of her innocence she was trying to understand and inquire by what right others can impose on the people of Lebanon a president. She approached her father tearful and fuming with anger and asked him: "Dad, why they want to impose a president on us, don't we know how to select one on our own?" Aoun trying to calm her down, answered: "All the powerful nations deal like this with small helpless countries." " What is your stance?" she asked. "I refused to accept", replied Aoun.
At that point I said: "General Aoun, we all refuse to accept such a mockery. Is it possible after fourteen years of war, distraction, sacrifices, martyrs and displacement to reap such an outcome?"
Few hours later, General Aoun, met with his media councilor, Mr. Youssef Al-Andari in a side room for few minutes. He went out after that to say: "a press release will be announced in a short time stating our national stance, we reject this agreement of subservience." General Aoun conveyed his stance of rejection to President Amin Jemayal through Colonel Simon Kasies, chief Intelligence Bureau. He also notified Dr. Samir Gega, Leader for the Lebanese Forces through Mr. Nader Sukar who returned to tell Aoun that Dr. Gega is in complete agreement with his rejecting stance. Aoun assigned Father George Nehme and General Ghabi Arsoni to visit Bkerke and make his Beatitude Patriarch Sfier aware of the stance taken. His Beatitude was in full agreement with the stance, and asked the two envoys to tell General Aoun of his approval, describing the taken stance as historical.
The same day the Lebanese Army leadership, Department of Guidance, issued the following press release: The leadership extends its genuine thanks to the Syrians and Americans for the efforts they have taken to facilitate the election of a president for our country. At the same time the leadership reiterate its stance that has been announced numerous times lately. This stance is based on two solid facts:
1- The Lebanese army still honors its declared commitment in providing the needed security and freedom for the presidential election and for those running for the position.
2- Based on the army's oath to protect and safeguard Lebanon's sovereignty, and its parliamentary democratic system, it can't accept the principle of appointing a president. No body has the right to appoint a president for Lebanon. Such matter has to be handled by the Lebanese Parliament that legitimately and solely looks after the Lebanese national interest.
Following the announcement of the press release General Aoun was somewhat relieved, but was still extremely worried. He kept pacing at the sitting room of his residence, while we went on discussing the unfolding events. Aoun at that time had a Fractured arm supported by a splint. In spite of Aoun.s anxiety he seemed to be relieved from the heavy load that was bothering his conscience after taking a clear patriotic stance. He suddenly stopped pacing, turned toward us and said:
Remember this day, it is going to be the start of a new era. Very few will be able to resist, but they shall be sufficient to continue the struggle
As from today no one will be allowed to give us orders, take decision or thing on our behalf.
We are free to decide for ourselves, we are the ones who will say: yes, or no, and decide freely what is acceptable and what is not.
As from today there will be no more mockery and no more betrayal for the truth, every thing has to be in the open, and the people have to be well informed and fully aware to what goes in the country.
As from today we are going to say what and who is good or bad, no more compromises on our existence and rights, and all citizens shall be equal in all rights."
