Michel Aoun: Lebanon 'paralyzed' by Syria war
In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Gen. Michel Aoun, leader of Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement, blames Saudi Arabia for the deadlock in Lebanese politics.
RABIEH, Lebanon — Gen. Michel Aoun, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), the second largest bloc in Lebanon’s parliament, blames the Lebanese government for not closing its borders early on to terrorists and weapons from Syria.
“Lebanon is paralyzed right now because of the Syrian problem,” Aoun said in an exclusive interview at his home in Rabieh.
“The problem of Tripoli, of the northern borders, of Arsal, before in Saida — it was a mistake that our government — the prime minister — didn’t take any decision about them. He said to get far away from the Syrian war. We said OK, that’s right. But he left the borders of Lebanon open for the trafficking of weapons, for sending — well, not militias, the terrorists — from the port of Tripoli to the north of Syria as to install a line of logistics to Arsal, and then to the Qalamoun region.
“So this situation generated the conflict right now with Hezbollah, with the others,” he said. “It was a big mistake.”
