Army Cannot Absorb The Resistance
Defense Minister Elias Murr on Monday said he believes the Army is not capable of absorbing Hizbullah”s resistance and criticized those who oppose upgrading the army”s arsenal because it was done through their political opponents.
Murr, in a television interview, also said: "Those who armed Hizbullah and claim to be keen on Lebanon, why don”t they provide the army with needed weapons?"
"I am keen on my country”s safety and do not want to give Israel a pretext to destroy it again on our heads as it did in 2006," Murr declared.
He said the May 7 attack by Hizbullah on West Beirut and the predominantly Druze sector of Mount Lebanon has led to "discussing Hizbullah weapons."
"If the weapons remain controversial and lack trust, they would be used by Israel as a pretext to attack us again," Murr added.
He said Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri had advised him to visit Russia saying "They want to provide the army with weapons."
Hi ridiculed charges to Mustaqbal Movement of Backing Fatah al-Islam saying the group headed by Hariri and the Sunni community provided the Army with "cover" during the Nahr al-Bared clashes.
"Had we had three MIGs during the Nahr al-Bared war the army wouldn”t have lost that many martyrs," Murr said.