Suleiman Preparing his Own National Defense Strategy
President Michel Suleiman is reportedly getting ready to present his own defense strategy based on previous proposals made by national dialogue participants.
Pan Arab daily al-Hayat reported on Wednesday that a small committee of experts and academicians are preparing a strategy vision that stems from proposals made by several Lebanese politicians.
It quoted sources as saying the work team has until now defense strategy proposals made by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun, former President Amin Gemayel and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.
The sources, however, said it was not clear if Nasrallah”s proposal made during previous dialogue sessions sponsored by Speaker Nabih Berri before the 2006 war was final.
They did not rule out a new defense strategy proposal by Hizbullah after MP Boutros Harb presents his own views during the next dialogue session scheduled for Jan. 22.
The small team that was formed by Suleiman includes several experts in law, international relations and political science, such as Ghaleb Mahmasani, Adnan al-Sayyed Hussein, Issam Suleiman, Walid Mubarak, Ambassador Naji Abu Assi, the president”s advisor and former MP Nazem al-Khoury, Antoine Shukair, retired Brig. Gen. Bassam Yahya.
Delegates of dialogue participants and several army officers will later join the team to come up with an overall vision for the defense strategy.
The sources said the team will do a comparative study of all proposals and try to see what issues require further discussion at the dialogue sessions because everyone wants to come up with a unified plan.