Samir Geagea
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| '''Domestic Issues of Concern''' | '''Domestic Issues of Concern''' | ||
| - | Your Lebanese Forces party is the main Christian component of the March 14th Alliance. The Lebanese Forces are a right-wing party founded by Bashir Gemayel. On September 10, 1990, the Lebanese Forces Party was founded with three principle goals: safeguarding Lebanon’s independence, founding the government on basic human rights, and establishing a democratic system where every citizen has human rights. The original reason behind the formation of your party was to create a united Christian Lebanese front against the Palestinians. Throughout the history of your party, the main focus has to been united Lebanon under Lebanese rule, and to rid the country of foreign influence, chiefly that of Syria. At the present time, this influence is led by Hezbollah, which has Syria’s strong backing. Also, since the time of your release the LF has been working on rebuilding its image, mainly by attempting to reorganize, reopen political facilities, and reestablish the Christian presence in Lebanon. You have continued to work on promoting a political system built on diversity, freedom to foster development and democracy of representation. Your party is well represented at the higher education levels of your society, including student organizations, and labor unions involving doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers. Your main issue of concern remains the role of Syria in your country. After you were sent to jail as a result of Syrian influence, you have continued to hate how they sway your government. Your issue with Syria is not only one of your biggest strengths as a leader, but also one of your most detrimental, as there are many who feel that Hezbollah and Syria are good for the Lebanese people. | + | Your Lebanese Forces party is the main Christian component of the March 14th Alliance. The Lebanese Forces are a right-wing party founded by Bashir Gemayel. On September 10, 1990, the Lebanese Forces Party was founded with three principle goals: safeguarding Lebanon’s independence, founding the government on basic human rights, and establishing a democratic system where every citizen has human rights. The original reason behind the formation of your party was to create a united Christian Lebanese front against the Palestinians. Throughout the history of your party, the main focus has to been united Lebanon under Lebanese rule, and to rid the country of foreign influence, chiefly that of Syria. At the present time, this influence is led by Hezbollah, which has Syria’s strong backing. Also, since the time of your release the LF has been working on rebuilding its image, mainly by attempting to reorganize, reopen political facilities, and reestablish the Christian presence in Lebanon. You have continued to work on promoting a political system built on diversity, freedom to foster development and democracy of representation. Your party is well represented at the higher education levels of your society, including student organizations, and labor unions involving doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers. Your main issue of concern remains the role of Syria in your country. After you were sent to jail as a result of Syrian influence, you have continued to hate how they sway your government. Your strong stance against Syria is both one of your biggest strengths as a leader, and one of your biggest weaknesses, as there are many who feel that Hezbollah's greater prominence (which brings great influence for Syria) is good for Lebanon. |
Current revision
Lebanese Forces Leader
“If Hizbullah continues as it is today, this will attract many negative elements to Lebanon - like it or not. You might say that we should fight these negative elements. We cannot. Lebanon cannot confront all these negative forces.”
"The members of Hizbullah do not perceive Lebanon as their nation. The way they perceive it, the nation has a clear caliph – Ayatollah Khamenei. That is the nation...(t)hey are honorable fighters with a cause, but unfortunately, their cause has nothing to do with our view of Lebanon."
"I have spent 11 horrific years in solitary confinement in a 6-square-meter dungeon three floors underground without sunlight or fresh air. But I endured my hardships because I was merely living my convictions."
Early Years and Education
You were born on October 25, 1952 in Ain el Remmmaneh, a suburb of Beirut. Your father was a member of the Lebanese Army. You attended “Ecole Benilde” elementary school and secondary school in Furn el-Chebek. On a scholarship you studied medicine for six years at the American University of Beirut and Saint Joseph University. Even though you studied medicine for so long, you never actually practiced medicine.
Public Life
In the early 1980’s you were appointed head of the Lebanese Forces’ militia northern Front, where you were in charge of over 1500 soldiers. The Lebanese Forces is a right-wing political party that originally started as a militia, but after the Lebanese civil war reinvented itself politically. As the leader of this group, you led your soldiers into many battles, including fights against the Syrian Army, against Walid Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party militia, and against the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). In 1982, at least 800 Palestinian civilians were massacred at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps near Beirut between September 16 and 18 of 1982. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) surrounded these Palestinian refugee camps, and this allowed your men to kill most of the people inside. Lebanese Christian militiamen massacred these civilians, led by the Christian Phalange group that was out for blood after the murder of its leader, Bashir Gemayel, but with the cooperation of Lebanese Forces militiamen. Gemayel was a Lebanese Christian leader who was elected President on August 23, 1982 and was then assassinated less than a month later on September 14. Along with 26 other people, he was killed by a car bomb that exploded outside of the Beirut headquarters of the Phalange. The Sabra and Shatila massacres were part of an effort to expel the PLO from Lebanon, as part of Israel’s “Peace for Galilee” invasion that was masterminded by Israel’s then Defense Minister Ariel Sharon (though Sharon denied responsibility for the huge loss of life, and Israeli military court found him “indirectly responsible” for the killings, a finding which derailed Sharon’s political ambitions for several years).
On March 12, 1985, with the help of Elie Hobeika, you orchestrated an internal coup in your party, against the then party leader Fouad Abou Nader, as you and Hobeika felt that Nader was too conciliatory towards the Syrians. Nader did not attempt to fight back, as he felt that no blood should be shed. Then, on January 15, 1986 you became the head of the Lebanese Forces after forcing out Hobeika, who had committed what you considered to be an act of treason by signing a treaty with Syria. You are also rivals with Michael Aoun, a prominent Christian leader and head of the Free Patriotic Movement. In the spring of 1989 you turned against Aoun after he wanted to continue to fight the losing war against the Syrians. Also, you take issue with Aoun’s cordial relationship with Hezbollah. On October 13, 1990 you were offered ministerial portfolios in the new Lebanese government after Aoun was ousted, but you refused as you felt that Syria still had too much power. On April 21, 1994 you were arrested for the ordering of a church bombing that took place two months prior, killing 9 people. More importantly, you were also charged with attempting to undermine government authority by “maintaining a militia in the guise of a political party.” You were also accused of the assassinations of Former Prime Minister Rashid Karami, National Liberal Party leader Dany Chamoun and his family, and former LF member Elias Al Zayek, as well as attempting to kill cabinet minister Michel Murr. You were convicted of these crimes, but acquitted of the church bombing, resulting in your receiving four life sentences. In 2005, supporters of the Cedar Revolution, a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon that were the result of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, won the majority of the parliamentary elections. The Lebanese Parliament passed an amnesty bill on July 18, 2005, which led to the approval of your release from prison.
Domestic Issues of Concern
Your Lebanese Forces party is the main Christian component of the March 14th Alliance. The Lebanese Forces are a right-wing party founded by Bashir Gemayel. On September 10, 1990, the Lebanese Forces Party was founded with three principle goals: safeguarding Lebanon’s independence, founding the government on basic human rights, and establishing a democratic system where every citizen has human rights. The original reason behind the formation of your party was to create a united Christian Lebanese front against the Palestinians. Throughout the history of your party, the main focus has to been united Lebanon under Lebanese rule, and to rid the country of foreign influence, chiefly that of Syria. At the present time, this influence is led by Hezbollah, which has Syria’s strong backing. Also, since the time of your release the LF has been working on rebuilding its image, mainly by attempting to reorganize, reopen political facilities, and reestablish the Christian presence in Lebanon. You have continued to work on promoting a political system built on diversity, freedom to foster development and democracy of representation. Your party is well represented at the higher education levels of your society, including student organizations, and labor unions involving doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers. Your main issue of concern remains the role of Syria in your country. After you were sent to jail as a result of Syrian influence, you have continued to hate how they sway your government. Your strong stance against Syria is both one of your biggest strengths as a leader, and one of your biggest weaknesses, as there are many who feel that Hezbollah's greater prominence (which brings great influence for Syria) is good for Lebanon.
Beliefs and Policies Pertaining to the Middle East
You are firm on your stance that Lebanon should truly be its own country, and that no outside forces or influences should play a major role in your country’s decisions. An interesting aspect of your policies pertaining to the Middle East is the fact that you fought on the side of the Israelis. Even though you did not wish to turn to Israel for help, in the early 1980’s you were forced to join forces with them to rid your country of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. At that time, you and Ariel Sharon formed an effective (if secret) alliance, with the common goal of riding Lebanon of outside forces. However, this is something that has been used against you by many Lebanese, who want nothing to do with Israel. You said that even though Israel is not a friend, at the time they were the only country that was willing to help Lebanon rid itself of the enemy Palestinians.
Role Playing Notes
You are first and foremost a military man. Even though you were convicted of crimes you claim you did not commit, and sentenced to time in jail, you do not regret the decisions that you have made. You will continue to fight for Lebanon to be controlled by the Lebanese, and for the government to be fully democratic. For you, an ally is someone who can help you rid Lebanon of outside influence, and enemies are those who attempt to use Lebanon as their playground. One thing that you must be very careful of is how the Syrian government interacts with you. As Syria regains influence in Lebanon, you need to be able to understand how they are going to talk to you. For Syria, you represent one of the few remaining people who are steadfastly against their country. You feel that you were wronged by a government heavily influenced by the Syrians, and will continue to fight for Lebanon to shape its own destiny. Syria can either attempt to alienate you completely, or try to hope that they can reason with you. Another thing you should play upon is the violence in your past. As not only a military leader, but someone who was convicted of murdering four people, you are considered to be quite ruthless. When it comes to your home country, you will do what is necessary to get the job done. However, in prison for the murders, you underwent what you called “auto-psychoanalysis”, in which you went back and revisited your past wars, thinking about what was good and what was wrong. When you were released from prison you stated that you hoped the people who you had harmed had forgiven you.
Sources
http://www.lebaneseforces.com/about.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samir_Geagea
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/15/world/fg-warlord15?pg=1
