THE COUNCIL OF LEBANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS

   CLAO   Founded in 1989 to serve the USA and Lebanon.

                                           4401-A Connecticut Ave. NW Suite 273, Washington, DC 20008

                                           Eastern USA: P.O. Box 181116 Cleveland, OH  44118  ***  Western USA: P. O. Box 661823, Los Angeles, CA 90066

March 08, 2005                                                                                              PR050308

While The Syrian Demonstrates Against The Sovereignty Of Lebanon!

President Bush Declares:

 “Freedom Will Prevail In Lebanon”

On behalf of the vast majority of the American Lebanese community and the people of Lebanon in the motherland and around the globe, the Council of Lebanese American Organizations (CLAO) praises President Bush for his speech to the National Defense University today, declaring that “Freedom Will Prevail In Lebanon.” CLAO is confidant that under President Bush’s leadership, world justice will finally be championed, dictators will be further isolated and weakened, and larger countries will no longer be permitted to occupy smaller weaker ones.

Meanwhile, “Death to America” and other threatening slogans filled the air in an anti-sovereignty pro-Syrian demonstration in Beirut today. The vast majority of the protestors were Syrian nationals shipped from Syria to join the Syrian workers in a propaganda organized by the Syrian dictator regime to counter yesterday’s pro-sovereignty demonstration by the freedom seeking Lebanese. It was also notable that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Hizballah and the Syrian surrogates in Lebanon have also joined the Syrian protest today.

The Syrian dictator regime remains defiant. Today’s event and yesterday’s announcement of a partial withdrawal of Syrian troops to the Bekaa valley by the Syrian dictatorship and its Lebanese surrogates is yet another maneuver to buy time by a regime that is on the brink of extinction.  Completely oblivious to yesterday’s valiant demonstration of over 250,000 Lebanese citizens, they yet again assume that they can fool the world by empty and vague promises or by shipping Syrian nationals to gather in support of the occupation.  Facing a new Middle East reality and a phenomenal unity amongst the majority of the Lebanese, the Syrian regime is now resorting to its old tactics of "Divide and Conquer", adding insult to injury.

Unable to put a stop to the staunch grassroots movement opposing Syria's oppressing the occupation of Lebanon, Assad in his latest speech on March 5, 2005, hinted at a new instability in Lebanon.    Exactly on queue, Syrian appointed Baasist Labor Minister Assem Kanso threatened bodily harm on the protesters.  The same day, armed elements, strongly suspected to be Syrian intelligence agents, fired automatic machine weapons in various residential sectors inhabited by opposition supporters.  On Sunday, March 6, 2005, another Syrian warning came about when a deliberate and tragic shooting, critically injuring a young protester, took place in Beirut. Today, the speech of Mr. Hassan Nisrallah, Hizballah’s Secretary General, was designed to intimidate the freedom seeking Lebanese; Mr. Nisrallah, clearly rejected the notion of disarmament Hizballah.

These rapidly unfolding and grave events are a great concern to the Council of Lebanese American Organizations (CLAO).  To avoid yet another manipulation by the Syrian occupiers and to put an immediate halt to any further threats and acts of violence, CLAO urges the following:

1. The urgent formation of an international coalition force, spearheaded by the US and France to be deployed to Lebanon in the shortest term possible in support of the Lebanese Army's efforts to protect the people and to maintain peace and order.
2. The immediate and complete withdrawal of Syrian troops and intelligence operatives in conjunction with the release of all Lebanese prisoners held in Syrian jails.

3.      The Withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Shibaa Farms and the release of all Lebanese political prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

4. The deployment of Lebanese Army units in all of Lebanon.
5. The complete disarmament of all Syrian-sponsored and armed militias to include Hizbollah and the Palestinian camps. This must include the deportation of the armed Iranian Revolutionary Guards that are alongside the Syrians training Hizballah in Lebanon.
6. The resignation of Syrian appointed Emile Lahoud and all his senior security advisers and appointees.
7. The formation of an interim government with the mission of preparing for free and fair elections and for investigating the murder of formal Prime Minister Rafik Hariri with the assistance of an international commission.
8. The implementation of free and fair elections under international supervision. This must include provisions that would make it possible for the Lebanese expatriates worldwide to participate in the electoral process in a manner similar to what was in place for the recent Iraqi elections.

CLAO reaffirms its support and confidence in the Lebanese Army's capability to protect the Lebanese nation.  CLAO cautions the international community that Syria's incitements and meddling, if allowed to remain unchecked, will result in a fabricated conflict and will prolong the pain and suffering of the people of Lebanon  and will set back the democratic march in the Middle East.

Again, as President Bush declared today: "The time has come for Syria to fully implement Security Council Resolution 1559: All Syrian military forces and intelligence personnel must withdraw before Lebanon's elections for those elections to be free and fair." Furthermore, CLAO resolutely believes that Free Lebanon is the cornerstone of building a new democratic and moderate region and a leap in winning the fight against terrorism. President Bush is right again: "The trumpet of freedom has been sounded and that trumpet never calls defeat."

Go Freedom Seeking Lebanese – Liberation is near