Rarely have I missed the annual remembrance of the Lebanese Civil War. My main concern has always been the need to talk about it and insist on facing its causes and consequences. With this in mind, I have published and edited quite a few contributions during the past 20 plus years of Al Jadid’s life.
However, this year's 40th anniversary of the Lebanese Civil War arrives amid Lebanon's unending constitutional crises, including the lack of a presidential election, an event which is nearing its own first anniversary. In the spirit of this year’s commemoration, a recent interview by Taher Bereka comes as a news bombshell. As part of the program, “Political Memory,” which Bereka hosts, he interviewed Lakhdar Brahimi, who served as Deputy Secretary of the Arab League during the Lebanese War, and proved instrumental in the negotiations of the Taif Accords (Lebanon’s second constitution), which ended the war. Brahimi’s revelations about Aoun’s opposition to the Taif Accords reveal a portrait of a man who easily indulges himself in the pursuit of power at the expense of public interest. His persistent obstruction of the election of a new president--unless he is the one elected--reinforces this portrait.
Al Arabiya Satellite TV broadcast the Brahimi interview in several episodes. It featured two major revelations, the first of which involved the Syrian presence in Lebanon. The Syrians believed they had an implicit agreement with the U.S., allowing them to stay in Lebanon and not be forced to withdraw from the country as the Taif Agreement dictates if they joined in Desert Storm to expel Iraq from Kuwait. In fact, when Secretary of State James Baker brought up the issue of re-deployment of Syrian forces, as stated by the Taif Agreement, the late Assad told Baker the agreement contained nothing about re-deployment. As Brahimi himself told Al Arabiya, when Assad inquired about the source of Taif, including re-deployment and withdrawal, the U.S. ambassador in Beirut attributed the information to Brahimi.
In addition, Brahimi offered a possible motive for the assassination of former Lebanese President Rene Mouad. According to a promotion of Brahimi’s interview in episode no. 5, the assassination of Rene Mouad directly related to his intention to implement the Taif Agreement. This would have led to the result that Hafez Assad opposed all along: the re-deployment and eventual withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon.
The second part of the new revelation concerned how the Syrians misled and played General Michel Aoun for a fool. While everyone prepared to sign the Taif Agreement in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Brahimi headed to Beirut to convince the two rival Lebanese Prime ministers, Dr. Selim al-Hoss and General Michel Aoun, to travel to Taif for the photo-shoot with King Fahd. Al-Hoss indicated a readiness to do so, but Aoun asked for some time to consider the request. The next morning, the general called Brahimi and declined. Brahimi interpreted this decision as evidence that Aoun had received a message from the Syrians through Elie Hobeika (his resume includes the massacres of Sabra and Chattilla) indicating that the Taif Accords should not be viewed as important, and that the Syrians would guarantee subsequent direct talks with Aoun as the major representative of the Christians, cutting out his rival, Samir Geagea. Aware of the importance of the news revelation, Taher Bereka pinned down Brahimi concerning its credibility, and received the assurance that it was trustworthy. Asked why the Syrians would do this, Brahimi answered that it would weaken the Taif. When Syrian planes started to hit east Beirut, however, Aoun came to his senses and headed to the French embassy.
In short, the Syrians tricked and misled Aoun. Some may wonder if Syria and its successor power broker, Hezbollah, are not replaying the same old ploy on Aoun, especially in their endorsements of him as a presidential candidate.
--Elie Chalala
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