Free Republic

Gilbert Chagoury donated millions of dollars to the Clinton Foundation. He also donated to a Lebanese organization with financial ties to Hezbollah, designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department. Let that sink in. Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. A huge donor to her family foundation had ties to an organization that the State Department had designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. How extensive were Chagoury’s ties to an organization that funded Hezbollah? So extensive that he was denied entry into the U.S.

PARIS – The Lebanese president says he wants some 1.5 million Syrian refugees living in his country to henceforth start returning to their homes, voluntarily or NOT. President Michel Aoun, in a state visit to France, said Monday that U.N. assistance given to aid Syrian refugees in "camps of misery" in Lebanon would be better used to return them to their country "from now on." "We don't want to wait for their voluntary return," Aoun insisted, speaking at the Elysee Palace alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. Aoun said that most of the Syrian regions from which the refugees hail are...

Pro-Western Bloc Defeats Hezbollah in Lebanon Vote By MICHAEL SLACKMAN BEIRUT, Lebanon — An American-backed alliance appeared to retain control of the Lebanese Parliament on Sunday in a hotly contested election that had been billed as a showdown between Tehran and Washington for influence in the Middle East. Preliminary results reported on Lebanese television, showed the alliance, known as the March 14 coalition, had managed to preserve its majority in Parliament. If those results are confirmed, they would represent a significant and unexpected defeat for Hezbollah and its allies, Iran and Syria. Most polls had showed a tight race, but...

The tragic and senseless killing of demonstrators in Shiyyah last Sunday was, perhaps rightfully, seen as the opening shot in a new phase of the Lebanese crisis that may turn much more violent. Who was responsible for the crimes still remains unclear. But a cooler analysis of what took place shows an equally disturbing reality: Sunday was a political disaster for the Shiite opposition parties, Hizbullah and Amal, whose inability to achieve their political ends, but also to retreat from the brink, makes the likelihood of further hostilities much greater. After the end of the summer 2006 war and the...

Opposition Mass Protests as of 3 p.m. Friday in Downtown Beirut Hizbullah and allied forces called for mass protests as of 3 p.m. Friday in downtown Beirut in a bid to topple Premier Fouad Saniora's government amid heavy security in the capital to prevent chaos. "The opposition forces, on the basis of their constitutional rights, call on all Lebanese, whatever their religious confession, to demonstrate peacefully in an open-ended sit-in as of 3 p.m. Friday for a national unity government," said a statement released by the opposition leadership and carried by Hizbullah's Al-Manar television. The statement said the main...

Beirut - The assassination of Pierre Gemayel means that two more ministers need to resign or be killed in order to bring down the anti-Syrian government. As if one assassination were not enough bloodshed for one day, the murderers proceeded to target another anti-Syrian Member of Parliament - Michel Pharaon. Syria's allies in Lebanon are planning to take the streets on Thursday to demand the government resign. The pro-Syrian allies in Lebanon include Hezbollah, Michel Aoun's political party and Nabih Berri's Amal movement. Syria behind violent overthrow? As documented in the U.N. investigation, Syria has openly threatened Lebanese politicians...

As Lebanon plunges deeper into ruin and chaos as a result of Hizballah’s “gang war” tactics against Israel’s expanded military campaign to degrade the power of the Islamist party, Hizballah, Syria, and its allies in Lebanon are devising plans to subvert an international agreement on a multinational force to guard the Israel-Lebanon border. They are also preparing for a political comeback in a postconflict Lebanon by riding the wave of the victory Hizballah is sure to claim whatever the outcome—a supposed triumph that in reality will be at best a Pyrrhic victory. Hizballah’s Political Offensive From the time the...

BEIRUT, Lebanon — A Lebanese Christian general who once fought the Syrian army and returned from exile just weeks ago appeared headed toward a surprising victory Monday in the third round of parliamentary elections. --snip--

The former army commander, Michel Aoun, who recently returned to Lebanon after 15 years in Syrian-imposed exile, has established himself as the dominant political figure in the country’s Maronite Christian heartland, following the third of four rounds in the parliamentary election. Mr Aoun’s strong performance has damaged the chances of the opposition front headed by Saad al-Hariri (son of the assassinated former prime minister) and the Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt, being able to win control of the new parliament. It may also end up securing the position of the president, Emile Lahoud, whose term was controversially extended by three years...

Firebrand former Christian exile Michel Aoun scored a surprise victory in the third round of Lebanon's elections, dealing a major blow to the opposition alliance that led the campaign to drive out Syrian troops. Aoun's unlikely alliance with longtime Syrian allies swept the board in constituencies reserved for Christians in Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, according to preliminary results from Sunday's vote. Sunday's vote, the most hotly contested so far of the four-round elections, was the first since Syrian forces left in April after a 29-year military presence in the turmoil that followed the February killing of former prime...

Ex-leader makes Lebanon comeback Michel Aoun's return from exile has split the anti-Syrian opposition Early results in Lebanon's key third round of elections indicate a strong showing for former Christian army chief and prime minister Michel Aoun.Mr Aoun, a long term critic of Syria, demanded the issue of Syrian influence in Lebanon be put aside and allied himself with pro-Syria candidates. The vote is the first in 30 years to be held without Syrian troops in Lebanon. Mr Aoun's showing is a blow to the main anti-Syrian opposition, which could now be denied a majority in the parliament. The...

ALEY, Lebanon (Reuters) - Anti-Syrian politician Michel Aoun, who has just returned from exile, scored a stunning victory against rival Christian politicians on Sunday in the most crucial round of Lebanon's parliamentary elections. The former general's surprise win was a major blow to the existing Christian opposition and its hopes of securing strong representation in the new 128-seat parliament and charting a new course away from Syrian influence. Lebanon's highly factionalized elections, held over four weekends ending June 19, are set to usher in an assembly with more legislators opposed to Syria for the first time since the 1975-1990 civil...

ALEY, Lebanon (Reuters) - Anti-Syrian Christian leader Michel Aoun headed for victory against rival Christian politicians on Sunday in the most crucial round of Lebanon's parliamentary elections. The defeat of several prominent Christian figures opposed to Syria's role in Lebanon will be sure to complicate the next 128-seat parliament's task of charting the country's new political course. The elections, held over four weekends ending June 19, are set to usher in a parliament with most legislators opposed to Syria for the first time since the 1975-1990 civil war. Unofficial partial counts showed candidates backed by Aoun set to clinch 15...

BEIRUT -- Unlike Muslims, who won landslide victories in the first two rounds of Lebanon's general elections, estranged Christian candidates are gearing up for a fierce battle in the next polls on Sunday. Christians, along with Muslims and Druze, as well as Western powers, forced Syria to end its 29-year military presence in the country in late April. But they are now at odds among themselves after former exile and prominent Maronite Michel Aoun decided to forge an unlikely alliance with pro-Syrian candidates. Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, a leader of the anti-Syrian movement, recently aired his frustration at "the...

Rafik Hariri's widow was among the first to vote A leading opposition bloc in Lebanon says its candidates have won all the seats in the capital, Beirut, in a landmark parliamentary election.Beirut voters took part in the first poll to be held for more than 30 years without Syrian troops in the country. People in the rest of Lebanon will cast ballots over the next three Sundays. The anti-Syrian opposition in the capital is led by Saad Hariri, the son of the assassinated former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri. Syrian troops withdrew last month, following a wave of opposition protests...

Maronite bishops warn Syrian-tailored election law will disrupt fragile Christian-Muslim coexistence.  BEIRUT - Lebanon's Maronite bishops warned on Wednesday that a Syrian-tailored election law adopted for polls starting this month would disrupt the country's fragile Christian-Muslim coexistence. The law "violates... co-existence between Christians and Muslims and does not allow for fair elections", said a seven-point statement issued after a meeting called by Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir. "We call on all the Lebanese officials to act and prevent the harmful repercussions of this law," it said. The Lebanese government, under pressure from the international community, said elections for a 128-seat parliament will...

Anti-Syrian Leader Returns to Beirut Saturday, May 07, 2005 BEIRUT, Lebanon — Anti-Syrian leader Michel Aoun (search) returned Saturday from 14 years' exile in France to crowds of cheering supporters, his return paved by the withdrawal of Syrian troops and the dropping of an arrest warrant against him. The one-time army commander and interim Lebanese prime minister strode onto a stage at downtown Martyrs' Square (search) flashing victory signs before speaking the thousands of flag-waving people from behind protective glass. "Here I am today, returning to you, and Lebanon has become sovereign, free and independent," said Aoun, who was exiled...

BEIRUT (AFP) - Lebanon's Christian hardliner Michel Aoun returned home to a hero's welcome after 15 years in exile, hoping to reform the country where much-awaited legislative elections are due later this month. The anti-Syrian Aoun flew in from Paris on a specially chartered plane accompanied by close aides family members and around 50 journalists and cameramen, 12 days after the last Syrian soldier quit the country. Thunderous applause erupted on the tarmac of Beirut International Airport where hundreds of partisans and relatives, including a brother he had not seen in 15 years, his three daughters and grandchildren, greeted Aoun...

CEDAR REVOLUTIONEx-PM: Hezbollah rally in Beirut a massive hoaxExiled Lebanese leader says Syria used foreigners, coerced workersPosted: March 9, 2005 9:16 p.m. Eastern By Aaron Klein © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com JERUSALEM -- The giant Hezbollah rally that drew nearly half a million purported supporters of Syria's occupation of Lebanon actually was a staged hoax with non-Lebanese citizens, Syrian workers, students and municipal employees coerced into joining the protest, former Lebanese Prime Minister Michel Aoun told WorldNetDaily in an exclusive interview this morning. "Yesterday's huge protest calling for Syria to stay made it look to the world like a large segment of...

Friday, February 25, 2005 FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU'U.S. will get Syria out by May'Former Lebanese PM says war in Iraq will allow his country to be freePosted: February 25, 20059:00 a.m. Eastern By Aaron Klein © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com JERUSALEM -- The U.S. led war against terrorism and its advances in Iraq and Afghanistan have enhanced the climate in the Middle East and will enable the international community to force Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon likely by May, former Lebanese Prime Minister Michel Aoun told WorldNetDaily today in an exclusive interview. "The U.S. and EU are backing us in our movement...