From: elie@hdtv.njit.edu (Elie I. Mourad)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon
Subject: CLAO Oct. 3
Date: 4 Oct 92 10:14:44 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.



From CLAO Saturday October 3, 1992
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Prime minister General Michel Aoun welcomed the comments made by democratic
presidential candidate Bill Clinton. General Aoun said: Governor Clinton 
has shown deep understanding of the Lebanese situation, and he plans
to establish a true peace based on the respect of the independence of the
countries in the region, especially Lebanon. General Aoun concluded: I 
believe that Clinton will be more realistic in dealing with Lebanon.

Former hostage Terry Anderson announced yesterday that he is resigning 
from the Associated Press and endorsing Bill Clinton for President.
(Washington Times, Oct. 3)

Congressman Lawrence Coughlin of Pennsylvania outlined Syria's 
involvement in the drug trade. Coughlin said that Syria "can and does
control virually anything that goes on within the (Bekaa) valley...
At every exchange and checkpoint, (Syrian) soldiers routinely receive
bribes and often collect extortion money... Syrian military equipment is used
in the transportation of narcotics and that mobile labs are often built into 
military trucks. International terrorism is also benefiting from Lebanon's
growing drug trade... Money from narcotics goes to support Hezballah
and their terrorist attacks."

Coughlin concluded: "Like Americans, Lebanese share feelings of 
extreme patriotism for their country and speak very fondly of it.
The time is right for Congress and the President to develop... a 
program to help Lebanon deal with its severe drug problem and make it
possible for Lebanon's exiles to finally come home."

The Center for Security Policy, a Washington think tank that includes on
its board top experts on foreign and defense policy, issued a study
saying that "although the Syrians have had a substancial military presence
in Lebanon since 1976, the Taif accord marked their first significant
step toward establishing permanent political dominance there."
The Center added: "even after President Gemayel appointed General Aoun to head
an interim emergency government, the United States actively supported
Syria in its efforts to establish a government subordinated to Damascus'
control. Washington went so far as to lend its authority to Assad's
initiatives by inviting principals from the various Lebanese factions
to attend meetings at the US embassy in Beirut - where they were 
lobbied to accept his proposals."

"When this campaign failed to bear fruit, the Bush administration
decided to support Syria's idea of having the Arab Leagueto induce 
the Lebanese to accept Damascus' terms. The result was the meeting
in Taif, Saudi Arabia... Despite the fact that the legitimate (Aoun)
government of Lebanon was not a party to the agreement, the United
States gave full backing to Taif, and urged the Aoun government to 
work with Syria - its occupier and oppressor - to implement 
(so-called) 'reforms'".

"The ultimate betrayal of an independent Lebanon, however, occured
during the run-up to the war with Iraq... On 13 October 1990, Syria
launched a final offensive aimed at driving Aoun out of power...
Despite the documented slaughter of hundreds of Christian trrops -
inlcuding reports of the cold blooded murder of Christian soldiers
after they surrendered, the elimination or disappearance of many
others in and out of uniform and assassination of Dany Chamoun and
his wife, the Bush administration raised no protest against the 
Syrian conquest of Lebanon. Instead... Administration spokesmen blandly 
expressed concern at (so-called) 'excessive violence,' and did nothing."

The Center for Security Policy concluded that "the United States'
betrayal of Lebanon... is an odious blot on the good name and people
of the leader of the Free World... This policy must not be permitted
to stand."