From: medawar@prism.poly.edu (Bassem Medawar)
Subject: Re: European Parliament and the Lebanese legislative elections
Organization: Polytechnic University, New York
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 15:17:35 GMT

Ayman, my objection to union with Syria is purely on political and economic
basis.  I believe, though I can not prove it, that I am genetically descendent
in part from the Arab race.  I am also born Muslim.  That by itself does not
compell me to unite with Syria, or any other Arab or Muslim country.  I may 
consider Union with Syria or other countries, if it is beneficial to me and my 
country.  Union is often beneficial, for example the the US, the European
unions, at other times it is not, for example the Baltic states and the USSR.
Right now, the political system in Syria is not something I want to unite
with.

Ayman, I don't need to listening to the "CLAO and company", or a UPI reporter
quoting Khadam that Lebanon and Syria are one country.  To know what the facts
are: that Lebanon was one time part of a Syrian province in the Automan
Empire, that France cut out "Le Grand Liban" from that Syrian province,
that all Syrian governments since then has resisted Lebanon's
independence (as I may I have done if I were in there place), that the Assad
regime is strong enough to do something about it.

Since the French mandate time, the Lebanese and Syrian political systems
have grown farther appart to the point were they have become (pre civil war) 
icompatible.  Merging a weak divided country (Lebanon) with a strong
and united country (Syria) means that Lebanon will lose all that disntinguishes
it, economically and politically, from Syria.  If I can help it, I will not 
allow that to happen.

As to elections being like before, sure, it a masquerade, what matters is
the outcome.  Will the Harawi regime allow the voice of the people to be 
heared?  Will the Syrian army presence intimidate people to vote to pro Syrian
candidates?  Why am I not allowed to vote in a nearby consulate?  I confess
I don't know the answer to the first question, I suspect the answer is 
negative.  Either way, I am not ready to play Russian roullette with the future
of my country.

Your approach is to let the elections take place and then decide whether
or not you accept their result.  By then it would have become too late and you
would not be able to do anything about it.  My approach is that the elections
should not happen while foreign armies are present.  If they do happen,
despite my objection, then the election should be monitors by international
(Arab and ajam) observers and every Lebanese (of Lebanese nationality)
should be allowed to vote wherever he is (in consulate outside Lebanon
or where he/she is if he/she is a refugee inside Lebanon).  Is this too much to 
ask?

bassem


In article <1992Jul28.032353.13245@zip.eecs.umich.edu> ayman@eecs.umich.edu (Ayman I. Kayssi) writes:
>medawar@prism.poly.edu (Bassem Medawar) writes:
>: ... that the election to start in August is but about one issue
>: only: the ratification of the Syria/Lebanon unification
>: treaty, which is likely to be presented to the new parliament sometime
>: during its term.  The first act of the new parliament though shall 
>: be to renew the Syrian Army's mendate over Lebanon.
>:  
>: Do you want union with present day Syria?  Do you want to renew the
>: Syrian Army's mendate over Lebanon?  If your answer is no to either,
>: the you must actively oppose dishonest elections.
>
>Contrary to what you hear from CLAO and company, the situation on the ground
>in Lebanon suggests that the parliamentary elections will take place, in a
>"normal" atmosphere. By normal I mean similar to what the Lebanese were 
>used to, election-wise, before 1975, including all the talk about the various 
>deals between the parties and the families, and also the usual rumors about 
>how all the results were falsified, etc... 
>The number of people that have already declared their intent to become 
>candidates is really amazing, and I do not think that you can label them all
>as traitors. Even though you hear some talk about how this leader or that 
>'batal' intends to boycott the elections, they're all keeping an eye on their
>traditional elections rivals and thinking about a 'strong' electoral list 
>that they'll come up with to beat their adversaries. Come to think of it, if
>you don't run, your rivals will, and they will win. The elections game in
>Lebanon is very complex and intriguing; it's not as simple as Syria appointing
>a new parliament.
>I will not address the question on what the new parliament will do regarding
>unification with Syria, as this would be pure speculation, and I will not
>assume beforehand that the elections will be dishonest. As for the presence of
>the Syrian Army in Beirut, it is not the parliament's job to extend or 
>declare an end to it, but rather, the Presidents and the Councils of Ministers
>of both Lebanon and Syria will decide on that matter.
>
>-Ayman
>