IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 738 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the Government of Syria’s continued interference in the internal affairs of Lebanon. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 15, 2007 

Mr. ACKERMAN (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. BOUSTANY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs 

OCTOBER 15, 2007 

Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the Government of Syria’s continued interference 

in the internal affairs of Lebanon. 

Whereas in 2004, Lebanon’s current president had his term 

extra-legally extended through the interference of Syria 

in Lebanon’s internal affairs; 

Whereas former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the 

leading opponent of continued Syrian domination of Lebanon and the extra-legal extension of the president’s 

term, was assassinated along with 22 people by a massive 

car bomb on February 14, 2005; 


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•HRES 738 ATH 

Whereas investigators from the United Nations have suggested that officials of Syria’s government, at the highest 

levels, appear to be culpable for the assassination of 

Rafiq Hariri and the 22 other people; 

Whereas the people of Lebanon, following the murder of 

Rafiq Hariri, engaged in a massive popular revolt known 

as the Cedar Revolution against Syrian interference in 

their internal affairs and suppression of their national 

sovereignty; 

Whereas the Cedar Revolution, reinforced by international 

pressure, culminated in the rapid withdrawal of Syrian 

occupation forces and free elections; 

Whereas the current Lebanese government has been under 

steady attack by domestic and foreign forces that have 

been engaged in instigating riots and insurrection, suspending the operation of Lebanon’s parliament, and perpetrating horrific acts of terror against the Lebanese people; 

Whereas Syria and Iran are seeking to dominate Lebanon 

through their campaign of murder and intimidation 

aimed at the Lebanese parliamentary majority and other 

anti-Syrian public and political figures; 

Whereas Syria and Iran, through their Lebanese proxies, 

have demanded the selection of another Lebanese president hand-picked by the Government of Syria; 

Whereas Syria and Iran, in clear contravention of numerous 

United Nations Security Council resolutions, notably 

1559 (2004), 1655 (2006), 1664 (2006), 1680 (2006), 

1701 (2006), and 1757 (2007), have grossly violated 

Lebanon’s sovereignty by continuing to provide arms to 

illegitimate Lebanese militias, Palestinian terrorist 


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•HRES 738 ATH 

groups and other terrorist organizations; meddling in 

Lebanon’s internal political affairs; and actively supporting efforts to prevent the election of a new president 

in accordance with Lebanese law; and 

Whereas a sovereign and independent Lebanon is in the national security interest of the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) condemns the campaign of murder, terror, 

3 and intimidation aimed at overthrowing the demo4 cratically-elected government of Lebanon and estab5 lishing a new Lebanese government subservient to 

6 the will and interests of Syria and Iran; 

7 (2) condemns Syria and Iran for their gross in8 terference in Lebanon’s internal political affairs, and 

9 particularly, the selection of a new president, and 

10 gross violations of United Nations Security Council 

11 resolutions protective of Lebanon’s sovereignty and 

12 independence; 

13 (3) condemns Lebanese political parties and ac14 tors who have allied themselves with Syria and Iran 

15 to the detriment of their own country and its na16 tional interests; 

17 (4) condemns efforts by some Lebanese political 

18 figures to obstruct, delay, and impede the legal and 

19 established processes of their country for the selec20 tion of a new president according to the rule of law; 


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•HRES 738 ATH 

1 (5) affirms its continued strong support for 

2 Lebanon’s democratically-elected government, people 

3 and national sovereignty, and its readiness to pro4 vide material support; 

5 (6) calls on all nations to recognize and support 

6 Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence; and 

7 (7) urges the President to use all peaceful 

8 means at the disposal of the United States to help 

9 safeguard Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence. 

Æ 


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