BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun made the case against extending the retirement ages of security officials Tuesday, announcing he no longer placed his confidence in Lebanon’s defense minister.
“In military law there is no such thing as extending [the terms of] officers, and no authority is allowed to disrupt the military hierarchy and impose the heresy of extension,” Aoun, an ex-Army chief, said at a news conference following a Reform and Change bloc meeting.
“We withdraw our confidence in Defense Minister Samir Moqbel over his violation of his prerogatives in terms of governance practices.”
The remarks came after Moqbel submitted to the Cabinet a draft law that would raise the retirement age of senior Army and police officers.
Media reports Monday also said Moqbel signed a unilateral decree to extend the term of Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khair, the secretary-general of the Higher Defense Council.
Under the proposed draft law, the retirement age of the Army commander would be raised from 60 to 63, a major general from 59 to 62, a brigadier from 58 to 61, and a colonel from 56 to 59.
Among senior military and security officers who are scheduled to retire soon are Khair, who retires on Feb. 20, Army Intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Edmond Fadel on March 20, gendarmerie chief Brig. Elias Saade on May 22, ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous on June 5, and Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Salman on Aug. 7.
Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi, whose mandate was extended by two years in 2013, retires on Sept. 23. This is in addition to a number of Army brigadiers holding key posts in the administration and the housing department.
The proponents of extending the mandates argue that the Cabinet, whose consensus-requiring decision making mechanism has caused deadlock, is unable to agree on the names of the next security officials.
However, Aoun said extending the mandates would be in violation of the law and would harm the morale of the military.
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