BEIRUT: Ministerial sources voiced optimism that a solution to the issue of extending the term of top Lebanese security officials would be reached by the end of April, preventing a crisis in the Cabinet. A political impasse over the issue has stoked fears that the standoff could lead to the demise of the government, after Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun threatened to pull his ministers from the Cabinet if the mandate of security officers was extended.
Aoun is vehemently against an extension, telling officials, including Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt, that he is not willing to compromise on the issue.
Several military posts must soon be filled, including that of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous, who is set to retire in June, and that of Army Commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi, whose term ends in September. Basbous retires on June 5 while Kahwagi retires on Sept. 23.
The optimism of the ministerial sources stems from the fact that finding a substitute for Kahwagi in particular is challenging for all political factions. Finding a replacement for Basbous, on the other hand, is mired in administrative difficulties: the Future Movement prefers ISF Information Branch chief Imad Othman, but there are a myriad of Sunni officers that some ministers might argue are more deserving of the post.
Aoun’s allies have told him that they prefer the extension of existing mandates over a vacuum.
At the height of Aoun’s campaign against a second extension of Kahwagi’s term, the visit of Hezbollah MP Mohammad Raad and Hezbollah’s senior security official Wafiq Safa to Aoun’s residence in Rabieh last month was seen by many political leaders as an indication that Hezbollah is on good terms with Kahwagi and is not of the same persuasion as Aoun.
Filing an extension of the officers’ terms requires that ministers adopt a law to raise the age of their retirement, the sources said. Adopting such a law would be the optimal solution if no consensus emerges on substitutes to fill the posts.
Even Aoun’s opposition, which threatens to undermine the government and his relationship with his allies, can be overcome, sources said. However, Hezbollah would have to step in, in this case, to persuade him otherwise.
Aoun is limited in his campaign by his allies. He cannot oppose the adoption of the law if his allies, including the Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, Berri’s Amal Movement and Hezbollah, support it. The latter three have stated that a vacuum was undesired, the source said.
The issue is one among many that has challenged the government of Tammam Salam, which was formed just a year and two months ago. Since the day it was created, the Cabinet has met with many pitfalls, the latest of which involved Hezbollah ministers disapproving of Salam’s stance on the Saudi military intervention in Yemen last month.
But unlike the complex wars plaguing the region, ministerial sources believe the solution to the issue of appointing security officers is straightforward.
The law to increase retirement age would give security officers three more years of service and would also give the head of the Army Commando Unit Shamel Roukoz three more years at the helm of his department.
This would also pave the way for Roukoz to assume the Army commander post should a president find it suitable three years down the line, the sources said, noting that officers that would benefit from such a law are backed by Aoun.
Moreover, if the retirement law is approved, it would also help to regularize the work of the military council and add three new members to it. The current council, with just three members, is operating in violation of the law that states decisions should pass with a majority of four votes out of six.
The law would also give three additional years to officers in the military, which means that instead of retiring at the age of 60, Kahwagi’s service would end at the age of 63. Likewise, Basbous’ term would end at 62 instead of 59 and Roukoz at 61 instead of 58.
If the issue of the officers is not resolved through the implementation of a new law, then the government of Lebanon would be seriously threatened, ministerial sources said. Hezbollah cannot stop the Free Patriotic Movement from withdrawing its ministers from Cabinet.
If a president is not yet elected and a new ISF chief and Army commander are undecided, then Lebanon will be in an unprecedented and dangerous position.
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