Christian Ally of Hezbollah Wins Lebanon Presidency Parliament elects Michel Aoun, a former army general, ending paralyzing stalemate By Maria Abi-Habib and Noam Raydan
http://www.wsj.com/articles/after-two-years-lebanon-finally-gets-a-president-1477916251
BAD NEWS ALL AROUND…RSK
BEIRUT—Lebanon’s parliament ended more than two years of political deadlock in the country, electing as president a former army general who is the main Christian ally of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah.
Michel Aoun, 81 years old, won 83 out of the 127 votes cast on Monday, restoring the most powerful political office held by a Christian in the Middle East as the sect faces persecution across the region but enjoys rare security and power-sharing in Lebanon. Under longstanding political agreements, a Maronite Christian is always president while the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker is a Shiite Muslim.
“Lebanon, which is walking among land mines, still hasn’t been touched by the flames surrounding it in the region, and we will prevent any spark from reaching it,” the new president told lawmakers after he was sworn in.
Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah ally Iran have jockeyed for influence over Lebanon since 2005, when Syria’s 29-year occupation ended.
For years, the Saudi monarchy and its Sunni Lebanese allies opposed the idea of Mr. Aoun as president. But as Riyadh became mired in protracted wars in Yemen and Syria, Saudi officials quietly acknowledged that Lebanon was no longer a priority, leading the way for Mr. Aoun’s ascent.
Anti-Iran pundits in the U.S. framed the political agreement that assured Mr. Aoun’s election as a win for Tehran and Hezbollah. But his Christian supporters said his ascent to the presidency was simply the will of most members of his minority sect, who see good relations with Hezbollah as necessary for stability but seek the group’s eventual disarmament.
Hezbollah’s militia is considered the most powerful military force in Lebanon, stronger than even the national army.
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