Washington,
Dec 12, 2007 -
United States Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) decried the assassination of Lebanese Brigadier General Francois Hajj, who was killed in a car bombing today near the Baabda Municipality building in a neighborhood of Beruit.
“This is a tragedy for the Lebanese people who have rallied around their army after its extraordinary effort at rooting out terrorists from the Nahr el-Bared camp. Perhaps it was his heroic efforts which ended up costing him his life,” Kucinich said.
Kucinich and his wife, Elizabeth had met briefly in September with Gen. Hajj at the Headquarters of the Army, after an hour-long meeting with General Michel Suleiman to discuss Lebanon’s security and the army’s actions in the north, under General Hajj. Suleiman is regarded as a leading candidate for President and is widely considered to be the one candidate who can unify Lebanon’s opposition forces.
“General Suleiman made clear that the army serves all of Lebanon, and is not the province of any political faction. He spoke of the army’s diversity mirroring the diversity of Lebanon. It is like that General Hajj, a Maronite, was of the same belief,” said Kucinich.
Kucinich said that as Lebanon moves through the perilous time, it is important for the United States to be supportive of an electoral process, which brings stability to Lebanon, without any U.S. interference in the internal affairs of Lebanon.
“Let Lebanon be for Lebanon, without the interference of any other state, whether in the region or internationally,” Kucinich concluded. “And let those who were responsible for the killing of General Hajj be brought to justice. Our deepest sympathies are with the Lebanese Army and the people of Lebanon.”
