In today’s Al-Akhbar wikileaks scoop, one of the people who came out most damaged is Minister of Defense Elias El Murr. According to the cables:
Israel cannot bomb bridges and infrastructure in the Christian areas,” Murr was cited as saying.
“Murr is trying to ascertain how long an offensive would be required to clean out Hizballah… The LAF will move to pre-position food, money, and water with these units so they can stay on their bases when Israel comes for Hizbollah — discreetly, Murr added,” the cable read. “For Murr, the LAF’s strategic objective was to survive a three week war ‘completely intact’ and able to take over once Hizbollah’s militia has been destroyed.”
Many pro-Hezbollah people, reading this in their favorite newspaper were scandalized. Angry Arab (who regularly contributes to Al-Akhbar) spoke for many when he wrote:
There should be one political priority in Lebanon: the call for the resignation and trial of Al-Murr: who seems to give advice to Israel on how to beat Hizbullah and win support from the Lebanese population.
It is easy to sit and preach after the dust has settled, the bombing has stopped and quasi normalcy has resumed. What many of these hollier-than-thou finger-waggers are forgetting is the context within which Mr. Murr was making those remarks (if accurate). Bombs were falling on Lebanon and the Israelis were behaving as madmen. It was perfectly natural for the Minister of Defense –who realized that we were on our own– to get into the “Let’s save what can be saved” mode and bargain with the devil.
[Update: It was brought to my attention that Mr. Murr's comments were NOT made during the July war of 2006, but in March 2008. Still, as I mentioned in the comments, I think my argument still stands]
Many Lebanese were livid at Hezbollah at the time. In their eyes, the party of god was the one who brought this onto us with its recklessness. It was not insane for Mr. Murr to propose: “Fine, if you won’t stop the bombing campaign, take Hezbollah but at least spare our Legitimate army and please don’t bomb areas that have nothing to do with Hezbollah”.
I’m not saying Mr. Murr is a winged angel, but trying to vilify him as a treacherous devil worshipper is to forget what a messy thing the July war was, the divisions it spawned and the raw emotions it incited.
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Note: Posts with titles starting with an ❊ (asterisk) are my opinion and article posts. I used this system to separate long posts from quick links and comments.
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First, it’s “holier-than-thou”, not “hollier than though”, whatever that means.
Second, Elias Murr did not make his treacherous comments during the July 2006 War, but rather in March 2008, as indicated in the Wikileak cable that you are commenting
http://www.al-akhbar.com/ar/node/216464
Thanks for pointing out the typo. As for the dates, I admit I wasn’t aware of that, but my arguments still stand. If Mr. Murr was faced with a hypothetical threat that Israel were going to attack, and he was given the option to influence the outcome, he would be put in a similarly difficult moral dilemma.
I think you got it completely wrong as to the context. Bombs were not falling on Lebanon, and there was no need to make a deal with the devil. If accurate, it was supposed to be in 2008,What was stupid in what Murr is alleged to have said is that he seemed to believe the US and Israel would lend him any attention. What was crazy is to give them “advice” as if they needed it or would ask for it. What was morally repulsive is that he is that he (allegedly) called to target Shia areas. If he said all that, to hell with Murr. Not that his presence at the defense ministry prevented May 7 anyway. At that time he wasn’t even March 14, and his father and himself had helped replace the slain Pierre Gemayel with a Aounist.
after the assassination of Mughniyeh. And if Elias el Murr is so abysmally stupid and crazy to say all what he is alleged to have said, then definitely he should resign, as to the trial, I don’t think a leak is sufficient material to indict, but whatever. Except that no one will dare ask for resignation, especially not Hezbollah, because Iran said those leaks are psychological warfare, and because the thesis according to which Israel killed Hariri would be totally discredited. So my guess is that everyone will shut up.
Pity the nation whose (supposedly liberal) bloggers are not outraged when their Defense minister offers advice to the enemy
Mustapha,
I know you are in damage control mode. Your political inclinations are Future movement and Hariri, and that is fine. I do not belong to that camp, and I come to respect you through many of your sharp comments, but for God’s sake man, some things you just can’t mask!
by the way I am not FM, but I think until now, the Future Movement is appearing under a very favorable in the wikileaks, especially Sanioura, almost zero mistake. Saad Hariri fucked up a little bit when he allegedly called to bomb Iran, but on Lebanon, he was fine.All accusations about tawteen, about collusion with Israel do not seem to have a solid basis, at least in the wikileaks, until now. Nothing appeared about the 2006 war yet.
sorry, I meant, ” under a very favorable light”
How about defending spies as well…? Their excuse would be that they had nothing better to do during the Israeli occupation of the south…
I understand your bias to March 14, but defending El-Murr here is really wrong IMHO.There’s nothing wrong if he wants to disarm Hezbollah, or defeat him politically, but helping Israel accomplishing that mission is just wrong.
By the way do you notice that until now, no politician opened his mouth to call for the resignation of Murr, or further investigation of this matter ? That’s because everyone is afraid from the contents of the leaks.
As they should be. There are what, 2,300+ Lebanon-related cables to go?
No one’s going to come out of this unscathed.
Agreed. There’s no excuse regardless of what you feel to state that you are against Hezbollah in favour for Israel. That’s just messed up. Beyond that,I know many 14 March Lebanese including my family members think that and wished Israel would wipe Hezbollah and their supporters. and excuse my language but that’s fucked up!
so funny how wikileaks came to screw over some random politician in a tiny country like lebanon, it’s not like the average politician is an angel anyway
Wikileaks aside, Murr should not be in his post at all. He is not qualified, period
Your comment shows one thing, though, Mustapha: you are willing to side with the devil against Hezbollah!
If anything at all, the leaks provided us great insight on how our politicians think and act. I am actually disturbed by the lack of patriotism of our politicians. I always had faith in Lebanon until these leaks came about, I feel that we still don’t get after all the suffering and sacrifices. I feel bad for everyone who doesn’t have a choice but to live in this God awful place.
Make sure Hizbullah doesn’t attack Israel and then there’s no issue. If Hizbullah does attack Israel, then it’s bad for everyone-especially Lebanon.
It’s that simple.
Old Leak, spotted 3 days ago.
It seems the lebanese medias are taking their time to talk about it.
You should directly go to the sources