Lahoud, just go . . .

BEIRUT - Alternative Staff

March 2005

To President Emile Lahoud:

Now that the whole of Lebanon has come to a moment of truth, we kindly ask you to resign.

We ask you to resign not only because we believe that Syria has imposed you as a puppet president through amending the constitution twice (the first time to allow you to run for the presidency when you were Commander of the Army and the second time to extend your presidential mandate for three years).

We ask you to resign because during your rule, half of the Lebanese politicians including former premier Rafik Hariri were killed and the other half, including Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt, are hiding for their lives.

We ask you to resign because you are incompetent, both as an army commander and as a president. We believe that your appointment in both cases was never based on your popular support either. It was based on one thing only: Your loyalty to Syria.

Now your censors, like always, might read this article and might look for its authors and take them to prison and torture, but your prisons would never fit all those who are opposed to your rule.

We ask you Mr. Lahoud to resign because we’ve seen all the nepotism that has accompanied your rule. Your son is MP. Your son-in-law was appointed minister; your brother was given the highest judicial position and more. Please, stop insulting the Lebanese intelligence and stop your narcissi trip of believing that you and your family are talented people who have been naturally gifted to lead the country. Neither you nor your family are as talented as you might think.

And Mr. President, since your best buddies -- the Syrian intelligence -- have left the country, maybe you’ll miss them soon enough and might want to join them. Our guess is that the Lebanese people cannot stand your presidency anymore and have been leaving this country. Now to make the whole of the 4 million Lebanese population leave is not quite feasible, therefore, we kindly ask you to go.