The Americans asked Bassil to take care of their interests …...

It has now been declared that the most important American condition that Representative Gebran Bassil from Washington was required to protect against the evil of sanctions was the announcement of the dissolution of the alliance with Hezbollah. And it became known that Bassil’s refusal led to the American isolation decision. But what was not announced were the other conditions. It has been argued, on a small scale, that the US “demands” also included facilitating negotiations for the demarcation of the southern maritime borders, in accordance with the US proposals. The mediator, dubbed fair, used the sword of sanctions to impose his terms in the demarcation negotiations, before the negotiations even reached a critical point.The US ambassador, Dorothy Shea, brought additional conditions to Basil. By the way, those who meet her are unanimously agreed that she intends to show rudeness, far removed from diplomatic behavior, sometimes to ridiculous limits, such as her intentionality, for example, to repeat the words of commentators and politicians of the March 14 team on the finger of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah! It was precisely in this context of impudence that Chia conveyed to Bassil a condition that precludes sanctions, which is that the head of the Free Patriotic Movement pledges to thwart any attempt to “go east.” Any ideas related to improving Lebanon’s relations with China and Russia, or with regional countries close to Lebanon, Bassil should work to prevent them from being implemented. The United States of America sees this as a strategic policy modification that will weaken its influence.
On the issue of heading east, Shea added a specific matter related to the Lebanese army, which is preventing the supply of any equipment, weapons or equipment to the military establishment from outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the countries that revolve around the American orbit. The army should remain captive of arms and ammunition that come exclusively from the United States of America. And any cooperation with other countries, Washington will see it as undermining its interests, and Bassil must promise to prevent it.
In the Lebanese army, too, the Americans have interests that Bassil must protect. Clearly, and without any diplomatic effort, Shea told the Batroun deputy that he must pledge to protect the army commander, General Joseph Aoun, and most importantly, the extension to the intelligence director, Brigadier General Tony Mansour. She did not use the word extension. Rather, she said that what the president of the powerful Lebanon bloc should guarantee is “not to dismiss Brigadier General Tony Mansour.” She believes that the position of intelligence director is held for Mansour. Referring him to retirement on the day he turns fifty-eight years old, as stipulated by law, is dismissal in the eyes of the ambassador and her administration. She was not satisfied with that. Brazenly also, I asked Bassil to commit to holding a meeting, under her auspices, with both General Joseph Aoun and Brigadier General Tony Mansour, to witness a reconciliation between the “leader” and the “director” on the one hand, and the head of the movement on the other hand. After the meeting, Bassil must announce the dissolution of his alliance with Hezbollah.
Bassil’s refusal to comply with the American conditions, and then the announcement of the sanctions decision against him was not the conclusion of Washington’s demands regarding the extension of the intelligence director. After that, Xia insisted on pressing for what she calls “not to dismiss General Mansour.” I sent a message to Bassil through one of his aides, threatening more punishments if the eighth of December passes and Mansour remains as director of intelligence.

Xia stipulated that Basil would commit to holding a meeting, under her sponsorship, with the army chief and the intelligence director

Describing rudeness here is no longer useful to express what the US administration is doing in the army specifically. There is a country that designates officers to hold sensitive positions in the military. In a country whose people complain about the allocation of political, sectarian and sectarian powers for all administrative, security and judicial positions, an unaccounted “sect”, which is the strongest, and a political force that is not complained of, and which is also the strongest, comes to claim its share as well. The danger in the matter is that this state is nothing but the first ally of the first enemy of Lebanon, and its supporter in all its wars against it, but the door was open for it in Lebanon to appoint the occupant of the most dangerous security position.
The political message of Xia’s performance does not take much effort to explain. In the context of promoting its interests in Lebanon, the priority of the United States of America, at present, is to implement the army’s decision, militarily and security, in parallel with striking Hezbollah’s allies. In this context, what is required is the political protection of the Armed Forces Commander General Joseph Aoun before he becomes a candidate to succeed Aoun in Yarze.

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