Accusations and counterattacks continued to engulf the political scene yesterday, one day after a highly charged government session described as "lively" by Premier Fouad Siniora degenerated into a heated and reportedly vulgar row over the country's security sector. In comments on the Cabinet's failure to come to a decision on how to strengthen the precarious security apparatus, Walid Jumblatt indirectly laid the blame on President Emile Lahoud, saying: "The Lebanese people must know who stands in the way of appointing new security chiefs; we hold him responsible for the continued bombing and assassinations."Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Fatfat was more direct. "The main reason for the tense situation in Thursday's session of the Cabinet was because Lahoud refused to sign the decree of appointments for the Internal Security Forces and insisted it is his constitutional right."
In response, ministerial sources close to the presidential palace said President Lahoud was surprised by how some MPs and ministers could "distort the facts" by claiming the had president blocked the new security formations. The sources clarified that "Lahoud's position on the security formations and appointments is based on the two issues going through different procedures, and his approval is limited to one of them. "Lahoud accepted the list presented by Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa, and offered to approve it, with the exception of the commander of the police force, whose position was not vacant yet."
| I'm liking Lahoud less with every new development in this case... |