 Lebanon's pro-Syrian president said on Thursday he would appoint an interim government headed by the army chief if rival Lebanese leaders cannot agree on a new head of state before his term expires in November.
| Have they appointed Marshal Petain as army chief? |
President Emile Lahoud's remark raised the stakes in a deep political conflict which pits the anti-Syrian Beirut government, backed by the United States, against an opposition coalition including factions owned by allied to Damascus and Tehran. Such a step by Lahoud would result in two governments, assuming army commander Michel Suleiman were to accept the job, analysts said. There was no immediate word from Suleiman.
| Even Emile couldn't name Nasrallah as president outright. |
The constitution says parliament should meet on September 25 to elect a replacement for Lahoud, whose term expires at midnight on November 23. But as yet there is no sign of a settlement to the political conflict that would let the vote to go ahead.
| Nor will there be, since the puppets set it up that way. |
"The government which is still standing and which is unconstitutional ... cannot assume power if the election of a president of the republic is not possible," said Lahoud, in reference to the cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Sinora. |