Jumblatt: we demand arms to defend Lebanon and not Iran

National Struggle Front leader Walid Jumblatt praised President Sleiman’s positions voiced on Army Day and in Beiteddine Monday. According to Jumblatt, the most admired position pertained to that of the LAF, with Sleiman's confirmation of the LAF exclusive right of securing the nation. Jumblatt considered that such positions conform with the main objectives of the State.

Jumblatt emphasized in his weekly statement to Al Anba Newspaper, issued by the PSP, that the building of a national defense strategy to face Israel is needed more than ever. According to Jumblatt, "Lebanon should not repeat the mistakes of the past turning into a battle stage for proxy wars".

Jumblatt said that the national defense strategy requires that Lebanon’s “leadership” be determined in a way that exclusively serves the Higher National Interest; “away from regional and foreign interests”.
“We want arms that defend Lebanon, and only Lebanon. We don’t want them to be used in the defense of the Strait of Hormuz or others”, he stressed.

Commenting on the pretext of “liberating the occupied lands”, Jumblatt said that liberation requires the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border first in line with the agreements reached during the national dialogue.

In his concluding remarks, the PSP leader commented on the visit of Iranian National Security Higher Council Secretariat, Said Jalili, to Lebanon, saying “If only Mr. Jalili minded his country’s internal affairs instead of distributing military arsenals”.