Hour by hour, discussions about the fate of the army leadership are evolving. No final decision yet, with one confirmed fact: the Americans have forcefully intervened to prevent a vacuum at the head of the military institution, and officials have met with a group of officer candidates for the position. An additional factor indicates that Hezbollah is following the lead of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in decision-making, and whether it's the Parliament Speaker or the caretaker government, both prefer to postpone the decision on the commander until the end of General Joseph Aoun's term, imposing the alternative solution of extension or appointing a new successor.
Currently, the issue of extension for the current commander dominates discussions for officials, overshadowing other files. The first and most crucial among them is the presidential file, whose fate is tied to a settlement related to the overall situation in the region. The issue of the army commander and his successor also witnesses the trajectory of international regional discussions, with external players like the Americans searching for a solution to avoid a military institution vacuum.
The file of the army leadership has an unknown destiny, oscillating between extending the term for the current commander for six months or appointing a new army commander. Both options are in circulation, and the moment of decision has not yet arrived, although the atmosphere suggests otherwise.
Gradually, it appears that the extension is moving away from the current commander in favor of appointing a new army commander. The circulated names qualified for the position are not many and are almost limited to three candidates, but one among them has better chances, confirmed by informed sources that his appointment has been preliminarily settled and enjoys the approval of all political parties with close external ties.
Reliable information suggested that an agreement was reached two days ago between those involved in the file, deciding to appoint a new army commander instead of postponing the retirement of the current commander. The information made available to Nidaa al-Watan newspaper suggested that the nominated successor has been informed of the decision, having met with Berri and other officials who briefed him on their deliberations.
He was among the military figures included in the tour of the American officials to address the situation of the military institution; it is noteworthy that what matters to the USA in Lebanon right now is preventing a vacuum at the head of the military institution. There is information that there are two US approaches to the military leadership file. The first supports extending the term for the current commander, and the second is indifferent to names as much as it is concerned with filling the position and avoiding a vacuum.
Despite affirmations from close associates of his extension support, political sources deny Hezbollah's approval of extending the term for the army commander, indicating that they are not willing to engage in a battle for it. Still, they will not oppose it if the extension occurs.
Hezbollah does not want to adopt the vacuum in the Maronite third position, aligning behind the positions of the Free Patriotic Movement and former President Michel Aoun, claiming that the opposition is Christian. At the same time, Berri supports the extension, considering it part of the government's tasks, but he is not ready to convince his ally to extend from within the
government.
In the latest circulated formulas for appointing a genuine commander, approval from Gebran Bassil, the Shiite duo, and Bkerke is required to consider the appointment within a comprehensive package that is prepared with prudence and calm. However, it is not known whether Prime Minister Najib Mikati will agree to it.
Despite the desire of some to reach a decision, things are open to more than one possibility, as it is a known tradition in Lebanon that the final solution is usually dependent on the last moments.