Hizbullah: the project of setting up an American military base "can turn the country into another Iraq"

(Moqawama) Hizbullah issued the following statement:

"Commenting on the information published in `Al-Safir` newspaper yesterday, regarding the United States seeking to set up one of its military bases in Lebanon, we would like to emphasize the following:

1. These efforts represent a part in a broad plan to link Lebanon to the American project in the region, by describing it as `one of the windows` to the `New Middle East`, under deceptive slogans such as `the strategic partnership between two countries`. The visits, unprecedented attention, stances and successive statements made by a number of senior American officials, starting from President George Bush himself, are but evidence of the known intentions in this field.

2. These new and former revelations of the blatant American intervention in various domains in Lebanon, explain the reasons why the international forces of tutelage are holding on to the current government despite it lacking constitutional and popular legitimacy, and disrupting any solution to the political crisis through a number of internal means. Therefore, this project and what it carries in risks can turn the country into another Iraq through complicity with the Americans, the responsibility for which falls on the Lebanese government and the entire assembly of `February 14` forces. Experience proves that statements of denial and media blackouts are not enough for the Lebanese to believe that their government is not pushing them towards this fate.

3. The statements of American Assistant Secretary of Defense, its contents and commitments, especially regarding the army`s doctrine and on refusing to consider "Israel" an enemy, are more serious than anything ever been published to date, the thing that represents a serious blow to statements made by our government officials or the American Ambassador`s attempts to contain the political storm raised by the project.

4. As we express our pride in the Lebanese army, with whom we are gathered in unity of citizenship, confrontation with the Zionist enemy and the preservation of our country`s independence, we are confident that such projects will not shake the army`s firm doctrine and commitment to defend its people and homeland.

5. While we reaffirm our categorical rejection of such suspicious projects, we firmly believe that the vast majority of the Lebanese people, in their different political orientations, reject any form of tutelage and hegemony, and aspire to true full independence."