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OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0663/01 1331654
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 121654Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1819
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2264
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2568
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000663 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA 
ALSO FOR A/S SILVERBERG AND PDAS WARLICK 
USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/KUMAR/PHEE 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR ASEC UNSC EAIR SA IR LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: SAAD HARIRI: WHAT IS THE U.S. WAITING FOR? 
 
REF: A. BEIRUT 618 
     ¶B. BEIRUT 652 
 
Classified By: CDA Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) On May 12, Future Movement and majority leader Saad 
Hariri and advisors Nader Hariri and Ghattas Khoury implored 
the Charge for stronger U.S. support within the next 24 
hours, warning that U.S. help was needed "in hours, not 
days!"  Saad suggested the U.S. fly a plane over Syria or 
deploy the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet to Syrian shorelines.  He 
warned that March 14 leaders could not hold out much longer 
against Hizballah, acknowledging that they might be forced to 
"make a deal" if they did not receive stronger support soon. 
Saad stressed the importance of an imminent arrival of the 
Qatari-led Arab League delegation, and expressed his 
suspicion and grave concern that it was not expected for 
another two days, on May 14.  Saad relayed that he and fellow 
March 14 leader Walid Jumblatt agreed that the Cabinet should 
withdraw its decisions to transfer the head of airport 
security and declare Hizballah's fiber optics network 
illegal.  End summary. 
 
CABINET SHOULD WITHDRAW ITS DECISIONS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) At 1500 local time on May 12, the Charge, accompanied 
by PolOff, met with Future Movement and majority leader Saad 
Hariri, his cousin and advisor Nader Hariri, and senior 
advisor Ghattas Khoury, where the three were holed up at 
Saad's Qoreitam residence.  An energetic Saad told the Charge 
that the Cabinet should withdraw its May 5 decisions to 
transfer the head of airport security and declare Hizballah's 
fiber optics network illegal (Ref A).  "It is useless to let 
the opposition keep using these decisions as an excuse to 
keep fighting," Saad asserted.  He noted that March 
14/Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Walid Jumblatt concurred 
with him but that Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea did not. 
 
WHERE IS THE U.S.? 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) The Lebanese are greatly disappointed and have no more 
faith in March 14 and in the international community, Saad 
remarked.  He quoted the May 9 White House statement on 
Lebanon, "We hope..."  "What is this?" Saad declared. 
"'Hope' does not deter Syria.  If the U.S. decision is to do 
nothing, then OK -- we know."  Saad strongly urged that the 
U.S. "just fly a plane over Damascus as a threat."  He also 
suggested the U.S. send the Sixth Fleet to Syria's shore. 
"Do something in Syria, not Lebanon," he pressed.  Playing on 
something  Prime Minister Fouad Siniora had told us the 
previous day, Ghattas Khoury said, "Because we are Arab 
nationalists, we want to see you do something in Syria!" 
 
¶4. (C) Saad said that March 14 needed a clear position from 
the U.S., "We need something that goes beyond encouragement 
to" 'Stay strong,' he argued, adding that otherwise, "We will 
make a deal.  This is becoming humiliating.  We are breaking 
our bones and we don't want to lose anymore."  He asserted 
that he and Jumblatt had agreed to stay strong, but, if they 
do not see any support from the U.S., he wondered, why should 
they should still be allied with the U.S.  "Siniora does not 
want any blood spilled on his watch," Saad added.  The more 
we stay in this conflict, Saad cautioned, the more we will 
lose. 
 
¶5. (C) Ghattas Khoury said that within the next 24 hours, he 
hoped the U.S. would demonstrate its support by imposing a 
no-fly zone over Syria, increasing its sanctions against 
Syria, and/or threatening Iran.  Nader Hariri added, "It's 
about hours, not days!  Otherwise, the Siniora government 
will fall.  The PM has to feel a security network is 
supporting him and his government."  Saad asked that the 
Charge tell Washington, "You know what you need to do.  I 
don't know what you're waiting for."  He continued, "Tell 
Washington, not me, to 'be strong'!" 
 
 
BEIRUT 00000663  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (C) "Iran is taking over and the international community 
is watching," complained Saad.  "In a few months, the 
problems will be much bigger," he predicted.  Ghattas Khoury 
added, "We are currently in a civil war, and we need to come 
out!" 
 
ARAB LEAGUE DELEGATION MUST ARRIVE IMMEDIATELY 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7. (C) Saad remarked that it was strange that the Arab League 
delegation (Ref B), headed by Qatari Prime Minister and 
Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim, would not be arriving 
until Wednesday, May 14.  He expressed his concern that the 
next two days will allow more advances on the ground.  "Why 
the delay??  We need them here now!" Saad implored.  On the 
rumor that the Arab League was planning to hold a follow up 
round of talks in Doha, Saad insisted that he will stay in 
Beirut because he reasoned that if he left, the conflict 
would worsen.  Besides, he said, holding long hours of 
discussion must take place after a president is elected. 
 
¶8. (C) During the meeting, Jumblatt's Druze rival Talal 
Arsalan made televised remarks on Al-Arabiyya warning 
Jumblatt that he "must give up his arms or else."  Saad 
reasoned that this "ultimatum" is why it will take two days 
for the Arab League delegation to arrive, saying, "Probably 
Damascus told the delegation to hold off on coming." 
 
JUMBLATT BEING SACRIFICED IN ALEY FIGHTING 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶9. (C) Saad said he did not anticipate that the fighting 
against Hizballah in predominately-Sunni Tripoli would get 
out of hand.  On the other hand, he said, what happened in 
Aley between Hizballah and Jumblatt's PSP Druze fighters was 
a disaster.  He does not expect that fighting there will stop 
as easily.  Saad believed Walid has made a major sacrifice in 
Aley and is concerned that Jumblatt will be killed by 
Hizballah just as his father and other family members were 
killed by the Syrians. 
 
LAF RESIGNATIONS SYMBOLIC 
------------------------- 
 
¶10. (C) Saad said that approximately 100 Sunnis in the LAF 
tendered their resignations the previous day, and that he 
believed more were imminent.  However, he noted, the 
resignations are symbolic -- they were not accepted by the 
LAF authorities and the officers are at work today. 
 
SISON