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==Entry into Politics==
==Entry into Politics==


[[Rafiq Hariri]] was killed on [[February 14]], [[2005]] by a car bomb in central [[Beirut]]. After his father's assassination and the [[Cedar Revolution]], Saad Hariri returned to [[Lebanon]] and took up his father's political path rallying behind him former sectarian militias, the [[Progressive Socialist Party]] and the [[Lebanese Forces]]. He ran for the Lebanese parliament on an anti-Syrian platform, working for increased American intervention and isolation of the Lebanese resistance movement as part of the 14 March coalition. Unlike his father before him, he favors negotiations to disarm [[Hezbollah]] and opposes [[Syria]]'s influence in Lebanon, although his father cooperated very closely with the Syrians during their 29-year presence. On October 30th, 2007, Hariri accused [[Syria]] of attempting to assassinate him, as well as Lebanese prime minister [[Fouad Siniora]]. [http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2007/10/hariri_reveals.php]
[[Rafiq Hariri]] was killed on [[February 14]], [[2005]] by a car bomb in central [[Beirut]]. After his father's assassination and the [[Cedar Revolution]], Saad Hariri returned to [[Lebanon]] and took up his father's political path rallying behind him former militias, the [[Progressive Socialist Party]] and the [[Lebanese Forces]]and other Anti-Syrian parties .On October 30th, 2007, Hariri accused [[Syria]] of attempting to assassinate him, as well as Lebanese prime minister [[Fouad Siniora]]. [http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2007/10/hariri_reveals.php]


Hariri has been suspected of funding the [[Fatah al-Islam]] group to counter the [[Shi'a Muslim]] [[Hezbollah]], immediately prior to its assault on the Lebanese Army. Investigative journalist [[Seymour Hersh]] said on [[CNN]] that Fatah al-Islam was being funded by [[Saudi Arabia]] through [[Bandar bin Sultan]], as a result of an agreement among [[Dick Cheney]], [[Elliott Abrams]] and Bandar "whereby the Saudis would covertly fund the Sunni Fatah al-Islam in Lebanon as a counterweight to the Shia Hezbollah". He also stated that the Lebanese government, led by the Sunni [[Future Movement]], was providing support for the group. <ref>{{cite news|url=http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hersh_Bush_arranged_support_for_militants_0522.html|title=
Hersh: Bush administration arranged support for militants attacking Lebanon|publisher=The Raw Story|date=May 22, 2007 |accessdate=2008-05-12}}</ref>


There was recurring speculation that Hariri would become prime minister if his party won a majority of Lebanese parliamentary seats. However, he has called for the resignation or removal of Lebanese president [[Emile Lahoud]], considering him too beholden to Syria, and has implied that he would be unwilling to serve as prime minister if Lahoud remained in office.
There was recurring speculation that Hariri would become prime minister if his party won a majority of Lebanese parliamentary seats. However, he has called for the resignation or removal of Lebanese president [[Emile Lahoud]], considering him too beholden to Syria, and has implied that he would be unwilling to serve as prime minister if Lahoud remained in office.


==Criticism==

Saad Hariri is mainly criticised for having inherited his position in politics through no merit of his own, and thereby benefiting from Lebanon's heavy system of patronage. In addition, he has been severely criticised for having transformed the Future Movement, largely considered to have been an exception in the Lebanese political spectrum for its refusal to take up arms, into an armed militia.<ref name="Gulfnews">{{

cite news
|url=http://www.gulfnews.com/weekend/society/10215242.html|publisher=[[Gulfnews|Gulf News]]
|title=Future movement: trained militia
|date=May 23, 2008

}}</ref>


==External links==
==External links==

Revision as of 22:57, 23 June 2008

Saad ed Deen Rafiq al Hariri (Template:Lang-ar), (born April 18,1970 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)[citation needed] is a Saudi-Lebanese businessman and politician, and the second son of Rafik Hariri, the assassinated former prime minister of Lebanon. After his father's death, he inherited the helm of the Future Movement, an essentially Sunni movement that was created and led by his father.

Early Years and Personal Life

Saad Hariri is the son of Rafiq Hariri and an Iraqi mother (Nidal Al-Bustani). He has been born and raised in Saudi Arabia and managed part of his father's business there until his father's assasination. He graduated with a degree in International Business in 2002 from Georgetown University [citation needed]. When his father was assassinated in February 2005, he inherited some USD 4.1 billion in 2005 earning him and each of his siblings[1] a place on the 2006 Forbes list of richest people in the world (released in March 2006).

At the start of 2005, he was running Saudi Oger, a USD $3.15 billion (sales) construction conglomerate purchased from a French company and run by his father. Hariri has extensive experience in telecommunications and information technology. He was the Chairman of the executive committee of Oger Telecom, which pursues telecommunication interest in Middle East and Africa. In addition to heading Saudi Oger, Hariri was the Chairman of Omnia Holdings, and Board Member of Oger International Entreprise de Travaux Internationaux, Saudi Investment Bank, Saudi Research and Marketing Group and Future Television.

Hariri is married to Lara al-Azem and has two children. He holds both Saudi and Lebanese nationality. He enjoys motorcycle riding and diving.

Entry into Politics

Rafiq Hariri was killed on February 14, 2005 by a car bomb in central Beirut. After his father's assassination and the Cedar Revolution, Saad Hariri returned to Lebanon and took up his father's political path rallying behind him former militias, the Progressive Socialist Party and the Lebanese Forcesand other Anti-Syrian parties .On October 30th, 2007, Hariri accused Syria of attempting to assassinate him, as well as Lebanese prime minister Fouad Siniora. [1]


There was recurring speculation that Hariri would become prime minister if his party won a majority of Lebanese parliamentary seats. However, he has called for the resignation or removal of Lebanese president Emile Lahoud, considering him too beholden to Syria, and has implied that he would be unwilling to serve as prime minister if Lahoud remained in office.


References

  1. ^ "Hind Hariri is world's youngest billionaire". The Daily Star (Lebanon). March 11, 2006.