Walid Jumblatt: Difference between revisions
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Jumblatt has publicly spoken of his fear of being assassinated, like Hariri, because of his current stance towards Damascus. The unsuccessful attempt on the life of his closest political ally and friend, MP [[Marwan Hamadeh]], in October 2004 was interpreted by many as an ominous message addressed to Jumblatt.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} In an interview with ''The Chicago Tribune'', when asked about his concerns for his safety, he answered, "That's trivial; I don't think about it. When they will come, they will come." |
Jumblatt has publicly spoken of his fear of being assassinated, like Hariri, because of his current stance towards Damascus. The unsuccessful attempt on the life of his closest political ally and friend, MP [[Marwan Hamadeh]], in October 2004 was interpreted by many as an ominous message addressed to Jumblatt.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} In an interview with ''The Chicago Tribune'', when asked about his concerns for his safety, he answered, "That's trivial; I don't think about it. When they will come, they will come." |
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===Jumblatt in Politics=== |
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Walid Jumblatt is regarded by many of his people as a National saviour, with many aims to overthrow the Lebanese government by emerging with as many sectors of the Lebanese government as possible. Walid has a very hypocritical reputation amongst the Lebanese people varying from Sunni, Shia, Christians and all kinds of cultures living among the political side of lebanon. Walid is known to "stand with the strong side" when in doubt of his own powers. In a recent document shown by Future TV Walid is shown conversing with billionaire Saed Harirri about the way the couple will plan on giving up whatever it takes to overthrow Sanyora's government so they can head the government. |
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===Controversial remarks=== |
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Jumblatt has the reputation for quickly switching sides for political gain, and a predilection for saying things that prove embarrassing once he does switch sides. Jumblatt said on the failed assassination attempt <ref>Jane Arraf, [http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/10/26/otsc.arraf/index.html "Bold, Well-executed Attack"], ''[[CNN]]'', [[October 26]], [[2003]], accessed [[April 18]], [[2007]].</ref> on [[Paul Wolfowitz]] in Baghdad in 2003 that "We hope that next time the rockets will be more accurate and effective in getting rid of this virus, and his like, who wreak corruption in the Arab lands."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3284681.stm US cancels visa for MP Jumblatt]BBC Wednesday, 19 November, 2003, Accessed October 16, 2007</ref> Additionally, he has called [[Bashar Assad]] "a half ape," [[George W. Bush]] a "mad emperor," [[Condoleezza Rice]] "oil-colored," and [[Tony Blair]] a "peacock with a sexual complex." He also said "My joy was great at the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Columbia Disaster]] because of the death of an [[Ilan Ramon|Israeli Astronaut]]."<ref>[http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=middleeast&ID=SP46603 Lebanese Druze Leader: Bush 'Mad Emperor,' Rice 'Oil-Colored,' Blair 'Peacock' With A 'Sexual Complex'; 'My Joy Was Great' at Columbia Disaster]MEMRI February 7, 2003, Accessed Oct. 16, 2007</ref> In an interview with Al-Sharq Al-Awsat <ref>[http://aawsat.com/english/]Al-Sharq Al-Awsat</ref> on [[February 12]], [[2004]], Jumblatt said: "We are all happy when U.S. soldiers are killed (in Iraq) week in and week out. The killing of U.S. soldiers in Iraq is legitimate and obligatory" <ref>[http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTdiZWIxNmJjYTRkZjhhNTYyODI3NTY5NzEyYmQyNTc= The Corner]National Review Wednesday, February 23, 2005 Accessed Oct 16, 2007 .</ref> |
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At the opening plenary of the "Weinberg Founders Conference 2007" of the [[Washington Institute for Near East Policy]] in Virginia he proposed the US "send car bombs" to Damascus as a way to prevent further Syrian interference with Lebanese politics. In a 2007 New Year's Eve interview, Jumblatt admitted that he lied to the Syrians for 25 years. <ref>[http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=37040§ionid=351020203= PressTV]Monday, December 31, 2007 Accessed Dec. 31, 2007 .</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 00:16, 12 June 2008
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Walid Jumblatt (Arabic: وليد جنبلاط) (born August 7, 1949) is the current leader of the Progressive Socialist Party "PSP" of Lebanon, and the most prominent leader of the Druze community. He is currently one of the most outspoken anti-Syrian politicians in Lebanon and is allied with the March 14 Alliance, which includes the Future Movement, the Lebanese Forces and the Qornet Chehwan Gathering.
Family
The origin of the Jumblatt family is the Kurdish Janpoulad family coming from Shamel Janpoulade and dating back to Janboulad Ibn Kassem al Kirdi al Kaisari, known as Ibn Arabou (1530-1580), and governor of Aleppo. Walid Jumblatt is the son of Kamal Jumblatt, the assassinated founder of the PSP, the party which Walid Jumblatt currently leads. He is the maternal grandson of Prince Shakib Arslan[1]. His first wife was Gervette "Gigi," a Jordanian woman of Circassian origin who is the mother of his child Timour. His current wife is Nora.[2]
Military life
As a leader of the Progressive Socialist Party Jumblatt was a prominent member in the Lebanese National Movement that was fighting the Lebanese Front.One of the most fierce battles that happened between the two, was after the sudden Israeli withdrawal from the Chouf Mountain of Lebanon in August 1982 and later in 1983, in wich Jumblatt's PSP militia , backed by Soviet weaponry from Syria, combated the Lebanese Forces militia led by Samir Geagea,who controlled a large part of the Aley district and part of the Chouf region,mainly in villages of Maronite majority, during the battles most Christian families migrated to the Christian part of the country after they were evacuated from Deir al-Qamar by the United Nations, the PSP militia was capable through this battle to regain its control over South Mount Lebanon after it lost large part of it in 1982.Also the Progressive Socialist Party led by Jumblatt fought against the Syrian backed Amal Movement after this movement attacked the PLO controlled Palestinian camps in west Beirut.Also, several battles where fought with his opponent and leader of the Lebanese Armed Forces Eighth Brigade at the Aley village of Souk El Gharb, General Michel Aoun is again his opponent, but at the ballot box.
Political life
The BBC describes Jumblatt as "being seen by many as the country's political weathervane."[3] He has a successful record of changing allegiances to ensure that the sectarian interests of the Druze emerge on the winning side of the political issues and conflicts shaping Lebanon, from the turmoil of the 1975-1990 civil war to Lebanon's reconstruction. Like several other sectarian leaders, he was a supporter of the Syrian military presence (described as an occupation by anti-Syrian elements) in Lebanon after the civil war, but since the death of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in 2000, he has campaigned for the end of Syrian domination of Lebanon. This has pitted him against President Émile Lahoud, whom he considers a Syrian puppet, and the Lebanese Shiite party Hezbollah of which he said: "Their fighters have done a good job defying and defeating the Israeli army, OK, but the question we ask is where their allegiance goes: to a Lebanese strong central authority or somewhere else?"[4]
After the assassination of Rafik Hariri in 2005, Jumblatt said that a shaken Hariri had told him months before that Hariri had been personally threatened by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a 15-minute meeting in the Syrian capital Damascus in August 2004: [5]"(President) Lahoud is me ... If you and Chirac want me out of Lebanon, I will break Lebanon."]. Jumblatt said, "When I heard him telling us those words, I knew that it was his condemnation of death." His comments have been included in the FitzGerald Report, the United Nations's report on the investigation of the Hariri assassination. The report criticizes Syria for the political tensions which preceded the assassination. The United States, the European Union and the United Nations have demanded a Syrian pullout from Lebanon and an international investigation into Hariri's murder.
Jumblatt has publicly spoken of his fear of being assassinated, like Hariri, because of his current stance towards Damascus. The unsuccessful attempt on the life of his closest political ally and friend, MP Marwan Hamadeh, in October 2004 was interpreted by many as an ominous message addressed to Jumblatt.[citation needed] In an interview with The Chicago Tribune, when asked about his concerns for his safety, he answered, "That's trivial; I don't think about it. When they will come, they will come."
See also
References
- ^ Kamal Jumblatt Biography Entry NNDB.com Accessed October 16, 2007
- ^ Jumblatts’ family history captured in a painting Lebanonwire.com November 30, 2002 Accessed October 16, 2007
- ^ Who's who in LebanonBBC Monday, 14 March, 2005, Accessed Oct. 16, 2007
- ^ Chicago Tibune interview Aug.11, 2006
- ^ Behind Lebanon Upheaval, 2 Men's Fateful ClashNYT, By NEIL MacFARQUHAR Published: March 20, 2005, Accessed Oct. 16, 2007
External links
- Walid Jumblatt, by Gary C. Gambill and Daniel Nassif, Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, Vol 3, No 5, May 2001
- "It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq" quoted in Beirut's Berlin Wall, by David Ignatius, Washington Post, February 23, 2005
- "Rebel with a cause" by Massoud A. Derhally, Arabian Business, March 27, 2005
- "Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt Accuses Hizbullah, Iran and Syria For Lebanon Crisis" Transcript of interview of Walid Jumblatt, broadcast on Al-Arabiya, July 20, 2006
- We Should Treat the Syrian Regime the Same Way It Treats Us: With Car Bombs, Assassinations and Destruction. Bashar Al-Assad Is a Liar. Transcript of interview of Walid Jumblatt, broadcast on Al-Arabiya, December 28, 2006
- Attacks Hizbullah, Iran, and Syria, and Says: I Support a Two-State Solution, Not the Liberation of Jerusalem Transcript of interview of Walid Jumblatt, broadcast on Al-Jazeera TV, January 31, 2007
- On Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad: "An Ape Unknown to Nature, a Creature That Is Only Half-Man." Excerpts from an address delivered by Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, aired on Al-Jazeera TV on February 14, 2007.
- Bush Meets With Anti-Semite Who Celebrated The Killing Of American Soldiers.