CLAO

Founded in 1989 to serve the USA and Lebanon.

THE COUNCIL OF LEBANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS

       Eastern USA: P.O. Box 181116 Cleveland, OH 44118  ***  Western USA: P. O. Box 661823, Los Angeles, CA 90066

September 21, 2004                                                                                                PR 040921

End to The Syrian Hegemony Over Lebanon – The Withdrawal of Syrian Occupation Troops

On Monday September 20, 2004, Imad Mustapha, Syria's ambassador to Washington announced that the Syrian troops would start a major redeployment toward the Syrian-Lebanese border on Tuesday. This is a major victory for Lebanon’s democracy, sovereignty, and independence. This is a dream that came true to the freedom seeking Lebanese. The people of Lebanon have long been waiting to be freed from the Syrian tyranny.

The Council of Lebanese American Organizations is grateful to the U.S., France, and to all other UN Security Council members that have supported resolution 1559. Such resolution is the direct and most recent reason for Syria to realize that the world is now serious about a free, sovereign, and independent Lebanon. On the other hand, it was the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 legislation, signed by President Bush in December 2003, which has started formal U.S. efforts towards the cause of ridding Lebanon from the Syrian occupier. CLAO would like to thank the U.S. congress and the Bush administration for the tireless efforts that have resulted into the materialization of such honorable and just cause.

CLAO would like to congratulate the freedom seeking Lebanese people for their soon to come freedom and to commend P.M. Gen. Michel Aoun, the most respected Lebanese leader, for his diligent efforts to free a nation and its people from the suffering inflicted under the Syrian hegemony.

Furthermore, CLAO applaud the persistent hard work of its members and friends that has kept the cause of Lebanon alive since 1989. For many years after the Syrian assault on the Baabda presidential palace, toppling Lebanon’s last legal and legitimate government led by P.M. Gen. Michel Aoun on October 13, 1990, CLAO solely carried the cause of Lebanon, lobbied in the U.S. and the UN, seeking an end to the suffering of the Lebanese. Today, the hard work is paying off: The Syrian invaders will finally withdraw, and soon Lebanon will be for the Lebanese.

Meanwhile, the Syrian withdrawal would not be a complete one without the departure of the Syrian intelligence, the disbandment of the Syrian sponsored armed militias, and the holding of a UN or US supervised general elections in order to replace the oppressive Syrian installed Lebanese regime that is currently ruling the nation against the will of its people.