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Introduction
Chapter One:
The permanent orientational politics undertook by the army at the
level of the nation.
1.1- Loyalty to Lebanon as a final home to its people,
both domicile and expatriates.
1.2- Faith in the unity of land, people, and regime as
the sole alternative for the persistence of the
country.
1.3- Faith in the supreme values of the lebanese society,
and defending these values.
1.4- Lebanon is an arab country and an active member in
the Arab League and the United Nations.
1.5- The special and brotherly relationship between Lebanon
and Syria.
1.6- Identifying and defying the major threats surrounding
Lebanon.
1.7- Holding on to a comprehensive and just
peace as the only solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
1.8- Supporting the Lebanese Resistance.
1.9- Strengthening the relationship and the interaction
between the army and the civilians.
1.10- The army is an institution which observes the implementation
of the armed conflicts pact (International
human law).
Chapter Two:
The permanent orientational politics undertook
by the army at the military level.
2.1- Soldiery is a message of honor, sacrifices and loyalty;
it is more than just a job.
2.2- The genesis of the lebanese army and its development/focus
and positions.
2.3- The army as the guardian of the constitutional legacy.
2.4- Defining the foe and the friend.
2.5- the army is an institution which implements the
law.
2.6- The role of the army at the level of defense, security,
and development.
2.7- Flag service.
2.8- Keeping the army away from politics, excluding the
internal affairs of the army institution of political interventions, and fully implementing
the decision of the cabinet.
2.9- Withstanding and fighting terrorism.
2.10- The army is a national institution embracing the
different groups of the lebanese people.
2.11- Indivisible, absolute, and complete to the loyalty
army.
2.12- A general evaluation of the situation of the military
institution.
Introduction
The first
sketches of the image of the army as drawn in the minds of citizens
manifest themselves in the army's main vocation, which is to defend
the country. The army is the symbol of national sovereignty and independence,
and its duty is to provide the security of its structure and the defense
of its sovereignty. It is from this role that soldiery derives the
loftiness of its mission and the halo endowed by the law and by tradition.
Military education, which provides soldiers with faculties, skills,
and knowledge, has a main role in qualifying soldiers for achieving
the deeds that are required by them.
This education , however, is not perfected if it does not include
moral and ethical dimensions.
Knowledge and skills make a good fighter, but they are not sufficient
to make al loyal soldier who is dedicated to his institution and his
country, and who is ready to reach the farthest degrees of sacrifice
in defending them.
The army inspires the morale educational pillars which it works on
fortifying in its soldiers from two main sources:
First, the supreme values of society. The military society, although
distinguished from civil society, has different peculiarities. The
military society integrates , interacts, and cooperates with the civil
society based on the prevailing values and the principles dedicated
by its (the civil society) law, tradition, and institutions.
Second, the peculiarity of the military institution which is derived
from its noble role and which is based on a set of military virtues.
The orientational politics undertook by the army springs from the
main headings of moral education. It is also based on a set of permanent
beliefs on the military and national levels.
1.1- Loyalty to Lebanon as a final home to its people, both domicile and expatriates
Loyalty
to Lebanon as a final home to its people, both domicile and expatriates
is a basic principle in the national education for soldiers. Faith
in Lebanon as a country for all its people springs from faith in co-habitation
which equates the Lebanese in national belongingness as well as in
rights and duties.
The Lebanese structure has been constructed as such thanks to its
people who shared the land, a common history, and a strong will to
build a common future within a democratic regime.
Although co-habitation has been vulnerable to different crises and
complications at different stages, it has also known, in many respects,
interaction, communication, and prosperity. It resulted in a cultural
and civilizational richness, and so the Lebanese Independence was
one of the first fruits of concord and the people's will for co-habitation.
The bitter experience that the Lebanese went through during long years
of fighting which extended from the mid- seventies to the early nineties
has strengthened in them the idea of belonging to Lebanon as a final
home to all its people. The people of Lebanon are not only those who
are currently dwelling in it, but also those who are scattered overseas,
who yearn to their homeland, and who are never late to corroborating
its issues from different regions of the globe.
The Lebanese Diaspora has always been a reservoir of ingenuity in
diverse fields. It has also provided the country with the necessary
reinforcement.
From its position as a guardian of the Lebanese structure and existence,
the army is keen on the idea that Lebanon is a final home to all its
people, in accordance with the decisions the Lebanese have chosen
and expressed.
1.2- Faith in the unity of land, people, and regime as the sole alternative
for the persistence of the country
This percept
is of basic importance as it is built upon the strong belief that
Lebanon's survival depends on the unity of land and unity of people
and on preserving its democratic regime.
The nation is a geographical space which is shared by a people united
by affairs and a common heritage; a people deeply linked to the homeland
to the extend that the links are part of the essential being.
Therefore, Lebanon is destined to preserving the unity of the land
and the unity of the people in order to remain to exist. Any formula
which aims at making divisions is a formula doomed to no existence,
at the level of both the communities and the nation in general.
The democratic regime chosen by the Lebanese as a way of government
which provides participation and harmony is the third pillar of survival
of the country in which diversity is a merit.
1.3- Faith in the supreme values of the lebanese society, and defending these values
The Lebanese
Army believes in the supreme values of the Lebanese society, values
affirmed by its laws and customs which has became a national heritage.
The most important of these values are: democracy, liberty, justice,
and equality.
The Lebanese regime is democratic and republican, which means that
the people are the source of power. Its system is parliamentary and
governmental, which means that the people exercise their authority
through an elected parliament, each member of which represents the
entire nation. The laws entrust the army the mission of guarding the
constitution and the democratic regime chosen by the people. By maintaining
stability, the army provides the climate of finding solutions for
any emergent problem through the legal institutions. The army is also
concerned about providing public freedom within the law that provides
justice and equality among citizens.
Some researchers go that the army is among the leading institutions
that comply with the principles of justice and equality. All soldiers
are equal before the law, and they get their promotion opportunities
according to their competence, and not any other reason.
1.4- Lebanon is an arab country and an active member in the Arab League and the
United Nations
Lebanon
is an Arab country that shares relationships of brotherhood, language,
culture, and common destiny with the other Arab countries. It is one
of the founding and active members in the Arab League, eversince its
foundation in 1945.it is also a founding and active members in the
United Nations that has been founded in the same year. Lebanon has
adhered to the Arab League Charter and the Arab Treaty for Mutual
Defense and Economic Cooperation that are derived from feeling the
importance of Arabic cooperation and from the fact that any external
assault which befalls any Arab country befalls all. Lebanon has also
adhered to the United Nations Charter that derived from the Human
Rights Legacy.
1.5- The special and brotherly relationship between Lebanon and Syria
Lebanon
and Syria have common historical links that sprout from nationalistic
and geographical considerations and from the common interests of the
two countries, especially in their confrontation with the Israeli
enemy.
The relationships of cooperation and collaboration between the two
countries had had, after conceding to the Taïf Accord, positive
results for both countries.
This cooperation has played a major role in maintaining security and
stability and defending the Lebanese internal scene and securing it
against the Israeli penetration. It has also played a great role in
corroborating the resistance of the Lebanese to the Israelis, which
has led to their withdrawal.
On the other hand, the concomitance of the Lebanese and the Syrian
tracks in negotiations has strengthened the position of both countries.
The need to resume cooperation and collaboration should always exist
in the shade of the inability to maintain a just and comprehensive
peace in the region, in order to actualize the common interests of
both countries.
History has lots of lessons in this sector as it was only in the near
past that the Lebanese and the Syrians had fought arm to arm against
the French Mandate. Their cooperation has had a great role in crowning
the struggle for independence.
There is also the battle of evacuation which was not less fierce than
the other battles carried on with Lebanon and Syria standing together
until the evacuation of the foreign forces was achieved.
1.6- Identifying and defying the major threats surrounding Lebanon
Lebanon is facing many
threats to its structure and to the pillars of its existence, especially
the Zionist threat, as Israel has been eversince its foundation, the
source of wars and tragedies that Lebanon and the Arab countries have
suffered a lot from for about half a century . The horizons of real
peace are still unseen due to the racist nature of the Israeli entity
.
Israel is the only member of the United Nations that has not yet drawn
its final borders . This goes back to its expantionist avarice and
to the blending of its political, military, and social concepts with
its religious concepts that are based on the myth of the "Promised
Land." This avarice is backed up by several documents, among
which is the Zionist memorandum to the 1919 Peace Conference in Paris
which claims that the Jews have a historical right in the following
borders:
It starts in the North from a point on the Mediterranean near Saida.
It
follws the water tracks of the Lebanese mountains up to Al-Karoun
bridge, and from there to Al-Biré following the borderline
between Wadi Al-Qarn and Wadi Al-Taym. It then follows a Southern
direction following the borderline between the eastern and the western
versants of Jabal Al-Sheikh until it reaches the Vicinity of Beit
Jinn. It then moves eastward follwing the northen bank of Maghniyé
River until it goes alongside the Hijazi railway westwards. To the
east, it follows a borderline alongside and to the west of the Hijazi
railway which ends in the Akaba Gulf. To the South, it follows a line
which is to be later on settled with the Egyptian government. The
western border is the Mediterranean.
This memorandum also considers the southern parts of Syria, Eastern
Jordan, the Sinai peninsula in Egypt and the northwestern parts of
Al-Hijazz in Saudi Arabia to be included within the desired borders
of the state of Isreal .
The Isreali avarice of the Lebanese land, water, and resources has
many incentives:
The first incentive is religious, in which the claims concerning the
"Promised Land" include some Lebanese territories.
The second incentive is the Lebanese water resources which Isreal
is trying to control by all means due to the dearth of water in Isreal
and due to the constant Isreali endeavor to expand geographically
and demographically.
Added to the above incentives is the economic Israeli avarice in Lebanon
and anxiety of the Israeli leaders from the Lebanese experience which
is built on the co-habitation of the different sects.
Israel has always aimed at targeting the Lebanese unity through expeditions
of skepticism and through direct interventions to prove to the world
that the example of cohabitation is unendurable.
In addition to the Zionist danger, sectarianism, settling the Palestinians,
internal divisions, and the challenges of globalization and terrorism
are all dangerous threats to Lebanon :
- Sectarianism is a danger that threatens the Lebanese regime which
is built upon sharing, balance, and harmony because sectarian loyalty
among individuals and groups obstructs national loyalty in its broad
concept. Sectarianism is an internal danger, knowing that sectarian
feuds are seldom ignited for external incentives. Developing national
loyalty on the account of sectarianism is the solution that enables
Lebanon to benefit of its religions diversity and cultural richness.
Here we have to distinguish between religion and sectarianism. Religion
is a relationship with the creator. It has one essence but different
forms, and it calls for virtues among humans. As for sectarianism,
it is the exploitation of religion or of a sect for private or political
interests.
As much as we respect religions and the nobleness of their mission,
we condemn sectarianism because it ruins the relationships between
members of the same country. Commitment to religion demands commitment
to the state, but driftage behind sectarianism leads to divisions
and chaos.
- Setting the Palestinian
refugees in Lebanon is itself a source of danger due to its effects
on the demographical reality of the country. Israel is trying its
best to impose this on Lebanon, in order to escape the returning of
these refugees to their land according to the international resolutions.
Lebanon, government and people, refuses settlement from a nationalistic
and a humanistic standpoint, and from the standpoint of preserving
the rights of fellow Palestinians to claiming their home and their
land. In this position, Lebanon has been resisting all the pressures
practiced on it for years.
- During different stages
of the Lebanese war, dividing the country was propounded as a solution.
But division is never a solution as it means destroying the Lebanese
entity and making it petty states that can never survive. Since the
army believes in Lebanon as a unified nation for all its people, it
considers the call for divisions a plot against both Lebanon and the
Lebanese .
- Added
to the above - mentioned threats are others imposed by globalization.
Using this expression has had vogue after the collapse of the former
Soviet Union and it is linked to the supremacy of the United States
of America, its economic dominion, and to the expansion of the economic
dominion, and to the expansion of the economic gap between the rich
north and the poor south.
The basic problems that have started to the emerge among the wretched
is poverty, illiteracy, the increase of population, the dearth of
water, and the waste of natural resources… and these problems
are increasing despite the fact that the world has become closer to
the concept of the universal village which is emerging due to ease
of transportation and the exchange of knowledge via T.V. and internet.
To face these problems, the United Nations and the organizations emanating
from it have called for reinforcing the methods of development within
globalization.
Experts emphasize the importance of developing human resources on
psychological, sociological, and cultural levels. In addition to economic
development, the main focus of the modern effective development is
humans, and it takes place from two stands: the stand of education
and increasing human potentials and the stand of participation which
means heading towards more democracy.
To face these problems we first have to cling the Lebanese political
viewpoint towards the Israeli aggression and to persist on liberating
the occupied Lebanese territories with in the just and comprehensive
peace which also includes withdrawal from Golan and the return of
the Palestinian refugees. As for the cultural and civilizational challenges,
the solution is to cling to the values and customs of our Arabic civilization
that has always witnessed, throughout history, co-habitation, and
interaction between different cultures and religions to which Lebanon,
in its special set up, is an example.
The Arabic civilization has contributed to the Human Civilization
many exploits in science, literature, and arts, and its influence
is still active to this day.
The Arabic Civilization is open, and its cultural values facilitate
the openness of societies to one another. It also condemns fanaticism
and extremism as it had always brought the arabs together when calls
for divisions were coming from the enemies of the Arabs.
Terrorism is one of the greatest dangers to Lebanon and the Lebanese
have suffered the most because of it. The Israeli enemy has exercised
state terrorism against Lebanon in Sabra and Shatila,as well as in
Kana,Sohmor,and others. It has also shelled powerplants and bridges
and undertook terrorist bombardment operations in the country, which
has led to casualties among civilians. Lebanon has also been targeted
by mischievous terrorists who serve enemy purposes.
To fight terrorism, we have to fortify our loyalty and the loyalty
of our surrounding to the government. We also have to work for the
national benefit and to be constant guardians to our country's security
and stability.
1.7- Holding on to a comprehensive and just peace as the only solution
to the Arab - Israeli conflict
Israel
has exercised, and still exercises, big pressure on Lebanon to make
it abandon its persistence on a just and comprehensive peace.
But clear and final Lebanese positition is that peace can never be
true if it does not include a just solution for the cases annexed
to this conflict.
Lebanon has refused the attempts to separate the Lebanese and Syrian
tracks in the peace process because they aim at isolating each one.
What the Palestinians are suffering from,despite the fact that they
have signed on the Oslo Accord, is the best evidence for the propriety
of this position. The basic constituents of the just and comprehensive
solution are the withdrawal of Israel from the Shebaa Farms and the
Golan Heights, in addition to the return of the Palestinian refugees.
As such, we can consider peace to be built upon strong foundations.
Any division of peace leads not to peace but to new conflicts, and
this is why the enemy desires to divide peace by propounding private
solutions that has been turned into a fiasco. The Israelis are still
considering, in many forms and shapes, closing the conflict with Lebanon
without actualizing the rest of the conditions of a just and comprehensive
peace like the return of the refugees. Lebanon refuses these formulas
because closing the conflict leads definitely to settling the Palestinians
in Lebanon, and this opposes the national benefit of all the Lebanese.
1.8- Supporting the Lebanese Resistance
The international
agreements and the universal declarations rights give all peoples
the right to resist occupation and aggression and to defend themselves
using all means that enables them for survival. Under this umbrella,
the Lebanese Resistance against the Israeli occupation of Lebanese
territories is a legal right which ends up only with withdrawal of
occupation. This Resistance, which has been supported by the government,
the army, and the civilians, has led to the defeat of the enemy on
Lebanon's land. But the enemy is still to be located in Shebaa Farms,
in places of great strategic and economic significance. Therefore,
the Lebanese have the right to fight the enemy until it withdraws.
1.9- Strengthening the relationship and the interaction between the army and the civilians
The army
believes in strengthening its relationship with the civilians and
interacting with them, especially the youth. It aims behind this interaction
at strengthening the civilians' faith in the country and its future,
and this actualizes the supreme benefit of the country. The interaction
between the army and society has many positive effects. It constructs
the image of the army as a national institution which works for the
benefit of all the Lebanese, not for the benefit of groups, and which
protects the national will by protecting the constitution and other
institutions.
As much as the army develops a good relationship with civilians as
much as it becomes able to play a primary role in building bridges
between the different groups of the Lebanese society and in strengthening
patriotism and a common identity. The army also plays a significant
role in strengthening the people's confidence in the government that
represents the harmony of all. At the level of the army itself, its
positive image in the eyes of civilians makes them embrace it, and
this strengthens the army's self - confidence and helps it perform
its duties with competence and efficiency.
1.10- The army is an institution which observes the implementation
of the armed conflicts pact (International human law)
Lebanon has signed, and is committed to implementing,
the 1949 Four Geneva Conventions. It has joined its two additional
protocols, and it has signed, and is committed to, the other pacts
and conventions that form the structure of the Armed Conflict Pact
which aims at resolving the basic problems resulting from these conflicts
and putting certain conditions for using military force.
The army is committed to implementing this law within the government's
policy and according to the constitution. It considers its rules and
principles as part of the permanent military instructions.
2.1- Soldiery is a message of honor, sacrifice, and loyalty; it is more
than just a job
Anatol
Frans says: "If there is anything sacred in society, it is the
army". This saying springs from the sacredness of the message
that the soldier dedicates himself to. The message of soldiery makes
one ready to reach the highest levels of sacrifice for the sake of
the country. This message is linked to thje loftiest and deepest feelings.
What makes the idea of death for the sake of others acceptable? It
is the military virtues represented by sacrifice, manhood, courage,
austerity, integrity, and the spirit of community. These virtues are
to follow the soldier daily, and he is to embody them in his behavior
at the time when others are busy with the bustle of life.
The afore-mentioned gives the army a moral speciality and stamps the
life of soldiers with unique features - unifying military outfit is
a symbol for this uniqueness.
As such, soldiery is much more than a job or a way to earn a living.
It is the collaboration of people who have ambition for lofty aims:
Protecting the nation, its people, its heritage, its structure, and
the pillars of its existence. The army institution combines people
of the nation of different regions and beliefs and fuses them in a
unity that is based on the morals, supreme values, and common aims
of the citizens of one nation. To achieve this, the army follows a
strict education and a strong orderly conduct to make its members
symbolize manhood and to enable them to preserve the dignity and integrity
of the nation. Those members have dedicated themselves, under military
oath, to the glory of Lebanon, so they are to be always ready to be
on duty and to keep their oath.
The slogan "honor, sacrifice, loyalty" which epitomizes
the afore-mentioned values is the main title for the life and behavior
of the soldier.
As much as he is committed to it, as much as he is worthy the honor
of belonging to the army and the honor of defending the nation.
2.2- The genesis of the Lebanese Army/ focus and positions
The history
of the Lebanese Army goes back to the stage of establishing the orient
troop by the French government on the 1st of November 1916. Hundreds
of Lebanese have joined in, and they soon formed a special Lebanese
case which became the first pillar in the structure of the Lebanese
Army.
A number of Lebanese military troops had emanated from the Orient
Troop. The first shooting battalion, which formed the nucleus of the
Lebanese Army, was had been established on the 26th of January 1926.
Before the declaration of Independence, the different Lebanese military
groups had joined in a big unity which is the 5th Brigade led by Colonel
Fouad Shehab. It had formed the greatest military forces that made
the Lebanese Army. Starting hour Zero of the 1st of August 1945, the
Lebanese Army had been transfered to the independent Lebanese State.
The Leader Fouad Shehab had been assigned General and Leader Sleiman
Nawfal chief of staff. The 1st of August ever since became the annual
day of the Lebanese Army.
Since the establishment of the Orient troop in 1916, its members started
planning to found a national army, to be liberated from the French
Mandate, and to achieve a compete independence. A number of national
stands had followed:
The Honor pamphleet signed by 40 officers an the 26th of July 1941
in Zouk Mkayel in which they had pledged to serve only Lebanon. Second,
the refused of the chief of the shooting Battalion , officer jammil
Lahoud to attack Bshamoun and to expunge the government of revolution
in 1943. Third, the famous Al-Malkiyé battle in 1948 where
army units had been able to retrieve the village after a fierce battle
against the Israeli enemy-despite the in congruency between the two
armies at the level of numbers, weapons, and military supplies.
Although the war had failed in withstanding the sedition war of 1975
due to the absence of a political decision, it has preserved its unity
to an acceptable degree and it remained a reference for the honorable
civilians who had kept looking forward to a new rising of peace. On
the 13th of October 1990, after signing the Taïf Accord, the
army had started a reunification and a restoration on sound national
principles. It had started unifying and clarifying visions through
the military dogma which had defined the friend and the foe. Starting
from the vision established by General Emile Lahoud, this path is
still present and is still being reinforced by the leadership of General
Michel Sleiman.
2.3- The army as the guardian of the constitutional legacy
In any
country, the constitutional is the clear outline that decides the
system of government, its methods, and its aims. It is the outcome
of many attempts and experience know by many countries on their ways
to progress and development. Thinkers have therefore concluded that
it is the best way to lead a country, to apply to its reality, and
to achieve its ambitions and causes of existence.
The constitution is sacred in such a way that no word is to be changed
except according to the conditions that the constitution has itself
named. In any country, the mission of the army is, in addition to
protecting the borders and preserving its sovereignty and freedom
from any aggression, to shield the constitution from any outlaw- even
if he is a compatriot. The army is the guardian of the constitutional
legacy and is obliged to defending it and its legal institutions.
In doing this, the army is not defending a particular individual or
group and their plans and projects. The role of the army at the internal
level is commitment to the decisions of the executive power according
to the constitution. The army is thus in the same position as the
people because authority comes out from the people's will and from
the harmony of the Lebanese. Here the army plays a comprehensive national
role in which it is distanced from internal conflicts, and is, at
the same time, the guardian of the general benefit, of freedom, and
of the democratic regime.
2.4- Defining the foe and the friend
Defining
the foe is one of the main pillars which sustain the military moral
education, and so is its differentiation from the friend - countries
and people who enforce the case of Lebanon.
Israel is the enemy that should be withstood and whose aggression
and plans should be thwarted. The policy of Israel as the enemy has
helped settle a clear vision within the military institution with
respect to the danger that Israel represents for Lebanon.
The harmony between the general national vision towards Israel as
represented by the official politics, the vision of the civil society,
and the military vision has led to unifying the Lebanese opinion concerning
this subject.
During long years of confrontation with the enemy, this opinion has
matured, especially in the early nineties, and has led to significant
results at the national and the military levels. As far as the army
is concerned, the clarification of the vision and making the confrontation
with the Israeli enemy as the core of the battle dogma has contributed
to the restoration of the military institution's unity and to the
anchoring of its harmony and coherence.
This has been manifested by the army's fierce resistance to the Israeli
aggressions, despite its mediocre capabilities and tools as compared
to the advanced military machinery of the enemy.
The army has taken off from two main precepts:
- Faith in the power of truth. It is from this conviction that the
enemy should be fought no matter that there is a big difference between
the two powers.
- Considering Israel an enemy for all the Lebanese, and not for a
particular group. Therefore, any aggression that reaches any spot
in Lebanon is an aggression against the whole nation, and it is up
to all to stand up to it.
Soldiers belong to Lebanon the nation; to its entire land, not to
any specific geographical spot. As far as the general national stand
is concerned, Lebanon has know a unique unanimous awareness of the
necessity of resisting the Israeli dangers, especially after the firm
establishment of the conviction that Israeli danger threatens Lebanon's
stability, unity, and essence. Parallel to defining the foe, the friends
of Lebanon have been defined as those corroborating its case and those
who have common ties of brotherhood, common destiny, and friendship
with it. At the level of the region, Lebanon is an Arab country that
shares with its brother Arab countries links of language, culture,
common benefits, and the Israeli danger.
The army has taken care to execute the government's policy in which
it has considered Syria to be the closest sister - country to Lebanon,
and which has common ties of brotherhood, common history, and basic
strategic political, military, and economic interests. Syria has helped
the Lebanese government and army in the most difficult times, and
its sacrifices have had a big role in ending the war, re-establishing
stability and security, and successfully resisting the Israeli enemy.
Starting from the pact of Coordination and Friendship held between
Lebanon And Syria following the Taïf Accord, the Lebanese army
takes care to coordinate with the brotherly Arab Syrian because this
actualizes the interest of both countries and enhances resisting the
Israeli enemy's plans which aim at isolating each country and dealing
with them seperately. At the international level, Lebanon is a member
of the United Nations whose Charter decide the frame of participation
between nations. It also respects the conventions and the international
legal Charters-especially that Lebanon was heading the countries which
worked on putting the human Rights legacy.
2.5- The army is an institution which implements the law
The army
is one of the institutions that from the social structure of any society.
Military principles interact and cooperate with other social principles
like the economic and the political principles to achieve the goals
of society.
But the role the military institution undertakes at the level of defense
and security provides it with more specialty, significance, and capabilities
than those given to other national institutions.
Implementing the law is the only way to achieve the well-organization
of work in the military institution. Such implementation leads the
military institution to success and to a harmonic over relationship
with other social institutions, which leads to stability, prosperity,
and progress. Commitment to the law is one of the fixed principals
to the military whether it is concerned with their behavior within
the military institution or with other governmental and social institutions.
The law is the presiding master and it guarantees the right of all.
Because the army is an institution whose essence is the law, it guarantees
the right of soldiers, protects them, and works on helping them get
these rights. The means of moral military education stress on this
issue starting from the belief that every soldier is an inseparable
member of the institution; therefore, his rights are patronized by
a special cadre within the institution. This blocks the road on the
soldier who pays loyalty to an institution. Other than the military
institution.
Ethics and discipline are the soul which moves the military institution
and perfects its performance. They endow the army with great stature
and respect.
Ethics are a mixture of military virtues that have been implanted
in soldiers to the extent that their ordinary behavior in all occasions
has been governed by it. Ethics summarize many traits like sincerely
courage, gallantry, integrity, masalimity, the spirit of cooperation,
and readiness to serve and to sacrifice…
As for discipline, it is the cornerstone of the army. It embodies
respecting hierarchies, duty, order, and guarantees the perfection
of roles and the unity of the kinds: the discipline of the soldier
as an individual and discipline of the group as a union. Individual
discipline reflects the person's commitment to the law and to military
rules in different time and situations. It is a characteristic of
the soldier's behavior whether he is far from or under inspection,
and it also an evidence that the soldier had been able to control
his will and desires in order to become an example in his behavior
as a warrior, an individual in a group, and a human being in society.
The soldier's discipline is manifested by different ways starting
by his presentable external look and ending by his commitment to his
duty and the execution of orders no matter what the consequent sacrifices
would be. The disciplined soldier follows the protocol of good manners
in his attitude toward both his leaders and his friends. He works
in his community on the bases of the spirit of cooperation, and he
takes a good care of his weapons and military tools to be always ready
for duty at any time.
At the level of the group, discipline is one of the four basic pillars
of the readiness of the unit next to the units' self-esteem, spirit
of community, and competence.
A unit is considered disciplined when it is organized, obediant and
reliable. It would thus be able to perform its duties quickly and
effectively, whether or not it is given direct orders to perform.
Discipline appears in the battle-field when the unit can successfully
withstand all circumstances.
2.6- The role of the army at the level of defense, security, and development
The Army's
first duty is to defend the country against every external aggression.
This is crystallized by the army's constant readiness and its withstanding
the diverse forms of Israeli aggression.
The army has undertaken the mission of preserving security over Lebanese
terretories based on an assignment given by the cabinet on the 15th
of January 1991.
It has done, and is still doing, its duty successfully. In addition
to the mission of security and defense, the army undertakes many developmental
missions of great importance, like rehabilitating touristic and historic
cites, helping in forestation in collaboration with special administrations,
putting out fires, aiding concerned ministries, contributing to rehabilitate
the infrastructure of displaced villages, and rescuing in emergency
cases.
2.7- Flag service
Flag service
has been applied since the 1st of August 1993. The army Command has
undertaken this issue and it has treated it with absolute seriousness,
starting from the conviction that flag service is a national duty
and that it is beneficial for both the country and the army.
Flag Service has actualized the following :
-The Lebanese youth's participation in the duty of defending the nation
and preserving its security and stability
-Corroboration the spirit of nationalism, fusing the Lebanese youth
in a unity, and strengthening their loyalty to the nation and to the
government.
-Affirming the reverence of the law, the concepts of order, discipline
and duty, and institutional work to the public.
-Actualizing a great frugality to the state treasury, and reinforcing
the process of construction and progress by enlisting the recruits
of high educational standard in different ministries and official
administrations.
2.8- Keeping the army away from politics, excluding the internal affairs
of the army institution of political interventions, and fully implementing the decisions of the cabinet
As a unifying
national institution, the army has to preserve the country's sovereighty
and independence against any external or internal aggression.it should
be distanced from political issues in order to remain faithful to
it's role as a guardian of constitutional legacy. It has to remain
at an equal distance from all, and this distance is decided by the
law as it aims keeping the army away from internal conflicts.
In order for the army to keep away from internal conflicts, it should
also keep politicians away from its internal affairs because the army
is an institution whose independence is provided by the law. These
two basicissues were highly regarded by the Army Command after the
reunification of the army - especially that Lebanon's bitter experience
has made it easier to learn good lessons.
The Army Command's view concerning this issue is based on two points:
First, its exclusion from politics and internal conflicts and its
equal distance to all.
Second, excluding political interventions from the army's internal
affairs.
The Army institution is committed implementing the decisions of political
authority represented by the cabinet. It also performs it duty within
the law and democratic regime.
2.9- Keeping the army away from Politics, Excluding the Internal Affairs
of the Army Institution of Political Interventions, and Fully Implementing
the Decisions of the Cabinet
As a unifying national
institution, the army has to preserve the country's sovereighty and
independence against any external or internal aggression.it should
be distanced from political issues in order to remain faithful to
it's role as a guardian of constitutional legacy. It has to remain
at an equal distance from all, and this distance is decided by the
law as it aims keeping the army away from internal conflicts.
In order for the army to keep away from internal conflicts, it should
also keep politicians away from its internal affairs because the army
is an institution whose independence is provided by the law. These
two basicissues were highly regarded by the Army Command after the
reunification of the army - especially that Lebanon's bitter experience
has made it easier to learn good lessons.
The Army Command's view concerning this issue is based on two points:
First, its exclusion from politics and internal conflicts and its
equal distance to all.
Second, excluding political interventions from the army's internal
affairs.
The Army institution is committed implementing the decisions of political
authority represented by the cabinet. It also performs it duty within
the law and democratic regime.
2.10- The army is a national institution embracing the different groups
of the lebanese people
The army is a typical extensive
national institution built on two basic principles :
The absolute national loyalty that is free from narrow loyalties and
the collaboration for the sake of achieving common national aims.
Sociologists emphasize the importance of this military virtue especially
in plural societies where the army guarantees for all groups their
harmony within the state and its laws. It also keeps the balance amongst
them and prevents any group from undertaking any venture which could
threaten stability and disturb national unity.
The army contains the diversity of the Lebanese people and works on
educating its soldiers according to the principles of patriotism that
transcends above narrow belongingness whether sectarian, regional,or
factional. The army knows only one loyalty and this loyalty goes for
Lebanon as a final home for all its people. Since ideals and principles
of the military institution move from words into live behavior, cooperation
for the sake of realizing general national aims forms another guarantee
for social stability. This is not only achieved by the army's force
that prevents any disorder which threatens stability but also by the
army's contribution to clarify and advance the national trends that
enforce harmony in society , as the army is itself a typical example
in this domain.
The military institution does not practice its national education
only on its members but extends to the whole society by many means:
the image of the institution as a national example in the collective
consciousness of people, its interaction with social institutions
via a network of relationships, and flag service which forms a branch
of the above - mentioned network of relationships.
The national education of soldiers emphasizes the role of the army
as a national institution which combines the Lebanese and works for
all of them within the law that guarantees justice and equality. By
that it remains at an equal distance from all.
2.11- Indivisible, absolute and complete loyalty to the army
The soldier
actually starts his life in the army when he vows to perfectly perform
his obligations : preserving the flag of his country and defending
his homeland.
Commitment is at the top of the values of military honor.
The first meaning of comittment is giving priority to the national
welfare over personal interests. It is an act of volition to embrace
military honor and to actualize the necessary skills in the army,
and this specializes the soldier from the fellow citizens.
In its vast meaning ,committment represents the soldier's will to
putting his life for the service of his country. The real embodiment
of this commitment differs with the difference of ranks and responsibilities.
Commitment is required to serve the general national aims, military
strategic aims, in addition to taking care of units, personnel, and
equipment.
But it is also known that the connection and harmony of roles in the
army assigns to each role an importace - whether the role is little
at the base level or big at the highest level .
Loyalty to the military institution, and through it to the entire
nation, is perfect and absolute. When the soldier vows to put an end
to his life for the sake of his country, he would no longer be able
to break this loyalty nor would he be able to be selective in commitment
following his desires or any other circumstance.
Therefore, loyalty to the army is free from any servitude to any side.
It also demands sincerity in the tasks assigned to anyone no matter
what the circumstances and considerations are. Any incomplete or divided
loyalty is a betrayal to the vow and to the military honor.
The concept of loyalty to the army demands soldiers of different ranks
to stay away from politics as well as from sectarian and regional
ideas because they contradict the principles of nationalism. It is
from this stand that the soldier should dedicate his time and effort
to serving the institution, not to getting involved with other things
that could slacken his loyalty and his productivity.
2.12- A general evaluation of the situation of the military institution
What an
Army institution has actualized in a span of more than a decade was
special, with the witness of local, regional, and international milieux.
The army has been reunified and rebuilt an clear national pillars
in a speed record. Also significant was re-cording, furnishing, and
training the army in the least possible expense since it did not ask
for any loan from the state treasury.
The army has been the first to symphathize with the material and economic
situation of the country, so it restored to decreasing soldiers' indemnities
and war attachments. It has also followed the policy of austerity
and squeezing expenditures and charges within the institution.
Over the years, the army had been able to build a relationship of
trust and love with civilians through supreme military virtues, strict
discipline, good conduct in dealing with civilians, and the spirit
of enthusiasm and sacrifice for their sake.
This all came true thanks to the caring and orientation of the Army
Command, and thanks to the soldiers' understanding of the required
steps and demands and their faith in the nobility and sacredness of
their message.
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