Biden Tells Lebanon: 'We Support Your Sovereignty'

While his predecessor is making headlines for attacking the Obama Administration's approach towards Guantanamo and terrorist suspects, Vice President Joe Biden is in Beirut, Lebanon today where his job is to demonstrate the Obama team's support for the weak Lebanese government in the run-up to the June 7 elections.

There's a very real fear in Washington that Hezbollah, the militant Islamic group, could make larger electoral inroads in the election. Pro-democracy forces within Lebanon are also worried that outreach by the U.S. to Iran and Syria might result in the U.S. weakening its support for the democracy movement there.

Syria has long viewed Lebanon as one of its provinces and has used Hezbollah as a proxy to exert control in the country.

So Biden's public comments today in Lebanon were all about reassuring officials in the weak government and Lebanon's pro-democracy movement that the U.S. was their stalwart ally.

Here's a large excerpt from the statement he made after his meeting with Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman:

We support your sovereignty, Mr. President. We support — admire your democratic process, and will do all in our power to help you enforce your democratic institutions.

We appreciate the broad support in Lebanon and around the world for you, President Sleiman; for your efforts to produce a — pursue a national unity dialogue and to revitalize the vision of a peaceful Lebanon, a democracy that obviously cannot be strong without strong institutions.

And therefore the United States remains committed to making sure that Lebanon's institutions are as strong as possible. That's why it's so important that the people of Lebanon participate in your democratic elections in June, Mr. President.

 

In my own country, our recent election brought millions and millions of new people to the polls — people who had not voted in the past — because they believed that their voices would make a difference. And obviously they did make a difference in the outcome of the election.

I hope that we are going to be able to see, and the world will see, a fair, free, and transparent election that will reflect the will of all the people of Lebanon. I do not come here to back any particular party or any particular person. I come to demonstrate a strong United States backing for certain fundamental principles: the principle that the Lebanese people alone, the Lebanese people alone should choose their leaders; a principle that Lebanese sovereignty cannot, will be — and will not be traded away; a principle that the Lebanese state, accountable to the Lebanese people, is the defender of Lebanese freedom.

To the extent that Lebanon adheres to these principles enshrined in the Security Council resolutions, the United States looks forward to being your strong and enduring partner. The shape and composition of Lebanon's government is for the Lebanese people to decide, to state the obvious — for no one else to decide but the Lebanese people.

What I do know, as has happened throughout world history, the election of leaders committed to the rule of law and economic reform opens the door to lasting growth and prosperity, as it will here in Lebanon. I know, for the United States at least, we will evaluate the shape of our assistance programs based on the composition of the new government and the policies it advocates. You've made much progress, and I have every confidence, Mr. President, that you will keep moving in the right direction.

I also have every confidence that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will bring justice to those responsible for financing, planning, and carrying out the assassination of former Prime Minister Hariri and so many others. That's why we've committed over $20 million to the workings of that tribunal.

I also want to convey to you that the Obama-Biden administration is committed to comprehensive peace in the region that benefits all people, including the Lebanese. That's why within the first 50 days of our administration we made it clear that we were fully, totally committed and will stay committed to pursuing a lasting peace.

Lebanon has suffered terribly from war. We have a real opportunity now, Mr. President, in my view, for peace. So I urge those who would think about standing with the spoilers of peace not to miss this opportunity to walk away from the spoilers.