Qabalan: Leaving Lebanon Without a National Head is an American Interest

The excellent Ja'fari mufti Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan stated: "Because we are living in a moment of regional challenges that threaten the very existence of Lebanon, its civil peace, and its sovereign identity, the logic of national interest and in an effort to protect the higher interests of the country demands that political forces work to secure an exceptional and rapid solidarity that concludes with a presidential settlement to confront the exceptional event that is putting the entire region in an unprecedented standoff." He continued in a statement: "Today, the internal risks in Lebanon are significant, the international regional cards are very heated, and the Israelis are engaging in a reckless madness. A firm response to them increases their confusion and madness, and any uncalculated mistake will be met with a force they cannot imagine. Lebanon's security cannot be isolated, and what is happening in Gaza and along Lebanon's southern border impacts the entire region. The possibility of a major explosion is ever-present, and the presidential stalemate increases the risks of a Lebanese disaster and erodes Lebanon's sovereign strength. The ambiguity envelops the entire region, and leaving Lebanon without a national head serves American interests and is a national catastrophe. The sovereign struggle on the southern Lebanese front necessitates a presidential settlement that contributes to strengthening Lebanon's national power, as the moment is one for protecting Lebanon, not for investing in chairs."