In any country of the civilized and developed world, or in those striving to catch up with the pace of "globalization", the integration of institutions and administrations is a given that does not require extensive legal framing or applied models. Rather, it aims to preserve the national entity as a multifaceted and multidimensional entity. Only Lebanon, which has been afflicted by misfortune or poor outcomes due to recurring ruling systems since its constitutional and covenant existence (beginning in 1920 and continuing with independence in 1943), deviates from the global norm regarding the integration of state institutions in service of the public good and the reinforcement of resilience and strength. We find that authorities seek everything that contradicts each other and strive to eliminate commonalities rather than broaden the horizons for their convergence, employing a policy of rupture rather than accumulation and building upon previous foundations. Every official, regardless of their position and powers, when they reach a political, administrative, or institutional responsibility, hastens to erase everything that preceded them and starts from scratch as if life just began anew.
This is a problem, indeed a calamity, faced by military and security apparatuses in their interaction with relevant institutions and authorities concerning their efforts and achievements amid very difficult living, social, and financial conditions to maintain security stability and uphold civil peace. They wage a continuous war on multiple fronts, including: 1- Facing the Israeli enemy actively attempting to infiltrate the Lebanese arena and seeking to recruit numerous spies working for Mossad, taking advantage of the collapse that has affected Lebanon, especially financially and economically. 2- The war against terrorism that consistently tries to exploit Lebanese vulnerabilities, focusing on impoverished and destitute environments. 3- The war against organized crime syndicates operating across various fields, from murder to kidnapping, robbery, drug manufacturing, trafficking, and promotion, reaching unimaginable realms.
Through tremendous efforts, especially the Military Intelligence Directorate, the military and security apparatuses achieve significant accomplishments, arresting key wanted individuals including terrorists and heads of crime syndicates and dismantling their networks, as well as uncovering Israeli espionage networks. However, the issue lies in the phase following the achievement.
In this context, a security source reveals to "Akhbar Al-Yawm" agency that "there is a dilemma facing military and security agencies; after arresting dangerous wanted individuals, uncovering a terrorist cell, or apprehending one or more spies working for the enemy, these agencies conduct the necessary investigations and refer the detainees with their files to the relevant judicial authorities. Here begins the problem, which is that the judiciary issues lenient sentences for these perpetrators of grave crimes, thereby nullifying all the efforts exerted to cleanse the nation of such criminals and traitors."
The source clarifies that "the efforts exerted by military and security agencies often go in vain, as it doesn't take long before the same agencies detain the same individuals they previously arrested and referred to court, only to find that the sentences imposed on them do not correspond to the severity of the crime. Consequently, it isn’t long before they are released from prison and return to their previous criminal ways, as long as the punishment is not deterrent."
The source calls for "the need for the specialized judiciary in criminal cases to appropriately implement the punitive measures provided by law rather than resorting to leniency. Because a non-deterrent punishment will lead criminals to take matters lightly and continue their crimes, jeopardizing stability and causing military and security agencies to exert additional efforts on cases and matters they had already addressed."
The source emphasizes that "there needs to be strict measures and deterrent final judgments, especially given the exceptional circumstances Lebanon is going through, particularly with the rising crime rate due to factors known to all. Most importantly, there should be coordination and cooperation between security and the judiciary so that efforts are not lost before the arch of justice and the danger does not escalate."
