The outgoing Defense Minister, Maurice Slim, and Melhem Haddad, the officer appointed by him to head the army inspectorate. (Courtesy of: Maurice Slim's press office)
Between Lebanese Army Commander Joseph Aoun and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), nothing seems to work anymore.
Their tug-of-war is taking place during a presidential battle in which Aoun’s name is circulating as a serious presidential consensus candidate — an option openly rejected by FPM leader Gebran Bassil.
The military institution is currently embroiled in a war between its leader and caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim (who is close to the former president, Michel Aoun), centered on the appointment of the army’s new inspector general.
The disagreement broke out with the retirement of former Inspector General Milad Ishac on Dec. 25.
Under normal circumstances, the cabinet would fill this position on the recommendation of the defense minister and the army chief.
However, given the presidential vacuum, the caretaker government cannot make such appointments.
To avoid leaving the position unfilled, Joseph Aoun proposed the extension of Ishac’s mandate. Slim vetoed this proposal, seeing the move as a breach of the Defense Ministry’s rules.
“Maurice Slim appointed Melhem Haddad, the highest ranking Greek Orthodox officer, to succeed Milad Ishac,” a source close to the case told L'Orient-Le Jour on condition of anonymity.
The source stressed that the minister believes the selection of a new army inspector general is his prerogative, insofar as he exercises supervision over the troops.
Gen. Aoun does not share this interpretation.
Several corroborating sources told L’Orient-Le Jour that following the departure of Ishac, Gen. Aoun ordered inspection service member Geryes Melhem to take up the post of inspector general.
“Joseph Aoun has also used his prerogatives insofar as it is up to him to make decisions of this kind, while the defense minister has no decision-making power in this area,” said a military man who wished to remain anonymous.
Following this double designation to the same vacant post, the army chief decided to place officer Haddad, who was appointed by the minister , “in the military reserve,” according to a source close to the issue.
“This measure is likely to prevent the implementation of the minister’s decision because the officer concerned can no longer lead the inspection service,” the source said. “It should now be seen if the minister will endorse the choice of Gen. Aoun or not.”
Slim has not yet said his last word on the matter.
In the meantime, circles close to the Defense Ministry and those of the army command prefer to remain silent in the media.
According to a source close to the issue, mediation is underway to try to put an end to this dispute, far from the spotlight.
After the presidency
This arm-wrestling match must be considered in the context of the presidential battle, especially because the army commander is considered the preferable candidate by several western countries.
His election, however, faces a major obstacle: Bassil’s categorical refusal.
The FPM leader has made his position clear: no to Joseph Aoun, no to Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, and yes to a figure that would represent a broader agreement.
But Hezbollah — the FPM’s sole ally — is open to the possible election of Joseph Aoun if his name was the subject of an agreement, according to Ibrahim Amin al-Sayed, a senior Hezbollah official who spoke last week from Bkirki. The news is much to Bassil’s dismay.
“Maurice Slim is not the only minister whose relationship with Joseph Aoun has gone through ups and downs,” a well-informed source told L’Orient-Le Jour on condition of anonymity. “This was the case of all his predecessors who were close to [Michel] Aoun.”
According to the same source, this quarrel “is an attempt by Gebran Bassil to tarnish the image of Joseph Aoun, to block his way to Baabda.”
The FPM has a different view.
“Why do we focus on Joseph Aoun, knowing that we are equally hostile to the election of Sleiman Frangieh?" Eddy Maalouf, a former FPM MP who is close to Bassil, told L’Orient-Le Jour.
“We have no interest in intervening in this controversy. The defense minister, a former army officer, can settle it himself,” he concluded.
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
