Outgoing Defense Minister Maurice Slim (center) and Army Commander-in-Chief Joseph Aoun at the funeral of Aoun's mother on Jan. 6, 2024. (Credit: The army's Facebook page)
Another round in the long-standing quarrel is ongoing between caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim, who is close to the Free Patriotic Movement, and Army Chief Joseph Aoun, whom FPM leader Gebran Bassil despises.
After the appointment of a chief of staff and members of the Military Court of Cassation, the two officials are now squabbling over the selection of new students for the Military Academy. This task is within the jurisdiction of the military council, which is the army’s decision-making body, chaired by the first man in command of the army. However, the latter is opposed by Slim on the pretext that the selection of recruits does “not comply with the required criteria.”
Slim’s position is likely to hamper the process. But beyond that, the caretaker minister’s position cannot be dissociated from the tug-of-war between Bassil and the first man in command at the military establishment. Aoun is also a serious candidate for the presidency whose term of office was extended in December against the FPM's wishes.
This new case dates back to Aug. 7, 2023. The cabinet authorized the recruitment of new officers for the army and the rest of the country’s security services following an entrance examination, according to the minutes of the last cabinet meeting held on March 19, which L’Orient-Le Jour was able to see.
According to the meeting’s minutes, the caretaker minister approved in September 2023 the decision to select new army officers. A few days later, the ministry announced on its website that the examination would be held. A source close to the case explained that the cabinet had allowed the army’s command to select 173 applicants. Yet, only 118 passed the tests without any elimination score and were selected equally between Christians and Muslims.
The army’s command explained this point in a press release issued on March 8, a week after Slim — whose relationship with Aoun is strained — commented on the matter.
The caretaker minister’s press release pointed out that 800 applications to the Military Academy were accepted, but the number referred to him was around 120 (the 118 selected). Slim added that “the results of the competitive examination did not respect the [selection] criteria of army officers, either in terms of education or personal skills and abilities.”
“To preserve the high standard when it comes to the military academy’s officers, the [caretaker] defense minister asked the army chief to review the results in a way that is in line with the required criteria,” the statement added, noting that Slim presented several proposed solutions.
However, L’Orient-Le Jour learned that the army’s command had not officially received anything in writing to act accordingly.
In any case, the minister’s press release was an attempt to justify his delay in signing the results of the entrance exams to the Military Academy, which the military council already approved in its Nov. 22, 2023 meeting.
Article 27 of the law governing the military institution’s functions stipulates that the military council has the competence to decide on this matter. However, the signature of the defense minister is required for the decision to be enforced.
“He had to sign because his delay is hampering the smooth operation of the Military Academy and candidates have been waiting several months for a decision,” a source close to the army’s command said.
Bassil’s shadow behind it all?
What are the real reasons behind Slim’s procrastination?
According to the above-mentioned minutes, the Defense Ministry sent a note to the cabinet’s presidency on March 12 saying that the army’s command had endorsed the exams’ results without a prior decision from the minister. The latter is keen to select the required number of candidates (173), the text wrote.
This explanation seems unconvincing to circles close to the army chief. To them, the minister’s position is a reflection of the FPM’s. The party has not swallowed the pill of extending General Aoun’s term of office and has not yet forgiven caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati for appointing Hassan Audi as chief of staff amid a presidential vacancy. This gives the impression that settling political scores is ongoing between Bassil and Aoun.
The FPM dismissed this hypothesis. “The defense minister is known for rigorously respecting the law,” said FPM spokesman Michel Bou Najm.
Mikati took a step forward. At the end of its last meeting, the cabinet asked the State Shura Council to “give its opinion” on the matter.
L’Orient-Le Jour learned that the State Shura Council, which is not bound by a deadline to make its decision, has not yet finalized the debates. Moreover, its decision is not binding since the cabinet simply asked for this administrative body’s “opinion.”
This article was originally published in L'Orient-Le Jour. Translated by Joelle El Khoury.