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Lebanon Elects a New President

(New York Times) Christina Goldbaum - Lebanon's Parliament on Thursday elected Gen. Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese military, as the country's new president, overcoming more than two years of political gridlock attributed to Hizbullah. Aoun is widely considered to have the backing of the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Aoun said the day marked "a new phase in Lebanon's history" and spoke of the state's "right to monopolize the possession of weapons" - a reference to calls for Hizbullah to be disarmed. He called for "the establishment of a state - I repeat, a state - that invests in its army, controls all borders and implements international resolutions." However, most experts agree that even in its weakened state, Hizbullah remains Lebanon's most dominant political force. But that, they say, is less a testament to the group's hold on power and more a reflection of the country's political dysfunction and infighting.
2025-01-12 00:00:00
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