110 HRES 738 EH: Expressing the sense of the House of
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-10-15
text/xml
EN
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Whereas in 2004, Lebanon’s current president had his term
extra-legally extended through the interference of Syria in Lebanon’s internal
affairs;
Whereas former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the
leading opponent of continued Syrian domination of Lebanon and the extra-legal
extension of the president’s term, was assassinated along with 22 people by a
massive car bomb on February 14, 2005;
Whereas investigators from the United Nations have
suggested that officials of Syria’s government, at the highest levels, appear
to be culpable for the assassination of Rafiq Hariri and the 22 other
people;
Whereas the people of Lebanon, following the murder of
Rafiq Hariri, engaged in a massive popular revolt known as the Cedar Revolution
against Syrian interference in their internal affairs and suppression of their
national sovereignty;
Whereas the Cedar Revolution, reinforced by international
pressure, culminated in the rapid withdrawal of Syrian occupation forces and
free elections;
Whereas the current Lebanese government has been under
steady attack by domestic and foreign forces that have been engaged in
instigating riots and insurrection, suspending the operation of Lebanon’s
parliament, and perpetrating horrific acts of terror against the Lebanese
people;
Whereas Syria and Iran are seeking to dominate Lebanon
through their campaign of murder and intimidation aimed at the Lebanese
parliamentary majority and other anti-Syrian public and political
figures;
Whereas Syria and Iran, through their Lebanese proxies,
have demanded the selection of another Lebanese president hand-picked by the
Government of Syria;
Whereas Syria and Iran, in clear contravention of numerous
United Nations Security Council resolutions, notably 1559 (2004), 1655 (2006),
1664 (2006), 1680 (2006), 1701 (2006), and 1757 (2007), have grossly violated
Lebanon’s sovereignty by continuing to provide arms to illegitimate Lebanese
militias, Palestinian terrorist groups and other terrorist organizations;
meddling in Lebanon’s internal political affairs; and actively supporting
efforts to prevent the election of a new president in accordance with Lebanese
law; and
Whereas a sovereign and independent Lebanon is in the
national security interest of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)condemns the
campaign of murder, terror, and intimidation aimed at overthrowing the
democratically-elected government of Lebanon and establishing a new Lebanese
government subservient to the will and interests of Syria and Iran;
(2)condemns Syria and
Iran for their gross interference in Lebanon’s internal political affairs, and
particularly, the selection of a new president, and gross violations of United
Nations Security Council resolutions protective of Lebanon’s sovereignty and
independence;
(3)condemns Lebanese
political parties and actors who have allied themselves with Syria and Iran to
the detriment of their own country and its national interests;
(4)condemns efforts
by some Lebanese political figures to obstruct, delay, and impede the legal and
established processes of their country for the selection of a new president
according to the rule of law;
(5)affirms its
continued strong support for Lebanon’s democratically-elected government,
people and national sovereignty, and its readiness to provide material
support;
(6)calls on all
nations to recognize and support Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence;
and
(7)urges the
President to use all peaceful means at the disposal of the United States to
help safeguard Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence.
Lorraine C. Miller,
Clerk.