DR. JOSEPH GEBEILY'S REMARKS
PRESIDENT, THE LEBANESE INFORMATION
CENTER
MARCH 13, 2008
US CONGRESS
Chairman Gary Ackerman
Honorable Members of Congress
Honorable Members of the Administration
Members of the visiting delegation from
Lebanon: Dr Samir Geagea, Cabinet Minister
Joe Sarkis, Honorable MP Sethrida Geagea,
Mr. Elie Khoury,
Members of the Media and Institutes
Leaders and Members of Lebanese-American
groups
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is with great pleasure that I stand
before you today celebrating and
commemorating the 3rd anniversary of the
Lebanese Cedar Revolution. And what better
venue for this commemoration than in the
very heart of the free world, The United
States Capitol.
Three years ago, on March 14th of 2005,
and in a move unprecedented in Lebanon and
the Middle-East, about a million and a half
Lebanese, almost a third of the population,
took to the streets in mass protests
demanding an end to the Syrian occupation.
Demonstrations and protests persisted in
what became known as the Cedar Revolution
until Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon on
April 26, 2005 ending 3 decades of vicious
occupation.
The Pro-Syrian government was disbanded
and the country witnessed its first free
parliamentary elections in 30 years. The
voices of freedom and sovereignty were heard
again after years of oppression, and on
that, I’d like to relay our deep
appreciation to the loudest of these voices,
to the one who braved the worst that their
oppressive regimes could muster and came out
triumphant and more determined, Dr. Samir
Geagea.
It was undoubtedly the Lebanese, first
and foremost, who brought about this victory
that is the Cedar Revolution. Galvanized by
the assassination of their beloved Rafic
Hariri, and united by one common Cause that
is their freedom. And yet, all the children
of this Revolution acknowledge that this
newfound freedom was made possible due to
the resolute support of the United States.
Yes, dear friends, and distinguished
guests, we have truly witnessed that
Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate,
Congress and Administration, have been
united in their determination to stand by
the Lebanese people and defend Lebanon’s
freedom.
And Lebanon has been blessed by this
unwavering support.
In this 110th Congress alone, the
bipartisan support for Lebanon’s freedom and
sovereignty has been phenomenal:
Resolutions, Hearings, Statements, Aid
packages, Congressional visits to Lebanon,
and Lebanese visits to Congress,….all of
this is unquestionable proof of where this
Congress stands on Lebanon.
As Lebanese-Americans, we were graced by
the hospitality offered to us here in the
land of the free, we have witnessed
first-hand what it means to be truly free
and to live in a country where one’s
inalienable rights are considered as sacred
as their Giver. We wanted to bring these
freedoms to our ancestral homeland and for
that purpose we have worked tirelessly as
Ambassadors of ideas between our 2 countries
and we strived to establish the best of
relations between the United States of
America and a free, sovereign, democratic
Republic of Lebanon, working closely with a
very sympathetic and committed
administration and congress.
And we will continue the hard work
because we know that the Cedar Revolution is
far from over. The forces of destruction,
that are Syria and Iran, are adamant on
destroying the achievements of the Lebanese
and their Cedar Revolution. But as we did
before so shall we do again - we will
confront them and with the help of this
beacon of liberty that is the United States,
we will prevail.
Our only wish is that the commitment of
the American policy decision-makers remains
strong and unchanged regardless of the
changes in leadership whether in the Capitol
or in the White House.
On behalf of the Lebanese Information
Center, and on behalf of the
Lebanese-American community, I thank you all
for joining us here today, and I,
especially, thank our Honorary co-host
Congressman Gary Ackerman for his
hospitality today and for his supportive
stance...
I would like to mention a great friend to
Lebanon Congressman Thaddeus McCotter who
has walked with us over the years the
journey to Lebanon’s freedom.
May God protect the Cedar Revolution,
Bless America, and Save Lebanon.
Thank you
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