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So far, parliament has twice postponed a vote to select a successor to
the pro-Syrian Lahoud, Middle East Newsline reported. Two anti-Syrian parliamentarians aligned with Siniora
have been assassinated over the last four months.
The troops were sent by the Lebanese Army, Internal Security Forces,
State Security and General Security. The army has sent a brigade to prevent
what the Siniora government feared could be a takeover by the
Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah.
Siniora has also ordered another 10,000 army soldiers for deployment
outside Beirut. The soldiers have been on alert to rapidly respond to any
emergency in the capital.
Several allies of Lebanon have sought to reach agreement between Siniora
and the pro-Syrian opposition that would enable a vote in parliament. Still,
many parliamentarians were said to fear that they could be assassinated if
they attended the session.
"I would like to know who has an interest in chaos, who has an interest
in the elections not taking place, who has an interest in making it even
more complicated for the life of all the Lebanese," visiting French Foreign
Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Monday.
One option being considered by Siniora was of a compromise candidate for
president. Lebanese Chief of Staff Gen. Michel Suleiman has been muted for
the role of an interim president, with a two-year term.
The Lebanese military and security forces have been on high alert since
Nov. 18. Officials said all forces have been mobilized to full strength, or
about 90,000 troops.
"This state of readiness means that all long vacations for army officers
and men have been cancelled, all unmarried soldiers have been instructed to
return to their units, while married soldiers are given 12-hour leaves to
sleep at their homes only if they are close to their units," a security
source told the Beirut-based Daily Star.
On Monday, security and intelligence chiefs briefed Interior Minister
Hassan Sabaa on threat scenarios. The chiefs were said to have urged tight
security around most government ministries and security agencies. One
scenario was of an uprising led by Palestinian agents of Syria in refugee
camps around Lebanon.
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