in the after a 2 year political cell mates 11 on has a president. the election of army chief joseph iron by parliament is welcomed from washington to take her on. he takes the helm of a country ravaged by will and academic crises. what all his immediate challenges, this is inside story, the

hello and welcome to the program on the wrong con, you'd be hard pressed to find many issues that iran and israel agree on brought to joseph owen's election as liberal is present, as one will many greeted by both as well as a cross, the middle east. right consensus on the well political stage 2 with the us, russia and china old welcoming. his appointment is ended 2 years of a political stone age, but left the country without government 11 on they consolidated with and is ready invasion and tax across the country. ongoing regional conflict and political instability add to the lebanon's catastrophic economic crisis. and you could understand why this election is being greeted with such hope and optimism. so what all the challenges present i own and his country face. and is this really a historic and you don't for 11 on as some proclaim, we'll be talking to august shortly. but 1st, this report from victoria gave me the supposes of newly

elected president joseph. the hope for the best today is malia has to use the lebanese people live in your political and economic crises. a move recently israel's devastating offensive against has the law. for 2 years, we enjoyed the hardship of living without a president. and while we adapted to the situation, the country is now deeply fatigued and in dire need of leadership. the election of general joseph is a positive steve. he is a dedicated and strong leader, optical belie, i'm also, you know, use the speech to parliament, the commander of the army promised to build a functional state by disarming has belong, it's on the wing, has long been stronger than lebanon's army ivy. nobody said, my pledge is to exercise my role. let's come under in chief of the armed forces and chairman of the supreme defense council. through which i will work to offend the

states. right. to monopolize the bearing of homes. as well as being without the president to, to use lebanon, also lacked of functioning. cabinets has been law was lodge, he blamed for the hold up of the country's complicated political system is based on power sharing between religious sects. the prime minister must be sending muslim the speakers she and the president christian guessing, like george eva, depends on rival fractions. creating strategic alliances in the past has below insisted, the post of president must go to one of its allies. but his records were on garza, it's offensive in lebanon, and the full of the asset regime and neighboring syria as we can, the on group and its allies, its lead to has. and this rolla was assassinated as strikes and they reach along with all the top command as the election has been welcomed in

washington, and also in the middle east by allies, including saudi arabia, the u, a. e, and capital. and, and it shows the wide spectrum of support i and enjoys both a ram and israel congratulated in living on needs international assistance to rebuild what was destroyed during the war. it also needs us support to ensure israel respects the sci fi deal, agreed in november. finally, our president, he's a 1st grade guy. i spent time in the phone with him today about 20 minutes to half an hour with her, but they haven't planned. they're also working very hard. as with the lebanese military course, accountable to deliver these people, not from us, not as the law, not any other group has pledge to flight corruption, impulsivity promotes economic reform and invest in the army after use of kale, sand instability, the lebanese people are relying on him to deliver victoria gates and b l, g 0,

the inside story the and that's where, you know, guess all 3 guess all joining us from the root. joseph, by who's is the director of the institute for public policy and international affairs at american university of a root. when he shuts up, is hosted the baby who's buying unit pulled cost. and the risk is a political and security affairs analyst. i will welcome to you. oh, i'd like to begin with joseph. one of the 1st things joseph, i want the new president has to do is get a prime minister. he's go to a point. a problem is that that's going to be done with consensus, but that's not going to be an easy task. is it? the thing is i think the task ahead is enormous and the challenges are really huge at many levels. the 1st one is the conjuncture or the context which a general law has to become president, meaning a year or for

a disruptive war in the region and 11 on the last 4 or 5 months. and this is the 1st mission that he has. he has to put an end to this war, to complete the ceasefire arrangements angled saw, some in the army, also the darkening of the issues of the weapons of hezbollah that is central to the cease fire that has been agreed upon. and which is a contentious issue and live alone for now, or then to see the gates. and this is a huge, huge charles. and then there is the political challenges and he has to put the live in his house in order a country that has been in vacuum for now, 2 years. but behind a country that this collapse for now for 5 or 6 years with a very deep dysfunction of the system and administration. so he has also to put in order things and lots of decent is related to the 1st point. he also has to shop and repair 11. i was relation with the,

with the national and regional environment with the countries with the western communities in the context where the reason is that in some of those we have a syria that is now in a very sensitive transition. we probably really witness in the most to call the problems with the wrong and other issues not withstanding golf course due to the incident by this thing and question. so he will have to navigate all of this very quickly. when you say the house needs to be in order, you need to house. so i mean if you mean that he has to complete the institutional edit fees, of course, next week is probably gonna make the necessary consultations for nominating it. probably minnesota. no, regardless of this, i think the, the speech that he gave yesterday upon him, a doctor having been elective, was very indicative of his priority as he started by talking about the justice of the discharge before. which is, i think, the cornerstone of any reconstruction of 11 on 2 days. you know, for example,

we are, let me take 11 is ration. the country has been without any progress on. probably the most important, let's say collective catastrophe and crime in the country deport explosives because the justice and 11 on the judicial system have been indeed a lot of money because of as well, of course, but also off, although trying to, let's say, let's say interference isn't it, this one, let's get into, let's get into all of that. let me bring in, let me bring in your new shot. so who's the highest of the baby binding pod costs that also many competing agendas here. even just to get to a prime minister and a cabinet. is this gonna take up most of the next full months, 5 months? how long will this take? i think even on a good day, lebanese government governance is inefficient and very slow. and i would speculate that this will be a very slow, delicate process, but that said,

it is quite remarkable how much has happened in recent history. and that we're just 6 weeks away, roughly less than 2 months away from the ceasefire deal that went into effect. and that less then 2 months after that cease fire, you have a president and bob, it's been over 2 years that we haven't had a president in the country. and i'll go step further. it's just less than 4 months ago that the secretary general of has been low, was killed in battle with israel killed in his bunker. and the southern southern is a b route. and then you have a president. and bob, though, it's quite a telling that one security affairs in this country are less than enough in that this is not the disarmament of hezbollah. there's no outright victory by israel or anything like that. it's not in a complete defeat for hezbollah either. but once you have the security pressure on, the country lessened and lightened, you can actually have the beginning of a stepping stone, which is the basic functioning of lebanese politics the way it shouldn't be. and

that said, president is a quote or stop the highest symbolic post in the country haven't get, haven't get vacant for over 2 years. there's also quite telling them that these are the 2 most challenging years. where has a bottle of effectively paralyzed, not just security, and not just foreign policy. but for that matter, local politics as well. you're seeing that group taking a step back in their influence and you're seeing the lebanese, they take a step forward. let me bring you in here, right now you've got a situation where finally up to 2 years, that is a president. is it time for all of living on to come together and quickly show the well that it can get a problem is they can get it cabinet and then it can begin to tackle the problem is, or is the level the, the nature of lebanese politics. so labor and fee, and this is going to be incredibly difficult. you know, i don't think i don't necessarily chevy the assessment that jennifer long is going

to be in for an hour and impossible task. it's true that is going to be a rather difficult task, but let's not forget the joseph all enjoys the backing of the stage. saudi arabia, you yourself, mentioned how many players, how many, and this is a windshield players back because that's all i think that international ducking is going to go quite to, to play a role into making tools at all as a job that much easier. and in the making the lebanese site, the new government, so you don't like that much more easy on. so i think the international issue that international aspect is very important on the mileage of the major player now, which there's no doubt about it. the nature of play mike been leveled on now. these to us. it was a lot of interest the traditional how long ago does anybody use homie and want to joseph on to come to kind of on the west remains the major superpower. so he threw all these factors together. i think it's not going to be difficult at my job. i do

have one comment to my account was uh, i bought a house below and what was said about it has a blog paralyzing the process. i think it's also a mistake. number one, it's a mistake to say that it has been a lot paralyzed the security constitutions, etc. and the other factors, a lot of affection is old. number 2 to say that this was an right loss, but has the law. i think that's likely an accurate if you look at the board, which took place yesterday in the 1st board has the law and the she or ally the i'm a goodman to the blank. they didn't give their boats and the 1st round to chose. i have fallen off, but that payment, which is the following issues we discussed, including the upcoming government formation granting the shareholders, in particular, cabinet portfolio was then the chicago of grant adult gave their approval. so there's terms of the hospital or remains a rather significant at least elliptical. and so i wrote me please. i run

a leave because of the laws of rival is trying to send me a job. he has to be convinced them that what pressure is put on him in the meat immediately before the hard to box, the general, all he was a construct or so it comes to the last main rival. it's a very interesting point, kylie, and i'm going to put it to both august just when, when it comes, you 1st, hezbollah did flex the muscles in that 1st vote. they didn't come out with clear support. they knew that this is a way of getting concessions that ali is suggesting that those concessions, web acceptable, did they get the concessions that they wanted? do you fix? so i don't think exactly know what happened in the 2 hours where the session was, was stopped, and a bose was it was good enough, but let's not get into into too many uh, grinding or de pays. we all know and, and i think the other guests have said that we all know that things have

drastically changed since september, october last year with the lowest stuff has by the state. go with the, the sheet that the task and see that in the south by accepting a ceasefire that is actually more than lucy's fire. i mean, with all venturing here into the phase of hezbollah, have to really be much more flexible in this election like any other political force. and i agree that somebody's also have to be convinced, but yes, it has by the went to the session with the law is that the president will be elected and that this presence with diesels at hall. now the rest is optics and the, the took the measures and successful model given, i mean both thing black and the 1st sound yes, was a sign of goodwill. they could have supported the candidate that just to play the game. they did this and then they called the code sold very goodwill with the present. and then you, let's say the new mandate and the 2nd problem. but just as

a whole, i mean small details that's already live in these petty politics. i think the global picture, we all know. i mean let's, let's all the state to the region has really lived an earthquake for the last 67 months now, and late keywords. what happened in syria and what we'd probably call with you around into got into, into months to go. the region is today in your region. we are at the new eve. everybody has to adapt to this new eve. though i think i might hope, at least as that has follow with understand these changes, it will adapt to these changes by getting into politics by playing the game. it really easy task officers. that's all i say that this is part of the contract. and if there wasn't any agreement, just as the change was at home and the she uh josie classic i wouldn't pick up on the train is just fine sentence. the agreement was exactly about the loop. let's play the game. let's stall, beings, foreigners,

oral fos. we haven't gotten to the bill, there is a region that is reached off of and let's be all the positive display of i hope this is the mindset of everyone in the country to day. well, let's get into that running one of the clues that joseph i own gave in his speech that he did talk about the i did the oil alms need to come to the lebanese state that's going to be concerning to hezbollah, given that they are an on group and they have been for many decades now. what's the thinking behind that? well i'll, i'll answer that question by also addressing just several comments very quickly that the security leo's on official, if you will, of as well as the sofa who himself was a target and the recent war between israel and has been law. his rejection of the lebanese forces leader. so me as, as i, even though he never announced his own candidacy, that in rejection or that veto, if you will, using his word i think says more about warehouse butler is today and their

acceptance of does if on. but they did not have earlier. in other words, there defect or rejection of joseph on as over. whether it's a blank for it or not. i think the secondary joseph on is presidents and i'll add something here. it's unlikely that you would have seen a president emerged in this country without the lebanese forces and has beloved accepting that kind of consensus. and that's a fast forward to your question. i think it's quite remarkable that in this country the, the basics and the speeds are now considered very profound. and i think it shows you exactly how badly damaged, how paralyzed lebanese politics has been. you're absolutely right. it shows that phone has indicated that the fact to uh, urgency of rebuilding lebanon sovereignty, he also indicated a country that would adhere to positive neutrality. this is unusual, coming from a president in recent history, and that there is no mentioning of resistance. there's no mentioning of that kind

of continuous on struggle from 11 on. there's actually a local domestic concerted effort at rebuilding what has been largely dismantled in recent decades, which is lebanon's sovereignty. that said, clearly the presidency and whether it's joseph on or somebody else, there's going to be severe limits. he doesn't have a magic wand. the lebanese state is far, far from ending this long term nightmare. but it's actually a step for the 1st time, a step in the right direction. and that loving on has been shielded to a degree to a degree. can visa mean regional events has been shielded enough to allow this kind of expression to take shape? not from the margins, not from civil society, not from media figures, but from the president himself. it's quite remarkable. earlier his goal was just speaking to um, some friends of mine and loved them before i came on the show when they, they made an interesting point. they say that his beloved because of the events of

the war with his role because of the safe spot has been forced into local pragmatism. it needs to put 11 on 1st. now is that an assessment that you agree with? i have to say yes. as below, has to, has had to exhibit pragmatism. in fact, before i came on the show, always speaking as below official who said that we are very pragmatic kind of, we don't want to appeal as being the policy obstructing the election of a president. meaning of it has the law is putting a lot of priority on the emphasis on each national, those credentials on subbing level, on setting the lebanese site. uh, as i said uh, showing pragmatism i would like to make a point about uh, what was set because of what has been said best for about uh and it shows that phones remarks regarding monopolizing the home. so if anybody is wanting me being the only institution allowed to carry arms,

i think that you have to put that within a broader context. because what he also said in the speech us today is we want to launch a national defense strategy. so when he talks about the law as a result of everything that's going to be an immediate process, i believe that's going to be a longer term process which would address how the resistance, how, how's ballade can be blended in, into why you brought a structure. and even our opponent has a lot of fish and some so it was nice. i like, i mean we have no problem in the east caught me taking up the defense of the concrete shouldn't have the capability to do so. then we're ready to step aside having breakfast, arthritis a total up in east pommy. now that all hands big is a big question, how much of lenient c will history on the house? in the lebanese pommy, emerging in possessing significant types abilities, i think then you might so yeah, but tensional collision may be between what i could term the us project and level

and what is around one certain level on the united states wants to build the 11 east homie wants to make it a capable force. how much is the destroyer i'm going to tolerate that bearing in mind that israel does have a history of human in that talking 11. he is not the soldiers themselves. so i think that if they are out of the states in particular, was joseph politics to succeed? well, i think it's going to start to some extent against some of these as ready wishes. and that, i think would be quite a significant test for the upcoming trump administration. does i feel very positive about the role of the international community that is going to take 11 and you told us about this earlier. but is there a danger here that joseph ivan becomes the president for the international community and not the present level? not he's just simply more popular abroad than he is domestically of corrections. i don't think i have been positive. i have been, let's say lucy, then the objective,

it shows that all has been elected. i think we all agree here because of a very high level of pressure from the international community embodied by it. of course, at this time the us do. so we need to go see is maybe a and, and some of your being countries. but he is also being elected by the context. and the context is an international factor. yes, the context has a negative shuttle without, without what happened late the probably the statement would have continued. maybe we could have had another president, but the context housing post this product, which is an international factor, not exactly as you said, and i said before, now the challenge is to let them know why is this new, this new mandate? and i think the, the 5 of the, as the shut the assets, for example, both hezbollah and whatever nice forces and authors have voted for the same person, is a good step in that direction. no, because that whole house to own the president she the presidency and lead,

finalize. it isn't good by answering the challenges of the living is not only the challenges of the americans or the is a, it is under your radians or any of those. he has to ask the challenges of 11 sovereignty by reconstructing get up in these. are we protecting the borders and model? i think the width is and this is not the jonathan statement in political science. this is even the meaning of sovereignty. he has to normalize his mondays by answering the very severe requests of the newspaper, runny liberalizing 11 on this is what we're talking about right now. the political system has been an international football for a very, very long time. can this happen? can 11 on become a truly sovereign nation in charge of his own defense. maybe not in my lifetime, but i think what has happened. it is remarkable. it's the closing of

a chapter and that it is hard and my assessment. it's very hard to see another war between hezbollah and his real and love been on and my lifetime. it's also very difficult for me to see a sub state paramilitary force back by iran. crossing the border into syria to get involved in suing affairs or help help sustain originally, and that recently exited damascus. it's impossible for me to see this happening again. so something has changed in that. yes, your river be referring to the 1111 and ization of 11 on i think for the 1st time in my life time at least, i have not seen a moment that we can all for able to capture successfully and move on from it effectively toward this country a part of decades ago, opening this country to regional war, whether it's in the seventy's visa v,

the p a lo and israel, whether it's in the eighty's visa v, the is really some of the syrians. whether it's the last, you mean occupation that we only exited in 2005, after nearly 3 decades, or for that matter, the diminishing or the, the retreat of iranian security, dominion in the region, but most expressively and 11 on is the 1st time i think in my life time that i can say that there is a chance of serious chance. the only time that i saw flickers of this earlier memory is one of the syrian army left slab or not. but at the end of the day, it is hezbollah that inherited what sylvia left behind and with a husband, let diminished, and lebanese affairs may be beloved, been on, can stand taller than in recent memory. and maybe maybe there's a chest generations to come to have a good printing a govern level country. but i don't think let me, let me bring it in. alley risk have do we all running out of time? but very quickly, i'll a level needs to be come lebanese again. i mean,

that is something that we, you hear a lot within the 11 on but how does that happen? well, i think that's very difficult to happen. i'm the respect to the clinic who just spoke now. i think it's unfair to, to focus on what they total, describe as it, raining and influence are running and intervention. buying a possible life. there are various other regional players who happen to the house sizable and living on saturday already be united states, many, many of the players. so i don't understand this exclusive focus on a wrong. but i also disagree with the notion that this is the 11 organization that now have 211 east arrows. and as i was saying in a previous had a son now with the us as assume the role of the major play. my god was joseph. all was brought, he was the us back kind of the year was along with saudi arabia. it's also well known that the 11 east palm it is a nationalist constitution back by the majority. that is true, but it's more so

a traditional your west or if i'm the major recipient of your website. and so when we get started, it's going to be under the influence, i think, living on at least in the nature of the one us mainly all the united states. maybe other players are going to, going to continue to play a role completely eliminate that. as i said, as below, at least politically, will maintain a role, but i don't see that level of it's going to be fully independent and free from outside intervention. now i think now you have a new year off, 1st and foremost of where the united states is going to be the major plan. a fascinating discussion about a fascinating future for 11. and i want to thank all a guest to joseph by whose wellness utah and ali risk and that thank you to for watching. and you can see the program again. any time by visiting all websites out, is there a dot com for further discussion? go to a facebook page, that's facebook dot com, forward slash a inside story. and you can also join the conversation on x. a handle is at asia

inside story. for me and my uncle, and then the whole team hit bye for now. the is there a war on guys? a continuous new series takes you beyond the headlines of the company. if you're not chose, you're not entitled to the success of rights award winning false, or funding. my brutal meets renowned palestinian human rights. defend a lot about the whole young generation. they have centered palestine as part of their identity as such a innovation that twice the defense world. refrain on a jersey it up for this neighborhood in the city of the days of oppression may be over, but it's cause i get to go bust out so much pain. st. people crying both from joy of the full of to dictate to campaign of the loss of their loved ones returned to

find my home destroyed. and yet i am happy beyond imagination about the change. a change is happening. fast homes is vibrant with life again. in 2011 homes became the 1st city where hundreds of testers were killed by the shot said secuity falls at its marks, the change from a peaceful uprising to the system. and then as if the, there's no limit to how far a dream contains sta in your own adventure. now, counter and wayne the

the hello don or kyle, this is denise our live from coming up in the next 60 minutes. confuse, impose and loss on please. i have a looting fee is a west wall $5.00 and the city's history course choose destruction was leading climate scientists say the us experienced as hosses get of.