"Aside from his
experience as defense minister, he would bring a neutrality
that no Shia -- such as current FM Fawzi Salloukh, an ally of
Amal head Nabih Berri -- could offer in order to negotiate
"with a free hand to the benefit of Lebanon." Lebanon, he
assessed, needs to be among the Arab countries deciding what
a peace deal with Israel would look like, rather than being
left behind."