Bush says clear objectives must be achieved in Lebanon and outlines a sequence for the end of hostilities

Bush says clear objectives must be achieved in Lebanon and outlines a sequence for the end of hostilities

August 1, 2006, 1:14 AM (GMT+02:00)

Speaking in Miami, the US president stressed the Beirut government must be strong in power and exert full authority over all Lebanon, and a multinational force must be dispatched quickly to expedite aid. He said Tehran must stop financing terrorist groups like Hizballah and Syria must end its backing for terror and respect Lebanese sovereignty. The Lebanon war, said Bush is part of the larger struggle between the forces of freedom and the forces of terror in the Middle East. He reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself. The sequence outlined by the US president are: the end of Hizballah attacks on Israel, the return of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers, suspension of Israeli operations in Lebanon and Israel’s eventual withdrawal.