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| ==Entry into Politics== | ==Entry into Politics== | ||
| ] was killed on ], ] by a car bomb in central ]. After his father's assassination and the ], Saad Hariri returned to ] and took up his father's political path |
] was killed on ], ] by a car bomb in central ]. After his father's assassination and the ], Saad Hariri returned to ] and took up his father's political path rallying behind him former sectarian militias, the ] and the ]. He ran for the Lebanese parliament on an anti-Syrian platform, working for increased American intervention and isolation of the Lebanese resistance movement as part of the 14 March coalition. Unlike his father before him, he favors negotiations to disarm ] and opposes ]'s influence in Lebanon, although his father cooperated very closely with the Syrians during their 29-year presence. On October 30th, 2007, Hariri accused ] of attempting to assassinate him, as well as Lebanese prime minister ]. | ||
| Hariri has been suspected of funding the ] group to counter the ] ], immediately prior to its assault on the Lebanese Army. Investigative journalist ] said on ] that Fatah al-Islam was being funded by ] through ], as a result of an agreement among ], ] and Bandar "whereby the Saudis would covertly fund the Sunni Fatah al-Islam in Lebanon as a counterweight to the Shia Hezbollah". He also stated that the Lebanese government, led by the Sunni ], was providing support for the group. <ref>{{cite news|url=http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hersh_Bush_arranged_support_for_militants_0522.html|title= | |||
| Hersh: Bush administration arranged support for militants attacking Lebanon|publisher=The Raw Story|date=May 22, 2007 |accessdate=2008-05-12}}</ref> | |||
| There was recurring speculation that Hariri would become prime minister if his party won a majority of Lebanese parliamentary seats. However, he has called for the resignation or removal of Lebanese president ], considering him too beholden to Syria, and has implied that he would be unwilling to serve as prime minister if Lahoud remained in office. | There was recurring speculation that Hariri would become prime minister if his party won a majority of Lebanese parliamentary seats. However, he has called for the resignation or removal of Lebanese president ], considering him too beholden to Syria, and has implied that he would be unwilling to serve as prime minister if Lahoud remained in office. | ||
| ==Criticism== | |||
| Saad Hariri is mainly criticised for having inherited his position in politics through no merit of his own, and thereby benefiting from Lebanon's heavy system of patronage. In addition, he has been severely criticised for having transformed the Future Movement, largely considered to have been an exception in the Lebanese political spectrum for its refusal to take up arms, into an armed militia.<ref name="Gulfnews">{{ | |||
| cite news | |||
| |url=http://www.gulfnews.com/weekend/society/10215242.html|publisher=] | |||
| |title=Future movement: trained militia | |||
| |date=May 23, 2008 | |||
| }}</ref> | |||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 00:25, 6 July 2008
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Saad ed Deen Rafiq al Hariri (Template:Lang-ar), (born April 18,1970 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) is a Saudi-Lebanese businessman and politician, and the second son of Rafik Hariri, the assassinated former prime minister of Lebanon. After his father's death, he inherited the helm of the Future Movement, an essentially Sunni movement that was created and led by his father.
Early Years and Personal Life
Saad Hariri is the son of Rafiq Hariri and an Iraqi mother (Nidal Al-Bustani). He has been born and raised in Saudi Arabia and managed part of his father's business there until his father's assasination. He graduated with a degree in International Business in 2002 from Georgetown University . When his father was assassinated in February 2005, he inherited some USD 4.1 billion in 2005 earning him and each of his siblings a place on the 2006 Forbes list of richest people in the world (released in March 2006).
At the start of 2005, he was running Saudi Oger, a USD $3.15 billion (sales) construction conglomerate purchased from a French company and run by his father. Hariri has extensive experience in telecommunications and information technology. He was the Chairman of the executive committee of Oger Telecom, which pursues telecommunication interest in Middle East and Africa. In addition to heading Saudi Oger, Hariri was the Chairman of Omnia Holdings, and Board Member of Oger International Entreprise de Travaux Internationaux, Saudi Investment Bank, Saudi Research and Marketing Group and Future Television.
Hariri is married to Lara al-Azem and has two children. He holds both Saudi and Lebanese nationality. He enjoys motorcycle riding and diving.
Entry into Politics
Rafiq Hariri was killed on February 14, 2005 by a car bomb in central Beirut. After his father's assassination and the Cedar Revolution, Saad Hariri returned to Lebanon and took up his father's political path rallying behind him former sectarian militias, the Progressive Socialist Party and the Lebanese Forces. He ran for the Lebanese parliament on an anti-Syrian platform, working for increased American intervention and isolation of the Lebanese resistance movement as part of the 14 March coalition. Unlike his father before him, he favors negotiations to disarm Hezbollah and opposes Syria's influence in Lebanon, although his father cooperated very closely with the Syrians during their 29-year presence. On October 30th, 2007, Hariri accused Syria of attempting to assassinate him, as well as Lebanese prime minister Fouad Siniora.
Hariri has been suspected of funding the Fatah al-Islam group to counter the Shi'a Muslim Hezbollah, immediately prior to its assault on the Lebanese Army. Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh said on CNN that Fatah al-Islam was being funded by Saudi Arabia through Bandar bin Sultan, as a result of an agreement among Dick Cheney, Elliott Abrams and Bandar "whereby the Saudis would covertly fund the Sunni Fatah al-Islam in Lebanon as a counterweight to the Shia Hezbollah". He also stated that the Lebanese government, led by the Sunni Future Movement, was providing support for the group.
There was recurring speculation that Hariri would become prime minister if his party won a majority of Lebanese parliamentary seats. However, he has called for the resignation or removal of Lebanese president Emile Lahoud, considering him too beholden to Syria, and has implied that he would be unwilling to serve as prime minister if Lahoud remained in office.
Criticism
Saad Hariri is mainly criticised for having inherited his position in politics through no merit of his own, and thereby benefiting from Lebanon's heavy system of patronage. In addition, he has been severely criticised for having transformed the Future Movement, largely considered to have been an exception in the Lebanese political spectrum for its refusal to take up arms, into an armed militia.
External links
References
- "Hind Hariri is world's youngest billionaire". The Daily Star (Lebanon). March 11, 2006.
- "Hersh: Bush administration arranged support for militants attacking Lebanon". The Raw Story. May 22, 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- "Future movement: trained militia". Gulf News. May 23, 2008.