Wikileaks: Elias Murr: "Even if we don't get the MIGs, it would be a way to fuck Hezbollah on the 'national dialogue' table!"

December 22, 2008- Murr to Ambassador Sison: "Minister Murr went out of his way to explain why he accepted the Russian offer on his visit to Moscow, December 16 ... He said that the Russian Minister of Defense slipped him a document of six pages that 'explained' the Russian grant of 77 T72 tanks, artillery pieces & shells ... Murr continued saying that he slipped back the papers to his Russian counterpart saying 'thank you, but Lebanon does not need this arsenal anymore'. He also said that the Russian Minister got 'furious' and asked, 'then what are your needs?'. Murr said something off the cuff thinking that it would be so out of sight 'we need MIG jetfighters!'. 

Twenty five minutes later the Russian Minister told Murr: 'Russia will give Lebanon 10 MIG fighters, free of charge!' Murr thanked his counterpart and said that this generous grant would have to be approved by the council of ministers .... Murr justified his reaction by saying that if he rejected the Russian offer for tanks & artillery, he would be attacked as a 'traitor & US vassal'... He added that the Russian offer can be used against Hezbollah and a way for March14 to perform well in the upcoming elections. Moreover, Murr thought that the MIGs are 'the best way to fuck Hezbollah on the 'national dialogue table!' ...

Sison met Murr about two month later (February 26, 2008) during which Murr 'complained that the Russian ambassador was pressing him on the 'grant', ...and that all he wanted is for that offer to 'disappear'.  Two month later, Murr came back to Sisson with the happy news that Lebanon was not going to accept the Russian offer, 'not before the year 2040!'