More than 50% of the Lebanese army soldiers are Shiite members of Hezbollah.
The army brigades in Southern Lebanon take command not from the
Ministry of Defense but from Hezbollah's #2 Sheikh, Nabil Qaouk.
How could Washington increase it's military aid to Lebanon?
Where is the US Intelligence assessment of the composition of the Lebanese army?
Was the Hamas take over in Israel not enough for the United States?
Is the State Dept. going to let Hezbollah control Lebanon with US Military Logistics?
The Lebanese Foundation for Peace strongly condemns this request by the State Dept. that is going to reinforce terrorism in the Middle East rather than defuse it. It appears that the Hamas fiasco was not enough, Washington is looking to compound it with another fiasco by miscalcuating Hezbollah.
Washington needs to demilitarize Hezbollah first, neutralize it's infiltration within the Lebanese army and then restructure the role of Lebanon's army as a pro-western influenced institution.
Bush Administration Requests Significant Increase in US Military Aid to Lebanon
World Tribune
The Bush administration has requested a significant increase in U.S. military aid to Lebanon.
State Department has proposed to increase U.S. military aid to Lebanon by more
than 300 percent in 2007. Officials said the request reflected closer relations between Beirut and Washington as well as the withdrawal of Syria's military from Lebanon in 2005.
Under the Bush administration's request,
Lebanon would receive $4.8 million in U.S. military aid in 2007. Beirut received less than $1 million in such aid for fiscal 2006, which ends in October, Middle East Newsline reported.
Officials said the increased U.S.
security aid would enable Lebanon to increase procurement of weapons and spare parts. They said the State Department also planned to offer increased training to the Lebanese Army and security forces.
But the department's
request would not enable Lebanon to purchase any major weapons system. Officials said the administration was examining Beirut's request for surplus U.S. platforms to revive Lebanon's military.
Under the department's
request for fiscal 2007, Israel and Egypt would receive $2.34 billion and $1.3 billion in military aid, respectively. Jordan would receive $206 million.
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