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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Lebanese, Syrian armies hold joint maneuvers |
| 2004-07-16 |
| Two joint members of the pan-Persian Axis of Terror holding jihadic hands. Syria and Greater Syria. Lebanese and Syrian troops have held naval and air force maneuvers, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported Friday. The agency said the maneuvers, in which live ammunition was used, took place Thursday between the Lebanese coastal town of El-Aabde, some 12 kilometers (7 miles) south of the Syrian border and the Syrian coastal town of Latakia. "Naval and air force units and frogmen from the brotherly Syrian army and helicopters, gun boats and naval commandos from the Lebanese army took part," the agency said. "The maneuvers included landing as well as destroying naval targets." The agency said the war games were supervised by Lebanese army commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Suleiman, and Syrian army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Ali Habib. Lebanon signed a Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination with Syria in September 1991. Since then both countries have had close relations although such maneuvers are not common. Syria is the main power broker in Lebanon where it has maintained troops since entering in 1976 with the goal of helping to ease the Lebanese civil war. It now has about 20,000 troops in the country. A few years ago it was as high as 33,000. |
| Posted by:Mark Espinola |