Article

2010-09-22 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

America supports Lebanon's army:US official

A senior Pentagon official says the Obama administration is "working closely" with members of the U.S. Congress to help restore military aid to Lebanon's army.

U.S. Defense Undersecretary Michele Flournoy said Wednesday during a trip to Lebanon that the United States is committed to supporting the country's military.

In August, several U.S. lawmakers froze $100 million in military aid to Lebanon after expressing concerns the weapons could be turned on Israel and that Hezbollah may have influence over the Lebanese army.

But the Obama administration has made clear it wants the military aid to continue in the interest of America's national security and Mideast stability.

"We are working closely with members of the U.S. Congress to resolve the concerns they have over this assistance," Flournoy said in a statement after the meeting.

Washington has provided $720 million to Lebanon's poorly equipped army since 2006. It says the aid aims to strengthen the military at the expense of the Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah, which fought a 34-day with Israel four years ago.

But after last month's border clash, in which two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and a senior Israeli officer were killed, some U.S. politicians said the funding should be halted.

A day after they raised their objections, Iran's ambassador to Beirut said that his country was ready to "cooperate with the Lebanese army in any area that would help the military in performing its national role in defending Lebanon".

Israel said at the time it had complained to Washington and Paris about arming Lebanon's military because the weapons were being used against it. The U.S. State Department said it was not aware that any U.S. equipment had been used during the Aug. 3 clash.

Posted by Fred 2010-09-22 12:23|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top
File under: Hezbollah

#1 This is interesting. Debka says that Iran and Syria have given Hezbollah the go-ahead to try and take over Lebanon, and that they believe Israel will not intervene unless Syria crosses the border to help Hezbollah.

If this is the case, US involvement with the Lebanese army would be an interesting twist. Not necessarily ground forces, but naval and air support, intelligence support, and some resupply would make Hezbollah's task much harder.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-09-22 12:43|| 2010-09-22 12:43|| Front Page Top

#2 Yet in '82 the U.S. let the Maronites "twist slowly in the wind".
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Might as well skip the middlemen and give arms directly to Hezbullah //sarcasm off.

Posted by borgboy 2010-09-22 14:07|| 2010-09-22 14:07|| Front Page Top

#3 Let's see... this would be the same Lebanese Army that ambushed and killed an Israeli officer last month?

Posted by Ulaise Turkeyneck9922 2010-09-22 15:19|| 2010-09-22 15:19|| Front Page Top

#4 Oh, but that was all of a month ago. We were all ever so much younger and more impulsive then.

Posted by Fred 2010-09-22 18:40|| 2010-09-22 18:40|| Front Page Top

#5 These idiots in the Pentagon came to me last year wanting to FMS helicopter gunships for this terrorist supporting rat hole state. All I had to say to the owner of the company was,"Do you really want to see one of "YOUR" gunships on CNN on a shooting spree in Israel?" It took 30 seconds for the deal to end. Screw them and the dumbasses at the Pentagon should pull up the history books on that state and do their homework before allowing Obama to arm them.

Posted by 49 Pan 2010-09-22 20:57|| 2010-09-22 20:57|| Front Page Top

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