LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
October 27/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 22,34-40. When the
Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and
one of them (a scholar of the law) tested him by asking, Teacher, which
commandment in the law is the greatest? He said to him, "You shall love the
Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law
and the prophets depend on these two commandments."
Saint Anselm (1033-1109), monk, Bishop, Doctor of the Church
Letter 112, to Hugh the Hermit; Opera omnia, 3, p.245/
"The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."Since to reign
in heaven is nothing other than to cleave to God and all the saints through love
according to a single will such that all together express one and the same
power, love God more than yourself and you will already begin to take hold of
what you desire to possess perfectly in heaven. Make your peace with both God
and men – at least, unless these latter separate themselves from God – and you
will already begin to reign together with God and the saints. Because, to the
extent that you bring yourself into harmony with the will of both God and men,
God and the saints will be in harmony with your will. And so, if you wish to
become a king in heaven, love God and men as you ought and you will be worthy of
becoming what you desire. However, you won't be able to possess this love
perfectly until you empty your heart of every other love... Indeed, that is why
those who fill their hearts with love for God and neighbor have no other will
but that of God - or of some other man provided it is not contrary to God. That
is why they are faithful to prayer as also to conversing about and keeping
heaven in mind. For it is their happiness to desire God and speak of him whom
they love, to hear him spoken about and to bear him in mind. This, too, is why
they rejoice with those who are joyful, weep with those in sorrow (Rom 12,15),
they have compassion for the unfortunate and give to the poor, for they love
others as themselves... Yes, it is truly in this way that «the whole Law and the
prophets depend on these two commandments" of love.
Free Opinions,
Releases, letters & Special Reports
US Resupplies Lebanon Military to
Stabilize Ally-BlueRidgeNow.com
26/10/08
,Hitler and
Jihad. By: Andrew G.
Bostom 26/10/08
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for October
26/08
Gemayel Calls for reconsidering Hizbullah's Role-Naharnet
Sheikh Qabalan Criticizes the May Attack on Beirut-Naharnet
Najjar Rules Out Early Intra-Christian Reconciliation-Naharnet
Israel's Military Accuses
Syria of Arming Hizbullah-Naharnet
Lebanon seizes 20 tonnes of cannabis-Khaleej
Times
Iran's
Ahmadinejad Back on his Feet after Illness-Naharnet
MI chief: Assad trusts Hizbullah more than own
army-Ynetnews
Egypt's Intelligence Chief in Beirut-Naharnet
Suleiman Optimistic about
Lebanon's Future-Naharnet
Bellemare to Break the Silence Soon-Naharnet
US Is Resupplying Lebanon’s Military-New
York Times
Colombia: Hezbollah tie to drug gang claimed-World
War 4 Report
Syrian Troops Enclose Lebanon, Rice Contacts Hamas-DEBKA
file
85
Wanted Men Arrested in Crackdown in Bekaa-Naharnet
Hizbullah Ready to Face
Arab Financial Invasions-Naharnet
Army Detonates Small Bomb
in Sidon-Naharnet
Syrian Army Officer
Discloses to Lebanese Court his Terror Mission in Beirut-Naharnet
Peacekeepers Mark U.N.
Day, Graziano Appreciates Lebanese Support-Naharnet
Williams Reminds Lebanese
of Major Challenges-Naharnet
Egypt's Intelligence Chief in Beirut
Naharnet/Egypt's Intelligence Chief General Omar al-Qinawi arrived in a surprise
visit to Beirut on Saturday carrying messages from Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak to top Lebanese officials. Qinawi will hold meetings with President
Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fouad Saniora respectively on Sunday.
He will meet Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday. The Egyptian official's
visit comes on the eve of Saniora's trip to Cairo to participate in meetings of
the higher Egyptian-Lebanese committee. Beirut, 26 Oct 08, 10:54
MI chief: Assad trusts
Hizbullah more than own army
Major-General Amos Yadlin gives cabinet weekly security briefing,
says Shiite organization's influence over Damascus growing, Iran increasing
efforts to gain foothold in Lebanon, Gaza ceasefire stable for now
Roni Sofer Published: 10.26.08, 12:54 / Israel News
Director of Military Intelligence, Major-General Amos Yadlin, cautioned Sunday
that despite the indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria, Damascus "has
become the bargain basement for Hizbullah weaponry." Speaking at a security
briefing given during the weekly cabinet meeting, Yadlin added that Syrian
President Bashar Assad "trusts Hizbullah more than he does his own troops.
Hizbullah operatives have made Syrian their own. The Syrians don't even try to
bridle them, on the contrary – they have made all of their strategic
capabilities available to Hizbullah."
Intelligence
Experts: Israel lacks capability to hit Iran's nuke facilities / Yitzhak
Benhorin
US weekly Newsweek quotes Western intelligence officials as saying Jewish state
unable to destroy Tehran's nuclear facilities using just conventional weapons
The MI chief also addressed the Damascus bombing which claimed 17 lives in
September, and said it was a direct result of Syria's involvement in global
terror: "He who sleeps with dogs, shouldn’t be surprised if he wakes up with
fleas. This was a Jihad attack, which constituted a direct breach of an
unwritten agreement it has with Damascus. "Syria has granted such terror groups
immunity and free passage to Iraq and Lebanon, as long as they did not target
the Syrian regime."
Situation still volatile
Syria, continued Yadlin, is still as radical as Iran: "Syria and Iran have
bought the Lebanese regime. They keep pumping in cash to bribe statesmen and
push shady deals… Iran's recent offer to help re-outfit the Lebanese army is
nothing more that an attempt to take over Lebanon."
Tehran, he concluded, is using the imminent political changes in the US and
Israel to improve its stance; "using the global financial crisis, the nearing
elections in the US and Israel and the overall laxity by the international
community – which waits to see who steps into the White House – to push its
nuclear program and weaken the international community's resistance. "Iran is
struggling with the drop in oil prices, attributed to the financial crisis, but
the latter also restricts the scope of sanctions which may be implemented
against it."As for the peace talks with Syria, Military Intelligence indicates
the Assad would like to pursue the option, but only at his own terms. According
to Yadlin, Assad has suspended his next move pending the results of the US
presidential elections.
Hizbullah, he added, is still looking to avenge Imad Mugniyah's assassination,
but is wary of a subsequent Israeli blow, and has opted to retaliate in less
obvious ways "such as working towards carrying out quality attacks in the home
front and in Sinai."
Tensions rising These action, noted Yadlin, have created the first real conflict
of interest between Hizbullah and Hamas, since the latter is interested in
preserving the fragile ceasefire it has with Israel. "The Gaza ceasefire is
stable for now, but we mustn't be fooled," he cautioned. "Hamas will remain
committed to the tahadiya for as long as it serves its interests, but it has
already begun preparing for the day after. "Hamas is still planning attacks
against Israel, including abductions, which are to be carried out as soon as
Hamas deems them more effective than preserving the armistice."The Military
Intelligence chief also briefed the cabinet on the threats made against Israelis
and Israeli targets both in Sinai and worldwide, saying "we have identified and
foiled several such attempts."
Hizbullah Ready to Face Arab Financial Invasions
Naharnet/Hizbullah on Saturday accused Arabs of pumping money
into Lebanon to finance allies in the 2009 parliamentary elections.
Hizbullah's official in charge of south Lebanon Sheikh Nabil Qaouq, said "Arab
funds allotted for the forthcoming elections are more than Arab aid to
compensate for losses sustained during the July war." "The national alliance
that emerged victorious in 2006 … would not be affected by financial invasions,"
Qaouq said. He said the Hizbullah-led opposition is "progressing while America
is defeated in the region." Beirut, 25 Oct 08, 15:27
Bunny in Bag Sparks Panic in Jamhour
Naharnet/A bunny toy in a handbag deserted on a side street
sparked panic of weary citizens in Beirut's eastern suburb of Jamhour, assuming
the "suspicious" object was a bomb. A police sapper, after checking the bag,
decided to open it, but only after the site was cordoned off for safety reasons.
The relaxed sapper pulled the stuffed bunny toy out of the bag and waved it to
civilians who watched from a distance. The owner of the bunny toy, however,
could not be immediately identified. Beirut, 25 Oct 08, 15:05
Aoun: Iran is Lebanon's Vital Depth
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun on
Saturday said Iran is Lebanon's "vital depth.""Iran, to us, is a very important
regional power. It has empowered us and participated in rebuilding Lebanon,"
Aoun told visiting students at his residence in suburban Rabiyeh, east of
Beirut. He pledged that his FPM would emerge victorious from the 2009
parliamentary elections "irrespective of what they do." Beirut, 25 Oct 08, 15:17
Army Detonates Small Bomb in
Sidon
Naharnet/A Lebanese Army sapper on Saturday detonated what was believed to be a
small bomb deserted in a field off the Iman school in the southern provincial
capital of Sidon. The bomb, a rusty canister linked to two wires, was safely
detonated without evacuating students from the school, which is 500 meters off
the site, police reported. Obviously it did not target the school in the first
place, a police official said. The canister was detonated because the army
sapper decided it was not safe to move it, the official added without further
elaboration. Beirut, 25 Oct 08, 13:00
Nasrallah Denies He was Poisoned
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah denied reports
that he was targeted by a poison attack, attributing "such claims to a
psychological war against the resistance." Nasrallah told the party's al-Manar
television the alleged campaign aims at "implying that Hizbullah is suffering
from internal disputes and assassination plots." "It is an attempt to distort
Hizbullah's image," Nasrallah added. "They also target Hizbullah through
spreading allegations about splits, differences, defection … and assassination
attempts," Nasrallah stressed. Beirut, 25 Oct 08, 12:51
Syrian Army Officer Discloses to Lebanese Court his Terror
Mission in Beirut
Naharnet/An alleged Syrian army colonel who goes by the name of
Firas Ghannam has testified at a military court hearing that he was assigned to
detonate bombs in Beirut's Martyrs' Square on Feb. 13, 2006, apparently to foil
plans to celebrate the first anniversary of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's
assassination.
The daily al-Mustaqbal said Saturday that Ghannam told the military tribunal he
had received his orders from "Syrian intelligence officer George Salloum."
The bombs were to be detonated on the eve of the first anniversary of the Hariri
crime. The report quoted Ghannam as saying he "did not intend to carry out the
assignment," which he had accepted "to manage leaving Syria by infiltrating
across the borders into Lebanon." Ghannam and an alleged Tunisian suspect
identified as Munir Hilal were arrested in the eastern Bekaa valley on Feb. 11,
2006, according to the report. Upon the arrest security agents confiscated from
Ghannam a "forged identity card and a hand grenade," the report added. It said
Ghannam also testified that he had "relations" with Shehab Qaddour, better known
by the code name of Abu Hureira, a ranking official of the Fatah al-Islam
terrorist group who was killed in a clash with security forces in the northern
city of Tripoli more than a year ago. The military tribunal, chaired by Brig.
Gen. Nizar Khalil, concluded its interrogations of Ghannam and Hilal on Friday.
It is scheduled to convene on Feb. 20 to debrief witness Omar Ghannam. Beirut,
25 Oct 08, 09:40
Suleiman Optimistic about Lebanon's Future
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman said that the situation is
getting better on the security and economic fronts. Suleiman stressed national
dialogue, which resumed Sept. 16, will continue, adding that he was optimistic
about the country's future. However, the March 14 alliance hinted at its
objection to broaden participation in the national dialogue. An-Nahar newspaper
on Sunday quoted well informed sources in the alliance as saying that "the Doha
agreement was crystal clear" regarding the number of participants in the
dialogue. "Whoever wants to violate the agreement should bear responsibility."
The sources said the accord stated that 14 parties should discuss only the
defense strategy in their meetings. They also told An-Nahar that the Doha
agreement prevents any party from withdrawing from the government or hindering
its work. The sources were referring to Deputy Prime Minister Issam Abou Jamra's
recent withdrawal from the cabinet session over demands to expand his powers.
The president also believed that reconciliations have made a great headway. In
this regard, local media quoted Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan as saying that
the "LF is not changing its stance and is ready for reconciliation." "The
Lebanese Forces would adhere to reconciliation efforts until (Marada Movement
leader Suleiman) Franjieh is convinced that this is the right choice that serves
the public interest." Beirut, 26 Oct 08, 10:19
85 Wanted Men Arrested in Crackdown in Bekaa
Naharnet/Police on Saturday arrested a man wanted on criminal
charges as part of a security crackdown in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley.
A statement issued by the Internal Security Forces said the detainee carried a
forged I.D. It said the number of arrests jumped to 85 since the crackdown in
the Bekaa began three days ago. Three truckloads of hashish also were
confiscated in raids carried out at farms in Baalbek. Beirut, 25 Oct 08, 20:08
Williams Reminds Lebanese of Major Challenges
Naharnet/U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams
has said Lebanon is making important steps towards a return to normalcy but
warned that many challenges remain. "We have recently seen Lebanon make
important strides towards a return to normalcy since the Doha Accord in May,
with the election of a president, the establishment of a national unity
government and the revival of state institutions," Williams said in a statement
on the occasion of U.N. day.
U.N. day marks the founding of the United Nations with the entry into force of
the organization's Charter on 24 October, 1945. The U.N. strongly supports
efforts towards reconciliation and the resumption of the national dialogue,
Williams said Friday. He warned, however, that the country is facing major
challenges.
"The country is heading towards parliamentary elections next year that have to
be organized and held in an atmosphere that will both build on your history but
which will also take place in conditions of peace and security," he said. "There
are security concerns and socio-economic challenges that are weighing on the
everyday lives of the Lebanese that have to be resolved," he added. He said U.N.
chief Ban Ki-moon has personally expressed his commitment to helping Lebanon
resolve all its salient issues and implement Security Council Resolutions,
including Resolution 1701. "The United Nations does not and cannot work alone.
We are here to serve Lebanon and our strong cooperation with the Lebanese
authorities remains the backbone of the organization's work," he said. "Our work
also depends on our partnerships that have been built with the segments of
Lebanon's civil society, which has played an important role in developing the
diverse and vibrant society that makes Lebanon special in its own way," he
added. Beirut, 25 Oct 08, 06:26
Bellemare to Break the Silence Soon
Naharnet/Exclusive information obtained by Naharnet revealed that
the final report by the U.N. commission investigating former Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri's assassination will be issued next November. The commission head
Daniel Bellemare will not wait till the end of the designated six months period
in December to present his report to U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
According to U.N. practices, the drafting and finalization exercise of reports
takes up to a three-week to one month period before it is issued. Therefore, one
can expect that the commission has not even started to draft its report during
the month of October and would only start this exercise by the first week of
November. Statements made by Bellemare in his last report and in briefings to
the Security Council reveal two major facts:
First, the report will not name any defendant, witness, or concerned individual
related to the investigation. As Bellemare stated in April 2008, when he
presented his first report to the Council, no names will be disclosed by the
commission throughout the duration of its mandate. Names would only be announced
when indictments will be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon when and if
sufficient evidence is established for issuing indictments.
Second, the report will not provide an all the details of the investigations
that will only be revealed in court.
Investigation Phases
1. The Fitzgerald Phase: a fact-finding period distinguished by collecting
information about the local investigation and exploring the political and
security situation, getting familiar with the circumstances surrounding the
crime and investigating them. It is also a phase that was not governed by
accurate legal safeguards and formalities, but rather was a surveillance mission
to put the U.N. and the Security Council in the picture, thus allowing them to
take the appropriate decision regarding dealing with the crime.
2. The Mehlis Phase: during which the rules of the investigating commission
prevailed but he was not forced, under the nature of his legal mandate and role,
to verify the summaries, conclusions and results with tangible and material
evidence, since at this point no decision to set up a special court on Lebanon
was yet taken.
3. The Brammertz Phase: A phase known with a clear assignment to the probe and a
set time frame for the task at hand that would be followed by a unambiguous path
for setting a Special Tribunal for Lebanon in line with a U.N. Security Council
agreement. This is what made Brammertz expand his investigation and go into a
lot of technical details without having to go back to square one or ignoring
data collected by his predecessor, Mehlis. Brammertz focused on gathering all
the possible evidence to back up the various scenarios.
4. The Bellemare Phase: This phase dealt with building legal foundations
designed to move the probe dossier to the international court and to collect
solid facts and evidence acceptable by the tribunal. The confidential nature of
the investication does not at all mean that it lost essential elements or that
Bellemare wished to keep data to himself and deprive the public of access to the
information.
Reasons for Bellemare's silence
It is known that Bellemare takes into account the dual nature of his role as the
head of the commission and the forthcoming general prosecutor of the
International Tribunal for Lebanon which imposes on him confidentiality
standards to preserve not only the integrity of his work as Commissioner and a
Prosecutor, but also the safety and security of people whose lives could be
threatened since criminals are still out there and might make use of any
information that comes out of the commission to intimidate, terrorize or kill
them.
Bellemare understands the sensitivity and influence of his role on the Lebanese
scene. The philosophy of the International Tribunal is based on helping Lebanon
put an end to the period of impunity, solve its problems and help the Lebanese
institutions in accordance with international norms. Therfore he is careful not
to take any steps that might negatively impact the credibility of the process of
seeking the truth, to help put an end to the "culture" of impunity and restore
faith in justice and the rule of law.
Bellemare is working in a responsible way on the basis of protecting his work
from any penetrations that could harm the proceedings of the international
tribunal at a later stage. His full silence is a part of this rule. However,
this silence is not "eternal." It has been known that Bellemare is studying with
his assistants ways to keep his word to the Lebanese public opinion and its
legitimate right to know and be informed of of the progress of his work in his
dual capacity as the investigator now and general prosecutor at a later stage.
Bellemare is keen to preserve the independence of the Commission in its work and
to prevent its inclusion in political debates to serve political agendas that
have nothing to do with the essence of the work of the Commission or its
objectives, which are essentially to be part of the solution in Lebanon and not
part of the problem -- a solution that could complete and consolidate what the
Lebanese are trying to achieve through dialogue, reconciliation and reforms by
promoting justice and ending impunity.
It is expected that the care and secrecy will continue even during the tribunal
proceedings, since available information indicates that some of the witnesses
who testified in the Hariri case will not have their identity exposed even after
the end of their testimony. Some of the court sessions will not be public.
Investigation sources affirm that a lot of statements by some Lebanese
politicians over the past few weeks does not in any way relate to reality. Such
politicians were never contacted or summoned by the commission as witnesses and
were never even considered as suspects. The Commission's database does not
include their names, a fact that will be proved in the future.
The source continued that using the media to spread fabricated news and
misinformation about the work of the Commission are useless and time will tell
soon. If Bellemare has chosen not to reply to any of the speculations published
in the press it is because throughout his long career in prosecution he used a
tribunal as a vehicle of communication and what he has to say will be heard by
all.
Beirut, 24 Oct 08, 13:36
Tehran confirms Ahmadinejad has fallen ill
Close associate to Iranian president tells state news agency he has become sick
due to heavy workload, but will 'get well soon and continue his job'
Associated Press Published: 10.26.08, 11:47 / Israel News
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has fallen ill due to his heavy workload,
a close associate told the Iranian state news agency late Saturday, as doubts
surface about whether he will run for another term.
Parliament member Mohammad Ismail Kowsari, an ally of the president, told IRNA
that Ahmadinejad is feeling under the weather because of the strain of his
position.
In Trouble?
Report: Ahmadinejad may not run for president again / Dudi Cohen
Following reports that Iranian leader's health is failing, local website quotes
Ahmadinejad associates as saying he may not take part in 2009 presidential
elections due to exhaustion
"The president will eventually get well and continue his job," said Kowsari, who
last September accompanied the president on his trip to the UN General Assembly.
"Every human being can face exhaustion under such a workload."
The Iranian president reportedly works a 20-hour day. Kowsari accused his
opponents of using Ahmadinejad's exhaustion as an excuse to spread rumors about
whether he will run for a second term in the June 2009 elections.
"Those who use such a natural issue for psychological warfare will fail" to gain
support in public opinion, he said.
In the past weeks, supporters of Ahmadinejad have been discussing potential
candidates for the next presidential election, implying that the sitting
president is not their automatic choice.
All previous Iranian presidents completed both their terms, except the first
one, Abolhasan Banisadr, who fled the country in 1981.
The months ahead are critical for Ahmadinejad to try to rebuild his political
base and rebut critics pointing to his unfulfilled campaign promises, including
extending the wealth of Iran's oil revenue to poorer provinces around the
country.
With over 10% unemployment and 30% inflation, Iran has been unable to bask in
record-high oil prices - which are just barely covering domestic subsidies.
Ahmadinejad is also confronting questions about his uncompromising stance with
the West over Iran's nuclear program, which has severely soured international
relations
U.S. Resupplies Lebanon Military to Stabilize Ally
Robert F. Worth reported from Beirut, and Eric Lipton from Washington
2008-10-26
The newyork times
BEIRUT, Lebanon — For years, the Lebanese military was ridiculed as the least
effective armed group in a country that was full of them. After the army
splintered during the 15-year civil war, its arsenal slowly rotted into a museum
of obsolete tanks and grounded aircraft.
Now that is starting to change. At the gates of a military base just north of
Beirut, groups of soldiers drive new American Humvees and trucks, and some tote
gleaming new American rifles and grenade launchers.
The weapons are the leading edge of a new American commitment to resupply the
military of this small but pivotal Middle Eastern country, which emerged three
years ago from decades of Syrian domination.
The new wave of aid, the first major American military assistance to Lebanon
since the 1980s, is meant to build an armed force that could help stabilize
Lebanon’s fractured state, fight a rising terrorist threat and provide a
legitimate alternative to the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. That
organization, which controls southern Lebanon, has refused to disarm, arguing
that it is the only force that can defend the country against Israel.
So far, none of the deliveries of heavier weapons have been large enough to
require a formal notification to Congress. Those deals are still in the early
stages, administration officials said.
Some officials within the Pentagon and State Department have expressed concern
about extensive military aid to a country so recently free of Syrian control and
in which Hezbollah, which has close Syrian and Iranian ties, has continued to
gain political power. And that has been a main concern for Israel, which has
been lobbying for a lower level of support to remove the possibility that
American tanks and helicopters might one day be used against it.
History also casts a shadow: the last major effort to assist the Lebanese Army,
in the 1980s, ended with American troops being caught up in a civil war.
These doubts, and the contrast with the robust American military aid to Israel,
have provoked some anger in Lebanon. A television comedy here this week depicted
American envoys handing out socks and toy airplanes to Lebanese generals.
Still, officials at the State Department and the Pentagon say they are convinced
that rebuilding Lebanon’s military is essential to peace efforts in the region.
Other nations are involved, including the United Arab Emirates, Germany,
Belgium, Britain and Canada. There have even been rival offers of assistance
from Russia, China and Iran. But so far the United States, which has long been
the Lebanese military’s main source of outside support for weapons and training,
says it will anchor the effort.
“United States policy is that Lebanon be sovereign and independent and the
Lebanon government and its institutions govern all of Lebanon’s territory and
disarm militias,” said Christopher C. Straub, deputy assistant secretary of
defense for the Middle East. “We recognize that is not going to happen
overnight, but that is our policy.”
The plan to rearm Lebanon was born in 2005, after the popular so-called Cedar
Revolution forced Syria to withdraw and seemed to vindicate the Bush
administration’s efforts to spread democracy throughout the region. In 2006, the
34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah bolstered the notion that Lebanon needed
a stronger military, to provide a national alternative to the Shiite group’s
militia.
The army was in terrible condition. After a brief injection of American aid
during the early 1980s, it split along sectarian and political lines. The Sixth
Brigade, composed of Shiites trained by the Americans, went over to the militias
and won a mocking new slogan: “We serve and defect.”
After the civil war, during the years of Syrian domination, the army’s stocks
deteriorated to the point that most soldiers fired no more than 30 rounds a
year.
“It was like a police force, but undertrained and underequipped,” said Elias
Hanna, a retired Lebanese general. “Even the Special Forces are very young and
inexperienced now, whereas Hezbollah has lots of experience.”
In fact, the army was deliberately kept weak by the country’s Syrian overseers,
who did not want a strong alternative force. That was part of what allowed
Hezbollah to grow into such a formidable power during the 1980s and 1990s, using
advanced weaponry provided by Iran and Syria.
Now, however, American officials say they have faith in the independence and
professionalism of the army, which has become thoroughly integrated to include
all of Lebanon’s many religious and ethnic factions, and has avoided interfering
in politics. American-driven audits have shown that almost nothing given to the
army has ended up in Hezbollah’s hands.
“They have demonstrated year after year after year that when we give them
equipment, they take responsibility for it,” said Mark T. Kimmitt, assistant
secretary of state for political and military affairs.
An important moment for the army came in the summer of 2007, when it fought and
won a three-month battle with Islamists in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee
camp in the northern city of Tripoli. That struggle, in which 168 soldiers and
an unknown number of militants were killed, vividly underscored the need to
re-equip the army. With no combat helicopters or precision weapons, the army had
to resort to dropping bombs by hand from its Vietnam-era Huey helicopters, a
hopelessly inaccurate method that resulted in the near-leveling of the camp.
Although the United States rushed them 40 loads of C-17 transport planes full of
ammunition and other gear, army commanders bitterly resented the failure to
provide them with more sophisticated arms.
“Nahr al-Bared lasted 105 days,” said one high-level Lebanese officer involved
in procurement issues, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “If we had had
attack helicopters, it would have been over in 15 days.”
Another stark illustration of Lebanon’s new military ambitions, and its gaping
needs, is visible right now on the country’s northern border with Syria. In
recent weeks, after a string of bombings in Tripoli that left 20 people dead —
most of them Lebanese soldiers — the military sent 8,000 soldiers to the border
to monitor smuggling routes across the northern mountains.
That effort alone was a measure of Lebanon’s new independence from Syria. But
the border control force was too small, and it lacked necessary equipment,
Lebanese military officials say.
“They have no U.A.V.’s, no night-vision equipment, none of the sensors they use
in other countries to tell if what you’re seeing is a threat or just an animal,”
the Lebanese procurement officer said, using the abbreviation for unmanned
aerial vehicles. “Let’s say you have 50 valleys in one area, and you have
soldiers posted on hilltops. They can watch during the day, but at night they
can do nothing.”
Lebanese commanders say they are anxious about the slow pace of American
military support so far. Of the $410 million that has been committed since 2006,
less than half has been delivered — mostly ammunition, communications equipment,
Humvees, trucks, rifles, automatic grenade launchers and other light weapons,
and spare parts, according to Lebanese and American military officials.
And it is heavier weapons that are most needed, Lebanese officials say. In
particular, they want an air defense system, which would allow them to argue
that they could completely replace Hezbollah as a warding force against Israel
in the south.
“It’s the ABC of any army to have the capacity to defend itself,” the Lebanese
procurement officer said. “During the 2006 war, Israeli aircraft were shooting
from 300 meters up.”
Mr. Straub, with the Pentagon, said the focus is still on identifying Lebanon’s
exact military requirements and then finding the weapons to suit them. That
means that although Lebanon has requested attack helicopters, for instance, it
is not yet a question of approving a specific deal.
“They have first got to define the requirement,” Mr. Straub said. “Everybody
wants to rush to the equipment. But we have got to define the requirement.”
Yet one State Department official said that conflicts in the administration are
holding up any major deal, as some at the Pentagon and State Department are more
eager to rebuild the Lebanon Armed Forces while others are reluctant to move too
quickly, given Israel’s concerns. “There are differing points of view,” the
State Department official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because
he was not authorized to discuss the matter.
The Lebanese also want precision antitank missiles and a rebuilt fleet of tanks
to replace their aging American and Soviet models. Specifically, they want
surplus Vietnam-era M60 tanks that would be rebuilt with American parts and
transferred to Lebanon from Jordan.
Even though that shopping list does not include the most advanced weaponry, it
has caused serious discomfort for Israel.
“We don’t want Lebanon to be run by Hezbollah,” said one Israeli official, who
spoke on the condition of anonymity because of continuing negotiations with the
United States. The fear, the official said, is that the weapons might fall into
the wrong hands.
For now, American officials say that they are committed to helping Lebanon get
the weapons it needs to defend itself, and the acknowledge that the delays have
caused anxiety in Lebanon.
“It is understandable, the frustration the Lebanese are expressing,” Mr. Kimmitt
of the State Department said.