Lebanese army no match for Israel, experts say

San Jose Mercury ^ | Fri, Jul. 21, 2006 | Drew Brown

[MinorityRepublican]

WASHINGTON - If Israel launches a massive offensive into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah guerrillas, Lebanon's small army, if it decides to fight, will be overpowered, analysts say.

While Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr has virtually ruled out joining forces with the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, he has stated that his army would resist an Israeli invasion and defend Lebanese soil.

"The Lebanese armed forces would get routed, and there's no chance that the Lebanese army would take control of southern Lebanon," said Steven Cook, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. "They're too weak. That's why they've never taken on Hezbollah. They've never had the firepower to take on Hezbollah."

Formed at the end of World War II, the Lebanese army split along sectarian lines at the outset of the country's civil war in 1975 and was only reunited in 1990 from the various factions that had previously fought one another.

According to "Middle East Military Balance," an annual publication from the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies in Tel Aviv, Israel, the Lebanese army has about 60,000 men. The country also has a small air force and an even smaller navy.

The army is split along five regional commands, with 11 mechanized infantry brigades, plus artillery, special forces, commando, logistics and medical units. It has about 350 tanks and 1,100 armored personnel carriers, most dating from Soviet-era and the Vietnam war. Its artillery consists of around 175 towed guns and howitzers ranging from 105 mm to 155 mm.

Those weapons would prove no match against modern Israeli tanks, artillery and other weapons, many of which are supplied by the United States and all of which are virtually state of the art.

[Salem]

---

Zec 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.





If you'd like to be on or off this
Christian Supporters of Israel ping list,
please FR mail me ~
High Volume During IDF offensive operations!
    
MikeFromFR ~
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45)
Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~
Warnings ~

"The West has given more significance to the myth of the genocide of the Jews, even more significant than God, religion, and the prophets...."—Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Holocaust Chronicle ~



" ... It's time we recognized the nature of the conflict. It's total war and we are all involved. Nobody on our side is exempted because of age, gender, or handicap. The Islamofacists have stolen childhood from the world."—FReeper Retief
"Palestine is the wrong name for their State. It should be called Anarchy."—FReeper sgtbono2002
"Then let's wait and see what the Arabs do after they take Gaza. There's nothing like Arab reality to break up a Jewish fantasy."—FReeper Noachian
A student told his professor he was going to "Palestine" to "fight for freedom, peace and justice,"—Orwellian leftist code words that mean "murder Jews."
The Nature Of Bruce ~

[Prost1]

There is no Lebanese Army.

There is no Lebanon.

There is a province to the north of Israel controlled by different tribal and religious groups.

Mafia A, Mafia B, Mafia C.

It does not matter the label. There is no Lebanese government, nor police force, nor military.

Get over it!

[Secret Agent Man]

I would be crapping my pants if I was in the Lebanese army right about now....

[oolatec]

many of which are supplied by the United States

-----

They never fail to sneak that in there in an efford to enrage the Muslim/anti-semitic masses, do they?

[Prost1]

P.S.

"Get over it!"

Not you personally, the writer and the libs and the UN sycophants.

They all need to "Get over it!"

[KantianBurke]

[MinuteGal]

I saw this natty, well-fed, Lebanese mucky-muck on TV this afternoon. He stated that the Lebanese army will hook up with the Hezzies and will "fight to the last man".

After dooming his pitiful little army to certain death, he undoubtedly returned to his favorite local outdoor cafe for strong coffee and a game or two of dominoes.

Leni

[HitmanLV]

Seems to me the smart money would be for Lebanese forces, whatever that may be, should temporarily ally with Israel and squash the bad guys from both sides.

[Prost1]

See message #6. I'm on a roll in making mistakes.

[BipolarBob]

You forgot the leisurely puff on the hookah.

[MinuteGal]

You're absolutely right.....I DID forget that, LOL.

Leni

[Anti-Bubba182]

That is hard but fair. Lebanon is a PR game, not a country, The Hezzies own it.

[Prost1]

"The Hezzies own it."

And the Israelis are seeking to change the Real Estate Broker.

[xJones]

I would be crapping my pants if I was in the Lebanese army right about now....

I'd be running like hell to the nearest border or ocean. The Lebanese Army is said to have 60,000 men, but that estimate was made before the Lebanese Defense Minister said that their army would fight the IDF. It would be interesting to know how many available soldiers he has right now.

[Walkingfeather]

If I were Israel I would drop leaflets that say to the lebanese:
" This is your chance, we do not want to harm you, turn your guns on hezbolla and live, otherwise your children will be orphans" The choice is yours.

Give them 24 hours then roll.

[rfreedom4u]

Lebanon's small army, if it decides to fight, will be overpowered,

That's an understatement!

[Anti-Bubba182]

The best thing would be for the "Lebanese Army" to get into it officially so that Israel is at war with a country and can fully do what it needs to do.

I doubt if they are that stupid, because as it is the Hezzies can fade into the background when it suits them and they will.

[ApplegateRanch]

Only an Arab or a Muzzie could understand the Lebonese's logic of this suicide attempt.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

The officer corps used to be Maronites. They were replaced primarily by Shiites during Syrian control. There is a sizable number of Shiites in the Army. I don't think they'll join up with Hezbollah, but I simply cannot imagine that they would not put up at least a token resistance to an Israeli ground invasion, if only to save face.