US to fund Lebanese army

Agence France-Presse via The Australian ^ | July 29, 2006

[HAL9000]

The United States will allocate $US10 million ($13 million) dollars for the Lebanese army so that it can move into the border zone near Israel currently controlled by the Hezbollah militia, the State Department said overnight.

The aid is meant to help Lebanon modernise its force by purchasing spare parts for armoured personnel carriers and other vehicles needed to patrol the zone, as well communications equipment, Tom Casey, a State Department spokesman said.

Congress must still approve the assistance, which is aimed at helping Lebanon work with an international force for the zone backed Friday in Washington by US President George W. Bush and visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

[VOA]

This is gonna' be interesting...

[aft_lizard]

I would like to see us give even more funds to them in the future if it helps them to stabilize and kick Hexbollah and any other terrorists out.

[antiRepublicrat]

IOW,

"Hey guys, if you harbor terrorists for a decade we'll give you some cash if they ever get out of hand and cause you to get bombed by someone besides us."

[beltfed308]

Good grief! Is the State Department that dense that they do not even understand that they are basically allies to the hezzies?

[tillacum]

This is Baloney, let them go to their islamic friends for the money. We're not in this mess. This is Horsemanure!

[street_lawyer]

Let's fund Israel. That way the guns etc. won't somehow end up in the hands of terrorists.

[capt. norm]

That would be cool if they could pull a squeeze play on Hezbollah, with Lebanese Army to the north and IDF to the south.

[Fitzcarraldo]

It's a start.

[GSlob]

"...if it helps them to stabilize and kick Hexbollah and any other terrorists out."
For that one needs to organize population/territorial exchange - to transfer, say, Lebanese Christians into the south Lebanon, and to transfer Lebanese shia community out of there.

[CommieCutter]

Hopefully Congress says no.

[bcsco]

"Good grief! Is the State Department that dense that they do not even understand that they are basically allies to the hezzies?"

I have my doubts about this also, But then I have to weigh my doubts against my support of the Iraq conflict and its aftermath. This is no different than what we've done in building up the Iraqi army to defend their nation. Except that (from what I read hear) we wouldn't be involved with boots on the ground (I hope not; think Beirut embassy bombing).

The other options are 1) A multi-nation force, which would be a sitting duck as we were years ago, or 2) Destroy Hezbollah. I'm all for #2 myself, but I sincerely doubt there would be an international consensus on that. And, being part of the international community, that's what we have to (ostensibly) project.

[Dog Gone]

"Hey guys, if you harbor terrorists for a decade we'll give you some cash if they ever get out of hand and cause you to get bombed by someone besides us."

Look, Lebanon was dominated by Syria, with Syrian troops protecting Hezbullah for the last decade.

They recently shook them off, and the democracy there has a real chance to blossom, but their armed forces are pathetic.

You're essentially blaming them for being the victim.

[jamese777]

The political wing of Hezbollah holds elected and appointed positions within the government of Lebanon. Since the money from the United States is going to Lebanon's government, we will be in effect funding Hezbollah's political wing.
Hezbollah's social services wing provides most of the humanitarian assistance in southern Lebanon. When we give humanitarian aid to south Lebanon, we are in effect benefitting Hezbollah even if the money doesn't go directly to Hezbollah's social services programs. The aid that we give supplants the aid that they give so that their aid can be used elsewhere.

[aft_lizard]

They could do a Homesteaders Act for Lebanese Christians living abroad who want to come home, and so it doesnt look preferential they can throw in the Druze and Sunnis.

[griswold3]

I say we arm the Lebonese Christians.

[RolandBurnam]

Totally agree. Our gov't is effing retarded. I still believe in republican ideas... unfortunately, no republican politician really believes, or carries them out.

[kerryusama04]

'Bout damned time. Step 2 is for Israel, US, UK, Australia, etc. To offer to rebuild the place if Lebanon actually uses its military and helps us kill these bastards. Money is cheap compared to liberty.

[SE Mom]

Uuuhhhmmm..why does this seem like a less than strategically SMART move?

[ichabod1]

petty cash. Bush can write'em a check out of his discretionary fund.