Following the decision of US Rep. Howard Berman (D – CA) to freeze all military aid to Lebanon citing its “provocations against Israel,” Lebanese President Michel Suleiman today petitioned the Iranian government to be their replacement partner.
Suleiman requested that they help develop a modernization plan for the Lebanese Army, while considering he limited budget of the Lebanese government. The US had previously promised to help the modernization of Lebanon’s military.
But now the US is trying to tie this modernization to demands that the Lebanese military promise not to oppose any future Israeli invasions of Southern Lebanon. Since Israel is constantly threatening to invade and Lebanon has no conceivable other military opponents this seemed to defeat to purpose of the modernization, however, from the Lebanese government’s perspective.
Lebanon’s military came out of the 2006 Israeli invasion looking comparatively pointless, as they largely remained on base as Israeli warplanes carpet bombed parts of Beirut and seized large portions of the south.
Though one can see the value to the US and now Iran in strengthening their influence in Lebanon, the whole modernization effort seems to give little to Lebanon itself, as the best case scenario is to turn it into an ultra-militarized foil for Israel, and in all likelihood it just makes them a bigger target.
Is this some sort of a set up? Smells like so much rotten fish.
What choice do nations have? We've seen again and again that appeasing the Hegemon and the Mini Hegemon is not a viable option.
E.G.'s Please…
It is Berman working for the Israelis — NOT U.S. citizens.
Lebanon is ALWAYS the victim.. It has been that way since at least the 70's when I was there and began paying notice of their plight.. Weak and defenseless, it is open season on Lebanon for the stronger.. Lebanon never seems to be included in any treaty and when Israel attacked Lebanon in 2006 the army hid in the barracks… Don't blame them though, Israel had total air dominance. What were they [anyone] to do as Israel bombed their men, women and children and destroyed their country with their American made weapons. Lebanon has no deterrence against the murderous neighbor who can kill her citizens and wreck the infrastructure at will. Worse still, Israel sees wrecking havoc on Lebanon as establishing their own deterrence against her real and potential adversaries.. As things currently stand, only a well stockpiled nuclear adversary could moderate the behavior of Israel. Why does Israel conduct behavior that makes her neighbors covet a nuclear deterrent to her deadly and costly temper tantrums? Lebanon has no stomach for the fight and will continue to be Israel's hapless victim until some modicum of balance returns. http://www.yalibnan.com/2010/08/21/analysis-u-s-w…
Lebanon asks for aid from Iran…that is natural. The US Knesset cut Lebanon off and leaving it as a sitting duck for Israel.
Is it anti-semitic to defend ones self from attack by Israel?
The middle east need someone to stand up militarily to the American proxy Israel. if allowed and not attacked by Israel then Iran can be that worthy adversary. I applaud anything that curtails Israel a racist xenophobic antisemetic state. The palistinians are after all the original semetic indiginous population of palestine.
See, birds of the same feather flock together.
Charles
Berman is a Likud Party member
the zionists still want the Litani River, it wouldn't do to have Lebanon able to thwart the theft.
I always wondered why the Arabs do not give Lebanese army weapons, or help in this process. Now I figured it out. It's because they are sheep. All of them. If Lebanon has to go to Iran for weps, then why be a member in the arab league. And as for the United States, they are not a friend of lebanon. Only spies.