Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Lebanese Army is now shot through with Hizballah, which is also fully a part of the government. So now that the Lebanese are actually shooting at Israelis across the border, it may be time to re-examine whatever aid we're giving. Remember when they called it The Good Fence? These are sad developments, since there are many good, modern people in Lebanon. But all it takes is one bad man (or one bad faction) with a gun to ruin everything: Congress may pull Lebanon military aid
Some members of Congress are threatening to reassess US aid to the Lebanese military following its border clash with Israel on Tuesday.
"To start shooting as they did - one person killed, one seriously injured - is a very serious move by the Lebanese army," said Florida Rep. Ron Klein, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in response to a question from The Jerusalem Post.
"It certainly is going to come up in our conversations in the Congress about the continued support of the Lebanese Army," he said.
Klein was speaking by phone from Israel, where he happened to be visiting when the incident, which also left two Lebanese soldiers and a journalist dead, took place.
He noted that the UN had confirmed that Israel was operating in its territory while cutting down a tree along the border, when the Lebanese army opened fire.
Klein indicated the degree to which higher-ups had been involved would affect Congress's view.
"If in fact it's factually shown that this was a Lebanese government authorized action, I think a lot of members would be very concerned about continuing to provide military support to Lebanon," he said. "I certainly would be."
Last year, the US approved $100 million in assistance to the Lebanese military, as well as $109m. in economic aid and $20m. in anti-narcotics funds. The Obama administration has requested the same levels for 2011, with small increases for anti-narcotics, anti-terror and military training programs...
Update: According to NOW Lebanon: Army source: Tuesday's fire orders came directly from army command
On Thursday evening, al-Manar television quoted an unnamed Lebanese army source involved in Wednesday night's meeting between UNIFIL and the Israel and Lebanese armies as saying that the order to open fire in Tuesday's border skirmish had "come directly from the [army] command."...
[h/t: Lee Smith]
