In mid-May, it looked as if the $90 million in military aid that the Pentagon wanted to supply the Lebanese Army would, as it has since 2007, once again be approved. The money has been supplied, over more than a decade, to help the LAF disarm Hezbollah. But a lot has happened in Lebanon that should cause the Pentagon to rethink that aid. Hezbollah has not only not been disarmed, but has grown inexorably in military might; it is now the most powerful military force in Lebanon. According to Ron Prosor, a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Hezbollah is “now more militarily powerful than most North Atlantic Treaty Organization members.”
Hezbollah is now “10 times as strong now as it was in 2006, and its military infrastructure permeates Lebanon.” It is much more powerful than the Lebanese Army. And not all the Shi’a soldiers in Lebanon join Hezbollah; others have joined the Lebanese army in sufficient numbers to make it an ally in fact, if not in name, rather than an enemy of, Hezbollah.
What this means is that American military aid that was first given on the assumption in the Pentagon that the Lebanese Army would use it to keep Hezbollah contained has nothing to show for it. The Lebanese army has received $1.7 billion in total aid from the American government since 2007, but has been unable either to disarm Hezbollah by so much as one rifle, or to get it to pull back from southern Lebanon, where it threatens Israel and hence, peace in the region.
The Israelis, for their part, are no longer being silent about the ineffectual Lebanese army and the power of Hezbollah. This May, at an Israeli conference which happened to follow the first Lebanese elections since 2009, Israel’s defense minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Hezbollah – the Iran-backed militia, political party and terror group – had effectively taken control of the state. He said that Hezbollah was now “in complete control not just of the Lebanese [government], but also its army.”
Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon has steadily grown over the past decade. The May 9 elections consolidated its power, because the main bloc that opposed Iranian and Syrian influence — and hence Hezbollah, which is linked to both — underperformed.
Sometimes military aid helps to build useful ties to formerly hostile countries; such has been the case with American military aid to Egypt. In the case of Lebanon, the record of military assistance is less clear. U.S. military leaders have praised the relationship in recent years, assuring Congress, for example, that U.S. equipment has not ended up in the hands of Hezbollah. That’s not much of an endorsement. In February, the head of U.S. Central Command, General Joseph Votel, publicly acknowledged for the first time that American special operations forces have worked alongside the LAF in fighting against Sunni jihadis in the Islamic State. That’s fine, but it still misses the point: there has still not been a word from the Pentagon about the LAF efforts at disarming Hezbollah.
Congress has not been as optimistic as the Pentagon. Congressmen such as Ted Cruz note that the LAF was, according to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, supposed to disarm the militias. In the case of Hezbollah, that has not happened; its arsenal has only grown larger, and it now controls both the Lebanese government and that very army, the LAF, that was supposed to control it. In the past 11 years, the LAF has not managed to disarm a single soldier of Hezbollah. It long ago stopped trying.
Fed up with this state of affairs, this May Republican Senator Ted Cruz attached an amendment to the Senate defense authorization bill; it requires both the Pentagon and the State Department to assess how well the LAF is meeting the terms of Resolution 1701. For Cruz, who reportedly had wanted to end all American aid to the LAF without requiring such a review, this represented a compromise.
For more than a decade the Lebanese Army has received nearly two billion dollars from the Americans; “free money with no accountability” is what Tony Badran, a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, has called it.
Any fair review by the Pentagon will show that the LAF has been completely unable to disarm Hezbollah. Not only that: Hezbollah is “now ten times” more powerful than it was in 2006, stronger than some NATO armies.
So it is now up to the Pentagon. Will it continue to behave as the public-relations agent of the LAF, pretending the Lebanese army has been effective in curbing Hezbollah, and therefore deserving of continued American aid, or will it admit that the LAF has failed to disarm a single Hezbollah soldier in more than ten years? Perhaps if Congress, tired of the excuses being made for the LAF, will at long last decide not to waste more American money on the Lebanese Armed Forces, but instead will redirect it to the only Western military that has shown itself both willing and able to take on Hezbollah — the Israel Defense Forces.
mortimer says
HEZBOLLAH (the Official Political Party of Allah)… for that reason, they are admirers of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.
Allah loves the Nazis too.
FYI says
hezbollah is shi’te and also ….shite.
The party of ollah:allah’s shite party.
It would have to be shite if it is a party of allah.
No alcohol,no bacon sandwiches,no musical instruments,no “song of a songstress”,
“No jokes,no humor,no fun”:what a shite party is any kind of islamic party in any sense of the word party!
And listen,we can’t be giving out about allah:he’ll pretend to be God,violently attack us,pull our hair,molest our pets,spit in our cornflakes,then murder some innocent bystanders..
And then get the media to blame the Jews for it.
gravenimage says
Hugh Fitzgerald: American Aid to the Lebanese Army Won’t Help Cut Hezbollah Down to Size
……………………..
Since the Lebanese army and even the Lebanese government at this point essentially *is* Hezbollah, this should not surprise.
There was a time when Lebanon was largely a civilized country, but that time has long since passed.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
We have watched, within our time, a majority Christian country be violently transformed into a Mohammadan country. Which country is next?
Bernard L Hudson says
I’m thinking Sweden.
gravenimage says
We’ve also seen this happen in the Balkans.
christianblood says
Hezbollah is a Shiite resistance militia protecting its own people from the evil allies
of the US, Saudi Arabia, ISIS and Al-Qaeda! It is because of Hezbollah that millions of Christians and other minorities in Syria are safe today from the hands of the US, Saudi and Israeli-backed head-chopping jihadists! Hezbollah protects Christians in Syria and Lebanon from the US and Saudi-backed jihadists and thank God for that!
Watch the telling photos below and see Hezbollah just doing that and I challenge you to show me a similar picture of US and its allies protecting Christians in Syria from the ISIS or Al-Qaeda jihadists!
https://thesaker.is/a-very-telling-picture-of-a-hezbollah-fighter/
gravenimage says
Christianblood has said many times before that Hizb’allah having crushed Christian rule in Lebanon is fine, because they are “bravely” waging violent Jihad on Israel. Just appalling.
christianblood says
gravenimage
Stop the nonsense! Show me a picture of the US and its allies protecting Christians like Hezbollah does or quit your cheap meaningless propaganda!
gravenimage says
The US was the main force behind wiping out ISIS’s territory.
christianblood says
gravenimage
US created, funded, armed and supported ISIS, Al-Qaeda, White Helmets, Free Syrian Army, KLA, Ahraral-sham, Alnusra and many,, many other jihadist groups in the ME and beyond! Read the words of the ex US congressman below:
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201806191065543946-us-congressman-syria-daesh/
gravenimage says
What tripe–no, the United States did not create ISIS.
In fact, the US is the main reason ISIS no longer has a Caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
christianblood says
gravenimage posted
(..In fact, the US is the main reason ISIS no longer has a Caliphate in Iraq and Syria..)
That is a cover story for kids in the US!
gravenimage says
“Trump, Mattis turn military loose on ISIS, leaving terror caliphate in tatters”
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/12/08/trump-mattis-turn-military-loose-on-isis-leaving-terror-caliphate-in-tatters.html
Of course, ISIS is still a threat, but–despite what Christianblood thinks–their not having a territorial base in which they can keep sex slaves, impose savage Shati’ah law, and commit genocide is a *good* thing.
JeffS says
So says the mouthpiece of the Russian government, Putin’s Butt.
Ernie says
” Christianblood ” certainly is a CLOWN , JeffS . He even accuses others of spewing propaganda ! What a CHUTZPAH !
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
“Hezbollah is a Shiite resistance militia protecting its own people from the evil allies …”
Utter nonsense. They are Mohammadans and they view the Christians as dhimmi or dead. Their protection, if that’s what you call it, is conditional and payed for.
If JW readers have not listened to Brigitte Gabriel tell her story as a young girl in Lebanon, then you should. Go to youtube and plug in her name into the search bar. There are several videos of her giving a public talk. Usually she prefaces that talk with a recounting of her harrowing experience at the hands of Mohammadan Lebanese militias.
christianblood says
Flavius Claudius Iulianus
Hezbollah protects Christians from the US, Israeli and Saudi-backed jihadists. USA arms, funds, supports and trains islamic jihadists that are killing Christians, therefore USA and its allies are the enemy of Christians.
THAT IS A FACT! See this photo below and I dare you to show me a similar photo of the US army protecting Christians in Syria or Iraq or please shut up! The blood of millions of Christians in the ME is on the US hands! I have the facts, you have propaganda!
https://thesaker.is/a-very-telling-picture-of-a-hezbollah-fighter/
christianblood says
Flavius Claudius Iulianus
https://www.thenation.com/article/americas-gulf-allies-are-making-the-world-a-more-dangerous-place/
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
Sure American money and resources are used to kill in the middle east. But so are Iranian funds used to back Hezbollah. The best way to keep from having blood on your hands is not to back any of them. As Robert Spencer once said, “there are no good guys in this.” I say, don’t dance with the devil.
It was the Israelis that saved Brigitte Gabriel not Hezbollah. I take her word for it.
As far as I’m concerned Lebanon is a write-off. It made the mistake of being “secular” in regards to Mohammadans. Lebanon should have known that Mohammadans ALWAYS turn a country once they enter unopposed.
christianblood says
Flavius Claudius Iulianus
Please let us deal with factual evidence, not with baseless, crazy US propaganda! Listen: According to the (thereligionofpeace.com) 33682 deadly islamic terrorist attacks have been carried out since 9/11. Show me a single one of them perpetrated or carried out by Iranians or Hezbollah???
PS: If you can’t (and I know you can’t but such things don’t exist) please refrain from delving into things you don’t understand!
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
I just gave an anecdotal example: Brigitte Gabriel’s story. And Iran *admitted* to giving assistance to the 9/11 terrorists.
And I don’t appreciate being told that I don’t understand. I understand. I understand that an affluent, secular country with a predominantly Christian population was violently transformed into an intolerant and violent Mohammadan hellhole. And it’s mostly Shia handiwork.
Hezbollah might be doing this and that in the country they now own but they are still Mohammadans. And most JW readers understand the Mohammadan playbook.
It could be that they are behaving benevolently towards the kufar to win support from all the minorities that populate that region so as to strengthen their hand. No one, absolutely no one can know for sure. But one thing is for sure, THEIR ENDGAME IS IN NO WAY BENEVOLENT! For sure, they are out to destroy Israel. Despite all of Israel’s little machinations and maneuvers in the region, I in no way support its destruction. In fact, I believe a safe, strong and prosperous Israel is good for the region.
In the end we will have to agree to disagree but please, don’t tell me I can’t discuss it.
christianblood says
Flavius Claudius Iulianu
Iran helped 9/11 attackers is a very cheap propaganda hearsay
spread by the US and its allies in the region and you are working as their mouthpiece!
Listen: 19 of 9/11 attackers were all Arab and Wahhabi Sunnis and 15 of them were Saudis nationals and the whole operation got a covert Saudi government and Saudi religious establishment backing and support as the 9/11 commission has pointed out in their findings, some of which the US government still refuses to release to the public and you still accuse Iran which is fighting the same Wahhabi jihadist groups supported by the US and Saudis in all over the middle east?
Please understand this: when I say prove me a terrorist attack that was perpetrated by Iran or Hezbollah I mean show me a real terrorist attack like a suicide bombing in a mosque, a cinema, a bar, a church or a school like the one that killed 48 Shiite students in Afghanistan yesterday! Show me Iranians and Hezbollah members beheading Westerners or Christians or Sunnis on video while screaming allahu akbar! Show me Iranian or Hezbollah terrorists gunning down people in night clubs or bombing trains, or attacking news paper offices and killing journalists or using vehicles and killing hundreds of civilians as happen in Europe for the past two years or flying planes into buildings! That is what I mean a terrorist attack which is a daily occurrence around the globe! So go, show me a single one of these proven, verifiable terror attacks perpetrated by Iran or Hezbollah or please SHUT UP and stop spreading some baseless US government propaganda!
PS: Please understand also that the US government is the biggest terrorist state of them all! US has bombed and invaded and killed more civilians, millions of them than any other nation since 1945. Click on the link below to see the simple graphics of it:
https://wikispooks.com/wiki/US/Bombing_campaigns_since_1945
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
I won’t shut up. In fact, your virulent support of them makes me want to condemn them even more. A beautiful country with a great future is ruined by the Shia and you want proof in the form of detailed and documented minutia. Wow, that’s over the top.
christianblood says
Flavius Claudius Iulianus
Lebanon muslim population exploded not due to jihad attacks but due to demographic ratio between Christians and the muslims, mainly the Sunnis who live in cities and because of the Lebanese Christian immigration and law birthrate!
This the choice that everyone should make:
Anyone who wants Christians and other minorities in Lebanon to be safe from Saudi Arabia, US and their Wahhabi jihadist proxies should be happy about Hezbollah strong presence in Lebanon.
Anyone who wishes Christians and other minorities like the Shiites Druzes and others be massacred and that Lebanon be over run by ISIS, Saudi Arabia, Al-Qaeda and their US allies then they should hope that Hezbollah is defeated there and Hezbollah’s presence disappears from Lebanon! Pick a side! Choose one because there is NO middle ground. You must pick a side!
gravenimage says
The idea that Lebanese Christians were safer once more Muslims flooded in and started a civil war is just absurd.
gravenimage says
True, Flavius. Christianblood has now become an apologist not just for Russia, but far more troublingly for Iran and Hizb’allah, supporting Jihad and Shari’ah.
christianblood says
gravenimage
I am NO apologist for Russia, Iran or Hezbollah. I am an apologist for the objective, verifiable TRUTH!
i AM FOR THE TRUTH!
gravenimage says
Well, this is just silly. Christianblood is lauding the horrifying Jihad group Hizb’allah right in this thread.
When pointed out how often Hizb’allah regularly launches violent Jihad terror attacks against Israel, he has ridiculously claimed that it is actually Israel that is waging Jihad.
christianblood says
gravenimage
Again Graven, please understand the truth!
Hezbollah is an indigenous Shiite resistance militia formed to resist
Israeli, US, Saudi and Sunni jihadist groups from invading Lebanon and subjugating Lebanon, especially murdering Lebanese Shiites.
Hezbollah and Israel are in a state of war and they some times exchange fire and people die on both sides and you can’t call that terrorism! Hezbollah prevents Lebanon from falling into the hands of the US, Israeli, Saudi, Al-Qaeda and ISIS allies! Without the presence of Hezbollah in Lebanon both Shiites in Lebanon and their Christian allies would have massacred by the US and its jihadist, Saudi and Israeli allies!
gravenimage says
More sickening apologia for the Jihad against the Jews.
Here’s Hizb’allah’s stance on Israel–its 1985 manifesto states “our struggle will end only when this entity [Israel] is obliterated. We recognize no treaty with it, no ceasefire, and no peace agreements.”
Secretary-General Nasrallah has stated, “Israel is an illegal usurper entity, which is based on falsehood, massacres, and illusions,” and “There is no solution to the conflict in this region except with the disappearance of Israel.”
The destruction of Israel is Hizb’allah’s core goal.
And their animus is not just against Israel, but against the Jews in general:
In a 1998 speech marking the Day of Ashura, and published in Hassan Nasrallah’s official website at that time, Nasrallah referred to Israel as “the state of the grandsons of apes and pigs – the Zionist Jews” and condemned them as “the murderers of the prophets.”
That is orthodox Islam.
Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Lebanese writer and political analyst, quotes Hassan Nasrallah as saying, “If we searched the entire world for a person more cowardly, despicable, weak and feeble in psyche, mind, ideology and religion, we would not find anyone like the Jew. Notice, I do not say the Israeli.”
TrueChristian says
Talk about a troll. Dang, let someone use Christian in their name and they think people aren’t going to figure out they are in no way a Christian.
I bet christianblood is a mooslim from lebanon. There is no way what so ever that christianblood is a Christian.
For one, christianblood has no right what so ever to tell ANYONE to shut up. If they don’t like how we feel and express ourselves then they can go somewhere else. You don’t have to nor should you have to give any reason to the troll about what you or anyone else believes. Only a follower of the fake prophet muhammad would be so adamant about defending it. Thank you for your posts and please everyone just ignore the troll.
ibrahim itace muhammed says
Fitzgerald, all such aids are tied with conditions to serve Sinister agenda of the evil United States. Hezbullah is not a terrorist group, it is a resistance movement to protect Lebanese territory from expansionist incursion by fascist evil Zionist State of Israel into ít. The last Hezbullah fought Fascist evil zionists was to eject the evil state from Lebanese territory and it succeeded. was that what you call terrorism against fascist evil Zionist State? is Lebanon part of fascist evil state of Israel for it to continue occupying Lebanese territory? Under what basis?
so, all Lebanese ,whether Christians or Muslims are proud of Hezbullah. As such, evil United States can stop such poisonous aid to Lebanon and it can survive and develop.
gravenimage says
ibrahim itace muhammed wrote:
Fitzgerald, all such aids are tied with conditions to serve Sinister agenda of the evil United States.
…………………….
By “sinister” Ibrahim itace muhammed means any resistance to Jihad. He has already said that Infidels have no right to defend against Jihad, and should just let Muslims rape and murder us.
More:
Hezbullah is not a terrorist group, it is a resistance movement to protect Lebanese territory from expansionist incursion by fascist evil Zionist State of Israel into ít. The last Hezbullah fought Fascist evil zionists was to eject the evil state from Lebanese territory and it succeeded. was that what you call terrorism against fascist evil Zionist State? is Lebanon part of fascist evil state of Israel for it to continue occupying Lebanese territory? Under what basis?
…………………….
What tripe. Israel just wants Jihadists to stop using Lebanon to attack Israelis. They have no interest in Lebanese territory. And when Lebanon was majority-Christian they were not a threat.
Ibrahim itrace muhammed approves of Hizb’allah working to destroy Israel and slaughter the Jews. He has said that he looks forward to personally taking part in the genocide of the Jews.
He does not consider Jihad terror to be terrorism.
More:
so, all Lebanese ,whether Christians or Muslims are proud of Hezbullah. As such, evil United States can stop such poisonous aid to Lebanon and it can survive and develop.
…………………….
The idea that Christians–whom Ibrahim itace muhammed refers to as “filthy mithraist christians” who can be raped and killed–are cheering on Hizb’allah having destroyed their own civilized country is bizarre. As for Lebanon developing, it used to be known as the Paris of he Levant–no more, not since Muslims invaded there in large numbers in the early 1970s. The only development going on in Lebanon now is as a Jihad state.
ibrahim itace muhammed says
Liar Gravenimage, you mean your one-eyed Satan god you call Holy Spirit in yahweh and his wife Ashera hero gods also donated Lebanese territory to your masters the fascist evil zionists and as such shall not be resisted? Hezbullah did resisted the Invasion of Lebanon and will continue resisting and there is nothing your evil United States can do. wicked scums of evils!!
gravenimage says
Ibrahim itace muhammed wrote:
Liar Gravenimage, you mean your one-eyed Satan god you call Holy Spirit in yahweh and his wife Ashera hero gods also donated Lebanese territory to your masters the fascist evil zionists and as such shall not be resisted?
………………………………
Notice that Ibrahim itace muhammed–as always–is unable to cite anything I have supposedly gotten wrong. Since he as a pious Muslim is incapable of rational thought, this should not surprise.
And no–the Israelis did not invade Lebanon–they are just trying to stop Hizb’allah and other Jihadists from using Lebanon as a platform from which to attack Israel.
Never mind his ludicrous claims that Jews worship an ancient near eastern fertility goddess, nor that if Gentile Infidels object to Muslims slaughtering Jews that this means we have been enslaved by them.
Note that pious Muslims are incapable of believing that people can live freely and according to their own conscience. They believe that if Infidels are not being enslaved by Muslims, that civilized Jews must somehow be enslaving them, instead.
More:
Hezbullah did resisted the Invasion of Lebanon and will continue resisting and there is nothing your evil United States can do. wicked scums of evils!!
………………………………
Of course, Ibrahim itace muhammed has said many times before that Infidels have no right to resist violent Jihad, and should just allow Muslims to rape and murder them. *Ugh*.
gravenimage says
Ibrahim itace muhammed has also said that it is the “one-eyed Satan god” that leads people to oppose child marriage, rape, slavery and sex slavery, mass slaughter, and genocide.
Buraq says
@ Ibrahim itace Mohamed
Hi habibi! Still talking through your butt! In 1982, Hezbollah was a minor, murderous franchisee of Shia Islam. Iran paid the bills – a few hundred million dollars. But now, this terrorist group has grown to be a State within a State, a monster swallowing 1 billion dollars a year of Iranian largesse!
In brief; no Iran, no Hezbollah! And so it’s no surprise that Hezbollah’s aims mirror the aims of its Iranian mafia bosses in Tehran – wipe out Israel and murder every Jew you can find.
You’re a clown! And a liar!
James Lincoln says
Ibrahim,
You used the word “evil” seven times. Projection ???
Report to the nearest ER and get some help. Perhaps a shot of Haldol 50mg IM to start.
gravenimage says
Projection indeed, James.
b.a. freeman says
ibrahim, good to see U here again; U’re always good for a laugh, although U’re getting a run for your money from this “christianblood” dude of late (i’m thinking that he wants to *see* christian blood, and lots of it). and of course, U’re on about the usual, where up is down, down is up, and evil is good.
i guess that killing women and babies is now a good thing. that makes sense, since profit muhammed said to kill the kuffar, and if any muslim gets tired of the killing and tries to leave the cult, he should be killed, too. of course, it’s fascist to resist murderers, which definitely makes israelis fascists; thanks for reminding us.
and i don’t think U’ll find any maronite christians who will *willingly* say that hizb’ullah is a good thing. if i hold a gun to your head and tell U that i will kill U if U don’t say what i want, and also kill 10 other people before i single U out, i rather think that U might be convinced to say what i want (or not – U might be hot for those eternal virgins. when *don’t* muslims think about raping women?). were U to do that to me, i almost certainly would say what U wanted. in the same fashion, the hideous attacks by pious muslims on non-muslim minorities all around the middle east – especially those the maronites have almost certainly suffered, unknown to and unreported by the liars in the western “press” – no doubt would make any christian U brought before the world say whatever U wanted them to say, because they want to live. yes, they would say that hizb’ullah has “protected” them – but not willingly.
but keep ’em coming, ibrahim. U’re kind of like a comic book bad guy who hasn’t figured out that the writer won’t ever let him win; nobody here is falling for your line!
gravenimage says
+1
Guy Forester says
A few points:
1. Follow the money. Perhaps the bank accounts, living conditions, and lifestyles of the Pentagon officials that keep going for this incomprehensible waste should be carefully scrutinized.
2. Lebanon, was once hailed as an example of how coexistence and compromise could lead to a successful merging of Christians and Muslims into a peaceful and successful nation. Can someone please explain to me how well this has worked?
3. Since Lebanon is such a glowing example of how US military support can turn potential or previous adversaries into dependable allies, we should also continue to support such aid to Egypt. Let us carefully examine how well multiculturalism works in Egypt, especially regarding the Coptic Egyptians, who were there for hundreds of years before the Muslim Arabs. I believe that we can gauge the reliability of our “allies” by how they treat the minority residents of their country. Does anyone reading this post want to be a Christian, Jew, Hindu, or Buddhist in either Lebanon or Egypt.?
4. Someone please explain to me why Egypt needed 2 mistral class aircraft carriers. Is Egypt expecting an invasion by anyone?
seabird says
That’s it, get that arm up about 45 degrees, palm upward slightly and tighten that shahid rag across your forehead.
“When Hitler returns it won’t be in lederhosen with a poom-pah-pah band-he’ll be wearing a headscarf”
-M Savage
Remember when Beirut was known as the “Paris of the ME” and Persians for their grasciousness and progressive styles?
I didn’t think so.
brenrod says
no one should be surprised if Israel turns lebanon/hezbullah into cinders next time around. They have been given too many mercies and its time they paid the proper price.