US support was clear when it placed sanctions on the Free Patriotic Movement’s Gebran Bassil.īoth Bassil and Joseph Aoun have presidential ambitions, and as Michel Aoun’s tenure comes to a close next year the competition between them will intensify. He will have taken comfort in the warm welcome he received during his visits to Washington. Army commander Joseph Aoun has been the target of numerous media and political attacks from Hezbollah and its allies. In recent months, the position taken by the LAF, and the strategic functions it provides to the country has shifted somewhat.
These include the military court and the army intelligence unit.ĭespite this the LAF has managed to maintain a level of independence, in part because of US collaboration. Unfortunately, many LAF personnel have collaborated with Hezbollah over the years, along with several of its institutions, and some are guilty of violating human rights, and clamping down on freedom of speech. Given the political and economic woes in Lebanon this is hardly surprising. It’s acknowledged that the institution is not ideal, and never will be. The LAF track record of covering its remit hasn’t always been the best. These can vary from choosing security appointments to the advice offered to provide adequate protection of protestors during the 2019 protests.Īrmy Commander General Joseph Aoun attends the official funeral ceremony for the Lebanese soldiers who were killed in ISIS captivity. This assistance also provides the US with a degree of leverage over critical decisions the country must make.
This happened during the Lebanese civil war.īroadly the financial and training assistance has helped the LAF counter a number of insurgencies and security threats, such as the ISIS offensive in the North in 2017, and local street clashes and internal violence.įor the US, and other European countries that have been supporting the LAF, the goal is to maintain security, especially when the country’s other institutions are collapsing during the worst economic crisis in Lebanon’s history. Realistically, the LAF cannot stand up to the group’s military capabilities, and the sectarian nature of any institution in Lebanon - including the army institution - means that any confrontation will divide the army and its leadership. The goal of this assistance has never been to eliminate Hezbollah. In comparison, the US has been the biggest donor to the LAF with assistance exceeding $4 billion since 2010. Around $3 million has been dedicated to international military education. Since 2005, US assistance to the LAF has been vital for the force’s continuity and unity, but amid the current economic crisis, this aid is becoming crucial to maintain the institution and its basic security objectives.įor all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.įor the past three years, annual Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to Lebanon has amounted to $100 million, with a further $100 million in additional Defense Department spending on border security and training activities. A worried leadership is concerned that deploying troops to crisis zones is becoming difficult in the face of rising fuel costs.įor this specific reason, LAF commander Joseph Aoun visited Washington earlier this month, where the talks focused on the needs of officers rather than military equipment.
The only institution that still has any capacity to maintain minimal security standards is the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), but it is stretched thin.
0 kommentar(er)
