'European diplomats' blame Israel for Hezbullah victory
'European diplomats' are blaming Israel because the United States has not supplied the Lebanese army with advanced weaponry that would have been useful in fighting Hezbullah. Earlier today, the government handed Hezbullah a victory when it reversed two cabinet resolutions that would have removed the Hezbullah-affiliated director of 'security' at Beirut international airport and dismantled Hezbullah's private 'telephone network' that was being used to wiretap Lebanese citizens at will. But according to 'European diplomats,' that's all Israel's fault. European diplomats familiar with the events in Lebanon claim that in the past year the United States has refused to provide the Lebanese army with advanced weapons that would have helped against Hezbollah and other militant groups. They said this was because of Israeli requests.Hey Europe - how many tanks does Hezbullah have and how many did they have before the summer of 2006 when you insisted on a toothless UNIFIL to keep Hezbullah happy? And given Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's (pictured at the top of this post crying at the height of the 2006 war) continuing belief that Israel is the enemy and not the 'brothers' from Hezbullah, why should anyone give him any weapons?
Since the 2006 Second Lebanon War and the deployment of the army in South Lebanon that followed, the international community has tried to rehabilitate the national armed forces.
The European diplomats told Haaretz that although Lebanon asked the U.S. to provide heavy weapons such as antitank missiles and assault helicopters, the U.S. aid has concentrated on training Lebanese army units and supplying light arms and ammunition. They say the U.S. refused the requests because of Israel's fears that heavy arms could be used against it in the future or even fall into Hezbollah hands.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:43 AM
4 Comments:
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Beyond that, the Lebanese army is a national army in name only. In a crisis, it would break down on religious lines and support the various clans that make up a feuding Lebanon. They all hate Israel but they fear and hate each other more. Israel may not have the brightest government around but even the two Ehuds get what Europe's diplomats don't. Allowing heavy weapons to fall into Hezbollah's hands would be a strategic disaster. Not everything that goes on in Israel's bad neighborhood is automatically the Jewish State's fault.
NormanF,
Lebanon's army is around 50% Hezbullah.
As to your statement regarding the two Ehuds, Barak gets it. I have my doubts about Olmert.
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