Report: France, U.S. Competing to Deliver Arms to Lebanon
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
France and the United States are reportedly competing to arm the Lebanese military and benefit from the Saudi grants as it desperately needs weapons to confront the increasing threats by militants, in particular along Lebanon's eastern border.
A source following up the army deals under two Saudi financial grants told al-Akhbar newspaper published on Tuesday that the U.S. arms are very different from the French arms that ODAS company is in charge of delivering to Lebanon.
“The U.S. was in a hurry to deliver (arms) to prove that its weapons are the best to combat terror groups,” the source told the daily.
However, the source said newspaper that the U.S. is facing a dilemma due to strict measures by the Congress that prevent the delivery of arms directly to other countries.
The Congress argues that the delivery of arms directly to the Lebanese state poses the risk of “handing over the weapons to terror groups,” the source added.
The move prompted the U.S. administration to “ship arms to Jordan in order to deliver them to Lebanon,” and the same technique will be used through the United Arab Emirates, al-Akhbar said.
Saudi Arabia last year announced it would give the Lebanese army $3 billion to purchase weapons and equipment from France, but that deal has yet to be fully implemented.
In August, the kingdom offered another $1 billion in funds to allow the army to purchase supplies immediately.
Washington has also sought to bolster Lebanon's military, and recently announced it had delivered a new shipment of Hellfire missiles and would also supply light aircraft.
The pledges and arms deliveries come as several allies of Lebanon step up efforts to bolster its armed forces as the threat from jihadists in the region grows.
H.K.
G.K.
27 January 2015, 08:18
914
The Congress argues that the delivery of arms directly to the Lebanese state poses the risk of “handing over the weapons to terror groups,” the source added.
Funny, it's like the word "Hezbollah" is a derogatory word lmao
27 January 2015, 08:42
914
It is the worst description you can bestow upon a living or dead human. It is the definition of terror, hatred, and sectarianism.
27 January 2015, 08:51
153
i think you're confused liberty, you just defined the word "zionist"
27 January 2015, 12:20
611
Spare us your 'zionist' blabber ya _mowaten_. If you're so keen on liberating Palestine and eradicating the Israeli 'enemy', go join the ranks of Hamas and do your jihadi duty as you see fit. Just leave Lebanon out of it please.
27 January 2015, 14:30
26
The only way to liberate Palestine is to build democratic countries with the rule of law and unity of arms. The models for strengthening one's country are known and none include a militia that is not answerable to the state and indeed is above the state.
27 January 2015, 18:20
03
FT - Palestine is not a state and is under occupation. Lebanon is not. We want democracy because it is the interest of our people and not because of the love or interest of the US. When we, in Lebanon, decide to be ruled by militia, we forfeit our future and that of our children.
27 January 2015, 23:36
21
"thank you israeliDemocrat. last time the palestinians democratically elected hamas"
Lmaoooooooooooo are you sure it was democratically, or was it through blackmail? Terrorist groups are not "democratically" elected, get that through your head Flamey
27 January 2015, 08:44
153
The real point here is not what word they use, it is clearly because lebanon and HA are in the way of israeli plans for the region that they do not want to arm it. we should stay poorly armed because our US "friends" are more friends with our enemies than they are with us.
note that they never worried about this when they armed moderated terrorists in syria, even as the weapons kept ending up in nusra and daesh hands. why? because israel loves them, and keep giving them intelligence support, weapons and free medical care.
27 January 2015, 08:50
143
as for the purported "competition" between US and france to arm us, i believe the real competition is which one will grab the most of saudi money while giving us the most worthless junk
27 January 2015, 09:15
914
they arm other Arab countries but not Lebanon,as Lebanon has a terrorist group called Hizballah.that is the only reason they don't give us safisticated weapons.
27 January 2015, 10:47
103
terrorist go find yourself a smelly saudi old man to call "majesty" again, and dont think you takfiri supporter are in any position to call the lebanese army your army.
27 January 2015, 13:33
711
"it is clearly because lebanon and HA are in the way of israeli plans"
Looooooooool Hezbollah are carrying out the Israeli plan, which is to keep Lebanon weak. Otherwise Israel would have invaded Lebanon again and eradicated Hezbollah. But that's no good because without Hezbollah, Lebanon would be a strong nation and Israel can't have that. Tell me, whatever happened to the Hezbollah agents working for the Zionist enemy?? Lol Hezbollah are bigger Israeli agents than anyone from M14
27 January 2015, 13:40
63
"Hezbollah are bigger Israeli agents than anyone from M14"
lol James just be careful not to spill all the world secrets onto the forum at once.
Hilarious stuff !
27 January 2015, 13:53
45
What's hilarious is that keeping Lebanon weak has always been the agreement between everyone: the West, the Arabs, Hezbollah, and the rest of the Lebanese leaders. And because all these leaders have their wasta and they're above the law and get their own piece of the pie, no one wants to change the status quo (the unfavourable conditions Aoun always refers to). If the Lebanese wanted to change all that, we'd have a president and a new Parliament. But that's right, all the Lebanese leaders are satisfied right where they're at and Lebanon is just a big Monopoly board.
27 January 2015, 14:00
45
And Roar you're right, the idea of Hezbollah going along with this plan does sound hilarious. But the moment you start to see things (the fake Hareb Tammouz, Hezbollah's control of the state, the failed KSA arms shipments, the total dysfunction of state institutions, the presidential vacancy, the weak army) you will realise that this is one big plan that all the big countries and all the Lebanese politicians have been carrying out, which is "hilarious" because the Lebanese are so blind that they call this conspiracy hilarious
27 January 2015, 14:07
43
"the fake Hareb Tammouz"
If you insist butrous hareb is a fake, then who am I to disagree?
Tammouz is the son of ISIS...so the legend goes...again who am I to disagree with you James?
keep feeding the forum your world secrets ;lol
27 January 2015, 14:17
34
Roar, these aren't my secrets. These are things that others have been telling me for a while, which at first I scoffed at it just like you. Then I began noticing things, thinking "this could be true" then I noticed more things and I was convinced. You see Roar, I'm not a bigot like you (except when it comes to you I'm a bigot because your views are intolerable), generally I give people the floor to debate and I give their views a chance. Sometimes I'm convinced, sometimes not. But go ahead Roar, keep laughing at the greatest con the Lebanese leaders are pulling on their people.
27 January 2015, 08:43
66
1 billion dollars yea right. Where is that 1 billion dollars or the 3 billion dollars promised over a year ago. Stop embarrassing yourself dude.
27 January 2015, 11:17
36
Mowaten
There is no difference between Ebola, ISIS and Zionism, but you don't want to see it.
27 January 2015, 11:23
72
humble
there are a million differences between them, but you don't want to see it.
27 January 2015, 12:32
47
They all use terrorism, fear, violence and hatred.
A beautiful common denominator.
27 January 2015, 11:39
24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOwAsEmP8Sk all western countries donate weapons to the lebanese army... never the syria or iran..
27 January 2015, 12:12
83
this 4 billion worth of grants has become a nice prize for many to compete over.
question is...when will it be signed sealed & delivered?
final touches were reported in Nov 2014.
lol @ these grants.
27 January 2015, 13:36
53
You wish death to others that disagree with your world views?
how does that make you any better than the intolerant throat cutters?
M14ers continue to show their true values.
27 January 2015, 14:46
53
FT , it is so obvious its not funny.....But it's working out real good for me in helping to change the minds of neutral people who don;t support either m8 or m14 but always felt m8 were less democratic etc.
Forums like this have helped change their minds..I challenged many to post on Naharnet a civilized comment & to do the same on al akhbar.
to their surprise..their civilized comments were harassed & the later removed on Nahrnet...yet their comments which targeted no less than the editor was left & still available till today.
These posters spamming & harassing are only doing m14 the biggest dis service, so let them be & expose them.
27 January 2015, 14:49
33
no flamethrower it is NOT me. If I have to say something to you or your likes I'd say it under my own name. Unlike you I don't feel the need to hide behind fake names to deliver a message.
