US has deliberately handicapped the Lebanese Armed Forces to give Israel the military advantage

A fascinating insight into the West's interference in the Lebanese military

Infographic taken from an X account.

The following is a thread on X by multiple-award-winning journalist Hala Jaber:

Many people have asked why the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are not actively involved in defending the country. I hope that these facts & figures will provide some explanation & insight into these questions:

This issue is not about the size of the LAF or the sectarian composition of its soldiers. The Lebanese army is diverse, with members of all sects, including a significant number of Shiite soldiers.

The problem is not even the bravery of the LAF soldiers. These men are courageous & itching to protect their country. Just look at the martyr Major Mohammad Farhat of the LAF who was killed by the invading Israeli forces 9 days ago on (Oct 24) while on a mission to evacuate wounded civilians.

See how he confronted the IOF enemy who tried to install barbed wire on the outskirts of Aita Al Shaab in March 2023.

The question regarding the army's inability to defend Lebanon against Israeli aggression lies in whether the LAF is equipped or capable of defending the nation, even from a defensive standpoint. We are not discussing offensive maneuvers, but rather the army's ability to hold its ground defensively.

Quite simply, the LAF is not sufficiently armed to perform such a task or to deter any foreign force.

This is not through any fault of its own, but rather because the collective West, led by the United States, has historically under-equipped the LAF, ensuring that it is incapable of defending Lebanon against Israeli occupation forces.

This decision was deliberate on the part of the U.S., which has played a major role in limiting Lebanon's access to aviation & air defense systems, effectively neutralizing any potential threat to its most strategic ally in the region - Israel. The U.S. has positioned itself as Israel's "guarantor, guardian & protector.”

Russia and Iran support offered to the LAF

Both Russia & Iran had offered to support the LAF with military equipment, including jets & deterrence weapons, particularly as Lebanon's military faces increasing pressure from its deteriorating economic situation. However, the Lebanese government reportedly declined these offers.

One of the major reasons speculated behind this refusal is the strong influence of the United States on Lebanon, especially concerning military and financial aid.

The United States is a key supporter of the LAF, providing substantial military aid since 2006. This includes weaponry, training, & operational support, which is often conditioned on aligning with U.S. policies.

For instance, in 2021, President Joe Biden authorized $47 million in military aid to Lebanon as part of broader support, underscoring the LAF's dependency on American backing.

Additionally, the U.S. has also covered some of the salaries of Lebanese soldiers during Lebanon’s economic crisis, further deepening this dependence.

Given the extent of U.S. aid to the LAF, accepting military support from Russia or Iran—two states that are geopolitical adversaries of the U.S.—would likely put Lebanon at odds with Washington. The U.S. Foreign Assistance Act & various security cooperation agreements, limit Lebanon’s ability to freely accept arms from adversaries of the U.S., as doing so might result in a cut-off of critical American support.

In a nutshell, this U.S. influence is considered a significant factor in Lebanon’s refusal of the Russian & Iranian offers.

Moreover, aligning with Russia or Iran militarily could further complicate Lebanon's delicate political balance, as Hezbollah, a dominant political & military force in Lebanon, is already backed by Iran.

Therefore, the Lebanese government likely finds itself under intense diplomatic pressure to maintain its military relationship with the U.S., avoiding potential fallout from accepting support from Russia or Iran, which could risk sanctions or the loss of critical U.S. and Western support.

The LAF does not have a substantial arsenal of advanced Western jets or missile systems, which would otherwise create interoperability issues with non-Western systems, such as those offered by Russia or Iran.

As of now, the LAF’s air force consists mainly of helicopters & light aircraft like the A-29 Super Tucano, which are used for surveillance & counter-insurgency rather than for advanced air combat.

The LAF lacks sophisticated fighter jets or missile systems, which are typically found in more heavily armed forces in the region.

The argument about incompatibility between Western & Eastern weapons systems is often raised for countries that already operate advanced equipment from one bloc, & accepting systems from the other might create logistical or technical complications.

In Lebanon’s case, however, the military does not have large-scale sophisticated weapons from either bloc, especially in terms of jets or missile systems, which would lead to such concerns.

The key reason for Lebanon’s refusal to accept Russian or Iranian arms lies more in political & diplomatic pressure from Western allies, particularly the United States, rather than because of practical concerns about weapon compatibility.

The U.S. has been the major supplier of lightweight military aid to Lebanon, providing everything from light arms, ammunition, & Humvees to helicopters & basic tactical gear.

Additionally, the Taif Agreement of 1989, which was intended to bring an end to Lebanon’s civil war, also imposed restrictions on the LAF’s armament - thanks to US interference - further limiting what the Lebanese Army could possess.

The U.S. has historically dictated the types of weapons the LAF can acquire to ensure Israel’s security interests remain unchallenged.

Hezbollah filled the gap

Israel’s invasion & occupation of Lebanon in 1982 sparked the initial rise of Hezbollah.

Over the years, the group has expanded its military capabilities to compensate for the deficiencies within the LAF.

As a non-state actor, Hezbollah has filled a relatively reasonable gap left by the Lebanese Army, especially since many of its members hail from villages & towns regularly targeted by Israeli aggression.

Hezbollah may not have the full capability to protect Lebanon in a conventional sense, but its deterrent military apparatus is strong enough to dissuade any army from occupying the country.

This is due to Hezbollah’s ability to inflict significant damage on any invading force.

U.S. & Israeli Military Aid Comparison

Since 2006, the United States has provided over $2.5 billion in aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces, but this assistance has been limited to light defensive weaponry.

U.S. Contributions to the LAF

The U.S. has provided the Lebanese Army with:

* Military trucks, Humvees, ammunition, and other logistical support.

* Tactical vehicles, such as HMMWVs, FMTVs, and HEMMTs.

* Training for over 32,000 Lebanese troops, though this training has focused primarily on preparing the LAF to combat irregular forces rather than preparing them to face a modern military like the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Despite the bravery & willingness of Lebanese soldiers, the disparity in military capability between the LAF & the IDF means that in the event of an Israeli invasion, Lebanon's army would struggle to hold its own for more than a few hours.

By contrast, the military aid provided to Israel far exceeds that of Lebanon.

* In 1999, the U.S. committed at least $2.7 billion annually in military aid to Israel for ten years.

* By 2009, this figure had risen to $3 billion annually.

* In 2019, it was further increased to a minimum of $3.8 billion per year. Of this amount, around $3.3 billion is granted annually through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme, which requires Israel to use these funds to purchase U.S. military equipment and services.

In the current fiscal year alone, the U.S. has spent $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel (October 2023 - October 2024), & some sources suggest this figure could be even higher. In March 2024, the Biden administration authorised the transfer of billions of dollars' worth of bombs & fighter jets to Israel.

Military Budget Disparity: Israel vs Lebanon

* In 2020, Lebanon spent $600 million on its military, while Israel’s expenditure reached $20 billion.

* By 2024, Israel’s defence budget had risen to $24.4 billion, whereas Lebanon’s budget remained under $1 billion at just $995 million. This vast gap in military spending severely hampers the LAF’s ability to purchase advanced weaponry.

LAF’s Equipment & Capabilities (2024)

Let’s examine the current state of the Lebanese Army, comparing it to Israel's military might:

* Global Fire Power (GFP) Index: Israel is ranked 17th out of 145 global powers, while Lebanon ranks 118th.

* Defence Budgets: Israel: $24.4 billion Lebanon: $995 million

* Air Power: * Israel possesses 612 aircraft (ranked 19th globally), while Lebanon has just 81 (ranked 75th).

* Israel’s fighter aircraft total 241 (ranked 10th), whereas Lebanon has none (ranked 145th).

Land Power:

* Israel operates 1,370 tanks (ranked 18th), compared to Lebanon’s 204, of which many are non-functional & parked in front of government buildings as symbols.

Naval Power:

* Israel boasts 67 vessels (ranked 46th), while Lebanon has 69 (ranked 44th). However, the difference lies in quality, with Israel having modern, battle-ready corvettes and patrol vessels, while Lebanon lacks submarines and other advanced naval assets.

Conclusion

While some Western officials may claim that the Lebanese Army is capable of defending Lebanon’s borders & ports, the reality is far more complex.

Although the LAF consists of around 80,000 troops, they are operating with outdated equipment, no air defence systems, & a limited naval capacity.

The U.S. & Qatar continue to fund the LAF, but funding is tight, & morale has plummeted, with reports suggesting that soldiers are taking days off to supplement their meagre wages, which have dropped to as low as $100 a month following the country’s economic collapse in 2019.

In essence, the LAF's limited resources, combined with geopolitical restrictions, leave Lebanon reliant on Hezbollah to fill the security void—whether one supports or opposes the group's actions.  

Against Israel, Lebanon is the David to a military Goliath possessed with state-of-the-art technologies & an estimated 670,000 personnel, says Professor Clive Jones, director of the Institute for Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies at the University of Durham, UK.

“The role of most armies – in trying to defend the territorial integrity of the country – is one that the Lebanese army has never been able to perform, & is certainly not able to perform right now,” Jones says.

My additonal note on LAF air-defence capability:

LAF's anti-air is Hamas-level, i.e. just MANPADs and 23mm guns, albeit they might have more of them. Israel destroyed most of Lebanon's larger SAMs in 1982 and apparently the LAF never bought replacements.

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