July 30, 2010 - Daily Star

 

BEIRUT: The US will boost the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to balance against the influence of Syria and Hizbullah in Lebanon, As-Safir newspaper quoted a senior US Army official as saying on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, the remarks were made by General James Mattis, who will succeed General David Petraeus as the Head of the US Central Command.

When answering a number of written questions he received from members of the US Armed Forces Committee, Mattis said the relations between the Central Command and the Lebanese Army focused on building the latter’s capabilities “to preserve internal stability and protect borders.”

Mattis stressed he would continue such a policy when he assumes office, outlining seven objectives for his move.

These are: defending borders and maintaining security, strong air support and accurate deliverance, special operations, establishing a safe national defense, telecommunications engineering, enhancing protected military mobility, improving training programs and military facilities, and developing military logistic aid engineering.

Asked whether US military aid should boost its anti-terrorist capabilities or work on building the Lebanese Army’s institutions, Mattis stressed that the Lebanese Army was a “non-political institution.”

“I believe it will be fruitful to focus on building the capabilities of LAF to balance against the influence of Syria and Hizbullah,” he said.

Mattis will appear before the US armed forces committee during House of Senate sessions that will see the approving of his appointment.

He also noted that combating terrorism was one of the announced goals of the Lebanese Army, besides defending and securing borders, preserving internal security and stability along with supporting social development.

He stressed that he would proceed with efforts aimed at meeting those goals.

“A strong and effective LAF constitutes a pillar for the stability of the Lebanese Cabinet on which Lebanese citizens can rely, the fact clearly demonstrated during the conflict of Nahr al-Bared camp in 2007,” said Mattis.

Armed clashes broke out between the Lebanese Army and members of Fatah al-Islam Islamist movement during summer 2007, from which the army emerged victorious.

Mattis acknowledged that such a process would be time-consuming, but added that there was a mutual agreement between Lebanon and the Central Command which enabled the implementation of the assigned objectives.

Answering a question about the interest of US national security in Lebanon, Mattis asserted that the first goal was to help Lebanon in maintaining a democratic government providing a fair representation of the country’s 18 religious sects.

“The second goal is [protecting] the sovereignty of Lebanon that is being challenged by Hizbullah via activities undermining stability,” added Mattis.

“The current national unity Cabinet embraces Hizbullah which is blacklisted by the US as a foreign terrorist organization.”

Asked how the US would deal with a Lebanese Cabinet in which Hizbullah participated, Mattis said the Central Command was focusing on the “ground level, that is on the Lebanese Army, in line with the US adopted policy.” – The Daily Star