Rumsfeld, Rice Approve Plan to Help Train Lebanese Army

[sabra]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=nation_world&...

Rumsfeld, Rice Approve Plan to Help Train Lebanese Army By BARRY SCHWEID

WASHINGTON (AP) - August 3, 2006 - The United States plans to help train and equip the Lebanese army so it can take control of all of the nation's territory when warfare between Israel and Hezbollah eases, the State Department said Thursday.

The program was approved by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to take effect "once we have conditions on the ground permitting," spokesman Sean McCormack said.
McCormack provided no details on what equipment the United States might provide, the training that would be conducted, how many U.S. personnel would be involved, or possible costs.

Other nations will help out, too, McCormack said, as American diplomats consulted with French and other officials on a U.N. resolution for a cease-fire in Lebanon.

...

Gen. John Abizaid, who heads the U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday the Lebanese armed force "needs a significant upgrade of equipment and training capability that I believe the Western nations, particularly the United States, can assist with."

[iconoclastic cat]

1. WTF are they up to?

Global domination?

[Sherman A1]

6. Don't ya just love

The military - industrial complex at it's best (or maybe worst).

[saigon68]

12. Rice couldn't train a plant to climb a trellis

[bullimiami]

2. starting the fire on another civil war.

and lebanon was just starting to get over the last one.
here comes bush and the bastards and drives another wedge in.

[Tight_rope]

23. Don't do it Lebanon...Remember what happened to Saddam!

Friends now...Axis of Evil later

[Nickster]

3. Train and supply their army like we trained and supplied the Iraqi army?

How many years have we been trying to work with the Iraqi army now? How's that working out? Money? Heck, just charge it I guess. Cut a few more VA benefits and that should pay for things.

[saigon68]

10. Considering THE SUCCESS IN IRAQ-NAM

Buy Halliburton stock


You will make a lot of money from the US taxpayer

</sarcasm>

[chill_wind]

11. Right. Enough of the neo-crazy crack pipes.

On top of spending money they can't get enough of now, can't "find" and can't manage with now, where is the manpower going to come from? And rodeodance is right. They keep issuing dire reports at how we are all but out of money budgeted for our own guard training right here in the US.

[rodeodance]

4. we are behind in supplying our woen army /Nat Guard

[Journeyman]

5. In "The Arms of Krupp," William Manchester wrote. . .

of how Krupp Corp. sold the Germans cannon and shell. Next they went to the French and sold them armor plating. Then it was back to the Germans, where they unveiled armor-piercing shells.

It's all a game, it seems, designed to keep everyone under the illusion they'll have a chance the next time, so's they'll have the next time and then need to rebuild again.

The rich get richer and the poor. . . keep getting old.

[RoseMead]

7. I'd be happy if they'd just train our armed forces

to not "accidentally" kill civilians so much. But hey, forget *our* military, let's train every other army in the world! You know it will work out so great!

Though I'd figure Dear Leader's bunch to be more in favor of a School of the Middle East, along the lines of the School of the Americas.

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. More quicksand to get mired in, courtesy Bush & Co.

But you knew it was going to happen.

[Monkeyman]

9. This is a joke right? They just had a committee say are military

can not even defend our country

[hadrons]

13. training them to bow to the IDF

[endarkenment]

14. Lebanon should run as fast as they can away from this plan.

This is like the mafia stepping in to give your business a hand. There is always a price and it is always more than you can pay.

[chill_wind]

15. And not just training. "Significant upgrade of their equipment too".

MORE weapons sales and mil contracts. Cha-ching!! We gotta get a piece. We gotta get a piece. We gotta get a piece.

[saigon68]

17. ITS MORE $$$$$$$$$$ FOR DEATH

[katty]

16. Help?! ! when pigs fly.....

[ismnotwasm]

18. I'm having a difficult time wrapping my mind around this

So they're going arm and support Lebanon? I've been desperately reading, trying to untangle this most recent web of war and destruction, and this doesn't make sense. More guns? A better army? For more warfare? Against who?

"it will never work for Lebanon if, over time, Hezbollah has a greater military capacity than the Lebanese armed forces."
Lebanon is going to pit itself against Hezbollah?

[peacebird]

25. somehow I just can't see Lebanese fighting against Hezbollah....

and I imagine American soldiers are probably even MORE unpopular in Lebanon than Iraq now due to the US foot dragging on a ceasefire to let Israel "mop up"...

oh yeah - this is another grand adventure.

[Malva Zebrina]

19. What are they trying to do? Start another civil war in the ME?

They have succeeded in Iraq, and now want to do the same thing in Lebanon? Jesus are they crazy or what? I await the response from Lebanon--we will then see where it is heading. How could they trust the United States when it fully supports the slaughters that Iraq has heaped upon it? They are training the Iraqis, right? And that did not turn out so good. and now they want to train the Lebanese?

This is clearly nuts.

[mike_c]

20. this is utterly surreal....

More contracts for KBR, I suppose. We've done so well training the Iraqi army....

[Az_lefty]

21. Destroy Lebanon in order to save it...

God save us from these lunatics!

[Tight_rope]

22. WTF...YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

[dwnforthecount]

24. anyone is dumb to believe this...

Israel is not going to "lighten up the offensive", they're doing what the can to provoke Syria and Iran into a war. Lebanon was the unfortunate target to kick off a larger conflict. No, this is all PR to help sooth whatever ignorant ass bags still but into what this administration tell them.

[Anakin Skywalker]

26. What About the Iraqi Army?

Are they up to speed yet? LOL! Bwahahahahah!

[tanyev]

27. W.T.F.?

That's a mighty impressive alternate reality you live in, Condi and Rummy.