Qahwaji in Paris after $3 Billion Saudi Military Aid Pledge
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji was in Paris on Monday for talks with top French military officials two weeks after President Michel Suleiman announced a Saudi pledge of $3 billion to buy military equipment from France.
Al-Joumhouria daily quoted military sources as saying that Qahwaji has taken with him to Paris a list of the army's needs.
He will release a statement after his return from Paris to clarify the reasons for his visit and the topic of discussions with the French officials, the sources said.
Suleiman said late last month that Saudi Arabia "decided to provide generous assistance to Lebanon in the form of $3 billion for the Lebanese army to strengthen its capabilities."
He said it was the largest assistance provided in Lebanon's history.
French President Francois Hollande, who was on a visit to Saudi Arabia during Suleiman's announcement, said his country would "meet" any requests from Lebanon.
Lebanon's armed forces are under-equipped and face multiplying security challenges.
13 January 2014, 08:30
43
If the Saudi terrorists are being so "generous" with this military aid, as our Saudi-puppet president wants us to believe, then why is Saudi Arabia forcing us to buy the weapons from France? Shouldn't we get to decide how and where to spend the money?
13 January 2014, 10:05
23
USA does not supply needed attack weapons to LAF that can fall into Hizbullah arms. France seems to be willing. Lately the French supplied HOT anti tank missiles for the Gazelles. These were supposed to be delivered three years ago. The delay was due to the fall of the Hariri government and to the lobbying of USA and Israeli.
13 January 2014, 13:17
22
(1). Karim, why are there so many so hostile what is in truth the very thing that has ever happened to our army and us Lebanese? When did we ever get such a generous grant, I mean it's BN$3, not some petty charity by the US or Soviets right? For once no one has told us that we could buy this or that, we are now given the cash and possibly weaponry that is among the very best in the world. Fine, France is not giving anyone any charity, but France is not tying anything to the darling of the US, Israel. In this case why should we demonize the KSA or France? You've seen me being very critical of the KSA when the case arises, but here?
13 January 2014, 13:31
21
'France is not tying anything to the darling of the US, Israel.'
unfortunately, u're wrong, Israel can veto ANYBODY about arms sales even uk, france, russia, china, ect...
We'll never get stuff that are a real threat to israel's supremacy like MM40 Block 3. But we'll get real decent stuff that will make syria and israel think twice before invading us...
13 January 2014, 13:21
21
(2). Karim. Everyone knows that our biggest problem in Lebanon resides in our army's weakness, mostly due to its being so poorly equipped. Our army is super well trained, highly disciplined, one of the best around, but any army without weapons cannot translate the will of the state, that simple. Now let's look who will lose when the army becomes strong, authoritative and assertive and I am truly sorry if I may offend your views here: (1). Hezbollah. (2). The Palestinians and those who support them. (3). The radical Sunni groupings. (4). Israel. (5) Syria, regime and rebels, and finally but not least, the MAFIA, the Lebanese Political Mafia.
13 January 2014, 14:01
21
Cedre, Israel of today is not the Israel of yesteryear. Sorry, you are wrong here because till very recently, Israel kicked and shouted so that the EU and the US won't make their nuclear deal with Iran. Well, that hasn't worked and now Iran and the West have a deal despite all the attempts by Netanyahu and the KSA to defeat it. In our case, the deal has been sealed, the KSA has granted the cash mainly because France has not made or tied any conditions to Israel. We shall, Inshallah be talking about that in about a year's time. Furthermore, the UAE too has confirmed its pledge to give our LAF 1BN$. But as you said, even though Israel may remain uncontested militarily, but from there onward, it will think well before it decides to play around, not only Israel, but in fact everyone for that matter.
13 January 2014, 13:26
22
(3). All of these will come to see their demise once the army becomes strong. HA will no longer have any argument, Israel even less, the Palestinians will know what will happen to them if they screw around with Lebanon's security, the rest like the radical groupings will understand that same message, Lebanon will begin to see the rise of decent and patriotic leaders who will become bolstered and more confident to replace that old rusty, dirty, blood sucking political mafia, finally, Lebanon will start to become a real state, a state of laws, of a solid constitution that guarantees all its legal institutions, and voila, we shall begin doing our Sayo Naras to all those who since independence wanted us to believe why they existed as militias.
13 January 2014, 13:30
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(4). Karim. We've not been independent for 70 years, we were made and forced to be dependent on militias, worst of which Non-Lebanese ones like the Palestinian PLO and its rat so called leaders. Every time someone decent came to build a strong army, within a short time he is blown to kingdom come. The Mafia, yes, the mafia wants Lebanon weak and why? To keep ruling this country and steal its resources, all its resources. We do many times blame the people for keeping silent, who can blame them when the guns around them are more powerful than their own honorable army's? Let the army become strong, I mean really strong, then we shall see how the Lebanese people will start standing and make their voices heard, all of them will invariable tell you and the whole world, Lebanon for the Lebanese, and screw all foreigners out. By the way, the UAE too has made good on its own grant to the army.
13 January 2014, 14:05
23
Phoenix.
I wholeheartedly agree to your four posts. I am pretty optimistic, not quite as much as you are in your posts, but I hope what you predict will materialize.
13 January 2014, 15:46
02
Oulou ma3i ya Cedre, oulou Allah wou Lubnen. Fi Allah wou Lubnen la7 yeb2a.
14 January 2014, 07:41
00
Phoenix your analysis and reasoning is astounding. I really enjoy reading your posts. The enemy within Lebanon is most dangerous and a strong army is definitely the greater part of the solution
13 January 2014, 10:06
23
are you still on government subsidy? How is job hunting going for you?
13 January 2014, 10:19
21
why didn't ha say it ?
Even the most racist supremacist islamophobic christian know that ksa is a friend of all lebanese, shias and christians included, and that the real proble, is iran and its trojan horse in lebanon, ie HA.
Qahwaji doesnt thank ksa so he could in the future become president thanks to m8/pro-iran votes...
13 January 2014, 10:29
21
the_snore, is it a line of credit that the Saudi's are offering? …I did not know that, but since you know every thing there is to know, you must be right. Tell us again about how the Iranian militia should rule Lebanon, its been awhile :-)
13 January 2014, 13:01
31
start by reading this...
http://jihadology.net/2013/12/25/hizballah-cavalcade-deck-the-halls-with-a-minority-alliance-shia-militia-social-media-messages-to-christians/
13 January 2014, 10:18
21
This is a great opportunity for LAF… I hope there is oversight and that all the money goes straight to purchasing the armament needed.
13 January 2014, 13:14
41
What part of this dont u understand ?
it's not ksa using M14/LAF, it's a convergence of interests.
Lebanese dont want a state within the state called HA.
I can see only 3 options :
- HA will disarm/be integrated UNDER the command of LAF
- HA will be disarmed by LAF
- there will be more and more civil unrest maybe leading to civil war
13 January 2014, 16:31
02
We need AA+AT to make Syria and Israel think twice about encroaching on our sovereignty. As well we need equipment that can save LAF lives when dealing with urban combat against criminals and terrorists on the domestic front.
God bless the LAF.
