US sticks by Lebanese army despite Hariri resignation
State Department and Defense Department officials tell Al-Monitor that US military assistance is unaffected by Beirut’s latest political crisis.
The Donald Trump administration is standing by the Lebanese army despite Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s shocking resignation over the weekend.
Hariri announced his decision to step down during a visit to Saudi Arabia, citing threats from Hezbollah and its Iranian patron. The move raises concerns about US support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which critics worry is too close to the Shiite militia.
“The United States expects an orderly political process in Lebanon and will remain supportive of the legitimate institutions of the Lebanese state,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway told Al-Monitor.
Hariri’s resignation comes less than a week after US Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard announced the first delivery of Super Tucano attack aircraft to the Lebanese military. During an Oct. 31 event at Lebanon’s Hamat air base, Richard said US support for the Lebanese military over the past year totaled $160 million from State Department and Defense Department accounts.
