Report: US transferred $720M to Lebanese army since 2006

Aid package includes training, equipment, humanitarian assistance; Israeli officials call on US to stop funneling money following deadly border skirmish

Doron Peskin|Published: 08.05.10 , 15:04

According to data published in Arab and global media outlets in the aftermath of Tuesday's deadly border skirmish between Israeli and Lebanese soldiers, the US has invested some $720 million in an aid package to the Lebanese army since 2006.

In light of the border skirmish, some Israeli officials have called on Washington to stop funneling money to the Lebanese army.

The American aid includes training, equipment, humanitarian assistance and special gear used to clear bombs that failed to detonate.

In this framework, the US has equipped the Lebanese army with new Engagement Skills Trainer (or EST 2000) marksmanship simulators, which provide soldiers with realistic firearms training on pistols, rifles, and machine guns, offering them unlimited rounds of training on their weapons without the cost of training ammunition.

According to reports, the US spends $11 million a year on the training of elite Lebanese army units and $56 million on equipment designated for the Lebanese army.

As part of the Comprehensive Training Program (CTP), over the next five years the US will invest over $20 million into developing the training institutions and human resources of the Lebanese army.

"Using cutting-edge technology and training – like the EST 2000 – the CTP will provide theoretical, technical, and tactical training focused on increasing the ability of the Lebanese Armed Forces to accomplish its many diverse missions," according to the American Embassy in Beirut.

A few months ago a shipment of US equipment provided to the LAF included 1,000 M16A4 rifles, 10 missile launchers, 1,583 grenade launchers, and 538 sets of day/night binoculars and night-vision devices, the embassy said.

Doron Peskin is head of research at Info-Prod Research (Middle East) Ltd.