U.S. increases security aid following Lebanon's Al Qaida win
NICOSIA — Lebanon and the United States signed an accord on Oct. 5 that would provide $60 million
in U.S. aid to Lebanon's Internal Security Forces. They said the U.S.
assistance program would last for three years and improve the skills of ISF.
In September 2007, the army defeated the Al Qaida-aligned Fatah Al
Islam in northern Lebanon.
"The United States is dedicated to assisting the ISF in their
development into a modern police force operating in a democratic society,"
U.S. ambassador Jeffrey Feltman said at the signing in Beirut.
Under the accord, ISF would be trained in combat skills, investigations
and paramilitary tasks. Officials said ISF would complement the Lebanese
Army, which has also received U.S., European and Arab aid.
Over the last two years, the Lebanese Army received $321 million in
U.S. aid.
ISF was said to have been plagued by sectarianism that has hampered
operations against Hizbullah-inspired unrest. Officials said the force was
meant to expand from 50,000 to 72,000 officers.
"The assistance provided by the U.S. government to the ISF will
certainly boost our performance and allow us to have more hands-on
experience in the field of crime and terrorism fighting," Gen. Ashraf Rifi,
a senior ISF officer, said. "The relationship between the ISF and the
Lebanese Army is based on mutual respect and cooperation, and the ISF can
never replace or play the role of the army even if it was given enough
financial support."
