Officials said U.S. employees from outside Lebanon must live on the
embassy compound. They said the compound was operating at full capacity and
could not be expanded.
Since 2006, the United States has relayed more than $525 million in
military and security aid to Lebanon, Middle East Newsline reported. The assistance was meant to modernize
and expand Lebanon's military and Internal Security Force.
But the programs have not helped protect U.S. staffers, who could only
leave the embassy with bodyguards and armored vehicles. Officials said the
embassy lacked the resources to maintain required operations, including
supervision of U.S. programs in Lebanon.
Officials cited the U.S. Agency for International Development. AID's
program in Lebanon has been managed by two staffers, they said, far fewer
than in other countries.
"All too often, requests for official visits to Lebanon end up being
denied, simply because there is not sufficient space to house the visitors,"
a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report said.
The U.S. embassy has been negotiating to purchase property for a new
compound. Officials said construction could begin over the next two years.
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