A Nation at the Brink: Why Lebanon Can No Longer Avoid Critical Decisions

By Mohamad Youssef

Lebanon – The US continuous pressure against the Lebanese official different departments have culminated recently to an unprecedented level. These pressures have particularly focused on the military establishment represented by the Lebanese army.

Our national army has proved to be professional and efficient when the Political establishment represented by the cabinet entrust it with its national duty to protect and defend. The problem has always been with the inability and the indecisiveness of the cabinet to take the proper decision.

Lebanon has had a very successful and triumphant equation embodied by the tripartite formula of army, people and Resistance. This formula has offered protection and security to the country for almost two decades. Not only that, this formula has helped serve as a tool of deterrence, liberation and protection.

After the recent developments following the heavy losses in the resistance front, the American Israeli pressures have mounted to a high caliber to dictate conditions and impose circumstances that would compromise the country’s sovereignty as a whole.

Our army has never received any substantial military help from any country because of Washington’s veto. Iran has offered a generous military support and proposed to give arms to no avail. The political authority has never been able at any time to take a decision to accept any military support from any country unless the American administration gives the green light.

The US officials have always warned Lebanon from accepting the slightest military support with the threat of halting all military help and the stoppage of military training programs.

The Lebanese government is at a crossroad, it cannot continue to act in an irresponsible way. It needs to take a responsible decision to address all the challenges, especially those that have to do with the safety and protection of its own people and its legitimacy as an authority.

Will this happen soon, it is not likely as the performance on the daily level is tainted with more and more concessions that lead the country and its people into a more dire situation.