Washington to Provide Army with Unmanned Military Planes
The United States told visiting Army Commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji it will provide the military with "Raven" unmanned aircrafts to help "boost border control and combating terrorism" across Lebanon, the U.S. embassy in Beirut said Friday.
The embassy said in a statement that Qahwaji and top U.S. officials discussed Washington”s "continuous assistance to the Lebanese Army aimed at strengthening the military”s abilities to maintain internal security, combat terrorism, protect the Lebanese borders and ensure the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701."
Qahwaji met on Thursday with U.S. Central Command Commander David Petraeus and the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, who held a dinner banquet in his honor.
The statement said Washington”s assistance to the Lebanese Army "remains a cornerstone of U.S. policy on Lebanon."
It added that the Lebanese military "plays a vital role in maintaining law and order, preventing cross-border smuggling and ensuring that the government is the sole political and military authority in Lebanon."
The embassy concluded that Qahwaji”s visit confirms that "the U.S-Lebanese ties are strong and durable."