There is no plan on the part of authorities to reinforce the army’s strength, either by improving its weaponry and equipment, or developing its fighting capabilities.
There is no one among the army’s leadership that is not always in contact with political and religious leaders in search of political cover for any step they take. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)
It would be unfortunate for the recent term extension of armed forces head General Jean Kahwaji to be viewed merely as a step on the way to the presidential palace or having something to do with his personal performance.
The discussion around the controversial extension mainly revolves around fears of a vacuum in the army’s upper echelons at this critical time in Lebanon’s history. The debate has rarely addressed the needs and requirements of the armed forces as an institution, particularly given the growing enmity toward the military in the ranks of the Future Movement and the more radical Sunni Islamist groups.
So, what are the problems the army faces today that we should be talking about instead?
– There is no central political authority that is able to give the army the kind of cover necessary to carry out its duties.
– There is not sufficient agreement among the political class that would give the army the freedom to properly deal with mounting security problems.
– There is not adequate belief within the state institutions that the army is not influenced by the country’s political and sectarian divisions.
– There is no plan on the part of authorities to reinforce the army’s strength, either by improving its weaponry and equipment, or developing its fighting capabilities.
Aside from these issues, we can make even more dangerous observations, such as:
– There is no one among the army’s leadership that is not always in contact with political and religious leaders in search of political cover for any step they take.
– There is no one in the military command that works to keep politics out of the army, rejecting attempts by various leaders to influence them.
– There is no one among the army’s leaders willing to open a transparent investigation into violations committed by military personnel from Nahr al-Bared to Abra.
Stuck in the middle are ordinary citizens who possess nothing more valuable than their safety and security. Even those who live in areas under the protection of the best private or party security outfits wish the army was in charge of their well-being.
These people are the ones who are disappointed when they see wanted criminals walking nonchalantly past an army checkpoint, or when officers and soldiers are slaughtered at the hands of known individuals who are in turn protected by powerful political forces.
The decision to extend Kahwaji’s term as commander of the army is welcome so long as it is in the context of reinforcing the military institution’s role, and is not related to any other agenda.
Ibrahim al-Amin is editor-in-chief of Al-Akhbar.
This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.
The discussion around the controversial extension mainly revolves around fears of a vacuum in the army’s upper echelons at this critical time in Lebanon’s history. The debate has rarely addressed the needs and requirements of the armed forces as an institution, particularly given the growing enmity toward the military in the ranks of the Future Movement and the more radical Sunni Islamist groups.
So, what are the problems the army faces today that we should be talking about instead?
– There is no central political authority that is able to give the army the kind of cover necessary to carry out its duties.
– There is not sufficient agreement among the political class that would give the army the freedom to properly deal with mounting security problems.
– There is not adequate belief within the state institutions that the army is not influenced by the country’s political and sectarian divisions.
– There is no plan on the part of authorities to reinforce the army’s strength, either by improving its weaponry and equipment, or developing its fighting capabilities.
Aside from these issues, we can make even more dangerous observations, such as:
– There is no one among the army’s leadership that is not always in contact with political and religious leaders in search of political cover for any step they take.
– There is no one in the military command that works to keep politics out of the army, rejecting attempts by various leaders to influence them.
– There is no one among the army’s leaders willing to open a transparent investigation into violations committed by military personnel from Nahr al-Bared to Abra.
Stuck in the middle are ordinary citizens who possess nothing more valuable than their safety and security. Even those who live in areas under the protection of the best private or party security outfits wish the army was in charge of their well-being.
These people are the ones who are disappointed when they see wanted criminals walking nonchalantly past an army checkpoint, or when officers and soldiers are slaughtered at the hands of known individuals who are in turn protected by powerful political forces.
The decision to extend Kahwaji’s term as commander of the army is welcome so long as it is in the context of reinforcing the military institution’s role, and is not related to any other agenda.
Ibrahim al-Amin is editor-in-chief of Al-Akhbar.
This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.