iloubnan - American Lebanese Coalition in Washington calls on the officials to resume US aid to the Lebanese armed forces - September 02, 2010

A delegation from the American Lebanese Coalition (ALC) concluded two days of meetings in Washington DC. The meetings focused on two issues facing Lebanon : the hold on US military aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).

According to a communiqué issued by the ALC on Thursday, an ALC delegation met with several members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and also held meetings with officials from the Department Of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Department of State. The delegation included ALC President Milad Zohrob, Vice Presidents Dr. Joseph Gebeily, Joseph Hage and Dr. Elie Semaan and board member Michael Chidiac.

At each meeting, the delegation presented a comprehensive policy paper that delineated ALC’s position and recommendations on the two issues. During the discussions, the delegation reiterated the ALC’s position in regards to the hold on Military assistance. While the Coalition understands and shares some of the US’s concerns, maintaining the hold could have adverse effects on US interests in the area, as well as on local stability in Lebanon.

The delegation gathered from its meetings that the hold was presented on August 1st, prior to the Adaisseh incident, and that it would be lifted as soon as the involved parties in Congress received answers to their concerns.

The delegation also expressed its fears about Hezbollah’s threats of violence aimed at derailing the STL, and received reassurances that the US Administration, as always, unequivocally supports justice as well as stability in Lebanon.