The United States and several Western giants have been controlling the armament of the Lebanese Army for years, systematically ensuring that all development opportunities, obtaining needed technologies, and enhancing their combat and military skills to fight and confront the Israeli occupation are obsolete.
Retired Lebanese colonel and military expert Nidal Zahwi spoke to Sputnik about how the collective West historically barely armed the Lebanese Armed Forces so as to prevent them from defending against the Israeli occupation forces, rendering their ability to defend Lebanon's sovereignty almost negligible.
Zahwi noted, however, that the Lebanese Army wants to defend its lands and wants to protect the country's sovereignty, but does not possess the tools that would help them, including viable air defense, which forces them to remain reactive in place.
This is due to the United States' deep and major involvement in blocking access to aviation and air defenses to reduce any threat that could face its most strategic ally in the Middle East, the Israeli occupation, making Washington the "guarantor" of the Israeli regime in the region.