DAILY NEWS
Lebanese Armed Forces Facing Unprecedented Pressure
Today the World Bank warned that Lebanon’s army is facing “unprecedented pressure” as Lebanon struggles to deal with financial collapse. [Naharnet] The collapse is affecting the Lebanese Armed Forces’ operational capabilities and weakening soldiers’ salaries and their morale. Experts say these developments could bring about instability not seen since the civil war. [AP] France is working to raise emergency aid for the LAF in the tens of millions of dollars at a meeting with other partner countries tomorrow. [Reuters]
EU Delegation to Arrive in Beirut on Saturday
European Union officials are expected to arrive in Beirut this Saturday for an international conference focused on Lebanon. High Representative of the EU Josep Borrell will lead the delegation and will be accompanied by technical and administrative officials. [Naharnet]
AUB Students to Lead a Massive Fundraiser
Students of the American University of Beirut will lead a large fundraiser event with over 20,000 attendees expected. This year the students’ goal is to donate all profits from the event to students that need financial help in order to continue their education. [The 961]
OPINION & ANALYSIS
Carnegie Middle East Center
A Military Lifeline
Michael Young interviews Aram Nerguzian
Nerguzian says: “What matters is that the LAF is losing quality officers and noncommissioned officers, the gray matter and capabilities the institution has spent more than a decade and a half developing. If this continues and there are no means of retaining critical talent and capabilities, it signals the entropy and possible decline of what has become one of the Arab world’s most capable militaries. Such a decline could be a harbinger of the kinds of instability not seen since the last time Lebanon’s political elites gutted or set adrift the LAF, namely in the five years leading up to the 1975-1990 civil war.”
Middle East Institute
It’s Now or Never: Lebanon Policy Conference Key Takeaways
The Middle East Institute recently hosted its inaugural Lebanon policy conference in collaboration with the American Task Force on Lebanon and LIFE. This series brought together leading diplomats, policymakers, economists, development practitioners, and think tank professionals from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Lebanon to discuss the urgency and viable paths forward for the country’s political, financial, and humanitarian crises. Click the link below to read key takeaways from the conference.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.