Senator Graham signals potential US defence pact with Lebanon If Hezbollah disarmed

US Senator Lindsey Graham said during a visit to Beirut that he envisions a future defence agreement between the United States and Lebanon, contingent on the country strengthening its army and curbing Hezbollah’s influence.

Speaking to This Is Beirut, Mr. Graham said he hoped to see “a Lebanese army, well-trained, well-equipped, that protects all Lebanese and has respect among every community." He added that such a force could pave the way for deeper ties with Washington, including a defence pact, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

The senator expressed optimism about Lebanon’s prospects, citing the country’s global diaspora of around 20 million, many of whom “have done very well” in the United States.

“We have a lot of Lebanese in our country,” he said.

Mr. Graham urged Lebanese leaders to make “hard decisions quickly”, warning that Hezbollah’s continued presence as an armed group remained “a wall to growth and integration into the region."

The Lebanese Cabinet recently endorsed a US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah and other militant groups and to assert a state monopoly on weapons.

“This is a very pluralistic society. One thing you have going for you is that Christianity is able to thrive here, worship freely, do business and live in peace – something that is not true in much of the Middle East,” he said.

“My advice to you is to keep that diversity and try to find a way to get Hezbollah disarmed, because if you can't achieve that, then a lot of doors stay locked. But the day that Hezbollah is disarmed, and the Lebanese military is the protector of the country for all Lebanese, then many doors could open.”

He warned that Lebanon’s growth, integration with the West, and regional stability would remain limited as long as Hezbollah retained its weapons. “

The Lebanese people have to decide to disarm Hezbollah, not me," he said.

During his trip, Mr. Graham visited the US embassy in Beirut, paying tribute to those killed in the 1983 Hezbollah bombings of the mission and a marine barracks. His visit coincides with US envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus arriving in Lebanon after meetings in Israel, where they urged Israel to scale back attacks on the country.

By Sabina Mammadli