Lebanon

[LeaveOnlyFootprints]

Donald Trump says "we're going to help Lebanon a lot". The relationship is very good.

Sky News

https://news.sky.com/video/trump-meets-lebanese-president-at-white-house-13565674

New best friends. Hopefully, sn end to the conflict there, help with dealing with Hezbollah maybe?

Independent commentator states 'Lebanon president brilliant negotiator', he needed support of President Trump and got that, he wanted support of the Lebanese army and got that too and then needed to pressurise Israel to withdraw from parts of Lebanese territory. Granted there are limits on that but they have agreed to withdraw from some parts and Lebanese army to take over.

Good news 👏

So is Trump going to send US Troops to Lebanon to help them remove non Lebanon state forces ?

As I understood the interview, the Lebanese army are going to take over the areas not occupied by Hezbollah. No.US troops on the ground and Israel will withdraw from areas the Lebanese army control but still fight Hezbollah in areas where Hezbollah are strong. Collaborative approach to get rid of Hezbollah.

To be fair most seem uninterested in this type of progress ie Israel withdrawal with tge Lebanese army working with the US.

Well, Trump did say at the G7 that he wanted Syria involved. And that went down like a lead ballon.

Collaboration makes sense but many neighbours, surrounding 'problem' countries, or countries with significant terrorist organisations seem to either ignore the problems or want it sorted by others.

Jesus fucking Christ, folks!

Stop listening to Donald Trump. The man has no idea.

Lebanon is a genuinely complicated situation whose state is based on an unrepresentative at this point, internationally brokered sectarian power-sharing agreement.

Yes, the Christian-Sunni majority would like Hezbollah's armed wing (they are also just a fully-fledged political party) gone. They also have genuine popular support among Shiites and marginally so among non-Shiite anti-Israel other demographics.

The Lebanese Armed Forces are not in any position to disarm Hezbollah. And that is to some extent deliberate. Israel doesn't want a militarily capable actor on its northern border and the US and European states propping it up have largely respected this.

This is a genuinely ugly situation with no clear winners. But there certainly isn't any "and then Aoun and Herzog hugged and dipped into the same bowl of hummus together".

"Jesus fucking Christ, folks!

Stop listening to Donald Trump. The man has no idea."

Calm down!

Reporting whats been announced on the news doesn't mean we are 'listening to him' as if his words are truthful. He's the current leader of the world's biggest superpower at the moment so many report what his latest 'thinking' (if it can be called that) is.

The Lebanese leader had his measure. Hezbollah have support as Hamas do but they have still brought endless misery on their respective people.

Al Jazerra report that residents are returning to homes in Southern Lebanon in the 'pilot zones' where the Lebanese army are. The Lebanese army took over the area Tuesday under the new brokered agreement.

Very small steps

A collaborative approach to get rid of Hezbollah sounds positive. As does the fact that residents are returning to their homes in Southern Lebanon in the 'pilot zones' where the Lebanese army are.

Thanks for reporting this @LeaveOnlyFootprints

There isn't much interest in Lebanon on this board. Probably because they have agreed a framework deal with Israel which isn't something Israel haters can get excited about.

As I said on another thread (which people showed little interest in either) The deal seeks an end to the war in Lebanon, disarmament of Hezbollah, the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south and for Israeli forces to steadily withdraw from the country, starting with two “pilot zones”.

The next round of US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place next week in Rome. Times of Israel report that:

Technical teams from each side will meet from August 4 to August 6 and focus on advancing the implementation of the framework agreement for an eventual peace deal that Israel and Lebanon signed last month.

“That includes expanding the pilot zone process, resolving all outstanding border issues, and working on a comprehensive peace and security agreement,” a statement attributed to a State Department official said.

The IDF carried out its first withdrawal from a pilot zone in southern Lebanon last week, though Beirut has since accused Jerusalem of hampering efforts by the Lebanese Armed Forces to operate in that area.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-round-of-talks-between-israel-and-lebanon-to-begin-august-4-in-rome/

Small steps with the Lebanese army taking over areas.

Yes hopefully moving in the right direction.