Cablegate: Country Team Assessment of Fy 2010 1206 Request

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLB #1008 2570525
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140525Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5698
INFO RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS BEIRUT 001008

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MCAP MASS LE
SUBJECT: COUNTRY TEAM ASSESSMENT OF FY 2010 1206 REQUEST

REF: STATE 092407

1. (U) Embassy Beirut fully supports the FY10 section 1206
proposal as submitted by the Office of Defense Cooperation
ODC) Lebanon. This proposal, which addresses Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF), Special Operations Forces (SOF), Counter
Terrorism (CT) and Weapons Support, reinforces the mission's
strategic goals of counterterrorism cooperation and
military-to-military engagement with the Lebanese armed
forces. The proposal provides mobile, heavy weapons (MK-19
40mm grenade launchers and M2 .50 cal machine guns) and
organic indirect fire support (120mm mortars) to the LAF,s
SOF regiments. The inherent versatility of the weapons
platoon as part of the SOF regiment makes it well-suited for
use against asymmetrical threats during CT operations. The
release and employment of the equipment identified in this
proposal will facilitate progress toward DoS, DoD and LAF
shared goals.

2. (U) The LAF urgently requires assistance from the U.S. to
improve its ability to conduct CT operations and secure its
borders. The equipment identified in this proposal is one
step forward to increase the LAF's capabilities and secure
its place as the country's dominant provider of military
power.

3. (U) This Section 1206 program will help build the capacity
of this partner nation's eligible forces to conduct CT
operations by providing equipment to build their capability
to provide indirect fire during CT operations, especially in
urban areas such as Nahr al-Bared and other highly populated
Palestinian refugee camps. Acting on the proposal's requests
will also provide the LAF increased urban warfare
capabilities to combat Sunni extremist groups and Palestinian
rejectionist groups which often use refugee camps as safe
havens.

4. U) Indirect fire in future CT operations is an important
application for LAF artillery. However, the fire direction
limitations of the LAF artillery prevent its effective use in
urban CT operations due to the potential for high levels of
collateral damage. Therefore, improved artillery targeting
systems which provide the LAF the ability to identify and
carry out high-precision fire are critical to avoiding
civilian casualties, and reducing risks to non-combatants.

SISON

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