The Lebanese Army's Bizarre "Creed"

The United States is apparently trying to build bridges with the Lebanese Army. But why? Well, for starters, Nahr al-Bared proved that the army was functional, non-sectarian, and immensely popular. If such a thing as a stock market for political institutions existed, the value of the Lebanese Army would be skyrocketing. By building the Lebanese Army up, to the tune of $270 million this year alone, the Americans also hope that it will emerge into an effective fighting force which can threaten Hezbollah's hegemony over South Lebanon.

Finally, there is the fear of that vestigial Syrian influences within the Army could be used against the government. Syrian troops may have left Lebanon, but that doesn't mean their puppets in the Army vanished into the wind. If you have a free moment and an abnormally strong stomach for flowery rhetoric, check out the Lebanese Army's official "creed." It is one of those anachronistic holdovers from the Syrian occupation, and it is probably no coincidence that the Lebanese Army is one of the institutions where it survives.

Take section 1.5: "The special and brotherly relationship between Lebanon and Syria"

Lebanon and Syria have common historical links that sprout from nationalistic and geographical considerations and from the common interests of the two countries, especially in their confrontation with the Israeli enemy. The relationships of cooperation and collaboration between the two countries had had, after conceding to the Taïf Accord, positive results for both countries.

Gag me. After giving a big hug to the Syrians, the creed clearly defines Israel as the enemy in the next session.

Lebanon is facing many threats to its structure and to the pillars of its existence, especially the Zionist threat, as Israel has been ever since its foundation, the source of wars and tragedies that Lebanon and the Arab countries have suffered a lot from for about half a century . The horizons of real peace are still unseen due to the racist nature of the Israeli entity. Israel is the only member of the United Nations that has not yet drawn its final borders . This goes back to its expantionist avarice and to the blending of its political, military, and social concepts with its religious concepts that are based on the myth of the "Promised Land."

It's interesting that the word "avarice" appears four times in the section on Israel, a pretty overt allusion to the typical anti-Semitic stereotype of greedy, covetous Jews. Regardless, what follows the above quote is a lengthy exposition on a Zionist document written in 1919, which reads as if some freshman college student hacked into the Army's website and decided to regurgitate his homework from the night before. Someone needs to thank the Army for their valuable political insights, and then gently remind them that Lebanon's elected leaders get to decide who is a friend, and who is an enemy.

None of this is to say that everyone takes the "creed" seriously. Obviously, there is a wide range of opinion within the Army. But I'm sure American policymakers are concerned with burying this particular strand of pro-Syrian, anti-Israeli sentiment for good, especially in such a vital institution.