AhlulBayt News Agency: A senior US diplomat has openly acknowledged that Washington’s military support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) is intended to be used against Hezbollah and, by extension, the Lebanese population.
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, made the remarks during an interview with Abu Dhabi-based IMI Media Group’s “On the Record” program, released Tuesday. When asked about the US push to disarm Hezbollah, Barrack emphasized that the LAF was the only available force to implement American objectives.
“It’s the only people who are there,” he said. “Who are they going to fight? We’re going to arm them so they can fight ‘Israel’? I don’t think so. So, you’re arming them so they can fight their own people, Hezbollah. Hezbollah is our enemy.”
Barrack described the LAF as “not well-equipped,” comments that followed President Donald Trump’s approval of a $14.2 million aid package aimed at disarming Hezbollah. Despite Lebanon’s political instability, Barrack praised the current leadership for aligning with Washington’s agenda.
Hezbollah has consistently vowed not to surrender its weapons, asserting that its arsenal is dedicated to defending Lebanon against the apartheid “Israeli” regime. Since its founding in 1982, Hezbollah has led resistance efforts against “Israeli” aggression, including the wars of 2000 and 2006, and the ongoing assault that began in October 2023.
Reiterating US and “Israeli” claims that Hezbollah receives financial backing from Iran, Barrack admitted that the group has grown stronger despite sanctions, military pressure, and political coercion.
He also defended “Israel’s” expansionist policies, portraying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a leader who crosses borders when he perceives a threat.
“A border or boundary is just currency in a negotiation,” Barrack said. “The end result is somebody wants dominance, which means somebody has to submit.”
Barrack dismissed the possibility of peace in West Asia as “an illusion,” arguing that decades of ceasefires have failed because “everybody’s fighting for legitimacy.”
His comments come as Washington continues to provide $4–5 billion annually in military aid to the “Israeli” regime, supporting its wars from Gaza to Syria, while simultaneously pressuring Lebanon to weaken the very movement that has defended it from repeated “Israeli” invasions.
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