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