Congressman Tom Lantos
(D) California
Posted on 08/27/2006 10:35:32 AM PDT by Grendel9
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A key U.S. legislator said in Israel on Sunday he would block aid President George W. Bush promised Lebanon and free the funds only when Beirut agreed to the deployment of international troops on the border with Syria.
"The international community must use all our available means to stiffen Lebanon's spine and to convince the government of Lebanon to have the new UNIFIL troops on the Syrian border in adequate numbers," said Tom Lantos, the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives' International Relations Committee.
Lantos said he was putting a legislative hold on Bush's proposal to provide $230 million in aid for Lebanon in the aftermath of the 34-day war between Israel and Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas.
As the top Democrat on the International Relations Committee, Lantos has the power to hold up legislation.
"It is very much my hope that I will be able to lift the hold when the reasons will no longer be present," he said at Israel's Foreign Ministry, where he met Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni after talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.***
Lantos said he would introduce bipartisan legislation to provide more aid to Israel, which already receives more than $2 billion annually in assistance from the United States.
"Lebanon will get help from both Europe, the Arab world and the United States. Unless the United States provides some aid to Israel, Israel receives no aid," Lantos said.
He did not provide any estimate of how much money he would seek for Israel.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
As much as I hate to say it I am on Lantos's side on this one. Screw the Lebanese till they throw Hizballah into the street.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while :)
DITTO !!
What t hell is or President thinking or doing?
Does he think tha we can "buy" any good will from the Lebanese, who don't like us and support (for the most part) the Hezbos?
Just because the Hezbos, Iran or Syria are furnishing aid, does that necessarily mean we have to?
Now is George wanted to send some "aid" in the form of the 101st Infantry, then I'm all for it.
Every day, I get more and more disillusioned with this man who I voted for--twice!!
Agreed. Bush should be taking the fight to its origins, Iran and Syria, rather than trying to buy off the Lebanese. Kill the killers, don't let them continue to roam free in Lebanon where they will steal US aid and shoot any Lebanese who interferes.
Credit where credit is due ... Lantos is out in front on this one.
Conservatives were writing our representatives. Why is it that a dim is *the only one* with the ability to call this a bad idea? There were many threads on FR that called this lunacy upfront. This is a huge issue for conservatives. Why reward Hizb with money and military aid? If the dims frame this to their favor, it will make a difference in November.
Muslim liars and Jihadists! Tom Lantos has your number!
I really have no faith in those international troops...
But, it's a disgrace no Republican has done this already.
lebanon has made clear on which side they stand. They don't deserve our help.
A CA demorat is more likely only to look for himself and the party, I support W over some CA demrat, Bush knows what he is doing, aid for the Leb Govt is important in the scheme of things for Israel to establish its security.
Lantos was a Hungarian Jew as an adolescent during the Nazi occupation. For some people, "Never Again" is more than just a slogan.
This is good news. Lebanon is nothing more known than by it's new name: Hezbollahland.
I would not give any money to Lebanon, they knew what Hezbollah WAS DOING. Let HEZBOLLAH pay.
OOh! I don't think he'll get much dem party support on this one.
I didn't think I'd ever find common ground with Tom Lantos but I gotta agree with him on this one.
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