Retired US General: American Troops On The Ground Likely Needed To Help Lebanon Confront Hezbollah

Eurasia Review  |  Ray Hanania

Retired US Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland stated that effectively supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces against Hezbollah would require American and coalition troops on the ground to advise, assist, and accompany local forces. This proposed deployment aims to build operational confidence and manage internal sectarian divisions, mirroring the coalition strategy utilized during Operation Inherent Resolve against Daesh.

Replicating this model in Lebanon presents heightened complexities because the Iran-backed group maintains a deeply entrenched, four-decade-long political and military presence that far exceeds the territorial control once held by Daesh. Consequently, any successful campaign demands a robust budget to cover military salaries and logistics, alongside diplomatic efforts to sever Iranian financial pipelines and restrain unilateral Israeli strikes. To establish a unified command structure, the United States would also need to coordinate regional partners, including Türkiye and Syria, while mitigating historical rivalries among Lebanon's diverse communal factions.

Comment

Applying the "advise, assist, and accompany" doctrine from Operation Inherent Resolve to the Lebanese Armed Forces overlooks the fundamental structural differences between a degraded Iraqi military and a highly factionalised Lebanese state. While the coalition in Iraq operated against a non-state actor occupying territory, the Lebanese Armed Forces exist in parallel with Hezbollah, which is deeply integrated into the host nation's political and security apparatus. Consequently, any attempt to embed Western advisers within Lebanese units would expose coalition personnel to direct intelligence leakage and compromise operational security to Iranian-backed networks. This doctrinal friction suggests that the tactical reassurance mechanisms used in Mosul cannot be replicated in Beirut without triggering immediate domestic political paralysis.

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