"The United States has agreed to provide Lebanon with urgent military aid worth 30 million dollars this year and promised us atleast 100 million dollars in aid next year to help arm and modernize the LAF," Michel Suleiman, LAF commander, was quoted by the Defense News report as saying.

    Suleiman said the money for this year had been used to buy more ammunition and spare parts and repair U.S.-built armored personnel carriers, tanks and helicopters in service with the LAF. The LAF had also purchased 300 Humvee vehicles that would be delivered every soon, and was considering to purchase another 300, he said.

    The United States has significantly increased its military aid to Lebanon, from 700,000 dollars last year to 30 million dollars this year, and it was highly possible that more would be given in the coming year, the report said, citing a U.S. embassy official.

    Washington and other Western countries have been hesitant for the past few years to provide Lebanon with serious military aid due to doubt about the cohesion and level of professionalism and reform within the military institution, the report said.

    The aid was made after the quick deployment of some 15,000 Lebanese regular troops along the borders with Israel last August, following a 34-day war between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas.