[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 17124-17125]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         NEXT STEPS IN LEBANON

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, as the international community deploys 
an international peacekeeping force to southern Lebanon and as Lebanon 
and Israel begin rebuilding after the recent conflict, it has become 
clear that a

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long-term solution to this conflict will not come about unless the 
Lebanese Government is strengthened and has the ability and the will to 
improve the daily lives of its citizens--thereby eliminating the 
conditions that have allowed Hezbollah to exploit and expand its 
influence throughout the country. Israel's security depends on it, and 
a lasting peace throughout the region won't occur without it.
  While it is still fragile, the cessation of hostilities presents an 
opportunity for the Lebanese people, with support from the 
international community, to eliminate terrorism and to cast off the 
detrimental influence that Iran and Syria have had throughout their 
country for years. It is also an opportunity to address the significant 
threats that have plagued Israel for decades.
  Still, my optimism is guarded. Unless the deployment of a U.N. force 
to patrol southern Lebanon is part of a broader international effort to 
root out Hezbollah and address the underlying causes of the conflict, 
we cannot expect Israel to feel more secure than it did prior to 
Hezbollah's recent aggressions, nor can we expect that any broader, 
long-term peace process will be pursued. Israel has every right to 
remain wary of the current international effort unless its security 
concerns are addressed and Lebanon can become a permanent--and 
capable--partner in establishing long-term peace in the region.
  One of the most important elements of establishing peace is 
initiating reconstruction efforts throughout southern Lebanon 
immediately. Unfortunately, the Lebanese Government--and thus the 
international community--is already losing to Hezbollah in the race to 
show legitimacy and strength. It is an ominous sign that Hezbollah is 
ahead of Lebanese and internationally led reconstruction efforts and 
has been responsive to local needs. This is in contrast to an 
international donor community that has yet to establish the mechanisms 
and partnerships on the ground to get reconstruction efforts moving. In 
addition, the Lebanese Government is looking weak and out of touch, 
struggling to develop coordinated strategies for reconstruction and 
security. If this continues, it will have very real security 
implications for Israel, Lebanon, and the region, and will make the 
work of the U.N. force relatively useless. This is not in the interest 
of Israel, Lebanon, or the international community.
  Mr. President, as troop-contributing nations begin their deployments 
to support the U.N. force, an equal amount of attention needs to be 
paid to longer term efforts to bolster the Lebanese Government's 
capacity to deliver services and to kick-start the Lebanese economy. As 
I mentioned, coordinated--and rapid--reconstruction efforts will help. 
But so, too, will support for the Government, its institutions, and its 
role in Lebanese society. In addition, and as experts have suggested in 
recent weeks, sufficient--and significant--attention needs to be given 
to enhancing the ability of the Lebanese military and police forces to 
do their jobs. The military and police forces need outside help. They 
need training, equipment, and supplies if they are going to be able to 
project the authority of the central Government in a professional way. 
Lebanon's democratic institutions need help; so, too, do civil society 
groups and private enterprises that can provide services to the 
Lebanese people quickly and that can increase demand for functioning, 
responsive, and transparent democratic institutions. Without this 
support for the army and police, stability will be elusive, and Israel 
will have every right to remain nervous about the role that Hezbollah 
will play in southern Lebanon and about the influence that Iran and 
Syria will have throughout the country.
  Finally, the U.S. Government must devote greater attention and 
resources to this issue. We have already seen the results of this 
administration's passive approach: hesitant international partners, 
lagging reconstruction efforts, and a shaky framework for ensuring that 
Israel's security concerns are addressed. If we are to contribute 
positively to a sustainable ceasefire and to setting the conditions 
within which Israel and Lebanon can become secure, a senior U.S. envoy 
must be deployed to help manage the implementation of U.N. Resolution 
1701, assist with donor reconstruction efforts, build support for the 
Lebanese Government, influence important regional actors, and begin 
setting the conditions for a transition to a broader peace process 
throughout the region that will bring an end to this violence and 
instability.
  One of the most pressing and important tasks for a U.S. envoy will be 
working with the international community to end the pernicious 
influence that Iran and Syria continue to exert over Lebanon. Until 
that influence is ended and the Lebanese people are allowed to assert 
their own sovereignty, the prospects for a long-term peace will be 
shaky at best.
  Mr. President, we have an opportunity to eliminate a terrorist 
organization that has terrorized Israel for too long. It has exploited 
a weak Lebanese Government and has used the facade of public service 
and charity work to buy favor amongst the people of southern Lebanon. 
Efforts now must be focused on helping to create the conditions within 
which the Lebanese Government can build the legitimacy and capacity it 
will need to establish peace within its borders. This will make Israel 
safer and will contribute to longer term peace efforts throughout the 
region. That won't happen unless the international community, led by 
the United States, helps create the conditions within which the 
Lebanese Government can do its job.

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