WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- The Washington visit by Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr is a move to shore up relations amid a potential shift in the diplomatic climate, analysts said.
Murr arrived in Washington earlier this week to meet with top defense officials, including U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the head of the U.S. Central Command.
His visit came as Gates unveiled a new Pentagon budget that shifts the U.S. defense focus from traditional weapons systems to counterinsurgency and Special Forces programs.
Lebanese defense analyst and retired air force Gen. Elias Hanna said in an interview with The Daily Star the Murr visit may be opportunistic.
"Since you have a new administration and a new budget released by Gates, why not go there and explore the possibilities?" he asked.
Washington supplies the bulk of weapons and training to the Lebanese military. Washington recently delivered a micro-reconnaissance aerial vehicle, the RQ-11 Raven, and there are plans to ship tanks to Lebanon as well.
Beirut is concerned, however, that Washington's funding for the Lebanese military may dry up if the March 8 coalition led by the Lebanese Hezbollah does well in the June parliamentary elections.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman told lawmakers on Capitol Hill last month he would review Lebanese assistance "in the context of Lebanon's parliamentary election results and the policies formed by the new Cabinet."
