U.S. lawmakers: Lebanon’s embrace of Ahmadinejad may affect military aid

The Lebanese daily An-Nahar on Thursday quoted sources in the U.S. Congress as renewing opposition to U.S. military assistance to Lebanon. The renewed opposition comes in the midst of a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lebanon.

In August, two key Democrats, Representatives Nita Lowey and Howard Berman, announced they were holding up $100 million that had been approved for Lebanon’s army but not yet spent. At the time, lawmakers said they were blocking U.S. funding due to a deadly border clash between Lebanon and Israel.

According to An-Nahar, Lowey and Berman vehemently oppose the transfer of the funds, scheduled for next month, in light of the warm welcome with which Ahmadinejad was received in Lebanon.

Read more at HAARETZ.com.