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Black Box : Dependency and Control

The United States has strategically limited Lebanon’s access to weapons from countries like Russia to prevent Moscow from gaining influence over the Lebanese Army. However, Washington has not offered Lebanon equivalent military alternatives, instead providing only minimal aid sufficient to maintain its strategic interests. The broader goal is to exert control over the Lebanese Army, though achieving full dominance remains unlikely. To pursue this aim, the U.S. enforces a monopoly over military aid, weapon supplies, and training, dictating which nations may cooperate with Lebanon’s defense sector. Through economic leverage, political influence, and threats of sanctions, Washington has created a dependency on American support. This dependency mirrors an addiction, where Lebanese officials fear losing even limited U.S. assistance if they accept aid from rivals like Russia. Consequently, American “aid” functions less as help and more as a mechanism of control. The situation illustrates not mere cooperation but a subtle form of occupation shaping Lebanon’s sovereignty.