File photo; Criticism of Lebanese Army Chief General Rodolphe Haykal intensified in the US Congress in recent weeks, with lawmakers citing what they describe as his “failure” to disarm Hezbollah
WASHINGTON- US Sen. Lindsey Graham said that he abruptly ended a meeting with visiting Lebanon’s army chief after the general refused to call Hezbollah a terrorist group and warned that the US cannot rely on partners who deny the threat.
“I just had a very brief meeting with Lebanese General Rodolphe Haykal. I asked him point blank if he believes Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. He said, ‘No, not in the context of Lebanon.’ With that, I ended the meeting,” wrote US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on Thursday in a post on social media.
“They are clearly a terrorist organization. Hezbollah has American blood on its hands. Just ask the U.S. Marines,” he added.
Graham pointed out that Hezbollah has “been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by both Republican and Democrat administrations since 1997 – for good reason.”
“As long as this attitude exists from the Lebanese Armed Forces, I don’t think we have a reliable partner in them. I am tired of the double speak in the Middle East. Too much is at stake,” he concluded.
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