US reroutes $72M in aid for wages for Lebanese army, police

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — The United States is rerouting $72 million of America’s assistance to Lebanon to help the cash-strapped government boost wages of its soldiers and police officers. Washington is a key donor of the Lebanese Army and its 80,000 members, providing over $3 billion in military aid since 2006. The announcement Wednesday is the first time the U.S. is allocating funds for wages in Lebanon, a tiny Mediterranean country of 6 million people. The country is struggling with an unprecedented economic crisis, with three-quarters of the population living in poverty while the Lebanese pound has lost over 90% of its value against the dollar.