Thread by @LLRobertson75

Ok...we need to start paying more attention to Lebanon. News hit today that the US is withholding $105 million in security aid for Lebanon. This money is crucial for Lebanon to secure its borders (with Syria & Israel). 1/

reuters.com/article/us-usa…

US officials gave no official reason. The decision by State Department comes day after Israeli officials said diplomats had asked allies to condition funds on action against Hezbollah. I don’t believe in coincidences. 2/

timesofisrael.com/after-israeli-…

This aid withholding comes after PM Saad Hariri left office due to protests. Hariri was a US ally. Now we see a vacuum that Russia intends to fill. Sec. of State Pompeo made an call for Lebanese leaders to form a new government 3/

lb.usembassy.gov/political-situ…

Russia already has their foot in the door w/ Lebanon. In January, Russia’s Rosneft signed a 20 yr deal to manage & upgrade an oil facility in Tripoli, Lebanon. Tripoli is just 30km from Syria & 60km from Tartus, Russia’s port there 4/

amp.ft.com/content/1b9339…

Last year Russian co., Novatek, signed a deal to explore & produce offshore hydrocarbons w/ Lebanon...to develop oil & natural gas wealth in the eastern Mediterranean. one of the 2 blocks bought by them neighbors Israeli waters 5/

gulfnews.com/world/mena/leb…

Russia needs this hydrocarbon tech for its new pipeline Turkstream, connecting Russian gas by pipeline under the Black Sea to Turkey. They will then add another pipeline to go as far is Greece. Add this to Nordstream 2 pipeline 6/

hydrocarbons-technology.com/projects/turks…

These two deals show Russia’s attempt at mid-East influence. Added to their deal with Syria to explore offshore gas fields they dominate the eastern Mediterranean. They intend to rebuild their port Tartus in Syria to help w/ this. 7/

trtworld.com/magazine/can-l…

Also Russia is hoping Lebanon with their refugee crisis. 1/4 of Lebanon’s population is Syrian refugees. This strains them financially. Russia’s solution is to return the refugees to Syria. I don’t see how that will work out. 8/

thenational.ae/world/mena/rus…

Russia has also offered Lebanon 15 years of interest-free delivery of arms worth $1.5 billion. The deal also includes Intelligence sharing. Lebanon has not made the deal...yet. They are afraid it will cost them the US as an ally. 9/

gulfnews.com/opinion/op-eds…

Plus Putin has also boosted trade with Lebanon to $1.5 billion over the next few years. This includes agricultural trade, pharmaceutical trade, & investment in their banking sector. Russia has been planning this for a long time 11/

tcf.org/content/commen…

All this also ties to Russia to Hezbollah Who has the majority in Lebanon’s Parliament. The US named Hezbollah a terrorist organization. Mini expect more bilateral deals after the new government is formed. 12/

tcf.org/content/commen…

Also in February 2017, Lebanon's president, Michel Aoun, received a Russian delegation. The public statement released following the meeting, focused on Russia's efforts to protect Christian minorities in Syria. 14/

dw.com/en/the-kremlin…

The minority Christian religions in Lebanon are Orthodox. Since before 2011, Russia sell the Greek orthodox religion as their foothold in Lebanon. It should be noted that Putin is Greek orthodox & he seeks to spread it. 15/

dw.com/en/the-kremlin…

This aspect is crucial because it puts Lebanon as ally to Russia religiously & in opposition to the US & evangelicism. Putin has been planning this for a while… & Trump simply reacts. Trump leaving a vacuum in the Middle East, Russia is feeling it 16/

Whoops Putin is Russian orthodox. But Orthodox sticks together & tends to dislike evangelicism (as in the US & Israel)

As far back as 2008, WikiLeaks leaked a cable by US Pol. Counselor Robert Petterson, warning of Moscow's planned return to the Levant (aka Lebanon). Putin is finally getting what he’s been planning thanks to Trump. 17/

More to come..

dw.com/en/russia-uses…